Title : Everyone is watching

Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️(3/5)
Publication date: 26th March 2024

Thanks to @netgallery and @harlequinbooks for this advanced readers copy ☺️

Thoughts: How far will anyone go to win ten million dollars? This was an Ok read for me. 5 contestants were selected to compete with each other for the prize of 10 million dollars, the story sounds intriguing but when the story unravels I was quite disappointed

There were a lot happening at the same time, the story highlighted the backstory of each contestant and seeing how it led to them being selected for the show

The end was very predictable. This is my first book from the author, looking to read more

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I have been a fan of Gudenkauf’s work since the early days, so I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it was just too unbelievable. It was an interesting premise, but it felt rushed and completely implausible. In the acknowledgments, Gudenkauf says this book was a big departure from her usual work and it shows.

3.5/5
This book kept me interested and wanting to know what happened. I was able to figure out some of the connects before the big reveals later (also, there was a typo in my arc haha) However, I don’t feel like the revenge justified MOST of the actions by the main characters,which made the book I little more difficult for me to buy into. It felt petty to go after them for their “crimes” After that, the ending kinda fell flat for me, but I do see the satisfaction in it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC to me in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve really enjoyed all the books from this author. The books are easy to read and keep me entertained.

A mix of big brother with a chance of death? Sounds like must see tv and something I wanted to read about!

Five strangers are selected to co.pete on a reality show to win $10 million dollars. They all have a secret. Clues and advantages are earned by winning each day's game. As the connections between the conteatants come to light, accusations fly. Who will be the winner? 4 stars

This was such a fun read! A little bit hunger games, a little bit I know what you did last summer. Reality show drama, people keeping secrets drama, and a touch of murder make this book a riveting read. I was on the edge of my seat frequently. Honestly, I had to use my hand to cover the bottom of certain pages so I wouldn’t sneak to the conclusion because I was so eager!
Sexual assault references for those who prefer to avoid that topic.

4.5⭐ I just love this author's books. This was so good. It's a locked room mystery that's a cross between the reality show Big Brother (which I used to be a huge fan of, but not the last 2 years 🤣), and the game Clue. Exactly what the synopsis described it as. I personally loved this book. A group of 5 strangers go on a TV game show to compete for 10 million dollars. They are secluded, have no contact with the outside world, and it will be Livestreamed. Each contestant has secrets that will be exposed. This was such a unique premise for a book. I thought it was highly entertaining. I liked how you get the backstory of each character. It kept me totally engrossed throughout!

Out March 26.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon once it publishes.

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf was so entertaining! I loved the premise of a reality tv game show gone wrong. I was fully invested in every character which is rare for a larger cast thriller! My favorite part was the livestream reactions of the viewers, it pulled me right into the excitement of the challenges. The pacing was excellent and the tension between contestants kept me turning pages until the end! I would highly recommend Everyone Is Watching.

Sincerest thank you to HTP Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

5 contestants are chosen to compete on a new reality show. None of them know what to expect and the show will be live streamed all over the world. They are secluded in a mansion with zero contact with the outside world for the duration of the show.

The Best Friend, The Confidant, The Boyfriend, The Senator and The Executive begin to compete in crazy competitions, with some showing no mercy for their other competitors and their main focus on winning. But it’s a competition for $10 million dollars who wouldn’t be cutthroat?! Secrets start emerging about the contestants and they quickly realize that there may be more to this game than they realize. Someone is out for blood..

Having read other books by Heather Gudenkauf I was excited to read this one, and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed all the different POVs of the contestants and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Chapters from the contestants pasts are sprinkled through the current timeline and really help to drive the story and create excitement to the want to know what is coming next.

Thank you to Netgally, Heather Gudenkauf and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I love Heather Gudenkauf's writing style with alternating points of view. They all have their own mystery but weave together as one cohesive story. This one is a great example of how crazy "reality" TV is, what people are willing to do for money, and the lack of empathy that comes with internet voyeurism. I saw a couple of the twists coming, but there was more than enough to keep me reading and having to know what happened!

