One Last Stop

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.