Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow Published by HarperCollins on August 19, 2025
ISBN: 0063078775
Genres: LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
Zoe’s first semester at college was a disaster. She was supposed to have been figuring out how she wanted to present to the world – definitely more masc than she allowed herself to be in high school – and meeting her first girlfriend. Instead she met Alden, and was instantly, confusingly, attracted to him. But as their romantic relationship developed, Zoe began to realize that it was not straightforward attraction; it was more that she wanted to embody his masculinity. This was exciting but also deeply confusing, and between the relationship and inner turmoil, Zoe found herself increasingly isolated, missing classes, and generally…failing. So when Thanksgiving break arrives, she boards an Amtrack train to travel back to Seattle, with no intention of returning but hoping she will have figured out a way to explain that to her parents by the end of the four day cross-country journey.
On the train she encounters Oakley, who appears to be a beautiful loner with her life utterly together. But as they get to know each other it becomes clear that Oakley has her own complicated problems that she’s both running from – and heading towards.
Arlow’s sophomore work is a nuanced YA novel that hits the balance between grappling with some big issues – gender, identity, religion, sense of self and belonging – while also being a genuinely enjoyable read. There is some romance (Zoe and Oakley are definitely attracted to each other, and they do act upon that, but not with a this-will-end-happily-ever-after default expectation, because of what of what they are each grappling with outside of the train journey), and excellent supporting characters. The experience of all this playing out over four days in a distinct and unusual environment adds a layer of fun.
This book will fit well in any library’s YA collection. Zoe’s feelings, and her struggles with identity, will no doubt resonate with the teens who need to see that on the page; other readers will enjoy it for the sapphic romance in an unusual setting. Highly recommend; 5 stars.
– Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta