When I was notified that access had been granted, I was so beyond excited. One Last Stop is magical. It is special. I had to FORCE myself to read it slowly to get the whole experience, I didn't want to rush it. Mcquiston does such a good job at immersing the reader in her words. One Last Stop made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me almost sick with longing. Why? Because McQuiston writes about found family in a way that made me wish I had a family like August found.

After Red White and Royal Blue, when I heard that McQuiston was writing a time bending novel I didn't know what to think. I knew it would be great, but didn't know HOW great.

I truly have nothing but good things to say about One Last Stop. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Casey McQuiston, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was the pick me up I needed after a rough few months/weeks.

This has be THE most delightful read of 2020 and we all know what a spectacularly *fart noise* year it has been. I could not put my phone down to the point where I had my phone propped up against my laptop screen so I could work and read simultaneously. Jane and August have such an organic and exciting relationship. The emotional build up is the serotonin I look for in romances. Myla, Wes, Niko, Isaiah, Winfield, Lucie, and everyone in the supporting cast were also so lovable and endearing. I was rooting for every single one of them and wishing for their happiness. The elements of fabulism are such a classic trope of romcoms and Casey McQuiston executed them with flawless perfection. I was drawn in even further with the glimpses of queer history that were sprinkled throughout the book, making me want to research more into queer history as a queer person myself. As an a-spectrum person, having an emotional foundation is my buy in to any and all romances and this book really roped me in. The smut was *chefs kiss* made all the more excellent because I was emotionally invested in the characters. I also greatly appreciated that they explicit scenes were not as graphic as the romance genre tends to lean into. I was comfortable reading the book through every page. Even the mystery elements were really well played out and the Veronica Mars vibes were immaculate. I can guarantee that this book is going to be reread within the month. Loved. It.

I don't know why I'm surprised, but once again Casey McQuiston knocked this one out of the park.

I must say, I'm a little upset time travel isn't real, because I would do anything to go back and experience this book for the first time once again.

Going into this book, it is important for fans of McQuiston's work to keep in mind this is not Red, White, and Royal Blue, nor should it be compared to it in any way. This is an entirely different entity. This is August and Jane's story.

I knew I was going to love this book. I had no doubt in mind about it. I just didn't realize quite how much I would actually love it.

McQuiston honestly deserves some sort of award for their ability to write authentic characters. Not only that, but this goes beyond just the main characters and extends to each and every side character, no matter how minor. Not only did I find myself falling in love with August and Jane, but I grew so attached to other characters in this story. Honestly, I found myself wanting the book to be significantly longer just so I could see more of them. (Throwing it into the universe, but I would pay good money for even a novella about Wes or Myla).

I had a vague idea of the science-fictiony twist to One Last Stop, however, I still found myself surprised as the elements wove themself into the story. I even found my mouth hanging open in realization more than once.

Aside from the characters, there is just something about McQuiston's writing that I love so much. I myself am the same age as the character's in this book and the narrative style of this book was truly authentic. There are many books where descriptions seem a little too forced to show the character's ages, but the writing was full of gen-z cusping millenial humor that I myself use day to day.

I cannot emphasize how much I absolutely adored this book. I'm already planning to reread it while I eagerly wait for the next of Casey McQuiston's writing.

First off, I'd like to thank Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and are based on an early version of the book that can differ from the final, released version.

If you're just expecting RWRB V.2 but f/f, you'd better alter your expectations. One Last Stop is fantastic in its own ways, but its strengths vary drastically from McQuiston's first novel. I expected this going in (most authors don't exactly like writing the exact same book over and over), but people who go in expecting the same sort of novel as RWRB might be disappointed.

One Last Stop, as a whole, feels like a softer, sadder romance, while still having many aspects that made me love McQuiston's first book: a strong found family, a flawed, yet likable, main character, and a romance that both entirely grabs the reader's interest and serves as a way for both the main character and the love interest to grow. But again, even with these similarities, One Last Stop differs when it comes to the specifics. The humor in this book is more subtle, the found family is established within the story rather than before the story (as well as consisting of a much wider range of characters, in all aspects), the romance itself takes a much different path, and the MC, August, feels like the opposite of Alex in some aspects, she's a lot more protective of herself, a much 'rougher' character to those around her, though at her core, the same love of the world and people around her exists. These differences lead to a much different story, and while just as (if not more) enjoyable, it definitely requires the reader to be wanting something different than just a cute, funny rom-com.

