This was a quintessential McQuiston novel. It had everything you could want - queer romance, travel, and amazing food with McQuiston's signature banter and rememberable characters. I wouldn't say I liked this one as much as RWRB, but I still enjoyed it. I would love to know if this was an actual European food tour that McQuiston went on because I would LOVE to take this trip. All of the stops, restaurants, food, and experiences sounded marvelous. The narration/POV was also super unique with this one. Switching the POV and narrators halfway through the book was so interesting. It kept you on your toes. The narration was superb, and I like that McQuiston got to do the chapter intros.

This was fine. The setting was by far the best part but I struggled with the immaturity of the characters so much of the plot hinged on these two just being honest with eachother and it got frustrating and my enjoyment waned.

I will always be a McQuiston fan because of Red White and Royal Blue.

Thank you to the publishers for the audio arc all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. I was not a fan of this book. I have enjoyed McQuiston's prior works but found this one to be a slog to get through for multiple reasons. I did not appreciate the perpetuation of harmful bisexual stereotypes nor the overall plot of using others for a sex competition. I found this in poor taste and while I loved the setting I didn't love the story.

I REALLY wanted to loved this one. I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue and was very excited to have the opportunity to read another work by Casey McQuiston. Unfortunately, it was a big miss for me. I never connected with Theo and Kit. As a bi woman myself, I expected to love this bi-bi romance, but so much of it seemed stereotypical. I wish they hadn't felt the need to sleep with everyone across Europe constantly, while they liked each other. I also felt like it was a pretty stereotypical view of European culture. The idea of the food and wine tour was great. I love food romances, but none of the characters felt very developed, and it was a struggle to finish this one.

I appreciate what was tried here, and the cover illustration is gorgeous. Unfortunately, I won't be picking this one back up. Thanks to Netgalley, Casey McQuiston, and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review! Please still give it a chance if you are on the fence. It wasn't for me, but I'm just one opinion!

I enjoyed this book. I found the two main characters charming and cute. They both had their struggles and were relatable. I usually dont like the miscommunication trope very much but thought that this one was done well enough. I was rooting for them and their relationship to work out. The spice was great.

Two bisexual exes accidentally rebook the same European food tour four years after a devastating breakup. Instead of communicating about what went wrong (which, honestly, is hard work), they challenge each other - who can hook up with the most people during the tour? Note - this is not the book for you if you don’t like it when the leads hook up with other people!

The first half was very slow for me to get into, but the second half picked up! For me, this was better to read (vs. audio) because of all the detailed food, wine, European travel descriptions. The narrators, Emma Galvin and Max Meyers, did an excellent job, this was just the kind of book my eyes do a better job with than my ears.

“‘Hmm. Hold on.’ Theo studies the fountain more closely. ‘I know this place. It’s in the seminal rom-com—‘ ‘Roman Holiday,’ I say at the same time Theo finishes, ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie,’ and we laugh.”

Any book that references The Lizzie McGuire movie automatically gets extra cool points.

“I lean in and give Theo a solid, deep kiss. They taste of coffee and pistachio and sunscreen, like the love of my life.”

The ending was very full circle and satisfying to read. Fans of messy exes, food, wine, travel, and hookups are sure to love this one!

I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

100% yes. This book is something that you read and then you want to re-read it again for the first time. its cute. its queer. its lovely.

I loved this book so much but I had mixed feelings about the audio. Theo's narrator grew on me but was a little challenging for me to sink into at first. Once it switched to Kit's POV, I just couldn't listen anymore. I felt he emphasized strange words in sentences that took me out of the story. Overall I think maybe they just weren't the right fit for the story? But the story is amazing!!

I like a spicy romcom like the next girl but this bisexual romp through Europe made me feel a little old which is nit to say the writing was bad or the storyline wasn’t engaging. Theo and Kit’s lifelong relationship as friends, best friends and lovers gets reignited on a trip around Europe and all it’s foodie destinations but the bet they took comparing who can get into more summer flings and bed more new acquaintances just seemed a little too shallow, since I love reading books that aspire a little more romantic love than quick sex scenes but that may just be me, so if spice is what your looking for this book is definitely going to deliver - have fun listening to this audio !

My experience listening to this audiobook was so different from reading the digital ARC, so I'm glad I was given the opportunity to do both!

This audiobook is well-narrated by two different voice actors with the author themself doing the interstitial title-reading. I loved getting the chance to hear the two voices because it delineated the story more like two novels rather than two halves of the same story. This was a great contrast to have and gave me more of an idea of how McQuiston wanted some of the scenes from Kit's POV to unravel for the reader.

