Five contestants have been selected to compete for ten million dollars in the new reality show, One Lucky Winner. As the contestants begin, they realize there are no rules and more than money behind the game.

While a bit far fetched, it’s certainly an entertaining thriller and fast paced. I was appreciative that the book only had about seven characters to keep track of. Many reality tv plots have too many characters. Since there were only five contestants we were really able to get to know each of them. There wasn’t much that surprised me about the events, but it kept my attention and was constant action. The games and contests were fun to read about.

“Nevertheless, this is a cruel game. It’s twisted, and sick, and dangerous.”

Everyone is Watching comes out 3/26.

Everyone is watching is like a modern day reality show, but on this show everyone is connect or has a secret they don’t want anyone to know. this book is a unique, original, compelling, and absolutely binge-worthy must read of the year. I couldn't absorb the pages fast enough to find out what was going on in this mysterious high-stakes televised game. I absolutely love that Heather is from Iowa and she writes about Iowa in her books. As a fellow Iowan this makes me smile. I absolutely adored this book so much I think I’ll re read it again. Run quickly to grab this riveting, adventurous and never dull book as fast as you can.

Everyone is Watching is a fast read that doesn't have any lulls in the plot- it hits the ground running almost right away and only continues to pick up steam from there. I really enjoyed reading about the different competitions they competed in and I loved the twists. I rated it four stars because it was a bit predictable but overall a really good read.

Reality television show similar to Survivor and $10 million for the winner. What could go wrong when five strangers get together and fight to win?
This was quite the ride! Definitely a page turner and keeps you guessing! It was as much fun as watching reality television.

This was not a fast paced thriller but instead the slow burn of watching the characters, much like frogs in a warming pot, realize that what they thought was happening is only part of the story. Early on it was easy to figure out the backstory, but like I have said many times before, sometimes it is more enjoyable to watch the characters figure out the twists and turns when you know them. It is like the reader is complicit in the mystery and you get to mentally wring your hands and chuckle as the tension builds in the story. I did feel there were some unresolved minor plotlines that could have been interesting to have more follow up on, but overall I felt like the ending followed the slightly off base trajectory of the entire story. This made for a really satisfying weekend read!

The ultimate reality tv show. Genre busting? Check. Shady contestants? Sure, ok. Crazy grand prize? 100%. What could warrant all of these twists? Revenge. Probably.

This book literally spoils itself through the nicknames given to each character. Why did they need nicknames? Why hit us over the head with obviousness? That alone made me want to DNF, but I take my ARCs seriously and endured. Only to get the most snoozer of a book.

I get what Gudenkauf was trying to do, but everything about this book was utterly ridiculous and totally BORING. Premise? Insane. The people actually participating? Also insane. The message? Heavy handed and meaningless in the end. We never even find out why The Boyfriend bothered showing up at all. At least the $10 million was there to remind us why anyone bothered to stick around.

And then we finally get to the game show and everything was just so boring. We trudge through boring after boring chapter only for thethe author ties it up with some heart warming ending??? Everyone is just, ok and chill??

Sadly, I can't recommend this book. But thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was something different from other books I've read lately . I see this becoming a popular title at Barnes & Noble.

Many thanks for my gifted copy!

I really struggled with this from the start. I powered through, and it did improve, however it was never what I expected or hoped for. The story feels disjointed. The characters are annoying - I wish that we had more information on some or all of them. I liked the premise - 5 contestants isolated in a home in California. Competing for 10 million dollars. But they are not given any information on what they have to do or details about one another. And their lives are publicized to watchers at home. As they begin to feel more and more isolated, secrets start to come to the surface and some wonder if they should worry for their lives. My biggest complaint is that I wish there was more to this story. I wanted more interpersonal issues, more details about the contestants, etc. That being said, it was a fun read and I enjoyed the idea behind the book. 
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was guessing and on my toes the entire book! So good!! A quick read, fast- paced, and non stop action it’s great! Love the. back and forth POV between the characters and their different backstories.

4/5 ⭐️

"One Lucky Winner" is about as crazy as reality TV can get. Five contestants are invited to an Italian villa near San Francisco to compete for ten million dollars. Yep. Seven zeroes. Each contestant has a nickname: The Best Friend, The Confidante, The Executive, The Senator, and The Boyfriend. Other key players are the genius bankrolling the show, Cat James, and her overworked and underappreciated assistant Fern Espa. I have been a fan of Heather Gudenkauf since reading This Is How I Lied. Usually her books are set in the state of Iowa. This time one of the main contestants on "One Lucky Winner" is Maire Hennessy from Calico, Iowa. Will Maire be the contestant you are rooting for? Why were these five chosen for the game? Does Fern have the answers? Or is Cat James staying behind the scenes for a reason? All will be revealed. You just have to read the book.

Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is my new favorite by this author. All of her books are good but this one is just a bit better than good. I loved it. Couldn't put it down. Didn't want it to end and boy what an ending it was. I loved how the author tied all the characters to one person and gave me a brilliant ending.

Five people are notified via text that they were to be in a contest with a TEN MILLION DOLLAR pay out. One lucky winner would go home with the single prize. But at what cost. How does the person in charge know each of these players or does she just think she does. What could be worth such a huge payout? It won't be easy and a lot of things will be revealed. If they are up for the challenges. If they don't mind losing a bit of themselves along the way.

Fern, the assistant, is helping Cat carry out this reality show. Cat is not really good to Fern in many ways but they have been friends since something awful happened or almost happened to Fern where she use to work. Fern is the host of ONE LUCKY WINNER. She's also Cat's assistant and they are somewhat best friends. Fern will do almost anything for Cat.

Ned, The Executive. He has a few secrets he does not want revealed. He's been in charge of his life for quite a while and doesn't care about anyone's thoughts or feelings. He's there to win and will do, ANYTHING, to win. I didn't like him. You will learn all his dirty little secrets...

Richard Crowley, The Senator. He's really an ex-senator with a past he will kill to keep secret. At least that is how it looks. You'll get to know him and his past very well. I didn't much like him either. You'll get to know all his dirty little secrets...

Samuel, The Boyfriend. He is a nice looking man in great shape and also comes with a past. He may or may not know one of the other players in this contest. He's a famous lawyer who definitely does not need things from his past coming to light. It could ruin all he's worked hard for. You get to know all his dirty little secrets.

Camille, The Confidante. She's a therapist and has lots of big secrets also. She doesn't want anyone to know certain things about her past. It could ruin her. It would ruin her. She's likable in many ways and a strong player. I liked and disliked her. You'll get to know all her dirty little secrets.

Maire, The Best Friend. She has two daughters. One of which is very sick. Her youngest daughter has Cystic Fibroses. After her husband up and left Maire lost their insurance and it costs a lot to keep her youngest child alive. She will do anything to win. She's another strong player. She has a past that could hurt her also. I like Maire. I thought she should win. You will get to know her dirty little secrets.

A lot went into this contest. A lot of planning. A lot of money. The person behind it all had something to say and they say it good and loud. In most instances. I liked her and didn't like her. At times I did because she could be so nice. Then she would turn into a monster. Ok not a monster but a very mean person. She treated Fern bad. The way she talked to her. I didn't blame Fern for what she did. You'll get to know her dirty little secret.

You will get to know all of these characters and the things they do and don't want you to know. Each one is there for a reason. After the first one is voted out things start to get more intense. At least one player starts figuring out what is happening. At least they think they do.

One good book by one of my favorite authors. This was such a good edge of your seat thriller and mystery. The author did a very good job with it. I loved the ending and getting to know each of the characters. Also a few of the people watching the contest and messaging their thoughts online.

Thank you #NetGalley, #HeatherGudenkauf, #HarlequinTradePublishing, and #ParkRow, for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a high recommendation.

I love Heather Gudenkauf‘s writing, and Everyone is Watching did not disappoint! Another best seller! I could not put this down.
Five contestants arrive on. Secluded estate to fight for 10 million dollars. When the host doesn’t show up, Fern offers to take over. At her wits end with her boss, Fern begins making decisions for the show that she hopes will allow her to be seen for who she really is. As the contestants begin playing, everyone starts to question the real motives behind the game and what are they really fighting for.
Great read! Highly recommended!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row in exchange for my honest review

Five Contestants on a new and unique reality show, but there can only be "One Lucky Winner". $10 million is on the line and they will each do whatever it takes to get it. But who are they really? Why are they there? Why were THEY selected? Gudenkauf delivers a locked room mystery that is gripping from the beginning to the very last page, I thought I'd figured it out! Loved this tense, even heartfelt, unputdownable, thriller. THANK YOU NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

📖 ARC review: Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Short synopsis:
Follow five contestants as they are chosen to compete on a game show, “One Lucky Winner,” for a chance to win 10 million dollars. This is the first time this game show has been aired with an unusual twist. Nobody knows when the show will air and when the competitions will take place. With no communication to the outside world and no permission to leave the property, contestants find themselves competing in various, dangerous, challenges,
As the challenges become more dangerous and more intense, they begin to question what they have gotten themselves into. As they work their way through dangerous obstacle courses secrets begin to surface and the contestants start wondering what the real reason was that they were chosen to compete on the game show. Who are these competitors and what secrets are they hiding?

