About The Book
A coming-of-age novel by C A Kincaid
Book by C A Kincaid
Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds is a gripping coming-of-age novel about friendship, identity, and the cost of belonging.
The story
Valorie leaves behind her suburban home for small-town college life, chasing freedom and connection. She quickly finds herself drawn into a tight-knit circle of friends bound by secrets, half-truths, and the intoxicating pull of loyalty. At first, the lies are sweet, and the promise of belonging feels irresistible. But when Valorie dares to follow her own heart, the friends who once felt like family turn against her.
As the world around her starts to unravel, Valorie must decide what’s worth sacrificing—and whether losing herself is too high a price for acceptance.
Raw, heartfelt, and unflinchingly honest, Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds is perfect for readers who love emotionally charged stories about finding the courage to stand alone.
Inside the novel
A tight-knit circle of friends bound by secrets, half-truths, and the intoxicating pull of loyalty.
When Valorie dares to follow her own heart, the friends who once felt like family turn against her.
Whether losing herself is too high a price for acceptance.
Emotionally charged stories about finding the courage to stand alone.
Behind the book
Meet the author“It started as a joke,” Kincaid shares. “Whenever something wild happened in college, I’d tell my friends, ‘I’m putting this in my book.’ Eventually, I started writing—not because I thought anyone would read it, but because it became my therapy. It helped me process the experiences I was living through.”
Read more from the author
What happens when friendship costs you your values? This vulnerable reflection examines the moment I realized I had been performing friendship instead of living it—and how that question became central to my novel, Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds.
Read More : The First Time I Realized I Was Performing FriendshipFriendship isn’t free—but its cost can’t be measured in numbers. In this personal reflection, I explore the emotional weight of friendship, the pressure to “make friends,” and what it means to lose yourself while trying to belong.
Read More : The Hidden Cost of FriendshipWhat is friendship, really? From childhood bonds to social media connections, this reflective essay explores the meaning of friendship, the shift from quantity to quality, and what it truly means to be a friend in adulthood.
Read More : What Is Friendship, Really? A Reflection on the Meaning of Being a FriendNow available
Raw, heartfelt, and unflinchingly honest.
