Bro this is the easiest 5 stars ever

Every so often, a book finds you at just the right moment and this was that book for me. From the very first page, I knew I was in for something special. The tone, the atmosphere, the vibes— they all whispered, “This one’s going to leave a mark.” And it did.

Francis captures teenage angst with a rawness and nuance that’s rare to find.

𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩? 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰... 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘺... 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵.

The struggle with identity, the desire to fit in, the quiet storm of being different— it was all so real, raw. Bridger and Gus weren’t just characters; they felt like living, breathing teenagers with fears, desires, and vulnerabilities that echoed truths I’ve known or seen.

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴," 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥, "𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘹." 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘺. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯-
𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱.
"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴," 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯-
𝘶𝘦𝘥. "𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺."
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘎𝘶𝘴'𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳. 𝘐𝘧 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳, 𝘎𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥.
𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥.
"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵... 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦," 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥.
"𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵."

Their relationship, slow-burning and tender, unraveled in a way that made every glance, every conversation mean something.

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸... 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶," 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.
𝘎𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱. 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥. "𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩," 𝘎𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦. "𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴... 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭."

But what really stunned me was the depth across the board— not just the leads, but the supporting cast too. Max, Tara, even Gus’s dad… each one was thoughtfully written, layered, and purposeful. Francis didn’t just give us a story; he gave us a world filled with characters who felt authentic, flawed, and whole.

There were moments in this book that moved me to tears, moments that made me smile, blush, ache, and think. The coming out scene especially hit home. It wasn’t dramatic for the sake of drama. It was intimate and full of heart. Gus’s father’s response wasn’t about gender; it was about embracing love in its fullness, in its wholeness, while you still can before a life of regret settles in.

This is more than a coming-of-age story. It’s a quiet, powerful exploration of love, friendship, identity, and the aching beauty of adolescence. Tbh I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait until I can read the next book by Matthew Francis. Five out of five stars from me and would be more if I could.

This book was incredible! I have never read anything like this before. It was so emotional and written so perfectly. I loved getting to know the MMC’s and the other side characters. Such a good romance read that makes you feel so many different emotions throughout. I enjoyed this book the entire time reading.

this queer coming of age story had me feeling nostalgic and warm and fuzzy. It was so beautiful and the teenage ungst was captured perfectly.
The tenderness and honesty, it explores identity, the ache of trying to fit in, and the heavy weight of grief. Francis captures the raw vulnerability of adolescence in a way that feels deeply personal und profoundly moving.
I LOVED THIS!

I thought that this book was super charming! I really liked the illustrated chapter headings and they made the reading experience more dynamic. Scraps is a raw coming-of-age story that has a focus on skateboarding, art, and nascent love. The language used is descriptive and you can really feel the exact nuanced emotions the main characters experience from the get-go. It's a nostalgic story, both because it is set in the past but also because this story is familiar in the best way.

This is a really beautiful young adult book. Following two boys as they fall in love during a summer in the early 2000’s, it perfectly incapsulates the grittiness and aimlessness of that time. It is so realistic and the characters make decisions and have conversations that are completely authentic. The artwork is beautiful too. I really liked this one. I received a digital copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Quietly devastating in the best way, Scraps captures the ache and rush of first love with raw honesty, set against the grit of small-town skate parks and the softness of teenage longing.

I like the book it funny and good family read I love the characters and plot and the setting of story and place and the genre of the story and the theme of they story and everything else in between and overall book. Cool

This book really took me by surprise. It is such a perfect coming of age story, it made me feel all the emotions.

We follow Gus, who moves back to rural Montana to live with his estranged father after his mother passes. He works with his dad in his furniture building workshop during the day and spends most of his free time sketching. When exploring the town one day, he stumbles upon a skatepark. Gus becomes fascinated with the skater group and decides he needs to learn how to skate to make new friends.
This is how he meets Bridger, a skater boy with a rebellious streak. The two of them strike a deal that leads them to spend a lot of time together. We see them develop a beautiful friendship that slowly turns into more.

The setting of this book is everything. It takes place during the summer of 2003 and as someone who grew up in the early 2000s, it made me so nostalgic. The skateboarding aspect was so fun and different from anything I've read before.

This is easily my favorite queer YA romance I've read. It explores so many important topics like self discovery, friendship, grief, first crushes, going away to college and love. The writing is beautiful and the illustrations at the beginning of every chapter were beautiful and a nice touch.

A great coming-of-age gay awakening story. Two cute male leads, plenty of teenage angst, and a full complement of background characters that added to the overall narrative. I liked the part where Bridger said, “I love doing nothing with you”; a very telling phrase.

