One Last Stop is at its core a story of found family. It was such a delightful read and will appeal to readers of both contemporary romcoms, as well as those who love a little magic or sci-fi! I was absolutely obsessed with the side characters and found August to be such a relief of a character. She is firmly in that “new adult” range, trying to find her place in the world with the impending end of her schooling. New York City felt so authentic, as did the 24-hour pancake diner and the amazingly well-crafted characters. The mystery behind it all kept me guessing the whole way through and was so well tied up by the end. Also I dare you to NOT fall in love with Jane, August, and the whole crew. HIGHLY recommend.

Quirky, cute & charming. Everything you need in a book. Casey McQuiston outperformed herself with the writing of this book. I could not put it down! All of the eccentric characters were well developed, I absolutely devoured this! Thank you so much for my advanced copy,

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Casey McQuiston for providing a digital galley in exchange for a review.

In Casey McQuiston’s new book One Last Stop, bisexual August has just moved to New York City and is settling into a new apartment with new roommates, a new job as a waitress in a 24-hour pancake diner, a new college, and a daily subway commute with a cute girl who always seems to be on the same train. No matter when August catches the Q line, there, improbably, is Jane, a gorgeous, friendly Chinese-American woman who makes catching the subway the highlight of August’s day. But August’s subway crush becomes more complicated than simply figuring out whether Jane is interested when she realizes that Jane’s old school taste in music, the fact that she always seems to be wearing the same thing, and the way she never leaves the subway car are more than just quirks – Jane has been displaced in time from the 1970s, lost all her memories, and can’t physically leave the Q line. As August tries to track down clues from Jane’s life, help her recover her memories, and free her from the subway, their growing feelings and a looming deadline complicate August’s motivations until she doesn’t know whether she’ll be able send Jane back to her own time and move on without her.

I sincerely loved the premise of this book and I have been excitedly waiting for it to come out since I first heard a description of it. I actually held off on starting it for at least a week after I was approved for the galley because I was worried I had built it up to much and it wouldn’t hold up to my expectations. If anything, it exceeded them. McQuiston has a talent for bringing characters to vivid life and, as fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue might expect, the banter in this book is top notch. Even the side characters feel like real people you will want to get to know. On top of that, August is a fantastic protagonist. She’s prickly and suspicious, carrying a lot of baggage from a childhood spent as her mother’s sidekick in pursuing a missing persons case, and watching her slowly build relationships (both romantic and platonic) is incredibly emotionally satisfying. I also just love McQuiston’s writing. Frequently I would find a line that hit me so strongly I had to stop, reread it a few times, take a picture of the line, and then remember that this is an ARC and I can’t use the photo to convince anyone to read the book yet because it isn’t out. So consider this review a continuation of that urge - go read this book!

In a letter at the beginning of the galley, McQuiston describes the story as about “being broke and lost in your twenties, finding family in more ways than one, and queer communities past and present,” and that really comes through. Although this is a romantic comedy, it’s just as much about August finding her place and figuring out who she wants to be and the life she wants to have, in the middle of a found family of queer characters, and the history Jane brings in of queer communities in the 70s, as it is about whether or not Jane and August will get together. I have a special place in my heart for found-family stories and this one is perfection. For those curious about the time-displacement element of the plot, it works best when you don’t examine it too closely. It’s explained in a way that makes just enough sense to keep the story moving, but the novel isn’t really here to tell a hard time travel story. The time-displacement is there to serve the romance plot, bring Jane and August together, and add the tension of August needing to help Jane get back to her own time, but wanting her to stay in the present so they can be together. There’s also a great subplot of August working with her found family of roommates, neighbors, and coworkers to fight gentrification and save the diner where she works from being bought out by a developer. The end felt a little rushed, in that I kept looking at the remaining page count and worrying about how it could possibly wrap up all the plot lines still in the air at that point, but it did so admirably. In general, this novel makes you want to hug the characters and spend more time with them and without giving any spoilers, I was very happy with the ending. I can’t wait for it to come out so I can start shoving it at everyone I can convince to read it.

I give it a 4.5 of 5 stars! Readers be warned - this started off slow for me in the first quarter of the book, but once we hit the big plot hook (no spoilers), I was enthralled. The realistic, modern novel took on a magical, fantastical air and I needed to know what happened next. The twists and turns were great fun, and the characters were all vibrant and real. There were a handful of moments that made me raise an eyebrow, such as a certain line that was VERY similar to a famous John Green book quote, but overall, this read was great fun. I actually enjoyed it better than Red, White, and Royal Blue, by a decent margin! Knowing how popular that read was, I hope all who enjoyed it will pick up this one next.

