I genuinely don’t know how I feel about this book. It took me over 2 weeks to read - which is super rare for me.

I've decided to go with a 4/5, because once I got into it, I did enjoy it. I also can see others enjoying it, depending on what they like to read!

This is quite a spicy & horny book 😅 and heavy on the food descriptions too. If those are your thing, you might love this one 😍

What I did like:
💜 Theo & Kit - I really liked both MCs, how they were trying to figure out their lives individually and together. I was rooting for them to figure things out, both personally and as a couple.
🏳️‍🌈 All the queer rep, in many forms.
🎧 The audio - I thought both narrators were perfect, they really felt like their characters.

What didn't work for me:
💜 Having only Theo's POV for half the book, then Kit's. I believe the author was trying to create a bit of mystery, but I would have liked to have known Kit's feelings from the start.
💜 The MCs hooking up with other people. This is a personal preference, I prefer my main couple to only be with each other intimately.
🥗 The lengthy food descriptions - again, this is a me thing, and not why I took off a star - I can see many enjoying this!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press & Macmillian audio for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book, as I am a huge fan of McQuiston‘s Red, White and Royal Blue. This book was unfortunately did not live up. The premise was intriguing, but fell flat because the characters were hard to root for and the writing felt like a slog to get through. I do plan on giving the Pairing another shot, when my library hold comes through for the audiobook. Hopefully a slower read will allow me to feel the indulgent atmosphere that this book is meant to provoke.

The descriptions of the food, wine, drinks, and locations were absolutely amazing, however, I just could not get on board for the main characters and their relationship. I also think dual POV back and forth might have worked better (at least for me) than split down the middle.

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Childhood Friends
✔️ Love on Vacation
✔️ One Bed

For those of you who read seasonally, this is the perfect romance to end summer with. The setting is various gorgeous locations around France, Spain, and Italy where the two main characters eat and drink and soak in culture and local sights as well as each other's company.

I love a read where the couple used to be best friends and have to figure out how to be around each other again. Their breakup was painful so there is a ton of angst and pining and sorting through feelings then and now.

All the descriptions of food, drink, locations and their feelings were superb - I could practically feel the summer heat; I drooled over the descriptions of food - texture and flavor; I ached at all the emotion and all the love that was buried and now coming back to light.

I think this is my first chaotic bisexual read and I'm here for it.

If you loved People We Meet on Vacation or Slow Dance or The Ex Vows, this is another second chance friends to lovers that just tugs hard on your heartstrings, but only to propel you to the swooniest swoon.

And look, yes don't judge a book by its cover but this one is gorgeous inside and out. 5⭐️ and it feels like a must for your shelves!

Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

I was so grateful for this ARC from Netgalley & Macmillan Publishers. I also grabbed the audiobook thanks to BOTM!

Casey always has a way with conveying big emotions that always get me. This was no different as we follow longtime best friends turned lovers Theo & Kitt. After an awful fight on a plane to attend a food and wine tour across European cities, the two break up and go their separate ways. They are reunited 4 years later to redeem their voucher for the tour and are forced to embark on the journey they were meant to take as a couple.

They have both grown so much since the last spoke and slowly warm to one another again as friends competing in a conquest challenge as they travel city to city experiencing the culture, food, and good wine. I loved how sexual preference and identity was tackled in the book. As such a sensitive topic for most, it was refreshing to see both Theo and Kitt explain how they don’t have any standard or preference when picking a sexual partner. Both self proclaimed bisexuals, and as one myself, I kind of loved how the two went after both men and women during the challenge. Granted, they should have communicated with each other better as both are still madly in love with the other, it was a great plot point to help explore their characters better.

I also love that Theo defines themselves as nonbinary. There’s hardly any nonbinary characters in literature and I absolutely adored how once Theo made their claim, that Kitt switched to use they/them pronouns. These characters were explored with such authenticity and care, making it a truly beautiful story.

While some might find issue with all the food and wine talk, I personally loved it. As a self proclaimed foodie, I was 100% here for all the delicious descriptions. I was even more in love when they traveled to Rome and Florence as I went there for my honeymoon and could picture all their locations. I was reminiscing so hard and if someone ever wanted to visit Europe, this was a love letter enticing you to book the flight!

