One Last Stop is a character driven book with a group of interesting, flamboyant and lively figures at the heart of the story. August, our main character, is someone I could relate to on so many personal levels. Her journey in McQuiston’s book, breaking free from her past, was something so wonderful and liberating to read. She’s such a complex character from the start but the more I read this book, the more I got to know her and the more I wanted to know her. The way she deals with commitment, her sexuality and trust was, at times, difficult for me to read without crying because in some ways, I understood.

When August meets Jane Su on the Q Train, I could feel time standing still. There was this instant connection between them that was irrefutable. The more time they spent together, the more I fell in love with them both. Jane is such an interesting person to read about and, just like August, I fell head over heels for her the instant she stepped onto the page. Her stories and adventures and her life come alive on the page through McQuiston’s effortless and magical prose. I just felt SO MUCH when reading this book. Their romance was hot and exhilarating and this book oozed passion. What was very important to me is how Jane treated August’s relative inexperience with intimacy. It wasn’t seen as something embarrassing but as a completely normal thing for a 23 year old and that was refreshing (because virginity is a construct).

The side characters had so much life and energy. I always find that the side characters in a romance are shoved aside to make room for the love interest. In this book, however, each of the side characters in August’s life are given the chance to be fleshed out and explored in the narrative. I absolutely love the found family trope and I wish I lived in a flat with Niko, Myla, August & Wes with Isaiah around the corner and Jane on the Q Train. They were such a vibrant, queer and diverse group of individuals and I just want to know more about them and live with them.

Casey McQuiston really knocked it out of the park with this book. Her writing is flawless and so full of emotion. I usually laugh once or twice whilst reading and I might cry one time. This book made me laugh out loud so many times and I sobbed 5 times. I SOBBED. Now I can’t even listen to ‘In Your Eyes’ by Peter Gabriel or ‘Love of My Life’ by Queen anymore without getting fucking emotional, lol. There were so many times in the book where I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing life with them. The descriptions of the city, of the people, of the places where so vivid and the entire book felt alive. One of my favourite scenes in the book was the Easter Brunch party on the Q Train. Reading that joyous celebration of being together with those you care about was so beautiful.

This book is definitely a celebration of queer identity. On the one hand you’re in the 21st century with August and the gang, where queerness in all its forms is celebrated and accepted. On the other hand, it’s tinged with grief and sadness through Jane’s difficult past and the people she lost in her life just because they were different. Jane’s fiery personality definitely shines through when she talks about her past and what she fought for, tooth and nail. Our main character, August, is a bisexual disaster who falls in love with Jane, our riotous lesbian. August lives with gay and trans roommates and the book is littered with fantastically dressed drag queens with fierce personality. We truly love to see it.

Something to remember when reading this book is that you need to suspend you belief just for a little while so you can be wrapped up in this fantastical journey through time and explore love across decades. Time is just a construct and McQuiston plays with it in such a unique way. The blend of the real and the supernatural felt so organic in this book. At first I was unsure about the whole ‘time traveling lesbian’ storyline but it just makes sense. It gives Casey McQuiston the opportunity to really explore our past and our present.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is so full of emotion and is an exploration of love and acceptance. I knew I would love this book. I just didn’t realise how much this book would affect me emotionally. From start to finish, One Last Stop is a fucking masterpiece.

One Last Stop is a fun, sexy ride. I fell in love with Jane and August and all of August’s roommates who become her family. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, so I will just say this is a beautiful tale of feeling lost and being found by loving someone. I loved it.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely and dynamic, this book was a surprise from start to finish. While I did love the principal romantic leads, the way that McQuiston builds a world and an ensemble cast is the real star of the show.

At its simplest, this is a book about two women falling in love on a train, but it is also a book about being stuck out of time, about tracking down forty year old mysteries, found families, and heists.

I just finished ugly crying and I’m ready to write this review.

This book made me... feel things? Yes, that’s accurate. The characters were all so effortlessly lovable. The humor was funny, but not in the way where you can tell the author was trying to hard to relate to the “youths”. Casey McQuiston could write a phone book and I would still read it (and probably enjoy it). Also, I feel like Casey went from a liberal to a leftist in between writing Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop, which I honestly love for him.

This really was the perfect escapist read. The setting felt so rich, so it was almost like travelling right to Brooklyn. Having taken that Q train to Coney Island before, I could so easily picture the route Jane and August took and those special spots along the way (especially <i>those</i> Manhattan Bridge scenes). But at the same time, the characters were so well-developed and clear that it was like reading about your own friends. The romance did feel a little insta-lovey to me but I was fully invested by the end.

