One Last Stop was an interesting concept and one that I have definitely not read before. I devoured McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue when it released and while this one didn't draw me in quite the way that one did, it was well written.

August has just moved to New York City to attend college. As she's getting settled in, she finds a home with a random group of people, Myla, Wes and Niko, who become her found family. She's got a Nancy Drew like streak in her that she learned from her Mom throughout her life. She meets Jane on the Q train during her commute to school and she realizes that Jane is literally displaced in time from the 1970's. It becomes the focus of August and her friends to free Jane from the train, whatever that means either going back in time or staying in the present.

While I didn't love the time travel part of the story, I loved the variety of characters, their varying backgrounds and all of the different quirks. While this wasn't exactly what I was expecting, I'll definitely look for whatever Casey McQuiston releases next.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
4.5 out of 5
Release Date 6/1/21


August Landry is new to New York City, and after countless moves and life changes, has given up on anywhere (or anyone) ever feeling like home. Her mom’s obsession with finding her missing brother has made it impossible to become attached to anything but deep diving through personal records. But when August stumbles upon Jane during her morning commute on the Q train, the one-sided meet cute turns into a chain of events that changes August’s life forever.

I think the one phrase that sums up my time with this book is “pleasantly surprised,” and not because I was surprised to like it, but the plot itself was totally not what I was expecting with this book. For those of you trying to not read any spoilers or synopsis bits (like I was), I’ll just say that I was not expecting the tiniest bit of science fiction in this (but completely required for the main plot). Aside from that, the relationships are of course the best part of this story, and are so well-written that it makes me nostalgic for a life I never even had.

The only reason this book is not getting a full 5 stars is because I just didn’t quite feel the all-encompassing passion that I felt when reading Red, White, & Royal Blue. I can’t quite pinpoint what it was that didn’t push it all the way to a five star, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t insanely enjoyable - just maybe not quite “un-putdown-able” as RW&RB. Regardless of that - go buy this book! Heartwarming and enjoyable to the end, it’s a perfect weekend rom-com read for the summer.

This book was so painfully slow that I finally just gave up on it and stopped reading around 50%. Maybe I'm just not a reader who connects with this author. I found her other book (RW&RB) to be overly frenetic in its pacing.

Her characters in this book are likable, but the pace was just way off for me.

I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book sucked me right in and gripped me, and I found it hard to stop reading because I needed to know what would happen next. There's a bit of unnecessary third act drama, and I couldn't keep Wes and Niko straight in my head for half the time.

I love the casual diversity in this book. As a plus sized cis bi white woman, I can't really speak to how well the rep is written or if there are any problematic issues with it. Nothing jumped out at me as cringey, which I hope is because it's written well and not because my vision is too narrow. I can say that I love the casual descriptors that code August as plus-sized without her weight ever being a problem or her feeling like she needs to lose weight. How refreshing! And then August's roommates and coworkers are just this bright rainbow of wacky diversity, and it's great.

I am IN LOVE with Jane. *swoon* I love the chemistry between Jane and August, it's GLORIOUS. It's also really cool how they teach each other about the different viewpoints and events and media of their times. This book is like a love song to the 70's, breakfast foods, and found family.

I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, and it was quite an enjoyable ride. Her voice is pleasant and the pacing is good. The only thing that annoyed me is apparently August is southern and the narrator is very NOT, so every time August said "y'all" it had a very jarring effect and pulled me right out of the story. Besides that, though, I loved how she gave everyone their own distinct voice, and I felt like she was really spot on with how I expected Jane to sound.

What do I say about this book? I’ve slowly been reading it over a couple months. Overall, I enjoyed it. There were moments it dragged. That’s when I would put it down and come back to it later. It didn’t take very long for me to realize this is a book that you just don’t know what is going to happen next. I did like that it was different. This book is full of interesting characters that I would love to meet and be friends with. It’s definitely an unexpected adventure that I’m glad I went on.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

August is naturally skeptical and basically a recovering child-sleuth. When she arrives in New York, she meets Jane on the subway and it turns out that Jane is quite literally displaced in time from the 1970's and can't actually get off the Q train. August and her new roommates set out to send Jane back in time or figure out a way to keep her in their own timeline.

This was... not what I expected. I guess I hadn't read the synopsis as thoroughly as I should have. I did enjoy it, but it was not a pull-you-in binge read like Red White & Royal Blue was.

I'm obsessed with August's roommates and wouldn't mind reading more about them - especially Niko and Wes. I love a found family and this was the perfect little group of random roommates.

Honestly, I could have done without the time slip plotline. I think Jane and August complemented each other but I just was not into the sci-fi adjacent plot. Maybe because I wasn't expecting it, but what can you do.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

First off I love this community for opportunities like this to read ARC!

Casey McQuiston is one of my favorite authors, I absolutely loved Red, White & Royal Blue so I was stoked to get the chance to read her new book!

