Books like 'Golden Boys'
Readers who enjoyed Golden Boys by Phil Stamper also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance lgbtq coming-of-age friendship mlm realistic friends-to-lovers season-summer high-school
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You Are Not Me by Leta Blake
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFollow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage. After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It's the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer... -
![Fight by Nicole Dykes]()
Fight by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s always been Shaw and Carter against the world. Life has never been easy, but they’ve found solace in each other. Together they are strong and combat the hell they were born into. School is ending, and choices must be made. But with change comes pain. And both seek a better life...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers friendship high-school mlm book contemporary fiction -
![Gay Club! by Simon James Green]()
Gay Club! by Simon James Green
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA landmark comedic novel about a group of queer teens at their worst - and ultimately their best - from one of the UK's leading writers of LGBTQ+ teen fiction. Barney's a shoo-in for his school's LGBTQ+ Society President at the club's next election. But when the vote is opened up to the entire student body, the whole school starts paying attention... -
![The Long Run by James Acker]()
The Long Run by James Acker
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTwo track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro... -
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![Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada]()
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIn this YA pop-punk debut about queer romance and destroying labels, a teen risks everything to write his own story. Perfect for fans of Sonora Reyes and Adib Khorram. Stonebridge High’s resident bad boy, Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie, is failing senior year—thanks to his unchecked anger, rowdy friends, and a tendency to ditch his homework for skateboarding and a secret photography obsession... -
![Loving Lakyn by Charlotte Reagan]()
Loving Lakyn by Charlotte Reagan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLakyn James is sixteen years old and hating every second of it. He was supposed to be done, he'd tapped out. End of story, unsubscribe here. Suicide "attempt", they said. His intentions had no "attempt" in them. Re-entering normal life after ‘trying’ to take his own is weird. Especially when the world keeps going like it never happened... -
![All the Stars by Duckie Mack]()
All the Stars by Duckie Mack
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRider doesn’t have a lot of rules when it comes to guys, but there is one- he doesn’t date, not ever. He’s content with random hookups because dating means too much. That’s reserved for the one person he knows he can never have, his best friend, Cameron.After watching his own family fall apart, Cam longs for someone who will stick it out through thick and thin... -
![Sheets by Sareyen]()
Sheets by Sareyen
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings[BxB] Waking up next to someone after having a little too much to drink was no new, riveting story in this day and age. Waking up next to another boy, when you were also a boy, was a little more interesting, but still nothing to write home about. But waking up in Nico Beckett's sheets?To Wesley, it was a nightmare come to life... -
![The History of Us by Nyrae Dawn]()
The History of Us by Nyrae Dawn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSometimes it's not about coming out, it's about settling in. Eighteen-year-old Bradley Collins came out a year ago and hasn't looked back since. Who cares if he doesn't know any other gay people? Bradley has friends and basketball-that's all he needs. Even if that means always sitting on the sidelines when the guys go out looking for girls...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers friendship high-school lgbtq mlm realistic action-adventure -
![Chasing Fate by Mia Monroe]()
Chasing Fate by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHooking up with your friend is a totally acceptable way to pass the time until your soulmate shows up. Right?I’m on a mission - happily ever after or bust. I just know my handsome, successful, bearded prince is out there waiting for me to find him. I’ve had my cards read a million times. This is my destiny... -
![Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde]()
Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA sparkling queer YA romance set in Brisbane, Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows one guy and his sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking journey to love.Henry Hamlet doesn’t know what he wants after school ends. It’s his last semester of year twelve and all he’s sure of is his uncanny ability to make situations awkward. Luckily, he can always hide behind his enigmatic best friend, Len...Categorized as:
lgbtq mlm friends-to-lovers coming-of-age high-school friendship romance young-adult -
![Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino]()
Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community...Categorized as:
realistic friendship season-summer coming-of-age friends-to-lovers romance young-adult contemporary -
![Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters]()
Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe summer before he leaves for college, eighteen-year-old Isaac Martin makes big plans with his best friend Diego that only the reappearance of an old crush can derail...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers friendship lgbtq mlm realistic season-summer audiobook -
