If you are a foodie who loves queer romance stories, stop what you are doing and read this now. Warning though, this book is extremely horny and I cant believe how many hookups took place in 3 weeks. I am not going to lie, I didn't really care for the fucking competition (pun intended) nor am I a foodie, so I didn't really care so much about the food and wine talk, but it didn't ruin the book for me by any means. I really love Theo and Kit as characters, they are so perfectly imperfect (Kit may lean more towards the perfect side, and Theo did drive me nuts sometimes). The angst and yearning in this book is so real. I found it quite funny, I truly feel like I could be friends with these characters.
I did enjoy the non-binary rep, however if im perfectly honest I went into this thinking it was a gay romance and it took me a while to; 1. realize Theo was not a cis male, and 2. the gender discussion didn't even happen during Theos POV and I really feel like something like that should have come up before the half way point.
But yeah, I will definitely be reading more from this Author.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review :)

I think our MCs were narrated perfectly in this book! The only suggestion I would make is if you are making a travel romance book where you are going to encounter people of different nationalities it might be worth it to utilize voice actors with that accent. There were some characters who felt over the top in a way that was making fun of the accent! The book itself was fun, steamy + I think the travel elements made the book flow nicely!

I loved Casey McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue. It's so rare that I give a contempory romance 5 stars, but her first book deserved it. I tried reading One Last Stop, but couldn't connect with the storyline. I was excited when I learned that the author released another book and thought I would give her another shot. The Pairing just didn't do it for me either. I did not like the main characters and because of that, I had a hard time enjoying the book. I thought they were too entitled and annoying. I guess I want to like the characters that I am reading about and couldn't wait to finish this one. The narrator was also difficult to listen to. Her voice kinda grated on me., much like the characters.

3.5 Stars.I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers. Their narrations were very good in this dual narration audiobook. The voices were distinct. There was some music and pairings of food and wine at the beginning of each chapter, which really didn't do anything for me. I also sped the audio up to 2X. Otherwise I would have been listening for what would feel like weeks.

I struggled through the first half of the book. To be honest, I probably missed something, but I could not figure out what gender Theo connected with or what their sexuality was. It made it confusing for me. I'm not sure Theo was any clearer on that than I was.

This was a second chance trope. The two separated years earlier because of some miscommunication. They didn't communicate at all after that, until they showed up on the same tour that they were supposed to have gone on together years before. I had a hard time buying the fact that there had been no communication at all in that time. Not even an angry text??? Most of the plot centers around who's going to get the most action while they are on this tour. That part was kind of yucky for me. I just wasn't a fan.

Anyway, the author gave me my HEA. That was a long time in coming, but it came, so I'm happy.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating THE PAIRING by @casey.mcquiston and it did not disappoint!

I loved the setting on this one - a three week food/wine tour through France, Spain, and Italy. The tour provides a steady cast of characters and plenty of beautiful locations as we follow Theo and Kit’s unexpected reunion and their ultimate quest to find their connection again.

This is a story about friendship, forgiveness, growth, and new horizons. The unexpected paths we take in life and finding our way to who we are supposed to be. And finding our way home.

Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for sending me a copy of the audiobook! This was a fun one to listen to. I bought a physical copy as well and followed along there at times as I listened, I just love Casey McQuiston’s writing style.

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston is a delightful and emotionally rich romantic comedy that explores themes of love, self-discovery, and the transformative power of food and travel. The story follows Theo and Kit, two bisexual exes who accidentally book the same European food and wine tour four years after a brutal breakup. What ensues is a journey filled with stunning landscapes, luscious flavors, and a rekindling of old flames.

Theo and Kit were once childhood best friends, then lovers, and now estranged exes. After their relationship ended disastrously on a flight to their dream European tour, they went their separate ways. Theo became a confident bartender and aspiring sommelier, while Kit thrived as a pastry chef in Paris. Both decide to use their expiring tour vouchers separately, only to find themselves trapped together on the same tour bus for three weeks. To cope with the awkwardness, they engage in a hookup competition, which leads to unexpected emotional revelations and a rekindling of their past romance

I loved how this story explores the idea of second chances in love and life, showing how time apart can lead to personal growth and new perspectives. Both Theo and Kit undergo significant self-discovery, particularly in terms of their sexual identities and personal ambitions.