One thing I wish I knew going into the book is that it is a FANTASY. Fantasy is not really my thing BUT I did really enjoy this story. One Last Stop follows August who just moved to NYC and meets Jane (her crush) on the subway. Jane is fun, mysterious, and has a 70s vibe. Why the 70s vibe… because she is straight out of the 70s and displaced in the current day!

All I can say is if you liked The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Red, White & Royal Blue you will like this!

Thank you net galley and Casey Mcquiston for giving me the opportunity to read and review One Last Stop in exchange for an honest review!

Run! Don’t Walk to Your Bookstore on June 1!

Waitress August is working her way through college, living in a tiny apartment with three roommates. During her morning commute to school, she meets a captivating young woman on the subway. They strike up a friendship, and August soon realizes Jane isn't what she appears to be. Can Jane escape the time slip she seems to be caught in—and can August bear to let go of the woman who's won her heart?

This book is about as different from RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE as it can be. It's an emotional and intricately woven story with unique and interesting characters. If you like magical realism and a joyous celebration of diversity, this book is for you.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Review goes live 5/28/2021 @ 8am EST

THE 411...

I will preface this review with first asking that you read this book when it hits the shelves next Tuesday June 1st! That it just so happens to be the very first day of Pride month makes this pure PERFECTION! This is a SUPER SEXY, Queer, time-slip Contemporary Romance filled with all the found family feels and New York City History. Specifically the history of the Queer community and the challenges they faced as well as the many strides made leading up to present day. We meet twenty-three year old August who is quite cynical and doesn't believe in much. She's spent most of her life assisting her mom in trying to crack a missing persons case and decides it's time for a change. Moving into a New York City apartment with three other queer roommates and working the night shift at a 24 hour pancake diner fast track August on becoming a true New Yorker. Always on the go. The chances of meeting the same girl on the Q train every day at the same exact time seem almost too good to be true. Yet there Jane is, on the exact morning that August is having a bad start to her day offering her a red scarf to help cover up a coffee stain. Jane, a Chinese Lesbian wearing a leather jacket with 70's pins. She's cool and laid back yet charming, sexy and mysterious AF! August CANNOT get her off her mind and thus begins her every morning routine ensuring she gets on the same car train at the exact hour of their first meet. This is NOT for the feint of heart Book Lovers! *turns mini desk fan on* 

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

I've been waiting to find a 6 star read this year and it being days away from June, I was breaking a sweat thinking it just wasn't going to happen. This book changed that and I'll be the first to admit I wasn't expecting it to. Although I enjoyed McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue I didn't exactly claim it as a favorite in 2019. One Last Stop however, was the EXACT level of romance, steam, and comedy that I crave whenever I pop into the Contemporary genre. This was also a love letter to NYC, the city I was born and raised in and was able to visualize while riding the Q train with these characters. I'll also never tire of the found family trope because it's one that I can relate to personally with my own group of life long queer besties. The side characters were also center stage and I loved this so much! they were each so deeply fleshed out and just what August needed as a welcoming committee to the city of NY. She's a Bisexual 23 year old paving her own way in life and that can be quite scary to do alone...except she doesn't have to do it alone. She has Niko, the Trans Psychic Latino who read her aura and pretty much decided she had a home with them from the minute they met. Myla, a queer electrical engineer/artist who has habit of inventing weird in-home games that often take a turn for the worse. Wes, a queer Jewish tattoo artist who is in love with their neighbor but can't muster up the courage to act on it. We get it all in this book! NYC, one hot steamy romance, time jumps to the 70's, pancake goodness and drag queens my luvs! I can go on for days but part of the fun is getting to know these characters and falling in love with each and every one of them. I'm ready for whatever McQuiston writes next! <3

P.S. for those thinking of giving the audiobook a go, I'd highly recommend it! the narrator was on point and I have a referral link to Librofm if you find that you're interested <3's!

Queer Rom-Com and Time travel? Yes. All that, with trains and pancakes too. If you loved Red, White, and Royal Blue- you are going to love August and Jane's story. I am a sucker for found family and really I have zero complaints. I want to gift this book to many people so we can gush about it together.

When August Landry moves to NYC, it’s to remain anonymous and finish school - not to discover a perfect found family and certainly not to fall in love. And yet, August finds herself in apartment with people who care about her and crushing on a girl on the Q train. Little does she know that Subway Girl, aka Jane, is unstuck from time, and stuck on the train. Weaving together 1970s LGBT history and a memorable ensemble cast, McQuiston adds a delightful narrative to the New York City story canon. This book is so full of warmth and love in all its forms, and it’s my favorite kind of romance novel: the rest of the story is just as engaging as the romance itself. I also had no idea how this book was going to end, which is a real treat in a romance. There is such wonderful representation in this book too, including bi, lesbian, gay, trans, Asian American, Black, Latinx, and more. Plus, drag queens galore.

