Thank you @parkrowbooks @harlequin_audio @netgalley for my complimentary digital and audio copies. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book takes readers to the world of a reality game show, where the stakes are high and the prize is a staggering million dollars!

Each character harbors secrets. Game master Maverick runs the website Extreme Games and he has planned a challenging hide and seek survivalist adventure for influencers. The setting: a dilapidated old hotel on a remote island. Mav has a shady past, and his present motives are shrouded in mystery. Angeline is his girlfriend, who helps run things behind the scenes. She adds a touch of vulnerability to the mix. Mav also has a staff who play large roles in the story. The influencer contestants include Cody, whose laid-back demeanor hides a fierce determination, Malinka, a popular influencer among teens, and Adele, who struggles with family drama.

MY THOUGHTS: I loved the chilling setting and the premise of this novel, which seemed different than the author’s previous works. However, none of the characters, including Adele were particularly likable. I would love to have read more about the competition and the fear surrounding that, but the drama was set more between the game controllers. With several perspectives and an alternating timeline, the story dragged at times. The conclusion, however, was exciting. Overall, while the book had an intriguing premise and a thrilling conclusion, it struggled with character development and pacing, making it a mixed experience for me. I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

I loved this book! I am always down for a competition in a book! It was fast paced and kept me wanting to read and find out what happened. I liked the podcast idea and all the social media aspects….the video game, Red World, the text messages and the kids tracking their Mom during the game.

I thought I had a clue as to who did it and was partially right. I still enjoyed the book and the characters. I liked the ending and how the Mom was able to find herself and realize what a strong person she was.

Didn’t like the main character,l, Maverick but think we were suppose to not too. Liked his ending, lol!

I was so pumped for this book when I received it - a thrilling game of hide and go see on this creepy island, heck yeah! In the end, I felt... underwhelmed. The pacing in this book felt very off. It took me much longer than I would like to get through it. I feel as though it was the huge lead up to this underwhelming game. I didn't mind the multiple POVs. I feel as though it provided a lot of background for the characters, but to what end? The story was very predictable with no big twists. I had guessed about midway through how it was going to go. Was it a bad book? No. Do I think it could have been much better? Yeah...

This started off so good. I mean really good. I stayed up listening and reading this and getting creeped out by the shadow in the corner. But somewhere in the middle to 60% percent where the social media part took a big part, it lost me. A lot of reveals and twist were really predictable from the beginning.

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Lisa Unger is a hit or miss for me. Her books are usually so good but tend to drag for me. however, this one was a HIT! I loved every moment of it. I did not see some of the twists happening. Highly recommend.

I thought this book was really interesting! The multiple storylines, the multiple povs, and it had so much going on! I really like the way the ending unfolded. It was very well planned out & the ending was very good! Some parts were predictable, but overall it was a great read.

Thank you to the publisher, Park Row, and NetGalley for a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!

Unfortunately, I've decided to DNF this book at about the 30% mark. I'm so sad that I wasn't enjoying it because the premise sounded great, and I've really enjoyed the two previous books I've read by Lisa Unger! It was just WAY too all over the place for my liking. I don't mind books with multiple POVs, but this one was too disjointed. It felt like each POV had a completely separate plot. To me, it came across as though the author had several different plot ideas for a book, but none of them would be enough for an entire book on their own, so she threw all of them into the same book.

You have:
1. The hide-and-seek game show Adele is competing in (which is supposed to be the main plot, but the game still hadn't actually started by the time I decided to DNF almost 1/3 of the way through)
2. The FBI trying to find Adele's husband after he embezzled money from his company and abandoned her and her family
3. The fictional video game world that Adele's son escapes to after being bullied by his former friends as a result of his dad's embezzlement
4. The mystery of what happened to a previous game show contestant who went missing during the last challenge
5. The locals strongly protesting the game show because the land they are holding the challenge on is cursed.

I think that almost any combination of 2 of those plots would have been good, but 5 separate plots is just too much, in my opinion. With how much it kept jumping around, I wasn't able to get invested in any of the different plotlines.

As I previously mentioned, I've read two other books by Lisa Unger. I liked Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, and I loved Confessions on the 7:45! So although this was a miss for me, I look forward to reading other books by her in the future.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #24/125 for 2025:
Rating: 2 ½ 🍷🍷🍷 (rounded up to 3)
Book: Close Your Eyes and Count to 10
Author: Lisa Unger
AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: This was such a cool premise, especially in this social media heavy world. I really wanted to love this book. I liked it enough, but I thought it was pretty predictable, and there was just not enough punch for me. This is not the opinion of a lot of the reviews that I skimmed, and that is okay because I did not dislike the book but was just wanting and hoping for more. I hate giving not so stellar review opinions, but I also appreciate reading ones that are honest and not mean, so here is mine.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @HarlequinTradePublishing for an advanced copy of @CloseYourEyesAndCountToTen.

