Holy CRAP!! This book was INTENSE! My jaw dropped so many times I can’t even try to count how many! I loved the concept of the game to win $10 million, and as I read on to see the real details of the contestants and the driver behind the game, I was shook! SO GOOD! Twisty, turny, and unpredictable! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was I felt like there was too much space between events happening. It went back and forth between then and now, and the now chapter would end with a cliffhanger, and the next chapter was then, but when I finished the then chapter I had forgotten what was going on in the now chapter.

I think this book just wasn't for me. I'm not a big reality TV fan, to begin with. That said, it was a good book and well-written. The character interactions were believable and you did love to hate some of them. I feel like the premise was a little far-fetched but I guess revenge has no boundaries. That is why I gave it 3 stars. For me, it was good, but not great or earthshattering.

I received an advance review copy for free (Thank you NetGalley); this review is 100% honest and my own opinion, and I wrote it voluntarily.

Survivor meets Hunger Games in the "new" reality tv show, streamed live in, Everyone Is Watching. Only a few nominated contestants get to compete for the prize of 10 million dollars. They each have a reason to compete in this new and unknown tv show and they all have secrets they want to keep hidden.

I had high hopes for this book and story, but overall I felt like it was a bit obvious where it was going. It had a level of unrealistic aspects that I had a hard time letting go regarding the actual filming of the show and those involved. This just never would've gone down in real life. Way too many red flags.

It seems that reality tv shows are having a moment in literature. This had plenty of background, secrets, lies and juice to keep one entertained by at the end of the day it felt too fantastical. Would make for a good poolside, summer read when you're wanting something out of the realm of reality.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this complimentary eARc.

More like 2.5 ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC

This was just okay. I loved the idea of this dangerous reality show. We were told that the stakes were very high and everyone was in serious danger. Unfortunately for most of the book those promises were ignored. It was a popcorn read I guess, but I think there are better thrillers to spend time reading. This was my second time trying this author's work. I think it will be the last.

The tension, the unraveling of secrets, the feeling of being trapped……I think I was holding my breath during the last 50 pages. Someone seeks revenge, and the stakes are life and death but who will break first??
This book seems perfect for fans of Survivor and Squid Games.

Everyone Is Watching is a captivating story of a mysterious high-stakes game takes a dangerous turn, making it a thrilling read that will keep you up all night. This gripping novel features a do-or-die reality show, a cast of intriguing characters, and a suspenseful drumbeat that captivates from the very first page. If you're looking for an escape from reality, this twisty thriller is the perfect book to dive into.

This book reminded me of Squid Games or MTV's The Challenge. Five people are invited to compete on a reality tv show at a secluded villa for the chance to win one million dollars; however, the reader will soon realize that each contestant has a secret that could ruin their life that may be revealed during the game. I was able to figure out some of the connections pretty early on in the story. I do wish it had been a little bit longer because the ending was a little rushed. Overall, the book was a relatively quick read and kept me entertained.

A fast paced thriller unlike anything I have ever read before! It reminded me of a mix of Big Brother, Survivor, and Clue. Five contestants are chosen to join the reality show One Lucky Winner, in the hopes of winning 10 million dollars. Who will win?

* The mom with a sick child (The Best Friend)
* The psychiatrist (The Confidante)
* The senator (The Senator)
* The Hollywood executive ( The Executive)
* The attorney (The Boyfriend)

Secluded on a grand Italian inspired estate, the contestants notice that things don’t seem to be playing out the way they expected and there is a sense of danger involved in the challenges they must complete, both physical danger and the danger of secrets being revealed that they are desperate to keep hidden. How far will they go and who are they willing to take down to protect themselves?

I couldn’t put this down! I did predict the overall ending, but still enjoyed it and there were some details in the ending that I didn’t see coming.

This book was really slow at the beginning. Not like the usual books from this author.
I kept reading and was glad I did. After you learn about all the characters the story takes off.
Who are these contestants?
Why are the challenges for the contestants so dangerous?
Who will win?
Read this book and find out the answers to all these questions!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Everyone is Watching is a fun and faced paced book. I loved the locked room and reality show premise. Everyone is keeping secrets and trying to figure how everything ties together was so much fun. There were times that it had me on the edge of my seat and feeling anxious for the characters. I had a great time reading while reading the book.


Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Park Row for the digital arc.

It's Survivor, Squid Game, Influential culture and a locked room mystery all in one!

Heather Gudenkauf made me sit up and take notice with her debut, a superb and surprising thriller. This second book is definitely a page turner, but it's quite a bit sillier, too, requiring some massive suspension of disbelief. But I tore through it and it really pulled the rug out from under my expecations several times in a truly satisfying way. What more can you ask of a popcorn thriller really?

3.5 stars.
Five contestants are invited to join a mysterious new competition show, that promises more challenges, more adventure, and more prize money than any other show. With $10 million dollars on the line, the five guests find themselves at a sprawling villa in Napa Valley, where the wine is as plentiful as the complex land. The contestants, also known to viewers as “The Best Friend,” “The Boyfriend,” “The Senator,” “The Confidant,” and “The Executive” seem to be strangers upon first glance. But as the game unfolds, the twisted connections between the five are slowly revealed.

A little chaotic at times, but overall an interesting storyline. I did guess the twist pretty early on, but still enjoyed letting the drama unfold. It’s kind of like “Knives Out” meets “Hunger Games” with a “Big Brother” aspect.

