ok. I do not like romance novels. I keep making myself read them because I feel like I need to like them, but I just do not like them. as a queerplatonic lesbian on the aroace spectrum, I find them incredibly alienating (at worst) and baffling (at best).

that being said

I fucking love Casey McQuiston's writing, like, on a sentence level. and I adore the way they write found family. that was the best part of the novel for me, the banter among Wes/Niko/Myla/Isaiah/August and all the people at Billy's. I wish the whole book had been that, but I realize we live in an amatonormative society and friendship doesn't sell.

a lot of the critiques I've seen for this novel -- the lack of depth of character, the way the whole relationship is based on lust and only lust, the absence of ~working shit out~, the uneven balance between romance/sex and actual plot -- are pretty standard for a romance novel. like, I agree all of those issues exist, but they exist in pretty much every romance novel I've ever picked up, so I'm not going to dwell on them. mostly because I'm genetically predisposed to dislike romantic tropes and so you'd just have to take my word with an entire shaker of salt.

I'm giving this book a solid 4 stars because it was fun (mostly), it was funny (like, maybe the dialogue was cheesy, but at least I giggled a lot?), and I finished it without forcing myself to. and again, I loved the found family.

I simply cannot forgive the subway sex though. Cut that shit out. It is gross.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I could not put this down. There was so much I loved about it.

The story revolves around August and Jane discovering who they are and a place in the world.

August starts as this disconnected character who’s resigned to being alone and untethered. Then the writer takes all these quirky characters and all their weirdness and strings them into August’s world. You’re left with August not just finding a community but becoming part of it.

Jane is this image of the ‘cool’ unattainable girl. She’s attractive and affable. We discover her past with August and you realize that Jane is just as alone, lost and looking for a place to belong.

The main story itself was good but what made it special was the full world that the writer painted.

I’m pretty sure my heart grew just a little going on their journey and I found myself laughing and at the edge of my seat.

Well done all around. I’m off to ride the train and have some pancakes now.

This book was quite the disappointment. While I'd never read Red, White and Blue, I figured the hype must have been real since so many people I knew loved it! Alas, McQuiston's writing in this was a big disappointment for me. Be prepared for a slight rant below.

While there are many small elements of this book that I dislike (and will list later), my biggest qualm is that this romance is just not believable to me. Setting aside the fantastical elements of the story (which make no sense), this relationship is built on lust, and more lust, and the deep connection that somehow exists (enough so that they eventually exchange 'I love you's) is never shown to us. August and Jane never discuss anything of substance, their banter is medium at best, and there are so many things that they do to each other (mostly, that August does to Jane) that are real over-steps. August and Jane never: discuss Jane's trauma from being displaced from her life in the 1970s, have any serious conversations about their lives, discuss Jane's Chinese heritage and how that might play into their relationship, discuss why it's somehow okay for August to just delve into Jane's life without her permission and invade her privacy constantly. Etc, etc.

This novel also romanticizes New York City and August and Jane in very odd ways. August and Jane have almost no personalities, aside from August being a knock-off, gay Veronica Mars and Jane being.. a cheesy hot girl from the 1970s. But the descriptions of New York City, my neighborhood, and the Q train were just.. so WEIRD! It was as if we were viewing New York City/Brooklyn through rose-colored glasses that were on crooked. There are lots of weird little inaccuracies that kind of serve to romanticize Brooklyn and the MTA but in a way that really annoyed me, especially since I ride the Q a lot and live at the Parkside Q stop that August frequents. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

And continuing to list things I disliked:
The time-warp subway electricity plot never fit fully into the story, and just seemed like a cheap plot device to keep Jane and August separated. I'd much rather this have been a normal meet-cute situation where they LEFT the train.
The entire plot of the latter half of the book, about throwing a party for a certain reason, baffled me. GoFundMe exists!
All the dialogue is so kitschy and cheesy. Especially anything that comes out of Jane's mouth.
Why is August's mom such a bad detective??

The one thing I liked:
Isaiah and Wes's romance... more of that please.

<u>One Last Stop</u> was soooo, soooo good! Casey McQuiston did it again - August and Jane are an epic couple!

