Broken Glass Houses

by Lorna Lewis

When secrets are unleashed, two women must navigate a friendship tested to the extreme in an emotional novel of psychological suspense by the author of A Sky Full of Love .

In an affluent Louisiana community, Parker Montgomery has reached the pinnacle of success. Wealthy, influential, and unimpeachably respected, she’s attending a gala in her honor. Amid the applause Parker sees a ghost from her past—a ghost who knows her daughter’s dark secret. In a heartbeat, Parker’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel. Hers isn’t the only one.

Parker’s best friend, Carmen, consumed by her own family tragedy, is at a breaking point. Parker is Carmen’s last remaining anchor to sanity. She’s willing to do anything to protect her, to save her from what’s hidden in the past, and to make Parker see what’s truly important. All it takes for Carmen is one shocking decision that sends both of them spiraling.

Two women, two families under threat, and one desperate act that forces Parker and Carmen to confront whether their bond can survive the painful truths about identity, loyalty, and a friendship built on lies.

Genres: Fiction

315 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

Lorna is gifted at turning characters’ dreams into drama and crafting stories rich with emotion while exploring the complexities of real-life situations such as marriage, infidelity, fertility struggles, betrayal, and the power of forgiveness. In addition to being an author, Lorna is also an educator. She believes in using her creativity to inspire and teach others both in the classroom and through her writing.

A native of Varnado, Louisiana, a small town much like the ones she loves bringing to life in her stories, Lorna’s southern roots influence the sense of community, culture, and warmth in her work. When she’s not writing her next novel, Lorna enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their two beautiful children, finding joy in family life, and drawing inspiration from her own experiences to enrich her writing.

Reviews

[Shawnaci Schroeder]

4/5
This book was a wild ride! Can always count on Lorna Lewis to write a book that has a unique plot!! So good!

[Ashley]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Broken Glass Houses — Audiobook Review, thanks to Netgalley for the ALC

Y'all!!!!! This book took me on a ride. Broken Glass Houses is one of those stories that hits you in the chest because it’s really about people ... the messy relationships we build, the secrets we carry, and the choices that come back years later demanding attention.

This is my second Lorna Lewis book and I’m honestly obsessed with her writing style. She layers emotion so naturally. Nothing feels forced. It’s just… real.

The story follows Parker Montgomery, who looks like she has her whole life perfectly lined up money, respect, influence, all of it. And then one moment, one person from her past, and everything starts cracking. At the same time, her best friend Carmen is barely holding herself together. Their friendship is the heart of this book, and watching them try to keep each other afloat while everything around them falls apart? Its scary!!!! .

There’s spice. There’s suspense. There’s thrill. There’s love. And there’s that very real thing where friendships change as we get older and life keeps happening. Lorna Lewis writes that so well the way people grow, drift, cling, break, and rebuild.

Channie Waites and Dara Brown absolutely nailed the narration. They bring so much emotion to these characters that you feel every shift, every secret, every moment where someone is trying not to fall apart.

If you like stories about complicated women, complicated friendships, and the kind of secrets that don’t stay buried, this one is going to stick with you.

[Sherron Elise]

Broken Glass Houses is a compelling and emotionally layered novel that explores family secrets, relationships, and the lasting impact of the past on the present. Lorna does an excellent job of creating complex characters whose struggles feel authentic and relatable.

The story kept me engaged from beginning to end, with well-paced revelations that made it difficult to put down.

The writing is vivid and immersive, bringing both the setting and the characters to life. Themes of forgiveness, resilience, and healing are woven throughout the narrative.

This book is an engaging and thought-provoking read that will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction with mystery and emotional complexity. I would recommend it to fans of family dramas and suspenseful women's fiction.

[Elaine]

This was a tough one to read…
Family. Tragedy. Friendships. Heartbreak…. And so much more.

Parker is a woman who knows her stuff, what she wants, and how to get whatever she needs. She’s just been honored as a pivotal woman anchor in the business world… until she hears a woman call her name… one she hasn’t heard in many years… and her whole life begins to crumble before her…
She is married with two kids who depend on her for everything…

Carmen is another woman who has it all. A terrific husband. Two great kids. And, a wonderful life! But there’s just one thing that ALWAYS holds her back. Can she ever get past it? Can she move on? She’s not sure…

After another fight with her father, Carmen decides she wants to drive home right now. Her husband wants to wait as there’s a big storm stirring… but, they all leave… and tragedy strikes.

Carmen and Parker have been the best of friends forever…

But, as both of their lives seem to be unraveling beside each other, they find that their main anchors have been severed… and they’re unsure if they can survive on their own…

This is the story of love, friendships, secrets, and how much we each need that ONE STEADY hand to guide us through all of life’s ups and downs…
It was emotional, heartfelt, sweet, so sad at times, but emotionally charged at other times…
This is one you do NOT want to pass up!

