This book checks a lot of boxes on paper. It's a quirky, cute, fun, has time travel, a heist, pancakes and drag shows. What's not to love? Unfortunately, One Last Stop fell just a little short of expectations, though I did still enjoy myself reading it (one exchange between Myla and August in particular on page 342 about her ex-boyfriend Greg had me rolling with laughter).

While Jane and August's romance (and the complications surrounding it what with Jane being displaced from the 1970's and trapped on the Q train) is the center of this story, for me it was the diverse supporting cast of characters that really stole the show for me. It was Myla and Nikko, Wes and Isaiah (and Annie Depressant) that I really found myself continuing on with the book for. They were the ones who I felt truly carried the story and I was sorry that I didn't get to follow them more.

The chemistry between Jane and August, in my opinion, felt a bit one-sided and lacking in chemistry. It probably didn't help that it felt like there were major plot points that felt like they were dropped for rather large chunks of the book only be dug up last minute to finally move the plot forward and neatly tie everything together at the end. August & her mother's strained relationship over the case of her missing uncle (I literally forgot about that case file Suzette sent August until it was conveniently needed to push the plot forward again), Pancake Billy's impending closure are just a couple of examples of this. So, while I saw the various plot twists coming when it came to both of those major events, there wasn't enough build up to them to truly make the payoff worth it.

My favorite moments of this book were the ones that involved August and her friends. Isaiah's Easter Brunch, the Christmas in July party, the gang hungover at the apartment, August and Wes's slow burn friendship. Those are the scenes that I would recommend this book for. It's what I loved most about this book. Which is unfortunate since this really was a romance book and all, but the romance aspect just fell a little short.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read though and Casey McQuiston's writing style is so enjoyable that I'll definitely consider reading more of whatever she writes in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher & NetGalley for this arc!

This story was beyond my expectations! It’s got romance galore, roommates with lots of personality (giving me some serious New Girl vibes), and even some time travel!

I haven’t read any other books by this author, but after reading this one I will most definitely be picking up more by them. The characters felt like they were all so well thought out, and there was so much great representation. The plot was so unique and intriguing. My emotions were all over the place!

I highly recommend checking this one out!

Like most other cave-dwelling Millennials on the internet, I absolutely adored Red, White, and Royal Blue earlier this year, so had very high expectations going into this. I saw lots of commentary on TikTok about how this book was better than RWRB, so suffice it to say I was PUMPED when I got a copy from NetGalley.

One Last Stop tells the story of August, an early twenty-something brand new to New York. Having bounced around from city to city, major to major, August finds herself lost in life and looking for a fresh start in a city she can be anonymous in. So, with what little savings she has, she moves to the big apple, finds an apartment with an engineer-turned scientist and her Trans psychic partner, a recluse gay man in love with the drag queen across the hall, and of course, Noodles the dog.

August is used to being alone with few belongings- it's how she survived her childhood of being dragged around by her mother as she tried to solve her brother's disappearance, some 40 years before. She grew up with the mantra of 'I don't need anyone,' so it's a surprise to August when she finds herself falling for a girl she met on the train. Enter Jane, who is an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a fluffy red scarf. Jane has no memory of who she is or where she comes from, which would be a problem alone, but she's also stuck in time and can't get off the Q train without bouncing right back on it.

As August and Jane start to fall in love and learn more about themselves, there's also a deadline approaching- the train will be shut down in a few months, and with it, Jane may disappear forever.

Ultimately, One Last Stop was a cute love story with a very unique plot. I fell in love with Niko and Wes, although Jane's abrasiveness didn't do it for me. The book is laugh-out-loud funny, and there are times I found myself grinning along with the antics. It's also about found family, as August navigates her way into adulthood and finally builds relationships with people who start off as roommates, become friends, then become family.

August's mother can go to Hell, though- who the hell raises a child with the explicit purpose of using them to score information on a case you may not have otherwise had access to? August forgives her WAY too easily, I think.

Overall, a great Queer book with lots of representation, and one I'll be recommending to our patrons to read.

One Last Stop is a celebration of identity, found family and finding a place for yourself in this lonely world. Through well-written characters that you will 100% fall in love with and an incredible tour of New York City and its complex subway system, you will find yourself transported to a place that you won’t want to leave (or until you’ve at least had a taste of Billy’s Su Special). I’ve only been to NYC once and I was honestly disgusted by its subway, there was a constant smell of vomit permeating the air and an unsettling feeling of being looked at… but Casey McQuiston somehow made it magical yet vivid enough to be believable in its wonder.