I will try to watch the Scraps short next, and look forward to the feature length movie.

I went into Scraps not entirely sure what to expect—and came out emotionally winded in the best way. This story surprised me with its quiet intensity, deeply layered characters, and the kind of slow-burn connection that simmers just beneath the surface until it absolutely wrecks you.

The dynamic between the leads felt honest and natural never forced. It unfolds in these delicate, almost fragile moments that manage to carry so much weight. Their relationship doesn’t heal them completely (because people aren’t puzzles waiting to be fixed), but it gives them both a reason to hope, to rebuild. Together.

If you love character-driven stories that are emotional but grounded, gentle but powerful, Scraps is one of those reads that lingers with you. I found myself thinking about it long after I finished. Definitely one I’ll revisit.

This is a lovely coming-of-age novel and a heartfelt summer romance with themes of family, friendship, grief, and first love. Following the death of his mother, Gus moves back with his father Dan for the summer before he goes to art college. The distance between father and son at the beginning is obvious, and Dan goes about trying to make a connection by having Gus work with him in his woodshop. This soon works in Gus's favour. He starts off lonely and adrift and when he comes across the town's skatepark, he becomes determined to learn to skate, though he's more likely drawn in by the camaraderie he witnesses between the skaters. He uses his newly learned woodworking skills to make his own board, which catches the attention of one of the skater boys, Bridger, who offers to teach Gus how to skate in return for a board of his own. Thus begins their journey of strangers-to-friends-to-lovers.

The setting and atmosphere of the story is wonderfully visual, completely drawing you in to the heavy summer heat. It explores dark and heavy themes, such as grief and internalised and external homophobia, but it intertwines these elements with humour, a joyous, tentative love, and hope to bring an ultimately feel-good novel. The relationship between Gus and Bridger is sweet and heartwarming even in its rockier moments, which are entirely believable and realistic in the novel's early 2000s time-period (and even for many in our modern day).

There are lots of POV shifts, and while most of them are clear and useful in giving a more rounded view of the story, some feel a little random and occur within each other—there are a few small mind-jumps that make you unsure which POV you're in. This is quite possibly due to the novel being developed from the original short-film, where glimpses of other characters and quick scene shifts make sense. The wide range of POVs is enjoyable in the sense it gives you a more in-depth view of numerous side characters, such as Dan and Max and Tara, and makes them more three-dimensional, understandable, and relatable. However, I found myself a little disappointed because I felt I ended up knowing the likes of Max better than I knew Bridger, whose family life etc. is never explored in the same depth.

Ultimately though, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It is reminiscent of the likes of Heartstopper if it was set a decade prior and rugby boys were replaced with skater boys, and its dusty summer atmosphere and coming-of-age, coming-out themes reminded me of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (both works close to my heart). I'd recommend to anyone wanting an emotional queer summer read and I'm excited to go watch the short film that started it all.

This book hit me in a quiet, emotional way I didn’t expect. The writing is tender and honest, capturing all the messiness of figuring yourself out, grief, identity, first love. Gus and Bridger felt real and vulnerable, and their slow-burn connection was full of aching tension and softness. If you like coming-of-age stories that feel nostalgic and grounded, this one’s worth your time.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Scraps follows Gus who has moved to rural Montana to live with his estranged father after the death of his mother. After finding a local skate park he decides to learn how to skate and make friends. He soon meets a local boy, Bridger, and the two start to spend time together.

Even though the setting of this book was a few years before I was a teen it made me very nostalgic. The teenage angst and awkwardness was captured so well and I really connected to these characters. Something I really loved was that no character felt under utilized, they all served a purpose and had their own depth. The characters felt completely authentic through all their flaws and vulnerabilities.

This was a beautifully written story that I think will resonate with everyone in some way.

"Never throw away painful memories that led to today's joy. A great life is built by the moments we refuse to forget."

Scraps by Matthew Francis is a quietly powerful coming-of-age novel that hums with the heat of a Montana summer, the ache of grief, and the thrill of first love. From the moment Gus Shepard steps back into his estranged father’s life after thirteen years—and mere weeks after his mother’s death—there’s a low hum of tension and tenderness that builds throughout the narrative.

What starts as a lonely, uncertain summer slowly blooms into a story of self-discovery and connection. Gus, who is still closeted and hesitant to name his desires, finds himself mesmerized by the local skatepark scene—and particularly by Bridger, the charismatic leader of the group. There’s a vulnerability in Gus’s gaze, the quiet longing, the awkwardness of denial, and the need to belong, and Francis captures all of this with beautiful restraint.