I'll never forget that this book's vivid descriptions of food and wine and McQuiston’s portrayal of queer love is both heartfelt and nuanced, celebrating bisexuality and the complexities of queer relationships.

McQuiston’s writing is engaging and witty, with a perfect balance of humor and emotional depth. The dual perspective narrative allows readers to deeply connect with both Theo and Kit, understanding their motivations and vulnerabilities while creating relatable, multidimensional characters and a plot that feels both timeless and modern.

The Pairing is a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and queer romance. It’s a story that celebrates love in all its forms, the joy of self-discovery, and the pleasures of good food and wine.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

Casey McQuiston has done it again. This was a delightful romantic comedy with bisexual representation. I loved the chemistry in this novel. I also thought that both narrators did a great job and I liked both voices! With that being said, One Last Stop is still my favorite Casey McQuiston novel.


What a delightfully cute summer read, sure to put a smile on your face! Highly recommend!
—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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The dual narrators are fun and embody the characters so well! They both do a wonderful job of giving characters their own personalities and it's so cool to see how each narrator interprets each character and reflects that in their performance.

The Pairing was just not it for me. Sadly, there seems to be a disconnect between McQuiston's first two books (which I loved) and their last two.

I'm all for an author trying different formats, but unfortunately, the split in narration in this dual POV romance just didn't work. Instead of gaining more from the second perspective, it felt like I was starting over, learning a character all over again. This shift happened during one of the steamiest scenes, and it felt like a cold shower, immediately zapping the lust and longing.

The beginning of the book was set up in such a way that there wasn't enough on-page time between Theo and Kit, causing me to no longer feel the romance and chemistry between them; I longed for the heat I had just previously felt during The Beginning (Theo's Version).

Who edited this story? "A/the bit" was mentioned three times in the first 12%, once more by 20%, and at least twice more during the whole book (that I caught). There were two uses of the word "androgynous" in the first 14%.

I feel like this story was really missing the found family aspect that I've come to love and expect from McQuiston; this one just didn't have that solid friend group foundation to hold the whole story together. It was almost there towards the end of the book, but by then, it was too late.

This book was far too long with juvenile, immature characters and miscommunications that didn't need to occur.

There were a few good moments. I laughed a few times. I loved the representation as Kit understood Theo's identity change from she/her to they/them.

As for the audiobook, I enjoyed McQuiston voicing parts. I didn't love the narrator used to voice Theo's character, and I can't exactly pinpoint why. I preferred the narrator for Kits perspective and the added emotions and expressions they brought to the story.

Overall, I was expecting better things. This book was missing the joie de vivre I had expected from pairing a food and wine tour against a gorgeous setting!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

If it weren't for narrators Emma Galvin and Max Meyers I would have DNF'd the book. The Pairing, the story, was a massive miss for me; but Emma and Max made it tolerable and I was able to finish. I hate leaving any book without finishing it so I always appreciate a good audiobook to help me get through.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

I really enjoyed this story! While it definitely had its moments I wasn’t here for and it took me longer to read than the authors previous works, I still found this enjoyable even through the miscommunication trope that tends to be a dealbreaker for me. I was just invested in the characters and how their little challenge was going to pan out!

4-4.5! This was super fun for me to read! I really liked seeing the all of the locations and the food associated with it. I love when food is included and described in books, but it makes me super hungry all of the time lol. I liked the relationship but of course the age old miscommunication trope. I liked seeing both POVs and the switch half way through the novel was something I haven't read before and enjoyed!

