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

Everyone is Watching is the second book I've read by Heather Gudenkauf and I really liked it! This book follows seven main characters that are staying at an Italianesque estate/vineyard/mansion in California. Five of them are competing in a first of its kind reality competition and the other two are the brain behind the show and her assistant. The stakes? Ten million dollars. Each of the five competitors are called something different on the show- examples are "best friend" and "confidante". As the competition progresses, the contestants begin to realize there might be something more sinister at play.

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.

This book was definitely unique. The storyline was a bit predictable in some parts….but overall had some good twists and turns. It wasn’t a book that kept me on the edge of my seat though. It’s not one that I would recommend to friends. It was a fun read, though . I enjoyed it overall, well enough to keep reading.

I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. Definitely a very unique story line and was very well written. I enjoyed the flashbacks to each characters life throughout the story which help to build up the tension.

Solid Mystery Lacks Real World Punch Of Other Similar Works. At this point, we've all read some variant of some mystery set in and around the world of reality television, right? This is truly a solid tale of its type, so far as it goes, so even if you haven't read one, this is a good one to start with there.

I'm not sure if a certain aspect of the tale was *meant* to be picked up on early or if I (and apparently a few other reviewers) just *did*, but to me if that particular aspect was supposed to be a "twist", it was about as curvy as say the bend in the US coastline from roughly Charleston to roughly Jacksonville - ie, easily seen from orbit without much effort at all.

The thing blatantly missing - or perhaps it was so subtle that even I simply missed it within this text, as other reviewers have said they loved its presence - was the lack of any actual social commentary baked in to the tale of "reality television", as most in this space tend to have to some degree or another. While I'm glad there was no heavy handed preaching on the subject - no matter the view the author was trying to convey - I do wish that there had been *some*, or perhaps, again, at least some that was more obvious and memorable.

Outside of those two aspects though, this really was a fun and solid mystery of its type, maybe not quite as hard hitting as some of Gudenkauf's previous works, but that is also ok - sometimes both the writer and the reader need a chance to simply enjoy a tale without having to think too hard or without having emotional strings pulled too heart or without too much strain on the heart re: pulse and blood pressure. Not to say that this tale is bland, it absolutely is not. It just isn't *as* intensive as Gudenkauf's prior books - akin to an "easy" 5K at half of your normal running pace while training for a half marathon. You're still getting a good workout, it simply isn't anywhere near the intensity that could hurt you. :D

Overall an enjoyable work and a solid one given its premise. Very much recommended.

This one was both a hit and a miss for me.

You gotta love the premise on this book. There's no question that it is one of those that you very easily fall into right? Right from the start I wanted to know why these people were really here. Why them? What's going on with this game? How serious are things going to get?

Also, this book is a really really fast read. It is short chapters and, the pacing keeps up all the way through. For that reason, I'm going to say this is definitely a straight up thriller and it is a great one night stand book. And you guys know, there are real reasons to have one night stand books. I love to use them for a pallet cleansers.

But, there were definitely some things that were a miss for me. And I will say once again, the premise. Yes, that is both something I liked and something that was a miss for me. The premise is not only locked room, but I think they even mentioned in the marketing copy it is kind of based on, a very famous Christie novel. And if you've read that novel, right from the start, you kind of know a lot. The fact that it was so predictable all the way through had me cringing by the time I got to 75%.

The writing was sloppy. And I absolutely hate saying that, but I have to be honest. It just felt very rushed and almost phoned in. The characters were flat and their backstories, which were really key to the story, were hastily laid out.

Her best work is The Overnight Guest, by far.

🎥𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙸𝚂 𝚆𝙰𝚃𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙿𝚜𝚢𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝟸𝟼, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺(𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝟷𝟶 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚜𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎)
𝙰𝚜𝚑'𝚜 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝟺.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝... “Big Brother meets Clue in this utterly original and incredibly tense locked room mystery” That’s enough..go in blind. 🫣

💭𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜...Such a glorious clusterf**k!! 😯This one was beyond original. 👏You have 5 contestants who want this 10 million dollar prize so bad & all willing to do just about anything for it. It’s like Survivor & Big Brother but these stakes are life or death at times. And how are these random strangers all connected since the longer they are there it appears they are?? 🤯So many twisty turns 🌀that you have to just devour to find out more! 🙌Go in knowing it’s def out there but it’s so well done with the coolest setting ever(some massive Hollywood type mansion in the middle of nowhere). It’s fast paced & the ending is nicely wrapped up. So fun & what a joy to read something so friggin unique! 🤌

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

The premise of this book was interesting, a reality show competing for ten million dollars that would push the envelope of risky and dangerous behaviors. But ultimately for me there was too much going, and it was a confusing read. Told from multiple POV from the contestants, as well as dual past and present timelines it was hard to keep up with who was telling the story each chapter.

