The Pairing (PUB 08.06) I wanted to love Casey McQuiston's upcoming release, but found is good, not great. What worked: Breathtaking European destinations with copious amounts of mouthwatering food and wine. Dual POV (first half- Theo. second half- Kit). Gender, queerness, and queer relationships represented so well. Sexually open and diverse. So.many.hookups. What didn't work: Sexually open and diverse (yes it worked and didn't). Lack of trademark humor. Pacing- 2nd half was better, but it was slow going. Second chance romance where the emotional back story isn't impactful enough to buy in to the 2nd chance-ness.

A dreamlike road trip around Europe, a delicious food tour, an enthralling romance, and all of the feelings, Casey McQuiston's latest has it all! The food descriptions were chef's kiss and the prose always a delight. A perfect summer read!

Casey McQuiston does it again! With the beautiful backdrop of a European food tour (sign me up please!), McQuiston takes the reader on a journey so rich in detail you'll feel like you've stepped into a French bakery along with Kit and Theo. I was completely wrapped up in Theo's side of the story...until we get more of Kit's side of things. This was a completely different type of novel than McQuiston's previous work but the same humor and LGBTQ+ themes will make her current fans feel right at home too.

Be prepared to order takeout and have a cocktail as you get into this one!

This is an incredibly steamy book that is erotic in all the self indulgent ways - having sex in every possible configuration with every possible person, binge drinking in gorgeous locales, and endless pastries and gorgeous lovers. Having been on similar European vacation itineraries, the fictional tour Theo and Kit take makes all the stereotypical stops and highlights one would expect - wineries in the south of France, riding Vespas in Rome, visiting the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - and as overindulgent as any vacation tends to be, but with all the boring parts (like long hours in the bus and the sleep and water breaks) completely skipped over. The result is an extremely rich experience that feels very over the top, like eating the fattiest and booziest of tiramisu.

In my opinion, it ultimately worked, because it was very much on theme with the European vacation, and it was also very much in line with who Kit and Theo are as a couple (or a former couple) - ones who overindulge in food and drink and sex, including bringing other people into their sex games. I loved that the one night stands didn't ultimately detract from the main romance. Even while sleeping with other people, both Kit and Theo were thinking of each other, and details of the other hook ups are brief and forgettable.

I loved that Kit and Theo are lifelong friends before becoming lovers, and we enter into this existing relationship at the set up of the book. Their connection is deeper than a typical second chance romance, they have both shaped and been fundamentally shaped by each other from their youngest moments, and are a continuum of each other whether their relationship is romantic or not. It also makes their forgiveness and reconciliation much easier to accept - you may stay forever angry at a lover, but you will typically forgive a family member, knowing you still have an entire lifetime to spend tied to them. Kit and Theo's relationship feels like they are tied together for life.

The bit that is frustrating is that this book has taken the miscommunication trope and spread it out over the entire 432 pages. From their initial break up, to four years later starting up a sex competition to avoid talking about it, Kit and Theo are a couple who are utterly incapable of understanding their own feeling, let alone saying them out loud. While this is eye rolling-ly frustrating at times, it does set up a novel that is also full of some of the most intense pining that I have read in a romance love. Their love for each other fills every page, even as they are denying it, sleeping with other people, running away from it, or are otherwise avoiding it. McQuiston's prose is beautifully romantic, and the deep longing from both Theo and Kit's points of view comes across for the entire book.

I've read all of Casey McQuiston's books and this one is vying with One Last Stop as my least favorite. I'm not sure exactly why I'm just not crazy about this book. It may be the amount of sex, which is not quite my cup of tea.

As always, Casey McQuiston writes romances with such a fun cast of fully-realized characters that you grow to really love over the course of the novel. I really enjoyed getting perspectives from both Theo and Kit, and their romance felt really deep and heartfelt while the food tour, summer across Europe elements were very fun and light. However, at times I did feel like this got a little too montage-y in a way that held the reader at a distance. Second-chance romance is also something I struggle with because I feel like we never get the appropriate depth and history of the relationship, and unfortunately I felt that missing with this book as well. Still, I think this would make a great summer read on the beach or by the pool or on a plane--there's a fun, joyfulness here and the gender stuff was so cool to see in a big romance release like this. Casey continues to go exciting places in their career, even if this one didn't hit quite as high for me as their other titles.

Do not read this book if you are not prepared to want to hop on the next available flight to Europe so you can travel all over and eat all the food and drink all the wine. If you loved Casey McQuinston’s Red, White & Royal Blue, you are going to adore this novel. The Pairing is chock full of McQuiston’s signature humor and signature horniness as two exes, Theo and Kit, travel through France, Italy, and Spain on a food and wine tour. They challenge each other to a hookup competition since they’re totally over each other (except they’re really not), but along the way they realize their dreams just might still include one another.

