I listened to this book as an audio, and although the narrator was fine, i really did not like this story. I thought much more of the storyline/ plot was going to take place with the contestants on the island, and that did not really happen until the end of the story. I found it to be all over the place and I didn't really find myself invested in any of the characters or their storylines. based on the synopsis i jsut felt like i kept waiting for them to get to the island and start the challenge which didn't come for entirely too long. I don't think I will be reading any more of Unger's books.

With a tagline reading “an extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in this riveting new thriller,” I knew I’d be hooked from the start. And I was right!

This story was intriguing and I loved the high-stakes element and the constantly not knowing who we could trust.

I felt for Adele constantly, especially with her kids at home and a deep desire to support them.

I had the gift of listening to this on audio, and while the narrator did a good job and I was hooked, I was confused by whose perspective we were in constantly. With shifting narrators, I truly wish this had been narrated by a full cast, just to help listeners follow along with the story without feeling lost.

For me, I had a harder time connecting with the characters since I couldn’t tell who was who while I was listening sometimes. But even with moments of confusion, I enjoyed the overall story. It was action-packed and had a great premise. This wasn’t my favorite of Lisa Unger’s—which makes me sad because I truly LOVE her books—but it was still enjoyable.

Was a DNF for me. I’m not sure if it was the premise of the book or the narrator. Either way, I was not interested in finishing this book. I’ve read Lisa Unger before and was happy with her other ones but I just couldn’t get into this one!

I don't know if I was expecting more because I've loved everything I've read from this author. But something was lost on me along the way.
3.75

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows an extreme hide and seek game run by a famous influencer. A group of people enter the competition to win a million dollars. However, everyone had secrets and things quickly unfold.

I liked the concept of this book and I enjoyed the audiobook. I think the cover is amazing too. Adele was a great character to follow and I liked her badass attitude.

Unfortunately, this book had too much going on. I think there were so many point of views and way too many secrets and things unfolding. I wish a few things were cut out and I would have liked it more. I think this book focused on the wrong things.

Overall, this book was not bad but I don't think it focused on the right things and I wish it was a bit different.

When the real game begins, who will make it to the count of 10?

This was such a fun read. I loved how this book’s author incorporated social media, podcasts, and video games in this book. This book was very creative, and I think the author did a good job of coming up with an original idea. The setting of the book was fantastic and creepy. That being said I did feel like this book fell flat in certain areas. I think the mystery of Adeles husband, and the miss girl Chole could have been such a better twist. The three overarching stories did not gel into one and that was a disappointment. I also would have liked to have seen more fight for survival in this book. Adeles’ character was great, but I was not super invested in her kids and Maverick was super annoying, but I was entertained and finished it fast.

Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thank you to Harlequin Audio for the gifted audiobook!

I love Lisa Unger as a person and an author!

I'm sorry to say this one was a little more of a miss for me than usual and I think a lot of that is personal issues because I have read SO many stuck on an island thrillers this year alone (it really seems to be the theme of every 2025 thriller, sadly), so I just wasn't as sucked into the story as I hoped I would be.

I did enjoy a lot of the characters, especially the mother/daughter dynamic in the beginning and wished more time was spent with the two of them.

Overall, I'm sad this was a miss for me, but I will always read Lisa's new books and hope for this one's success!

The audiobook production itself was very well done and easy to listen to!

This is out now!

A reality show unlike any other unfolds. A million dollars awaits the winner of an extreme hide-and-seek game. Amidst the game of survival, the contestants face not only each other but also a brutal snowstorm.

Among the players is Adele, a single mother of two teenagers, abandoned by her husband, a man who stole millions, and bankrupted her family and countless others. Maverick Dillon, an extreme adventurer, should be a formidable opponent. However, they soon discover that things are not as they seem.

Danger and unexpected twists challenge the contestants, pushing them to the brink of life and death. It remains uncertain whether all the players will emerge victorious. Several other players resort to any means necessary to win, even crossing moral boundaries.

Vivienne Lehaney’s narration brings this fast-paced story to life, although careful listening is required when the point of view shifts. Mav’s exceptional survival skills make the challenges captivating as he faces Adele and the other contestants.

As a fan of reality shows of this nature, I found Lisa Unger’s latest book to be a riveting read.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I didn’t really understand what was going on because the story didn’t keep my attention. I like the idea of a tv show like survivor and even the “haunted” aspect of hide and seek but I found myself getting bored.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio/The Hive for an ALC in exchange for an honest review! #hivemember


⭐️ Rating: 3 stars
🎙️Audiobook? Yes. The narration was very enjoyable.
📚 Vibe Check: If The Challenge All-Stars was set on a remote, highly controversial island and each contestant had their own reasons for being there, but the producers were actually using all of them for their own gain.

