3.5 stars. I love a good remote island thriller, and this one was just decent This was my first book by this author. While I didn't love it, I would love to try another book by her.

This book took a long time to pick up. It wasn't until the last fourth of the book that things picked up and I was locked in. Though the setting was enjoyable, I felt that the plot was lacking. There were topics mentioned that deserved more time in the book. I loved Adele's character. She was the true definition of a mom willing to do anything for her kids. The social media scenes where we see these content creators willing to do the most for followers and perks was such a picture of real life. This is definitely a slow burn thriller that has a great and face paced ending. I enjoyed the narration by Vivienne Leheny. She really helped to keep me listening to the slower parts by bring the characters to life.

What I enjoyed:
- the remote setting with scary weather
- characters you love to hate
- social media scenes
-unreliable narrators

What didn't work for me:
- the long chapters
- the slow pace of the story up until the end

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger is a gripping psychological thriller that hooks you from the start with its eerie atmosphere and tightly woven suspense. Unger’s writing is sharp, and the pacing keeps the tension high throughout, making it an undeniably compelling read. However, while the premise was strong and the characters intriguing, I found myself wanting a bit more depth—either in the twists or emotional payoff. It’s a solid read that thriller fans will enjoy, but I was left wishing for just a little more to truly make it unforgettable.

Review of Close your eyes and count to 10 by Lisa Unger

I am always thrilled when a new book from one of my favorite authors comes out and I couldn’t wait to read this one. I really did like it a lot, but overall not my favorite by her. I think the reason for this is I didn’t like one of the main storylines and I didn’t love the setting. I think I’m more into domestic thrillers lately and there was one storyline that I didn’t enjoy and a lot of unlikable characters in this one. But it was well written fast pace, lots of twists and overall a solid read.

Synopsis:

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.

Enter 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. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

This author is a favorite author of mine but unfortunately this one wasn’t my fav by her. It might be partially because I did it on audio, but I found this hard to follow and very confusing. It had some pacing issues and didn’t fully hold my interest.

I’ll still read everything Unger writes and am sure this was just a one off wrong book wrong time thing for me. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ALC!

While I typically love Lisa Unger's books, this one didn't hit the mark for me. It was okay. I loved the underlining message about social media and how it affects people and can be skewed, etc. I expected fast pace, exciting, and tons of twists per the other boons I've read by this author. However, it was very slow paced. It didn't hold my attention like I was hoping it would. I'm disappointed, but maybe I just had too high expectations due to how much I loved a few of the author's other books. I did enjoy the narrator's voice and depictions. The storyline itself is where I felt the disconnect.

I received this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Audio to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I went into *Close Your Eyes and Count to 10* expecting a high-stakes, game-driven thriller set in an abandoned hotel on an isolated island. Instead, the game itself takes a backseat, serving more as a mechanism to trap the characters and force their secrets to unravel.

While the concept had potential, the plot quickly shifted away from the actual game to focus on the characters’ tangled relationships and hidden motives. The multiple POVs were hit or miss—some characters were compelling, but others felt grating and detracted from the tension. Adele, the main character, started strong but eventually got overshadowed by the Extreme Team’s personal drama, which muddled the mystery.

The twists were predictable, but I can’t deny that Lisa Unger’s writing still kept me intrigued enough to keep turning the pages. While I enjoyed certain moments, the book’s focus on character conflict over the supposed game left me wanting more. It’s an intense, psychological story with layers worth exploring, but if you’re looking for a plot-driven, suspenseful game, this one might leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Overall, a decent mystery with strong writing, but I wish the game itself played a more central role.

What a wild ride, Adele has some great kids for sure!

Description
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.
Enter 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. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this book!

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10
by Lisa Unger
Narrated by Vivienne Leheny
Harlequin Audio

Adele just trying to make her way in life after her ex left her and her kids.

An extreme game of hide and seek on Falcao Island. Maverick has is own troubles and trying to make it though this one game.

Thriller, yes. But it wasn't the best of thrillers. I did enjoy the book but it just didn’t have that much mystery or thrill to it.

Lisa Unger’s Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is an intense survival thriller that kept me on edge from start to finish. Set on the eerie, storm-threatened Falcao Island, the story follows Adele, a single mother who gets pulled into a deadly game of hide-and-seek orchestrated by the enigmatic Maverick Dillan. As the competition escalates, alliances shift, and danger mounts, making for a nail-biting read.

Unger does a fantastic job of creating an ominous atmosphere—between the abandoned hotel, the impending storm, and the game’s sinister twists, the tension never lets up. Adele is a compelling protagonist, and her resilience and maternal instincts add depth to the story. The fast-paced plot and psychological elements reminded me of a mix between Squid Game and The Hunger Games, making it hard to put down.

That said, the multiple perspectives sometimes made the narrative feel a little disjointed, and some aspects of the game’s setup required a bit of suspension of disbelief. Still, these minor issues didn’t take away from the overall thrill of the book.

If you enjoy psychological suspense with high stakes and a dark edge, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is well worth the read.

While the narrator did a wonderful job narrating this book the book itself was too boring for my likes.

#ad many thanks to @harlequinaudio #partner for the audiobook

I listened while following along in my book.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger is a survival thriller that I mostly enjoyed. But this book mostly wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the extreme hide and seek game but there was a lot of noise happening in the background.

Miller is accused of embezzlement, has gone on the run, and left his family to pick up the pieces in a town that hates them because of his actions. Needing a way to make some money Adele’s son, Blake, tells his mother about Mavericks extreme games where the winner will win 1 million dollars. Adele decides she will sign up - even if she doesn’t win it’s sure to up her following on WeWatch, a popular live streaming app.

