From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks…
For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.
But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.
Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.
Source: Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54860443-one-last-stop
One Last Stop is my first book written by McQuiston. I own Red, White, and Royal Blue; however, I haven’t gotten to reading it yet. It is also the first LGBTQ fiction that I have read. I was apprehensive if I would enjoy this kind of fiction as I had never read it before.
While the book is well-paced, there were instances where I found it to be a bit slow. However, that didn’t derail me from reading the book. I especially enjoyed McQuiston’s portrayal of the characters, be it August, Jane, Myla, Niko, Isaiah, or Wes. All the characters have clear and well-developed backstories. This helps the reader understand why each character behaves in a certain way.
It wasn’t like I couldn’t put the book down or had to devour it in a day. I wasn’t completely hooked to it however, nor was I bored of it. The story is well-paced, and does keep the reader connected with it. I wish the relationship that August shared with her mom could have gotten more spotlight. I felt it was left unexplored and tied up at the end of the book just for the sake of it.
The ending of the book left me confused. The climax disappointed me, and that slightly ruined the book for me. I felt that the ending wasn’t properly explained, and just felt convenient. There were multiple plot conveniences that I found questionable. Some things, events, or connections were just too convenient.
The book has diverse characters of multiple genders, sexualties, cultures and backgrounds. That was the highlight of the book. It was all-inclusive, and thoroughly respectful of the diversity. It tugged at my heartstrings when Jane said that she wants to stay in the 21st century because people here are much more acceptable than in the seventies. It makes us realise that we have a better/safer life today because people before us fought some of our battles for us. It is a silent way to remind the reader that acceptance is the key.
I give the book 4/5 stars. Highly recommended for romance lovers, with a tinge of sci-fi. If you haven’t read a LGBTQ fiction before, this book is a good place to start.