The skatepark becomes more than a place—it’s a space of transformation, friendship, and reckoning. Gus’s decision to build his own skateboard, using the skills his father teaches him in the woodshop, is not just a plot point—it’s symbolic. He’s building himself, piece by piece, into someone more whole.

The characters are so well drawn. Max, who initially seems like your typical rude gatekeeper, is later given so much depth and nuance. Tara—queer, a skater, and respected in a town that usually objectifies women, is a refreshing presence. Even Gus’s father, Dan, who could’ve easily been a flat absentee-parent trope, is rendered with care as a man who’s quietly trying to rebuild a connection he once abandoned.

The romance between Gus and Bridger is slow and uncertain in all the right ways. There’s tension, sweetness, and eventual intimacy, all grounded in the realistic emotional hurdles of two boys figuring themselves out in the early 2000s. Their bond isn’t immediate or easy, but when it clicks, it feels earned. If you’ve ever longed for a connection while keeping part of yourself hidden, their story will hit home.

For readers who like:
-Queer coming-of-age stories
-Skatepark summer vibes
-Tender romances with emotional depth
-Found family, emotional healing, and soft masculinity

Final Verdict
Scraps is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. You think you know where it’s going, and maybe you do—but it still makes you feel every beat along the way. It’s about learning to build something out of grief, scraps, and longing. Emotional, hopeful, and gorgeously atmospheric, Scraps is my favorite read of the year so far. I’d love a sequel just to spend more time with these characters.

Grateful to NetGalley and Matthew Francis for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

As you stare out of the car window while it winds it way through the Montana countryside, you lose yourself in moments of reflection as the world outside slips by. That is the feeling this book gives you and that is how the first chapter opens as you join Gus on the journey to his new home and a new life.

‘Scraps’ is a wonderful new YA book that expands beyond the short film of the same name you may have heard about. It follows Gus, shortly after his mother dies, as he moves across country to live with his estranged father in Montana. Having agreed to work with his father in his woodshop before he goes to art college, Gus tries to make friends with some boys at the local skateboard park. What unfolds is a wonderful coming of age story as Gus starts to develop feelings for Bridger as their growing friendship brings the two boys closer.

What is interesting about this book compared to other YA books is how well balanced all the themes are. We have moments of grief mixed with feelings of youthful joy. Social anxieties butted up against themes of friendships. They weave through one another without dwelling too long on any overriding issue. But it’s the relationship with Gus and Bridger that gets most of the focus. As we starts to see Gus become aware of his feelings towards Bridger, confusion and denial become wrapped up in emerging feelings of attraction. Expertly written and beautifully captured, you find yourself living the experience along with Gus. Shocked at what you’re feeling but unable to look away, wanting more but afraid it might slip from your grip. These are moments of perfection beautifully captured in print with an artistic grace. Short sentences of confusion perfectly punctuate the text, bringing to life a young man’s emerging sexual attraction for his friend. Many other authors might learn from Matthew Francis of how a friends to lovers romance should be written, as this book is a masterclass in the subtly of shifting feelings between two friends.

At its heart this book has a wonderful modern Americana feeling to it, with lazy days spent skateboarding in the park and fun afternoons messing around by the lake. It has a more-ish quality that makes you want to read one chapter after another, not wanting to leave this world, desperate to know what will happen between Gus and Bridger. There’s also a depth to how the author has written the side characters. None of their issues are new, but they’ve been expertly written and help make this world-on-a-page feel all the more real. It’s a book that leaves you wanting to know more. More about what happens to Bridger and Gus. More about what’s in store for Dan in his future. And more about where Max’s road will lead him. If there is ever a book that needs a sequel, this is it. And isn’t that the measure of success, to leave them wanting more!?!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scraps by Matthew Francis is a quiet queer romance with skateboards and grief, it is tender and emotionally layered.

Gus is just trying to get through the summer after his mom’s death when he meets Bridger, a very chaotic and fun skateboarder. Their connection builds slowly, full of stolen moments and unspoken fears. Their connection is real, sweet and a bit awkward at times, just like your everyday teen friendship that becomes a bit more as time goes on.

The small-town setting, the weight of what’s unsaid, and the way Gus reconnects with his dad all made this feel incredibly grounded. The ending is open but hopeful, which honestly made it hit even harder.

As someone who grew up as queer and in a small town, I related heavily to the theme in this book. Francis has crafted a queer story unlike any other. In a time where queer people's rights are being challenged, queer people aren't being positively represented in the media, this book is a breath of fresh air with positive representation and dialogue that absolutely needs to be had.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

I stayed up all night reading this gem of a story. It really caught me by surprise, in so many ways.