Once again, thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to review and read Casey’s next book. They are one of my favorite authors and this was truly a huge present to me.

So, when I went into this book, I was kind of nervous about how different it was from Red, White, and Royal Blue, One Last Stop, and I Kissed Shara Wheeler (which I own all of).

But, taking that plunge was a thrilling roller coaster of a book.

Characters: The characters were fleshed out to the point where I forgot they were characters and not living, breathing people. Even the side characters; didn’t need much of a backstory. But, what we were given felt like how people truly think about the strangers they travel with. It also grew into a found family situation, which, made me feel like they were my new family as well.

But, what character stood out to me the most, was Theo. Mostly their thoughts on their gender; I am a genderqueer person who also goes by they/them pronouns. the explanation of their own and their fears about it were perpendicular to mine. It made me feel more connected to them. Especially when Kit asked Theo about their pronouns and the pronouns changed in the story. Not to mention the pressures of being a child of celebrities while being thrust into the limelight. The inner struggles of being a nepo baby hanging over them and being just as good as your celebrity parents.

You could also feel the sexual tensions between Theo and Kit, even when they didn’t even think about being together. On top of that, the sex scenes were very tasteful. Not too much and not too little. It was just the right amount of perfect.

The Setting: You could tell Casey themselves went on the tour, doing their research on European Food, Cocktails/Wine, and Old Renaissance Art. Living in Hostels/Hotels, people-watching in France/Italy/Sicily, and visiting the most famous Museums and Ancient Buildings. I could imagine it just by the words alone. It made me want to go out and do a tour for my wife and me.

Lastly, I was so engrossed in the story that the ‘twist’ towards the end made me a bit angry. It came out of nowhere, cause Casey was known to write love stories. But, at the very end of the book, it made more sense and I teared up. I was so glad they got their happily ever after.

Casey spins a quirky idea into a masterpiece. They and St. Martin’s are going to once again have a best-seller on their hands…and it's going to be wondrous.

I loved the premise, relatively enjoyed the main and supporting characters, was envious of the constantly changing setting, etc. However, the actual story was sometimes so dense with descriptions of food, wine, art, and architecture that McQuiston would lose me. While I did truly enjoy most of the supporting characters, the recall was sometimes challenging when someone would pop back into the story.

3.5 ⭐️ stars for well researched content, character growth (Kit + Theo are still petty af & don’t communicate particularly well), and lots of sexual chemistry and hot bedroom scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Casey McQuiston for this advanced e-copy!

This book is a hard one to review for me! I don’t think I’ve ever described a book as lush before, but honestly I think that’s sums it up perfectly. It is incredibly immersive, and I am about to google European vegetarian food tours, even though I actually think I would hate it.

This book made me audible laugh out loud a few times, and is incredibly witty. It also has some very vulnerable & raw scenes, and I think it was beautifully written.

The only reason I am torn is because it relies heavily on miscommunication to further the plot. I hate miscommunication in books more than anything. It doesn’t compute in my brain, and it makes me want to pull my hair out in frustration. That being said, that is a me problem.

This is my first Casey McQuiston book, so I am going to ignore my least favourite plot device, and rate this book based on everything else!

The Pairing isn’t Red, White, and Royal Blue, but it’s pretty close. It’s the kind of laugh-out-loud romcom where you’re smiling the entire book. Both Theo and Kit were fleshed out and believable characters, and the POV switch worked really well. The story dragged a little in the middle, but the mutual pining was perfect.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!

Casey McQuiston, the writer who gave us the beautiful, spicy, memorable, gay Red, White & Royal Blue, is back this summer with a queer European vacation. But while the descriptions of food and wine are truly mouthwatering, the two protagonists leave something to be desired.

I nearly DNFed this title three times in the first sixty percent, and there were some moments where I wondered aloud if I hated this book. Theo, our AFAB nonbinary bisexual protagonist, is one of the most dislikable characters I’ve read in recent memory. They’re selfish, self-indulgent, reckless, and martyrish. They have a bit of a complex because they’re a nepo baby who wants to be successful on their own, but, shocker, sometimes you need help, even if your family isn’t rich.

Kit, a bisexual man, is Theo’s childhood best friend, and while he’s much easier to like (I started enjoying the book much more when the perspective switched to his from Theo’s), he’s also spoiled and angsty, and together the two of them indulge in the most childish behavior. From failure to communicate to kissing people to make each other jealous to a sex bet (gross) to general angst, Theo and Kit read much more like nineteen-year-olds than the twenty-eight-year-olds they are when most of this book takes place.

While McQuiston still occasionally delights with descriptions of Europe that made me want to get on the next plane to Italy, the scenery and indulgent array of dishes weren’t enough to redeem this one, though I did round my 2.5-star rating up to a 3 because of it.

