Big thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books for the advanced audio copy of Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The story was engaging, told from multiple perspectives, and each character felt distinct and well-defined. What I loved most was how none of the characters were purely good or evil—everyone fell into shades of gray, which made them feel real and complex. It kept me hooked, and I’m so glad I read it. I’d definitely recommend it to others!

One thing that stood out to me was how this book didn’t feel like a traditional thriller. Even though there were several different mysteries woven throughout, the pacing and storytelling had a different vibe from what I expect in a psychological thriller. In some ways, it felt almost like a cozy mystery but with thriller elements mixed in. While that could have been jarring, I actually think it added to the story. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but that wasn’t a bad thing at all.

Vivienne Leheny did a great job narrating, giving each character their own unique voice. I liked the rhythm of her narration, but I have to admit it was a little slow for my taste. I’m usually a purist about listening to audiobooks at normal speed, but I had to bump this one up to 1.25x. That small change made all the difference, and after that, I was completely immersed in the story.

Overall, this was a great listen, and I’d totally recommend it!

I love a Lisa Unger novel, and I couldn't wait to find out what I was in store for with Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I didn’t read the synopsis and just picked it up and let the story take me where it wanted. I was immediately drawn in by the drama as well as Adele’s viewpoint. She was probably one of the few characters I actually liked in this book, and her situation gave me Nate family vibes from Gossip Girl. I loved that this wasn’t only about the game itself, but her story as well, and there are a lot of characters to keep track of and a lot of things going on. We have a podcast element, reality TV, adventure (and not exactly safe) game, and much more packed into this 376-page book.

The audiobook is narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Vivienne Leheny, and I am really glad I went the audio route. Since there are a lot of viewpoints, I would say it would have greatly benefited from a full cast, but Leheny did such a wonderful job all by her lonesome that it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. There are quite a few twists packed into Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 and while I saw a couple of them coming, most were quite the surprise. A lot of readers might not like all of the characters and side stories mixed into the plot for this one, but I loved every minute of it. The last quarter of the story is especially action packed, and I thought the last chapter was the perfect ending.

Read this if you enjoy high stakes games, isolated location settings with storm elements, and lots of viewpoints/storylines.

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The audiobook was great! The story wasn't my favorite, but the quality of the audio made listening enjoyable.

Oooh this one was twisty! The ultimate game of hide & seek with influencers on a remote island - what could go wrong?! I’m a reality tv girlie so this book was right up my alley and I definitely enjoyed it! It was full of twists and high stakes tension, keeping me on my toes throughout the story. Quite a few characters so be sure to pay attention!

This was a solid thriller that actually had multiple mysteries in it. Where is Miller? Where is Chloe? Did Mav steal the money? Who is Mav’s blackmailer?
A lot going on for a game of extreme hide and seek. Adele does it for the million dollar prize— it would be life changing for her and her kids. Mav doesn’t even have the million but is banking on sponsors coming up. But Chloe having gone missing last time is a stain on their business, and then with all the weird stuff that happens while the Lives are happening. It turns out to be an extreme game of hide and seek but not with the players expected.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the listen!

I’m a huge fan of Lisa Unger, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this one—and it did not disappoint! The New Couple in 5B is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish.

Adele is a single mother raising her two children, seventeen-year-old Violet and fifteen-year-old Blake. Her ex-husband, Miller, has been on the run for years after being convicted of fraud and embezzlement, leaving Adele to shoulder the weight of their financial struggles. Meanwhile, Blake is being relentlessly bullied at school but keeps it to himself out of fear of making things worse. His one escape? Online gaming.

Desperate for a way out of debt, Adele makes a bold decision—she signs up for Extreme Hide and Seek, a high-stakes competition on a remote island with a $1 million prize. Blake is terrified for her but admires her determination to turn their lives around. However, when Adele arrives, something about the island feels off. The entire competition is being live-streamed, and as the game begins, it quickly spirals into something far more sinister than she ever anticipated.