I think that the themes or found family, self sabotage, childhood trauma and relationships were explored beautifully within the story. Riddled with complexities and depth, the story analyzes Theo’s feeling of displacement in life in almost every aspect (body, work, family) while also following Kitt’s journey to self discovery after his revelation that his life isn’t as fulfilling as he hoped.

This is a heartwarming second chance romance filled with laughter, tender moments, and delicious treats that will leave your heart so full.

The things I liked about this book:
Being taken on a splendid wine and food tour through Europe, although the descriptions became to detailed and slowed the pace of the book
Kit’s vulnerable love for Theo
Non-binary representation
Fabrizio
An tearful ending

What didn’t work for me:
The immaturity, especially Theo
The sex competition that felt demeaning
The numerous side characters that didn’t add to the story
The first part of the book is Theo’s POV and I almost DNF. I’m glad I made it to Kit’s POV because the book picked up there and flowed better.

The Pairing was more of a miss for me, but I think others who are looking for a second chance romance with a lot of spice may enjoy.

any review for this novel is being withheld as part of the ongoing boycott against st martin's press & imprints

This story made me feel like I was along for the ride on a European culinary tour - and it was an absolute blast! The travel/food aspects of this book were so well written, they gave me the whimsy vibes, made me hungry and had me laughing along with the cast of tour characters.

McQuiston’s writing really sucks me in - the descriptions are detailed without bogging down a story, her dialogue is witty and the banter is just so much fun and her characters are always so interesting!!

However, I found the conflict between our main characters to be quite repetitive and their reactions to be very immature for people of their age. I became frustrated as the story carried on, I was still rooting for them but I wanted to GET ON WITH IT!!

I would read a hundred more pages about any of the side characters, the main characters not so much.

It’s a solid book! I enjoyed the descriptions of place, food, wine, and the atmosphere they made. The spice was good and nicely paced. I just didn’t love the main characters and wasn’t rooting for them much but overall decent!

This wasn't my favorite. I've generally liked McQuiston's books, but this one just wasn't relatable to me. Kit and Theo are both wealthy and worldly in a way that didn't strike me as believable. I think McQuiston is a great writer and creates great characters, but ultimately the bougie nature of this book just didn't appeal to me. I also didn't feel like the conflict was genuine... it seemed like Kit and Theo should've gotten back together as soon as they realized their miscommunication. I didn't really understand drawing the conflict out.

I had a hard time getting into this one! I loved the descriptions of the food and bits of travel. Overall, I felt that the novel progressed too slowly for me to become invested.

The Pairing is a wonderfully queer book telling the story of two ex- friends and lovers reuniting. As someone who loves baking, I enjoyed the setting of a food and wine tasting in Europe and felt that the tour added an interesting dynamic and side stories. The characters were mostly likeable, although they each had their annoying quirks, and I felt that I got to know the main characters fairly well. Both main characters had undergone serious personal growth before the book started but continued to grow throughout the book. I appreciated the banter between all of the characters that I have come to expect from McQuiston, although it didn’t quite live up to the laugh out loud kind in Red, White, and Royal Blue. I also enjoyed how McQuiston used dual perspectives, switching once halfway through the book rather than the typical bouncing between chapters. While the ending of The Pairing is pretty much apparent from the first page, it was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

🚌🍷🍝BOOK REVIEW - THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston🚌🍷🍝

🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5/5 stars) rounded down

Casey McQuiston’s previous works have been hit or miss for me. Red White & Royal Blue - MISS, Shara Wheeler - MISS, One Last Stop - HUUUGGGGEEEE HIT. So I didn't know what to expect and found that it hit a bit and missed a bit more, but in the end, is perfectly fine.

The Pairing follows Theo and Kit, ex-lovers who randomly find themselves on their previously cancelled and then re-booked European food and wine tour—the ultimate forced proximity.

The hits? The descriptions of the European locations, the food, the wine are absolutely amazing - so amazing I had to put the book down as it was triggering my envy while sitting through an Australian winter. I wanted to be back in Florence soooooo badly.

