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book cover for Scraps: A Gay Skateboarding Romance Novel

Scraps: A Gay Skateboarding Romance Novel

A YA Coming-of-Age LGBTQ+ Romance

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Pub Date Mar 31 2025 | Archive Date Oct 15 2025

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Description

A shy artist. A reckless skater. One secret, passionate summer that will change Gus and Bridger forever.

Scraps: In rural 2003 Montana, two closeted teen boys navigate skateboarding, harsh small-town judgment, and a summer of unexpected young love.

🌈 MM Teen Gay Romance
🏞️ Small-Town Secrets
🌿 Breathtaking Montana Landscapes
🛹 Heart-Pounding Skateboarding Action
🌟 Perfect for fans of Call Me by Your Name, Mid 90s, Heartstopper, Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Miseducation of Cameron Post.

When Gus Shepard’s quiet artistic life is upended by his mother’s death in 2003, he’s sent to the rural town of Livingston, Montana, to live with his estranged woodworking father. For Gus, it’s a place filled only with grief, painful childhood memories, and too much sawdust—until he meets Bridger Owens, a local skateboarder with a rebellious streak.

Drawn together by a deal—Gus will build Bridger a handcrafted board in exchange for skateboarding lessons—the two form an unexpected bond, inspiring each other to reach for bigger goals and make the most of their short summer. What starts as friendship soon blossoms into a tender romance they must keep hidden in a town where everyone already knows each other’s secrets.

In a town this small, escaping feels impossible.
Being… gay? Unthinkable.

Immediately suspicious, Bridger’s jealous skate crew leader, Max Stevens, resents Gus and his growing closeness to his best friend. And the coolest skater girl in Livingston, Tara Shae, senses that Gus, like her, doesn’t quite fit the town’s mold. As whispers turn into confrontations and family pressures mount, Gus and Bridger’s fragile relationship is tested at every turn.

Through late-night swims, daring skate sessions, and moments of breathtaking vulnerability, Scraps paints an unforgettable picture of discovering young queer love in the early 2000s. Will Gus and Bridger risk everything to hold onto what they’ve found, or will the weight of their separate worlds pull them apart?

Why Readers Love Scraps:

🌟 A richly detailed LGBTQ+ romance that celebrates love, courage, and self-discovery.
🌟 Explores themes of family, belonging, and breaking free from small-town expectations.

“Inspired by the viral success of the "Scraps" Gay Skateboarding Romance Short Film that captivated millions worldwide, Scraps is a deeply moving, visually evocative story of first queer crushes, finding oneself, and the risks we take for a shred of love that’s real.”

Grab your copy today and immerse yourself in the breathtaking summer that Gus and Bridger will never forget.

A shy artist. A reckless skater. One secret, passionate summer that will change Gus and Bridger forever.

Scraps: In rural 2003 Montana, two closeted teen boys navigate skateboarding, harsh small-town...


A Note From the Publisher

LGBTQ+ bloggers and YA-focused reviewers will be auto-approved — thank you for championing diverse stories.

As a gay man who came of age in the 2000s, SCRAPS is my love letter to the queer kids who felt alone, and to the stories I wish I had growing up. It’s for the quiet ones, the artists, the skaters, and everyone who ever felt like they had to hide to be loved.

Thank you for taking the time to read. If you connect with Gus and Bridger’s story, I’d be incredibly grateful for your honest review — it truly helps indie authors like me get discovered.

If you love the story and leave a review, DM me on Instagram (@Matthewfrancisj) or email a screenshot, and I’ll send you high-res images of the novel to post about and special links to our Scraps Short film and BTS videos to enjoy. We will happily re-post your review on our social media and tag you as a thank you! We can even invite you to help us promote the feature film version!

LGBTQ+ bloggers and YA-focused reviewers will be auto-approved — thank you for championing diverse stories.

As a gay man who came of age in the 2000s, SCRAPS is my love letter to the queer kids...


Advance Praise

"Easily one of my favorite gay stories out there!" -Noah (Goodreads) 

"Good God, I'm a WRECK!! 😭😭😭😭😭" - Ian (Goodreads) 

"Read this NOW! Best LGBTQIA+ romance novel PERIOD! - Ryan (Amazon) 

"I first found this book from the SCRAPS short film on YouTube. I fell in love with it and, when I found they were writing the novel, I had to order it. I'm glad I did... I totally loved this book. I read it in one sitting in the span of two hours and I plan to read it again." -Stephanus (Goodreads)

"The simplest way to explain it is: if you’re a queer person, you know these characters."  

"I finished this book in a day, because it was just so easy to get lost in the world... I hope this book ends up on every shelf, in every library, in every high school."

"Gus and Bridger are the kind of characters I wish I could have read about growing up. And shoutout to Tara, my personal favourite. We should all have a Tara in our lives!"

"What makes this book so special is that it’s a queer story grounded in the real, the honest, and therefore sometimes the painful. Scraps doesn’t over romanticise young love into a fairytale, and it doesn’t frame queer love as something tragic either. There’s hope, there’s joy, but there’s also struggle and challenge. It holds all of it."

"Trust me, you’ll cry, but for all the right reasons. Whether Gus’ summer feels like a blast from your own past or like the coming-of-age summer you wish you had, it’s going to hit you right in the heart." -Joe (Goodreads)

"Gus and Bridger are easy to love as MCs, and all their friends as found family were as well. I especially loved Tara and her honest relationship with Gus. Oh, and the artwork is stunning! There is a picture of a single skateboard that is perfect. I hope lots of people read this book. It is a joy." - Lyn (Goodreads) 

"Easily one of my favorite gay stories out there!" -Noah (Goodreads) 

"Good God, I'm a WRECK!! 😭😭😭😭😭" - Ian (Goodreads) 

"Read this NOW! Best LGBTQIA+ romance novel PERIOD! - Ryan (Amazon) 

"I first...


Marketing Plan

Call Me By Your Name meets the gruff teen skater boys of Mid90s.


- For LGBTQ+ readers looking for complex, tender male leads.
- Those who love emotional slow burns and raw character connection.
- For anyone who grew up in a small town feeling like an outsider.
- For those who love nostalgic, early-2000s summer vibes.
- For readers who believe first love can be life-changing.

- For fans of:

  • Heartstopper
  • Perks of Being A Wallflower
  • The Miseducation of Cameron Post
  • Red, White, and Royal Blue
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
  • We Are the Ants
  • They Both Die At The End
Call Me By Your Name meets the gruff teen skater boys of Mid90s.


- For LGBTQ+ readers looking for complex, tender male leads.
- Those who love emotional slow burns and raw character connection.
- For...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781736699041
PRICE $17.99 (USD)
PAGES 215

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Average rating from 18 members


Featured Reviews

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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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