The Pairing is filled with what we’ve come to expect from Casey McQuiston. Two imperfect people striving to feel something in this world and floundering through it only to find comfort as we all do in things and those we love. Kit and Theo are exes now stuck on a food and wine tour through Europe trying to out single the other. And through their journey through Europe , they discover what they always loved about eachother.

This took me some time to warm up to but I ended up falling in love with the characters and would recommend this! Be warned it's got some spice to it!

The two main characters, Theo and Kit, used to date. They broke up on their way to do a group tour and they both got vouchers to do the tour at a later date. When they finally get around to doing the tour they're both doing it at the same time by coincidence. What ensues is a hilarious, heartfelt journey through Europe where they try to be friends but also realize there might just still be a spark.

I don't want to give to much away but this was addicting!

3.5⭐️

This book had both good and bad moments, but i leaned more towards liking this book. I liked the set up and the trip through Europe, it made me hungry and wanting so many of the foods detailed in the book. And beyond the European food tour is the relationship between Theo and Kit. Their romance was filled with longing, angst, tension, and love, all the emotions you’d want in a second-chance romance. There were also some steamy scenes. However, where this book fell short for me was the lack of communication and talking about feelings and the past between Kit and Theo. They had this explosive breakup and it felt like it took a while to get resolved and it felt like their wasn’t time to resolve those issues during their second-chance. I just wish they had better communication about their wants and feelings than just ignoring it and trying to outdo each other.

Overall, I did like this book and the relationship, but wish there was more communication.

Casey never fails to amaze me and immediately draw me in to a story. I see myself in Theo and being able to watch their growth and self love was truly inspiring. Kit was a dream and I truly adored him, his passion and drive. I hope my students queer or not are able to relate and find a semblance of themselves or hope through this book.

I loved Casey McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue. It's so rate that I give a contempory romance 5 stars, but her first book deserved it. I tried reading One Last Stop, but couldn't connect with the storyline. I was excited when I learned that the author released another book and thought I would give her another shot. The Pairing just didn't do it for me either. I did not like the main characters and because of that, I had a hard time enjoying the book. I thought they were too entitled and annoying. I guess I want to like the characters that I am reading about and couldn't wait to finish this one.

Two passionate, complex, often self-destructive twenty-somethings reunite 4 years after their breakup, still harbouring intense feelings for one another, and play an emotionally fraught game of You Be Vulnerable First while on a bacchanalian food and wine tour of France, Spain, and Italy, using sex, food, and alcohol to push each other away until they find a way to use those things to get closer instead.
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I always love McQuiston’s writing. Their ability to paint a quick picture of a place or character with a few brilliantly selected and described details. The way they can tap into deep emotion and vulnerability, even within characters who are doing their utmost to keep vulnerability at bay. The way they blend an intellectual, analytical view of the world with an instinctive, sensual one. The sharp wit that imbues every narrative voice. This story was quite the journey, literally and figuratively, with characters who are so profoundly in their own way it’s hard not to want to shake them into growing up faster, but that’s one of the gifts of McQuiston’s writing: creating flawed, messy characters who don’t say and do all the right things at all the right times but still deserve life-altering love. And the emotional impact of the journey is that much stronger for the time it takes to get there.

One thing I can NEVER resist in a book? A slew of lush food descriptions. Bonus points if they’re paired with wine.

Food and wine tall makes up about 60% of this book. I’m not joking—Casey McQuiston’s latest nearly reads like a beautifully written menu.

In THE PAIRING, Kit and Theo were best friends turned crushes turned lovers turned exes after an argument just before a once-in-a-lifetime food and wine tour through Europe. Four years later, both of them unknowingly sign up for the same session of the tour, where they reach a truce: they’ll compete to see who can hook up with the most people before the end of the trip. What they don’t expect is for old feelings to come creeping in that threaten the precious balance of their new arrangement.

I’ve always liked Casey McQuistion’s books. They’re funny and romantic and often invoke themes of found family, queer representation, and acceptance. THE PAIRING is no different—this book is a) funny and full of antics, b) CMQ’s spiciest book yet, and c) includes a compelling discussion of gender and figuring out who you really are.