Younger readers who can see more of themselves in Kit and Theo despite their immaturity may enjoy the study-abroad feel of this novel, but I won’t be recommending it generally.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, we all know that Casey McQuiston is one of my most beloved authors. When I received my advanced copy, I almost shed tears of pure joy, because I have been awaiting this book impatiently and I am lucky enough to have had early access to it. I have loved everything they have written, so it really shouldn't come as a surprise that I adored this book too.

First of all, brilliant descriptions! This book is stunning, not only landscape-wise but regarding taste and smell too -- absolutely exquisite depictions of desserts, wine profiles and food in general. I felt completely transported when I was reading, there is a perfect balance of emotion and description to take you right along with Theo and Kit on their tour of Europe.

Speaking of, I love them both with all my heart. They are complex and multi-layered and imperfect and unique in their own ways but they still complement each other perfectly. It was an absolute treat to read from both of their POVs, especially as McQuiston does not usually do that in their books. It fits well here, though.

Did I cry? Yes, of course, it is a prerequisite that I cry when I read any of their books for the first time. There's just always so much emotion in their books and written in such a way that it easily resonates within me. And, as usual, incredibly satisfying character development.

After Red, White and Royal Blue and One Last Stop, I should not have been surprised by how well written certain scenes are but. I'm just saying, they're great.

Overall, another masterpiece from my favourite author!

Casey McQuiston knows what the people want. Bisexual Sluts in Europe? Yes thank you very much. Horny and fun and pining. McQuiston has never let me down with a book and I will read anything they write. Can't wait to shove this down the throats of anyone who will listen.

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston is a second chance romance between two former best friends and lovers, on a European food & wine tour. After breaking up on a flight to France, Kit and Theo both end up on the same tour that they had cancelled years earlier. The pair make a bet to see who can hook up with the most people during their two week trip, while entirely avoiding actually communication with one another.
The first half of this book is told entirely from Theo’s POV, and it was difficult to get through because Theo was so utterly unlikable. They were pretentious and selfish and also completely obtuse. When the POV switched to Kit at the halfway mark, I did start to enjoy the book more because he was slightly more likable. Still kind of pretentious, but tolerably so. Also, I know the whole plot of the book centers around this food and wine tour, but my eyes started to glaze over with the never ending details of all the food and wine. Nearly every page had some long winded flowery description of a baguette or glass of wine.
Once the pair overcame their own ignorance and actually used words to communicate with one another, I did enjoy the story more, but I do wish this happened earlier in the book. Overall, this was an okay read, I was looking forward to this book and have been left a little bit unsatisfied.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Pairing in exchange for my honest review.

I honestly love this story. I love the way world building is like a parallel love story in McQuiston’s writing. Their ability to make em believe in my narrator even as their worldview shifts is… immaculate. Kinda bummed the special edition bit doesn’t actually change the ebook. Guess I’ll have to buy it ♡

As someone who read and loved Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop, I was so excited to pick up an ARC of The Pairing.
It took me almost one month to get through the book because not only was the pace slow but I also just didn't like one of the main characters.

The storyline of a second chance romance, bi characters, and a food and wine tour through Europe sounded like a book I'd devour in one sitting. Sadly, between Theo's constant whining and all of the miscommunication, I realized it was not for me. I wanted to shake the characters multiple times, instead I ended up just skimming until I finally finished.

I will continue to read anything that Casey McQuiston releases even though this book fell flat for me.

sometimes it feels like a book was written just for you, and this was one of those times for me. this is beautiful, powerful, and different, and i can’t wait to make everyone i love read it. Casey has really done it again - and in my opinion, the best yet, though it is very very different from their previous books. This is a book for adults who are capital-Q Queer, not just gay, to finally finally see themselves represented. Also, long live sluts!!

Casey does it again! I have loved every single book by this author, and this one was no different.

Second chance romance? Give me! But second chance romance by Casey? A NEED!!!

Such a beautiful story between these two and I can’t wait to read more from Casey!

As someone I remember hearing this from said, if Casey McQuiston has millions of fans, I am one of them. If they have only one fan, I am the one. - If they have no fans, I am probably dead. On second thought, they probably didn't say Casey McQuiston, but you know :)
After reading the other reviews of this book and seeing some people disappointed with the promiscuity of the characters, I do agree that it is different from some of the other books Casey has written. However, from my point of view, this isn't meant to be realistic. This is fiction. No person in existence is so attractive that everyone loves them, but for the sake of the plot, most people love Theo and Kit. And honestly, that's perfectly fine with me because the plot is just THAT GOOD. Anyways, like it or don't, but I certainly do. McQuiston does it again :)