From the moment Adele steps onto the island, the tension skyrockets. The pacing is relentless, the twists are shocking, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! Each chapter delivers new surprises, making it impossible to put down. If you love high-stakes thrillers packed with suspense, this is a must-read!

This book was a ride from start to finish!

This psychological thriller follows Adele—a single mom of two, whose husband disappeared years ago, leaving their lives (and reputation) in shambles. Adele’s son is a huge fan of the “WeWatch” channel (YouTube) and online extreme thrill chaser, Maverick Dillan. He signs his mom up for Maverick’s very live and very dangerous game of extreme hide-and-seek on Falcao Island in an abandoned hotel and if it weren’t for the one-million-dollar prize money, she would have passed it by. But taking up boxing since her husband left her, and starting her own “WeWatch” channel of her own, she wanted to prove to her kids, and her followers, that she can be an overcomer of fear and take on challenges.

Adele finds herself in situations wondering if she’ll make it out alive while making unlikely friendships, and realizing she may not know her kids as well as she thought 👀
 
This book follows Adele, Maverick, and others on the Island and part of the game, providing a multiple POV that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved how Lisa interwove the characters, and unraveled each one’s story piece by piece as we read. This book took dark twists and surprising turns that I didn’t see coming PLUS an ending that truly satisfied.
 
Overall, I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
 
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance copy of this thrilling read!

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 and write this review. 😳

This is my first Lisa Unger book, and I honestly don't know how I feel about it. And reading other reviews will probably not help you decide either. Reviews for this book are all over the place. So, if you're on the fence about it, just read it-

This is a little different than most suspense books I have read, mainly because the premise is unlike anything I usually pick up. I think some people aren't going to like this because it isn't a cut and dry story line, and I think that is what people are looking for. It seems people want an out of the norm story with a storyline that is more typical. But I don't think you can have both.

This book was a little disjointed for me, which is why it didn't get 5 stars, and it was really a 3.5 rounded up to 4. But I haven't read the author's other work, so I don't know what else to compare this to. Some others who have reviewed this say it was a little slow, and I would say it is middle of the road for a thriller/suspense/mystery. I wouldn't say it is a page turner, but it isn't really a slow-burn either. So it is different in the pacing of the book.

This book is for you if:
.✔ A little out there storyline/premise
✔ Multiple characters and points of view
✔ twists
✔ weird location with crazy weather

❌ weird, sometimes slow pacing
❌ sometimes confusing narration (for me anyway)
❌ frustrating/selfish characters that you want to punch

Again, if you are on the fence about this book, give it a try- we all like different stuff, and this may end up being one of your favorites.

✨If you’re a fan of Beat Games, extreme hide and seek, murder, mystery, and twists, this is a great option.
Overall I enjoyed the story. At first I thought it was going to be about Adele and her family, finding out what happened to leave them where they were. But then we get introduced to more characters, and more characters and I began to be a bit confused on who this story is really about. They’re all MCs? It was kinda fun but a bit confusing. The characters are fun and you do get to enjoy some of their backstories that lead them to where they are. The chapters are quite long which I’m not a huge fan of.

I listened to this on audio, and the audio was done well. I enjoyed the various voices to help differentiate between characters.✨

Thank you NetGalley for the ability to view this as an ARC.

How fun would it be to play an adult version of Hide & Seek? Now offer a one million dollar prize, an island location, a tropical storm, AND deep, dark secrets. Close Your Eyes And Count To Ten is the newest book by Lisa Unger, bringing a group of social media influencers together to battle it out to be the lucky winner. But it can’t be that easy, right?

I jumped into this audiobook with so much excitement! The premise for this story is like my own personal dreams coming true (minus the shady stuff). I was a little disappointed that the storyline was spread so thinly amongst an entire cast of characters. While it added a multifaceted aspect, it confused me quite a few times. And maybe it was meant to be, but the only character I enjoyed was Adele- the rest were purely unlikeable.

