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book cover for Don't Count on Me

Don't Count on Me

All relationships end. Only she knows when.

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Pub Date Sep 19 2025 | Archive Date Aug 31 2025

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Description

What if you knew exactly how many more times you’d see someone again?

That’s Alma Pendle’s reality. Neon numbers float above everyone’s heads, counting down her remaining encounters with them. Friends. Strangers. Even family.

She thought it was normal until she told her best friend and wound up in the psych ward.

Now, her mum’s high as a kite, her beloved Nanke’s vanished without a word, and every man she ever meets is history before he even has a chance.

Alma doesn’t want to be special. She just wants to be normal.

But fate - or whatever’s behind the numbers - has other plans.

What if you knew exactly how many more times you’d see someone again?

That’s Alma Pendle’s reality. Neon numbers float above everyone’s heads, counting down her remaining encounters with them...


Advance Praise

“I can think of no greater praise for a book than thinking I didn't want that to end, which is what I thought when I finished Don't Count On Me. I loved Alma's voice, her turns of phrase and the premise of the numbers.” – Alan Meredith, author

“Don’t Count On Me has completely blown my head off! Loved the story, the concept, and I devoured it in four hours! I apologise for nothing, and I wish that I had many more days to slow down my reading!” – Allison Valentine, blogger

“I found Don’t Count On Me to be an intriguing, entertaining and thought provoking story which gripped my attention from the outset and never let go. Don’t Count On Me is based on an unusual premise to believe, but I soon did; and being updated on the various characters, and their numbers, along the way began to feel normal! The story fairly zipped along, helped by an interesting mix of characters, snappy dialogue and short chapters. I love the first-person narrative, which I found witty, sassy and self-deprecating.” – Gavin de Bier, author.

“I started it and had to finish it. I enjoyed it and loved Alma and her sense of humour. I laughed a lot throughout.” – Hilly Barmby, author.

“That opener is just amazing!!!!!! Hooked. Straight away!” – Eva, early reader

“Read Don’t Count On Me, despite it not being my normal reading matter, thoroughly enjoyed it. Gripped me very quickly and just wanted to keep reading, to discover what happened next. The concept was very clever, and inspiring in that no matter what happens to someone there is the possibility of you changing things.” – Ken Ward, author.

“I’ve just finished Don’t Count on me and I absolutely loved it! I only wish I had had the time to read it in one sitting as every time I had to put it down I really didn’t want to. It was a very different type of read and I found myself totally invested in Alma’s life.” – Pauline Render-Byron, blogger


“I can think of no greater praise for a book than thinking I didn't want that to end, which is what I thought when I finished Don't Count On Me. I loved Alma's voice, her turns of phrase and the...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781068286438
PRICE £3.99 (GBP)
PAGES 298

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Average rating from 9 members


Featured Reviews

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this was a scary concept and worked well in this universe, I was engaged from start to finish and thought the overall feel in the genre that I was wanting. The characters were so well done and really felt for Alma. I was invested in what was going on and thought the plot of the book worked overall. Claire Camden has a strong writing style and was able to create characters that I cared about.

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I really enjoyed this. I was going to give it four stars, but I really really liked the ending. I saw the concept of numbers above the head being number of days until death on some TV show somewhere maybe a decade ago, but that show wasn't executed well. I remember thinking that it was such a cool concept and I wished someone would do something better with it someday. Well, this is that book we've been waiting for. I really liked reading about her experiments to understand how the numbers worked, and I really liked reading about her struggle to go from rags to comfort. Thanks for the advanced read.

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Ten...nine...eight...seven...

Alma sees glary neon numbers above the heads of everyone she sees and the numbers are different for everyone and they are counting down every time she sees them again.

This has gone on Alma's whole life. And it's not something she tells most people or that most people would believe.

I really enjoyed Alma's story (especially her inner dialogue). I loved her life as she got it a little more under control. Her early life rather sucked.

I received this book from Lit Ideas through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

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