Inevitably, people are going to compare this to Red, White & Royal Blue, and while I subjectively like RWRB better than One Last Stop, I also think they are so distinct from each other that its hard to compare them and I hope people read this as its own story because it really is so good and deserves to stand on its own.

I absolutely loved this book, that I got as an ERC from #netgalley
My main complaint from my previous read was the lack of character development, but this book is te complete opposite. All of the characters are quirky and fun in their own little ways, but there is also so much depth to all of them. Often times the dialogues had me laughing out loud. The storyline is just as strong as the characters and kept me hooked the whole time wanting to know how certain events were going to unfold. Two things that I was not expecting were the sci-fi aspect and the sex scene, both of which were perfectly executed imo. All of the references to pop culture were a bonus for me because in this case they were meaningful and not just thrown in there as fillers. Finally, I always appreciate learning about real historical events and here I got a good glimpse at the 70’s in different parts of the US for the LGBTQ+ community along with some real events.

I was super excited to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley because I absolutely loved Red, White, and Royal Blue. I expected this to be a similarly cute, very fan fiction-y, little romance novel. From the start of the book I was not entirely hooked on the story, and about a quarter of the way through, I was blindsided by a sci fi/fantasy storyline that I was not at all expecting or excited by. The primary genre listed for this book is romance, but I would definitely categorize it more as sci fi.

Reading this book, I can easily think of how well it would be translated into a movie. I can see a lot of fun being had by showing off Brooklyn and New Orleans between the 70s and now. I can tell a lot of love from the author's personal life went into this story, but the plot of the book did nothing for me. Plus, I couldn't get over my disgust at the idea of having sex on a New York City subway.

THANK YOU SO MUCH St Martins Press and Netgalley for my copy of One Last Stop!!
From the first page I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down.
Everything about this book was perfect!
I adored the cast of characters and the side romances between them.
I want to go grab a stack at Billy’s and then jump on the Q.

Oh and the steam........ I’m here for it. 🔥🔥

10/10

I loved this quirky family of scrappy characters trying to make it in NYC. The premise - girl meets girl on subway, one girl seems to be a ghost from a different time - is not usually something that would keep me reading. Sci-fi/fantasy is not usually my jam. However, McQuiston wove this all together admirably. A fun love story that had me cheering for everyone. I'll happily recommend this to anyone in the mood for a romance.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston is a fun, suspenseful, romantic book! Its main character is August, a young woman in her early 20's who moves from New Orleans to Brooklyn (via Memphis). Due to her early life, she is very closed off from connections with other people, but her new roommates bring out the best in her and enable her to bond with her new city. An encounter with an attractive stranger on the subway intrigues August, and she keeps seeing the stranger each time she takes that subway line. Mystery and intrigue develop from here, but I won't give you any spoilers. This book would be great for fans of Lianne Moriarty or Gabby Riviera. Highly recommended!

Generally, I try to write lengthy reviews for books on here to help hype them up... One Last Stop needs no hype. Open the first page and read it, you won't put it down. I swear.

Casey McQuiston has a way of writing that connects with SO many different people all over the world. I'm honestly having a hard time finding the words to describe how much this meant to me. 10 out of 5. Pre-order this amazing book, you WON'T regret it!

It was refreshing to read about a romance that wasn’t between a man and a women. I loved the character of August a self describes loner trying to find herself within New York. I had a hard time getting behind the story line of Jane who was struck from her timeline of 1970s living on a subway in the 2020’s.

I definitely wasn’t expecting this book to turn out like it did. Overall, I enjoyed this book but there were certain parts I could do without. The book got very graphic at times (on a subway of all places) but the overall plot was so creative and clever! A story of a girl stuck in time on a subway in NYC and how she falls in love with a girl who tries to rescue her. Will she get sent back to where she’s from, get to stay with the love of her life, or worse?

Bow down to Casey McQuiston. We are not worthy.

Casey’s second queer, coming of age novel is just as much of a smash hit as their first. They do not miss! This story follows August who is trying to find her way in NYC. Struggling to fit in and struggling to find her true self, August is thrown for a whirlwind when she meets Jane on the night train. August is instantly drawn to Jane, but Jane might be keeping a few secrets.

This Kate & Leopold retelling is such a refreshing beginning of summer read. This book covers a lot of representation, that I feel is missing in most books, past and present. Casey has a way of effortlessly making you fall in love with their characters. I’m a sucker for found-family friendships and these characters knock that trope out of the park!

I’m always obsessed with the artwork this author chooses. It’s so refreshing, and leaves a little bit to the readers imagination, in contrast to real people on the cover.

This book does cover a few topics that may be triggering to some audience members. Topics of homophobia, racism, anxiety, and death. Please proceed in the best way for you.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC to review! I know this doesn’t come out until June, but I couldn’t wait to read it. Obviously, anything by Casey McQuiston goes on my automatic buy list, in case you didn’t know that from the way I rave about Red, White, & Royal Blue. This one definitely lives up to the hype!