This was a good twist on a reality show thriller. I enjoyed this fast paced thriller. It all came together quite neatly in the end. It was entertaining while reading but will probably not stick with me much beyond that. But it did it's job!

✨𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀✨
• reality TV competition
• dual timeline
• brief mentions of SA
• revenge

✨ 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨
Five people with dark pasts compete on a live stream reality TV competition for $10 million while the world watches them unravel, showing who they really are.

✨ 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨
I was sucked in from the jump! Heather Gudenkauf got me hooked with her last book and has me in a chokehold now. I loved every second of this thriller, but did feel a little underwhelmed and rushed with the ending.

What really had me absorbed with a live stream reality TV aspect of the book. Even getting to see comments from viewers reminds us that people we see on TV are real humans and we tend to get so vicious online when separated by a computer.

Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in topical storytelling, and watching a mystery slowly revealed through flashbacks with a dose of revenge.

3.5 stars! I had never heard of this author but the synopsis of this book (think Big Brother meets Survivor) drew me in. I had a little bit of a tough time keeping all the contestants straight but the entertaining storyline kept me hooked. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review - pub day is 3/26/24!

Oh my goodness but was this a trip! Let me start by saying right off the bat that I HATE reality TV, particularly the iterations that pit people against one another. I was invited to read this ARC and almost said no thank you purely because of that - but Gudenkauf's books keep popping up and I hadn't read her yet, so decided to give it a go anyway. Let me start by saying that everything that irks me about reality television is present here: the exaggerated personalities, the melodrama, the aggression and lowest-common-denominator mentality of viewers gleefully watching people fall apart. And yet despite that, I found the story to draw me in right from the start, even knowing I would be cringing and rolling my eyes throughout (and rest assured, I did - this isn't a Road to Damascus story, and I still really hate the concept of reality shows). Gudenkauf has a very engaging and easy-going writing style that draws you in even if you resist, and that combined with the fast pace and non-stop conflict really made the pages turn. It's a dark twisty read - nothing terribly surprising, but still it kept me flipping pages from start to finish, which is definitely down to her ability to spin a tale out of whole cloth!

I am a rather new Heather Gudenkauf reader but have no become a huge fan and can't wait to read the rest of her books. I absolutely loved the plot of this story and all the twists and turns. GREAT read! And like I said, I can't wait to read her others. This one will definitely be a hit!

Imagine you are watching a live stream and all of a sudden a gun gets pulled out and it looks like someone is laying on the floor bleeding but then the live stream gets cut off. That is exactly what millions watching saw before the feed was pulled. In one of Heath Gudenkauf best novels yet two unlikely people work together to create a thrilling new competition show with an incredible winning prize of 10 million dollars. But things start taking a turn one after another and we have a very scary situation on hand that everyone is watching on live stream! Who will win and at what cost?

This kept me on the literal edge of my chair the entire time! I was shocked at every part of the book and shocked at how realistic it was. I felt like this easily could happen today with the way we see modern technology and the amount of reality competition shows there are! But I thought this was an incredible book! I never knew what was coming and even at the end I was shocked! I could read this over and over again and never get tired of it. I would suggest this to any thriller fan!

I've enjoyed Heather Gudenkauf's writing in the past, so I was immediately intrigued when I was invited to join the blog tour for her newest title Everyone Is Watching. Then I read the blurb, and I knew I simply HAD to read it. I absolutely loved the sound of the reality TV angle and how things seemed to be a lot darker than just a bit of over the top drama you usually see on those shows... And I couldn't wait to dive in and discover just how far things would go. Spoiler alert: even further than you can imagine! I had an absolute blast reading this story.