One Last Stop, while reading, gave off vibes similar to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, in my opinion. It carried the same undercurrent of longing, of patient sadness, of coming to grips with how terrible the world can be and learning to find the beauty in small things, the good things that survive despite it all. It made the story overall feel slower than RWRB, and while I still loved reading it, it was less of a desperate rush to see what happened next and more of a slow unfurling of more story, more time and space for the characters to grow and learn to love again.

Overall, I genuinely really enjoyed this, and I loved seeing the range that McQuiston has, and all the potential for a rich variety of queer stories that we have yet to see from them. I highly recommend this, whether you enjoyed RWRB or not, and can't wait to see what they write next!

Where to even begin with this book? There's truly so much I loved about it, but I think the highlight of Casey McQuiston's books is the characters and the authenticity that comes with them.

This book follows August, a 23-year-old "reformed girl detective" (as put by her roommate) who has just moved to NYC in the hopes of finding a new city, a new school, and a new version of herself to fall in love with. August was a fantastic main character, and is easily a new favorite of mine as well as one that I found to be extremely relatable as a 21-year-old about to graduate college. She's cynical and full of dry, millennial humor (which I loved) that is clear from the beginning. She also struggles to connect with other people and puts up walls when it comes to making new friends, which is what I think I related to the most. This book explores the loneliness of not finding 'your people' while growing up and the feelings of being miles apart from fellow peers, and watching them go on with their lives while seeming to know exactly what they want to do. This is definitely a theme that I can relate to, and I'm so glad to see in books, but especially in New Adult books where the main character is already an adult.

Then there's Jane, the lesbian love interest of my dreams. I absolutely fell in love with Jane's character and the mystery that came with her. She's a punk lesbian displaced in time from the 70's, who isn't afraid of rioting and protesting for her rights, but she's also basically a golden retriever in human form who isn't afraid of starting a dance party on a broken-down NYC subway. I think my favorite part about Jane's character was getting to see the glimpses into her past - what it was like growing up in Chinatown in San Francisco during the 60s, and seeing her so involved in the queer scene of the 70s. The duality of her character was just fantastic, and the way that both sides were shown without diminishing the other was so good. She's suffered so much pain as a punk lesbian in the 70s, but she's also so hopeful and loving, and I love her. Not to mention that the mystery surrounding Jane FLAWLESSLY intertwines with her relationship development with August - it was truly so good.

But along with this great duo of main character and love interest, there's such an amazing cast of side characters in this book who are so diverse in sexuality, race, and personality. I'm a sucker for a good found family trope, but this messy found family of queer misfits was something else (in a good way). The celebration of queer identities in this book warmed my heart so much! Not only is there a bisexual main character and a lesbian love interest, but there's also gay, trans, and queer side characters. And several drag queens! There's an almost entirely queer cast, and I loved how so many different experiences of queerness were shared.

I don't usually talk about setting with contemporary or romance books, because it's not usually necessary, but the setting was definitely important in this book. For a book that took place on the subway a lot, I think it's incredible that NYC was described in such vividness and detail. McQuiston's New York feels like a real New York, from the sense of community to the gentrification of neighborhoods and restaurants. I've been to Manhattan (aka tourist trap central), but I've never really explored the other boroughs of NYC, and I could really start to imagine places like Billy's Pancakes on the corner, and the apartment above a Popeye's restaurant. And the detail taken in describing the psychic shop alone?? It was incredible. McQuiston takes these seemingly ordinary places and makes it feel so real. The way that NYC is described, from the subtle magic of the city in the eyes of a new resident hoping for the best to the harsh reality of shitty apartments and gross subway trains, was so realistic.

This book is really something special, and something I can see myself rereading over and over again when I need something to feel hopeful again. I felt so seen in this book, and I know a lot of other people will too. It's full of queer joy and celebration, found family, and finding your place in the world with the charm of NYC and young adult mischief. This is a book about love, in every sense of the word.

can you tell i loved this book?

