I really liked this book and had high hopes to be able to add it to our junior high library (grades 7-9) but there was too much sex on the page.

My community is largely either Christian or Mormon and there aren't very many books about Mormon children being gay and not knowing how to handle it. I was hoping this would be a possible mirror book for some of them within my school district, but it's definitely high school or older.

I love how Jake Maia Arlow writes books about the older end of young adults (college students) in a way that feels most suitable for younger YA readers (those just making the transition from middle grade books). The fact that much of the narration was Zoe's internal thoughts and feelings (as opposed to dialogue) gave it a very middle-grade feel, but the book never shied away from complex topics. Zoe, Oakley, and even train-goers like Aya and Virginia and Edward were all well-developed characters with intriguing backstories and personal values. I'm looking forward to recommending this book to library patrons!

The dialogue felt a little bit like baby's first Gender Studies class, but I did enjoy parts of it. The main problem is Oakley, who is almost insufferable the entire time. I could tell I was meant to connect with her and feel bad for her, but I couldn't do either of those things because of how aggravating she was. I loved Zoe's character, though I do think the fact that every single person easily forgave Zoe in the end after just a few days of space from the situation was unrealistic. In between the weird characterization pieces, I loved the setting of both the train and the greenhouse and Zoe's journey throughout the story.

This was a nice heart warming book that is a perfect queer rom com. This is a great young adult book that not only is romantic but it’s also a great coming of age story. The setting on the train is also a nice change of pace because it’s a constant outdoor scenery change but the core of the scenery never changes.

After loving ‘How to Excavate a Heart’ I knew I needed to pick up more from Jake. They have such a distinct writing style that is perfect for my brain. It’s so easy to read, so easy to fall into and they write characters that leap off the page. This story is swoony and sweet and deeply romantic. But it’s also about experience and growth and changes of self definitions and everything this can mean.

I can imagine taking this book on a train ride, I can imagine it being a soul changing experience.

Also. SO MUCH GENDER!! VERY GOOD!! i had many feelings!! and as always love seeing parts of myself reflected on page like this in the hands of someone who so clearly Understands.

I have mixed feeling about this book. I was really enjoying it until I got to the last 25% and then it just really fell flat for me, especially the epilogue. The writing felt like middle grade (not bad just not too advanced) but some of the details in the book pushed it to adult and not YA in my opinion. I enjoyed the setting on the train and the idea that both main characters were delaying something by picking a passenger train as their way of going home. I liked that while on the train they started to enjoy the journey and that it gave them both a chance to think things over before going home.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book feels made for those who love people watching, getting to learn the backstories of so many characters. Also, TRAINS and queer characters! What could we not love. I deeply desire a train trip now!

I thought the combination two characters of deconstructing different things (religion and gender in this case), was awesomely done. I love the overlaps and differences, and I loved the silly chaotic little kid on the train. Aya is very cool! I too love Percy Jackson and trains.

“College hasn’t exactly been ‘great.’ I would struggle to characterize it as ‘fine.’ ‘Steaming pile of dog shit’ is about right, though not entirely accurate, seeing as dog shit can be cleaned up.”

Desperate to get away from college in New York and dreading being home in Seattle, Zoe does the obvious thing and books a three-day cross-country Amtrak ticket. Smart, really. Turns out three days is just enough time for a confused teenager to fall hopelessly in love.

Leaving the Station is a gem. Don’t get me wrong, this is contemporary YA to a T—don’t expect anything fancy, literary, or particularly original. But it’s just got the magic. I loved Jake Maia Arlow’s first YA romance, How to Excavate a Heart (“so cute it’s almost physically painful,” I noted at the time). And on some level, this is kind of the same book. Setting aside the whole cross-country train trip, they tell similar stories. Leaving the Station is maybe a little less funny, a little less weird, a little more contrived. Which I know makes it sound worse. But it’s really not. Actually, I think it may be better. I can’t really put my finger on why. But I loved it, despite its flaws (among them more than a few one-note side characters and some very unrealistic train delay shenanigans that in real life would almost certainly have left these kids in the middle of nowhere without their bags—at best). Whatever, that’s not the point. Leaving the Station is sweet and silly and the emotional core of it rings absolutely true. The kind of book that feels like an act of kindness in itself.