DNF at 65% I can’t stand Theo. This whole book is based on a miscommunication trope that is solved in the first half of the book. Are all Europeans this horny? They’re just so annoying I can’t stand it anymore

I wound up having to DNF this novel. Which is genuinely hard for me to do. I was expecting a light-hearted novel from Casey McQuiston like some of her other ones but this wasn’t it. I sped through the audiobook on 3x speed for the majority of it because it was so repetitive and honestly a bit vulgar.

I enjoyed Casey McQuiston's new novel The Pairing. I'm nervous to say too much so I don't spoil anything, but once the twists are revealed, the story takes a significant upturn in mood. Honestly, I was so anxious during Theo's part (the first section of the novel) that I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish it.

Mostly I'm kidding about that, but you know that sensation of being "on edge"? That's how it started out for me.

Now partially it is because I don't read blurbs, and because this was an ARC I hadn't read any reviews yet, but if you're starting this book and have the same experience, please just keep going!

I definitely liked the narrators. Emma Galvin and Max Meyers do a wonderful job with these characters, not to mention the supporting cast and all their accents.

McQuiston brought back so many memories for me of my own travels through Europe as a young person, The Pairing is a whole lot of fun and 100% worth reading.

I love Casey Mcquiston books however this one was nothing short of awful. If you are looking for a nice romance like in her others, look elsewhere.
Kit and Theo were set to go on romantic food and drink tour abroad when they had an argument on the plane. They broke up and went their separate ways, never really knowing what happened. Four years later they both decide (separately) to finally use their voucher for the trip.
Kit and Theo are surprised to find each other on the trip and try to become friends again. It’s difficult and they make light of it by challenging one another to one-night-stand war, who can get the most lays. The teasing banter between them is pretty vulgar and it just got tiring. I felt like the writer was just trying too hard here and it felt out of place.
The European tour of food and drink is described at great length and becomes boring. I ended up trying to forward through those parts because I had had enough.
My advice, don’t waste your time, there is so much better out there.

Amazing. Another 5 star read from Casey McQuiston. I have loved all three of their previous books and The Pairing did not disappoint! Complicated and lovable characters!

Every book by Casey McQuiston I've read I've really enjoyed. This one not so much.

It wasn't horrible, but it was far from great.

Theo and Kit broke up years ago but right before they broke up they had tickets for a tasting around Europe (both cook/bake for a living). Now back in Europe they both decided to take the same tour...at the same time. Talk about tension!

So I was expecting some cute sexual tension between Theo and Kit. Instead we got a sexual competition to see who can sleep with the most people. When I say that is all the book is about, I'm not kidding. There were some cute moments with Theo and Kit but I thought for sure we would get more sexual tension between the two...not everyone around Europe. Just an odd "romance" story in my opinion.

I've never wanted two people to be together but also stay as far away from each other more than now. I don't know how I feel yet, but I will say it's crazy that CMQ fans are critiquing this novel for being unrealistic. Their work is fun to read because they're idealistic. RWRB was set after the 2016 election with a woman president... and Texas flipped blue in it. The narrators were phenomenal and they fit the two characters so well. I think consuming this as an audiobook enhanced the experience. Anyway, I'm gonna process how annoying and messy Theo and Kit were. But also how much I love that they're different from most book couples????

Theo and Kit, two exes with a complicated past, were once childhood best friends, then crushes, and eventually in love—until a messy breakup tore them apart. Four years later, each decides to redeem their unused vouchers for a European food and wine tour, thinking they’ll travel solo. But they end up on the same tour bus, embarking on a three-week journey through the most romantic cities in France, Spain, and Italy. What starts as an attempt to prove they’re over each other turns into a playful hookup competition, but as they explore stunning locations, indulge in delicious food, and savor fine wines, they begin to wonder if their story is really over.
I’ve read all of Casey McQuiston’s books, and while The Pairing wasn’t my favorite, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. I found it a bit hard to believe that all of Europe seemed to be attracted to Theo and Kit, and I liked Kit more than Theo. The vivid descriptions of the places they visit, the food they taste, and the wine they drink really brought the story to life for me.
The audio version, narrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers, was well done, with both narrators bringing the characters and story to life. Thank you St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the gifted copies.