3.5 stars. A flawed but fun novel. The many POV characters create awkward redundancies in the text. Still, for a little mindless entertainment, you could do worse.

Single mother, Adele, signs up to participate in an extreme hide-and-seek challenge hosted by Maverick Dillan, a famous influencer, adventurer, and daredevil. She hopes to win a large cash prize, but quickly, the game devolves into something more sinister than the intended social media stunt. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning this game into a true quest for survival.

I really liked the concept of this book. A Mr. Beast challenge gone wrong of sorts. Mix that with a spooky setting and high stakes, and you've got an interesting thriller. So I was very excited to read this. But I just wasn't a fan of the execution. This book felt very busy and at times, too fast-paced to keep everything straight. I felt confused at times as stories and characters were jumping around. I think this made the story lack the character development I usually enjoy. I listened to the audiobook version which may have made the book more confusing since the narrator didn't always differentiate between characters, though I did like the narrator overall. While this one wasn't my cup of tea, if you enjoy a faster paced book with more of a thriller vibe than mystery, this is definitely worth a read.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I so wanted to love this book! Unfortunately I had a really hard time with this one. I absolutely loved the premise of the story, but the execution fell a bit flat for me. I was immediately drawn into the story and loved the narrator in this audio book, however I had a really hard time keeping the storylines straight. I felt like the flipping back and forth wasn’t super clear, which often left me a bit confused. Maybe I would have had an easier time following the story if I had read a physical copy of the book. With that said, it was still an interesting and engaging story.

Read this if you like:
→ Isolated settings
→ Reality shows
→ Multiple POVs

Thank you @harlequin_audio and @htpbooks for the advanced copy.

This was such a fun book to listen to! The story is told from multiple POVs and I enjoyed the reality game show plot. I loved the secluded island setting with an impending storm looming. There’s so many secrets that are revealed as the story unfolds and I could wait to see what was going to happen next. The narrator did a great job and brining the story and book to life.

Close Your Eyes And Count To 10 by @launger

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the gifted audiobook and HTP Books/ Park Row for the e-ARC.

Let me preface this by saying that I am newer to audiobooks that are fiction. So please know that it takes me some time to get used to. I usually do audio memoirs.

The synopsis alone says this is an extreme game of hide-and-seek. However, I felt the excitement didn’t hit the mark for me until the last 25% of the book. We have many POV. Everyone is struggling with something. I usually can follow a big cast but I seemed to struggle with keeping up.

One thing that bothered me was how Adele was an influencer who wanted to make it big. Stream with your followers that you’re on an isolated island in a high stakes game? 😳 All the chat and emoji references were a bit too much for me. That’s just me.

A highly anticipated slow burn thriller. If you’re a Lisa Unger fan and enjoy slow burns, you just might like this one. Please read other reviews, as many have loved it.

Pub date 2/25/2025
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall it was an interesting mystery that moved at a good pace. It was engaging. It jumped around a lot which was a bit frustrating. I was hoping for more of the actual game but the twists made up for that. The husband story line was predictable. It was a quick good read!

Listening to the audiobook version of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger was an exhilarating and immersive experience. Narrated by the incredibly talented Julia Whelan, the audiobook brings this suspenseful thriller to life in a way that is both captivating and chilling.

Julia Whelan’s narration is nothing short of spectacular. Her ability to convey the tension and emotion of each scene is remarkable, making it easy to get lost in the story. She masterfully differentiates between characters, adding depth and personality to each one, which enhances the overall listening experience.

The story itself is a gripping blend of real and virtual worlds colliding in a high-stakes game of survival. Adele Crane, a single mother, finds herself participating in a reality competition called Extreme Hide and Seek on the remote Falcão Island. What starts as a thrilling adventure quickly turns into a deadly game, filled with twists and turns that keep listeners on the edge of their seats.

Lisa Unger’s writing is sharp and engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that unfolds at a relentless pace. The audiobook format amplifies the suspense, making every moment feel immediate and intense. The combination of Unger’s storytelling and Whelan’s narration creates an unforgettable experience that is hard to pause.

