(The Glass Houses Collection, #2)

Publication date: September 24th 2026

Genres: Adult, Suspense, Thriller, Women’s Fiction

They have money. Status. And terrible judgment.

It was supposed to be the ultimate escape. A curated guest list. A luxury yacht. A week on the crystal-clear Adriatic, far from everyone’s real lives.

Except no one is there for the view. Careers, contracts, and futures are all quietly in play.

Antonia and Ted have built a global brand on their perfect marriage, which would be more convincing if they could still stand each other. Mercy has spent years smoothing over the worst instincts of her powerful husband, convinced the man she fell in love with is still there. Winslow is hiding a secret that could end his career, while his husband, Miguel, is carrying news that will change everything between them.

And then there’s Charlotte, the assistant everyone overlooks. Which gives her an excellent view of everything.

The first night, the drinks flow, the gossip gets vicious, and everyone shares far more than they should. But what’s a little indiscretion among new friends?

The trouble with a yacht is that there’s nowhere to go once you’ve said too much. No separate hotels. No quick exits. Just the same people, fewer places to hide, and another breakfast together in the morning.

By the third day, one marriage is as good as over. One guest is desperate enough to do something irreversible. And Mercy is realizing the man she loved was all for show and the man she fears is who he really is.

Before any of them set foot on solid ground again, one of them will be dead in the water.

Privilege has protected them from consequences for years. But desperation can make even very comfortable people do terrible things.

The Awful Truth is a sharp, warm, wickedly funny domestic suspense novel about marriage, power, and the spectacularly bad decisions people make when they have everything to lose. For readers who love the wit and heart of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth, with the glamor and menace of The White Lotus.

Excerpt

Antonia walked into their room, then turned back to Ted and put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them before dragging her hands down to his biceps. She moved her lips so they were hovering over his. “How about it, Dr. Dawson? Should we pretend we’re twenty-five?”

“No, we should not. You’re drunk, and quite frankly, I’m pretty pissed about how you conducted yourself.”

She narrowed her eyes a little, wracking her brain for what he was talking about, only to come up blank. “Help me out because I honestly don’t have the first clue what I did wrong.”

Before he could answer, she held up one finger to his lips. “Actually, don’t tell me. I’m in too good a mood to fight. Let’s just…do it. No talking. Just sex.” Pointing to the floor she added, “Right here. Let’s pretend we’re so wild for each other we can’t even be bothered to get to the bed.”

She pressed her hands against his chest and closed her eyes, waiting for him to kiss her. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again and leaned toward him. “Heeelloooo?” She snort-laughed to herself, too drunk to care about how angry he looked.

Then the room started to spin and she gripped his shirt to steady herself. “You know what, Teddy? I may have had too much to drink.”

“You think?”

“Yes, I do.” Holding up one finger, she snorted again. “My professional medical opinion is that I’m totally wasted.”

She pushed off of him and staggered across the room. Flopping onto the bed, she said, “I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit. I’ll get ready for bed after I have a nice little nap.”

“In your dress?”

“S’very comfortable.” A moment later, her eyes were closed and she felt herself falling asleep. She heard him sigh, then felt him put the covers on her, and suddenly she was warm and loved and happy again. “I love you, Ted. With my whole heart.”

By the time he answered, his words were quiet, and she was only a very small bit conscious. “And I hate you with all of mine.”

Heat Level: Open door, spicy not explicit
Tone: A fast-paced, suspenseful, emotional, character-driven drama
Series Type: Standalone, part of a collection of domestic suspense novels
Ending: Emotionally satisfying, book club / upmarket resolution
POV: Multi-POV, third person
Content Notes: Infidelity, emotional abuse dynamics, death, suicidal ideation, brief sexual violence, psychological tension

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About the Author

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

Connect:

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17105602.Melanie_Summers