I absolutely loved this book! Lisa Unger is one of my favorite authors. She really is one of the best at writing thrillers that keep the reader engaged. The characters were relatable, It was a great thriller that kept my attention throughout.. I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin for allowing to read this ARC.

This book had me hooked. A high-stakes game of extreme hide-and-seek turns deadly at an abandoned island resort and Adele—just a regular mom who would do anything for her kids—gets caught in the middle. She’s tough, smart, and absolutely relentless because the only thing that matters is making it back home to them. The storm, the island, the creepy, heart-pounding twists… it’s nonstop tension. Lisa Unger nails the mix of psychological suspense and survival thriller!


Thank you Lisa Unger, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harlequin Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was a fun book, but had some flaws. There were a lot of storylines going on, so sometimes it was hard to keep track and didn’t really pick up Neil about half way through. Overall, it was good, but could have been better without all the jumping around.

I typically love this author, but unfortunately this wasn't my favorite of her books. It started off very slow, and it didn't speed up until about 2/3rds of the way through. I also didn't find the ending very satisfying. I really enjoy the locked door mystery trope, and I enjoyed that this one was set on a remote island in the middle of a tropical storm. I did also like the gaming, influencers, and social media aspects in this book, so I was really disappointed that it overall fell a little flat for me.

I loved this book! Lisa Unger always excels at creating such a creepy atmosphere with a captivating plot and a hero you are rooting for, and I absolutely loved how she did all that and more in Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I also loved that the characters weren’t completely good or bad, there were layers to their motivations, not unlike the online world we all live in (and is highlighted in this book). I loved all she did to pull the story together and the way it ended as well! Such a great thriller!

The description of this book hooked me-ultimate game of hide-and-seek, social media stunt, and a determined mother competing. Unfortunately, this ended up being a book about bad people doing bad things. It seemed to want to do too many different things and got a bit muddled with so many characters' points of view. I was intrigued enough to want to finish and find out what happened, but it just didn't meet my expectations.

So much going on in this book! So many plots, subplots, characters, points of view. I honestly got a little lost at times and had to center myself in what I was reading. Was that because I was turning the pages too quickly? Maybe. But seriously, even as a not fan of reality and survivor type tv and social media, I was hooked on the insanity of a hide and seek game on a scary island. Then throw in the backstories of all the characters. It is hard to believe it all fit in 350 pages! But the jostling between story lines also meant that at parts the pace stumbled a bit. But I guess it is give and take when you are cramming so many ideas into the same book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lisa Unger. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Extreme adventurer Maverick Dillon is hosting the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. Set on a remote island, the game quickly turns into a game of survival instead of a social media stunt. As a storm threatens, and everyone has their secrets, Adele is a single mother of two teenagers, desperate to win the prize money to offer them the stability they need. But has she made a mistake coming to this island that may cost her everything?

I always look forward to Lisa Unger's books, and this was a perfect escape book. Plus, I always enjoy an atmospheric, locked room mystery, and this one ticked off those boxes in spades. There's some warnings here about social media and influencers, and how blurry the lines are between gaming and the real world. A bit implausible at times, I still was thoroughly invested to figure out everyone's secrets and just how things would end up. Tense and full of thrills!

There was so much to enjoy about this book. I was invested in the characters and the premise - a Hide and Seek challenge broadcast online - seemed like something that could happen in the future. There were bits of the background subplot that felt forced. But I loved the relationship of her and her kids. Recommended for fans of mystery - who like nonlinear plots and a "locked room" vibe.

Why am I surprised when I instantly get pulled into a Lisa Unger novel? Every time I pick one up, it takes about a chapter, maybe two, before I am feverishly flipping through the pages. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 is no different.

In her signature style, Unger delivers action, suspense, and beautifully complex characters. This time around, she tackles social media influencers and extreme gaming in a way that is as candid as it is entertaining. Though Adele becomes the stand-out character for me, there is a cast of men and women who help make this thriller go from a chance to win a million dollars to see them trying to just make it out of this alive.

What I loved about this book is how the reality of who each character is slowly comes out. Choices are made. Actions are taken. It is all completely addictive, but it is more than just an action-filled thrill ride. There is depth and layers to the Adele, Maverick, Angeline, Cody, Malinka, Tavo, and Hector. And as they are peeled back, truths are revealed at just the right moments. And then you have the balance of Adele’s children, Violet and Blake, at home. They ground the craziness of what is going on at Falco Island and add even more tension and emotion to the already fraught situation.

All in all, this was one great book. If you liked THE LAST ONE by Will Dean, this is definitely a book you will want to read.

Audiobook Note: I will be honest. I spent only about a quarter of the time listening to the audiobook, but it was not because narrator Vivienne Leheny was anything less than wonderful. Her pace and elocution brought the story alive, especially in the end chapters. If you are an audiobook listener, this is one not to miss.

2.5 stars

I have read, and loved, many books from this author in the past, so I was excited to check out this one. However, it fell flat for me. I enjoyed the setting, but there was too much focus on Adele's missing husband. That, along with so much of Adele's backstory, really did not do anything to further the story. It would've been more beneficial to have spent more time developing and exploring the contestants. I never really felt a connection to any of them. Overall, it just seemed like there was too much going on, and while I enjoy multiple POV's, it didn't work well in this story.

I liked the complexity of this thriller. I felt like there were multiple storylines with the actual part of the book the ultimate hide and seek challenge being a backdrop instead of the main focal points.

With all of these storylines there were also a lot of points of view which worked ok.

This wasn’t my favorite by her. It felt too busy.