This story takes bits and pieces of the past and brings them together to provide a clearer picture at the end. I enjoyed how we learned about Adele’s past through breadcrumbs throughout the story. I also liked how the author provided the reader with a desire to see her win- as if we were part of her social following.

I struggled a little bit getting into the book. The first few chapters had me hooked and ready to read it in one sitting. But then the pacing fell off, we explored new characters, and it took away from what I was hoping for. It was similar to those TV shows where you get really invested in one scene- but then it switches over to a different character scene and you just want to go back to the first one.

Overall, I typically LOVE Lisa Unger’s books, but this one falls into the “like” category. I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

I was excited about *Close Your Eyes and Count to 10* — an extreme game of hide-and-seek on a stormy island with a shady crew that sounded like the *Hunger Games* of hide-and-seek. But it didn’t live up to the hype.

There were too many storylines — the game, Chloe, Adele’s missing husband, and the island’s dark past — which I felt overshadowed the main plot. The long chapters and too many characters made it hard to stay hooked, and the slow pacing didn’t help. Speaking of characters, the narrator did a good job managing the different characters but this book could have benefited from multiple narrators.

The setting and atmosphere were solid, but the core game element got lost. Not one I’d recommend unless you’re patient with slow burns and complex plots.

*2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars*

I'm a Lisa Unger fan and loved The New Couple in 5b and Secluded Cab Sleeps Six and had high expectations going into this novel, but ultimately this one was a miss for me. The premise of this novel sounded amazing (a reality show-esque game of hide and seek?!) and at the beginning of the novel, I enjoyed being introduced to Adele, her family, and the unfortunate situation they were left in due to her missing husband. I was immediately connected to her and invested in her story, but honestly once she made it to the island it kind of fell apart for me. I enjoy a slow burn, but this book was just slow and I wasn't particularly rooting for anyone and often confused with the multiple POVs. I always stick with a thriller because ultimately the twist is typically worth it, but this felt a little lackluster and fell flat for me. I look forward to seeing the next book by the author and seeing if I find it as enjoyable as her previous works.

As a Lisa Unger fan, I was excited to listen to her new audiobook. Adele, a single mother, enters an extreme game of hide and seek to try to win the big cash prize for her family. This book has some twists and turns of deceit. I felt the book was alright but a bit long. The narrator did a good job. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 had an intriguing plot. A famous influencer is hosting a game of hide and seek in a haunted hotel for other influencers. Whoever can last the night and be the last one will take home a million dollars. It won't be as easy as it sounds. There's a huge storm coming right their way and someone else seems to be on the island messing with the contestants and hosts.

This book held my interest enough to keep going but I found the story to be a bit slow for my liking. Some of the characters were not very likable and untrustworthy which added to the mystery. I was able to figure out one of the twists early on.

I have loved many Lisa Unger thrillers over the years and was so grateful to receive an ARC from #NetGalley It was a fantastic escape with a wild ride full of people of questionable character.

An extreme hide and seek game set on a remote island in an old hotel. One participant is a single mother and a fitness influencer who takes on the challenge because of the one million dollar prize. She has recently been left alone after her then husband disappeared due to unethical work.

The secrets on this island are not just from the contestants but also the staff. Some of these sketchy people needed to be snuffed out in my opinion.

I did enjoy the narration from. Vivienne Leheny, but I wonder if multiple narrators might have been helpful to keep up with this cast of characters.

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

I'm having trouble figuring out how to rate this book. On one hand, I mostly enjoyed the book while I was reading it but on the other, the second I thought about anything further, nothing made sense. The characters weren't very developed, there were too many storylines, not enough suspense, everything was predictable and yet no one acted realistically. The "game" at the center of the plot never really even happened and nothing ended satisfying. The potential was there but this was just not the book I wanted to be reading. The narrator of the audiobook did a good job however. I liked the voiced that she used for all the characters.