Um.... this book is incredible. I was blown away when I read Red, White, and Royal Blue -- and Casey McQuiston does not disappoint! This is a completely different story -- I mean, it's a "new adult" genre romance, with two fascinating protagonists, so that's the same... but this one has a little blip in the time space continuum! And two women that are falling in love despite being from different time periods! And drag queen performances!

I don't want to spoil too much because it's such a treat to just experience the book itself. Much like its predecessor, it feel like an escape from our current moment, and a chance to fully live in a world (or New York City specifically in this case) that is free from the pandemic and election stress that we deal with every day. I'm the type of person that would rather read a contemporary that has lots of parties, and hugs, and greasy breakfasts in diners, and epic scenes of celebration rather than one that mediates on the realities of this situation right now. So if it will be an issue for you to read a book set in 2020 that doesn't deal with face masks -- this isn't for you (go find a nice dystopia instead).

A few of my random thoughts about One Last Stop:
--There are some mystery elements to this story! The protag-- messy, bisexual August -- has been brought up sort of like a little Veronica Mars, and displays the traits of a little detective with unusual skills such as picking locks and digging up information. I'm always here for little noir teenagers.
--There are so many delightful side characters! I love them each, and there is a lot of strong queer representation throughout the book that feels genuine, rather than individuals trying to represent entire identities. If you know anything about my reading preferences, it's that found family is always at the top of the list! Platonic love and the importance of friendship are highlighted here, right next to the central love story.
--This book always found ways to surprise me. I loved that every moment felt emotionally weighted -- not like it was a required narrative choice. Ugh, my heart! THE FEELS!!

Finally, I just want to say that this book is just so -- happy. And kind. And our world needs a lot of that. I'm excited to welcome this book to my shelves and share it with all my friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy, all opinions are my own.

3.75

Here's all the things I loved about this book. The representation. The friendships. the f/f romance that you rarely every see. New York basically being another character. Did I mention the friendships?
I did really truly enjoy this book, but I don't think it stands up to McQuiston's Red White and Royal Blue.

I mean, to be fair, she set the bar SO high for herself.

The characters are ultimately the best part of this book and each one is so well formed and thought out that I can clearly see them. Also, oh man, I want to be friends with them. However at times I thought it was trying just a tad too hard and felt just a tad off. Ultimately though it was a beautiful story and I enjoyed the journey.

Smart and funny and sexy and poignant and unexpected. I usually worry about sophomore novels but this one really knocked it out of the park. Every character had so much dimension; truly delightful. Cannot wait to see what Casey McQuiston writes next.

This book. THIS BOOK. Casey McQuiston has unequivocally done it again. I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of ONE LAST STOP, and truly could not do anything but power through it. I wanted to climb inside the pages and be friends with these characters. It made me miss New York like something bad, made me swoon and yearn for the early days of dating my husband and falling in love for the first time, and made me 100% sure I will read anything McQuiston writes in the future.

Much like RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE, ONE LAST STOP is a rom com that is full of life, brimming with fantastic dialogue and well-written characters, and a plot that plows forward in ways that will make you keep turning the pages like a madwoman. Our heroine is August, a 23 year old woman who has moved to NYC to finish up her college degree. She moves into a Brooklyn apartment with 3 wonderfully weird and loving young characters. Things get interesting when she falls head over heels for a women she meets on the subway. I don't want to spoil too much, but let's just say if you love magic, sprinkled with a little BACK TO THE FUTURE, you will adore where this love story goes. It's crazy romantic and fun and will truly just make you feel happy inside. I can't wait for everyone else to read it too.

Unpopular opinion time: lacks the magic of Red, White & Royal Blue

All the boxes were checked: great representation, time travel, and a HEA. The dialog was whity and the sex scenes hot, just like RW&RB.

BUT something was off. I never bonded with August. She was so standoffish that McQuiston made it hard for the reader to bond with her. I kept reading for Jane rather than August's story. Even the roommates had more charisma than August.

The story was slow. I thought I was towards the end, but then checked my kindle and was only at 35%. Nothing much happens until the end and when something happens it wraps up many storylines at once. Almost too conveniently too. I had no problem believing the First Son and Prince of England would fall in love, so I know McQuiston can make me believe anything. Not sure what happened here.

I think my expectations were too high. It's still a good book and I'll recommend it to friends looking for a YA romance.

