While the plot of this book is interesting, it’s overall twist is never explained. It’s kitschy pop culture references come off as desperate attempts to reel in younger millennials/gen z readers and as someone in that age range, I found them to cringe worthy. While the book attempts to be diverse by having most of the characters be different ethnicities, they’re almost caricatures of the ethnicities they’re meant to represent. It seemed as if they were just there to check off diversity boxes.

This book was not what I was expecting at all, but I really enjoyed it! It was fun a fun book filled with pop culture references, quirkiness, friendship and amazing characters.

I loved the friendships in this book and all the characters. Jane and August were amazing, and I absolutely loved them together. Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved seeing their relationship blossom and grow as time went on. The author did a great job at writing this book, so that it felt like we were there with them. I also enjoyed the mystery element to this book, it kept me intrigued with what was going to happen. I recommend checking this book out!

This book has a very different vibe than Red, White, and Royal Blue. It’s less bubblegum romance and more “Perks of Being a Wallflower” or “Looking for Alaska.” August moves to NYC for college and finds herself among a bunch of kooky; offbeat characters….including a cute girl on her subway commute.

Add in snippets from Missed Connections ads and the Village Voice, and it’s a love letter to finding yourself in the Big Apple.

I’m kind of lukewarm overall because the shift in style is not really my reading preference, but I can definitely see McQuiston’s growth as a writer and know others will enjoy the new book.

August is a young woman who knows how to deal with mysteries; after all, she’s been helping her mother search for her long lost uncle for as long as she can remember. When August moves to New York after years of aimless wandering, she finds a home, a family, and a purpose. She also finds a girl. On the subway. A mysterious, tough, beautiful enigmatic girl named Jane.

And that’s where the story stopped working for me. I never felt the chemistry between August and Jane. I didn’t feel any “there there” with Jane, and maybe that’s a product of her situation (for much of the novel she doesn’t remember a lot about herself). I did love all the secondary characters, and I was much more vested in the secondary plots -- What happened to August’s uncle? Can the gang save their beloved diner? Will August’s reclusive roommate ever profess his love for the drag queen across the hall? -- than in August and Jane’s relationship.

All that aside, One Last Stop was an enjoyable read filled to bursting with friendship, food, and New York city, but if I want a romance that sparks, I will reread Red, White, and Royal Blue (which I confess to having done several times already) -- because I didn’t get that from this book. Still, I’m looking forward to to McQuiston’s next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I loved the LGBT theme and community in its representation and recognization of the community as a whole. I loved the characters, the plot, and when I finished this story, I was left with a giant smile on my face.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for an advanced e-ARC of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

New York.

A place where someone can go to disappear into the sea of humanity. A place that is gritty and real and about as far away as August Landry can get from her mother. Growing up in the shadow of her missing uncle's memory, August longs to find a place where she can simply be August. She isn't looking for love. She isn't looking for home. She's simply looking for a way to survive while attending Brooklyn College. She finds an apartment (filled with roommates but hey, that's New York). A job (waiting tables, but it pays the bills and keeps her fed). And the best subway route to and from school.

What sensible, practical August certainly doesn't expect to find is a woman who makes her pulse race and breath catch.

But that's exactly what she finds in the mysterious, seductive, kind, and generous butch-ish lesbian girl on the train. Jane. Jane who is always there whenever August gets on the train. Jane who avoids questions about herself. Jane, who's there with a laugh, or a band-aid, or a laugh after a tough time. Day after day. Train ride after train ride, August finds herself falling for Jane.

But when August sees a picture from 1976 with Jane in it. She's suddently catapulted into a mystery. Is Jane a ghost? A memory? Time displaced? And what's more... how can August help her. And will helping Jane mean breaking August's heart.

---

I did not know how much I needed this book until I read it. It was everything my queer bisexual self needed. One Last Stop features some of my favorite tropes: found family, love in the big city, quantum physics. You know... the fun stuff! The book is like a love letter to New York and in particular Queer New York. From Drag Queens to transgender bad bartenders (who also happens to be psychic) to adorably gruff gays to pansexual teddy bears. This book is filled with so much queer representation that it just made my heart sing... and also feels true to the NYC and the queer community that I know.

But this book isn't a book about coming out. It's a book about love. And about the power of love. Not just romantic love, but also the love of friends, and community. The love of a place and the love of a time. The romance drives and informs the plot, but it's not the only thing going on. There's a lot of journey of self-discovery in this... but this isn't a coming out story. It's a story of finding oneself when one is lost... and all the different ways that means.