**** It has NOT BEEN RELEASED yet! Please look 👀 for it on 9/22/26! ****

ALL THE STARS IN THE WORLD FOR ME ON THIS ONE, FOR MAKING ME FEEL ALL THE FEELS!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫💫💫💫💫⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨✨✨

#BrokenGlassHouses by @LornaLewis and narrated wonderfully by @ChannieWaites and @DaraBrown.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @RBMedia and @RecordedBooks for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!

And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷

[Sarah Crowe]

When I received a message from the incredibly talented author Lorna Lewis asking if she could send me an advance reader copy of her upcoming novel, I immediately said yes. I was genuinely honored she thought of me, and even more honored to have had the opportunity to read Broken Glass Houses before its release this September.

Lorna’s writing has quickly become one of my favorites. Her debut novel had me completely captivated, and Broken Glass Houses did the exact same thing. From the very first chapter, I found myself unable to put it down. It’s a gripping psychological thriller that constantly leaves you wanting more while expertly unraveling layer after layer of the story.

What stood out most to me was the depth of the characters. They felt incredibly real..so much so that I found myself relating them to people in my own life and understanding the truths they carried. This story is packed with emotion, exploring the many forms of love, grief, healing, and forgiveness in ways that felt authentic and deeply moving.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was its portrayal of female friendship. The kind of friendship that transcends friendship and becomes sisterhood. The reminder that sometimes all you need is one strong, steady woman in your corner to help you navigate the unimaginable and remind you of your worth when you’ve forgotten it yourself.

I loved this story more than I can put into words. And that ending? It had me wanting to jump up and down on my couch while crying at the same time.

Lorna, you did an incredible job building this world and these characters. I’m so grateful to have received this early glimpse into a story that I know readers are going to fall in love with. Your storytelling is truly a gift, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for you.

Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with me. I already can’t wait to discuss it with fellow readers when it releases in September.

Readers: Do yourselves a favor and pre-order Broken Glass Houses now. Trust me !! you won’t be able to put it down.

[Angelica]

Lorna’s writing isn’t for everyone I get it, but it for sure is for me!!! I read A Sky Full Of Love thinking NOTHING can top that. But when I saw a friend reading Broken Glass Houses I said I need that!!!
Now I will say this book had me hooked & IN TEARS right away! I don’t know if it was a me thing? Maybe this pregnancy got me soft? But when an author can bring out real raw emotions straight away IM HERE FOR IT!

This book follows two best friends. Parker & Carmen! And when I tell you they been through a lot it’s A-LOT. It speaks about how their friendship evolves and how their past comes back to traumatize them still in the future into their grown up lives. It speaks on grief, so I will say if you’re not healed fully please don’t read this book just yet! But also read it because there is quotes that will help you heal? But even if you are healed, it still have quotes that make you heal more? Lord! JUST READ AT YOUR OWN RISK BUT DEFINITELY READ IT!!!
I took a few days with this book because I really wanted to unpack it. I just love the way Lorna writes and she is definitely starting to become a favorite author!!! 🤭

And the acknowledgements at the end!!! That first paragraph because without god I am nothing! Yesss maam!! Amen!!! Not many authors thank god for their talent atleast not publicly so it definitely got more points in my book for sure! 🫶🏻

Thank you Lorna for giving us a book that we can relate to! That we can really see ourselves in the characters!
Yall be on the lookout for this book coming September!!! Get your preorders on NOW! 💃🏻

[Leanne]

Broken Glass Houses is a gripping, emotionally charged story about two women whose lives begin to fracture under the weight of secrets, loyalty, and the lies they’ve told themselves for years. Lorna Lewis blends domestic drama with psychological suspense in a way that feels both intimate and explosive, pulling you into Parker and Carmen’s world from the very first chapter.

Parker Montgomery is the picture of success — polished, respected, and seemingly untouchable — until one ghost from her past shatters the illusion. Watching her carefully curated life unravel is tense and compelling, especially as the truth about her daughter’s secret begins to surface. At the same time, Carmen’s grief‑stricken spiral adds a raw, heartbreaking counterpoint. She’s clinging to Parker as her last anchor, and the desperation in her choices gives the story a powerful emotional edge.

What really stands out is how Lewis explores the complexities of female friendship: the devotion, the blind spots, the unspoken debts, and the painful truths that can either bind people together or tear them apart. The suspense builds steadily as both women make choices that push them closer to disaster, and the novel’s sense of place — affluent Louisiana with its polished surfaces and hidden fractures — adds richness to the unfolding drama.