But the NYC Subway is just a piece of the bigger picture that centers the mystery that is Jane Su. I really appreciated that this wasn’t just your typical Contemporary Romance novel, the odd science-fiction-mystery aspect to it made the story all the more interesting to me (though I will say that I found it paradoxical that it took them so long to piece together who Jane Su was, kind of dragging the book along, when they conveniently already had the methods in finding those answers). Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that invested in Jane and August’s romance, it felt like August was just pining from afar until she realized that Jane IS a mystery which ended up catapulting them into this whirlwind adventure leading to their steamy moments. I definitely would have appreciated more development in their relationship prior to the discovery about Jane and her mysterious identity.

Though I liked August as an MC, there were times (especially in the beginning) wherein I found it hard to connect with her. Her cynicism and jadedness was familiar to me but I just couldn’t completely click with her. While my connection with August wasn’t that good, I, however, fell deeply in love with her roommates and Isaiah/Annie. They were absolute delights and were, for me, the highlights of this book. They made the atmosphere so quirky and warm and welcoming and each page wherein at least one of them would make an appearance, the whole scene just becomes brighter. They were August’s own found family… and what a family they were.

This book was good, and I’m sure for other people, it’s probably close to perfect, but I just didn’t fall in love with it the way I thought I would. So many parts of One Last Stop were incredible but looking it as a whole, it was just a good book. I will say Casey McQuiston’s writing has gotten so much better from RWRB (which was already great) and their prose definitely drew me in, and honestly leaving me basking in queer magic (which I loved).

It's better than the author's first book, and that is the most charitable thing I can say.

The speculative element was mind numbing.

The characters make a lot of references people their age wouldn't even get. Who under 30 knows what Quantum Leap is, honestly? Who is this written for? It reads like a YA but the characters are in their 20s, act like they're in their 30s, and make references like they're in their 50s.

I started skimming at around 30%. I just didn't want to read this.

The highly anticipated sophomore novel from the author of [book:Red, White & Royal Blue|41150487] does not disappoint. McQuiston writes some of the best prose of her generation. My two issues were names within the enormous cast of characters (please can we not have characters named Wes and Winfield, my tiny walnut brain can't distinguish) and that I would have liked to see August's experiences with Hurricane Katrina expanded, but these are small issues.

Bring tissues, and headphones for all the glorious music references throughout.

I had no idea what this was about going into it. I knew I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue so I assumed I would love this too. While it took a bit longer for me to connect to August and Jane once I did I was in there. Casey does such a fabulous job painting a picture and making you really feel invested. This was a subway love story with a sprinkle of unexpected time travel. I found myself rooting for Jane to stay but feeling torn like she needed to leave and then being utterly devastated when she did.... and then that freaking scene at Billy’s I just gasped and hoped that it was her, because it had to be her. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this one!

I often have said I am not a huge fan of sci-fi but this book alone could change my mind. I LOVED Jane and August so much. This book made me laugh, cry, and go “awe” so many times that it just had to be a 5 star read for me.

August moves to New York for school and instantly finds herself renting a room with an eccentric group of roommates. One day on the subway, August meets Jane. And then she meets her again. And then again. Eventually they realize Jane is stuck on the train. August is decidedly not a people person, but her roommates and Subway girl may just change that! As she works with her new friends to host a drag show to save their beloved restaurant and find a fix for Jane’s problem, August realizes that being alone isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I just loved every second of this book and all of the characters have fully captured my heart! (Particularly Myla and Niko... can we get a book on them?)

All 5 Stars

Wow. This book. My favorite books are books that make me feel all the feels and this one definitely did.

“One Last Stop” is the story of August. August has just moved to New York City and at the ripe old age of 23, has decided her best course of action is to remain alone and independent. She’s always been a loner and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. While looking for a place to live she meets Niko, his girlfriend Myla, and their roommate Wes. On the train she meets gorgeous and mysterious Jane. Jane, it turns out, has been displaced by time. She’s stuck in the 70’s and has been on the Q train for over 40 years.

While there was a lot I loved about this, my absolute favorite thing about “One Last Stop” are the characters. All of them, even the side characters. They’re diverse and eccentric and so well written that I felt like they were people I wish I knew in real life. The way they love and support each other in their own unique was a delight to read. I’m a sucker for the found family trope and it just made my heart so happy to see August go from being alone and isolated to being surrounded by a group of people who loved her as she was.

