Title: Don’t Open Your Eyes
Author: Liv Constantine
Publisher: Bantam (Penguin Random House)
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Year of Publication: 2025
Date of Publication: June 17, 2025
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
ISBN‑10: 0593875206
ISBN‑13: 978‑0593875209
Audiobook Read by: Valerie Rose Lohman, Alex McKenna, and Christine Lakin
Summary of Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine
Don’t Open Your Eyes follows a woman named Annabelle Reynolds, Annabelle has what most people would consider a somewhat perfect life. She has a loving husband, who is a neurologist, two daughters, and is thriving in her career in public relations. But everything changes when Annabelle begins to have very disturbing nightmares.
In the first nightmare she has, she is being threatened and eventually choked by her husband. When she wakes up, she doesn’t take that nightmare seriously because she and her husband do not have that type of relationship. But then, she continues to have other nightmares and starts to notice that they appear in such detail that they turn out to almost be premonitions. One specific nightmare involved a plane crash and a bunch of others involved her children. Naturally, she starts to get anxious. As more of her nightmares come through and she continues to feel like she is experiencing déjà vu, she panics and finds herself trying to prevent new ones from becoming reality.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Annabelle’s perfect life is far from perfect. She is dealing with grief, secretly smoking, her oldest daughter is texting someone she met online with plans to meet up, and her husband appears to have a secret he is keeping.
Main Plot and Characters
- Annabelle Reynolds: She is the main character in the book.
- James Reynolds: He is Annabelle’s husband. He used to be a roommate to her ex-boyfriend, Randy. He comes off as overprotective over his children’s privacy and controlling over Annabelle’s actions.
- Scarlett Reynolds: She is the older daughter of Annabelle and James. Scarlett is 15 years old and is dealing with some issues with her friends in school. She becomes a major focus in the novel especially after Annabelle dreams of her being in danger. Her online interactions with a stranger also builds up this story.
- Olivia Reynolds: She is Annabelle and James’s younger daughter. Olivia is 11 years old.
- Tara Sommers (aka “The Wife”): Tara appears in the book initially as a third-person narrator.
- Chase Sommers: He is Tara’s husband and an investigative journalist who runs a podcast. He later becomes Annabelle’s client. His involvement in a baby switch plot adds to this story.
- Ben: He is Scarlett’s online “friend.” They met in an online discord group for fans of Taylor Swift. Ben told Scarlett he is 16 and showed her an online profile, which he claimed to be his. He also told her he lives in Chicago. Scarlett started sharing personal information with him including where her mother works.
- Miriam: She is Annabelle’s mother. She worked as a nurse before she got sick. Her life revolved around Annabelle prior to that. Miriam died of Alzheimer’s about nine years ago. James only met her when she was already sick.
- Gerard Morgan (previously George Morgan): Annabelle’s estranged father. He left when she was six years old and has a new family.
- Zoe Barnes: She is Scarlett’s former friend. They fell out because of a boy named Ethan who Scarlett used to have a crush on. Zoe and Ethan started dating even though Zoe knew Scarlett liked him.
- Madeline: She used to be Annabelle’s boss. Madeline and her husband moved out of state.
- Randy (Professor Bennet): He and Annabelle dated many years ago. He used to be James roommate.
- Avery: She and Scarlett became friends after Scarlett has a fall out with her friend Zoe. Avery wants to be a reporter.
- Lucas: He is Tara and Chase’s son.
- Charlotte and Art: They are James parents.
- Riggs Larson: He is Annabelle’s new boss. He replaces Madeline after she moves away.
- Kiera: She is Annabelle’s best friend. They grew up together and only separated when Kiera went away for college.
- Phil and Anita, and Juliana Kenton: Three of James and Annabelle’s neighbors who attend their neighborhood “First Friday Fiesta.”
- Parker: The Reynolds’ golden retriever.
Writing Style
Liv Constantine tells the story from multiple perspectives and also through different timelines i.e. “Before” and “After.” The story is told mostly from Annabelle’s point of view but there are several chapters that are from Scarlett and Tara’s as well.
“Before”
“After”
“The Wife”
While the narrative is able to build some suspense, there are parts of the story and certain characters that we are not sure moved the story forward. Some characters like Phil, Anita, and Julianna Kenton, felt like they were brought in and forgotten along the way. Also there is a believability problem with allowing Scarlett go on a ski trip with a family her parents have never met. Same issue with the level of anger and manipulation displayed by “The Wife” especially when it came to her son.
Memorable Quotes
- “Hate is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Besides, life is too short to live that way. I prefer to count my blessings.”—Annabelle’s mother (Chapter 21)
- “Somewhat of a fatalist, she believed it was the things we gave little thought to that shaped our destinies.”— Annabelle‘s reflections (Chapter 3)
- “If you’re meant to drown, it won’t do any good to move to the desert.”— Annabelle recalling a saying from her friend’s mother (Chapter 90)
Final Thoughts on Don’t Open Your Eyes
Don’t Open Your Eyes definitely builds suspense through Annabelle’s unraveling sense of security and her growing fear that her nightmares are more than dreams. While some side characters feel underdeveloped and a few plot elements stretch believability, the core story of a woman questioning her own sanity and the secrets her family has, will definitely keep you turning the pages. If you enjoy thrillers then this book is worth a look.
Book Rating
Characters ★★★⯪☆ (3.5/5)
Plot ★★★⯪☆ (3.5/5)
Writing ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Book Cover ★★★★⯪ (4.5/5)
Audiobook ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Overall ★★★★☆(4/5)