A tense, layered, and deeply human story about identity, loyalty, and the cost of keeping secrets. Perfect for readers who love psychological suspense rooted in character and emotion.

With thanks to Lorna Lewis, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Raymonde]

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC Broken Glass Houses by Lorna Lewis

Release Date: 9/22/26

Rating: 4 ⭐️

Broken Glass Houses is an emotional, character-driven story about friendship, family secrets, trauma, and redemption.

I really enjoyed how the story centered on the lives of two lifelong best friends, Parker and Carmen, who were each carrying guilt, shame, and fear from traumatic experiences. Their friendship felt authentic, and I found myself invested in both of their journeys.

There were definitely moments when Parker frustrated me with her choices, but I appreciated the growth she showed by the end of the novel. Carmen, on the other hand, completely captured my heart. I found myself rooting for her to finally let go of the childhood pain and guilt she had carried for so long.

One aspect I especially appreciated was the author’s inclusion of therapy as an important part of the healing process. She also thoughtfully addressed the stigma surrounding mental health treatment in the Black community and the kinds of dismissive comments that often discourage people from seeking help. It added another layer of depth to an already compelling story.

If you enjoy family dramas filled with emotional depth, long-buried secrets, and flawed but relatable characters, this is definitely worth picking up.

[Heidi Zuva]

I love an unhinged female friendship story, so my hopes were high!

Premise: Parker Montgomery has hit the heights of success for her affluent Louisiana community, but when a ghost from her past resurfaces at a gala thrown in Parker’s honor, old secrets threaten to surface.

Carmen is Parker’s dedicated (obsessed?) best friend and she’ll do anything to protect Parker. She makes a desperate decision, forcing the two families into a reckoning. What can their bonds survive?

This wasn’t quite what I expected, tone-wise. It’s a lot heavier and more somber, about deep-rooted trauma and shame. I’d expected more of an atmospheric domestic thriller, where you’re immersed in the garish wealth of the suburb, with catty rivals and maybe some weird girl obsession, but this is more of a slow, character-based story than a plot-forward one.

It’s definitely not a bad book, it just wasn’t what I expected. I was expecting WITH FRIENDS LIKE YOU (Amy Chozik) or even THE PACT by SE Lynes, while it was more THE NEW PEOPLE (Andrea Uptmor). I think the right readers will absolutely enjoy this, and I hope they find it!

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Channie Waites and Dara Brown. They were well matched and it was a nice background listen accompanying errands.

Thanks, NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[YanaKeii]

Carmen and Parker, two best friends, that are about to go through an experience that will tear them apart individually and together.

Carmen experiences a great loss and now has to navigate grief

Parker's past is coming back to haunt her, the secrets and a life she thought she could keep hidden is back to make her confront everything head on.

For me the focus of two friends were okay but the issues that Parker had overshadowed the issues and grief that Carmen were experiencing. Alot of the issues that Carmen experienced felt incomplete for me the issues with her father and the loss of her family. I wish had more depth to her healing and then not having Parker basically her only friend or support was heartbreaking. There wasnt enough of her story and then she does this unthinkable act towards Parker just didn't fit for me.

If this story was mainly about Parker, it would have been perfect. Its still overall a great novel. Touching on friendships, parental abadonment physically and emotionally. It doesnt touch on enough on grief for me, that topic for Carmen was surface level, for me.

I also had the ALC and the narrator definately kept me in tune. The narrators Channie Waites (Narrator); Dara Brown (Narrator) were nice, clear and portrayed the emotions of the characters very well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

[Jackie]

3.75 ⭐️

Sometimes the biggest surprise isn’t a shocking twist, it’s discovering an author whose storytelling style clicks with your own reading preferences. That’s exactly how I felt after reading Broken Glass Houses. As a first-time reader of Lorna Lewis, I really enjoyed the storytelling and found her writing style easy and accessible. The alternating points of view kept the story moving at a steady pace and made it easy to stay invested in both women’s journeys. While this wasn’t a fast-paced thriller, it worked well as a domestic psychological mystery centered on secrets, friendship, and family. My biggest drawback was some of the repetitive dialogue and internal thoughts that seemed to circle back to the same idea more than necessary. Despite that, I finished the book looking forward to reading more from Lorna Lewis.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

[DeeDee Christian]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🖤

Broken Glass Houses is a deeply emotional and layered story about female friendship, complicated families, trauma, secrets, and finding your way back to yourself.

At the heart of the story is a strong female friendship that is seriously tested. Add in family secrets, lies, loss, grief, abandonment, adoption, and complicated relationships, and there is a lot to unpack.