I'll be blunt and say, shamefully, I wasn't expecting much just by the description. I was expecting a cute little YA romance. SCRAPS is so much more than that, and I do love when my first instincts are proven wrong when it comes to books.

I've read many books that take place in different decades. It's in my opinion that some authors have trouble setting the scene, the vibe, the ambience and atmosphere of a specific time period. There are either too many details that saturate every other page (regarding what people are wearing, what kind of car they're driving, the brand of refrigerator that's in the kitchen...), or there aren't enough details and you forget that a book isn't in present time. With SCRAPS, there was a perfect amount of little injections of life in the early 2000s that effectively brought me back to my middle and high school years. The details were casual and not so in your face.

The two main characters were just so, so, so sweet. If only I had had a friend like either of them in my younger years, maybe some things would have turned out differently for me, but that's neither here nor there. Their mutual respect and unfiltered acceptance for one another was what really drew me in.

Their internal struggles with experiencing these new, scary, yet electrifying and exciting, foreign feelings were portrayed so realistically that I was immediately reminded of the first time I had similar feelings of the same nature.

Grief is also touched on here. Having recently suffered a great loss, those conversations, inner thoughts and scenes were hard-hitting for me. Sometimes I broke out in unexpected tears and I had to take a short intermission, because I was hit with my own overwhelming, and largely disregarded feelings of loss. I am so grateful though. So, incredibly grateful. I wish I could say more about the experience, but that's all I can muster up for now.

SCRAPS is a beautifully written story that touched my soul and warmed my very chilled heart. It gave me hope. Hope for love, for possibilities, for new beginnings, for facing fears; hope that it'll be alright, in more ways than one. That it's not too late to start living and appreciating this one extraordinary life we are so fortunate to receive. This book was a gift for me and I hope it reaches more people like me who need to receive the message that it conveys.

It should go without saying, but SCRAPS is the easiest 5-Star rating I've ever given.

I wish I was able to read this book when I was in HS- it serves as proof of why queer YA is so important. I always love reading about found family, but something about it hits so much different in YA, and this story is written beautifully. This was my first book by this author, and it won’t be my last!

What a beautiful story!!!!!!!🥹

This book has everything you could want in a sweet summer romance. The boys were adorable, the character development was heartfelt, and the ending was just perfect. Reading it felt like being wrapped in a warm summer bubble... where we got to watch Gus and Bridger’s relationship blossom.

The idea of having drawings on every page was a nice touch. It added to the vibe and actually made me feel closer to Gus. I smiled everytime I looked at the drawings.

I’ll admit, I know nothing about skating, so I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to fully appreciate that part of the story, but the way it was written made it super easy to follow. I loved how enthusiastic the boys were about it, it felt like we were discovering their world alongside Gus.

Max's parts were tough to read, but were definitely needed and played an important role. The experiences people have within the community can vary a lot, and the book does a good job at representing many of them through the characters. There were so many great lessons in the story and I truly felt like each character, Gus, Bridger, Tara, Max, Dan, all of them taught us something.

Overall I loved it. Even the ending. Although I wanted to read more and wanted their story to continue, the ending felt absolutely perfect and left me hopeful and excited for what’s to come.

Sweet, atmospheric coming-of-age story, centered around Gus, who moves in to live with his estranged father in rural Montana. Friendship, first love, finding your way in life - common themes in such ya stories, yet I loved the way they were developed and intertwined. Did I wish for a different ending? Of course, yet this ending made more sense in this story. 4.5*

I’ll be honest—I’m kind of burned out on coming out stories. It feels like every queer book I pick up rehashes the same tropes: the fear, the big reveal, the fallout. I’m not saying those stories aren’t important (they absolutely are), but after a while, they start to feel formulaic.
Scraps surprised me.
Yes, it’s a coming out story at its core—but it’s also so much more. It’s intimate, emotionally textured, and filled with the kind of quiet tension that builds not just from who you are, but where you are. The rural Montana setting in 2003 adds a pressure cooker layer of isolation and small-town scrutiny, making every glance between Gus and Bridger feel charged. But it never leans on melodrama. Instead, it’s tender, internal, and achingly human.
Gus’s perspective hit hard. His grief, his discomfort in his own body, the awkwardness of being an artist in a place where no one seems to see him—it all rang painfully true. And Bridger? God. I loved that he wasn’t just the “reckless” love interest. He’s a kid who’s trying to keep all the pieces of his life from falling apart. Their chemistry was undeniable, but it was the silences between them, the way they both tried to pretend what was happening wasn’t happening, that really got me
I wouldn’t say this book reinvented the wheel, but it did what so few coming-of-age queer romances manage to do: it felt like it could’ve been my own memory. That scene at the lake? That awkward first admission? That panicked joy of knowing, maybe, just maybe, someone sees you? It was all there, and I was 17 again
It’s not a perfect book—the pacing dips a little in the middle—but the emotion is real. If you’re tired of the same coming out arc, but still want something that honors the complexity of those years? Read Scraps.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This one will stay with me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Raw, Emotional, and Unforgettable Coming-of-Age Romance