This was my first Jake Maia Arlow book, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I initially picked up this book because I love character driven stories and this one felt like a coming of age, introspective book and of course it takes place on a train from New York to Seattle, which being a PNW girl meant I had to pick up this book. I found the flow of the book to work pretty seamlessly. I liked being able to learn about the MC both in the moment they're in now and what led them to that moment. I also appreciated that this book was in fact messy. There were no perfect answers or endings because life just isn't that way. When it comes to identify and having to navigate labels with gender identify, religion, and having your whole life mapped out the first year of college, it's going to be overwhelming. The MC did make a lot of mistakes that others might find childish, but I truly believe as humans we need to give each other grace. All in all, I've found this to be quite a thought provoking and fun read. I loved the other characters on the train and learning their stories alongside our MC. I'm definitely intrigued to check out Arlow's other work.

I've really enjoyed Jake Maia Arlow's previous books, but for some reason, the tone of voice grated on me in this one, and I could quickly tell it wasn't going to work for me at all. The MC's inner voice and the dialogues felt so forced and stilted, and I found myself annoyed pretty quickly. Since I could tell I wasn't going to enjoy this book, I decided to dnf.

I had a terrible time with this and couldn't wait for it to be over, probably would have DNFed but persisted to review because it was an ARC. Every character was annoying and insufferable but the mc was the worst. They didn't care about anyone really and basically viewed all ppl as just NPCs in their story. The only character I liked at all was Alden because he was just being himself and didn't know what mess he had gotten into.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am always looking for cute YA books featuring college students, and this one definitely fit the bill! A cute read that felt both relatable and swoony, I would definitely recommend this to a friend!

As someone who loved How to Excavate a Heart, I had a feeling I’d enjoy Leaving the Station, and I was totally right. Jake Maia Arlow just gets how to write queer characters who feel real—messy, searching, and trying their best—even when they’re falling apart a little. Zoe’s story really hit me. Her struggle with identity, trying to figure out what being a lesbian means for her (not just some generalized idea of queerness), felt so honest and relatable. I appreciated how the book didn’t shy away from her mistakes—like the confusing ex-boyfriend situation—but instead used them as part of her growth. It’s not a perfect-coming-out story; it’s a figuring-it-out-in-pieces story, which felt way more authentic. The train trip across the country was such a great setting for self-reflection and unexpected connection. I really liked Oakley—cool, collected, and secretly struggling too. Their dynamic with Zoe had this slow-burn, soft tension that made me keep turning the pages. Watching them open up to each other as they traveled felt so natural and earned. If you’re into character-driven queer stories with road trip (or train trip!) vibes, a bit of romance, and a lot of heart, this one’s a gem. Leaving the Station reminded me that figuring out who you are doesn’t always happen on the first try—and that’s okay.

I absolutely loved this book so much! This is the second novel I’ve read from Jake Maia Arlow and felt so connected to the characters. The queer self discovery the characters go through is so so relatable. I wish I had this book when I was younger. I felt such shame being a lesbian growing up in religion and this made me feel like a part of me has been healed. The found family from the cross country train trip made this so good!! I loved the whole cast of characters.
The flashbacks to Zoe’s college experience really made you understand what she was battling and went though mentally, physically, and emotionally. I feel like this is going to be a comfort read for me going forward and I’d recommend this book to anyone. I can’t wait to read more from Jake Maia Arlow in the future.

Book comes out on August 19th, 2025.

I knew the corpse flower would blossom, but I didn't expect it to blossom like THAT.

The first part of the book was pretty introspective and slow to get into, but then it picked up just fine. Pretty sure this is the best book I've read about figuring out gender identity, though I haven't read that many. I like that it ends with thing more figured out but not all the way.