![Forever Man by A.J. DeWall]()
Forever Man by A.J. DeWall
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA bond forged in Catholic school, an unspoken attraction that outlasts years of separation and other relationships. Ren and Cole never acted on that thing that always bubbled beneath the surface of their friendship, not until a chance encounter in a Santa Fe bar and a song that would tip the scales forced them to confront their feelings... -
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![The Geek Next Door by R. Cayden]()
The Geek Next Door by R. Cayden
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's always been there, whether I realized it or not.KaiGrowing up, Izzy was the cute, geeky guy next door.He and my twin brother were inseparable, and Izzy followed River around with hearts in his eyes.Fifteen years after I last saw him, he moves in across the street and ends up as my last-minute date to River's wedding... -
![Afterglow by Phil Stamper]()
Afterglow by Phil Stamper
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter a summer of life-changing, these four friends are finally ready for senior year.Gabriel is thrilled to create his school's first LGBTQ+ advocacy group, but his long-distance relationship is fading from summer love to something else... Heath feels secure for the first time in years, but with his future riding on a baseball scholarship, each pitch triggers his anxiety.. -
![Heartmates by Marcus Herzig]()
Heartmates by Marcus Herzig
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs childhood friends, Lars and Connor were inseparable. Now, in the social gauntlet of high school, neither boy can even muster a single word to the other. When Connor enters a romantic relationship with Jaden-Dominic Choi, the hottest social influencer in school, a barely healed wound is torn wide open again... -
![Queerceañera by Alex Crespo]()
Queerceañera by Alex Crespo
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis irresistible and hilarious rom-com from acclaimed author Alex Crespo is a whirlwind of telenovela-level drama and hijinks when Joaquin Zoido finds himself fake-dating his childhood crush and newly minted date to his queerceañera.Joaquin Zoido is out and proud of it... -
![Oliver Ever After by Spencer Spears]()
Oliver Ever After by Spencer Spears
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMe, my high school ex, and a five-star hotel room on reunion night. He can’t break my heart twice, right? Oliver: It took me 7 years to forget my high school boyfriend, Luke, and just one night to--You know what? Scratch that... -
![Glitter by Ayla Starr]()
Glitter by Ayla Starr
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI kept tripping over my feet, tripping over my words, and eventually gave up talking all together. You continued to smile anyway... -
![Enlightened by J.P. Barnaby]()
Enlightened by J.P. Barnaby
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLittle Boy Lost is the story of Brian McAllister, the boy next door. Brian goes to school, does his homework, and helps his foster parents around the house. Brian also has a secret: he is in love with his best friend, Jamie. But in Crayford, Alabama, being in love with another boy is the worst kind of sin. Brian and Jamie will discover just how deep their emotional bond runs, and at what cost... -
![True Letters from a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan]()
True Letters from a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIf you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they'd tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree guy.But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story... -
![Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer, Karissa Vacker]()
Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer, Karissa Vacker
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"Heartbreaking, painfully romantic, and deeply human." --Stephanie Garber, #1 bestselling author of CaravalFrom bestselling authors to booksellers and librarians, early readers are obsessed with this debut YA romance pitched as Sarah Dessen meets Adam Silvera, told in alternate timelines and perfect for fans of messy, complicated relationships...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friends-to-lovers friendship realistic season-summer book contemporary family -
![Float by Kate Marchant]()
Float by Kate Marchant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA heartfelt summer read for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han about holding on and letting go.Waverly Lyons has been caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce for as long as she can remember. This summer, the battle rages over who she’ll spend her vacation with, and when Waverly’s options are shot down, it’s bye-bye Fairbanks, Alaska and hello Holden, Florida to stay with her aunt... -
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![Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden]()
Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAll it takes is one missed step for your life to change forever.Luca Mason knows exactly who he is and what he In six months, he’s going to be accepted into the Australian Ballet School, leave his fancy private high school, and live his life as a star of the stage―at least that’s the plan until he falls down a flight of stairs and breaks his foot in a way he can never recover from... -
![Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve]()
Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA moving YA debut about a trans boy finding his voice—and himselfDean Foster knows he’s a trans guy. He’s watched enough YouTube videos and done enough questioning to be sure. But everyone at his high school thinks he’s a lesbian—including his girlfriend, Zoe, and his theater director, who just cast him as a “nontraditional” Romeo... -
![Desert Sons by Mark Kendrick]()
