I don't care what anyone says, I LOVED this book. It was such a fun and vibrant story of second chance love, exploration and food. The two main characters are exes, bisexual, and just so happen to attend a trip across several European countries together. During this, there are several spicy competitions, deep conversations and lots of food. I really enjoyed the characters and how midway through the POV changes.

This is more than a 5🌟 book. I've brought The Pairing by Casey McQuiston home from the library multiple times and each time returned it unread. I chose the book because I know that McQuiston is an amazing author. I didn't read it because of the cover. I think it is blah and it doesn't give a hint of what the book is about. It did not pull me in and in my opinion it does the book a disservice.
The remainder of my review is on Instagram..
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGs80sKpta0/?igsh=MWk5OWc0djE1djQ1bw==

What a unique story, and not to mention, super steamy. Had a fun premises with their competition with each other. The other characters in the book were great as well, and the traveling aspect was super interesting and really enjoyed reading about all of the places. While some was stereotypical, I didn't mind it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - Freya, arc & monthly book box pick reviewer

I quite enjoyed Casey's previous book, Red, White, & Royal Blue. I loved the humor and the two main characters, so I was really excited for this book. However, the miscommunication trope isn't for me. Theo and Kit couldn't have one honest and productive conversation with each other, so I was really frustrated. I was also not fan of the sleeping around just to make the other person jealous.

Sadly, this book wasn't for me.

Ughhh I'm so so sad about this, but I'm DNFing. I'm just bored and not really connected to either character. I'm also really struggling with the other characters, all the horniness, and how many times I'm seeing the word "f*ck." Also, I can't with miscommunication. Grateful for the ARC, but this one isn't for me.

I truly have nothing to say about this book. I have absolutely loved all of McQuiston's other work, but this one fell majorly short. I truly wanted to love this one way more than I did and I am sad I didn't.

If you were looking for a story that has a plot, then don't bother reading this one. If you're looking for a story just about traveling and sex, look no forever. I know McQuiston traveled Europe and did research to put into this book. but this feels liker her personal travel guide with a cute relationship thrown in. The miscommunication of Theo and Kit breaking up pissed me the hell off. I know they eventually talk it, but goddamn, I just rolled my eyes the first time they mentioned why they weren't seeing each other anymore. A text or a call could have resolved a lot. Yes, they grew up together, but their relationship isn't mature enough to continue on and besides sex, they don't have chemistr.y

This is a whole lot of book where towards the halfway mark, I barely cared anymore. The over-explaining of food and tourists sights only gets so far. This book shouldn't have been 400+ pages. but it was because we had to go from one city to another with food, drinking, and sex. It gets boring and by the time I finished the book, I was relieved it was over.

Overall, this book was just okay. Even though I was bored, the book did make me hungry and I enjoyed the side characters a lot more than the main ones.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

Kind of undecided on this one, not sure how I feel. I love CMQ’s writing so much and this story was beautiful, complex, and for the most part entertaining! Only thing for me was I just didn’t love Kit and Theo…I never really got attached to either character which is where this fell a bit flat for me. Their relationship was HOT and the banter and chemistry I enjoyed but without spoiling I just didn’t love the way everything played out. I think the characters just lacked something for me that I normally get in her other books, that have me feeling everything for them and not wanting their story to end! I think romantic aspect was sadly lacking which is where it lost me.

I love a second chance romance, so this was fun to see, as well as a unique structure that led to the perfect encapsulation of growth, love, and that perfect summer trip.

Kit and Theo were meant to be, having known each other for their entire lives. Until one day, they weren’t. Their paths didn’t match any more. However, as they split right before their big European food and wine tour, they each got a voucher to use within 48 months, so they ended up rescheduling at the same time for the same tour.

This story was written in dual POV, however it was Theo’s perspective for the first half of the book and trip, and then Kit’s perspective. This worked in the favor of the book. It truly made it understand each of the characters, without being revealing.

