It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Casey McQuiston’s work, and this novel only furthers my devotion.

Bisexual star-crossed ex-lovers Theo and Kit take the same European tour four years after breaking up spectacularly. Mouthwatering descriptions of European art, architecture, and wine pair well with pining, longing, and a good, old-fashioned competition for who can sleep with the most strangers in each port city.

I found myself strolling the streets of each city on Google maps as McQuiston described their beauty, wishing I had a glass of good red wine in my hand while reading on my lunch break at work. I couldn’t put it down.

I was a little worried going into this book because I had such high expectations - Casey McQuiston’s other books are so, so special to me and so I wanted to absolutely love this one and worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype in my head. Boy oh boy did I have nothing to worry about!

These characters gripped me in such a powerful way and I was absolutely captivated by their journey together and as individuals. It made me laugh, it made me cry, I could not put it down. I cannot wait to read it again when I can get my hands on a physical copy and hold Kit and Theo (and all the other delightful side characters) close to me.

McQuiston has a way of making you feel for their characters and hoping for the best outcome for them. They've done it again with The Pairing. This book is delicious and sexy and just fun! I'll never look at peaches the same way again ;) I know this one will become a favorite of book lovers everywhere and i'm sure many will see themselves in the main characters. I cannot wait for the rest of the world to meet dear Theo & Kit!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

Oh to be young and on an impossibly fabulous tour of Europe (for real, I thought a lot about how expensive this trip would be)!

Theo and Kit broke up en route to an incredible European food and wine tour four years ago, and apparently this is the best tour company on the planet, because they each have vouchers from their last-minute cancellations that they're using for the last possible trip (neither knows that the other will be there). During the course of the trip, these pansexual babes embark on a hook-up contest between wine and pastry tastings. This sound like a total ROMP, and it is sometimes, but as usual, there is more angst than the marketing would suggest.

There was a lot to savor here - I liked both of the main characters and their connection makes perfect sense, even before we know their whole story. The writing about the scenery and the food and the drinks is lush - I could feel the sticky gelato on my fingers and the sun on my shoulders. This is very much a vibes book, and like all of McQuiston's titles, the vibes are good (for the most part)! Their writing is as engaging and lovely as usual.

There were two things I didn't love as much. Writing an ensemble of friends is such a strength for McQuiston, but this book had much less focus on the ensemble, especially in the first half. I missed their deeper focus on the group, and I loved the pieces at the end of this book when the tour group came into sharper focus. I would have loved this earlier on. Second, since this WAS a vibes book, the tension between the main characters felt like it drew out for a long time. I get it, they were apart for a long time, they each had a lot to work out, but at a certain point I just wanted to bang their cute lil heads together (to be fair, this was also the opinion of some other characters in the book)!

THAT SAID, were there moments when I audibly awwwwed? Yep! Did I enjoy this ride? Absolutely. I also really admire McQuiston for seemingly following their heart to the books they're passionate about after the success of RWRB, and I would presume, pretty massive pressure to produce a sequel. I love seeing what they'll write next, and I'm in for future adventures, European or not!

I have too much to say about this book that it's honestly going to be hard to find the words for it. "The Pairing" is easily my favorite Casey McQuiston book. They really put everything into this book. It was laugh out loud funny, heartbreaking, healing, incredibly sex positive, and overall just a gorgeous display of their writing talent when it comes to creating relationships between characters and pulling the reader into the pages.
"The Pairing" is rich in beautiful language and descriptions; it was impossible not to crave going on my own European food tour while reading.
I am absolutely obsessed with Kit and Theo. From childhood friends, to lovers, to exes, to maybe something more... their chemistry is incredibly well written, and even when they're with other people, the thread between them never fully disappears. I laughed, I cried, I immediately started rereading it the day after I finished.
Casey is a miraculous writer and if this is the direction their books keep going in, I'll never stop reading them.

My teen and I were both so excited to read this novel as we loved One Last Stop and Red, White and Royal Blue. Unfortunately, if fell short for both of us. While the setting and food descriptions are gorgeous, the characters were static, and the plot did not make a lot of sense. This novel did not feel like a romance in the way McQuiston's previous books did. We'll look forward to her next one. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

There was so much to like about this book, it felt rich and lush and hectic in the way that a fast-paced cross-continental food tour should. I also enjoyed that McQuiston did something narratively different than their other works by constricting the actual story to a tight timeline (with some flashback). Unfortunately, it ended up being a little bit of a miss for me. Part of it is definitely personal preference, second-chance romance doesn’t pop for me in the same way that other romances do, I like to see the characters discover love on the page. This also had some heavy miscommunication trope that meant a lot of the “issues” weren’t really issues at all which made the resolution feel a bit underwhelming. McQuiston will continue to have a huge audience and delight fans, and I will still recommend this book, but it just isn’t quite a 5 star for me. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Casey Mcquiston has become an autobuy author for me, absolutely adored this book, it made me hungry and wanted to try all the food they were eating but above all, the love between Kit and Theo and how the looked at each other, I've always liked multiple pov in books but in this one reading thru Kit's pov was so delightful, can't wait to have my copy of this book!

