If you’ve followed my blog for a while you might be aware that one of my favourite books of all time is Red, White and Royal Blue. I love that book more than most things to be honest. So of course when Casey McQuiston announced they were releasing a sapphic sophomore novel I was like SIGN ME UP. It was probably my most anticipated novel of 2021 and I was so happy I got to read it early… though I’m now sad I can’t read it with everyone on release also.

August has moved to New York for her final year of college and she’s just trying to get by in her classes and in a new city with some interesting roommates. One day she gets on the subway and meets a girl she finds attractive. Then they just keep meeting on the subway and August and June realise that June is literally displaced in time. August makes it her mission to help June despite how much she wants June to stay.

One Last Stop is so sexy. The romance between August and June is searing and once they actually confess their feelings for each other and you know… start getting physical it’s a lot. I would say this is probably the hottest sapphic novel I’ve read. There was just something about the way McQuiston wrote the romantic scenes that gave me such a thrill. The build-up was so good as well that I was just yelling “KISS KISS KISS”.

I love the way McQuiston writes side characters, they’re always just such a highlight in their books. Niko, Myla and Wes are such a delight and brought some much-needed humour at the tougher parts of the story. We love a queer found family in these parts and this one was fantastic. They basically welcome August in with open arms and make her feel welcome.

The story with August family was something that I wasn’t really expecting to happen. August’s uncle went missing before she was born and her mum has never given up the hunt to find him. This part of the story became a lot more embedded as the novel moved along and I honestly cried so much when we find out what happened to him. Not only because of what it meant to the story and August, but thinking about the real people’s lives which ended similarly or worse.

I loved how much of queer history is embedded in this novel. The way that August discovers the events that June lived through was just such a wonderful experience to read. June experienced a lot of pivotal moments in lgbtqia+ history, some of which I knew and some of which I didn’t and it made me want to go learn more. I just really appreciate when novels make me want to go learn more.

Honestly, I was a bit anxious about this book because there was a lot of pressure when it came to a followup to so many people’s favourite book, but I didn’t need to be worried. One Last Stop was a joy to read and I cannot wait for it to come out so I can read it physically over and over again.

Casey McQuiston really knows how to write a fulfilling novel. One Last Stop was one that I could not put down until it was over. There were surprising sci-fi elements to it, but rooted more in scientific theory, which did not bog down the narrative at all. This was a book about being out of place, but also being exactly where you need to be in the end. Jane and August were two badass ladies and the cast of characters in their story is great, Found family is such a great trope, especially when done right. With all that has gone on in our world in the past year, this novel is perfect. It treats the questions "Who am I really? Who am I supposed to be? Where am I meant to go?" with such heart wrenching realness. I will definitely be shouting from the rooftops about this one. McQuiston does it again!

Before going into the bulk of my review, I must point out my favorite thing about the book; references to the show Lost! "She is your constant"!! I almost died from happiness! One Last Stop is pretty much everything I want from a book. First, it is pretty much the queerest book I have ever read. I loved the varied backstories from the characters in how their families reacted to them coming out and how they grew into the people they are now. Second, the magical realism and time travel and romance and how it was all interwoven together was fantastic. The slow burn angst was the best route to go and to not make it overly sci-fi in nature made it feel like something this this could really happen. Finally, the mystery. I am a sucker for solving a puzzle and to solve them in a sexy way? Yes! So to summarize, this book is amazing in every way and will most likely be my book of the year even though it is only February.

"One Last Stop" is the queer time travel story we've always needed. Casey McQuiston is, in my mind, one of the most important new adult fiction writers. They're able to effortlessly write contemporary fiction that answers the questions and internal quarrels of 20-somethings. In this novel, I loved how McQuiston sketched out a whole community of characters who felt real and genuine. The queer representation in this book, as well, will make it classic in queer fiction, especially because a huge swath of 2020 queer culture is captured in these pages. You get a taste of current drag culture, of the found family, and queer culture's fascination with astrology.

As a follow up to "Red, White, and Royal Blue," "One Last Stop" shows that McQuiston is here to deliver with every book she writes. Everything is clearly painstakingly researched down to each music reference or even the Craigslist missed connection ads. By rooting the narrative so heavily in the culture of our current day, the reader buys in to the fantastic realism and time travel that is usually relegated to fantasy sections.

Overall, this is a fantastic sophomore novel, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves new adult fiction or queer stories.

McQuiston's talent is amazing! Her sophomore novel was just as perfect as her first. Readers should make room on their favorites shelf for One Last Stop!

DNF at 65%

I was so grateful for this ARC, because I'd been DYING to read this gorgeous baby after Red, White, and Royal Blue.

The romance was great, and of course McQuiston's writing seems to effortlessly achieve that pitch perfect tenor for this genre, but the book, overall, felt a little shallow. There was not enough contention to justify the length, in my opinion. By the time I stopped, it felt like McQuiston was squeezing juice from a peach pit.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments, a well-rounded "fun and games" middle, and lovely spark between Jane and August, but somehow August assigning everything meaning felt a little flat--a little more telling than showing. For me, August's problems seemed manufactured, but solved easily enough by a diverse friend group who welcomes her into the fold instantly. While August and the other characters were interesting, I stopped reading, because I realized I was continuing out of a sense of obligation. I was no longer enjoying it. And life is too short to settle for something that just isn't doing it for you.