Overall, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a must-listen for fans of thrillers and suspense. The audiobook delivers a perfect blend of tension, intrigue, and emotion, making it a standout in the genre. I highly recommend this audiobook for its exceptional narration and gripping story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for sending me this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for my copy of CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10. This one publishes on 2/25.

This one was one of the slowest burn books, but with lots of characters who are easy to confuse with each other and also with their own side issues to keep track of. I had a really hard time getting my brain around all the people and keeping up with the story. I feel like this could have been edited down a little more and it would have been much better. I don't recommend this one.

Lisa Unger's Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten presents an interesting concept, but ultimately, the execution left me wanting more. The plot, while intriguing on paper, was lackluster and felt a bit too choppy to maintain a consistent level of suspense. Maverick Dillan, the charismatic daredevil at the center of this high-stakes game, initially promises a thrilling experience, but the story quickly loses steam as it dives deeper into its convoluted twists.

The tension of the storm and the deadly game on Falcao Island could have made for a gripping read, but I found the pacing uneven and the character development lacking. Adele, the single mother with a heart of steel, is a character I wanted to root for, but I struggled to connect with her journey amidst the chaotic backdrop. The blurring of reality and social media stunts was an interesting angle, but it didn't quite have the emotional depth it needed to be truly impactful.

Overall, the book's premise had potential, but the execution felt rushed and sometimes disjointed. While I didn't completely dislike it, I couldn't shake the feeling that Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten missed the mark on delivering a truly immersive, edge-of-your-seat experience.

I know I can depend on Lisa Unger for a solid thriller, and Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was no different than her previous great reads.

This was fast paced, kept my interest, and had a solid plot. I was invested till the end, and overall really happy with this read. I liked that it continued Unger's trend of complex characters and an ending that was deliciously not neat, but still provided overall closure. I think what I like most about Unger is she delivers such a satisfying read while still poking edges of discomfort that leave you with an eerie feeling that the story could get worse still despite the book being over. She has definitely honed her craft, and you can tell in the writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

** spoiler alert ** A reality show on a remote island that had creepy vibes, count me in. We have the host, Maverick, that is known for crazy stunts and selected influencers to join in a survivor style game that is broadcasted. One of the main POV that intrigued me was Adele, a single mom who joined wont hopes to win the big cash prize.

The story is told in multiple POV, I wished the narration was told by multiple narrators. Vivienne Leheny did a good job but it would've been a more enriched experience with different narrators.

One part of the story that really bothered me was that Adele left her kids alone. I can't recall how old they were but leaving time for a time would not be something I would be comfortable doing in real life. I also didn't like that the dad appears and has a change of heart all of a sudden. It felt so forced to be part of the story.

Thank you @parkrowbooks @htp_hive for a copy of the audiobook.

An extreme game of hide and seek at a creepy abandoned building all while being live steamed?! Count me in!!! The narration was spot on and really brought the book to life. Bravo! The multiple POV was hard to follow at times but overall I really enjoyed this book. I feel there were some missed opportunities of what “could have happened”. Definitely give this a read when it releases February 25!

3.5 stars

A Survivor-style game of hide and seek in an abandoned and decrepit luxury hotel sets the stage for this thriller. Full of eerie and haunting imagery, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a captivating new read from Lisa Unger.

I overall enjoyed the book and was definitely hooked throughout the story, but I feel like there were too many plotlines fighting for your attention. Maybe that wouldn't have been so confusing if it has been written in third person, but the first person chapters from the many characters and switching in and out of the game was distracting. I understand the overall purpose and see where the author was going with it, but it left me confused more than once. I had a hard time getting track of the characters.

Because of the many characters and switching POV's, I would've loved to hear this as a multi-cast narration. However, the single narrator did an excellent job with narrating the story and driving the urgency of the plot.

Thank you Harlequin Audio, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the gifted ALC and ARC.

The cover and title and summary are extremely captivating.

Unfortunately that was about all I enjoyed about this. There were a lot of characters and everything was so slow moving and just felt like there really wasn't a lot happening.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and Harlequin Audio for an advanced listeners copy in exchange for a honest review.

Are you ready for an unforgettable game of hide-and-seek on a remote, abandoned island, where the stakes are a whopping one million dollars? "Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten" is an exhilarating thriller that weaves together the crazy world of social media with a locked-room mystery set against the eerie backdrop of an abandoned and crumbling resort on the remote Falcao Island.