Beautiful Jane (Biyu) Su is impossibly endearing - for a fierce, time-displaced, 1970’s punk rocker!
<img src=”https://i.pinimg.com/236x/f8/36/3f/f8363f737888286e44a2e4729a3088d7.jpg”/>

August Landy is an awkward, 23 year old genius with insecurity issues that could light up a city.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/69/30/04/693004fe0090f21d1a6a02ec750df601.gif"/>

But somehow, when these two meet in a crowded subway car, the attraction between them is instantaneous and sizzling hot!

“img src=”https://64.media.tumblr.com/e8da4168738b3bc3dae3a63adf2e70a3/tumblr_o9hgox84A31snconlo1_500.gifv”/>

I had a rocking great time at all the crazy-wild parties that I was able to crash – vicariously, of course! - in this story. I was in stitches when Myla, Niko, Wes and August woke up hungover and huddled together on the living room couch after the” Christmas in July” celebrations at Delilah’s. Annie Depressant had me busting a rib with laughter!
<img src=”https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/a1/e4/77a1e49b7365821e81fcd7bd580e68db.gif"/>

<img src="https://i.gifer.com/KKTU.gif"/>

This cast of outrageously flamboyant characters had me laughing almost non-stop – that is, until the very end, when I had to search for a tissue and shed a tear or two.

<img src="https://wallpapercave.com/wp/wp5139865.jpg'"/>

You are in for a crazy, smoking hot time on the NYC Q line! Don’t even bother to fasten your seat belts: cast all caution to the winds and just enjoy the ride!!!
Highly, highly recommended!

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Casey McQuiston proves again that they know how to write a perfect romantic novel. I was a huge fan of their debut novel, Red, White & Royal Blue, so I was excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. McQuiston has the magical ability to create flawed, yet lovable characters who feel like well-known friends by the end of a book. August's development from a logical cynic to a hopeful romantic feels so natural and makes her even more sympathetic to readers. McQuiston's characters form their own found family, and somehow readers feel that they are a part of this family as well. The pop culture and history references throughout the book make it come alive and create humorous situations for a girl thrown out of her own time. I was worried that the time-travel subplot would make the book seem corny or insincere, but it somehow created even more genuine emotional depth. This book exceeded all of my expectations and I have already recommended it to a friend!

August, a bit of a loner trying to figure out who she is falls for a kind and cool punk rock gal, Jane, on the grimy New York subway? count me IN! honestly as soon as I saw Casey McQuiston had a new book out I was 100% sold. I didn’t even read the blurb about it, just dove right in (which to be honest I would recommend doing to anyone who wants to read because it makes the twist all that much better).

I fully loved all of the diverse cast of characters, the found family, the complicated relationships and imperfections, the quips and the jokes. it’s such a cute and lovely book, I could physically feel it pull at my heartstrings at times. the plot was so interesting to me and all the little details really makes this story so unique. my only real issue is that it took me until about 15-20% into the book to really fully grip me, but once it sank its claws in I could not put it down.

mark your calendars for June 1st! I know I’ll be grabbing myself a physical copy as well to love on and share! ❤️

This is a story about 2 girls & one train line.

I am shocked by how much I loved this. It’s speculative fiction, but in the most accessible way. It’s my first by the author but her writing is so lovely, and I both laughed and cried. The queer rep is beautifully done, and the friendships feel authentic. I also appreciated the exploration of gentrification & how it takes away things that belong to communities and replaces them with things that bring minimum value and higher rent.

I have one very small complaint regarding what one should or shouldn’t do on the commuter train bc they are filthy (seriously the smell is something no human should have to encounter) but otherwise!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

Thank you you Netgalley & St, Martins Press

Love may be too mild a word to describe how I feel about this book. I'm not sure if Casey McQuiston has made some type of Faustian bargain for her incredible writing prowess, but since this is only her second book, I could be persuaded to believe it. I saw a picture of her dog Pepper, a poodle mix, but that could be a clever disguise for the subway troll who's simply waiting for their side of the bargain to be fulfilled. Okay, okay, I'll admit it's an unlikely scenario. It's just incredible that McQuiston burst onto the scene fully formed, with a book as polished as Red, White, & Royal Blue. Now she's shattered the dreadful sophomore novel curse, and blessed us with the beauty that is One Last Stop. This book is the story of August Landry, a girl unmoored. August has never felt at home anywhere, never felt wanted, or comfortable, even in her own skin. New York City is just her latest stop. But then it seems like pieces are falling into place so fast. A place to live, a job, friends, and a really cute girl on the subway start to give August some roots. Just as her crush turns into something more, August discovers that the object of her affections is trapped, both in time and place. Somehow this subway dream girl slipped forward from the 70s and she's tethered to the Q. August will need to rely on her new friends, and utilize the parts of herself she hates the most, in order to set things right.