💭 My Thoughts While Reading: What Worked for Me 👍
🔹 The premise- I have always loved reality shows, so I was immediately intrigued
🔹 The backstory- The plotline of there being an unsolved disappearance of a previous contestant kept things tense throughout.
🔹 The blend of reality tv/manufactured drama- I feel like a draw for any reality show is having to determine what aspect are real vs what is being manufactured by directors. So when that was a big part of the plotline, I was quite excited.

My Thoughts While Reading: What Didn’t Work for Me 👎
🔹The many characters- I'm usually a huge fan of a multi-POV books, but for some reason, I just never felt connected to these characters.
🔹 The pacing- It felt like there were alot of tense moments that felt like they were leading to a dramatic reveal, but then it just went back to a different plotline and all tension was lost.
🔹 The ending- No spoilers here, but the ending just felt very lackluster to me.

🔥 Final Verdict: This is a decently entertaining thriller that definitely delivers on a fun and unique setting; however, as a thriller, it felt a bit more psychological to me.

nope… not what I expected from LG. Usually impressed with some psychological thriller vibes but I felt like this fizzled out a loooot. Too many characters imo. It was meant to be a survival game mode event that really just led to side drama with a character’s business and online problems. I would have loved if it really focused on the survival game instead… oh well. Thank you to Harlequin Audio for my ARC.

3 Stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Harlequin Audio & NetGalley for the ALC! 💌🎧

Okay, first off, this thriller had me intrigued from the jump! A secluded island + an extreme game of hide-and-seek? 🤩 Count me in! Add in a storm, dangerous secrets, and a group of influencers, and you've got a recipe for suspense! But... I can't lie, it didn’t totally blow me away.

🌪️ Survival Thriller
🕵️‍♀️ Psychological Deception
🌪️ Reality vs. Virtual Personas
🕵️‍♀️ Isolation
🌪️ Unreliable Narratives
🕵️‍♀️ Motherhood and Protection

💭 Thoughts: The premise is so fun—reality TV meets a locked-room mystery with a twist. And the setting? HELLO, it’s a remote island during a storm—such a perfect thriller backdrop! 🏝️ But while it was entertaining, the slow burn pace didn’t keep the excitement constant. I expected more edge-of-your-seat thrills, but it kind of dragged in the middle. ⏳

💡 Biggest win: The social media commentary was on point! 👏 It totally made me reflect on how much we all get caught up in the virtual world. Watching these influencers trying to survive while also playing for a million bucks felt like a total commentary on how far people will go for fame, views, and money. 💸 And Adele was chef's kiss—a mother willing to do anything for her kids. ❤️ That grit really kept me hooked!

🚨 What could’ve been better: The plot could’ve had a bit more oomph, especially with the creepy island vibes and the potential cult stuff that felt underutilized. Like, COME ON, that had so much potential for some extra thrills. 😩 And the whole multiple POVs thing? Yeah, it was a bit much. I had to focus hard to keep track of everyone’s storyline! 🙄

But the last 100 pages?? Now that’s where the book finally picked up! The twists were chef’s kiss 🫣 and the ending was solid, even if the journey there was a tad slow for me.

📍 Perfect for fans of:
✧ Reality TV Thrillers 📺
✧ Isolated Settings 🌧️
✧ High Stakes Games 💰
✧ Slow Burn Mysteries 🔥
✧ Social Media Drama 📱

✨ In conclusion: If you’re into a slow burn with some secrets, twists, and a great backdrop, you’ll probably enjoy this one. Just be ready for the pacing to mess with your suspense level a bit!

I love a locked room thriller. It's my favorite genre. I also love Lisa Unger, and so I went into Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 with high hopes, but, ultimately, I wasn't able to develop a connection with it. It's totally possible that it's me and not the book, and there definitely an audience for this new release, and I will recommend it to thriller lovers, especially lovers of reality extreme games.

A fun and exciting premise that didn't quite hold up to my expectations. With a Reality TV show premise in an isolated setting, there was a lot of hope here. We were led with a slow burn and multiple POV's trying to take a stab against social media influencers. Overall, it just fell a bit flat. The narration however was fantastic- Shoutout to Vivienne Leheny! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger involves a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek hosted by the daredevil Maverick Dillan on a remote island. What begins as a typical reality TV game quickly escalates into a deadly survival contest. Single mother Adele finds herself navigating this treacherous game, determined to uncover the truth and reunite with her family.

Narrator Vivienne Leheny does an incredible job of capturing the tension and dread throughout the story while giving each of the many characters a distinct voice. The multiple perspectives and rich backstories kept me completely hooked!

I loved the eerie setting of this book. Everyone arrives on this deserted, isolated island. And the game is played in a crumbling abandoned hotel. Creepy is an understatement!

As someone who loves fiercely protective moms willing to do anything for their children, Adele, with her determination, quick thinking, and kindness, really resonated with me.

If you enjoy multiple POV, fast-paced psychological thrillers filled with secrets and the seductive lure of money, grab this entertaining listen!

You know that feeling when you start a book, and it’s exactly what you hoped for—then suddenly, it takes a turn, and you’re left wondering where your original excitement went? That was Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten for me.

The premise? Fantastic. A struggling influencer mom, desperate for cash, signs up for an extreme game of hide-and-seek on a mysterious island. High stakes, high tension—sign me up! And for a while, it delivered exactly that. Will they find her, will they find him? But just as I was settling in for the ultimate game, the story veered off course, diving into the backstories of the event organizers and their shady dealings. While that story had its moments, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d signed up for a heart-pounding survival game and ended up going in a totally different direction. I kept wanting to get back to the game, but instead, I was tangled up in side plots I wasn’t as invested in.

Lisa Unger is a solid writer, and I’d absolutely pick up another of her books. But I felt this one tried to do too much instead of leaning into what was already working so well.

If you love thrillers with layered storytelling and don’t mind a bit of a shift mid-game, you will probably enjoy this one.

Thanks you Harlequin Audio, Net Galley and Lisa Unger for this advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review.

DeAnn @deannsreadingriot

Listening to this book as an audiobook took the tension and immersion to the next level. The narration made the game’s high stakes feel even more intense, pulling me straight into the storm-ravaged island and the deadly hide-and-seek competition.

Adele’s character really shined in audio format. She’s a single mom who’s just trying to survive—both in the game and in life—and her internal struggles felt even more raw with the right voice behind them. There’s something about hearing her fake her confidence, her fear, and her determination that made her even more relatable. It’s not often we get thriller protagonists who are older, juggling real-life responsibilities, and still proving they can hold their own.

The audiobook also made the reality-show aspect feel incredibly immersive. It reminded me of watching Celebrity Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls—except instead of just watching, I felt like I was there, experiencing every twist alongside the contestants. The way social media was woven into the story was another layer that hit differently in audio format. From the pressures teenagers face to fit in to the impossible expectations of motherhood, these themes really resonated, making the thriller feel all too real.

If you’re into survival thrillers, reality-show competitions, or books that explore the messy realities of life behind the scenes, this audiobook is absolutely worth your time. The narration enhances the suspense, the emotions, and the high-stakes game in a way that makes it impossible to pause.

Twist after twist with this one! 😮😮😮.
But, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Lisa Unger!!

The picture is painted for us of a single Mom (Adele) raising her two teenagers alone after her husband DISAPPEARED after stealing a lot of money from a lot of people! She’s desperately trying to get-by, and has even begun live-streaming portions of her life, as she’s built up a following of how she’s trying to improve herself and her family after the mess her husband left her in!

So, when her son learns of an Extreme Challenge that is taking place on a remote island, he thinks of his Mom… and pushes her to enter, in order to try to win the big prize money offered! After all, she’s been training now, and she just might be able to win! Right? Her daughter also believes she has a good chance, and begs her to take the challenge on.

So, Adele goes off and leaves her daughter in charge of her son. She gets to the island early and tries a boots-on-the-ground approach, in order to try to learn a bit about the island and just what she’ll be up against. And she begins meeting the other contestants… and, forming bonds with them.

She also meets Maverick, the guy in charge. He almost seems larger than life with his huge TV personality! As well as Angeline, Gustavo, Hector, Alex and the crew.

Along with this, we meet Petra, almost like a High Priestess of the island. She warns them all to GO HOME. It’s not safe here for you! 🤔😬😮 And her big, muscle-bound goons are right by her side…. She also warns them of the impending storm that’s going to hit the island soon…and may do a lot of damage… which would at least cause trouble for them, and at worst, may result in death!
But… no one is leaving, as they all want the prize money!! 💰

Mind you, THIS IS AN OUTLINE!! There’s so much going on in this one, your head will be spinning!😵‍💫

4 solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#CloseYourEyesAndCountTo10 by #LisaUnger and narrated beautifully by #VivienneLeheny.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released TODAY, 2/25/25! So, look 👀 for it on shelves now!

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

2.5⭐️ this one had a very interesting setup with a very flat execution 😭

i thought this was gonna be high stakes, adventure game show gone wrong vibes. the premise of “tough survivalist influencers get invited to an Extreme game of hide & seek on a creepy island and everything goes wrong” sounded VERY fun

the buildup was good, with introducing all the main “players” in the “game” and starting to show the cracks early on…

but then it just lost sight of the premise completely. no exciting twists, my adrenaline never rushed, and the ending was so lackluster

i really liked the narrator however and the audio kept me interested enough to keep going!

I always enjoy Lisa Unger's books, and I was so excited to read the ARC from Netgalley - thank you!
A high stake, crazy game of hide and seek, a husband that has disappeared, social media stars and a remote island lay the background for this book, which blasts off from page one. The book is dynamic and fast paced, with writing that is gripping and insightful. The characters are well formed, and the jumping narratives are easy to follow. Overall, the book is a great read, and keeps you entertained the whole way through. I highly recommend!