Greatly different than what I expected. The characters interactions and how they all intertwine were amazing! I couldn't help but cheer for August!! The love and support of friends is what we all need.

I loved everything about this book, especially that it was such an epic, romantic, hilarious book that felt very mainstream with queer representation. There was lots of Doctor Who-style timey wimey goodness, amazing character building, and perfect representation of finding yourself as a queer twenty-something finally leaving home and coming into your own. Casey McQuiston's writing style and voice is so great - funny, quick, and engaging. Fans of Rainbow Rowell will love this book. I know some readers might be worried that they might not like ONE LAST STOP as much as RED, WHITE, and ROYAL BLUE, but it's an equally strong and magical book.

If you loved "Red White and Royal Blue," you will love One Last Stop. Casey McQuiston has perfected the formula for rom-coms: quirky characters, forbidden love, uber modern cultural references (I died when Call Your Girlfriend was mentioned). The element of magical realism could have easily gone off the rails (pun intended) but ended up being a clever meet cute. This book packs everything you would expect from a novel in 2021: feminism, enthusiastic consent, horoscope references. I wish it would have been a little shorter and the story more compact, but overall a very solid second book by McQuiston.

I've spent the last couple days trying to articulate my thoughts on this one. 4.5/5! Thanks NetGalley for the advanced reader copy! This was quite the read - it was so original and creative and had many magical elements to it. It was a little slow paced at times but the characters made up for it. August "coffee girl" meets Jane "subway girl" on the subway in NYC and the rest is history. August has some quirky roommates and co-workers with an interesting but mysterious family background. Once August meets Jane, the majority of the book is picking up the pieces on who Jane really is and why were they brought together on the subway? A lot of pop culture references, NYC love and overall, a unique story.

What an incredible sophomore novel from Casey McQuiston! There was so much heart in this that I was immediately drawn in and finished the book in barely two sittings. Red, White, and Royal Blue was one of the first romance books I read back in 2019 - and it set the bar pretty high. One Last Stop exceeds that! I loved our main cast of characters and the friendship this group had - it felt so real. McQuiston really hits the nail on the head when it comes to believable friendships and I love them for it!

I also loved the slight paranormal/supernatural element of this. It was not only perfectly blended into the story, but also tangible and believable.

Truly an author to watch, this solidified McQuiston as one of my favorite authors!

August moves to New York City because she thinks it's the place to go if you aren't looking to make connections. She quickly learns that NYC will make you a part of it despite your absolute best efforts. From her roommates and neighbors to her coworkers at a diner, August finds herself fitting into a community of people who are unapologetically who they are and love her for who she is. And then she meets Jane on the Q train. And as unlikely as it seems, she keeps meeting her there. One Last Stop takes the subway meet-cute and runs with it, twisting and turning and filling your heart with hope. At a time when New York City is not like itself at all, this book reminds us why we love it, even when we hate it.

Oh. My. Goodness. I've been desperately waiting for another Casey McQuiston book ever since I read Red, White, and Royal Blue.... One Last Stop did not disappoint!!

August was extremely relatable, in her 20's, with the whole "what am I going to do with my life, I don't fit in, I'm a waitress, let's just kind of coast through" thing going on. Until she does find a home, and somewhere she belongs when she transfers to New York and meets the quirkiest bunch of roommates possible, who drag her into the fold and show her what a true family can be like.

And then there's Jane. Cool, sexy, mysterious, Subway Girl Jane. Ohmygosh, Casey sure did have this straight girl here dreaming about Jane.

I loved the romance, the NYC setting, the characters and their full lives, quirks and all, the time travel twist, and the storytelling that had me riveted from start to finish. I cannot recommend this book enough.

This is a very different book than Red White and Royal Blue - I was not prepared for the magical realism element in the plot. Things that McQuiston does well - create deep, interesting, human characters, and build a wonderful world of real relationships between them. You want to befriend everyone in this book by the time it ends. This book also really paints a great picture of riding public transit and that whole subculture, and I think does a good job talking about New York city as a real place. Without getting into spoilers, I'll say that I don't always love magical realism generally, and I don't know that this book did it super well, but it does provide an answer to the mystery.

2021 is the year of established up and coming authors making deep and reflective sophomore novels, and I'm so here for it. Casey Mcquiston wrote some time ago on her Instagram that she hoped people wouldn't compare One Last Stop to Red, White, and Royal Blue, and after reading the book I see why. One Last Stop belongs on a shelf all on its own.

One Last Stop features a 23 year old August Landry, who moves to New York City after transferring to yet another university. Landry doesn't know what she wants for her life and has never had a close group of friends to fall onto when trouble arises. She has a missing uncle. She's easily overwhelmed by her new set of roommates. August also falls inexplicably in love with a random woman on the subway, and realizes this woman, an Asian-American lesbian named Jane, is stuck in time.