I waffled between three and four stars for this one and settled on four because McQuiston never fails to provide a memorable, heartwarming gay romance. But McQuiston had an astounding, wonderful, life-changing, best-book-of-the-year debut, and her latest, One Last Stop, to be released May 2021, is just not the next Red, White & Royal Blue.

One Last Stop centers around two twentysomething female characters this time (its first, best, most redeeming quality), one bisexual and one lesbian: August is a New York City transplant who’s never found anywhere she quite felt like she belonged (until now, of course). She’s riding the subway one day on her way to class when she runs into Jane, a mysterious, beautiful, smirking character for whom August immediately falls.

August begins running into Jane every. single. morning. on her way to class and every. single. night. on her way home — it’s not suspicious at all. It’s not a spoiler because it’s spoiled in the publisher description: Jane was born in the ’70s and is trapped on the subway, 50 years in the future.

My issues with One Last Stop began there. I won’t fault McQuiston for wanting to throw some fantasy/magical realism into her writing, but she took what could have been an inspirational love story for commuters everywhere and turned it into a bit of a mess.

One Last Stop feels like McQuiston had an idea that then evolved into something completely different and she should have let the original idea go but didn’t. I wanted to love it deeply, but the black hole (?)/time slip (?)/ time traveling (?)/psychic (?)/ghost (?)/wait-I-need-an-overview-of-the-physics-of-electricity aspects just didn’t work for me. I wanted a realistic, this-could-happen-to-me! love story, and instead I just got confused.

I might revisit this review after this read has simmered a bit, and I’ll for sure reread it down the line, but overall I was a bit disappointed. I’d still recommend this one to gay fantasy lovers (who are looking for fantasy) and fans of Something to Talk About.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I definitely ugly cried at the end. Without question: 5 stars.

Being in August’s head was a pleasure. Her inner monologue easily steals the show. I related to her on so many levels. She is witty and fun to follow along with. This story is just as much about falling in love with someone impossible as it is about found family. The entire cast of characters is perfect. I was particularly fond of Wes and Isaiah. The other specifically outstanding mention for this book was the little vignettes at the beginning of the chapters that chronicle small moments of Jane’s history on the Q train. I could have read a whole collection of these to be perfectly honest.

This books, more than anything else however, is a love song to NYC and the absolutely wondrous and endless possibilities it has to offer. With romance novel you sometimes fall in love with a love a couple in the book (which I did, and with more than one couple) but I also fell in love with August and the experiences she has with NYC. With as few spoilers as possible, it’s the details from her first meeting Jane, to her first choice of tactic to figure out Jane, to the absolutely epic scene I will refer to as Jane’s Birthday Party. Netflix or someone needs to get on the rights for this quick because this is just begging to be a TV show. The Jane’s Birthday scene is the kind of scene in a book you wish you could see on screen as much as you wish you never will so it’s not given the opportunity to be portrayed as less than what it was in your head. It is the absolute queen of scenes for a shy extrovert to read. The whole story had a montage like quality to it at times, moving from moment to moment seamlessly, which I really enjoyed. Which lead head on into a nail bitting end steamy as heck finish.

I can’t recommend this book enough.

I was so so excited to get an e-arc of this book, and I'm so thankful that I received it especially as a sapphic reviewer! I also posted a reading vlog and review of this book, separate from this review.

I read RWRB for the first time this year, and have since re-read it three times; it is a huge comfort read for me, and I adore it so much. When I saw that Casey McQuiston was coming out with a new book, and a sapphic book at that, I was so excited.

This is my most anticipated 2021 release, and I am so happy to say that I absolutely adored it. I can already tell that this is going to be a huge comfort read for me, and I see myself re-reading it as much as RWRB; I can't wait for the physical final copy so I can tab up my copy, but I am also really hoping that i can get a physical arc so I can tab it up and read it again and enjoy it in a physical form.

Casey McQuiston has such strong characters. The main characters and side characters are all fleshed out, and there's just a lovely cast of characters, most of whom are queer! Seeing this queer found family was one of my favorite things about the book, and it made my queer heart so so happy. I love these characters and I just want them to be happy forever.

Another strength of Casey McQuiston's is that they balance emotions so so well. I cried, I laughed, I teared up, I smiled. Sometimes all of these in the space of several pages. They just balance sadness and happiness and grief and fun so well so you never feel bogged down by any one emotion.

