I LOVED this queer contemporary romance!!! I am such a foodie and wine enthusiast so this was a book that I just ate up!!! Also the names Theo and Kit are just CUTE! I also love the French vibes of this story. This book made me swoon, giggle and kick my feet. I need a wine bottle paring with this book!!!

I absolutely adored this book. The image of a perfectly indulgent European vacation paired with the longing between Theo and Kit made me want to quit my job and follow in their footsteps. Casey does such a good job of getting inside of their characters heads that by the end you truly feel like you know them.

The Pairing was a beautiful ode to some of my favourite European countries (Italy, France and Spain) while also being an epic queer journey novel aka I was bound to love it with my whole heart! From traveling around Europe to learning about all the delicious local cuisines (I was hungry all the time), I was enchanted from the very first till the very last page. And add to that two messy, relatable main characters in their late twenties trying to figure it all out (their sexual identity, career path, LIFE in general) and The Pairing instantly became one of my favourite books of 2024. I already know I'll return to this one again and again.
Another absoute Casey McQuiston win! I can't wait for their future books!

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston is a captivating book that brings the story of Theo and Kit to life with vibrant narration and immersive storytelling. This summer romance, set against the backdrop of a European food and wine tour, is both heartwarming and humorous, making it a delightful listen.

What I Loved:
Character Chemistry: The chemistry between Theo and Kit is palpable, and the narrators do an excellent job of conveying their complex relationship. The playful banter and emotional moments are brought to life in a way that feels authentic and engaging.
Setting and Atmosphere: The audiobook vividly describes the European locales, making you feel as if you’re part of the tour. The sensory details of food, wine, and scenery are beautifully narrated, adding richness to the story.

What Could Be Improved:
Pacing: Similar to the book, the focus on their physical competition can sometimes overshadow the emotional development of their relationship. While it adds to the fun, it occasionally feels repetitive.
Believability: The number of romantic interests they encounter can stretch believability, though it does contribute to the escapist nature of the story.

Overall, The Pairing book is a delightful and immersive experience that will make you laugh, swoon, and crave a European adventure. It’s a perfect pick for fans of queer romance and anyone looking for a story that feels both timeless and modern.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

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One of the most lush, wondrous, and, yes, spicy reads of the summer, THE PAIRING is everything a Casey McQuiston fan could wish for (and more). Kit and Theo had me blushing, swooning, and biting my lip as I toured Europe alongside their magnetic will-they-won't-they, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers pairing. The food-and-wine descriptions were truly scrumptious; foodies everywhere will adore the extensive depictions of Europe's best culinary escapades. Once again, McQuiston proves themselves a true master of their craft, producing yet another romance masterclass that's sure to end up upon many readers' 'best books of the year' list... I sure know it's climbed to the top spot on mine .:)

Theo and Kit were on the way to the vacation of their dreams--a weeks-long European food and wine adventure--when they break up, having to cancel the trip and each receiving a voucher to use for the tour in the future, good for three years. When the exes unknowingly decide to both book the last possible tour before the vouchers expire, they are thrown together for the first time in three years after having not spoken. Once each other's everything--childhood best friends to soulmates--it's almost impossible for them to be in the same room with each other without emotions bubbling to the surface. To keep things light and most definitely platonic between them, Theo suggests a friendly wager on who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide, and eventually the most Europeans, given the smorgasbord of options for these hot bisexual exes. But through everything, they continue to be drawn back to each other.

This, this felt like classic McQuiston to me. It doesn't have the camp of RW&RB, but it has its wit, banter, historical references, and depth. I'm not sure what kind of research McQuiston did for this book--presumably, extensive--but their descriptions of the food and scenery are absolutely mind-blowing. Every page had me drooling over the pasta, craving the wine, and dying to visit the gorgeous sites. I was lucky enough to actually be reading this on a European cruise, so I did end up seeing some of these fabulous locations (Pisa, Florence, etc.) shortly after reading, which probably made it more impactful. But even setting aside those extras that really gave the book depth, I also just loved Kit and Theo. They felt like soulmates, two ends of one string, who were destined to come back together. Their story was hot and emotional and spicy and beautiful and this was the book I've been waiting for from them.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

I loved Red, White and Royal Blue, so I was very excited to get an ARC for this one back in the summer. However, I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. There were some things that I loved like the travelling aspects and all of the beautiful food and wine descriptions. Plus there were lots of fun side characters, though I did wish they played more of a part through the book. As for Theo and Kit, while I did like them generally, there was just so much miscommunication, and they seemed to be having repetitive conversations throughout. Overall, I struggled to get through this one, but it was an okay read!

The Pairing was a great book to read right as I was leaving on a trip to Europe; it flows through France, Spain, and Italy on a food and wine tour that had me reminiscing about featured places I’ve been to and stoking excitement about places still on my travel goals list. It’s a very sweet second chance romance between two people who are very deeply in love with and obsessed with one another, and I thought the audio was performed very well with the many accents and frequent dialogue in other languages.