August is such a complex character. Not always likeable, but she's still filled with redeeming qualities. She's guarded... closed off... but with good reason. She's skeptical of people... also with good reasons. But at the same time she's kind, she cares, and she's resourceful. Watching her open herself up is a lovely journey.

Jane is an enigma... which is the point. Asian, butch, punk, lesbian. She's got a lot of experience, but there's also something naive about her too. She's a puzzle. But she's also solidly there. She affects so many people with her presence -- as seen in little articles/posts/etc that often begin chapters.

And this isn't just a lesbian romance. It's a queer romance. A bisexual romance. What's more, August's bisexuality doesn't go away when she enters a relationship. She's still as bi as she was before she started dating -- which speaking as a bisexual myself this is true to life. Bisexual erasure is a thing. Bisexual people often aren't accepted in either the gay or straight community. Seeing it here meant a lot to me. I felt seen.

Honestly, this book is lovely and everyone needs to read it.

Five Stars

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley

NetGalley provided me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am an employee for Indigo Canada- all opinions are my own and do not reflect the company.

One Last Stop will be a book that I will continue to think of for years to come and I will hold very close to my heart.

This story has so many beautiful aspects, a mystery, a romance, a wholesome found family and so much more. The part that stood out the most to me was how much I could relate to the main character Augusts internal dialogue in regards to her being bisexual. So much of her thoughts and feelings matched mine. Finally seeing this makes me hope that others will also find comfort in Casey’s writing.

While the romance is the main drive of the story, the plot kept me entranced throughout. The story is definitely character driven, which made the pacing of the story on the slightly slower side; However, I personally liked this pace as it allowed you to get to watch the characters grow as people in more detail.

The only negative side to this book that I experienced is how much PDA there is. Under the circumstances of the story this was necessary for the romance to progress however it took a little getting used to. This is only because of personal preference but once I pushed this to the side and forgot about their location I was able to enjoy the romance as much as any other book.

This book is so different from their first novel Red White and Royal Blue which to me shows the incredible writing skill Casey has. While this book was not as light and comedic, it allowed them to explore more serious emotions and dive into more complex character building. I personally can’t compare the two further than this because they stand apart so beautifully. These books have both won over my heart in their own right.

Overall I am forever thankful to Casey McQuiston for writing this book. It gave me such comfort within myself and left me with warm beautiful emotions that I will forever cherish.

They truly knocked it out of the park on this one!

It’s such an amazing queer love story that shows that love can be a time, place, and person. From found families to drag queens to trans stories this book truly explores the beauty and importance of queer love.

Cannot recommend this story enough.

I didn't blaze though this one like I did Red, White and Royal Blue, but I still really enjoyed it. I love the concept and the merry band of misfits - the characters really made this book shine. Can't wait for more from Casey McQuiston!

After I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue SO much, I was so curious to see how Casey McQuiston would follow it up. One Last Stop was definitely different, but had so many of the things I loved most about RWRB—swoony love story, hilarious and super clever writing, an amazing ensemble cast. I loved it!! I think this one’s going to take the book world by storm as much as McQuiston’s debut. It was unlike any contemporary romance I’ve read, with the time travel element that I wasn’t sure I’d get into, but it was done so accessibly that I had no trouble buying it. I loved August and Jane and all their adventures and goofy friends, as well as the depth and emotion in their individual journeys and their journey as a couple. It was a beautiful love story, and made me really itch to take a trip to New York!

I fell in love with Red, White & Royal Blue and instantly swore I'd read anything Casey ever releases and I was so excited to see this one! Absolutely loved it--she has a way of ripping my emotions straight from my chest and ahh...I just love it! Even when I'm crying 😂

After finishing Red White and Royal Blue, I have been waiting anxiously for Casey McQuiston's next book and it definitely didn't disappoint. One Last Stop is a lovely story about a young woman living in New York with her eccentric roommates and her time travelling girlfriend and it was perfect. I loved the humor of this book, very much like RW&RB this book had funny one-liners and hilarious situations. Loved it very much.

I was so excited to read One Last Stop after absolutely LOVING Casey McQuiston's phenomenal debut, Red, White, and Royal Blue. However, I was quite disappointed in this sophomore slump book. I really liked the plot idea and the inclusion of queer romance and magical realism. I thought the story was too long and drawn out for so much of it. Definitely an interesting idea, but the execution just wasn't there for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston is what I needed in a magical realism f/f romance. I, like many people, LOVE Red White and Royal Blue, and was worried I would be constantly comparing. Not the case. This book holds up so well on it’s own. For me, it had a slower start and took about 25% of the way in to feel fully invested, but past that point the book flew by!