The book does start off a little slowly. It didn’t bother me though because with this being over 400 pages, I felt like we got to know all of the characters a little bit better than the more normal 200-page book. This is written in August’s third person point of view and while I usually prefer dual viewpoints, I felt that McQuiston did an amazing job on making me feel like I know Jane and all the others just as well as August.

I thought the romance was off the charts. August and Jane have undeniable chemistry and a love that beats all the odds, even space and time. They start off as friends and while they each have a crush on the other, they’re both pretty oblivious to the other’s feelings which I found to be entertaining at times. There’s also a mystery surrounding Jane. Is she a ghost or something else? What happened to her and how can they help her get off the train in whatever way that may be. There was so much going on that I found it painful to have to put the book down for sleep and work. I just wanted to know what was going to happen!

I loved how we get some of the past issues with race and homophobia and through Jane’s eye get to witness how much things have gotten better. There were certain scenes that really touched me when she learns of all the changes in society concerning LGBTQ+ people in the 45 years she’s been in stasis.

I recommend this book for anyone lover of sapphic books, even if new adult isn’t your thing, I think you’ll enjoy this. I honestly believe that this crosses all different kinds of genres from romance to mystery to some light paranormal/sci-fi and anyone can find something to love in it. I also want to give a shout out to McQuiston for writing something that doesn’t feel formulaic with a plot I’ve read 100 times before. This was original and interesting and held my attention through every step of the book and I can’t wait to read more from her.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything that I hoped it would be! I was such a fan of Red, White, and Royal Blue so I already had high expectations and Casey McQuiston exceeded them! I'm not sure why I didn't realize I'd need to suspend reality a bit, so it caught me off guard at first. But in the end, it totally worked for me! Great for fans of In Five Year by Rebecca Serle!

I loved this book so much and it was so hard to put down when I had to do something else. I loved Red, White & Royal Blue and I'm happy to say this book also didn't disappoint.

I like how diverse the characters are in both race and sexuality. I thought it was great to have a bisexual main character who wasn't afraid to speak up when people called her a lesbian.

I was so caught up in the story and always wanted to know what would happen next. I still felt like it read like a realistic fiction book even though there was a sci-fi aspect to it.

There was not as much spice compared to Red, White & Royal Blue but it honestly didn't need it. I was glad that the book still had a great plot and dialogue without it needing a lot of sex to carry the story along.

I'm giving this book 5/5 stars because this book was able to melt my heart and made me care about the characters in a way that most books fail to do.

I was and still am the only person who did not adore Red, White, and Royal Blue so I was a little anxious about One Last Stop especially as there's so little f/f romance out there--but Casey McQuiston knocked her sophmore novel out of the park! One Last Stop is funny and sweet and the love story (and the time aspect is genius!!) utterly swoonworthy but what I loved most was what it said about family. The importance of finding one's own family either by blood or by choice is so so important especially now. Finding out who you are by discovering those who truly love you is a wonderful thing and it is expressed beautifully in this amazing novel. One Last Stop is a reading experience not to be missed.

All the ingredients of this book were wildly appealing to me: New York City setting, especially Brooklyn (even a part of Brooklyn I’m quite familiar with!), romance, a paranormal twist, an author whose first book I loved. Unfortunately it just didn’t thrill me. I loved the focus on “found family” but I never wound up really caring about the main characters. Some of the side characters were more interesting than August and Jane.

I loved McQuiston’s first book, Red, White and Royal Blue, but this one fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Okay, I loved this book! It was a slow start, and it took me a little while to gain my footing, but once I was into it, I couldn’t put it down. Stayed up until a ridiculous hour just so I could finish it. And that ending? It tugged on every single one of my heartstrings. The chemistry between Jane and August was absolutely electric (heh), and August’s growth as a character was beautiful to watch. Her voice in the last few chapters compared to the first few chapters was so much lighter, and I mean that in the best possible way. It wasn’t a sudden shift— we got to see her open up bit by bit to her new family. A perfect encapsulation of what it means to be in your mid-twenties and finally able to choose who’s in your circle. Plus, this cast of characters was eclectic and wonderful. There were no dim bulbs for me—everyone was important and loved and integral to the group.

Does this contemporary romance require some suspension of disbelief? Of course. It’s a bit of a hybrid genre. Not magical realism per se, but sci-fi realism? Is that a thing? It should be. McQuiston pulled it off, whatever it is.