McQuiston’s formula is to put a bunch of swoon worthy characters into an impossible situation that they have to figure out how to overcome. And it absolutely works! From the moment you meet August, you know you’ll be rooting for her in the rest of the book. Plus, there are tons of side characters that you instantly like as well. August finds her own little found family in New York, and they are all there for each other. It’s a found family you wish you could be a part of.

And the romance! We know from Red, White, & Royal Blue that McQuiston is great at writing romance. I’d almost argue that it gets even better in this book, if that’s possible! Like August, we instantly fall in love with Jane, and we’re rooting for her and August to figure out the time-jump thing and be together. I can’t say enough about the characters; I just love them so much.

While the bones of the plot are maybe a bit predictable, the little details are really what make August and Jane’s love story pop. The mechanics behind everything make this feel like a fresh love story, and combined with the characters (did I mention how much I love the characters), this is sure to be an instant favorite for a lot of readers.

All in all, this book is coming out just in time for summer romance flings, if your fling is reading swoony romance books for the summer. Plus, it’s coming out just in time for pride! From the characters to the setting to the plot, One Last Stop will satisfy fans of McQuiston’s blockbuster debut.

A very sweet romance with a sci-fi element that I was not expecting. Sometimes a crush or a budding romance seem impossible, but sometimes the actual laws of physics make it seem just as impossible, Unless of course, it IS possible. ;-)

Y’all – check on your friends (read: me) who have read this because they are probably not okay. Red White and Royal Blue is one of my most recommended books and this author is back with another amazing one. One Last Stop is such a unique premise. I of course went into it blind, so was very confused when there was an “out of this life” element thrown in with the love story. BUT, I trusted Casey to deliver a book I would love and they definitely did.

August is a 23-year old who has just moved to New York and meets Jane on the subway. She’s instantly infatuated with her. As August navigates through her life in NYC, she realizes that Jane is on her train daily, and her commute easily becomes the best part of her day. Jane has that mysterious and edgy vibe that has August swooning, but they soon realize that Jane’s vibe is not just a fashion choice, but because she is displaced from the 70s and has been unable to get off the train since. Together, with August’s fun and weird roommates, they figure out how to get Jane back to one reality – whether that’s the past where she’s from or the future with August.

Okay, so time traveling is so not my thing in books, so when I started putting together that that’s what was going on, I panicked. However, this was done and written so wonderfully. I was emotional for the two of them while they dug through Jane’s past to figure out what could have gotten her stuck, and as they started to fall hard for each other. The bridge scene is…. well, you’ll see. ‘Nuff said there if you’ve read it, right?! OOF. Steamy. I adored all of the secondary characters in the book too. They all had such distinct personalities and storylines that I would truly read a book about any of them. Everything that was discussed at the beginning of the book tied together and wrapped up so perfectly by the end. Chef’s kiss.

OHHHH MY GOD. This book is an adorable yet heartwrenching ode to New York City and LGBTQIA+ pride that had me reeling in laughter and near-tears. I loved August and Jane's dynamic as well as the entire cast of characters that rounded out the story. The idea of being in love with someone displaced from time isn't necessarily a new one, but it felt so right for this story and novel in its own way. This book is sheer perfection.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

“One Last Stop” is at its core a love story, sometimes heartbreaking, but always a strong, quiet, and powerful look at the human heart.

Entertainment weekly says,
“One Last Stop” is
“a fireworks-in-the-sky, glitter-in-your-hair royal romance”....
Okay, sure, I’ll go with that!

What could possess someone like August, a suburban girl with a swimming pool of student loan debt and the social skills of a Pringles can, to move to New York with no friends no plans?”
Maybe....
it’s to meet Jane!

Coffee girl meets Subway girl...
It’s New York City...
They meet on the Q Train...

Love pancakes, community families, the impossible that becomes possible?

An adorably cute, coming-of-age funny, tender happily-ever-after
story!
A great tribute to the queer and trans community.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Casey McQuiston


3.5 stars

Casey McQuiston's sophomore novel, "One Last Stop One" is one of the most interesting and dynamic love stories I've ever read. The fact that it's queer makes it that much more engaging and important. Any reader will fall deeply in love with Jane and August's witty dialogue, something Casey McQuiston is well-known for and continues to hit the spot just like in their debut novel, "Red, White, and Royal Blue". The authenticity of the 20-something experience is captured perfectly and should be a staple to all adults in their 20s and beyond. McQuestion also does not shy away from dealing with heavier topics and the queer experiences through the decades. An absolute must-read and re-read.