Before I continue, I have to confess that Everyone Is Watching is not for everyone. You definitely have to be able to suspend your disbelief in able to enjoy this story... And I mean big time. The plot is both extremely over the top and lacks credibility, which I personally didn't mind at all with the entertainment level being through the roof and all. I was having too much fun to spend time wondering just how credible the situation would be, and how on earth the contestants wouldn't run away screaming after the first signs of just how twisted One Lucky Winner would be. I guess that they do have 10 million reasons not to do so, but still... If you think you can't look past this, I would suggest passing up on this story; if you are able to just go with the flow, you are in for one heck of a ride.

I'm keeping this review short, because I don't want to give away too much and spoil the plot twists and the clever way everything fits together in the end. A very well constructed plot indeed! Everyone Is Watching uses a multiple POV structure, where we switch between all five contestants, the assistant slash host of the show and multiple viewers (although those POVs are minor). There are also a couple flashback chapters to the past, revealing more information about what certain characters are hiding and how it relates to the present. This all sounds like a lot, but somehow it's quite easy to keep track of it all.

Most of the characters aren't exactly likeable, but in this case it didn't really matter as the main focus is on the reality show and everything that happens. And trust me, you will be too busy with every crazy twist and event the plot throws at you to crave a stronger character development... Just as you think the plot has reached its peak level of disturbing, yet another event is introduced that will bowl you over. Again, this plot is by no means credible, but it is SO deliciously twisted and exhilarating! The writing itself is once again engaging, and it is very easy to just keep turning those pages. Especially since I simply HAD to know how everything would end!

Everyone Is Watching is one of those books you either hate or love depending on how you react to over the top, high octane and seriously twisted rollercoaster rides. I personally had a blast with this story though, and I can imagine it would make a fantastic movie adapation!

The premise of Everyone is Watching is what really caught my attention and made me pick up this book. A locked door mystery with a game show and reality tv—yes, please!

Five people find out they have been chosen for a game show with the chance of winning ten million dollars. They travel to an out of the way villa/winery, where they stay throughout the game. The contestants have their phones and all contact with those outside of the game cut off. Quickly, they begin to feel uneasy about each other, the game, and the secrets that surround them.

This was an intriguing well paced book. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and how the contestants secrets and back stories were slowly revealed bit by bit so the motives of the contestants were always in question. The one thing I felt was missing for me was a character to root for. Overall, this book is entertaining and worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the Whaley in exchange for an honest review.

"Everyone is Watching" is a thrilling rollercoaster ride of suspense and deception that will leave readers guessing until the very end. Set against the backdrop of a high-stakes reality game show, this novel explores the lengths people will go to in order to win, and the dangerous secrets they'll do anything to protect.

The characters in "Everyone is Watching" are expertly crafted, each with their own hidden agendas and dark pasts. From the loyal best friend to the ambitious executive, the contestants on One Lucky Winner are brought to life with vivid detail and complexity. As the competition heats up and tensions rise, alliances are formed and betrayed, leading to shocking revelations and unexpected twists.

3.5 stars

I haven't read a lot of Heather Gudenkauf's novels, but so many of my bookstagram friends, such as @beautyandthebook , love her so I was really excited to read her 2024 novel, EVERYONE IS WATCHING. After reading the author's acknowledgments, this book sounds like a major change of course and I'm hear for it!

EVERYONE IS WATCHING revolves around a reality show featuring five contestants, aptly nicknamed "The Best Friend, The Confidant, The Senator, The Boyfriend, The Executive"—they all have actual names, but it's easier to list them this way for now. Each of these five contestants were chosen to be on the new game show, One Lucky Winner, where they'll compete for $10 million dollars after a series of challenges. They'll be secluded at a private location in Northern California and isolated from the outside world (feels like Big Brother to me!). When the show begins, the contestants realize that this isn't just a reality show, this is dangerous. Especially when they find out that not everyone on this show isn't who they say they are.

This book is a popcorn thriller through and through! I was able to guess what was going to happen pretty early on, so that is the rationale for my rating, but this book is fast-paced and fun throughout the story. I love books centered around reality shows and EVERYONE IS WATCHING felt like they were competing on a Squid Game type of show which just adds more to the thriller aspect of the story. Readers of light popcorn thrillers will LOVE this book!