Desert Sons by Mark Kendrick
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA coming-of-age novel for gay males ages 15-30. Scott Faraday is 16, gregarious, talented, never been in a relationship, and is out to only a select few. Ryan St. Charles is 17, hot-tempered, has already has been in a long relationship, yet is barely out to himself. Behind Ryan's carefully fashioned façade is emotional scarring from a past he's never been able to reconcile... -
![Pulled Under by Michelle Dalton]()
Pulled Under by Michelle Dalton
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA shy teen befriends an attractive beach town tourist in this refreshing summertime romance, in the tradition of Sixteenth Summer and Seventeenth Summer . In the small town of Pearl Beach, Florida, Izzy Lucas needs only her surfboard and the water to be completely happy. She wants nothing to do with parties, popularity contests, or showing her face around the clichéd touristy hangouts...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school realistic season-summer book contemporary fiction -
![Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden]()
Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere Are No Cheat Codes for ShowmanceSeventeen-year-old gaymer Noah Mitchell only has one friend the wonderful, funny, strictly online-only MagePants69. After years playing RPGs together, they know everything about each other, except anything that would give away their real life identities. And Noah is certain that if they could just meet in person, they would be soulmates... -
![A Mark on My Soul by Jordon Greene]()
A Mark on My Soul by Jordon Greene
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNoah Andrews hates to lie, but that′s exactly what his life is. One big lie.At least that′s how he feels as a nerdy, closeted, gay high school senior in a suburban North Carolina town.But after months of fretting and hiding behind his quotes, Noah finally does it. He comes out to the world, and realizes he had nothing to fear after all...Categorized as:
lgbtq mlm high-school friends-to-lovers coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
![Guyliner by J. Leigh Bailey]()
Guyliner by J. Leigh Bailey
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Connor works his butt off to maintain the golden-boy persona he’s created. He has the grades, the extracurriculars, the athletics, and a part-time job at his dad’s shop… every detail specifically chosen to ensure the college scholarships he needs to get the hell out of the Podunk town where he lives... -
![The Rebel's Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard]()
The Rebel's Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen the mayor of a small Alabama town starts targeting Pride events, bad boy Zeke begins hosting a series of “Pride Speakeasies” in this joyful queer coming-of-age!There’s nothing Zeke Chapman wants more than to tarnish the perfect reputation his father is so obsessed with. He quit the baseball team, started fighting at school, and nearly flunked junior year... -
![Pride High : Book 2 - Orange by Jay Bell]()
Pride High : Book 2 - Orange by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWelcome back to Pride High, where the delicious drama continues! Ricky tries to sort through his feelings for Diego—the hot guy who has been bullying him—and ends up in the middle of a feud. Anthony and Cameron, now a couple, have to navigate first times and coming out. Silvia finds herself questioning her feelings for Omar when someone else catches her eye… and it’s a girl... -
![Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst]()
Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFact: When Zebulon Pike attempted to climb what is now known as Pikes Peak, he got stuck in waist-deep snow and had to turn back.That's the last thing Dusty Porter learns in his Colorado history class before appendicitis ruins his life... -
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![The Comeback by Marlene Perez]()
The Comeback by Marlene Perez
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA novel about ruling high school, being exiled, and fighting your way back to your rightful throne.Sophie Donnelly is one half of the most popular and powerful couple in school, until new girl Angie Vogel shows up and compromises everything. Angie steals Sophie's starring role in the school play, and, worse, her super-popular boyfriend...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school realistic book contemporary fiction womens-fiction -
![Senior Year by John H. Ames]()
Senior Year by John H. Ames
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnd you thought last year was full of drama, suspense and romance? You ain’t seen nothing yet! After a summer of love, hard work and…ahem…cohabitation, Nick and John are beginning their senior year. However, putting the memory of last year’s turbulent events at Elite High behind them proves harder than ever. Mysterious notes begin to appear inside John’s locker... -
![Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown]()
Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA romantic, heartfelt, and hilarious queer coming-of-age story from All That's Left in the World author Erik J. Brown, perfect for fans of What If It’s Us and If This Gets Out.Tommy Dees is in the weeds—restaurant speak for beyond overwhelmed. He’s been working as a server at Sunset Estates retirement community to get the experience he needs to attend one of the best culinary schools in the world... -
![Running Far Afield by Libby Drew]()
Running Far Afield by Libby Drew
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAaron thought nothing would be different in his new town of Ridgton. Instead, nothing is the same. When he meets Chris, he finds not only a fellow baseball player, but a close friend – one who gives him the courage to explore the things about himself he's been hiding. Rating R - 16,400 words - Complete. Mild sexual situations between consenting 16-year-olds... -
