***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.

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.

4.5⭐ OK this book was not at all what I thought, but OMG so cute! So many storylines but they all intertwine to make one wonderful story. My favorite part of the book was actually the party at Isaiah's. I loved the love story, the mystery, and yes, even the unrealistic time travel. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I liked One Last Stop, but I didn't love it. It was slow for much of the book and didn't hold my attention. And time travel is not one of my favorite tropes. Overall, it was okay but not a book I would reread.

ONE LAST STOP was such a fun, entertaining, and original book! It is not a genre I usually read, but many things have changed in my life the past year that opened my mind, heart, and world in a positive and welcoming way; making me appreciate this book even more. I DEVOURED this romcom and felt exhilarated and excited while reading it. The characters were absolutely quirky and eccentric, the writing was easy and comfortable, but most of all, the story was entertaining and delightful as all heck! I am looking forward to reading more by this new to me author and this genre!

This time-split, queer rom-com is like a John Hughes movie in book form. A great cast of character who are diverse, hilarious, and utterly quotable. This book is great for fans of Talia Hibbert and Jasmine Guillory.

tw:
I just finished one last stop a few mornings ago and it holds a special place in my heart just like rwrb. The fact that both of these books came to me during deeply personal and difficult times in my life and they both just resonated with me so deeply? Casey McQuiston has such a talent for writing such amazing found family type books. I loved every page and I can't wait to reread it.

Spotting a hot stranger on the subway can lift anyone’s spirits. A brief flirtation between stops may fuel a week’s worth of far-fetched fantasy. You might wax poetic to your friends, coworkers, or Twitter: “I saw an angel today.”

But what if you kept running into them, always on the same train?

In Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop, 23-year-old August moves to New York determined to be alone—safe from distractions like love or friendship. Her plans are almost immediately derailed by a ragtag crew of queer roommates, a job serving pancakes, and a sexy, tattooed Chinese American lesbian.

Each time she sees Jane (with her devastating jawline, vintage Pride pins, and cassette player) her heart melts a little more. Yet cynicism and general romantic obliviousness aren’t the only things keeping them apart.

Jane is more than the highlight of August’s commute, she’s trapped on it. Mysterious circumstances have left her untethered from time and bound to the Q. And August will do anything to save the woman she adores, even if it spells disaster for her own happiness.

McQuiston’s new adult novel presents a queerness infused with hope. The writer fearlessly weaves LGBTQ history, gentrification, and personal loss into the fabric of young love. Rather than obscure the characters’ joys, these moments of heartbreak, grief, and anger give them refreshing emotional depth.

If you appreciate the quotidian sci-fi tenderness of "The Time Traveler’s Wife" and take personal offense when someone disrespects a bus driver, this is the book for you. August and Jane’s story transports readers to the end of the line and beyond.

Okay, so Casey Mcquiston is two for two. And in fact, I think I love this one even more than Red, White, & Royal Blue. Which, honestly? I didn't think was possible. This book and these characters will be living in my head and heart forever.

August and Jane are just so great together and all the supporting characters are just *chef's kiss* perfection. This was hilarious and heartwarming and moving. Casey McQuiston took such care with this book and I'm just drowning in a puddle of feelings.

One Last Stop starts off with August moving to New York City. Originally from New Orleans, August needs space from her mother and her mother's obsession and is trying to find a place where she feels like she belongs. In the process of finding a place to live she meets people who, though she doesn't know it at the time, will become like family and then, then there’s Jane. And Jane is everything August didn't even know she was looking for.

But things aren't exactly what they appear with Jane and if there is one thing that August is fantastic at, it's getting to the bottom of things. And thus the journey begins. Filled with mystery, found family, and all different types of love: this is not a book to miss out on.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Available Now

This is such a fun and sweet romance! McQuiston has this gift of taking an imaginative and wild concept and making it feel realistic and relatable. Intent on taking control of her life, August Landry moves to New York City, enrolls in college, finds an eclectic group of roommates, lands a job, and falls in love with a girl on the subway. Seems like everyone’s fantasy, right? But August falls in love with Jane Su, a young woman who is fascinating, beautiful, smart, kind, and seems to know everyone. She also seems to always be on the train. As August falls more and more in love with the punk rock loving Jane, she also discovers that Jane doesn’t just seem to love a different time, she is literally from another time. Jane Su went missing 45 years ago and her connections to August’s life run far deeper than a school girl crush.
As the two discover more about Jane’s past and what may have trapped her on the train, August and her incredible group of new friends do everything they can to save Jane from living on the train for eternity.
I am a true sucker for a found family and August definitely won the lottery with her amazing roommates. Niko, bartender by day and part-time psychic, knew August would be a great fit through a handshake. Myla, artist and engineer, instantly goes out of her way to make August feel at home, but you also learn that she is always the warmest and kindest person in the room. Wes, former trust-fund baby now cut off from his family, is madly in love with the drag queen next door and has an adorable dog Noodles. The four roomies are instantly inseparable best friends and their bond carries over to saving Jane, and August, from a devastating fate. I loved that August was able to find this close connection to such an amazing group after a childhood spent with just her mother. We quickly discover that there is more to her and her mother’s relationship than a love of true crime and the quest to find her missing uncle, an uncle that went missing before August was born. When the truth comes out about why August and her mother were such a tight team, August needs her new friends to fall back on for support.
Full of heart, hope, and witty banter, One Last Stop, is a smart and hilarious story of otherworldly love that transcends time.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. The pleasure, as well as opinions and mistakes, was all mine.

I was really surprised by how good this book was. I read a lot of romance novels but I’ve never read anything quite like this. Casey McQuiston writes attraction between characters in a way that is almost electric and give you all the feels.

I did think it was a little slow to start and probably a little longer than necessary but there was one scene that really stood out to me as poorly written. Jane (a Chinese woman) has just gotten in a fight with a man who said racist and homophobic things to her and August (a white woman) tells here that “people aren’t like that anymore” McQuiston even takes it so far that Jane replies with “that’s not what this is about.”

We had been on such a good roll throughout the book talking about how it was black trans women who started the stonewall riots and had on more than one occasion mentioned police brutality so this scene felt really out of place. White characters and authors shouldn’t be qualifying how much racism there is in the world given that they don’t experience it. I don’t think this was intentional or even aligns with the authors views but they handled the scene in a very clumsy and privileged way. We should have gotten a more nuanced conversation about racism and homophobia today, but instead they went on to talk about how hard it was for Jane to know she was stuck out of her time and confined to the subway.