This book was just a good representation of being in your 20s, feeling a little lost and trying to decide what on earth you want to do with your life. August was such a relatable character, especially because like me she is 23, bi, sapphic, and has anxiety. That is the most of myself I have ever seen in a character. I loved her so so much. I loved August, I loved Jane, and I adored their romance.

The emphasis on queer community in this book was also so so good and the book really does feel like a love letter to the queer community - and I think this is what Casey McQuiston was going for based on the dedication. They really succeeded.

Other elements of this book I loved were the focus on music, the setting of New York City, and the mystery element! I did not know that there was a mystery element going in and I enjoyed that aspect so much.

I can't wait for more people to read this book - both fans of RWRB (who should know this is a totally different book in amazing ways) and new Casey McQuiston fans. This book was absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to see what else Casey McQuiston writes - I have the feeling there will be even more greatness coming from them.

Like so many other readers, I have been patiently waiting for Casey McQuiston's second novel ever since reading Red, White, & Royal Blue last summer. This did not disappoint! I loved that it was a completely different story than her first book, but the characters still had a lot of wit and humor. I loved Jane and August's chemistry, as well as the element of magical realism. I will definitely be recommending it to my friends and library patrons!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Red, White & Royal Blue was my favourite book of last year, so I had high expectations for this one, and I was not disappointed! Though it wasn’t quite as good as their other book (how could it be, it was perfection!), I am still so excited for others to read this one. With mystery, love, NYC, and a healthy dose of drag queens, this book felt tailor made for me. Highly recommended!

Casey McQuiston's second novel is another one not to be missed. August Landry is a well-drawn and relatable protagonist whose struggle with vulnerability and desire for community will surely appeal to young people coming of age in the 21st century. Although the love interest, Jane, at times feels underdeveloped in comparison to other secondary characters, McQuiston surrounds August with believable, extraordinary individuals that invoke a welcome love and appreciation for queer communities. One Last Stop is about finding your people in a world that often feels like too much, and much like syrup, One Last Stop is warm, heavy, and completely satisfying. Appeal factors: relatable characters, community building, magical realism, romance.

I picked up this book because I have read Red, White, and Royal Blue more times than i can count. While this book has a very different plot and setting, it still gave me the same joy that I got from reading RWARB. Beyond my love for McQuiston's always charming characters, and fell in love with her portrayal of Brooklyn and New York as a whole. I thought the author did a wonderful job of explaining how hard (but exciting! and terrifying!) it is to be young/creative and find a way to afford to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I also am always a sucker for diner settings, and the wonderful diner in One Last Stop made me want to explore all of Brooklyn until I found one that lived up to the charm of McQuiston's diner. This book is exactly what we all need right now- a reminder that love (and friendship) can be found among strangers on a subway.

Oh wow. Another amazing book by Casey McQuiston! I knew I wanted to read this book the second I knew there would be a book. Red, White and Royal Blue was my first ever 5 star romance read and One Last Stop is also amazing! In full disclosure, I didn't even read the synopsis before starting this book so I was a *bit* caught of guard about 20% in so I went back to read the synopsis so I could reset myself. This book had me smiling, tearing up, covered in chills and unable to put it down. I used every spare second in my day to read this and honestly, could reread it again right now. Cannot suggest this book enough! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

Casey McQuiston know how to write wildly beautiful books with characters you desperately want to root for and friends you fall in love with. As much as I wanted a sequel to Red, White, and Royal Blue, One Last Stop blew me away. It was absolutely magical. I had to stop reading at one point, because I knew I wouldn't stop reading and I also knew this book is supposed to be savored. What an absolute treat.

I absolutely loved McQuiston's first book, and was very excited to see a new book from her. This one features two women who form a relationship after meeting on the Q train in Brooklyn a couple times. It really is the prefect set-up, because doesn't everyone think about the strangers they see daily on the street or on the train or in that diner? And don't you wonder if what their story is, if you would be friends... or lovers? That's where this story begins, and while it soon took a turn I didn't quite expect, it followed through beautifully and with such heart that I will be recommending this to EVERYONE. Bonus - the secondary characters are a treat as well, and I love them just as much as the main characters.