Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin audio for providing the audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

I went in expecting a full-fledged, edge-of-the-seat survival thriller but got just drama. The game doesn’t even start until 70% into the book. I didn't connect with any character. There are too many POVs, including Adele’s kids, for no clear reason. The chapters jump between Adele’s life and the team members, making the story feel chaotic.

The story dragged on a lot. The plot had great potential but, for me, it missed the mark.

While I've typically enjoyed Lisa's other works, this particular novel fell short of my expectations. The story left me craving more development of the game elements, and several supposed 'twists' felt predictable. Maverick's character arc seemed too focused on business dealings rather than the more intriguing aspects of the game world. Overall, the narrative emphasis felt misplaced, leaving the most compelling elements underdeveloped.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lisa Unger, narrated by the wonderful Vivienne Leheny. 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!

Lisa Unger does it again! I really enjoyed listening to "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10"! The island and game strategy story line was great, and kept me at the end of my seat. Full of suspense you won't be able to stop listening!

Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.

Adele is a great character, even if she makes some dumb decisions…heck the whole book is full of dumb decisions. I wonder why I finished it? Because there is something about the location and the build up that kept me reading. I loved the intensity surrounding the storm and I enjoyed the remote location.

Lisa Unger has some really great books. However, this one is not my favorite. I, apparently, am not a fan of adult games. This is the second book I have read with this premise and I did not like that one either. In other words, take what I say with a grain of salt. Not everyone can like every book and this one fell short for me.

Another reason I stuck with this novel is the narrator. This is narrated by Vivienne Leheny and I like her! She kept this book moving for me.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a twisty, multi-layered psychological thriller that kept me second-guessing until the end! It weaves together multiple POVs, creating an immersive, unsettling mystery in which no one can be fully trusted. The shifting perspectives kept me hooked, and the audiobook narration by Vivienne Leheny made the tension even sharper.

However, some storylines felt unfinished, which left me wanting more closure. Whether intentional or not, this added to the lingering effect of the story.

⭐ 4 stars! A slow-burning, suspenseful read for thriller fans—especially those who love unreliable narrators, dark secrets, and psychological twists.

📖 Want my full breakdown? Read my in-depth review here: https://thesoftandslowlife.com/close-your-eyes-and-count-to-10-audiobook-review/

I do enjoy Lisa Unger thrillers and was thrilled to be approved for the audiobook of Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten. It was a fantastic escape from the world read, very much out there and wild but it was fun to listen to.

Extreme hide and seek, who can resist that! A single mum and fitness influencer who has been going through a rough time signs up for the challenge. The prize, $1 million is hard to pass up. An isolated island full of people who all want the money, and a dodgy crew of staff that are hiding plenty of secrets from each other. Add to that a storm brewing and it becomes a game of survival.

I did enjoy the narration from. Vivienne Leheny, but I do think that a book with this many characters would benefit from multiple narrators to help keep track of which point of view is being told. There is a lot to follow.

Thanks so much to Harlequin Audio for my copy of this book to listen to.

Adele has had a tough five years. Having her husband take off and disappear after finding out he embezzled money from his company was a shock. Now she and her two kids, Violet and Blake, struggle to get by and Adele wonders how she’ll pay for college or ever be able to retire. But Adele has pulled herself up and has been building a following in her fitness challenges, reclaiming her life as a single parent. When her son Blake suggests she take part in an extreme contest of hide and seek on a remote island with a cash prize of one million dollars, Adele’s hesitant. Especially since there’s been rumors swirling about the host, Maverick Dillan and a missing girl, but the lure of that money makes it hard to say no.

This is the second story I’ve read where the main characters have lives centered around social media, living a life in front of the camera worried about views and sponsors. Maverick and his team were prodded on by this and it wasn’t a good thing. Makes you think about the pitfalls of social media.

There are many POVs here: Adele, her kids, Violet and Blake, as well as Maverick and his girlfriend and co-worker, Angeline, but at the center of this story, for me, was Adele. I was most invested in her journey, rooting for her having to pick up the pieces after such a devastating betrayal!

I enjoyed “seeing” true-crime podcaster, Harley Granger show up again!

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was an engrossing page-turner! A crumbling hotel, an isolated island location, and approaching storm created an air of danger. However, I felt the mystery and suspense centered more around the personal conflicts and issues each character was facing rather than the actual contest.

I alternately read and listened to Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 and recommend either version. Vivienne Leheny’s did a great job making each character distinctive. Her narration enhanced my enjoyment of this addictive story!

3.5/5 stars. Entertaining read. I mostly listened to this one while at work.

Books like these are always an easy, enjoyable read for me. I generally love concepts like these for a plot although they’re not the most unique ones out there.

I got this book through my library and then later got approved on NetGalley after having already read this. (The struggle of forgetting to withdraw my requests)

Even though I had already read this on my own, I still appreciate the approval from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are always my own.

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!

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.

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.

