Very relevant in today's social media frenzy. Thriller meets realty series. Daredevil and extreme adventurer 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 intended social media stunt. Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. This has several POVs and all were easy to follow. This is more of a slow burn thriller and with the secrets and characters, it’ll hold your attention and provide quite the experience If you enjoy realty series this book is geared to you. Thank you to NatGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

I really enjoyed this book. The mysterious island, a contest, what's not to love. The descriptions and characterization kept me engaged the entire time. The first part is a slow but stick with it. The second half is amazing.

Many thanks for my gifted copy. This review will be shared shortly to my Instagram account.

Oh boy. I really really hated this book. I’m actually shocked that I finished it but I kept thinking there will be a twist that will make it worth it. There wasn’t. The entire thing was so predictable and that was even through all my cringing at the absolutely embarrassing social media stuff, the gaming, the ‘tough biatch’?!!! Ugh. I was cringing, rolling my eyes and making a face the entire time.

This was ok. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I liked the build up of the separate storylines and the premise in general. The characters were different and interesting. But the way everything played out was anticlimactic. This is one that just may not have been for me. I can see others enjoying this book way more if it’s something they’re in the mood for.

As for the narration, I give it the same rating. At times it was phenomenal, other times it felt robotic.

These are just my overall personal opinions!

After her husband was found to have done illegal activity with money from his business, Adele's life became extremely difficult trying to raise two kids. She decided, with the support of her teens to do an extreme challenge to win a million dollars in order to help offset bills and pay for her teens' college. The influencers running the challenge have their own problems to overcome, and once the challenge starts, everything turns topsy turvy. I loved that some of the twists were not what I thought they would be, and that the direction of the book wasn't predictable. It was fast paced, and the characters all had a lot going on in their lives, including Adele's teens. I liked the messages that this book examined. It discusses strength, family, and what success means. A great thiller!

Ooh, I enjoyed this one from the very start!! The narration was superb!!!!

A big hide and seek competition for a huge amount of money is what we have here, and Adele NEEDS a that money. She needs it to pull her and her children out of the rut her husband left her in.

She makes it into the competition and arrives as a big storm approaches. This event is also a big deal to Maverick, the man behind the curtain. This even could make or break his business. Not only do they have the storm to contend with, but this game quickly proves deadly and Adele just needs to survive.

With a big cast and a wild plot, there is never a dull moment. Lisa Unger knows how to tell a story.

While I found this story to be incredibly predictable with spoiled adult-children, the narrator was great. She did such a great job adding real emotion in her voice and I was able to empathize with the characters that weren't completely awful. Narration 4/5, story 2/5

Mr. Beast meets murder and deception. First of all, this being set in Portugal was nice since I am traveling there this summer! There were many points of view and everyone being a social media influencer did make the audio a bit hard to follow. But I always enjoy books playing on the social media influencer lifestyle since it’s so prominent these days. The twists were twisty which I always look for and I did somewhat guess the ending but it was still enjoyable.

As a parent of a couple of teens, I am well aware of the allure of YouTube influencers and their various channels. The main character in this story is closely based on an incredibly popular American YouTuber. These similarities lend a specific flavor to the narrative that may resonate with a younger audience but may not connect with older readers who are unfamiliar with the themes.

There are games, and then there are games within games. Adele, Blake, and Violet are facing a personal nightmare as they balance debt and an investigation by the FBI. Over a year ago, Adele’s husband disappeared, taking their financial security and millions in embezzled funds with him. To survive, Adele has focused on her children and her health, but their money is running out. Blake presents her with an opportunity to participate in a WeWatch influencer’s game challenge: a spooky version of hide-and-seek done live. The last person to be found wins a million dollars. This is where Maverick and his team come in.

Maverick, the popular WeWatch influencer, has amassed immense wealth and millions of followers by performing incredible stunts and hosting popular live challenges. However, this current challenge is crucial because Maverick's company isn’t as financially sound as everyone believes. He needs this game to succeed, but it’s set up for failure from the start.

The setting conveniently includes a creepy island shrouded in atmospheric mystery, a devastating storm, and even a murder. Is the game staged, or will it ultimately cost them their lives?

The novel's fast pace kept my attention, but I can see how the plot might not resonate with many of Ms. Unger’s fans. The idea of YouTube influencers and their games may come across as ridiculous to most readers over the age of 35. And a mother willing to risk everything for a chance to win a million dollars, borders on the absurd. This overreach in the narrative sometimes veered too far into the realm of unreality for me. However, the typical thrills and mysteries may be enough for many readers to overlook these plot issues.

I was on the fence about reading this one. I usually love Lisa Unger's books, but I was not drawn to the premise. I'm not usually a fan of competition type thrillers, but still wanted to try it because of loving her previous books. Sadly, this one didn't work for me, but I 100% think it's a me-problem with my personal preference. I would recommend this one to anyone who likes the premise and is looking for a quick and easy popcorn read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this audiobook ARC!

Maverick Dillan is hosting another of his "extreme" games; invitations are extended to certain influencers to compete in a huge game of hide-and-seek on beautiful and rugged Falcao Island, and the winner will leave with a million dollars. Enter Adele, whose husband disappeared years ago after being caught embezzling millions, leaving her and her children broke and hated in town. But Mav has his secrets, and his company has attracted some heat. When a storm hits the island, and threats against Mav and his company loom large, Adele and the other contestants realize that there may be actual danger ahead. Will they make it off the island and back home, with or without the money?

