The Q train is a place and a person, and for August Landry it’s proof that there is a bit of magic left in the world. Moving to New York City at twenty-three was supposed to prove to her the exact opposite, that the world is indeed just as cynical as she expected; but with a weird new group of roommates, her new job at a 24-hour pancake diner, and the gorgeous stranger who keeps magically reappearing on her morning commute, August is far from being proven right. Subway girl is Jane, and Jane is everything August could possibly want. There’s just one problem: Jane is not just some girl swept up in the nostalgia of old school rock, she’s literally been stuck on the subway since 1970. Having been confronted with the impossible, August is more than ready to help Jane get off the train, but doing so means returning to a past she promised would stay buried. Something that may be precisely what she needs in order to find a future worth believing in.
One Last Stop is marvelous, full of all the wit and charm that McQuiston brought to their first debut Red, White & Royal Blue. This book could be pitched as Nancy Drew meets a time travel romantic comedy, which are two things I never expected to be mashed together in a contemporary novel. When it comes to Casey McQuiston however, I have learned to expect the unexpected. Their previous book is proof of that. In her sophomore novel, McQuiston crafts a heartwarming testament to the queer community wrapped up in 70’s nostalgia and breakfast food. The characters shine through in the same way that those in Red, White & Royal Blue did, yet there is a realness to the space in which they occupy that is wholly different. Set in the backdrop of New York City, this story brings together a diverse group of people, creating one of the most wholesome queer-found families I have read in a long time. Though most of the plot deals with August and her quest to save Jane from the subway, there is a lot going on in the background with the side characters and their own lives. I can again report that I have formed an unhealthy attachment to certain characters that aren’t the core focus of a novel (Nora Holleran and Wes I am looking at you). There is just something about the way that McQuiston writes their characters, how genuine each of them comes across on the page, and how I begin to feel for every single one without fail. The variety of relationships portrayed in this novel make it shine even more so. Casey McQuiston is clearly becoming a force to be reckoned with in new adult romance, an author I know I can rely on for impactful queer stories. I’ll never stop being grateful for everything they have done, past, present, and future. This book is straight-up magic, a beautifully crafted love letter to belonging, community, and finding your place in the world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review
Trigger warnings: racism, homophobia, anxiety, death of a loved one, blood
Literaryrobin 