While reading, I had been certain I knew how the story would progress. August grew closer to her roommates and learned more about Jane's life in the 70s, and she would have to learn how to let go of her feelings and say goodbye. I had resigned myself to a sad bisexual falls for a lesbian story, where the moral is grief and forgiveness. While there are plenty of times where August slowly learns how to let herself feel more and bury herself in distractions less, I was pleased to discover the ending is a happy one. August's conflicts with her mother, missing uncle, and romantic crisis with Jane all come together and resolve themselves nicely. Although there had been moments reading the first three quarters of the book where I believed the pacing to be too slow, the ending was so satisfying because it had truly felt like you had also spent months watching August and Jane fall in love and understand each other. This book has conflict, but the story is about so much more than drama and arguments. This is a story about family and meeting each other where they are.

This is a gorgeous story, with moments of humor, hurt, and heart. This book feels alive, as if the characters themselves have earned their place among the living. Tenderness is a consistent feeling in the novel, demonstrated through budding romances and friendships. In a time where people nowadays still shy away from crowds, it's beautiful to have a story that is so intimate but takes place almost entirely in public spaces. In that way alone, readers will understand August's yearning, and will then become healed by moments where August and Jane can finally exist in private.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. One Last Stop comes out on June 1, 2021. Make sure to preorder the book or pick it up from your local bookstore.

*I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I had no idea what to expect from this book and Casey definitely threw a major curveball! I loved RWRB and while this has a lot of the same characteristics, it’s so unique and not at all what I thought it would be. The story is great and even the side characters are so well written that you can’t help but to want to know them. I don’t read much w/w but their relationship was heartwarming! The ending makes me want a sequel just like RWRB!

I absolutely adored this book. I read it in its entirety in 2 sittings, something I haven't done since Harry Potter--simply could not put it down. It was so satisfying to read a queer magical realism story about two girls in love, and Casey McQuiston delivered her usual fun, funny characterization that leaves you feeling like you're best friends with everyone in the book by the end. It leans pretty hard into the time travel business, so if you're not generally a fan of magical realism, it might not be your jam, but it hit all the right spots for me.

The sex scenes are fairly explicit, which I enjoyed, but is worth a warning if you're recommending the books to a younger audience; it wouldn't make an appropriate group read in a K-12 setting, but I definitely feel comfortable stocking it in our high school library for independent reading.

I don't think I've read a book this fast since Harry Potter 7. After reading McQuiston's Red, White, & Royal Blue last year, I couldn't wait for her sophomore novel to be released. Of course, I screamed with excitement once I found out that I had the opportunity to read its ARC.

There's something about McQuiston's writing that just pulls you in. Between relatable main and secondary characters, memorable and funny one-liners, and beautifully written descriptions McQuiston produces this multi-faceted story that just encompasses the reader completely.

I loved the story of Jane and August and I only read a few sentences worth of a description before reading it, not fully knowing what I was in for. The story took a little bit of a detour from the realistic fiction which I was worried about since that's not usually my thing but I couldn't put the book down. I couldn't wait to learn more about Jane or August or Annie Depressants or Wes or Myla and Niko. This was a job well done on McQuiston's part. Now it's time for some Popeye's....or maybe pancakes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A bit more than 4 stars - a fun read. I just read “Red, White, and Royal Blue” a few weeks ago which I loved and so that may have raised my expectations too much/I was expecting something that couldn’t be delivered. But this was still fun and fast paced and kept me hooked. There is so much going on here and so many characters with so many layers that I just loved. It really did give a feeling of “home” even though I would NEVER consider a city home. I love McQuiston’s descriptions, they really make you feel what the atmosphere (physically and emotionally) are like. Plus some of the phrasing is freaking hilarious.

When I found out Casey McQuiston, author of my favorite gay-boys-in-love reimagining of the 2016 election, was writing a sci fi-adjacent romance about queer women, I was...very excited. I expected to love this book, and I did, and frankly I don't want to say too much else about it because I think you will also love this book and I don't want to spoil it for you.

Instead, a brief series of analogies:
-Like Veronica Mars, if our intrepid detective traded the horrible frat boys for a hot, dimpled girl in a leather jacket
-Like Scooby Doo, if the Scooby gang was much less white, way more queer, and spent their time unmasking the mystery of the space-time continuum instead of bad guys in clown masks
-Like "Happiest Season" if Kristen Stewart stayed in the bar singing carols with drag queens instead of leaving to watch Mackenzie Davis flirt with her ex-boyfriend

Honestly, this book about love and finding yourself in your twenties and queer community and navigating changing relationships with family felt like it was written with me in mind, and I think that will likely be the case for a lot of its millennial readers. One thing I admire about McQuiston is the fact that she doesn't seem too worried about how her speech patterns or references will age; there were moments in One Last Stop where I laughed out loud and simultaneously thought, "Will anyone understand this in two years?" The result is a romance that celebrates life as it is now and feels new and nostalgic at the same time. Everything I wanted it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!