Here is my confession…

I am a Huge fan of Lisa Unger, have been for many a decade. I love the fast pace, twisty, and delicious thrillers she writes.

“Close Your Eyes and Count to 10,” is one of my favorite 5. Our novel revolves around a group of successful Social Media Influencers that gather for a fun and innocent game of Hide and Seek. However, it turns out not to be so fun and so innocent when it becomes a game of survival for all,of them.

Full of tension spikes and twists this novel grabs you and has tou reading long into the night. It’s a fine commentary on social media and the power it has, either good or bad.

Thank You NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

One of my favorite Lisa unger books!! She always knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time !! Can’t wait for more by her !!

“Close Your Eyes and Count to 10” by Lisa Unger is a thrilling, high-stakes psychological drama revolving around a group of influencers who play an extreme game of hide and seek as part of a contest. What begins as a seemingly fun and harmless challenge quickly spirals into a deadly game of survival. Unger expertly increases the tension, creating a fast-paced narrative full of unexpected twists. This book is a must-read for fans of suspenseful, twist-filled thrillers.

I was excited to receive an ARC of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I have read some of Lisa Unger's past books and enjoyed them. This one was relatable. The world of social media, going live, views, endorsements, etc etc Mixed with mystery and murder. Overall, the story was good. I only guessed part of the mystery and there were a couple of unexpected twists. My only reason for 3 stars is that it was too long. It seemed to drag on and was well over 50% through before it really started to get interesting. I have no doubt some people will enjoy this. The ending was good and no loose strings were left.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an e-arc of close your eyes and count to 10.

3.5 rounded up! I really enjoyed this low burn of a thriller. Although on the slower pace with multiple povs, I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading it in 2 sittings. However, it took a while to get into and found the buildup of the first 20% to be long. I also thought the ending was a bit rushed and wish the reader could have discovered all the twists on page isn’t sad of jumping ahead and having the characters tell all.


Single mom Adele is struggling to make ends meet after her husband disappears and is wanted for fraud and embezzlement. When her son, Blake, signs her up for the ultimate game experience of hide and seek for a chance to win 1 million dollars, Adele sets off to Flacao island. Upon the contestants arrivals, a deadly storm is headed their way. Adele quickly realizes that the island and game is full of lies and deception. Will she make it out alive?

As much as I wanted to love this book it just wasn’t a love for me.

It was a good story, well written and had such great promise and while I will still say it was a good read it wasn’t wonderful or great.

I did enjoy the multiple points of view but this story just felt incredibly slow and it was very hard to love any of the characters.

I have come to realize that I do not enjoy books with a slow burn. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Lisa Unger's writing style and this was written extremely well, I am just someone who needs to be gripped from the start. A more fast-paced thriller I should say. However, I did enjoy having multiple points of view and the lives from the game placed throughout the book. I thought this was a nice way to represent modern society with the use of social media, but with a thrilling twist to it.

Such a fun and atmospheric thriller! The book starts as a bit of a slow burn and then quickly picks up into an action-packed and high-stakes story. The chilling atmosphere of the Island really made the book for me. I think if the setting wasn't as interesting my rating would have been lower. I also really enjoyed Lisa Ungers commentary on the impact of social media. Usually in a thriller I am only there for the plot, but this story had so much more! I will definitely recommend to friends, family, and followers upon release.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh. My. Gracious.

I've read so many good thrillers and this one was not one. It was so boring. Filled with unlikeable characters with too many outrageous storylines, the twists and turns this book takes you on are so predictable and not at all exciting. It took me almost three weeks to read this book because I kept falling asleep and not once was I excited to pick it back up to finish it. Go with your gut if it says DNF.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this ebook.

Loved this book! The last few novels Unger has written, have become favorites! Great book I devoured in one sitting. Just the right touch of creepiness mixed with family and interesting characters. Great story line that caught my attention.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 has a very promising premise, however I've found it difficult to get into. I started this book in July and it continues to be a DNF for me. I enjoy this author's works, but this one felt a bit far fetched in terms of the main character's motives and it's very slow. Nonetheless, thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

ARC provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

In Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, Lisa Unger masterfully weaves a psychological thriller that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the final twist. Known for her ability to blend intricate plotting with deep psychological insights, Unger delivers another captivating tale that explores the complexities of memory, trust, and the shadows of the past.

