I loved this book. I fell in love with all of the characters and the story had me hooked from the beginning, especially Jane😍 Casey’s inclusion of tidbits of Chinese culture and “things only Chinese people would understand” had me wanting to text my mom when she described “yeet hay” and the chrysanthemum tea “remedy” for it 🌼IYKYK‼️

The concept for this one is so unique, with so many layers, my review can’t do this one justice but you are all in for a treat once this baby hits the stands on Tuesday.

I LOVED this book - a bit science fiction, a bit romance, a bit historical, a bit political, mostly about finding trust, hope, community, family and purpose.

August has had an unorthodox childhood - her single mom is OBSESSED with a missing person's case. The case drives and shapes everything August. August learns to read early in order to read file labels for her mom. She learns that love is not trustworthy. August learns to be isolated, defensive and socially awkward but extremely observant, detail orientated and solver of puzzles.

In an effort to escape THE CASE, August runs to NYC for college. There, she meets the people who will help her solve the ultimate puzzle - herself.

Highly recommend this book.

An enormous thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and of course Casey McQuiston for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am leaving a review voluntarily, all opinions are my own.

It's official, I'll read anything McQuiston writes from here out. I enjoyed Red White and Royal Blue, but this one I absolutely ADORED. From start to finish, I was honestly hooked and so invested in the storyline. August was such a great main character- I loved that she was flawed and realistic and had her moments of doubt or made decisions she couldn't back up later; she felt real, and that always makes for such a great read.

The cast of characters in this book were phenomenal. The rep in this book was so well done, and it all fit into the storyline without it feeling forced. We had bi, gay, lesbian, trans, pansexual representation, and then some. The characters themselves were all so real and authentic and I wanted each of them to be happy, her roommates are people I would LOVE to be friends with.

The storyline was so interesting, we've got mysteries (yes, plural), time-travel, a heist, and drag-shows galore. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, I will definitely be buying a physical copy and I've already told a few people that I'm making them read this.

I'm a jaded, long-time romance reader, and I loved Red, White & Royal Blue so much that it was urgent that I keep my expectations in check for One Last Stop. One Last Stop is Casey McQuiston's sophomore book, and I thought to expect it to be anywhere near as successful as Red, White & Royal Blue would be foolish. In truth, I barely read the blurb (and then promptly forgot what I read, as is my custom with blurbs), so the book was almost wholly a surprise to me. And, guys, I loved it. I loved it so much.

I started One Last Stop last night intending to just read a few chapters, and I stayed up all night last reading. I almost cried when it ended. I never wanted it to stop.

However, when I started the story, I felt a little... uneasy. Third person, present tense writing isn't my thing, and I was feeling a little disconnected from the story. At 10% in, I wasn't sure about it, didn't know where the plot was taking me, but once I started to piece things together, I was hooked (remember, didn't read the blurb...).

I'm a time-travel, time-slip junkie, and books with those elements have a huge statistical advantage over contemporary books to be favorites of mine. Imagine my utter delight when I realized the full plot of this story. I was obsessed.

Also, let me wax poetic about the chemistry. I've read a lot of romance books in my time, and I have certain preferences that are long established. I like my romances slow-burn and with enough sexual tension that it's thick and almost tangible. I like things to build and build and build until everything explodes. Casey McQuiston paced this romance perfectly. The physical and romantic chemistry grew and grew until it was unbearable, and then everything crescendoed and exploded. As someone who reads a lot of explicit romance, I would probably categorize this as on the tamer side, but because the sexual tension is incredibly built-up, it felt so satisfyingly erotic.

Aside from the physical, I ached for these characters. I absolutely loved them together and I was rooting for them as a couple like I haven't in a long time. I was near tears at time while reading, just because of my own overwhelming feelings about the romance. Casey McQuiston made me love this couple and their epic romantic story.

While the main characters were enough to carry the story alone, the side characters were all so amazing and well-developed that it enhanced an already amazing story. I'm talking the queer cast of my dreams, each with their own backstory and interest and flaws. I fell in love with each of them, and I found myself wanting to live in a little 6-story walk-up in Flatbush, just so we could hang out. They were all so impossibly interesting and cool, and Casey McQuiston wrote them all with such care and nuance.

There are so many factors that I can't touch upon completely in this review because it's already extremely long and embarrassingly gushy. I'm talking about the Asian rep (an Asian butch character in a leather jacket, seriously be still my f*ing heart), the bisexual MC in a F/F romance, DRAG QUEENS, the backdrop of New York (in my opinion, the greatest city in the world), the 24 hour pancake house, and the mystery of the MCs uncle. I could wax poetic about this book for another 1,000 words, but instead, just read the book yourself. I'm seriously just ordering you to order it now.

Casey McQuiston, you did it. One Last Stop was the time-slip, sapphic romance of my dreams.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 STARS

I have a confession to make: I requested this one without reading the blurb properly. I saw Casey McQuiston? I adored her RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE so that was an automatic YES PLEASE from me. I didn't realize it was FF and honestly, I wouldn't have request it if I'd known beforehand. So, I'm glad about my neglect otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to read this gem of a book.