One of McQuiston’s strongest points is writing found families. The ensemble in this book was incredible and I want to be friends with all of August’s roommates, coworkers, and neighbors. I wish we had gotten even more backstory on every one of them and seen more of them, but a book can only be so long.

One critique I have is that the romance between Jane and August came on so quickly with not much depth. I think there are definitely questions I still don’t have answers for, but I don’t need them to enjoy the story or the romance. I wish there had been more discussion of Jane’s past and how she processes it, but again, it didn’t detract from the overall story for me. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could tell from the first chapters of this book that McQuiston has leveled up as a writer since Red, White, and Royal Blue, which I loved, but will acknowledge that it did work out awfully neatly. One Last Stop feels richer and more complex, and I sank into it for an entire day, and dreaded every task or distraction that forced me to put it down.

August has few options when she answers an ad offering 1 room in a 3br apartment, occupied by Niko and Myla, a couple, and slightly enigmatic 3rd roommate Wes -- and so she takes the room, especially when her roommates can help her get a job that'll pay the rent. She needs it, after all -- this is her best shot at finding a bit of distance and stability from her mother, who loves her, but is more than a little obsessed with a long-standing quest for a missing relative. For August, this is a fresh start, a chance for space, and to think about what she wants, who she is, who she might love... all things that she's barely taken time to consider. And as she begins to contemplate what her life might look like, she encounters a random but extremely crushworthy woman who gives her a scarf after a coffee spill, and who always seems to be on the same subway car at the exact same point in time.

'One Last Stop' has been billed as a modern-day 'Kate and Leopold', and it is that, and I loved everything about Jane and August's story, but this book is so much more than that. It's as much about August growing up in new ways, and about life in New York, and the family she finds with Niko and Myla and Wes and Isaiah, as well as her relationship to her mother and her biological family. It's about the choices that we make, and the risks we choose, because even though they're risky, the alternatives would be unthinkable. This book has diners, and brunch, and bodegas, and sculpture, and incredible music, and as if that weren't enough, it has a heist, and subway geekery, and, gods, I can't wait for everyone to be able to read it. A very strong contender for my favorite book of 2021.

The rep, the Popeyes, the meet cute! I loved every single moment of this. Definitely would recommend!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

McQuiston's writing is just phenomenal. I fell in love with her writing, as most people did, I'm sure, when Red, White, and Royal Blue was released. She writes her characters really well and makes her settings so vivid. I enjoyed this book, but I did think it moved slow in parts, especially the middle chunk. It's hard to write a captivating story when one character is stuck in one place for almost the entire book, but McQuiston did manage to make it varied. Still, I thought the plot dragged a bit, and it took me a week or two longer to finish this than it normally would.

Sooo happy that One Last Stop met my expectations after falling so hard for RWRB by Casey McQuiston. This is a f/f love story featuring many characters in the LGBTQ+ spectrum. There are aspects of found family which I enjoyed. The humor was so good and on point to the 20-30 somethings of today. The speculative/ paranormal elements to this story added to the narrative rather than detracting from it. If you love gays winning, ghosts, and drag queens.....put this on your TBR immediately. *ARC provided by NetGalley for review.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Rating: 8/10
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥/4
Narrator: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
Publisher: Macmillan Audio / St. Martin’s Griffin

One Last Stop is not a typically contemporary romance. It’s more of a paranormal romance; regardless, I loved it! This is an unconventional, intelligent, refreshing, and original story set in New York City with many historical references and LGBTQIA+ pride. August meets Jane on the subway, and instantly August begins to fall for Jane. After many highlights of seeing Jane on the subway, August realizes Jane is actually displaced from the 1970s. Soon August discovers she needs to work with her friends, releasing Jane from the time trap if she can. All of the characters in this book were well developed and enjoyable. I didn’t want this story to end! The narration was excellent. I would highly recommend this version of the book.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and LibroFM, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is inventive and full of characters that are different from the norm, strange, endearing, and ultimately loveable. There is representation of all sorts, a strong "found family" theme, and elements of time travel and magical realism. Perhaps this book is not for everyone, but Casey McQuiston is definitely an author to watch.