Y'all. This book. It's really something special. I am a sucker for found family, and the one in this book is amazing. They are wonderfully weird, warm and welcoming. I loved all the music, the art, the fashion, the food, the fabulousness. It was punchy, funny, achingly real, and still so ethereal. I cried until my contacts were all dried out. I snorted and giggled, A LOT. This would have been an easy 5 stars, but I wanted a different direction at the end. It was still awesome. There is so much diversity and representation in this book. I can only imagine the impact to, and the importance of, these characters on queer youth. McQuiston takes on heavy topics here, but never veers into preachy territory. There are depictions of homophobia, violence, racism, and bigotry. It's an unfortunate fact of our world that there is ugliness and hatred. This book so eloquently reminds us that there's also love and light. With kinetic prose, velvet dialogue, and buoyant humor, One Last Stop is a knockout second novel for McQuiston. Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for the chance to review this advance copy.

A fantastic read, I enjoyed the dynamic that August had with her roommates. Overall I loved all the characters featured in this book and the ways the interacted. I really enjoyed how the story went about unraveling the mystery of how Jane got stuck in on the subway.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston follows August, an NYC student moving into a new apartment and trying to process her tumultuous past with her single mother, whose life focus has been to locate her brother, who has been missing longer than August has been alive. The book takes a speculative twist when August meets Jane, a gorgeous Asian-American woman who seems to be unstuck from time and trapped on the Q train.

I was absolutely bananas excited for this book, and I am sure it will be a knockout for some readers, but I am very torn about my own feelings around the book. I really found August to be an interesting main character; I liked reading about how she processed her childhood, and I thought her lens of the world was a great one to be the main focus of this story. I did feel at times in the book that her voice was a bit muddled and hard to find; it seemed to almost slip into an omniscient narration and not the close focus on who August is.

I found the pacing of this book to be my biggest hurdle, you meet Jane in the first chapter, but her storyline following takes quite a while to get going, which was frustrating in a romantic comedy. The book has a huge cast of characters, which will be a plus to some readers, I am sure, but I found it difficult to keep track of everyone. I kept having to go back and check to see who was who. I felt like I needed more time to establish each additional person before we added new folks. I eventually gave up and just tried to go with the flow, and if I didn't remember who someone was, that is fine.

I don't think the relationship really gets enough page time. So much is happening to support the speculative (I totally viewed it as a fantasy element, but the explanation might lie closer to science fiction?) element of the story outside of the Q train that the relationship between August and Jane didn't get enough time for me to spend with the two of them. Some of their interaction are presented as recaps of what has been happening, little lists that did not serve my reading experience very well. I wanted more time with the two; I wanted more banter. McQuiston wrote a scenario that could have become incredibly repetitive, and while it didn't do that, it still didn't really succeed for me.

This brings me to the underlying issue I had with this whole book. I do not like the way the speculative element was handled. I did not like its introduction, August is presented to the reader as a skeptic, but she wholeheartedly accepts all supernatural elements introduced to her life with almost no actual push back. This seemed like poor characterization to further the plot. As the story progressed, I mostly just imagined how much I would have really liked this book if only this element was not a part of it. I personally thought it detracted more than it added, Jane being from the past, was used to tie different plot elements together, but I think McQuiston could have written a similar story without this part. The plot felt very constructed to make Jane from the past necessary, instead of making it seem natural that Jane was from the past. The '70s felt like a costume Jane was wearing; I wanted so much more from the being unstuck in time element. I found the conclusion of the speculative element rushed and convenient and confusing. It was explained too in-depth for me to be fine with the magical force does magical things vibe we had at the end, but still managed to be confusing.

I didn't like the way Jane's story concluded. The book spent a lot of time talking about her past and her family and how she wanted the opportunity to reconnect to everyone she left behind and I was kind of devastated for her. I maybe would have enjoyed this book more if we had been in Jane’s point of view, at least for some of it. I was so interested in her emotions and kind of felt like they were glossed over at times.

Other issues I had with this book were just generally not finding the book funny, I found a lot of the side characters to be more an amalgam of quirky traits than fleshed-out character, and I don't fully understand why August was the only person who had been able to save Jane in all this time. I also wanted more tension between August's 'real-life' and her one on the train, it made no sense to me that August would have so few repercussions for skipping so much work and school.