I struggled with the ebook for the longest time, but the audiobook was the way to go! Highly recommend, as both narrators were fabulous!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

MxQuiston's fans will enjoy this book. Lush descriptions of food and European locations and emotional resonance will make this a popular book for people who like contemporary romance and food culture.

where do i even begin with this review?

i feel like once i started reading this, it was as if i’d been waiting for this book my whole life without knowing—which is how all of casey’s books feel to me; a beautiful homecoming i never knew i needed.

theo and kit firmly attached themselves and their four syllables to my heartbeat. their journey across europe and through themselves makes a lump form in my throat whenever i think about it. casey’s superb one-liners shine here with moments such as “you look like you suck dick at caesar’s palace” and the entire scene with the sheep in dover and “you look like they shoot you out of a cannon at a circus for gay people” and “this is just like ratatouille”. also buttfuck pinnochio.

i make collage art, and this one feels the most collage-like of casey’s works. paper tickets and receipts and wine labels and brochures and floral scented perfume samples et cetera et cetera

i just. i think i kept forgetting to write this review because i didn’t know how to properly convey my love. it’s everything to me. a superbloom, if you will.

Duplicate info from my audiobook review This was really cute.

The audio book was decently done, but I hated the intros to every chapter.

I also had trouble buying into an almost sommelier spending time in Bordeaux at la cité du vin 🍷 as a former resident, #BordeauxMaVille this is implausible.

Well, I received this book so long ago and finally dove into it. I liked it, but it did not pack the emotional punch that I like in a romance. Theo and Kit's characters were well written but I felt that their romance was lacking. 3 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Pairing is about Theo and Kit, two childhood best friends turned lovers turned exes as they reunited unexpectedly on a food and wine tour through Europe. They have to come to terms with their unresolved pasts and feelings for one another while dining their way through parts of France and Italy.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book but I’m not sure I loved what I got. It was a fun and sexy book to read (I mean who doesn’t want to read about eating and fucking your way through Europe) but it lacked some depth for me. The main conflict in the story felt more about each character and not the relationship. To the point that at the end I wasn’t sure it made sense for them to end up together. Some of the development definitely happened off page ( especially with the POV shift) so we just didn’t get insight into it.

All in all, it was a fun read but didn’t pack the emotional punch I wanted it to.

One of the few things I loved was Theo’s exploration of gender. It was wonderful to get into their head about their process and identity. And then to hear Kit’s POV on the parts of them he has always loved.

I love McQuiston's work and they are an auto-purchase for me. The main characters of The Pairing just didn't connect with me the way characters in their other books have. I will absolutely continue to buy and read their books though.

Reading a few reviews before starting this book I was a little worried it wouldn’t compare to the author’s past books that I’ve loved. It doesn’t top ‘Red, White, & Royal Blue’ or ‘One Last Stop’ for me, but the characters grew on me, even if I wanted to shake some sense into Theo and Kit at times. While some characters they met along their European adventure felt a bit over the top/exaggerated at times, overall it was a fun read (or listen) and exploring the touristy sights and tastes alongside Kit and Theo makes you want to start saving for your own trip. It won’t replace my other McQuiston favorites, but the book’s premise was fun, the cast of characters were entertaining, everything described sounded delicious, and the pining/angst was so real. I enjoyed the audiobook, including the narration, and the dual perspectives of Theo and Kit. If you enjoy messy love stories, fierce friendships, irreverent humor, and people just trying to figure their shit out, you’ll probably like this book.

Thanks for NetGalley for the book.

I think I liked this book, though at times I was very unsure. I loved the different settings and really getting into them, but these characters really grated at times. I enjoy Casey's books, but they're not must reads for me.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. This was not good. I DNF'd at 20%, which was super disappointing for me as I've loved literally all of CMQ's other books.

The plot wasn't great but the character development was.

Unfortunately, I got bored with the story, it went on for too long and I got to a point I didn't care how it ended. I just asked a friend to sum up the ending for me.

GOD. this fucking book.

i’m so fucking lucky to have gotten a copy of this early; so thankful this went on read now on netgalley!!

i’m not an ebook girlie but i’ll be pretty much anything for Casey McQuiston LMFAOOO

this book was just phenomenal. so decadent. so raw. so hungry. so beautiful. so joyous. so delectable.

so much travel and food and wine and i was just drunk with it.

i absolutely adored Theo and Kit and was rooting for them the entire time. but also the side characters were all amazing?? everyone had their own personality and mini storyline and i just loved getting to know each one.

this book made me want to go travel and fall in love and have Great sex and love wine.

i read it slowly and i’m so happy about that because i really felt like i was able to savor it and get the most from it that i could.

reading this was the most glorious experience and i just cannot wait to be able to read it again and again forever.