I especially appreciated how flawed and relatable the characters felt. The story explores the lasting effects of trauma while also showing the importance of therapy, healing, forgiveness, love, and redemption. There’s psychological suspense woven throughout that creates a tense feeling as pieces of the past slowly come together.

More than anything, this felt like a story about surviving the things that break us, learning to understand ourselves, and figuring out who we are after everything we thought we knew changes.

[Taylor Pope]

Lorna freaking Lewis… yeah, you’re an auto-buy author now because WHAT WAS THIS?! 😭 I was not expecting to love this ARC as much as I did, and I definitely wasn’t expecting to cry. It takes a lot for a book to get tears out of me, but Broken Glass Houses did exactly that. The way I connected with Carmen’s journey through grief and loss honestly caught me off guard. There were so many moments that reminded me of my own life, and I found myself having flashbacks while reading. Lorna wrote about grief, childhood trauma, healing, and complicated relationships with so much care that it never felt forced—it just felt real. This story is heartbreaking, beautiful, and incredibly healing all at the same time. It’s the kind of book that stays with you!

If you haven’t preordered Broken Glass Houses yet, consider this your sign. I’ll be recommending this one every chance I get.

[Sara (BandSBookClub]

I enjoyed the female friendships and twists and turns in this story. I thought it was an engaging and interesting story of love, loss, secrets, friendship and more. The story follows two women and their friendship - how it changes, how they show up for one another and the things they hide from each other. I was engaged in the story and interested in how it would end - and enjoyed the ride along the way. I however did not enjoy the characters - and at times I found it easy to confuse the two of them. They were self absorbed and entitled, which can work but for some reason it bothered me in this book. Their friendship did not always feel as real as I wanted it to. But, regardless of my feelings about the characters, this book took me on an emotional roller coaster, having me feeling all the feels. Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

[Louise Ridout]

Thank you NetGalley and published for an arc of this in exchange for my honest views.

Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me at all. Both Parker and Carmen as main characters had so many flaws, were obnoxious and entitled, and no redeeming features even when things went wrong. I felt the point of view chapters form both characters just merged into one and both of them had the same mannerisms, personality and traits, and it was hard to distinguish which character I was reading each chapter, and I found that awkward. And lastly the pace was so slow, the first half of the book was basically filler, the one event that did happen was over in a few pages, and everything else was just background. I’m sorry but I found it a slog and not enjoyable.

[Syd the Kyd]

The number of times this book had me ugly crying should be studied!! Broken Glass Houses beautifully tackles difficult topics like abandonment, grief, forgiveness, mental health, and family trauma. The character development was incredible, and Lorna Lewis has a gift for making readers feel EVERY emotion right alongside her characters. I didn’t expect to connect and love this book as much as I did, but Ms. Lorna has done it again. I can’t say much without spoilers but this was such an emotional, powerful read that will stay with me for a long time.

[Donisha]

Heartbreaking, beautiful, all the feels.

When I first started reading Broken Glass Houses I said it was going to break me and boy oh boy it came so very close. Between audible reactions to tears threatening to fall Be prepared to go through all the emotions.
Parker and Carmen both made me upset to it got frustrating when it seems like their actions were so repetitive and could have easily been solved just by talking to someone. But by the end you understand why the thing happened how that need.

This was an amazing story and I can’t wait for more people to read it.

[Kristine Brown]

I was lucky enough to receive and Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This is a powerful story about families, best friends, secrets and lies. It is also about healing from various kinds of trauma and finding your way back to yourself. Lorna Lewis is a beautiful writer who has the ability to craft characters that you feel you are right there with. This author is a stunning new talent and now an auto-buy for me.

[Lauren Ateyeh]

This one was really good. Parker's got the perfect life until someone from her past shows up at her own gala knowing the one secret that could destroy her family. Meanwhile her best friend Carmen is unraveling from her own grief and makes one wild decision that blows everything up for both of them. It's less about the plot twists and more about watching this friendship get tested by years of buried lies. So good if you like your suspense with a lot of heart.

[Ashley Tovar]

I went into this book expecting a desperate housewives level domestic thriller. The actual book is far more glamorous than suburban. The book is also fairly light on thriller aspects. If you’re looking for a book full of messy drama, complex emotions, layered characters & bit of suspense then this is your book. The audiobook is well produced.

Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.

[Nyya]

This is such a powerful story! This is my first book by Lorna and I really enjoyed her writing style! There were parts of this book that I found myself teary eyed because I can definitely relate. I will think about this book often & will definitely be recommending it to others.

[Robyn Wade]

This book had me in tears 50 pages in! Then the twist, 200 pages in, had me shocked. Lorna Lewis never misses.