VBT# Review - The Personal Trainer - Rebecca Collomosse

Review: The Personal Trainer - Rebecca Collomosse - April 2026

Going into The Personal Trainer, I was expecting a twisty psychological thriller with a slightly obsessive edge and while it definitely delivered on the tension, it also gave me a story that kept me constantly second-guessing what I thought I knew.

At its heart, this is a story about grief, second chances, and the fragile hope of starting over. Our narrator is preparing for her wedding to Seb, a man who has helped her believe in love again after the tragic loss of her first husband. There’s something quite tender and relatable in that desire to rebuild your life, to feel like yourself again and I really felt that emotional undercurrent throughout the novel.

Wanting to look and feel her best for the big day, she hires Claudia, a personal trainer who initially seems like the perfect fit. Claudia is everything you’d expect - bright, polished, endlessly positive, and completely committed. But as the story unfolds, that helpful enthusiasm slowly morphs into something far more unsettling. She begins to blur the lines between professional and personal, turning up unannounced, appearing in places she shouldn’t be… and that’s where the unease really starts to creep in.

I’ll admit, the Claudia storyline was one I felt I could see coming fairly early on. There’s a certain predictability to the “too perfect to be true” character, and I found myself waiting for the inevitable reveal. However, where this book really surprised me was in its layered tension particularly surrounding Seb and his past. The presence of his late wife lingers in a way that feels almost ghostly, especially with that chilling moment involving the photograph. It’s one of those scenes that quietly gets under your skin.

And then… that twist.

Without giving anything away, I have to say that the ending involving Seb genuinely shocked me. It came completely out of nowhere and made me question everything I thought I understood about the story. It was very much a “WTF just happened?” moment and honestly, I love when a book can still catch me off guard like that.

Overall, The Personal Trainer is a solid psychological thriller with a strong sense of atmosphere and an ending that packs a punch. While parts of the plot felt predictable, the emotional depth and that final twist made it a worthwhile read , perfect for fans who enjoy stories about obsession, grief, and the dark side of starting over.


The Storygraph : https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cd000675-14c1-4744-b49e-2c56b3d3e0c3