Six college friends are finding their way, falling in love, and preparing for their futures in a place where the past is ever present. Grimwood University is renowned for its legendary namesake, and infamous for a long-ago tragedy that has largely faded from memory. But if Grimwood's darkest chapter has been forgotten, its echoes remain, mirroring the experiences of subsequent generations, and flaring up in their lives in surprising and unexpected ways. College freshman Loren Austin has traveled across the country in search of independence and a new beginning. Braden McNutt is also hoping for a fresh start as he embarks upon his college career. They've both come to Grimwood to study in the school's celebrated writing program - founded by the gifted if doomed author Alan Grimwood - where they quickly forge a close but complicated connection. Joined by roommates Brooke Winston and Hank Pierce, and classmates Hannah Merritt and Jason Pepper, they form a bonded circle that will transform each of them over the course of a life-changing year. Flares welcomes readers to the college experience of their dreams, and introduces them to the complex, funny, impulsive, and unforgettable group of friends they'll be following throughout the course of The Grimwood Trilogy. ¿The Grimwood Trilogy; Friendship Fiction; New Adult; College Fiction; Writers; Friends to Lovers; Coming of Age