Casey McQuiston has done it again in this spectacular f/f romance set in New York City. Equal parts LGBTQ+ history and love affair with the atmosphere of the big city, this novel extends far beyond a simple romance, though that's not to say that this romance wasn't one that will stay in my heart for a long time. August and Jane are a force to be reckoned with as a couple, but on their own, they're each so powerful in the ways in which they have overcome so much to get to where they are. I will definitely be recommending this to any customer looking for their next favourite read!

One Last Stop was one of my highly anticipated reads. I loved Red, White and Royal Blue for a so many reasons. It was a gem. In my opinion, this book was not a success. I couldn't connect with characters and the storyline was disconnected. I love a bit of fantasy in books, but this just didn't work for me.

One Last Stop is a heart warming story featuring a touch of magical, a quirky cast of lovable characters who grow into a found family and a love story that is as much about two women as it is about the progress and hopeful future of queer culture. I loved this book from start to finish.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and it did not disappoint. Queer, romantic, paranormal, and mystery weave a truly unforgettable story. These characters warmed my heart and I hope you take the jump and read this book.

McQuiston said this is the "weird, fun, horny project of [their] heart" and it definitely was. There was so much to enjoy and celebrate about this book. These characters deserve their depictions and page time and I hope others see themselves represented, however, ONE LAST STOP stumbled for me because of the weird factor. There were too may quirky traits (I'm of the less is more type) and the bit of sci-fi didn't work for me either. McQuiston has a lot going on.

ONE LAST STOP just wasn't for me, but I know it will resonate with other readers. That being said I love love loved RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE and will definitely pick up their next book.

Sometimes, you just need fluff. Like "Red, White and Royal Blue", this story, while so improbably, is just so charming and delightfully fun to read. It's like peeking into a universe that should be. People should be charming, true love should conquer all, drag queens should have enough pull to save pancake houses, and so on. This is what more romantic comedies need to be--not "they argue so much because they're IN LOVE" or "what a wacky misunderstanding!" but people who genuinely like each other who have to overcome ridiculous circumstances and still get a happily ever after.

Fluff.

We need more fluff.

5 stars! How was this SO GOOD?

I don't want to spoil anything. Just... read it. Casey McQuiston has once again written a book that makes me feel like anything is possible. This is like a positive and hopeful episode of the Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, where a girl who is feeling a little lost in life meets a girl from the 1970s who is stuck on this modern subway and doesn't know why. The plot unfolds itself deliberately, and beautifully. Their connection is touching, gripping, and I am 100% here for it.

Representation left and right, backstories that make you want to cry, passages that make you long to aimlessly ride on a train in New York. The "OH MY GOD JUST TELL ME IF THIS IS A DATE" scene made me laugh out loud and that ending made me put the book down and to lay out in the sun to absorb everything. The growth of the characters was believable and inspiring.

I loved this book!

If you like - found families, mysteries, kissing for "research purposes," medium burn romance, introspection, pancakes, music, drag queens, tattoos, "I love you"s that burn in your eyes like onions, excessively taking notes, or any of the above, go read this book.

5/5

The Q train is a place and a person, and for August Landry it’s proof that there is a bit of magic left in the world. Moving to New York City at twenty-three was supposed to prove to her the exact opposite, that the world is indeed just as cynical as she expected; but with a weird new group of roommates, her new job at a 24-hour pancake diner, and the gorgeous stranger who keeps magically reappearing on her morning commute, August is far from being proven right. Subway girl is Jane, and Jane is everything August could possibly want. There’s just one problem: Jane is not just some girl swept up in the nostalgia of old school rock, she’s literally been stuck on the subway since 1970. Having been confronted with the impossible, August is more than ready to help Jane get off the train, but doing so means returning to a past she promised would stay buried. Something that may be precisely what she needs in order to find a future worth believing in.