I found myself bored a lot but the audiobook was expertly narrated.

The contestants are taken to Enchantments Hotel located on a private island. But they’ve been warned that the island doesn’t want them here. Then the story flips back-and-forth between different POV and timelines.

I did love the live sessions. But think the book would have been less boring if some of the background noise wasn’t happening. No background tension building just really boring. But I’m on to my next Unger book! The New Couple in 5B!

We all love a good reality show? Extreme Sports? A challenge? Well, single mother Adele, takes on a challenge to potentially win a million dollars. She heads out to the island in which this game of hide-and-seek takes place. All seems ok, until it isn’t. A huge storm arrives and all plans change.

There are many characters! Most of them are impossible to like. I tried and failed. I enjoyed the beginning and the storyline is good. There are some thrilling parts and I have always loved Unger’s writing style. I will always read her books but this one wasn’t what I thought it would be. I felt somewhat confused throughout as it zigzagged in and out of my comprehension.

This being said, I do think this would make a better movie or TV series. I think the audio version of it may have caused my confusion. I still think thriller lovers would like this and I am glad I listened to it. It was entertaining enough. The narrator Vivienne Leheny, was fabulous and this made the experience enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row books for the ARC of this book.

I read this solely because I’ve heard great things about the author plus the title and cover were fun. I ended up being super invested and enjoying it a lot. I’d say a bit closer to maybe 3.75 stars but if I read the physical book where I could keep a bit better track of who’s who in the beginning, it would be a solid 4. There were lots of main characters and multiple story lines but they all weaved together nicely. Obviously things like squid games and Mr beast are very popular right now, so it was fun to see that concept put into a book.

ARC Review:
The concept was fun, but the execution was not my favorite. Think youtube influencer games, but extreme. And add in rich people drama/bad press, etc. and you will get this book. I loved the idea behind the game, but it really wasn't even part of the story. It brought the characters together, but if you are hoping to actually see it in action, you'll probably be disappointed.

2.75. An extreme game with tons of players and a large social media personality running it all-what could go wrong? Adele has her reasons for joining the cast and playing but she soon finds how different things appear online vs reality.

This had a ton of potential and i enjoyed that it was likely playing off of Mr Beast like personalities, but it unfortunately fell so flat for me. I liked the concept and I really enjoyed the side story with *why* she would join a game like this but it wasn’t enough of the plot to keep me interested I felt so unsatisfied at the end.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Lisa Unger, and Harlequin Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review. This published on February 25th.

This book had way too much going on for not a lot of hearty material. There were many POVs I didn't think were necessary. and I hated the video game dynamic added in order to have a plot twist - just unnecessary.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
36/125📚

3.5 rounded to 4 for Goodreads.

The narrator did a fantastic job bringing Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 to life. However, the story itself was just okay—while it had some intriguing moments, it didn’t fully hook me, there was just a lot going on. Some parts felt predictable or dragged a little but I still needed to know what was going to happen. It was an enjoyable listen overall, thanks largely to the narrator.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

An “extreme” event where players hide and the last one sought wins $1M. Event is to take place in a remote island, around the remains of an old luxury hotel. Lots of secrets, secrets of the extreme event organizer team and of the players. Fast paced, fun read, good narration.

Story: 2.5 ⭐️
Audiobook narration: 4 ⭐️
Overall: 3⭐️

Oh, this book. This story itself was decently engaging, and I definitely wanted to see how the mess these characters made for themselves would turn out. But the premise—a fitness influencer enters an extreme hide-and-seek challenge put on by some shady online streamers—is infuriating because it sounds great but the execution is…not.

Don’t get me wrong: the arc of the story isn’t horrible, but the way it was set up and the premise that has been marketed to readers? That’s all a big ol’ let down. I think it would have been so much better if it didn’t seem like the whole point of the story was this freaking game.

Thankfully, the audio narration was pretty good, so I stuck with it until the end.

I haven’t totally written off Lisa Unger because of this one, but it may be a while before I pick up another of her books.

Full review on Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6623601815

I am a huge Lisa Unger fan, but this book fell slightly short of her usual book. That is not to say it wasn't a good book, as it was.

An extreme adult game of hide and seek at a remote location. What could go wrong? Adele a young mother, having trouble making ends meet since her husband disappears with millions of dollars that were embezzled, and the authorities believe she know where he is. Her son, a gamer, suggests she enter the competition to win the $1 million prize. The other contestants are Wild Cody and Malinka. In a past game, one of the contestants, Chloe Miranda was lost/never returned to the game and it is a reminder of what could go wrong.

As the participants are getting ready to begin the game, a mysterious older woman arrives with some military like men and warn them that the crumbling hotel is cursed.

Maverick and his girlfriend, Angeline, are trying to hold their company together and hoping that the sponsors will pull them out of the hole they are in. The company was started with his friends.

But as a storm approaches things go wrong and the mystery begins to unravel.

This was one of my anticipated reads this year. Ever since reading Confessions on the 7:45 back in 2020, I’ve been a big fan of this author. I was very excited just after pub day to get a copy of the audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the format of this one. It reminded me of a dark version of a Mr. Beast challenge. Players who are influencers of various levels of popularity are selected to be part of a hide and seek challenge on a secluded island. Adele, who is a single mom, decides to join because the prize money would be life changing for her and her kids.

Not only is a severe storm rolling in when the game starts but the people running the game have a lot going on between them too and it’s hard to know who’s telling the truth.

This one takes quite a few twists and turns and I thought I had it figured out but loved the twists as they kept coming.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Harlequin Audio for the audio copy!