I'm so grateful to Netgalley for this ARC! I have loved all of Casey McQuiston's books, but they've really outdone themselves this time. This book is a sweet tale of finding your favourite person again, with characters and a love that are so real it makes the reader ache. I had a hard time finishing this book, only because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Theo and Kit. It was a pleasure to meet two characters who are so complex, so real, and so genuine in their queerness. I can't wait to buy this beautiful book in August.

Casey has done it again!!!!!! I’ve fallen in love with these characters, with the settings, with the decadence of this novel! Perhaps McQuiston’s best work to date.

Prepare to be swept off your feet and taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with "The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston. This book is an absolute gem, filled to the brim with humor, sensuality, and an abundance of pop culture references that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

From the moment I delved into its pages, I was completely captivated by McQuiston's trademark wit and charm. They have a knack for creating characters that feel incredibly real and relatable, and in "The Pairing," they have truly outdone themselves. Theo and Kit, our lovable protagonists, stole my heart with their quirks, flaws, and undeniable chemistry.

McQuiston masterfully weaved together a tapestry of themes, including found family self-sabotage and childhood friendship, adding layers of depth and complexity to the story. And let's not forget the incredible representation of bisexual and non-binary characters, which is portrayed with authenticity and care.

One of the highlights of this book is the dual POVs. Getting to see the world through Theo and Kit's eyes was an absolute treat. From Theo's feelings of displacement to Kit's journey of self-discovery, every chapter felt like a revelation, pulling me deeper and deeper into their captivating story.

And oh, the plot! "The Pairing" follows the story of Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef, whose paths cross once again when they embark on a vacation they had planned together years ago. What ensues is a delightful blend of romance, rivalry, and self-discovery as they navigate the ups and downs of their past relationship while trying to outdo each other in a culinary competition. Their journey is filled with twists and turns, laughter and tears, and enough delicious treats to make your mouth water.

I adored every moment of "The Pairing" and found myself completely swept away by its beautifully crafted imagery of Europe. Casey McQuiston's writing is effortless and immersive, making it impossible to put this book down.

"The Pairing" is a deliciously stunning read that will leave you craving more. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a heartwarming romance filled with laughter, love, and plenty of delicious treats. Trust me, you won't be able to resist falling head over heels for Theo and Kit's enchanting journey.

A romance novel about two bisexual exes who get paired up for a food and wine tour across Europe? I was hooked from the start. I’ve read McQuiston’s work in the past and enjoyed it thoroughly, but this is undeniably their best. Everything McQuiston excels at in writing romance is pushed to the ultimate level in this one in the best possible way. You can tell this was well-researched by how detailed the settings were (and the food!), which only made the book much more immersive.

Kit and Theo are captivating, fully-fleshed from the moment they grace the page, and the chemistry they share with one another is indicative of the history they share. I haven’t read characters with such insane chemistry in a while, and it was addictive from the start, and you can’t help but root for them! The bisexual representation also meant a lot to me as a bisexual woman, especially because I haven’t read many books with it, and it made me feel seen and acknowledged to read characters that were so proudly bisexual. This was an absolute blast to read and I tore through it in days, always eager to find out what happened next. Theo and Kit are on a trip of a lifetime in this book, and reading it feels like you’re on it with them, too.

This was fantastic, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy come August.

I absolutely loved this new book from Casey McQuiston and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it comes out.

I felt like I was in Europe myself, experiencing the foods and drinks there. I enjoyed reading about Kit and Theo’s dynamic and how they got back together and built their future together. I just wish there was more development with the side characters.

This is the hardest kind of review to write because I both recognize the work of this book, the place it will have for other, however, I personally found it quite lacking and struggled to get through it for the sake of writing a review. This will still have a place in my recommendations just for the reader I know it will fit.

Their best book yet! Love the use of food and drink pairings with each chapter. A story that any reader can connect with. Perfect book to take on a summer vacation or to share with friends.

Look, upfront, this book is exactly my cup of tea. A dual perspective romp through Europe for three weeks, starring two childhood best friends-turned-lovers-turned-exes who haven’t spoken for four years. This book is excessive in the best way - the descriptions of food & drink are on another level, the feelings are overflowing alongside the wine.

I can’t wait to re-read this book in August with the rest of the world.

i will not be rating or reviewing outside of netgalley as long as st. martin's press is still under boycott.

I am generally not a fan of second-chance romance, but Casey McQuiston sold me on the delightful and tender story of Kit and Theo finding their way back to each other. Kit and Theo not only find their way back to a romantic relationship but in the process rediscover both their friendship and things about themselves. Casey McQuiston does such an amazing job showing the emotions of the characters as well as the places they are visiting and the food and drink they are experiencing.

It’s purely from the strength of McQuiston’s prose that my rating isn’t lower. For a book that claims to be about indulgence and feeling, I never once felt drawn to Kit or Theo, or to their relationship with each other. The book also lacks the kind of strong ensemble cast that I feel like McQuiston excels at, and instead there are a bunch of half-baked stock characters who appear and disappear with no real rhyme or reason. There’s a lot of pretty prose about the sights and smells and tastes of Europe but it feels like there’s something missing at the center. I wanted to like this book so badly and ended up feeling let down and honestly kind of annoyed the whole time. 3.5 stars rounded up for fun banter.

Withholding my review during the SMP boycott. Will edit and update this once SMP addresses the concerns of readers and reviewers.