So twisty! This is a story about secrets and lies, rumors, resilience and redemption, the difference between true strength and an appetite for power...How our true selves can be shined up for display on social media to the point where hiding behind the facade feels better than "real life". Paired with a dark, stormy island setting, you might just find yourself turning the pages late into the night as you try to solve the many mysteries that unfold.

I really enjoyed reading Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, I felt like I was watching a reality program happening in live time. I instantly felt for the main character, Adele, with her family struggles and was rooting for her to win the million dollars. There were also other characters that were integral to the story, some of which I liked more than others lol. The character development was excellent in this novel. The story was fast paced and unique so that I really did not know how the storyline would develop and end. As someone who spends a lot of time alone on remote trails, I felt like Lisa Unger did a great job capturing the spookiness of remote locations. This was my first book by Lisa Unger and will not be my last.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten,” by Lisa Unger really grabs you in and is very present day. I’d like to start off by saying that this story follows multiple viewpoints and has many main and side characters that get their own chapters. It is heavily relevant to today’s social media standards as social media plays a big role in this book and in the storyline. Various platforms of social media are used to develop this story.

This story follows a social media competition in which there is an extreme version of hide and seek that takes place on a remote island in a dilapidated hotel that is scheduled for demolition. The contestants will get to explore the hotel prior to the start (urban exploration) to scope out hiding spots and the last hider to be found by the sponsors of the contest is to win one million dollars. Just before the competition starts, a superstorm is getting ready to hit the island and locals are advising them to leave but the sponsors and participants choose to stay. The game quickly becomes a game of survival.

The main characters include two of the sponsors who are a couple, Maverick and Angeline. Maverick is very controversial in the social media world as his last extreme challenges ended up with a missing person. The main character who is a contestant is a single mom, Adele, with two children in middle and high school who was down on her luck as her husband was on the run from the police for fraud and embezzlement. She wanted to play as she needed the money due to her husband’s crimes.

I really enjoyed the story. There were a lot of twists and it was hard to figure out who to trust. I had enjoyed how present day it was with the presence of social media hitting our younger generation these days. I also liked that the story included urban exploration elements. The elements that got a bit confusing were having so many main characters (but they were well developed) and a few pieces of the story don’t feel like they were completely wrapped up in the end. But overall I’d say it was a 4.75. I loved it and would definitely recommend it to others!

A very gripping thriller that kept my attention and showed how far people will go to protect their family and/or their friends and companies.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author, Lisa Unger, for providing me with the ARC of the book for free in exchange for an honest review.

this is an engaging story that really draws you in. The author does an excellent work in depicting the protagonist's emotional journey, making the characters feel genuine and relatable. The writing is smooth, and the pace keeps you hooked.
Some twists were a bit predictable but the book is worth reading as it's engaging and well thought
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 has every making of a great thriller and turned out to be so gripping and heart pounding I couldn’t stop reading.

Struggling but resilient single mother, Adele decides to join a social media stunt hosted by charismatic daredevil Maverick Dillan on remote Falcao Island, playing a game of extreme hide and seek with other influencers, all competing for the prize of a million dollars.
However, from the time she arrives on the island, things begin turning strange until she realizes she’s fighting for survival against not only the raging tropical storm that has quickly moved in, but also another unknown, but deadly threat.

The oncoming storm, the threats Maverick was receiving, he and his team’s dubious ideals surrounding the competition, and the warnings from the island’s inhabitants all combine to create such an ominous feeling that settled over the island as the game went on.
While the first half was a slow burn of introductions and building, the second half becomes an adrenaline fueled fight for survival against several dangers. As people disappear, the storm rages, and Maverick’s obsession with fortune and fame grows to a sinister level, you begin to wonder if anyone will come out of this competition.

In addition to being a fantastic thriller, Lisa Unger also did a beautiful job creating the setting and atmosphere of Falcao Island, exploring the impact of social media and reality entertainment, and detailing the lengths a mother will go to fight for her children. I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row and NetGalley for this eARC.

I wanted to love this—the premise was great. The eARC had terrible formatting issues that made the book difficult to enjoy, sadly! I hope this is corrected in the final digital version.

You can always count on Lisa Unger for unique plots and tense stories.

Single mom, Adele, has had a tough go at life recently. Her husband has disappeared after being accused of embezzlement of funds at his company, money is tight, and she’s slowly built a following on social media platform WeWatch as she works on herself after her marriage fell apart. With her children’s encouragement, she agrees to participate in an extreme game of hide and seek hosted by influencer Maverick and his team at Extreme to try and win the prize of $1 million. But when she arrives for the challenge on a super remote island, things start to fall apart and her chances of winning the money seem to be slipping.

I really liked the premise of this one and I thought it had a lot of potential to be a real thriller. In true Lisa Unger fashion, there are lots of POV’s and intertwining plot lines within the story. I thought it worked well overall but there were some aspects that seemed superfluous and incomplete and the story didn’t need them to be exciting.

But this is a solid thriller and I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC. My review is honest and voluntary.

An extreme hide and seek game at an abandoned resort on a remote island with a prize of one million dollars. Sounds intriguing and exciting and Adele, a single mom with two children could really use that money. She is selected, along with two others and to make maters worse, a storm is brewing and the organizers of the even won’t leave or allow his contestants to leave. Now it becomes a battle for survival. And that’s not all, we learn more about why Adele needs the money, how the organizers need this game to play out and so much more. This makes for a fascinating locked-room mystery and adventurous thriller The suspenseful novel is one I could not put down!