That seems like I really hated this book but I didn't. The writing is easy to read, when the book didn't drag it was very fun to read. I liked Jane and August's interactions on the whole, they were a fun couple to read about. I really enjoyed the parts of the book set at the place August worked, and I liked the exploration of August's relationship with her mother. I don't think the book is bad, I just thought the book had too much going on and I personally didn't like the way the speculative element was handled.

I would recommend this book to folks who liked Red, White and Royal Blue, it is obviously written by the same person and I would want people to decide for themselves if they enjoyed McQuiston's sophomore work, also to anyone looking for queer found family, or to those who like a touch of magic added to normal life (maybe it will work better for you than it did for me!). I plan on reading McQuiston's third book (and buying this book on June 1st when it is available) whenever that may come, I do hope it doesn't have any speculative elements but I loved their first book so much that I am still interested in following their career!

"It's all about loving someone so much you can't stand the idea of losing them, even if it hurts, that all the hard stuff is worth it if you can get though together."

A heartwarming read about self discovery with a paranormal twist. August moves to New York to finish school. She's 24 and unsure of what she wants in life. She has no friends or family, except for her mom who is obsessed with finding her brother who went missing in the late 70's. She finds some new roommates and a job at a 24 hour restaurant waiting tables. Then meets Jane on the subway. Jane is charming and mysterious. There's one problem. Jane is displaced, she's actually from the past and stuck on the subway. August wants to help Jane and in the process, she ends up finding herself.

This book was a breath of fresh air. It made me feel uplifted and happy. I loved every single character so much. I just wanted to climb into the book and hang out with them. There is so much queer diversity in this book which is so refreshing. The plot was creative, delightful and unique. I want to be upfront and say that this book is very different than Casey McQuiston's other novel; Red, White and Royal Blue but it was also so good. I love how both the main characters, Jane and August, both found themselves in different ways. There is just the perfect amount of steamy scenes (although that was weird because they were mostly in public places). I realize parts were a little far-fetched and there were a lot of side stories but I feel like everything connected well enough. This was such an enjoyable read.

To get this out of the way: if you're going to try to analyze the science of the whole ~displaced in time~ situation, just don't even bother.

10 stars out of 5. Love love love. Honestly very different from Red White and Royal Blue. But even better. Honey Girl vibes. "Sci-fi" twist like In a Holidaze. Splash of This Train Is Being Held. We've got the young girl who moves to NYC to find herself, which is always recipe for cliches but is done well here. Phenomenal found family and other side characters. The main character is a bisexual Virgo only child, I mean come on. So many different things were going on in this book, but in a way that felt like real life, not like an author just threw stuff together. This one isn't even out yet and I'm already waiting for the next Casey McQuiston novel.

I thought I read the blurb for this, but really must not have, since the sci-fi element took me by surprise. While the premise is interesting, it doesn't quite work.
The cast of characters definitely had more going for the side characters rather than the main ones. I felt little to no connection to August and Jane. Their whole relationship felt very false and stilted to me. I had much more interest in the roommates.
The pacing was also very off and I found much of the story dragging or repetitive.

Oh where to begin with this book. . . I finished it almost a week ago now and I’ve just been staring into the void, wondering when another book will fill the empty hole in my chest that this book has left. It. Was. That. Good. Okay but enough dramatics. . . for now.

One Last Stop follows August as she arrives in New York City for a fresh start. She’s just transferred colleges and changed her major again and she’s sure that this time it will be the right fit for her. Surely cold, impersonal New York City will be the perfect place for her to not have to get attached to anyone, for her to stick to her mother’s number one rule: Us versus Everyone. But then she moves into an apartment with three chaotic roommates and meets a mysterious girl on the subway and everything changes.

Although this book starts off a little slow, I began to feel more settled into its atmosphere as August herself got into her routine. Part of what I appreciated about this book was that August starts out feeling like so many early twenty somethings feel right now. Suffocating under a mountain of student loan debt and terrified that they won’t even end up using their degree for their job after it’s all over. She felt so relatable in that way and I really appreciate how McQuiston is writing these 23 – 25 year olds and giving us that representation.