I thought the narrator did a nice job

Lisa Unger delivers a gripping and fast-paced thriller in Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten, a high-stakes game of hide and seek that turns into a fight for survival. The premise is as fun as it is terrifying—a reality TV competition set on a secluded island, where contestants must outwit each other to win. But when the game takes a deadly turn, it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the truth.

This book is packed with tension, twists, and a strong dose of whodunit mystery. Unger masterfully weaves in themes of social media influence, hidden agendas, and the dark side of entertainment, keeping readers on edge until the final reveal. The protagonist—a powerhouse single mom with fierce mama bear energy—adds an emotional depth to the story, making the stakes feel even higher.

Vivienne Leheny’s narration is outstanding, heightening the suspense and drama in a way that makes the audiobook an absolute must-listen. If you love thrillers that are both smart and action-packed, this one is a winner!

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is Lisa Unger’s latest thrilling release. I really enjoyed the high stakes tension that this one brought and the fact that she wrote this book around a game of hide-and-seek was such a fun concept. Who hasn’t played that game at some point in their life? I also loved the idea that this was a social media competition. I love competition shows in general so reading something similar in a book is always a good time. However, keeping everyone’s storylines together was difficult for me. There’s just too much going on with each character that I had a hard time keeping track.

Other than that the narrator was fantastic, I was able to perfectly understand her Vivienne Leheny did a fantastic job. It was my first audiobook with her as a narrator and I can't wait to hear more from her.

I usually really like Lisa Unger and this sounded so interesting, but this story didn't work for me. The pacing felt off and I never got interested in the characters. I'm glad I was listening though, because the narrator kept it engaging enough for me to stick with it to the end, which did have a fun twist.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

Sadly, Close Your Eyes And Count To 10 is the second book of Lisa Ungers that hasn't worked for me.

Let me count the ways... I was enjoying this thriller until it all started to unravel and fall apart, losing both its grasp on reality and my interest. There were lots of indistinguishable characters. A big part of the plot does not appeal to me (both in fiction and real life). And I'm still not sure if I understood what happened overall.

How do I love thee... I was initially addicted, going so far as to bring up this new game show I binged in conversation (only to realize it was this book I was "watching")! I enjoyed how the characters each had a driving force behind their game show participation, with a matching backstory. I found Adele relatable and easy to root for and I really enjoyed the perspectives of her children (until I didn't).

Although Vivienne Leheny did a fine job with the audiobook narration, I think this is a book that would have benefited from having at least two narrators involved in the story telling; this addition would have helped define the characters a bit, giving more life and distinction between them.

Overall, the title-based plotline portion took a backseat to the subplot and I wish it was the other way around.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

‘Survivor’ meets hide and go seek in Lisa Unger’s new novel Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. Single mom Adele signs up for this physically demanding challenge when she is met with hardship after hardship and can’t pay the bills anymore. However, when she arrives on the island, she can’t tell if it’s the looming messages to get away, the disappearance of the girl from the last challenge or the island people telling them to stop right away that has her re-thinking this decision.

I really wanted to love this but it didn't live up to the promise of the premise. The idea of a Mr. Beast-style influencer-led survival show was fascinating and drew me in initially. However, towards the middle it really started to drag. I also felt like there were a lot of plot points and threads that simply got forgotten or diminished: Miller's disappearance, Blake's bullies, etc. The audiobook narrator did a very good job, especially considering the multiple POV's, but that wasn't enough to keep me truly engaged.

I love books about single mothers that will do anything for their children. I love books about how there is more to a person other than what you see on the surface. This book has both. And the narration does this book justice. I love the way they’re able to keep me entertained the whole way through. Of all plot twists, this was not the most shocking, but very satisfying.

This story is told in third person and follows multiple characters. I started reading this one via ebook then switched to the audiobook to finish. I enjoyed both formats. The audiobook was narrated by Vivienne Leheny, who often narrates books by this author. I found her voice for the characters to be pleasant and distinctive as well as compelling enough to propel me through the story quickly.

The storyline revolves around a hide and seek style reality competition created by an extreme sport social media celebrity named Maverick who appears to have just as many enemies as he has fans. He has an entourage of partners/employees that work on his projects with a whole host of personalities. The story also follows one of the competitors in Adele, a mom raising two kids. Adele was married to a man that swindled a bunch of people then left her holding the bag so to speak, so she is no stranger to being controversial in the eyes of the public either.

I really enjoyed the history of the Enchantments resort and the atmospheric setting of Falcão Island. I was attracted to this story because I’m a fan of reality show competitions, but I found that this story had too much going on besides the competition. The characters were a mixed bag and it was a lot to follow with all kinds of secretive relationships, melodrama and controversies from love affairs, money troubles, suspicious locals, blackmail, missing persons, and much more. I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. Still, if you’re a fan of popcorn thrillers, give this one a try.

Thank you to Netgalley, Park Row Books, Harlequin Trade Publishing, The Hive, and Harlequin Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.