One Last Stop is marvelous, full of all the wit and charm that McQuiston brought to their first debut Red, White & Royal Blue. This book could be pitched as Nancy Drew meets a time travel romantic comedy, which are two things I never expected to be mashed together in a contemporary novel. When it comes to Casey McQuiston however, I have learned to expect the unexpected. Their previous book is proof of that. In her sophomore novel, McQuiston crafts a heartwarming testament to the queer community, wrapped up in 70’s nostalgia and breakfast food. The characters shine through in the same way that those in Red, White & Royal Blue did, yet there is a realness to the space in which they occupy that is wholly different. Set in the backdrop of New York City, this story brings together a diverse group of people, creating one of the most wholesome queer found family’s I have read in a long time. Though most of the plot deals with August and her quest to save Jane from the subway, there is a lot going on in the background with the side characters and their own lives. I can again report that I have formed an unhealthy attachment to certain characters that aren't the core focus of a novel (Nora Holleran and Wes I am looking at you). There is just something about the way that McQuiston writes her characters, how genuine each of them comes across on the page, and how I begin to feel for every single one without fail. The variety of relationships portrayed in this novel make it shine even more so. Casey McQuiston is clearly becoming a force to be reckoned with in new adult romance, an author I know I can rely on for impactful queer stories. I'll never stop being grateful for everything they have done, present and future. This book is straight up magic, a love letter to beginnings, endings, and finding your path by way of the past.

Trigger warnings: racism, hate crimes, homophobia, anxiety, death of a loved one, blood

One Last Stop was captivating and delightful; it was everything I hoped it would be. I felt so lucky to receive an ARC! As soon as August met Jane on the subway, I literally couldn’t put the book down and read it in two sittings. I found myself deeply curious about the mystery of why Jane cannot leave the subway, the lives of August’s many roommates, and of course the magical love story at the heart of it all.

I don’t know how McQuiston has managed to pen experiences and emotions that feel so specific yet relatable. The witty banter and references were scarily accurate! They perfectly capture the sense of being young in a big city and finding a chosen family, while reaching for impossible love. The supporting cast creates a fantastic sense of community and acceptance. Readers will find themselves drawn into a wonderful LGBTQ+ family along with August.

One Last Stop is the type of book that will constantly occupy your thoughts when you aren’t reading it. This book steams with the warmth of summer, fragrant sweet pancakes, and hungry kisses in the dark. I highlighted so many quotes! All the truths and jokes combine into a beautiful and compelling prose. Against a sunset-drenched skyline, McQuiston brings the heat and longing of an unlikely love to a scorching crescendo.

August and Jane quickly stole my heart and I can’t emphasize enough how much you won’t want to miss out on this love story! I highly recommend this book to everyone- especially anyone who’s ever wondered about a cute stranger on public transportation. One Last Stop releases June 1, 2021. Thank you so much to Casey McQuiston, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

I’ve been reading romance novels for almost 30 years, and this is a different kind of romance. There are a lot of layers to this book so even if you aren’t a typical romance reader I still think there’s enough here to keep you interested. The diversity representation is through the roof (Asian, Black, Latino, bi, queer, trans, pan - there’s maybe 1 white cishet person in the whole book). I love August’s roommates for how supportive and accepting they are. I particularly love Myla, she is so witty and funny. And she introduces August to Joy Division, one of my all-time favorite bands, and this wonderful passage “... and it starts to make sense. The music, and why it might mean so much to someone.” The chemistry between August and Jane is stellar! One of the few things I wasn’t a fan of in this book is actually the sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong, these are some of the best f/f sex scenes I’ve read in a book. But they focus much more on how August is feeling emotionally during the encounters, as opposed to how she’s feeling physically. They are written in a very poetic lyrical manner, and sometimes it was hard to tell what was even happening during the scene because it lacked descriptions of the physical acts. Other than this small complaint this is a really special book, and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

August thought she'd left her investigative work behind when she moved to New York, leaving her mother (and her mother's lifelong obsession with finding her missing brother) in Louisiana. But when August gets to know a mysterious hot lesbian on the subway and finds out there's something otherworldly about her, it takes August's whole new queer friend group to figure it out.

What a weird and wild and heartwarming ride! I went into this book without fully reading the publisher copy, and whew, was it full of surprises. August is such a refreshing protagonist, and her relationship with Jane is a delight. Casey McQuiston is truly the master of writing quirky, queer, lovable weirdos, and One Last Stop is full of them. This is quite a different story from Red, White & Royal Blue, but it draws you in just as quickly.