And let me tell you, I loved this group of 23 – 25 year olds. August, her roommates, and Jane are officially my favorite found family. Myla, Niko and Wes were all so different but fit together perfectly. And it made for so much fun banter as well as heartfelt moments where they showed up and cared for August and Jane. I thought they were all just really well written and fleshed out characters and most of the crying that I did at the end was over how much I loved them all.

Speaking of crying. . . August and Jane were just *chef’s kiss*. I think after this book and Red, White and Royal Blue, we can clearly tell that McQuiston just knows how to write two characters in love. The initial spark of attraction, the flirty banter and the idiotic denial of their feelings are all just something I love to see in a romance. And August and Jane’s romance had it all and then some.

So to sum it up because otherwise I’ll just be here gushing all day: One Last Stop is a beautiful romcom about a love that defies the laws of time. With a cast of characters who are almost all queer, this book was funny, heart wrenching, exciting and incredibly romantic. I would highly recommend picking this one up. . . I already want to read it again.

Content Warnings:
Loss of a loved one. Anxiety. Alcohol consumption. Talk of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Talk of past homophobia, including hate crimes toward the queer community. Mention of blood and violence.

Representation:
– August: bisexual. Jane: lesbian, Chinese. Niko: trans, Latino. Myla: queer, Black. Wes: queer, Jewish
– There is Black, Chinese, pansexual & queer rep in other side characters. Two prominent side characters are also drag queens.

I Would Recommend This Book To:
– Anyone who likes their New Adult romance with a touch of sci-fi and mystery.
– People longing for a found family trope that will make them feel like they belong to that family.
– Literally anyone.

My Rating: ★★★★★

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cant begin to thank #NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So while I am not the biggest fan of romances, I tend to really enjoy Casey McQuiston's books and this one was no differed. I love reading her books because they are an escape from reality for me and allow me to just sit back and enjoy the story, the character and the plot. I loved the LGBT theme and the mixture of characters and personalities through out this book!

Another grand slam for Casey McQuiston

This book is one of the best reads I have read in a long time. The main character August just moved to New York City in an apartment in Brooklyn. As coffee spills on her during a train ride on the Q train, a young woman assists her and August starts to form a crush on her. Soon this young woman rides on the train with August regularly, and they start to form a connection with each other. Problem is the young woman named Jane has been the same age since 1976. With the help of August eccentric roommates, they try to piece together Jane's past on why Jane had never left the Q train since that time.

This book is a well diverse with its characters in race, culture, and sexuality. Every character reminds you of someone you knew growing up, a family member, and a best friend. The authenticity of the New York City train line and areas in Brooklyn is spot on. This is hands down one of the best books for 2021.

5 STARS

Wow. I absolutely loved this book. Casey McQuiston has done it again. After Red, White & Royal Blue, my epectations for One Last Stop were sky-high. Somehow, this book managed to fulfill my expectations and go beyond. There is something so timeless about this book. I love the aesthetic that surrounds it—how the Q train passes by everyday, and with it, so does Jane Su. Jane and August's relationship is my favorite thing ever. It truly feels like they are soulmates. I love the subplot of found family that is woven in. One Last Stop was incredible and I can't wait to get my hands on another one of Casey's books.

Ultimately I wanted to love this book more than I actually did. I love that it’s becoming easier and easier to find LGBTQ+ romance in the general romance section but it can’t all be great. I love Red White and Royal Blue but unfortunately this just didn’t have the same spark and charm and I found myself more annoyed with the characters than rooting for them. It’s still a solid read just not a hit like RWARB.

I simply ADORED this book. I loved every single one of the characters with my whole heart.

I really loved Red, White, and Royal Blue so I requested this without reading the description. Which is something I do way too often, probably. But it was really fun with this book because I had no idea it dealt with time travel (kinda) and magic realism (kinda). It was a very nice surprise.

I think this means Casey McQuiston is being added to my auto-buy (auto-request) list!

August moves to New York to prove that she doesn’t need anyone. When she runs into a woman on the Q train, there is an immediate connection. Jane is mysterious and always seems to be on the Q when August takes it. Over time, August realizes that Jane is stuck on the train. And not just stuck, but stuck from 1970. August is determined to help release Jane from this prison.

This was not what I was expecting from the author of Red White and Royal Blue, but I really enjoyed it! The storyline was great, and the characters really drew me in and made me wish I lived in their apartment with them. This book was so quirky and fun, I really enjoyed it and I think you will too!