Finally, I really appreciated the flashbacks that focused on being LGBTQ+ in the 70s. Maybe Pride Month has me feeling extra sensitive, but I did have to stifle some tears on more than one occasion. While Red, White, and Royal Blue focused on the here and now, One Last Stop married the past and the present in a way that really resonated with me.

Definitely a recommended read if you love LGBTQ+ romances, with a hint of sci-fi magic.

This one was really cute! I’m really glad I got to read it in time for pride month! I think it’s an excellent story for F/F book that gives you a little bit of everything for all reader types.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

What a lovely book to start off Pride month! Living in NYC, it’s strange to say I have not ridden the subway in a year since working remotely. However, by reading this book, I am reminded by my love/hate relationship with it and all the interesting characters you witness on your train. 23 year old August moves to NYC, not quite feeling at home wherever she goes and not feeling rooted to the places/people around her. She gets thrown into a job at Billy’s Pancakes, a fast friendship with her Brooklyn roommates, and then her life is changed forever on the Q train when she meets Jane. She is the epitome of what August isn’t : confident, 70s/80’s punk rock, and very mysterious. After seeing each other for weeks on the same exact train, she notices Jane wears the same outfit and is ALWAYS on the Q train no matter when August gets on the subway - it seems that Jane is stuck there from the 1970s and doesn’t remember how she got there or where she came from.

Their relationship/friendship was adorable to read and watch grow. Definitely a NYC love story - but then the fantasy elements pop in from the time travel aspect which makes it very intriguing. I was really hoping Jane wasn’t a ghost or something like that - I really cannot stand the ghost lover trope! Some parts were a bit slow and seemed redundant, but overall a very cute story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. US Pub Date: June 1, 2021!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read One Last Stop and sending me a early copy! This was a really good book and even though it was quite a bit long I still thought the story was great. The characters were awesome and I really enjoyed all of them that were involved. Usually I don't like a book with a ton of characters but this one I could make an exception. The characters were all very engaging, caring, loving and fun. It was such a unique type of story too with Jane and August. The whole concept of the story with Jane was unique (not going to give any spoilers away) but with the help from August she is able to help Jane find herself. Overall good book, good story. Would recommend this one to others!

3.5 stars

When August moves to New York City and in with a group of strangers, she doesn’t believe in love or magic or anything of that. She’s cynical and a bit transient and looking for a place to belong. Everything changes when she meets Jane, the gorgeous girl on the subway.

I wanted to love this book so much. And, in a way, I did. The characters are unbeatable and it’s a beautiful look at what it’s like to be queer in NYC in the 70s vs now. There are so many parallels even though a lot has changed.

Unfortunately, I really struggled with a huge part of the storyline: being stuck in time. I guess that’s just not something that works for me and, because of this, the first half of the book really dragged.

There really is so, so much to love about this book though.

What I Loved
+ Seeing a different, grittier side of NYC
+ The unique, diverse characters. And I mean ALL of them.
+ The side mystery
+ Drag shows, old diners, and the subway at night

So, if you loved RW&RB (who didn’t?), are looking for a beautiful story, AND don’t have a problem suspending belief in reality a little bit, you should definitely give One Last Stop a try. It’s on shelves now!

Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I am a top-tier Red, White & Royal Blue stan, and this has been my most anticipated read of 2021 since its announcement.

It's funny because I remember my RW&RB apprehension in 2019. I had gotten myself so hype and was petrified it wouldn't live up to what I wanted. I found myself just as apprehensive here that McQuiston's sophomore effort would fall short of such a joyous debut. I'm here to tell you that McQuiston is now a sure bet for me and a bankable author.

You want an iconic friend group? Check.
You want more one-liners for the Queer lexicon? Got 'em.
You want steamy steam? Casey is serving it here for pages.

I am obsessed and cannot recommend this one enough.

For Readers Of: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue & Oona Out of Order

This was one of my most anticipated stories of Summer 2021 and also my first novel by Casey Mcquiston! I absolutely loved the chemistry build up between August and Jane and I loved how this relationship helped August grow as a person. The only issue I had with this story was the paranormal/science-fiction plotline which didn't fully make sense to me. I think if I had a bit of a fair warning that this was how the story would bring these two women together I would have enjoyed it a lot more, but to accept that Jane was from a totally different era in time and was somehow brought into the present just felt off to me.

Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy of One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston in exchange for an honest review. 3.75/5 stars rounded up to 4.