The other characters on the cross-country train trip really make this book work. There are a cast of strangers-become-friends through the four days.

The end of the trip does add a lot of tension to the relationship in a natural way. It's only four days, then you get off.

Also, props for some deep dives into the Mormon and Jewish faiths.

I got this just because it was written by Jake Maia Arlow. I'll continue to read everything she writes.

HarperCollins Children's Books | Storytide was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an excellent coming of age / finding yourself young adult novel that tackled some complex themes such as identity, gender exploration, finding your passions, difficult college transitions for high achieving students, religion, and so much more. Zoe is a college freshmen embarking on a 4 day train ride home over Thanksgiving break from Cornell to Seattle. She's had a rough start to college. Not only is she failing all of her classes, she's alienated the friends she made at orientation, and she, a longtime lesbian, has just broken up with her straight college boyfriend. How did this happen? The only bright spot of her short college time is the hours spent at her part-time job in the greenhouse, where she finds that she has a natural inclination for taking care of the plants there.

The train is full of wonderful characters that I came to adore. The one that stands out the most to Zoe is Oakley, a beautiful girl her same age who is struggling with her own identity as a queer person who left the Mormon church. But I also adored the side characters - Edward, the snack conductor on the train, young Aya, who Zoe and Oakley befriend, an older couple Clint and Virginia who are life long train riders, and many more memorable people.

It felt like a comfort read and I really appreciated all that Zoe went through and ultimately discovered about herself.

"Everyone here is someone, which sounds silly but feels like a revelation. They are their own worlds, with their own labels and lives and identities that I will never know and will never need to."

I absolutely adored this book. I loved the non-linear story telling that slowly unfolded the semester Zoe spent at Cornell and what led them to the train home to Seattle. I loved getting to know Zoe and Oakley. And I would die for the other train friends they made along the way.
Aya is such a special little girl. Virginia is an excellent ally to Zoe & Oakley. And I would love to get coffee from Sergeant Edward!

This book expertly shows humans' desire for connection, that Zoe can't fight, even though they started the trip wanting to be invisible.

And it just proves you can learn a helluva lot about yourself in a short amount of time. You don't need a college experience or degree to discover who you are.

Sometimes books seem so made for me that I'm astounded. How did they know that I find Mormonism and train travel so fascinating? This novel was a very quick and engaging read. I loved the religious discussion- too often I find that writers default to villianizing all faith without interrogating that instinct any further. Arlow doesn't do that here, which I admire. For that reason (and others) I think this book would be great for book clubs/reader's advisory/etc. Something I definitely look forward to recommending!

This book has a lot going for it––I'm drawn to the prose and the religious backstory––but I struggled to stay "in it" due to the slow pacing. I know so many other readers are LOVING it, so I suppose I'm just not this romance's ideal reader.

I thoroughly enjoyed being along for the ride of Leaving the Station. Even though the main characters, Zoe and Oakley, are not reflective of me I liked them and was drawn into learning about them as individuals and as they interacted with each other. The “flashbacks” to Zoe’s college days helped us see and understand how she got to “now” so they were interesting and insightful but I enjoyed the storyline as it carried out on the train ride portion of the story. I became enchanted by the makeshift community created by the coming together of a handful of varied people sharing this standard time and place. I find I am almost always drawn to those unexpected communities that are forged based on common ground. It shows that people can come together and be a positive force even if between an unlikely group such as those that met and became a friend group on the train. Further, I appreciated the slow growth of the friendship between Zoe and Oakley as they got to know each other and perhaps themselves better along the way. The pace of the interaction matched the pace of a train making its way across the country…..having days that stretch on and yet they are only a handful of days. It took on a magical quality as I went along for the ride. I would like to take other rides with our main characters as they meet new sets of fellow passengers to see where those interactions took us. Fun. I’ll be watching for other stories by Jake Maia Arlow.