This had such a good premise, but was such a let down when it came to execution.

This one revolves around a game hosted by internet superstar, Maverick. Think of Mr. Beast vibes and how his channel works, where there are games with big money rewards that are streamed online. We open with the character Adele, who is a single mother struggling to stay financially afloat after her husband vanished when his finance crimes come to light at his job. She has two teenage kids who encourage her to submit herself for this games with a huge cash prize, and also to get some exposure for her videos where she works out. The game of hide-and-seek gets turned on its head when severe weather storms hit the remote area, not to mention competing against others for the grand prize.

---

Overall, this one had so much potential, but really fell flat. I was expecting an edge of your seat thrilling game that was being broadcast. Expecting competition and deception between the players with the added bonus of treacherous weather conditions. I was rooting for Adele from the beginning after finding out about her husband's financial affairs, and thought we may delve more into that and their rocky relationship. But neigh, this went in a totally different direction and maybe that's on me for having different expectations, but this just wasn't for me.

The story gets bogged down by the endless various point of views we have throughout. I had to keep starting the chapters over again in order to figure out who we were following. There seemed to be added drama surrounding the tech guy, Maverick and his whole enterprise going to hell, which frankly I wasn't interested in at all. I was much more intrigued by Adele's point of view and her kids and how they were going to navigate everything going on in their lives. The games took a backseat to all the internal drama of the business guys that were running it, and I got bored fast. I found myself dreading picking this back up to finish it. The only reason I didn't give it a one star was for the intrigue of where the story was going. If I didn't want to know how it ended, it would've been lower and possibly even dnf'ed. So, if you try this one out, make sure you set your expectations accordingly.

*Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review.*

The premise of this book was promising, but unfortunately the plot got lost in the weeds for me. There were too many absurdities by the end for me to stay invested and I felt that it veered too far away from the opening storyline.

Lisa Unger delivers another pulse-pounding thriller with Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten. The story kicks off with a chilling premise: a group of strangers finds themselves trapped in an isolated, remote location, forced to play an extreme and deadly game of hide-and-seek. As the stakes escalate, dark secrets come to light, and survival becomes a desperate, all-consuming focus.

From the first page, Unger grips you tight and doesn’t let go. The novel is relentlessly propulsive—just like the deadly game at its center, it’s teeming with drama and tension, and you simply can’t look away. Unger’s mastery of atmosphere adds an extra layer of dread to this locked-room mystery, making every chapter feel claustrophobic and urgent.

Told through multiple perspectives, the story cleverly unfolds in a way that constantly shifts your perception of who can be trusted. Each twist feels earned, and the sense of unease only deepens as the characters' personal histories and motives are slowly revealed. This is a psychological thriller that doesn’t just entertain—it gets under your skin.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, high-stakes read that blends psychological suspense with a chilling survival scenario, Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten is one you won’t want to miss.

When adventurer Maverick Dillan invites contestants to a high-stakes hide-and-seek game on Falcao Island, it quickly turns into a battle for survival amidst a deadly threat and a raging storm. Adele, a single mother and influencer, joins the game for a million-dollar prize to support her children. The atmosphere becomes tense with warnings about the island’s curse and sinister events unfolding.
Adele’s determination to protect her children drives her through the chaos, as contestants vanish, and danger escalates. The novel effectively portrays her resilience, while the plot intensifies with adrenaline-fueled action. Although some subplots, like Adele’s absent husband, remain unresolved, the story excels in vivid characterization and a chilling atmosphere.
The blend of reality show dynamics and survival horror creates a captivating narrative, highlighting social media’s impact and exploitation of personal struggles. Despite minor pacing issues, the novel offers a thrilling and satisfying read, perfect for fans of suspenseful survival stories and those intrigued by the dark side of reality TV.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing & Park Row for providing this digital copy.