🤔💭 Thoughts:
This book hooked me right from the start. The more I read, the more anxious I became to find out what would happen to the contestants as they put their lives at risk to compete for the life altering 10 million dollars. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t read fast enough.

Heather Gudenkauf has quickly become one of my favourite others and I can just never get enough of her books. I rate this book with 4 stars only because the ending seemed a bit rushed and I felt there was something missing. All in all I still loved this book and would highly recommend anything written by Heather Gudenkauf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much fun! It was like Squid Games meets Big Brother with so many twists added in and I was hooked from the very first page. While the game, “One Lucky Winner”, kept me on my toes, I was also rapidly turning pages to try to uncover the truth about everyone’s pasts and how everyone was connected. Each character’s personality was well developed and I especially loved how she brought all of their stories together.
The main twist at the end was one I didn’t see coming and, oddly enough, the very end of the book was actually heartwarming, which is not something you find often in a thriller.
Definitely recommend if you’re up for a unique, engaging, and exciting read.

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row for the #gifted eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Whew, that was intense! So many tiny puzzle pieces were coming together on each page, I simply could not put this book down until the puzzle was complete. I am a big fan of the reality show premise, modern and captivating. Big brother meets Fear Factor, in a way. Every time a contestant ignored a BRIGHT, SHINY red flag I was more and more on edge waiting for them to uncover the truth. Then, of course, the ending blew me away.

The characters were surprisingly fleshed out, which is a hard thing to do with a cast of this size without causing a snag in the pacing.

4/5 stars

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC of the newest from Heather Gudenkauf, Everyone is Watching.

The premise of this book was so intriguing to me - a live streamed reality show where the prize is $10 million? I’ve never read something like that before. We meet 5 people who have been hand selected for this game, but they all have secrets they want to keep hidden, and they’re all suspicious of one another. Who will do what it takes to win? This was a pretty solid story, I enjoyed it more than the other Gudenkauf book I’ve read (The Overnight Guest). There were a fair amount of characters, so I felt like I never really got to know anyone super well, or really have a favorite, but for a quick popcorn thriller, this one hit the spot.

What would you be willing to do for 10 million dollars?


The Best Friend
The Confidant
The Senator
The Boyfriend
The Executive

Who will win and what will they sacrifice to get there? Does your past ever truly stay in your past?

From the author of The Overnight Guest comes a new thriller with a unique backdrop. The plot of this one is a reality show with a twist. Five seemingly unrelated contestants are summoned to a secluded California vineyard to start filming the show “One Lucky Winner” which will live-stream extreme challenges that will test both their physical and mental fortitude. Think American Ninja Warrior meets Squid Games! Kudos to Gudenkauf on her detailed descriptions of the challenges, showcasing just how far the cutthroat contestants would go for the ultimate prize. The ending felt a little rushed and anticlimactic for me though. I wished there was the same amount of detail and suspense build up put into the end of the show as there was throughout. Overall, a binge-worthy thriller that is definitely worth a read!

2.5 stars. This unfortunately just didn't fully hit for me. I really loved the concept of the story - a reality tv show that closely resembled a cross between Big Brother and Squid Games! I did really enjoy reading each character’s backstories, but I feel like some of them were built out much more than others, and there were a lotttt of loose ends that never got tied up (mostly surrounding the assistant, Fern, and the therapist, Camille). I think the twist at the end was surprising, but almost sort of expected - there was nothing that truly shocked me throughout this thriller, which is typically what really gives them the ‘umph’ for me to really enjoy it. Basically a lot of build up for little payoff for me. The end of the story felt pretty rushed, and I wish it was tied together a little more neatly with the rest of the plot.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everyone is Watching is as difficult to turn away from as a car crash. Five people, seemingly unconnected, come together in a beautiful Italian Villa to try to win 10 million on a live streamed game show.

All of the characters, save one, are worth rooting for. This is a fast-paced novel that reads quickly. It's a race to the end to see who would be the ultimate winner