Where to Start with Casey McQuiston
Casey McQuiston writes romantic comedies that put queer love stories front and center with warmth, humor, and unashamed joy. They broke out with Red, White & Royal Blue, a romance between the First Son of the United States and a British prince, which became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a film. McQuiston’s novels are known for their witty dialogue, diverse casts of characters, and the conviction that queer love stories deserve the same sweep and grandeur as any other romance. Their books are feel-good without being shallow, and the emotional stakes always land.
Start here
One Last Stop
Casey McQuiston · 432 pages · 2021 · Easy
Themes: time travel romance, found family, queer joy, New York City
This is the one. One Last Stop is the book where Casey McQuiston’s strengths come together most completely: a sapphic romance that is funny, warm, and genuinely moving, built around a premise that is just fantastical enough to be magical without losing its emotional grounding.
Why Start Here
While Red, White & Royal Blue made McQuiston famous, One Last Stop is the better starting point because it showcases their range. The novel follows August, a cynical twenty-three-year-old who moves to New York City expecting nothing good to happen. Then she meets Jane on the subway: gorgeous, charming, and somehow stuck in time, displaced from the 1970s and unable to leave the Q train.
The romance between August and Jane is the heart of the book, and McQuiston writes it beautifully. The slow burn is earned, the chemistry is electric, and the stakes are real. If August cannot figure out how Jane got stuck and how to free her, she will lose the person she loves. But the novel is about more than just the central couple. August’s roommates, her coworkers at a 24-hour pancake diner, and the broader community around her form a found family that is as important to the story as the romance itself.
McQuiston writes queer joy without naivety. The characters face real problems, including financial stress, family estrangement, and the weight of hiding who you are, but the book insists that love and community are worth fighting for. It is a romance that earns its happy ending.
What to Expect
A 432-page romantic comedy with a time-travel twist. The tone is warm and often very funny, but the emotional moments hit hard. Expect a diverse, well-drawn supporting cast, a vivid sense of New York City, and a climax that will have you holding your breath. An instant New York Times bestseller.