Just in time for Pride Month McQuiston gives us ONE MORE STOP, a story so jock-full of diverse delightful characters, it was a joy to read. it is told from August's point of view, a bi-sexual young woman, broke and a little directionless, who moves from NOLA to New York City. She moves in with a ragtag bunch of characters who will conquer your heart. Riding the Q-line on her every day commute to school she meets an enigmatic young woman who gives her a scarf to cover August's coffee mishap. Soon she specifically seeks out Subway Girl on her daily train ride. Although Jane Su is an intriguing, mesmerizing woman something doesn't add up. Like how she listens to cassette tapes or doesn't know smart phones. August, being somewhat an expert in investigating people starts to dig into Jane's history and what she finds blows her mind.

This whole premise was spell-binding from the get-go. The whole time travel/time slippage theory was absolutely fascinating. From the start August and Jane's romance is impossible and yet, both lonely in their own ways, they think the short time they might have together would be worth what comes after. On August's mission to find out Jane's forgotten past she also discovers her uncle's fate, who has been missing for decades and finds her purpose in life.

August's roommates and co-workers were the best of the best. Each and every one of them endearing, loyal without fail and resourceful. Every single one unique, quirky and lovable. Together they save a pancake joint from closing and find out how to save Jane from riding the Q-Line for all eternity.

The time travel setting also takes us on a historical journey and teaches us what it meant to be queer in the last couple of decades. That hate crimes towards the LGBTQ+ community happen in every era. And that being different doesn't mean that you are somehow...less. That tolerance isn't enough but acceptance and love of diversity should be the goal.

Casey McQuiston's writing style is so easy to absorb. The humor, fun and emotion, the supernatural, clever storyline, the star crossed lovers trope and the wonderfully quirky characters lift this book to the next level. However, I have to admit that the supporting characters outshone August in some parts (and don't get me started on how much I love Jane) and the story was a tiny bit slow in others which is why I can't give this 5 stars but it was still an amazing book.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston is a f/f romantic comedy that also brings some mystery and magic to the table. August is new to New York City and meets Jane on her subway commute. She quickly develops a crush but then realizes that Jane is actually lost in time.

This book was such a fun and pleasant surprise for me! I really enjoyed it, and the magic of Jane being stuck in time was a delightful change from the typical rom coms that I enjoy. The romance was both sweet and steamy, and the author did a wonderful job of showing the romantic progression from friends to more. I loved the character development for August and the way the story unfolded in terms of pacing and character revelations. I also loved each of the side characters and the roles the played in August and Jane's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this title which did not affect the contents of my voluntary review. All opinions are honest and my own.

I really enjoyed One Last Stop!

After loving Red White & Royal Blue, One Last Stop was immediately pushed to the top of my TBR. I certainly wasn’t disappointed, as this book had the same witty banter and strong friendships I loved in McQuiston’s first release.

August and Jane are so easy to root for. I adored the idea of a found family, and the characters throughout this novel really mesh well together. The lgbtqia+ representation was incredible!

One Last Stop is wholesome and sweet while still super sexy and fun. My only complaint was that I didn’t love the way Jane was tied to the subway line; I wish it would have been something else other than what was actually keeping her there. Otherwise though, this one was adorable and one I will be recommending to everyone!

Thank you for the free review copy!

I would say I'm surprised at how much I adored this book, but I'd be lying. After loving RWRB, I knew I'd read anything Casey McQuiston writes and love it. One Last Stop, this unabashedly queer, found family, love that transcends time kind of book is proof of that.

This is full of an incredible and eccentric cast of characters with some really amazing representation and I loved that about it. The banter was great, it's clearly a love letter to NYC and the subway system, and I laughed out loud a few times. I am not a huge fan of magical realism and time travel, but that might be more of a "its not you, it's me" thing.

The strength of this book is the character. I think I liked the side character of her roommate's and the workers at the diner more than August. I liked August well enough but everyone else felt a little more three-dimensional than her. The pacing was a little off for me in a sense that it felt like it took longer than it should've to read the book not that it missed any beats of a great story.

The characters and plot grew on me, especially after the midpoint. They took root, and I was very relieved to know that is a romance and a HEA is a guaranteed because it really did not seem like it would happen.

My favorite part was the connection with her missing uncle and his connection to that little piece of New Orleans history I learned on a dark history tour: The Upstairs Lounge fire. I literally gasped out loud. That inclusion of the piece of queer history is the first time I've seen it a fiction book. I've read an entire book on the fire, and it was just cool to see, and it worked so seamlessly.

One Last Stop will satisfy all romance fans with a dash of science-fiction to extra fun.

An LGBTQ love story set on a New York subway with a time-slip mystery at its center, One Last Stop is sweet and engaging, but not entirely logical. I enjoyed the characters and their star-crossed lovers appeal, but the book does get a little bogged down in unraveling the hows and whys of the time-slip and dwelling on the characters' family histories.

