In an effort to build a space for queer people like myself, every Tuesday I’ll be posting interviews, opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.) Welcome to Queerly Not Straight! Enjoy and leave a comment below if you have a suggestion for what I should cover next.
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! Expect more posts this month, from interviews to reviews and more!
Coming into Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop I already knew that I was in for quality content. Her book, Red, White & Royal Blue was a critical success and I remember every queer friend that I knew in 2019 talking about it. So, I’m happy to report that not only did McQuiston meet my high expectations. She surpassed them and gave me something I don’t think I’ve ever read before.
Sure, I’ve read time travel romances with straight characters. Those are a dime a dozen. But a queer couple that identifies as LGBTQ smack dab in the middle of a time travel conundrum? Oh, that I haven’t seen before until One Last Stop. And, without giving spoilers away, this concept was explored in a manner that left me A) wanting more and B) sent me on a hunt for other books just like it.
The romance at the heart of One Last Stop is between August and Jane. The former just moved to New York City and is trying to find her place amongst such a vibrant city. Which, totally understandable and something we’ve seen plenty of times before. Doesn’t mean her storyline sucks. It just means I’ve seen it before and welcomed McQuiston’s exploration on what it means to be queer in NYC while trying to find oneself.
And Jane, well she’s just trying to figure out what happened to her and how to get out of this time travel problem she’s found herself in on the Q train. It takes meeting August, and getting to know her, for things to really start rolling when it comes to the mystery of Jane. And the bond that these two form along the way is electric. I know it sounds cheesy, but trust me on that.
I legit found myself channeling my inner Paris Hilton and saying, “That’s hot.” over and over as August and Jane got to know each other. And I felt that in the big moments and the small ones. And the way that these two gravitated towards each other had me turning the page and going from chapter to chapter with an ease I haven’t experienced in ages.
But what really makes this book shine, at least for me, is the family that August finds along the way. Yes, the romance is hot and you need to get to know all about the bond between August and Jane. But the found family that August becomes a part of had me shimmying in joy as I read One Last Stop. That basically means that this book has dimension and nuance.
There’s this one moment for August, and for the reader, where you feel the world shift underneath the protagonists feet. This isn’t what she expected and she never thought she’d be part of a collective. But here she was, sitting with a group of people that have taken her in as one of their very own and its enough to make you teary eyed.
All together, Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop lives up to the hype. It’s romantic, sweet, funny, real, and leaves you feeling cozy, content, and confident in the book you’ve chosen. It’s a love story worth investing time in that explores how far you’re willing to go for those you care for without losing yourself along the way. And that makes this book a worth while investment this June.
Queerly Not Straight posts every Tuesday with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.)
