What a fantastic story! As a fan of Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue, I went into One Last Stop with high expectations and they were absolutely met and exceeded! I expected a good love story with unique and relatable characters and got so much more -- unsolved mysteries, 1970s history, drag queen parties, and Doctor Who levels of timey wimey strangeness.

I adore all the characters. August is a prickly minimalist who carries a knife in her pocket and expects the worst from the universe. Her new roommates - Niko the psychic, Myla the artist, and Wes the antisocial tattoo artist - give her a welcoming home and soon become her found family and entry into a diverse and queer network of New Yorkers. I loved the way their backstories are gradually revealed and how all of them help each other grow and flourish. And then there's Jane, a butch bombshell who has inspired a host of missed connections entries from dazzled subway commuters. Her story is absolutely incredible and offers a unique insight into queer history and resistance, as well as Asian-American history. And of course there's New York, a character unto itself, whose energy suffuses each page. Pancake Billy's House of Pancakes also deserves a mention as it is a major locus of the story and will make you crave breakfast foods at all hours. The plot is excellent and I enjoyed every twist and turn and shocking revelation.

One Last Stop offers a superb cast of characters and star-crossed love stories while diving into the struggles and complexities of new adulthood. I can't recommend this book enough!

This was so cute. I really enjoyed this story with a main character who acts way too much like me (it's quite embarrassing actually), a love interest I could easily fall in love with (I'm a sucker for women in ripped jeans and leather jackets), and a found family that warms my heart. This reminded me of other timeloop/time-travelly romances I've read, but queer, which makes it better.


* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

For all the hype surrounding One Last Stop, I was fairly certain that I knew what I was getting into - cutesy sapphic romance, small-town-girl-moves-to-the-big-city, twentysomething coming of age... all of which are included in the story, but I had absolutely no idea at all that there would be such a strong sci-fi element in the main plot, Even so, One Last Stop mostly delivers as a fluffy romcom with hints of serious topic matter (racism, homophobia, struggle with identity) while maintaining an overall light and airy tone.

Initially, I was disappointed with the bait-and-switch nature of the ending - I think it would've perhaps been a braver choice for McQuiston to have ended the story differently, and perhaps that different ending would've better demonstrated the theme of how someone can come into your life and totally alter your perspective forever, whether or not they remain a part of it. However, I do understand why she made the choice to end the story as she did, and I do appreciate that both main characters were afforded the right to closure with some of their personal/familial issues and that we got the all-too rare happy ending for a sapphic couple.

This was not my normal type of book, but I am so glad I gave it a try. Normally if I see a description that involved something with time travel, I’d skip the book. But, it was done in a way that was believable and interesting. I loved Jane and August, and felt for their characters and the challenges they faced. I also had a soft spot for Wes, and his struggles. As I read the book, I wasn’t sure how it would end, and struggled to think about what ending I was rooting for. I was really pleased with how the book ended. This was a really unique and interesting book. I received an ARC from netgalley, and this is my honest review.

A beautiful story about coming-of-age, finding your place, finding your family, and finding first love. McQuiston does an incredible job capturing the essence of a place. Atmospheric, romantic, and sweet. A rare concept with excellent execution.

This was one of my most anticipated releases this year!

Moving to NYC in her early twenties, the city was supposed to prove to August how cynical the world she knows is. August moves in with the most interesting roommates, starts working at a 24-hour pancake diner and keeps running into a beautiful, outgoing stranger on the Q train. Subway Girl, Jane, is breathing a little magic back into August's life.

There is just one problem, Jane is not just some hipster in love with cassettes and old rock, she’s literally stuck on the Q train since the 70’s.

This book was an absolute delight. I love the mystery/time-travel mixed with romance and a dash of steam. One Last Stop has some seriously amazing supporting characters! McQuiston has a way of writing characters that feels deeply genuine and I fell in love with all of them. McQuiston writes truly impactful queer stories and I could not recommend her more!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue so much, it's a favorite, so I couldn't wait to read Casey McQuiston's newest novel and had really high expectations going into it...once again she delivered. One Last Stop is such a charming, remarkable, yet offbeat novel that I couldn't help but enjoy it although it's quite a bit different from her first novel. This one is a lot more quirky and a lot of suspension of disbelief is needed with this one to follow the plot but the payoff is worth it.