#CloseYourEyesAndCountToTen #LisaUnger #HarlequinTradePublishing #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

The premise of this story was intriguing to me. Social media influencers are invited to play an extreme game of hide and seek for the grand sum of a million dollars. As expected, the island is abandoned, the old hotel where the games are being held is dilapidated to the point of ruin, the weather is dark and stormy, and there is a murder.

The majority of the story takes place prior to the actual game of hide and seek. . .in fact, the game almost doesn't happen at all, and while reading the story,it did seem like the hide and seek aspect of this story was missing. I think that was a misstep for me. I was expecting this story to be mystery and intrigue while the hide and seek game was playing out, but it wasn't at all.

There are quite a few POV in this book, too many for me. I also think there were too many subplots occurring all at the same time. Adele's family, Chloe's disappearance, Maverick's money issues, Miller's FBI trouble. . .it was too much, and if I'm being honest, it prevented the story from being wholly cohesive for me. It was just too much.

Fast paced and action packed suspense thriller was a fun read.

A celebrity influencer and owner of Extreme Games and Insane Challenges, Maverick Dillan, and his team are setting up another challenging game and looking for just the right contestants. This will be a hide and seek type of game with a million dollars as the prize. Those selected travel to the remote Falcao Island to a run down, old hotel crumbling into ruin at the edge of a cliff. But, aside from the game that will be live on WeWatch, there’s a hidden agenda for this stunt.

Lots of interesting characters and points of view in the narrative with some time shifts. Some I liked, others were suspect, and a few I knew right off were bad news. I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to go and I’ve read a few of these that feature influencers going somewhere to compete in a contest. I wanted to like it, and I did. The writing was good and the atmospheric setting descriptions created the right mood for the story. Some of what happens was predictable but there were some pleasant surprises along the way to a satisfying conclusion.

I listened to the audiobook while also reading the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I enjoyed the narrator but she definitely lacked enough depth and range to do the many different characters. Most of the male characters all sounded the same and there were some sketchy accents, but in general, it was satisfactory. This is one of those that could really have benefited from a larger voice cast to enhance the production.

In Lisa Unger's 'Close Your Eyes and Count to 10,' everyone has secrets. When single mom/influencer Adele decides to enter a game of extreme hide and seek with the chance to win 1 million dollars, she never would have guessed how risky it would be come. The team hosting the hide and seek has their own set of secrets, and Adele and the rest of the contestants find themselves wrapped up in a mess years in the making.

'Close Your Eyes and Count to 10' kept me guessing until the end. I felt that because there were so many twists and turns to the story, a few of the storylines remined underdeveloped. This lead to the feeling that things were tied up a little too neatly (or inexplicably), but the majority of the major action resolves in a satisfactory manner.

Thank you to Lisa Unger and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of 'Close Your Eyes and Count to 10.'

Lisa Unger's new thriller is a gripping read that dives into the world of social media influencers and a race against Mother Nature on a secluded island to survive the ultimate game of hide and seek.

While the first half of this book is definitely a slow burn, filled with the backstories of (maybe too many) POVs and timeline jumps, the second half was action-packed and filled with some great twists. The social commentary on influencers and the impact social media has on our culture added another great layer to this thriller.

With so many POVs and branching storylines, there were some subplots that felt unnecessary or too distracting from the fast-paced competition/survival. Overall, I was hooked on the concept and satisfied with the ending. I will be recommending this book to readers who enjoy social media storylines and reality tv/survival shows. An easy 4 star read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for providing an advance copy of this book to review.

A Promising Premise That Falls Flat
I picked up this book with high hopes, drawn in by its intriguing premise—an extreme take on a hide-and-seek game that promised thrills and tension. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t quite live up to the potential. As I’ve been reading, I’ve found myself struggling to keep track of the different points of view. I’m not sure if the characters’ perspectives simply aren’t compelling enough to hold my attention or if the narrator fails to distinguish their voices effectively. Either way, the lack of clarity has left me disoriented.
Adding to the confusion, there seem to be nonlinear timeline passages woven into the narrative. I say “seem” because it’s hard to tell for certain—another sign that the storytelling isn’t as sharp as it could be. Too often, I’m either puzzled about what’s happening and who’s speaking, or I’m simply bored. It’s a frustrating combination that detracts from what could have been an exhilarating read.
The concept at the heart of this book is undeniably cool, and I went in hoping for a page-turner that would capture the adrenaline of a real hide-and-seek game, amplified to an extreme level. So far, though, it feels like a missed opportunity. I’m still holding out hope that the story will pick up and prove me wrong, but as it stands, the execution falls short of the gripping, edge-of-your-seat experience I was expecting. For a book with such a dynamic premise, it’s disappointing to find myself more confused than captivated.