Scraps by Matthew Francis absolutely wrecked me—in the best possible way. From the very first page, I was hooked by the raw honesty, the chaotic energy, and the emotional weight packed into this beautifully written coming-of-age story. This isn’t just a gay romance—it’s a full-on emotional rollercoaster that captures what it means to grow up, find love, and figure out where you belong.

The chemistry between Bridger and Gus is electric—tender, messy, complicated, and deeply real. Their relationship feels like a spark in the dark, something fragile but fiercely bright. Francis doesn’t hold back on the rough edges, either. The story leans into the turbulence of youth, identity, and heartbreak, and it does so with so much heart that I found myself thinking about these characters long after I finished the last page.

What truly sets Scraps apart is how authentic and unfiltered it feels. The skateboarding backdrop adds this gritty, kinetic energy that perfectly mirrors the emotional chaos the characters are going through. It’s one of the best LGBTQ+ romances I’ve read in a long time—equal parts gut-wrenching and hopeful.

I desperately hope this isn’t the last we see of Bridger and Gus. There’s so much more story left to tell, and I would love nothing more than for Matthew Francis to continue their journey in a sequel. These characters have carved out a place in my heart, and I’m not ready to let them go.

If you're looking for a story that will break your heart, heal it, and then make you want to scream into the void because you loved it so much—Scraps is it.

A beautiful, diverse, rich story. I will endlessly recommend this - the author really captured the 2000's and I felt as though I was there with them, experiencing these emotions and tribulations. Not only are the words something that should be praised, the artwork was beautiful! Everything felt so real and genuine, I think that this story will reach and speak to so many people. Highly, highly recommend.

4.5⭐️“Do I like him too much? I don’t want to… be gay… if he’s not. “😮‍💨

“Gus,” Bridger spoke softly, “if you were a girl, I’d kiss you right now.” 🥹

This book had me in a chokehold. What a beautiful story. It was such a visual experience for me, which makes sense knowing now that it was first a short film. I fell like I could close my eyes and be in rural Montana in 2003 with Gus & Bridger.

This is story about loss friendship and first love. A coming of age story. And about the strength and courage it takes to be truly yourself and let yourself be seen. I fell deeply for Gus and Bridger, but also for his dad Dan, Tara and even Max.

This book isn’t perfect, sometimes the change in POV felt clunky but ultimately I loved it and would recommend it to everyone. It’s real and tender and a beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Matthew Francis for the advanced copies. All my opinions are my own.

This was a wild ride. I saw this on Netgalley and didn't really think much about the story when requesting it, I just saw it's a queer book that features skateboarding, and since I'm a huge fan of sports romances, I always look for new ones. And I'm so glad I found it!

This book was written after a short film about the same story was produced, which leads to the writing also feeling quite cinematic- the narrator is omniscient, but still sometimes limited (what is kinda crucial in a romance about a crush), but it felt SUPER scenic and a bit like someone describing what they see on screen (including the shown feelings of characters through mimics, and it also featured paragraphs that felt like just a quick reverse shot, especially scenes including Max). And I loved that. It was something else from what I'm usually reading, but because of that narration style I was drawn into the story from the start and my otherwise slightly aphantastic mind was super thankful for how the scenery was described. I'm sitting here writing this review, and I still have the locations in front of my eyes, especially Gus' room. It was advertised as being a bit like Heartstopper, and I think that description is suiting - which is also why I would have wished for more focus (or perhaps an additional story) on Max and Tara. Those two gave depth to the story in another way and I really liked that. As to the two main characters: I sympathised with them from the start, even though I would have wished for a bit more depth on who Bridger is, I felt like I got a better feeling for the side character Max and his motifs than for Bridger as the MC. And this ending was suiting for the type of story (especially considering it's based on a movie), but my romantic heart wished for an additional epilogue or something.
And I honestly did not expect this book to make me cry, but it did and I loved it - and that's usually a sign that I won't forget about that book that easily.

I don't think there are words to describe how much I loved this book. From the moment I started reading it, I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down. It's definitely a book that shows you the fears of growing up, the love you feel for your first love, and the process of finding yourself while being terrified of what others might think. My only complaint is that the book is very short, and I wanted to read more about Gus and Bridger. I will always carry them in my heart.