August and Jane are the main characters in the book, and they were great. I loved watching their romance unfold because it was sweet, sexy, and just amazing! Yet, I didn't feel the same connection with them that I did with the secondary characters Niko, Myla, Wes, Isaiah, whom I really just fell for! I loved how they were written, how they were just so human, so authentic, and so emotionally intelligent. I would love another book just about those characters, to be honest! And that's not to say that I didn't love August and Jane and their love story because I did, but I think the whole plot with the time slip (as I said, you REALLY have to suspend your disbelief here, and I'm a huge fan of time travel romances) and how Jane was stuck on the subway took away from all of that because it made the story drag in places. None of this is meant to take away from the book in any way at all because I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

What I really loved about this book though was the amazing cast of diverse characters that McQuiston has given life to with characters who are gay, queer, bi, trans, lesbian, drag queens, of various cultures and religions, and more. It's so inclusive, and I just loved that. I also love how the book as a whole had a family vibe with all the characters--they were friends who became family and created their own community, and it was just amazing to read!

This is a sweet romance, full of love, youth, the importance of finding yourself, finding your place in the world, and is the perfect read for Pride Month or any month!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

Back in 2019, I was driving from Texas to California and needed an audiobook to help pass the hours on the road. I had just returned from a vacation in London, so I was instantly drawn to Casey McQuiston's Red, White, and Royal Blue. That slow building romance between the President's son and a Prince of England instantly drew me in and had me longing to read more from McQuiston. It has been three years, but she's finally released a new work. Fortunately for me, her publisher was kind enough to send me a copy of it.

Like most young people her age, August has moved to New York City intending to pave her own path in the world. At home in New Orleans, her life was mostly tied to her mother's obsessive search for her long-lost uncle. While August gained an abnormal proficiency in the art of investigation, that is by no means her own passion. She's got a degree of her own to finish, and New York seems like the perfect place to start anew. Her apartment, a small place that towers above a Popeye's Chicken of all things, comes with a band of quirky roommates who instantly accept August as their own. She lands a job bussing tables at a local diner. Life isn't glamourous by any means, but August feels good about the place she's in.

Each day, August rides the Q to work and school. If you've ever ridden on a New York subway, you'll know about the interesting cast of characters that you usually find riding with you. August tries to mind her own business during her daily commute, but she can't help but notice the gorgeous girl who is always on the train. Jane is everything that August isn't. She's effortlessly cool with a vintage style that is all her own. She's confident and kind, not afraid to step in and help out a complete stranger. As August continues her daily ride on the Q, her crush on Jane grows and grows. The pair strike up a friendship that begins to veer toward romance, but a relationship isn't exactly in the cards for them. You see, Jane has ridden these rails since the 1970s, frozen in time as the world has moved on around her. She is bound to this train, unable to leave or travel anywhere else. August might be the only person who can help her escape this phenomenon, but she risks threatening their relationship in the process.

Casey McQuiston follows up her hit debut novel with One Last Stop, another captivating romance that will instantly draw you in. McQuiston excels in building chemistry between two characters, and I found her writing of the brimming relationship between her two main characters to be the highlight of this novel. You can't help but root for the two women and dream of them being able to come together. McQuiston fills the story with a supporting cast that represents the diversity of the city she's writing about, a move that I'd love to see more fiction authors follow. Having characters of different nationalities, ages, genders, and sexual orientations added a richness to this story that others in the genre usually lack.

Strong characters aside, I just couldn't fall in love with this book. I really wanted to love it, but the plotting surrounding the story's central mystery just fell flat for me. I think it came down to a lack of balance between the "frozen in time" hook and the actual relationship between the characters. So many pages were devoted to a plot point that just didn't pay off for me. As the ending approached, I was enthralled by the relationship, but frustrated with a twist that was all too convenient. Even the ending seemed unsure of which way to close the story. As the novel concluded, I was left feeling that the individual elements of the novel were more satisfying than the story as a whole. There's much to love about One Last Stop, and I seem to be in the minority of reviewers on it. While I didn't love the book, I still think it is a worthy addition from an obviously gifted author. I'll still be the first in line to read whatever Casey McQuiston comes up with next.