The world Lisa Unger crafts in "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" is one steeped in shadows, both literal and figurative. It’s a novel that explores the fractured nature of memory, the enduring power of trauma, and the complex, often unreliable, tapestry of the human psyche. Unger doesn't just tell a story; she unravels a mystery meticulously, layering psychological suspense with poignant emotional depth. The narrative, presumably, centers around themes of buried secrets and the repercussions of past experiences on present realities. The very title, "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10," evokes a sense of vulnerability and a forced attempt to control or compartmentalize fear and pain. One might anticipate a narrative that delves into coping mechanisms, the fragile nature of identity, and the struggle to reclaim a sense of self in the face of overwhelming adversity. Unger's skill likely lies in her ability to create characters that are both flawed and sympathetic, individuals haunted by their pasts and struggling to navigate a world that seems determined to keep them tethered to it. The novel promises to be a compelling exploration of the human capacity for resilience, the enduring need for connection, and the unsettling truth that sometimes, the most dangerous monsters reside within ourselves. "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" suggests a journey into the darkest corners of the mind, a journey that is sure to leave a lasting impression long after the final page is turned.

Extreme hide and seek, a missing persons case, fraud, and murder - what more could a thriller reader ask for. And ask and you shall receive in this latest novel by Lisa Unger.

This one was fun - I really enjoyed the premise of a viral, social media based challenge as the backdrop for an isolated island murder situation. The characters were compelling - I did manage to get a hunch as to who and what was going on, but the characters had depths to them and the switching POV chapters helped make this story flow and be fun. I really enjoyed how each character had their own clear motives for what they were doing - and none of them are as bad or good as they appear.

I also this think book is a great commentary on what it’s like to be alive in the current social media age. Eyes are every where and people are always watching - and sometimes that audience is something you crave….in good or bad ways. Having that omnipresent social media playing a role in this plot honestly felt like we had one additional character - the online world is uncontrollable, and the chaos that ensues from it added to the plot.

I have yet to find a book by Lisa Unger that I haven’t liked - so if you’re a thriller reader looking for a fun twist on a classic trope, definitely check out this book!

This was my first Lisa Unger book to read and I anticipated it to be great based on what I've heard about the authors previous books. I really loved the premise of this book, an intense hide-and-seek game on the eerie and deserted Falcao island in which the last person found earns money. The book kept alluding to the start of the game ....and it never came. There were many POVs which were all separate stories that didn't really fit together. I was underwhelmed by the "twists" and the book missed the thrilling mark for me.

This is a thriller in which a single mom travels to a secluded island to compete in an extreme game of hide-and-seek.

The book is divided into four parts and has multiple POVs.

I did enjoy that the book featured a strong heroine. There were two aspects to this story. The first was about Adele and her teenage kids. Her husband had done something bad that left the family in turmoil. I loved this part of the story.

The second aspect had to do with an intense competition on a remote island. I thought that I would love this part of the story as I adore reality competitions. But I didn’t like Maverick and Angeline (the people running it). So I was less interested in their parts of the story.

There is a major storm on the island. And lots of bad things are happening. There are also a couple of mysteries.

Overall I just really connected so much more to Adele’s part of the story. I found her teens Violet and Blake to be fascinating. And I was very happy that we got to see their POVs too. But I found the hide and seek aspect of the book a bit disappointing.

Close your eyes 👀 and count to ten for this extreme game of hide and seek. Adele’s husband disappears without a trace, leaving her and their children behind. He’s on the FBI watch list, suspected of embezzlement. Adele sees an opportunity to earn a million dollars joining Maverick Dillion’s extreme game of hide and seek on Falco island to take care of her family. The prior years contestant Chloe has disappeared never to be found. Will the same thing happen this year? It’s a race to stay alive and win when treacherous storms hit the island. Thank you @netgalley for the fast past locked door mystery.

"An extreme game of hide and go seek turns deadly", yes please! The competition takes place in an abandoned hotel on a remote island with a dangerous storm coming in that is keeping everyone trapped from entering or leaving. What starts as a social media stunt turns into a game of survival between its competitors and a deadly threat. The main characters are Maverick, Adele and Angeline.
The game is hosted by Maverick, a well known charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer (and his friends at Extreme). Adele, a single mother of two signs up this competition for a chance to win one million dollars, because she will stop at nothing to protect her children.
I enjoyed the blurred lines between reality and spectacle and the vibes of competition reality tv. Definitely a slow burn mystery, took me a while to finish. Found myself picking up and blowing through other books before I finished this one. But, with that being said, the last 25-30% of this book had me hooked! The only negative thing I have to say about this book is the overuse of FUBAR, made me cringe every time I saw it after the first.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy for an honest review of this book.