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.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. As much as I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read, I think it could've been "more", especially with the island and it's inhabitants. We follow a mom trying to win an adult version of hide and seek for 1 million dollars. This money is much needed, her husband is on the run and left her and their children to pick up the pieces. Once on the island things start to go wrong right from the beginning. Will they all make it off the island.?

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger is a quick, fast-paced read that kept me engaged from start to finish. The suspense and twists made it hard to put down, and Unger’s writing style kept the tension high throughout. However, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, which at times made the story feel a bit overwhelming. While this took away from my overall enjoyment, the plot was still gripping and well-executed. This is a solid thriller that mystery lovers will appreciate!

The narrator did a good job, but they didn’t add anything extra to elevate the story or keep me fully gripped.

Again, many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Auido for the early copy of this audiobook. I really enjoy this author and was thrilled to receive it.

DNF at 20%

I find that I am having a hard time getting into this one. The depth of intrigue into the premise was not what I had expected.

Adele, a single mom, has triumphed over a scandal that has loomed over her family thanks to her ex-husband who has disappeared. Her transformation has been documented on social media and gains her a spot on the ultimate reality show created by Maverick Dillon. This show, on Falcon Island, has a prize of one million dollars and every move is documented on reality TV.

Unfortunately, a huge storm hits and things get wild. Overall, the standout character was Adele’s fifteen-year-old son Blake. This was a fun read with a great ending. Narration by Vivienne Leheny contributed to the intensity of this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is my 3rd Lisa Unger and I think she’s just not for me. This one had such an interesting premise, as did The New Couple in 5B, and I was excited to dive into both, but just like her previous books, I just couldn’t get past the unlikeable characters and overall it just fell kind of flat for me. The audiobook didn’t really work for me either - the narrator was great but I don’t think it was the right fit for this book. I know so many enjoy this author, so you may still want to give this one a chance! 3⭐️

🎧 Big shoutout to them, the author, and Harlequin Audio for providing me with an early access to the audiobook in exchange for my honest review! 🙏

The premise of this novel piqued my interest from the start—who doesn't love a good hide and seek game show set in a "haunted" location? 🏚️ Perfect for a suspenseful read, right? But, oh boy, things didn't exactly unfold as I had hoped. 😵

The story revolves around Adele, a mom whose life takes a nosedive after her husband gets involved in some shady financial dealings and leaves her with their two kids, practically broke. 😔 Her daughter stumbles upon a social media post promising a whopping million dollars for the winner of a survivalist-style hide and seek game. 🎉 Naturally, Adele, who’s also an aspiring influencer (surprise!), jumps at the chance for the cash and the followers! 📈

Switching gears, we also get Maverick's perspective—the supposed mastermind behind this Escapism game. But here's the kicker: this guy's got his fair share of skeletons, including a mysterious disappearance from a previous game that puts him directly in the hot seat. 🔥 Sounds thrilling, right? Well, sort of...

The problem is, I found the storytelling a bit muddled and hard to follow. 🤯 There were multiple viewpoints, and I often caught myself thinking, "Wait, why?" It felt like there was so much happening, but very little in terms of focus or clarity. To top it off, the hide and seek elements were much more murky than I expected—like, where’s the counting to 10 and all that suspense? 😔

While I did stick with the book hoping for a gratifying ending or a grand revelation, I felt a bit let down. The plot had plenty of potential but ultimately left me wanting more in terms of execution and resolution. 😬 So if you're looking for a wild thrill ride full of twists, maybe tread carefully with this one!

In summary, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 presents an intriguing concept but struggles with clarity and coherence. 📉 If you're up for a read that relies heavily on various storylines without much payoff at the end, then give it a shot!