***I received a copy of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

“There was this girl. I met her on a train. The first time I saw her, she was covered in coffee and smelled like pancakes, and she was beautiful like a city you always wanted to go to, like how you wait years and years for the right time, and then as soon as you get there, you have to taste everything and touch everything and learn every street by name. I felt like I knew her. She reminded me who I was. She had soft lips and green eyes and a body that wouldn’t quit. [...] Hair like you wouldn’t believe. Stubborn, sharp as a knife. And I never, ever wanted a person to save me until she did.”†


This book is a sapphic masterpiece. Casey McQuiston can truly write a millennial contemporary romance like no other. She effortlessly creates characters that feel so real I can practically drag them off the page. McQuiston builds dynamic and hilarious found families, and is is endlessly gifted at creating organic banter that flows effortlessly between deep conversation and casual dialogue. I am OBSESSED with August and her fabulously diverse roommates. (Niko is EVERYTHING!!!)

I adored the way McQuiston grounded the done-to-death ~timeslip~ plot with actual facets of queer history. It gave more emotional depth to a story that had a ton of potential to end up gimmicky.

And the ROMANCE. Does anyone really yearn as hard as the gays? Because One Last Stop had some absolute god tier yearning. I was losing my mind.


“I fell in love with you the day I met you, and then I fell in love with the person you remembered you are. I got to fall in love with you twice. That’s—that’s magic. You’re the first thing I’ve believed in since—since I don’t even remember, okay, you’re—you’re movies and destiny and every stupid, impossible thing, and it’s not because of the fucking train, it’s because of you. It’s because you fight and you care and you’re always kind but never easy, and you won’t let anything take that away from you. You’re my fucking hero, Jane. I don’t care if you think you’re not one. You are.”†

†must be checked against final text

One Last Stop was a pleasure to read. Lovable characters, witty writing, and a great romance. I enjoyed this one more than McQuiston's Red, White, and Royal Blue.

AAAAH!! AT LONG LAST!! I finally get to rant about this book!!! Ever since I read Red, White, and Royal Blue I was immediately excited to see what Casey McQuiston would come up with next. With the announcement of her new book, I wondered if One Last Stop would live up to the hype of RW&RB, and it absolutely did in the best way possible!

The first thing to note about OLS, is that it is not a RW&;RB 2.0. It is queer and it does have a fantastic cast of personable and likeable characters, but it is its own book and I think that fans of Casey McQuiston should note that and give the book the attention and adoration it deserves, without comparing it to RW&RB.

One Last Stop follows August, a 23-year-old girl who just moved to New York City. August adjusts to city life with a new waitressing job and new roommates, and things seem to be going well when she adds a new subway crush to the list. Unfortunately, the girl on the train, Jane, is not your typical commuter. Jane's been trapped on the Q train since the 70's and August might be her only chance at getting free.

First and foremost, OLS solidifies Casey McQuiston's strength at characterization. I immediately wanted to get to know every single character in this book (and become their best friend). Usually, I find that the main characters can be reliably interesting while the side characters fade into the background, however, in OLS every single character was a world on their own. From August's roommates to August's workmates, every single character left me wanting more. I would honestly read novellas dedicated to each side character in this book.

One of my second favorite things about this book was the fact that it took place in Brooklyn!! Now, <em>I know that it's not exactly rare for a book to be set in NYC, but it is rare for it to actually feel like NYC. Let's just say that the subway weirdness was captured perfectly in this book. Which obviously is important since it primarily took place on the subway. Speaking of the subway the only smaaaalll issue I had with this book was, SLIGHT MAYBE SPOILER AHEAD?? that there was a semi-public sex scene on the train. It's really just a personal issue since you know, I ride the train daily, and the idea of people having sex on the moving trash can/petri dish that is the subway grosses me out. POSSIBLE SPOILER OVER.

Slight maybe semi spoiler aside, another thing that I enjoyed about OLS was that it was an easy read. I know that the page count says 436, but it did not feel long at all. The story just flew by, and when it was over I was surprised and left wanting for more!

I give One Last Stop a very enthusiastic 4 stars! It was a wonderful blend of romance, magic, and mystery (no I cannot expound because I will end up spoiling by mistake), and it's the perfect read to add to your Pride month TBR!!

Maybe it's me, I don't know, but I was not a fan of this one. This one had some fantasy and science fiction stuff in it, which made it a LOT different from her other book (Red, White and Blue). I absolutely LOVED her other book, so I had high hopes for this one. Now I don't mind science fiction, so it wasn't that. I just wasn't a fan of Jane. I thought she was too perfect and too amazing and it bugged me that she didn't have any flaws. I also didn't really feel a connection between the two characters - they were forced together too quickly and then the twist was revealed and because there was hardly any relationship development, I wasn't really rooting for them. The writing was still great, but I just wasn't into this one.