**ARC from the publisher/NetGalley**
◾This book is fantastic! I'm in love! This is entirely different from Red, White and Royal Blue, but also, it's the same vibe, the same amazingness.
◾Casey McQuiston is now an auto-buy AND auto-read right away, or rather in advance 😅 That's something!
◾So many queer characters!!!! And they're all so special and wonderful and interesting!
◾I also discovered I love reading about friends living together in an apartment. So fun!!!
◾The things she says, they're so crazy and silly and awesome and random, it's just plain beauty. I LIVE for the inner thoughts of her main characters.
◾The sex scenes in this book are just as freaking mouth watering as RWARB. Holy shit. Hot, sexy, thrilling, precise, just afsjdjfhsm.
◾The highlighting I did on my Kindle for this book was major 😂

OMG guys!!! This is definitely going to be on my top ten for 2021! I was lucky enough to read an ARC thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author. Casey McQuiston’s second book is a total home run! Unlike anything I’ve read before its like a smashup of Ghost/Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls/Frequency/ and Ocean’s Eleven and I loved every second. I don’t know what it is about this book that makes me think of movies and actors but in my head the two main characters, Jane and August are played by Samira Wiley and Patricia Hobart. The premise is a little far fetched - meeting a girl from the 70s who is stuck on the same NYC subway line (but don’t overthink things too much like how can Jane eat and never need to use the bathroom or how does she wear the same clothes for 45 YEARS - talk about needing fresh undies!). Reality aside, this book is full of LOVE in all its messy and beautiful forms - love of family you’re born into and the ones you make, love of friends who love you for who you are and first loves and all the hope and magic involved. There is an AMAZING cast of secondary characters in this book - a wide spectrum of positive LGBTQ2S+ people living their lives in their close knit Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush. I can’t recommend this book enough and I REALLY hope someone makes it into a movie! Do yourself a favour and definitely add this to your TBR or better yet pre-order it immediately. You will NOT be sorry!

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Ok after much thought and consideration...this is the best book i have read thus far in this year. it took me a while to read not because it was boring but because i did not want it to end but it did and i feel...emotions.

5 star read, lets get that out of the way. Not only did i connect to almost every character, but each character now holds a special place in my heart. This story may be a work of fiction but i don't think i have ever read anything more real. The romance? 10/10 The intricate plot? 10/10. My emotions? all over the place. There were many feel good moments, cute moments, emotional moment, and heart touching moments that had me shedding actual tears. Don't be fooled, this ain't a sad book. It's just the rawness and emotionally driven characters got to me. Have you ever had a book made you feel safe? Well this was that book for me.
i cannot wait to talk about it more when it releases June 1st 2021!
Pre-Order Now!

tiktok review:
https://www.tiktok.com/@aymansbooks/video/6950345996442422533?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6933083509267613190&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Casey truly did it again! What an absolutely fantastic and enthralling novel. This novel may contain a girl stuck in time, but you’ll get stuck in time reading it. This was un-put-down-able. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. It was so easy to fall in love with August, Myla, Niko, Wes, Jane and Isaiah. Plus the whole Billy’s Pancake House crew. What a fantastical, well done found family. I loved the dynamics, Niko’s ability to read August like a book, Wes’ distant but charming personality.. it all comes together like a warm hug and i love every single one of them.

I wish I could put into just a review how much the concept of this is so enthralling and how much it’s impossible not to love it. Maybe it’s the true crime junkie in me that loves and relates to August and her desire to solve every mystery, or maybe it’s Jane’s quirky, alluring but secretive personality. Either or, I want to either be with them or be their friend. This was so well written, with twists and turns always keeping you on your toes. The pacing was fantastic. The character dynamic was beautiful done and the entire book was just a giant hug. It was very gay, very much filled with love and very much everything my gay, true crime loving heart needed. Seriously, pick this up. You will not regret it!

I was highly anticipating this book, and was so excited for a queer romance. I loved parts of it, and other parts left me wanting more or didn’t really work for me.

One thing that I loved was August (the main character)’s relationship with her roommates. The found family aspect was so heartwarming. There were also some descriptions of being a young adult and not knowing what you’re doing that were just so spot on.

What didn’t work for me was the whole time travel plot line. It was underdeveloped and I just could suspend disbelief for it. This made it hard for me to believe in and root for The main relationship, which is clearly a problem in a romance book. So many parts of the plot just seemed to work out too conveniently for me. How August can not attend to any of her other responsibilities and it just works out fine.

This was a fun read, but not a favourite for me.