McQuiston is known for their engaging and heartfelt queer romances. They made their debut as an author in 2019 with the new adult book Red, White, and Royal Blue. The novel weaves an enemies-to-lovers, secret relationship love story between an English prince and the son of the first woman president of the United States. Red, White, and Royal Blue won the Goodreads Awards for Best Romance and an Alex Award, and the TV film adaptation was nominated for an Emmy. McQuiston’s second novel, One Last Stop (2021), is a Sapphic romance with elements of science fiction and magical realism. Twenty-three-year-old August falls in love with Jane, a woman from the 1970s who’s trapped on the New York subway in 2020. One Last Stop won the RUSA Award and was on The New York Times 100 Notable Books and Bookpage’s Top Ten Romance Novels in 2021. McQuiston made their young adult debut in 2022 with I Kissed Shara Wheeler. The novel incorporates elements of mystery and thrillers into a romantic comedy as high school senior Chloe Green searches for her missing rival. The novel was named a Stonewall Honor Book in 2023, an award that recognizes exceptional merit in books relating to the LGBTQ+ experience.