Ok this book is amazing ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love all the characters definitely loved the concept and the idea, Jane & august are 😍❤️ I love them so much. Everything about this book is mind blowing and really interesting I love how Casey handle some topics and is amazing how you can feel all the emotions of the characters. I definitely will be re reading this book as much as RWARB. Preorder this book you will not regret it!

I enjoyed Red White & Royal Blue, so that's why I requested this one, but it was a very slow read and felt like it was just too long. Big chunks could have been cut out of this book to pace it out better and make it more enjoyable. There's a lot of the same humor that I enjoyed from RW&RB, but there was a spark missing. The build up of the relationship in RW&RB was much better than in this book, I didn't feel the connection as well with this one. Overall, it was just okay for me.

If you do ONE thing this summer, make it be picking up this lgbtq romance from Casey McQuiston. This book swept me off my feet from page one and I am STILL not on the ground. I got lovey dovey butterflies reading Alex and Jane's romance and pitfalls. Summer love? Nah. Forever love is Alex's mission here. In the follow up to Red White and Royal Blue Casey McQuiston stuns readers again. Relatable characters, background that gave me flashbacks to subways of yore and banter that gave me the giggles. The supporting cast is hilarious and I am wanting a story just on Niko and Myla. They compliment Alex beautifully and could be written straight out of How I Met Your Mother.
Pick this book up June 1st and relish in Alex and Jane's trials. Be a Nancy Drew with Alex and a mysterious train rider with Jane. Trust me, it'll be a ride you won't forget. 💕

I loved Red, White & Royal Blue, so I was super excited to get my hands on this book! Unfortunately it just didn’t do it for me. It was sooo long. I ended up skimming a lot. I think the science/supernatural aspect really threw me. I just didn’t like it. And I wasn’t invested in the relationship either. The side characters were the best part of the book for me. I’m sure others will love this book, but not me.

I absolutely loved Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston so when this title showed up on Netgalley, I had to jump on it. I didn't even read the description so I went in completely blind.

When August moves to New York she knows no one and has no money. On her daily commute to school she starts to notice a girl on the subway. Over time the two start talking and suddenly this girl is the only thing August looks forward to. I don't want to give too much away with the plot as it was fun to explore the mystery of "train girl" along with the rest of them, but this book did not go where I was expecting it and it was a very pleasant surprise.

What I love about McQuiston's books is the quirkiness of her characters and how vivid the world is. Everything is so alive and yes, this takes place in New York which is a character in it's own right, but there's just something about her writing that makes everything seem new and bright. The characters were all their own - all very different but yet a family that I just wanted to be part of. I honestly was more interested in the friendship dynamics than the romance because I just love the idea of finding a family where you belong. The saying that "friends are the family you choose" definitely fit this book to a T.

Overall, I didn't love this one as much as Red, White & Royal Blue but it was still very good and I enjoyed spending time with these characters.

What is better than perfection? This, this book!

August is new in NYC and it starting over once again, something she’s done her whole adult life. Jane is the perfectly imperfect stranger August meets on the Q train and ends up falling in love with while also finally finding her place in the world.

There is literally nothing I don’t love about this book. From the meet cute, to the chemistry, to the mystery, to the representation, to the discussion of sex and virginity, to the emotion, to the social commentary every thing is as perfect as August’s and Jane’s moments on the train.

Normally I would say I can’t wait to read Casey McQuiston’s next book but if only getting one book every other year means they are as beyond perfect as Red, White and Royal Blue and One Last Stop then I can’t absolutely wait.

I listened to the audio of this one and the narration was as divine as the story.

I received a complimentary review copy of the book and audiobook but all opinions are my own.

I deeply struggled with this book. Overall I felt bored reading it. Without giving too much away, there is a supernatural element to this story that I did not connect with at all. In the end, I gave up around 50% of the way through.

I just had such high hopes for this book since I adored Red, White, and Royal Blue. However, it just did not live up to them. This was a slow read at times and so I was unable to get really pulled into the romance. I would still recommend the book though.

I was unable to put this book down. One Last Stop is everything I have always wanted to read in a novel, and McQuiston's style is endlessly engaging, with compelling characters and a magic-tinged plot that held my heart gently in its grasp.

One Last Stop focuses on the life of August, a bisexual student-turned-waitress, and Jane, the mysterious butch stranger she meets one day on the Q. There is also a wonderful supporting cast composed of August's roommates and their love interests. When it comes to light that Jane has been stuck on the Q for a very, very long time, August makes it her mission to help her go back to her own time. I also liked the way the book dealt with the political issues of both the 1970s and the 2020s, with Jane talking about activism, punk shows, and cops, and August talking about gentrification, LGBT issues, and... cops.

On a more personal note, as a femme lesbian in a relationship with a butch lesbian, reading this book was an intensely emotional experience for me. I've never read a book with such an unapologetically butch love interest before, and the word butch is even used on the page. It meant a lot to me, and it's now one of my favorite books.

Also, Jane Su is the butch heartthrob the book community needed, and I can't wait to see all the fanart!