Lisa is always a must read! Really enjoyed the character development and the twists and turns. Adele is like every mother and will do whatever it takes to protect her child.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Not my favorite Lisa Unger book. Had a hard time connecting to, or really liking, any of the main characters. It was an easy and entertaining read, but after reading so many thrillers, this one felt a bit formulaic. I still had fun time reading it, i just wish there was a bit more depth and intrigue. I would love to be more invested in the story, and i think you do that by making me care about the characters, and i feel there were just too many of them to focus in. This went wide when it should've gone deep!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review " Close Your Eyes and Count to 10." This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Unger and I had big hopes of reading an exciting thriller. I found the book to be tedious. I felt that the ending was rushed and the plot didn't build up to the ending. The book gave off a vibe of trying to teach the moral of " do the right thing." Sorry only 2 stars from me.

The idea of a deadly, high-stakes game of hide-and-seek on a storm-battered island has so much potential, and Lisa Unger does set up a tense, cinematic atmosphere in the opening chapters. The concept blends survival thriller with social media spectacle, which could have made for a sharp, timely story.

Unfortunately, the execution felt underwhelming. The pacing lagged in places, the danger never truly felt urgent, and the twists were predictable. Adele had a strong motivation as a mother, but the character depth wasn’t enough to make me fully invested in her journey.

While the setting and premise were intriguing, the story didn’t deliver the level of suspense or originality I was hoping for.

A group of people are invited to play hide & seek at a dilapidated hotel on a remote island in a foreign country; what could possibly go wrong? It was engaging enough to want to finish, but not my favorite by Ms. Unger. I was hoping it'd be a bit more about the actual competitions and competitors, and less about the game makers. Still, it had a few tense moments and a pretty solid read

Lisa Unger has long been one of my favorite authors, and Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten is yet another reminder of why I keep coming back to her books - masterful suspense, razor-sharp writing, and characters so real they practically breathe.

From the very first page, I was hooked. Unger creates tension like no one else, slow-burning, psychological, and utterly unshakable. The twists in this novel aren’t just shocking; they’re smart, emotional, and deeply earned. She doesn’t just play with your mind—she gets under your skin.

What sets this book apart, though, is the emotional depth beneath the thriller surface. The trauma, the memory, the sense of unease. It all builds into a story that’s as much about survival and identity as it is about fear. I found myself completely immersed, flipping pages late into the night, unable to stop.

Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten is Lisa Unger at her absolute best: dark, gripping, and unforgettable. If you’re a longtime fan like me, this one will only deepen your admiration.

And if you’re new to her work? Prepare to be hooked.

I have to start by saying that I absolutely ADORE Lisa Unger. Unfortunately, this wasn't my favorite of hers.

The setting was A+! It was eerie and atmospheric. I think my biggest issue was that there were A LOT of characters and a lot of POVs. It became overwhelming to try to remember everyone and frankly to care about each character. I think it would have been more successful if the book had focused in on just a couple POVs.

The plot started out strong. I was really invested for the first portion of the book but slowly began to lose interest.

Overall, it was a decent read but not my favorite of Unger's books. Regardless, I will never hesitate to pick up a book by her!

This book wasn’t bad, but I struggled to stay interested throughout reading it. I thought the subplot of Adele’s husband being on the run was pointless, and the story would’ve been better without it. I thought surely he would be involved somehow with the main plot, with Extreme or Enchantments, but he just… wasn’t. Some of the plot points were far-fetched, like Blake’s online friend just happening to be able to go rescue Adele from enchantments. The pacing was not consistent, and the story just randomly jumped into the actual ‘hide and seek’ part without any warning, and it lasted about 5 seconds before devolving into something else.

A lot of the mysteries were solved in one sentence in like the last chapter of the book, such as the murderer and who was leaving items for Adele to find at Enchantments. There wasn’t any tension or build up, it was just kind of… revealed. Overall, definitely not one of the better thrillers I’ve read, but I have read a lot worse. 2.5 stars.

I read this book in one sitting. No joke. I LOVE a competition story and I LOVE books set in abandoned places. This book was a 5/5 for me. Add in the whole "where is her husband?" aspect and I was IN. I don't know that I have ever read a book by Lisa Unger prior to this, and wasn't sure what to expect with her storytelling. I was pleasantly surprised. I will 100% be picking up her next book and I hope it's as twisty as this one!

While this one started out a little slow, it soon picked up the pace. This book had me hooked until the very end. I love Lisa's books and look forward to reading more from her.

The smell of mist and mold was overpowering as she walked through the dark hallways of the abandoned building. The wind outside beat against the structure, causing it to groan in protest. It wasn’t going to be standing much longer with this storm raging and she needed to get out before it was too late.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a thriller following a cast of characters playing an ultimate game of hide and seek on a social media platform called Extreme. When a raging storm crashes the island they’re on, a body turns up, and secrets from the past are threatened to be revealed… things turn for the worse.

The premise of this book sounded fun, but I found myself not completely invested. The characters annoyed me, the twists were things I saw coming, and I feel the ending was a bit odd. I don’t think anyone truly learned from their actions. I will say the message behind the dark side of social media and how harmful it is to please people in your life, which leads to devastation, was a good message to take in.

Read if you like:

• Thrillers
• Games/Challenges
• Social Media
• Multiple POVs
• Secluded Island Setting

CW: Murder, Death of a Loved One, Physical Violence, Infidelity, Blackmail, Bullying, Mental Illness.

I enjoyed this book, however, wasn’t my favorite by this author! I enjoyed the audiobook version more than the physical!

The premise is so interesting. An extreme version of hide & seek in a secluded island, yes please! Unfortunately, I had the same experience as I did with other books by Lisa Unger. They start of great but then draaaaag the rest of the book.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was a gripping and atmospheric thriller that held my attention from start to finish. Lisa Unger expertly builds suspense with complex characters and a haunting, mysterious setting. The story’s twists were unpredictable, keeping me constantly guessing about the truth. It was a compelling and intense read that stayed with me long after I finished.

Thank you for the ARC.
I liked the tension in the book and the characters. Felt a little over done at times is all. Wanted some more twists and thrill.

I’m a big Lisa Unger fan. I’ve enjoyed all of her books. Thus far this one was a little bit, lacking due to the similarity from something else that I had read about a lot of silence and contest I give her three out of five stars..

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 delivers an intense, atmospheric premise—complete with a literal storm, masked intruders, hidden motives, and betrayals worthy of a reality TV finale. The tone is suspenseful, and the writing is strong, but the pacing leaves something to be desired. Much of the first half is spent unraveling character backstories, which slows the momentum significantly. Readers may find themselves eager for the real action to begin.

When the twist finally arrives, it lacks the impact one might expect—it enters quietly rather than delivering a shocking reveal. The ending, similarly, feels underwhelming and abrupt, leaving more of a “that’s it?” impression than a satisfying conclusion.

While this isn’t Lisa Unger’s most gripping work, the novel still offers enough intrigue and drama to appeal to fans of stormy thrillers and influencer culture narratives. It may not be a standout, but it has its moments.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

I was not able to read and review this book before its publishing date. However, now that I have I gave it 3.5 stars.

Lisa Unger never fails to deliver a story that grips you from the start, shocks you at every turn, and gives you characters to root for AND hate.

The premise of this story surprised me because I love a reality show trope, especially when it’s as nefarious as this.

I love all of Lisa’s books and this bumped up to top 3!