The narrative centers around the enigmatic character of the protagonist, whose life is turned upside down when a series of unsettling events begins to unfold. As the story progresses, Unger skillfully unravels the layers of her character’s psyche, drawing readers into a world of paranoia and uncertainty. The exploration of the protagonist's struggles with her memories and perceptions of reality creates a deeply immersive reading experience.

Unger’s writing is both evocative and taut, effortlessly building tension throughout the narrative. The pacing is expertly crafted, with each chapter ending on a note of suspense that compels you to keep turning the pages. The author deftly interweaves flashbacks and present-day events, creating a rich tapestry that enhances the story’s depth and complexity.

The themes of trust and betrayal resonate strongly throughout Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, as the protagonist grapples with her relationships and the secrets that threaten to unravel everything she holds dear. Unger’s ability to create morally ambiguous characters adds to the intrigue, leaving readers questioning whom to trust and what lies beneath the surface.

As the plot unfolds, unexpected twists and turns keep readers guessing, culminating in a shocking climax that is both satisfying and thought-provoking. Unger’s knack for crafting intricate mysteries shines through, as she expertly leads readers down a path filled with red herrings and revelations.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Lisa Unger has once again proven her talent for crafting gripping narratives that delve into the darkest corners of the human mind. With its blend of suspense, emotion, and complex characters, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Lisa Unger does it again. A game of hide and seek but deadly... Yikes 😳 right. You remember the game hide and seek but the difference is you can win a million dollars. This isn't your regular hide and find. Read today!

I'm bummed! I had to give up on this at 50%.. it's not that the writing was bad....it just felt like a few recent books that I read and it was dragging out. I usually love Lisa Unger and will still be reading her future books.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book: Close Your Eyes and Count To 10
Author: Lisa Unger
Publisher - Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: February 25, 2025

I need to start this review off by saying I am Lisa Unger's number one fan. I love her. She is an auto read/buy for me. So I absolutely hate saying I didn't care for this book. Ughhhhh.....it just wasn't for me. I am really not into the reality show trope and I think that was a turn off for me. I highly recommend all books by Lisa Unger but I guess you can't love them all. I don't even want to discourage anyone else from reading it because I love this author that much.

I’m giving up on this one. I am 51% through and nothing has happened. The plot boasts a story about a hide and seek game and nobody has hidden or seemed yet. I fell asleep reading it twice (which I never do) it was such a Snooze fest. This was more domestic drama (so far) than thriller or locked room mystery.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: February 25, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I liked this one by Lisa Unger but unfortunately for me personally it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I have always enjoyed reading Lisas books and they are always fast paced and full of good characters and storyline. This book gives you a good storyline and plot (a real time streamed show where contestants are playing an extreme game of hide and seek for a large sum of money, the storyline is a great one I will say and the characters are well done but they didn’t stick and jive with me. If you love a good paced thriller read that has multiple POV throughout the book then this is absolutely for you. I will recommend this book to my bookish friends who I feel will devour and love this read because this is going to be a favorite for so many people!!! If these things interest you, put this on your TBR right away.

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row

This book just wasn’t for me personally. I really couldn’t get into it or enjoy it because it felt so much like the book everyone is watching that just came out recently but not as interesting as that one. It just felt like a repeat of something that has already been done and very recently been done.

Lisa Unger is an automatic read for me, but this is the first one I didn’t finish. I didn’t like a single character, so I wasn’t super invested, plus it was really slow. I’m told it picks up toward the end, but because I wasn’t interested in any of the characters, I didn’t finish. It’s a lot of gaming/youtubing which I also really do not care about at all. An island and a competition of sorts…I have no doubt it will be a hit and many people will like it, it’s just not my type of plot. I will continue to read Lisa Unger though, she’s a fantastic writer! This one just wasn’t for me.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

I love lisa Unger books. This one was good, but I found it predictable and toward the end I felt it started to drag. I will continue to read books by this author, although this one was not my favorite!