Also, I knew by the end it would be revealed how all the contestants were intertwined, and called to the show. But it felt very unrealistic and far fetched to be believable.

All in all, this book wasn’t that great of a read for me, I more so just finished to find out why the contestants were chosen for this game. And even after finding out it wasn’t very satisfying.

Trigger warnings for sexual assault and rape.

This is an unexpected gem from Heather Gudenkauf! It’s different from her other thrillers but I think that’s a good thing. She can clearly write something a little dark and character driven AND an exciting popcorn thriller that will leave you hanging by the edge of your seat. If you like books with a competitive nature, then this might be perfect for you!

Wow! This was a twisted little story! It’s an intense edge of your seat thriller. Everyone has secrets to hide but they almost always see the light of day. It’s a fast paced book and you’ll be staying up late to finish it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

How much would you do for 10 million dollars?! Definitely not as much as the characters in the novel! I loved this fast paced, action packed reality game show novel. The inside of the house was so interesting and I wanted to know the back stories of the characters and how they were all connected. The characters were unlikeable and their actions were definitely questionable, but I found myself so invested. The pacing of the novel was perfect and I never felt myself getting bored.

Thank you to Netgallery and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maire needs money and she needs it now. Her ex-husband has disappeared and along with him child support and health insurance. That would be bad enough for anyone, but one of her children has cystic fibrosis and has high dollar medical bills all the time. When she gets an email about participating in a game show for 10 million dollars it seems to good to be true, but she is no position to question it. She signs up not knowing the danger that awaits her. Maire and the other 4 contestants are in a game that they might not all live to talk about and all of a sudden the money might not be worth it. Is someone out to get them? Have they been set up?

I am a big Gudenkauf fan. No Exit is a favorite of mine. This is a suspenseful thriller, which we have come to expect from her. This was a good twist on a reality game show with a deadly twist. Highly recommend!

*I will be posting this review on GoodReads and StoryGraph (links provided) on Thursday, March 14th, 2024.*

How far would you be willing to go to win a live-streamed Survivor-like gameshow if ten million dollars were on the line? What if you realized some of your deepest and darkest secrets were potentially being threatened to be exposed? These are the questions five contestants must ask themselves again and again in this twisty suspense novel. The story, which unfolds over the course of several days as well as from enlightening flashbacks for specific characters, keeps you questioning what’s really going on from the very first chapter.

You know that feeling when you read the first few pages of a book and immediately know it is going to be a book you can’t put down? That’s how I felt about Everyone is Watching. I loved this book from start to finish. The storyline was gripping and the writing made me want to read this book in one sitting. It truly was a “just one more chapter” experience. I actually had to force myself to stop reading a few times so I could gather my thoughts. Usually when I read a thriller/mystery book I will occasionally try and guess what the ending will be, but this book had me coming up with theories left and right and I was so invested in it. While I still had a question or two at the end, I thought the ending was great and there were aspects of it I definitely did not predict. This is a book I will not soon forget and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller that keeps you on your toes!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of Everyone is Watching in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. I enjoy Heather Gudenkauf books and this one did not disappoint! I was invested in this book from the beginning and enjoyed it.

I adore a good reality competition show, so the synopsis of Heather Gudenkauf’s newest book had me so excited to dive in. This binge worthy thriller didn’t disappoint!

Five people are invited to take part in an upcoming show called One Lucky Winner. With a prize of ten million dollars, they all come in ready to push as hard as they can to win it all. When they arrive at a mansion that is under renovation, they quickly realize that starring on this reality show might be more dangerous than they anticipated.

The reality show and the games they play are downright wild; just go along for the ride and enjoy the craziness! My jaw dropped several times as it became quite clear that there really were no rules and that anything could happen during these deranged trials. The idea of creating a reality show that went viral on social media didn’t feel far fetched at all in today’s world, but hopefully no one would go quite this far! It made me think of Squid Game with its deadly challenges, and the way viewers lapped that show up. The audience reactions are included in some chapters, and felt like a real message board you’d find online with the disparate reactions.

The characters all have interesting back stories which are of course important to the story. The premise was interesting, the mystery and plot cleverly written, and the characters compelling. I’ve loved Gudenkauf’s books in the past and will continue to read whatever she writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and HTP for the ARC. All opinions are my own.