I appreciated that the actor performing Theo's POV had a voice that fits the character: not overly feminine or masculine, but just as charming as Theo would be. Kit's voice felt a little jarring to me, but that's simply because I had another tone in mind when reading. This is the trouble with audiobooks sometimes and I got over it quickly.

Thank you to the publishers for giving me access to this audiobook for review!

Red, White and Royal Blue is one of my all time favorite books, so this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year….and I loved it! Second chance romance that takes place all over Europe?! This was amazing/seductive/emotional- I loved the way food/wine/art/culture was incorporated into the storyline. I was transported!! I alternated between the audiobook and physical book, but have to recommend the audiobook because the narrators were perfect! 4.5⭐️

I need my paperback copy of this book in my hands immediately!!! Casey McQuiston has done it again and better than ever…and that is saying something! This book ripped my heart out. It is a love letter to love and it feels like a gift to read it. The passion (of the author AND the characters) dances off the pages. Theo and Kit are everything to me now. This book pairs well with reminiscing about the trip of a lifetime you took all over Italy with the love of your life. I will endlessly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC!

This was a DNF for me. I was really looking forward to this one as RWRB is one of faves of all time. Also, as a bi woman I was anticipating their narrative. However, it seemed off. Instead of being this bi journey it just seemed like a horny travel and food story.
Emma and Max did a great job. Their narration was excellent.

Things that I loved: a story centered around a 3-week European food and wine gastronomical indulgence tour.

Plus, you just want Theo and Kit to put aside their past hurt and reunite for everything wonderful that can happen for them.

Things that I didn’t like: I get it, that it’s a romance book, but it verged on unnecessary details for me.

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Thank you SMP Romance and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Red, White and Royal Blue is an all time favorite and I think this has now my second favorite Casey Mcquiston book.

I’m not sure I have enough words to describe my love for Kit and Theo. They were best friends for most of their lives and partners before they break up on the eve of their European food and wine tour.

They haven’t seen each other in years when they meet on the same tour we were supposed to take together. I loved their sumptuous tour of so many major cities in Europe. This will definitely make you hungry so be prepared. Despite clearly not being over each other, they make a game of who can have the most hook-ups.

I liked how this was a broken into Theo’s perspective and then Kit’s. This definitely made me want to go on a European food and wine tour!

This book was a fun, spicy read—perfect for foodies and travel lovers! 🌶️✈️ The pairing of delicious culinary adventures with globe-trotting romance kept me hooked. However, I have to admit, this wasn’t my favorite by this author. 🤷‍♀️

Also, can we talk about the cover? It didn’t appeal to me at all, and I only picked it up because of my love for the author’s previous work. I feel like the cover really doesn’t do justice to the story inside! 🙈

Unfortunately a miss for me. I really struggled to like the main character and that made it a slog to get through. I also felt like the bi representation was harmfully stereotyped and unnecessarily sexualized in a way too many people write bi characters.

I love Casey McQuiston but The Pairing was really a slog for me. There's only so many descriptions of food, Europe, drinks, and sex I can take - along with a predictable plot and not a lot of action.

This was a messy and lustful gallivant across Europe, following Theo and Kit along their second chance romance. These two bisexual exes find themselves on the same European food and wine tour and end up engaging in a hook-up competition to see who has truly moved on from their relationship long ago. I was originally on the fence, given the vengeful and flippant sexual encounters, however ended up finding both these characters to be a bit damaged, emotionally complex, and overall charming. Plus the descriptions of European destinations and food/wine was a major plus! I really enjoyed the narration and found they added depth to the characters and story.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Finally going on the trip of a lifetime, Theo never expects to find the person who broke her heart - and who she was supposed to go on the original trip with - sat next to the only available seat on the bus. Kit had been her best friend, and partner, and broke her heart. Now trapped for three weeks on a romantic European wine and food tour, they have to make the best of a bad situation, and try and come out the other side with their hearts intact.

I've been putting off writing this review for so long. Like the rest of the world, I loved Red, White and Royal Blue, and found I Kissed Shara Wheeler enjoyable too. So I was expecting that The Paiing would be as good too, but I found I was forcing myself to finish the book, and was just pushing myself to the end so I didn't have to DNF it. I mean, the book wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either, at least in my opinion. I found this book so frustrating. It was the biggest case of miscommunication and dramatic actions that I've read in a long time, and both Theo and Kit were characters I found lacking, and I wasn't engaging with them. I found myself not bothered about their love story, or even if they got together in the end. Not something I would expect from this author, and I'm not wary on reading another of her books in the future.