I AM UNWELL.

This book wrecked me in the best way.

When I first started it, I wasn’t sure how to feel and actually almost stopped 15% in, but I’m so glad I kept going!!

One Last Stop had total Black Mirror San Junipero vibes. I loved the time travel/slightly paranormal aspects of the story. You could never quite be sure how it was going to pan out that made me so anxious. I may or may not have cried for the final 40 minutes of the book.

The story was refreshing and unique. The found family was everything. Every character was so lovable, I just want to hug them all.

DNF at 50%.

The author is a talented writer, that’s undeniable. I adored R, W & RB! But this book was a lot. Way too many characters smashed into the first few chapters, each one unique and quirky, almost to an extreme. It’s like the author was trying TOO HARD to make a book full of LBGTQ+ characters from all walks of life. It just wasn’t believable at all because smack in the middle of it was boring August, the main character. She was a hot mess who blamed all of her issues on her upbringing.

I honestly could not figure out what the author was trying to accomplish with this story. It was like everting but the kitchen sink trope wise. It started out fun with a meet cute on a subway, but was so slow to progress that I almost fell asleep. Chapters full of absolutely nothing. Jane was the most captivating part and yet we knew next to nothing about her other than she was stuck on a subway.

So much of the story was far fetched and ridiculous. I didn’t realize it was tagged as a “time travel” romance until I was already a few chapters in and couldn’t figure out what was going on.

I decided to call it quits when I knew I could care less what happened to August or Jane or any of the other characters or finding out how it ended.

One Last Stop was a refreshing love story about Jane and August that has a little sass, and a whole lot of heart. The story itself is refreshing and well laid out. The pace flows and keeps you engaged, although it did feel a little long. I loved how almost all of the loose ends were neatly, yet soul crushingly, tied up at the end. Overall I really enjoyed!

This was a cute love story but have to say I was bit disappointed in this one.

I have to say overall it was a cute read but the execution dragged on a little bit for me. I was thrown off guard by the twist.

They had good chemistry but was hoping to have more development between the two before that twist came. I wasn't really invested in June at this point.

Many people loved this one so take my thoughts as a grain of salt as always and you may end up loving this one!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars

Pub date: 6/1/21

So, this book definitely wasn't what I expected in ways both good and bad. It's wonderfully, lovingly queer, full of a weird and delightful found family. The supporting cast was honestly my favorite part of the book. August is prickly, flawed, and stubborn, but I couldn't help rooting for her. While I didn't love the supernatural/supernatural adjacent elements to the story, they didn't pull me out like has happened in other romances.

Unfortunately this was a Did Not Finish for me. I loved the authors first book but just couldn’t get into this book. The main plot just didn’t grab my interest and when you added in the magical element m, I just lost interest.

4.5 stars

When I saw this book, I didn't know if it could live up to its predecessor Red, White, and Royal Blue and how much I enjoyed it. I'm glad to say that I was wrong. This book has a colorful cast of characters , from the two leads August and Jane, down to the secondary characters we meet along the way. I absolutely adored the characters and how they felt like real people. There were moments that made me laugh, cry, hopeful, and angry, which is what would happen in real life. This book was not just a romance, it was about finding a family in the least likely of places. I also loved all of the LGBTIA+ representation in this novel. I do not think this review does this book justice at all, but I do think this is a book you should definitely add to your list! Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC of this novel to review. This one comes out on Tuesday, June 1st!

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one took me a little bit to get into, but once I stopped mentally comparing it "Red, White & Royal Blue" I really enjoyed it.

Right away we meet August who is a student and recent transplant to New York City looking for an apartment. After responding to an ad she found taped to a Popeyes trash can, she settles in with Niko, Myla, and Wes in Brooklyn. From there we gradually meet the rest of the varied and quirky characters.

One morning on the train, an intriguing stranger is kind to August when she's having a bad day. Thus starting a wild new chapter in August's life.

Over all, McQuiston did a good job with pacing and drawing out the mysteries facing our main character. I loved how timely the book felt while addressing LGBTQ issues and anti-Asian sentiments

This book was not what I was expecting…

Since I had read Red, White and Royally Blue last year, I was expecting a linear romance for this second release from Casey McQuiston, and what I got was a time shifted mystery romance…

First of all my over all feelings on this book made me give it a 4 star rating. I loved the characters, August and Jane were well developed and once the time sift was revealed, I started to really like them. Even better was the cast of side characters. This award of genders, identities and personalities really carried the book. They brought a fun and lightheartedness to an otherwise intense story.

Secondly, if I was rating this book on the romance alone, I would give it a 3 star rating because, while Jane and Autumn and their care for each other and their love is a continuing theme, to me this book didn’t read as a romance. The mystery of August’s missing uncle, to the time shift dilemma, to the rescue mission of the landmark pancake dinner all took precedence over the romance in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook recording, but the time sifting was a hard element for me to get over as a reader.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston is scheduled to release June 1st, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#OneLastStop #CaseyMcQuiston #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads