I was really excited to read this book (especially since I loved Red White and Royal Blue) but I was not expecting this book to be as long of a read as it was.

I loved all of the details in the book and the way the food and sites of Europe are described made me want to hop on a plane and fly to Europe myself! However, some do the description and minor details felt too drawn out, in addition to the main romance.

I enjoyed both Theo and Kit and character (and maybe liked Kit a bit more lol), but the stop and go of their relationship from exes and ex-childhood best friends to tentative fiends, to “yeah we can be friends”, to “let’s have a sex contest”, to pining over one another, to “Pretty Woman”-style ruling for fooling around, to lovers was just way too convoluted and I felt like a lot of extra parts of this book could’ve been cut out to make room for the bigger picture of the novel, which is finding yourself and how loving and accepting yourself can help you love someone else in a new way.

There was something nice about this novel that made me keep reading it and I really enjoyed the second hand experience of busing France and Italy through the lens of a sommelier in training and pastry chef. And If you love super detailed descriptions of Europe and commentary on food, wine, and art that borders on pretentious, then you’ll enjoy this book.

However to just pose the elegance of a three week European food and wine tour, this book also involves a chaotic second-chance friends-to-lovers romance with LGBTQ+ representation, and steamy scenes including any combo of only one or both MCs. So if you’re into that, then you might enjoy this book a little bit more than I did.

I LOVEEEEEED THIS BOOK. SO SLUTTY AND PERFECT. Casey McQuiston can do no wrong in my eyes. The entire book was so engaging and I really felt like I was on a European tour with the characters. So obsessed.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book.
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Like many others, I’ve read every McQuiston title so far and this one definitely hits the mark. The Pairing is more verbose and certainly spicier than their previous works, but it works for the piece. Kit and Theo are childhood friends, to lovers, to a messy break-up, to sharing a European vacation after years of not speaking. I really loved the way the POVs were split up, and felt like I really got to understand their personal growths within themselves and each other.
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My parents and brother are in the midst of planning their own trip to Italy, and this book made me jealous that I can’t join them to visit some of these places and taste some of these dishes. If you are a foodie, this book is for you, and even if you’re not, then it will make you wish you had a chef on hand to recreate the meals McQuiston describes.

Casey McQuiston always slaps. I think there's just something about their writing that really hits so close and makes reading such a special experience. I will forever and always love their books!

I loved this gorgeous journey through Europe with Theo and Kit. I'm a huge fan of Casey McQuiston and couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. The Pairing is just like taking a refreshing vacation full of great food, fun characters, healing a friendship and finding yourself. I cannot recommend enough for contemporary romance readers or for the fiction reader looking for a joyful, Queer Story.

Thank you so much for the eArc. All opinions are my own.

The spice was good, but I'm not sure I believed this "foodie" world the author was trying to build. I think the spice was the focus that the "problems" the characters were having seemed not serious.

DNF

This one just wasn't for me. I tried to get into this book a couple of times but just couldn't do it. And reading reviews, it seems like the direction of this book wouldn't be my thing.

I usually love Casey McQuistons books but this one was just not for me. I tried to get into it so many times. I think the whole idea of the contest between the two main characters was just not good. I love a good smutty book and having multiple partners doesn’t bother me. I just didn’t like this premise. I didn’t feel like the characters had any chemistry between each other.
Thank you NetGalley for an arc

the flashbacks were so vivid which made the current timeline all the particularly urgent for kit and theo to work out their miscommunications and hurts from the past.

Yeah Casey Mcquiston never misses this was so much fun. I loved the relationship between Theo and Kit even though I’m not typically a second chance romance lover? This, like all of Mcquiston’s other books felt like a queer hug!

Kit and Theo were once a thing-well more than just a thing but they broke up while on their way to European tour. Years later, Theo finally decided to use the voucher they received when they backed out. Little did they know that Kit had the same plan and they both ended up on the same tour! I adored the blend of a travel novel and steamy romance story. It was also fun to meet all the characters teh two of them met along the way. I am a sucker for a "road trip" book and this hit the mark.

I have tried multiple times thinking it was a mood thing, but just can't get myself into this story unfortunately. Thank you for the ARC.

I loved this book so much, if you want to FEEL like you're on a food and wine tour in Europe this was such a great book to get that vibe with immaculate main characters who are just trying to figure it out. This book had so much slutty bisexual energy and I am here for it!!

My only complaint was that I felt like I was reading it forever, it's a little long in my opinion but not enough to deduct a star!

3.5⭐️

This was a cute rom com and it had its moments. I liked the traveling aspects of this story, but I unfortunately did not like the romance as much as I thought I would. I tried not to compare this book to Red, White, & Royal Blue, but it’s hard not to. This didn’t make me swoon nearly as much, and this didn’t leave me thinking about the story constantly after putting it down. This book was cute and a good read for the summer, but not a favorite.

I felt like the first half worked better than the second, but Casey at their worst is still a more fun and memorable writer than most of their contemporaries so that's a minor complaint! This is a great escapist romance about travel, food, sex, and the one that got away, with a bonus for incredible descriptions of food and beautiful locations, along with queer and bisexual representation and sex scenes that read that way. (And you can see where some of the Amazon money for RWRB went, but I for one could not be more thrilled that the author got to write off the no doubt exorbitantly expensive research for this book about the trip of a lifetime as a tax deduction!)

I held off feedback due to the boycott of St Martin's Press.

The Pairing feels like a melting summer popsicle- sweet, refreshing, and melting slightly in the heat. Casey sharpened their descriptions here, but I felt it was exchanged for character development and focus, one thing I would have like to see more of.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Pairing by Casey McQuiston!

EVERYONE in this book needs to go to horny jail. That being said, I thought this was so cute. The levels of miscommunication got to be a little too much for me at some points, but I still really enjoyed reading this!

Pretty sure this was a 4.5 for me. Not my fav of Casey McQuiston's but still an A+ read. What a delight. Traipsing through Europe, eating food and a second chance romance? YES PLEASE. The characters sparkle and the food descriptions are heavenly. Where it fell apart for me was the replay of the initial break up which just felt so frustrating to me. Miscommunication trope is my least fav.

The Pairing is fun, messy, and full of heart. Casey McQuiston knows how to write chemistry, and this book is no exception. The romance builds through quick banter, longing looks, and moments that feel both ridiculous and deeply sincere.

The setting is indulgent—good food, good wine, and a lot of feelings. It leans into chaos, but that’s part of the charm. The characters are flawed in a way that makes them real, and their journey feels like a mix of adventure and emotional growth.

If you want a book that’s romantic, playful, and a little unhinged, this one’s for you.