The story moved very quickly, taking place over a brief period of time and switching between various perspectives so that sometimes one scenario was explained several times over. This was more clarifying than repetitive. However, this book was sooo messy. Adele and her kids fell flat for me as far as protagonists go, not particularly likable and nothing that really made me want to root for them, but they were way ahead of the other characters, who for the most part were flawed in deeply unlikable ways. The story itself was engaging, but this definitely wasn't one where I found myself wanting anyone character to come out on top; honestly, it was almost a race to the bottom.

Renowned internet celebrity and fame hungry Daredevil Maverick Dillon is hosting an EXTREME Hide & Seek on a desolate island with a $1 million prize. Adele, a single mother with mounting debt, registers in hopes of securing the prize to alleviate her family’s financial burden.

From the outset, the event is marred by numerous challenges. Shortages of funds, suspicions of criminal involvement, and even a murderous incident cast a shadow over the proceedings. In this who is con’ing who, Unger pulls you in to this nail biting Thriller before carefully wrapping each open end with a delicate “WTH” ending sure to leave you wanting more.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harleqinaudio for an advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fun listen to binge in a day! It's got A LOT going on so it keeps you on your toes. There were almost too many side plots going on but yet I kind of liked how fast things were moving. Some of it felt a little over the top but I mean that's kind of to be expected with a premise like this! It was very entertaining! The end got a little convoluted for me but I enjoyed listening to this on my run! I liked the mom female main character. I wish maybe it had focused on her a bit more. The audiobook was well done!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨ (3.75/5)

This was a slow burn suspense novel with very deliberate and even pacing. I thought that worked well for this book one it got going.

However, the beginning quickly lost my attention. I also would’ve like to see more developed with regards to the MC and her husband.

I really loved the MC and her children though. The other contestants kinda grew on me too as the story moved along.

Every time I heard the words “tough beeatch competition” I cracked up. I used to say “beeatch” all the time as a teenager lol.

Overall an alright read, but nothing that really WOWed me either. I will say I think this would actually make a cool movie though. I’d totally watch.

"Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer 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."

This sounded like a great premise and I have enjoyed Lisa Unger's previous work, so I thought I'd give this a read. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as good as I had hoped, but wasn't terrible.

The characters themselves were not great- pretty much all annoying, flat, and unlikeable (but not in a cool way). There were lots of storylines and too many didn't go anywhere interesting or end with satisfying conclusions. I liked Adele's kids though. They were probably the most believably written characters.

So, in short, this book had potential but didn't really payoff in the end.

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for the book #CloseYourEyesAndCountTo10 by #LisaUnger. Adele, now a single mom of two, has entered an extreme competition in hopes of winning money to help her family survive. The competition is on an island and severe weather and other circumstances have made things way more difficult than they should be. Can she survive this and hopefully win the money so her family can get past what her husband has out them through?

4 stars
This fast-paced psychological thriller throws readers straight into a world of deception, secrets, and a high-stakes battle for survival. From the very first page, I was hooked—and Lisa Unger kept me on edge the entire time.

Adele, a struggling single mom haunted by trauma from her ex-husband, joins an extreme game of hide-and-seek hosted by a social media celebrity, hoping to win the million-dollar prize. But the secluded island where the game takes place is anything but a safe playground. The locals are hostile, a massive storm looms, and behind the scenes, something about the game itself feels dangerously off.

The atmosphere in this book is stunning—the setting feels like its own character. I could vividly picture the eerie, abandoned hotel where the game unfolds. The integration of social media into the plot was especially interesting, the way it was included made me reflect on just how much we share online.

Told through multiple POVs and a nonlinear timeline, the story unravels in a way that kept me intrigued while allowing me to connect with the characters. However, at times, there seemed to be a few too many subplots, which occasionally made the narrative feel a bit crowded. Despite this, it’s a gripping, immersive read from start to finish!

The narration of this book was excellently done, it brought the story to life and kept me wanting to listen to more!

Thank you to NetGalley and HTP Hive (Harlequin Trade Publishing) for the digital ALC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for allowing me to listen to an audiobook ARC of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

Final Review: 3.35 ⭐️

This book was a WILD ride! We follow our two main characters Adele, a single mom who is struggling to keep the lights on and looking for a way to provide for her family, and Maverick, a social media icon who hosts a live streamed hide and seek game, where the winner wins $1 Million dollars.

This book had so many twists and turns and so much that I didn’t see coming. This year’s game takes place on a small island and the stakes are high, not only for the prize money, but for the players lives.

I really enjoyed this read and can’t wait to read more from Lisa Unger in the future!

First I’d like to thank NetGalley and the author for my audio ARC of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I had a fun time with this audio. I thought it was highly entertaining. With that said, I do feel it was on the predictable side. I could see how the novel was possibly going in several different directions, but ultimately stayed the straightforward route. I did enjoy the social media component of this novel with the world we currently live in. It felt very relevant to the times. Overall I’d recommend if you’re looking for a fun and easy to read thriller.

The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. However, I think this book could have given us more. There were still some questions I had that I thought would be answered but were not. However, the story was done really well and thank you to netgalley for letting me listen to the audio.