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is SO good. I have loved all of this author's books, but i am a sucker for a locked room mysteries. One of my favorite sub-genre's in the mystery/thriller genre.

Locked room thriller with a reality television twist and when I say twist i mean twist.

Five people are selected to be on show to have the chance to win 10 million dollars.
The people are so desperate they would do anything to win, maybe kill?

I love the multiple Point of Views and the twisty mystery.

Great story!

sigh! this book was mid. it wasn't terrible, but it didn't blow me away either. the story was kinda interesting, although it got a bit unrealistic at times. the writing style was good which kept me through the book. but overall, i didn’t in anyway feel ‘hooked’. it felt like something was missing, maybe a bigger exciting moment. 🤷‍♀️ also, it lacked suspense for me, and i didn't really care what happened to any of the characters.

sometimes, i got confused about who was who among the contestants because the chapters were labeled with their reality show nicknames (like "the executive" or "the best friend.") i think i would have connected better with them if the chapters used their actual names.

and the ending was super predictable, you could see it coming from miles away. but overall, it was an easy read. 🤷‍♀️

𝑰𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆....𝒊𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔...

Special thanks to @htpbooks @heathergudenkauf and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.

👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️

MY REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

WOW 🤯. This book was way more than I anticipated. **again** I went in blind [only cause #bookstahype made me do it] and I'm SOOOOO glad I did. This book was WILD 🐅

Yall know im a SUCKER for a locked room thriller [which I didn't know this was until I was reading it 🤫] , but it was set up so well. I didn't know how the first scene played into the first chapter. (They're like POLAR OPPOSITES), but once they arrive at the mansion - it all starts to come together.

This is my first book by Gudenkauf and now I was run and read her backlist. Like whoa. This book kept me up way past my bedtime, and it was definitely unputdownable.

PUB DATE:
Mar 26, 2024

QOTD ❓️⁉️❓️ Would you ever answer an email saying you won a trip to compete for a large sum of cash? What price would sway you?

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#mysteryandthrillers #thrillerlover #booklover #bookcommunity #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #everyoneiswatching #heathergudenkauf #heathergudenkaufbooks #htpbooks #htpthehive #htpinfluencer #harlequininfluencer
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Thank you to HTP, Heather Gudenkauf, and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. If you know me then you know I obviously love mystery/thriller books but I also love reality tv. When I heard about this book I was like SIGN. ME. UP. because I really enjoyed The Outside Guest but this synopsis was like my two favorite things in one. I flew through this book and simply couldn’t put it down. I will admit the first hundred or so pages were a bit slow but once you got in it it’s a rollercoaster until the end. I haven’t read anything remotely similar to this but the vibes were giving Big Brother meets Squid Game which are two shows that I love. I’m giving this a four star because while I really enjoyed it, the main twist of the story felt extremely obvious to me and the writing was fine but nothing spectacular. This book releases on March 26 and I think you’ll be hearing a lot about this book.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Everyone is watching by Heather Gudenkauf. This is exactly the kind of read I like, it was fast paced, adventurous and left me feeling satisfied!
A mix of big brother, meets survivor meets something slightly more sadistic, One Lucky Winner is a game show like no other. Meet and learn of a cast of characters who think their lives are ready to change with ten million dollars. Learning of the stories of each player, filled with stories that aren’t necessarily positive, people behind the scenes you don’t always feel that warm and fuzzy feeling about each of the people, but it didn’t stop me from flying through this book

Everyone Is Watching
Release date: March 26, 2024
* A group of contestants enter into a reality game to compete for a $10
million dollar prize
* for fans of reality shows, characters with secrets, & isolation settings
* So much is happening at the same time - the games, the many
perspectives weaving between past & present
* flat storyline with unsatisfying, abrupt ending
* not up to standard of author's
OVERNIGHT GUEST

Chance of a lifetime. One Lucky Winner. Five contestants. They all seem to know at least one of the other contestants. Is it really a small world or is something else entirely at play?

Each character has a moniker - The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive. As this story is told, it is relayed from these various points of view, and the roles these contestants had in their everyday lives factor into how things develop in this utterly intriguing story. None of them are taking the game lightly. After all, the game is offering the biggest jackpot in gameshow history - ten million dollars. Who will be the One Lucky Winner?

Aside from the vast jackpot offered, the challenges will be live streamed worldwide. The show's creator wants to gain huge notoriety, and thus the exclusive location as well as the extreme challenges just might provide that.

There is drama in this book. So much drama. There is drama between the show's producer Cat and her Production Assistant Fern. There is drama with regard to each contestant, especially when it comes to the connections they share with the other contestants. These connections come with secrets. Secrets that could destroy lives. Meanwhile, for fourteen days the most extreme of challenges will be taking place, eliminating one contestant at a time.

As someone who enjoys shows like Big Brother, Survivor, The Challenge, and similar shows, I was definitely drawn to this latest book by Heather Gudenkauf. This compelling story had me gripped from the very first page and kept me tapping my Kindle without letup until I got to the very last page.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The way the book began was absolutely mild blowing! The whole premise is creative, especially the way people eat up reality TV these days. It was suspenseful, and when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I found I was close but not QUITE there. The ending left me a hair bummed, wanting a HEA, and Fern made out better than the contestants which was disappointing but in reality.. they were all equals in their wrongdoings.

Thank you to the author, publisher + NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.