This one I ended up putting down and DNF. I wasn't invested in the character and the writing just felt a bit immature to me.
This is no fault of the author or her writing talent, I was just in the mood for something a bit more engaging and not so meet-cutesie.

I have seen quite a bit of buzz on this title though, so I'm sure there are honest reviews out there. This one just wasn't doing it for me, and I'd rather read a book I'm more excited about.

So glad this lived up to the hype. It met expectations and then some.

This was simply lovely. Here is another well represented story giving lgbtq+ characters the representation they deserve. The timing was perfection.

I went into this blind and will offer you the same courtesy but I will say here is a story filled with love and humor. I adored the characters and found myself wanting more.

I am not a huge YA reader but this book was so brilliant I will most likely re-read it in the future. The genius of the author is so ming-blowing. The concept, the execution. This book was perfect. An incredible look at relationships, friendships, love and fighting for those who make you believe in yourself. Beautifully written, incredibly unique and strong characters and lots of laughter too. This is a must read!! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One Last Stop

Written by: Casey McQuiston

Rating: 3.5/5
Warnings: Mental health struggles, Death, Some violence

Unfortunately, this book didn’t do much for me. I enjoyed the storyline overall, but it was harder to keep engaged with the book throughout. I really enjoyed Red, White, and Royal Blue, so I was hoping to like this one too, but it was not the same!

Synopsis:
August moves to New York at 23 to be on her own. She moves in with two weird roommates. One day, on her commute to work, she meets Jane on the subway. She realizes that Jane is stuck in the 70s, so August must either forget about her or learn to love another!

3.5 Stars
One Last Stop was one of the books I was most anticipating in 2021. The premise was enough to get me excited, even without the fact that this is the follow-up to the much beloved Red, White & Royal Blue. Unfortunately, it took me about the first quarter of the book to really get into the story. I had such a hard time connecting at first, that I almost gave up. But something happened as the loose threads started to come together and by the end, I was completely invested and emotionally engaged in the story.

In the end, I found this story to be unique and emotionally satisfying. I appreciated the high stakes drama at the end, and thought the characters were well-developed (especially the leads) and the resolution of August’s relationship and investigation involving her mother were tied up nicely. There isn’t a lot of comedy in this, which seems to be the case with a lot of the more recent romcom releases, but the novel makes up for it with heart. You won’t regret sticking with this unconventional romance.

Content warnings: depictions of bigotry, remembered violence, missing family member, rejection by family.

This was a sweet and entertaining romance that takes place in my favorite city which made it even more of a delight to read. I loved the setting, all the side characters, and the quick-witted banter between them. You can find family, unconditional love, and acceptance in the most unlikely places. There were many heartwarming instances in this book. The thing that fell flat for me was the romance between Jane and August and the time travel aspect of it.

I wanted to love this book more than I did. I kind of struggled through the beginning but did enjoy the end once we got there. The romance was cute but I struggled to connect with the characters. I think a lot of people will love this, especially if you love New York.

First of all, big humongous thanks to NetGalley for giving me access to a digital copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Second of all, Casey McQuiston has done it again! I honestly don't think I can properly express my love for this book in words, but I am going to try.

The characters are all so beautiful and amazing and diverse and I fell in love with every single one of them instantly! I related a lot to August, my entire family is really involved in crime investigation and a part of law enforcement in one way or another, so I understood a lot about how she grew up and how her first thoughts and instincts were about ensuring her safety and avoiding and situations which could lead to potential disaster. I saw a lot of myself in August and it was the most amazing thing ever, feeling so seen and understood and it made me tear up a lot, not going to lie. Jane on the other hand is everything August isn't and it works so perfectly. Jane is vivacious and full of life and so brave and honest and present and I fell in love with her as fast and August did. The rest of the characters were more than just side characters; they were as much a part of the story and gave the book so much life and love and they filled with me an intense longing to have what they all do.

The writing was, of course exquisite. Casey has a way of writing that is so blunt and honest and also whimsical and poetic at the same time. Emotion pours from every sentence and I felt everything the characters did intensely.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much of this was a mystery, and even a little heist was involved which was one of the best parts. Like August, I can't resist a case that needs to be solved so this swept me away immediately. The pacing was perfect and the plot was executed so magnificently.

The romance between August and Jane takes the crown. I desperately want what they have. It was so beautiful seeing them get to know each other and understand one another and fall for each other over and over. My heart soared and raced and stopped and I just felt giddy and deliriously happy at the end. I have no doubt I will be reading this over and over and over again.