![Noah Goes Nuclear by Simon James Green]()
Noah Goes Nuclear by Simon James Green
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNoah Grimes is back, in a new, original short story!Noah is v excited: his class have been shipped off to a hotel in the Lake District to study a nearby Nuclear Power Station! On arrival, all Noah wants to do is settle in to his crisp hotel sheets and get proper rest, but his conniving secret half-brother Eric Smith has other plans... -
![The Stand-In Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin]()
The Stand-In Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSometimes the person you're meant to be with is standing right in front of you.Parker Reed has been in love with Beth Bennett since he was four years old. She grew up next door to him, holding his hand and now his heart. The problem is, Beth has no idea Parker is in love with her. He’s stuck in the friend zone, forced to stand by while Beth dates a parade of losers...Categorized as:
high-school realistic friends-to-lovers coming-of-age friendship romance young-adult contemporary -
![Ollie Fitzgerald's Heartbreak Anthems by Charlie Arrigo]()
Ollie Fitzgerald's Heartbreak Anthems by Charlie Arrigo
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOllie Fitzgerald is finally ready to move on.After spending his entire life crafting the perfect plan for every situation, he wasn't expecting his best friend's brother, Nash, to kiss him on the first day of summer. Something else he wasn't expecting? Nash ghosting him a week later when he left for lacrosse camp...Categorized as:
lgbtq mlm friends-to-lovers high-school coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
![The Order of the Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger]()
The Order of the Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsRussel Middlebrook needs to get away. It's tough being sixteen and out at your high school. So being a summer camp counselor sounds like the perfect solution -- but Russel has no idea how crazy this summer will be. Rowdy ten-year-old burn survivors, Indian legends, moonlit skinny dipping, and passionate summer romance are just the beginning . . -
![Here Goes Nothing by Alexander C. Eberhart]()
Here Goes Nothing by Alexander C. Eberhart
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor high school senior Mike Hernandez, everything is finally falling perfectly into place. He’s publishing his first web comic with his new boyfriend, his friends and family are totally supportive, and he’s looking towards a future he never let himself imagine. Chris Myers is a boy on the mend...Categorized as:
lgbtq mlm friends-to-lovers high-school coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
![A Secret Edge by Robin Reardon]()
A Secret Edge by Robin Reardon
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI love the long distance run, when you feel like you're about to die...and then you reach this place where you feel like there are no boundaries for you anywhere...In many ways, Jason Peele is like any other teenager. He hits the books, hangs with his friends, flirts with girls, and omits the full truth of his life from his Aunt Audrey and Uncle Steve, who have raised him since his parents died... -
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![With or Without You by Brian Farrey]()
With or Without You by Brian Farrey
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEighteen-year-old Evan and his best friend, Davis, get beaten up for being loners. For being gay. For just being themselves. But as rough as things often seem, at least Evan can take comfort in his sweet, sexy boyfriend Erik - whom he’s kept secret from everyone for almost a year. Then Evan and Davis are recruited to join the Chasers, a fringe crowd that promises them protection and status... -
![If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich]()
If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage... -
![A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan]()
A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWell, in summary, your fake date's in the bathroom with a hangover and a crispy hairdo, while my fake date is out wandering the Willard, searching for his heterosexuality or something. High school senior Cameron Hayes gets coerced into going to the prom with a girl, even though he'd rather be with his boyfriend... -
![Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab]()
Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSusannah Ramos has always loved the water. A swimmer whose early talent made her a world champion, Susannah was poised for greatness in a sport that demands so much of its young...Categorized as:
realistic friendship friends-to-lovers high-school lgbtq coming-of-age romance young-adult -
![A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy]()
A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“Will make your heart pound — anxiously, joyfully, triumphantly.” — New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle Readers will happily dive into this emotionally grounded, contemporary young adult novel about the sudden end of one girl’s Olympic swimming dreams and the struggles she endures before realizing there are many things that express who we are...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age friendship romance young-adult sports contemporary -
![When You Don't See Me by Timothy James Beck]()
When You Don't See Me by Timothy James Beck
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing Invisible Is Nick Dunill's M.O. For nineteen years, he's been "the one who disappears" to his disapproving, Midwestern family. And now in New York City, a metropolis of anonymity built on not making eye contact, he feels right at home...
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