The misses? The bulked dual perspectives - didn't really work for me. The rich kids theme - didn't like it in Red, White and Royal Blue and didn't like it here. Personally, being a trust fund baby and wanting to 'make it on your own' is not a relatable trope - I would happily be a trust fund kid! And there is nothing in the blurb to indicate that rich kid trauma is going to be a key part of the main character arc in this book.

I have also sat on this review for a bit now as I have questions about the assumptions of body types throughout the story, but it has been released for a bit now, and I have to get the NetGalley review finished or else it will look like I never read it! I don't have the answer, but I am still pondering.

In the end, The Pairing is a miss for me, but if you want a sexcapade-filled escape to Europe, then pick it up and enjoy the ride.

I’m a super fan of RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE; I enjoyed ONE LAST STOP and obsessed with I KISSED SHARA WHEELER. So when Casey McQuiston announced their next book, THE PAIRING, I was excited. It’s been a long time since an author I adore has disappointed me.

The plot was so repetitive. The plot was so repetitive! Did I mention that the plot was so repetitive? I expected some of the same occurrences, given that they had a bet about who could sleep with more people on a European tour when they really just wanted to be with one another. But it felt like nothing new. And they were in different countries with different people! The only parts I loved were their conversations with other tour group members about life, love, and relationships.

Typically, I become a big fan of one or more of CMQ’s characters. Sadly, I found I did not want to be friends with any of them, which I think made a big difference in my liking the book. I made it to the 47% part before I DNF’d it. By that point, I loathed being in Theo’s head. I learned from a friend that the narration switched to Kit shortly after, but I was so not invested in Theo’s side and had no urge to see if Kit might invest me in more. There is not enough time in the world to read books you aren’t head over heels for.

I hope I adore whatever CMQ puts out next, like the first three books, because this one was not for me.

PS - One positive note: The narration of the audiobook was excellent. I had a tough time reading the arc, but it was much better to listen to because of the superb narration. I wish I were listening to a better story with that narration.

Thanks, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for the arc and ALC!

A generally well-written tale of two exes and their sexual escapades across Western Europe. Fulsome with details of landscapes and foods that will ignite a whole bonfire of wanderlust, this might be the definition of a summer must-read. The plot was a little uneven between parts 1 and 2, but not enough to distract me as a reader.

Additionally, I went into it looking forward to the queer representation, but was pleasantly surprised at the extension examination of gender identities not often seen in literature.

I got to 33% in this book and the premise was not for me. I was not invested whatsoever which was disappointing considering how much I have enjoyed this author’s work in the past. I would have enjoyed this more if the main characters had more emotional maturity.

The Pairing is a sexy romp across Europe that's full of good food with new friends and old. I absolutely loved this book.

I have been a fan of Casey McQuiston since the breakout release, Red White and Royal Blue, and for this reason I was so excited to receive an ARC of their newest work. No author encapsulates modern queer culture the way that McQuiston manages to in their witty and emotional writing. The Pairing is no exception to this rule. I enjoyed that we got a multi-POV view of the characters as they discover what it is like to grow apart and then back together through time. This is definitely the most mature book that McQuiston has written to date and the romantic and “spicy” scenes were written with so much tension and sensuality. Overall, if you want a queer story of healing, sensuality, and food through Europe, this romance is for you!

I am in love with this book. From the first sentence to the last, I was enraptured by the prose and the characters. Theo and Kit feel like real people that I've met and loved in my life. I loved this book so much I went out and bought it after I was done reading the ARC.

Take my review with a grain of salt because I was in the middle of travel and ended up with COVID and it all threw off my reading game!

Love the concept of this book. Casey McQuiston is an auto-read author for me. Loved their narrations of the pairings at the beginning of the chapters as well as the music leading into the chapters! It was a good narration all around.

The fun story of some ex lovers reuniting unintentionally on the trip they were supposed to go on together before their breakup, this book takes us to fun locations and is full of food, drinks and lots of sex.

In the end, it just didn't quite have me as enraptured as prior books I've read by the author. But it was still cute.