Meet Maverick, a daring influencer and extreme adventurer who organized this highly controversial event despite ominous warnings from the local community and a massive storm on the horizon. His thrill-seeking spirit makes for good entertainment, but the real drama unfolds when the players arrive.

Then there's Adele, a single mother drowning in debt after her husband walked out. She's willing to leave her kids for a few days with the chance to change her family’s future hanging in the balance. What could go wrong? Adele is fit, ready, and determined to win, but once she steps on the island and the game starts, she starts questioning her decision.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and Park Row Books, I had the opportunity to dive into the ebook and audiobook versions of this gripping tale. Experiencing the story while listening to it adds a new layer of depth, enhancing the thrill! I've admired the narrator, who brings characters to life with her talent.

Unger is one of my favorite authors, and I try to grab early copies of her books whenever possible. This book might not reach the heights of some of her earlier works, but it still delivers a heart-pounding survival thriller that will keep you engrossed.

#CloseYourEyesandCountto10 #LisaUnger #HarlequinAudio #HTPPublishing #ParkRowBooks #htpbooks #htpinfluencer #thehive #ARC #capcut #lefttoread #reader #read #honestreview #thriller #bookreviewer #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #lovetoread #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #bookish

Adele is barely making ends meet after her husband ran off after embezzling money from his company so when her 14 year old son suggests she apply to play extreme hide and seek to win 1 million dollars on daredevil Maverick Dillan's social media channel (think Mr. Beast) she jumps at the chance. But the game is being played on a secluded island that's home to a defunct resort and there's more than just one storm brewing on Falcao Island. This was a quick listen and I enjoyed the narration but it was just way too confusing for me. A character would be somewhere doing something then all the sudden with no warning it would jump back to a scene that led to the one you were just reading. There are a ton of characters to keep straight but they all lacked the depth to make me care about them. I usually love this authors books and I'm still excited to read whatever she comes up with next. Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for my ALC.

This atmospheric thriller had a fun concept, but I found the execution to be slightly lacking.

Influencers are invited to play extreme hide and seek on an island for a cash prize, and of course things go badly wrong. From a giant storm to locals wanting them to leave to secrets in the Extreme team hosting the challenge, if it can go wrong it surely does.

I loved the island setting and thought single mom Adele was a pretty badass character. The concept poked fun at YouTubers and the wild things they do for views and likes, and I enjoyed all of that.

Overall, I think there were too many different storylines going on and none of them felt fully developed. The book also skipped around so much that it confused me several times- a character would be running to hide one chapter, then sitting by their tent in the next. The continuity was off, making things unclear. There were side storylines that really didn’t add much to the story as well, adding extra length but not additional substance.

The audiobook narrator had a huge task in front of her, narrating so many POVs along with internet comments and podcasts. Due to the continuity issues mentioned above, I ended up switching to reading this one with my eyes instead of my ears, as it got confusing to listen to. This is no fault of the narrator, who does a great job voicing so many characters.

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

I would probably rate this closer to a 3.5. I loved the premise and the shifting between point of views. However, the later half of the book felt too predictable and not quite suspenseful or thriller enough to actually keep me guessing compared to other titles by this author. They are masterful at juggling multiple characters with equal emphasis which is enjoyable!

Maverick Dillian has always been about pushing the limits, and now he’s taking it to a whole new level with an insane hide and seek challenge in a remote location. This isn’t his first time hosting one of these wild events, but there’s definitely some drama surrounding this one. Last time, one player was never found, and it caused quite a stir. This time, he’s brought together four influencers from all over to battle it out for a jaw dropping $1 million prize. The latest challenge is happening on Falcao Island— an island that definitely doesn’t want them there, but Maverick is determined to make it happen. Will they all make it out in one piece? And who’s going to walk away with the grand prize? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book! Absolutely thrilling!!! I loved learning about the characters and what made them tick. Learning why each person wanted to be there and seeing them all grow so much

I DNF at 52% . I tried picking this up multiple times but it was confusing and so far fetched I couldn’t continue .

It was so much the narrator but the story line itself.