I received an eARC of The Pairing from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; however, I also purchased a physical copy from myself via Book of the Month and listened to some of it on audiobook from my library.

I will not be giving feedback on this title at this time. Unfortunately, I did not finish this book.

While there was more spice than I was expecting, I really enjoyed this European romance romp. I loved our two main characters and they realize how they've each grown and learned since their breakup. The supporting characters were entertaining as well.
The way the chapters were broken up by city with a drink and food for each was a nice touch. The descriptions of food tour were mouthwatering too!
Love some good bisexual rep and really enjoy Casey's writing once again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of The Pairing in exchange for my honest review!

I've had great times with Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop, so Casey McQuiston's work is definitely the sort of rom-com storytelling that clicks with me. I wouldn't really say The Pairing stands out to me as strongly, but it remains a charismatic and hedonistic ride whose incredible horniness is an element that I enthusiastically support. I have some fun times with Theo and Kit here as they embark on this second-chance romance path—a path that runs through the gorgeous settings of France, Spain, and Italy, all of which are places that I have yet to visit. However, it does feel odd for so much of the emotional growth in the central relationship to take place off-page. Seriously, what's up with that choice? It makes it a challenge for this tale to move me all that deeply. I'm also not wild about how much the plot simply meanders along. We keep hitting all these vacation spots, we keep watching Kit and Theo have a decadent and raunchy blast while working out the issues between them, but these things require a more coherent and well-paced plot structure for me to grab onto.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Pairing 3.25 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 3 stars. It may not be an outright winner in McQuiston's bibliography, but I still get some enjoyment out of it. I'll continue to await more of their work.

Parts of this book I loved. And then other parts I really did not. Hard to review in this instance. So I will just say, it had potential to be an excellent read and I don't regret reading. Just felt like I wanted something more.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Pairing was perfection.... I was laughing non-stop, felt the chemistry and longing of Theo and Kit, and absolutely loved the travel imagery! Casey McQuinston has done it again and created characters so human and relatable but also fun and outrageous! I am literally already dreaming of this getting made it to a fun rom com romp movie and I NEED it to happen!

The setting, the food and the wine in this book were fabulous. Kit and Theo unexpectedly reunite on a three week tour through Europe four years after they broke up. I really enjoyed the people on the tour with them and who they met in each city.
Not sure what it was, but although I liked Kit and Theo and the ups and downs of their relationship, there was something missing for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so intense for me. I was so worried going in realizing how much I have a history of disliking reading spice between a main character with side characters aka not the assigned love interest. And yes I did cry after one of those scenes 😂 this was a weirdly very teary book for me even though it wasn’t coming from a place of relatability, and I’m saying that with respect and neutrality like I’m just simply not similar to these characters in personality or life experiences and honestly I think that made it even more emotional and at times fun for me to read.

This book is true escapism. I loved their travels. There’s a lot of foodie lingo that some went over my head but I got the gist and I was happy for all involved. The scenery and situations were so vivid.

I actually was a fan of the POV switch and when it happened. It was a bold writing choice and it paid off. All in all I just really ended up loving this book! Thank you to SMP for the eARC, I also purchased my own Afterlight version and it’s so gorgeous.

The Pairing not only offers great LGBTQ+ representation, but it's also an engaging read for the senses. The descriptions of the places Kit and Theo visits, the the food they got to try, made me want to take a similar trip. A thing to note though is this is sex / sexy time heavy as well.

I think that it's possible that this is the sexiest book I have ever read. This includes the setting/locations, the characters, the story, and of course the FOOD, OMG. This romance has everything and you won't stop being aroused until the last pages. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. I wanted to have sex with everyone in this book, everyone was unbearably hot, especially when they were drinking wine or eating food. This book is a feast for all of your senses and it will satisfy you, I guarantee it.

Reading this felt like going on my own food and drink tour of Europe from my couch. The way Casey wrote this one was just SO atmospheric and immersive. I loved reading the slowly unfolding story of Theo and Kit's past - how they ended up estranged and where that left them. Theo and Kit were SO hot together - even when they were figuring out the emotional side, their physical chemistry was insane. They both had a ton of baggage to work through - but I really enjoyed their journey back to each other. Also, I am crossing my fingers that this one gets an adaptation!

I did not end up finishing this one because I could not get into the story or characters. I have loved McQuiston's other books but this one was not it for me.

Bisexual exes run into each other in Europe four years after breaking up. Amidst the insanely romantic landscapes and delicious food around them, they challenge each other to a little competition to see who can sleep with the most people in Europe. But, ya know, they don’t seem totally over each other either. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC, and oh my god it was so good. It’s a steamy, sexy, delicious romp through Europe with two bisexuals as the main characters. I absolutely devoured it.