Where this book lost me a bit was in the characters themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I liked both Theo and Kit and was rooting for them, but I wanted to know more of their backstory. I felt like I was being told over and over and over again that they were both pining for each other, but I didn’t know WHY they were. I also think there was a lot of room for strong secondary characters in here and they all felt like caricatures. I adore dual POV romances and this romance plays with that in a fascinating way, although I’m not sure if it quite landed.

If 60% of this book is food/wine/travel, then about 35% of it is various sexual escapades. If you’ve loved CMQ’s other books, then this one might surprise you in that it’s very spicy to the point where it almost feels too repetitive.

Although it might sound like I hated this, I actually quite enjoyed it! Not my fave McQuiston (In an unpopular twist, that would be I KISSED SHARA WHEELER), but full of sumptuous food descriptions that will make you want to plan a trip to Europe.

Another fantastic title from McQuiston! This one is the perfect late-summer read. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.

Honestly I like pretty much anything Casey writes and Ia pumped for a RW&RB sequel! This book was great, filled with pop culture references and a peach. It was a nice blend of romance between exes and self discovery. I would recommend this and all of Casey's books.

This… did not even feel like the same author as One Last Stop or RW&RB. It should have been really fun, set in countries all across Europe and following this queer couple with a complicated past eventually rekindling their romance, especially since second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, but something about it was just off. I didn’t love how the first half of the book was narrated by one of the MCs and the second by the other- I definitely think alternating them would have made more sense and felt more natural. I also HATED the way the second MC was voiced in the audiobook - suuuuper melodramatic in a way that completely took me out of the story. I guess I’d recommend it if you’re extra interested in European food and wine and explicit descriptions of each character’s international sexual conquests, but otherwise I think it can be skipped. I probably won’t pick up Casey McQuiston’s next book until see other reviews convincing me I’ll actually enjoy it 😬

TWs: Graphic sex, swearing, ??

After breaking up on the plane en route to their European food and wine tour, Theo Flowerday and Kit Fairfield have waited until literally the last second to use their brochure. Unfortunately, they both had the same idea; they end up reuniting on the bus in Dover, forced to confront their shared history and even longer childhood friendship. As the two swear they’re over each other and learn to be friends again, they realize that they still have feelings for each other.

Casey Mcquiston’s books literally never miss. There were great characters, breathtaking writing, and this book was just a lot of fun to read. Kit and Theo’s romance/childhood friends to lovers arc was very sweet, yet it was incredibly complicated since they both had their own lives and their own emotional baggage. I feel like it’s just the right amount of slow burn and their relationship wasn’t too rushed.

This book is SO GOOD. Kit and Theo have so much chemistry you can taste it. The writing is poetic and so vivid you feel like you are there.

I was so happy to get my hands on The Pairing early (ARC)! As a huge fan of McQuiston’s work, I had high hopes, this book delivered. It's an emotional rollercoaster with a side of amazing food and wine. Theo and Kit are messes, but you can't help but root for them. Their chemistry is genuine, and McQuiston really makes you feel their connection.

Switching between Theo and Kit's POVs was a great move. You really get inside their heads and see how they're both dealing with their baggage. Plus, Fabrizio is such a fun character! The whole European setting just made me crave croissants and wine. It’s a steamy, satisfying read that’ll stick with you. Can't wait to hear what everyone else thinks! I'm wondering if this gets the hype Red White and Royal Blue does 😊

When I say “Gay”, you “Longing”... “Gay!” “Longing!” I think the way this book is pitched, like the short pitch- “bisexual exes on a food and wine tour engage in a hook up contest” ultimately does this book a disservice, because once you realize how these people feel about one another the hookups feel so sad. I don’t think that’s a spoiler it’s revealed fairly early. But anyway, Casey always makes the side characters really fun and engaging. And I think this is the weakest ensemble because it’s really Theo and Kit’s world and we’re merely living in it, but the side characters that do shine through are really fun. Pros- I really adore how this book talks about gender. There’s one big scene especially that I thought was so well written and so heartfelt. It just really got me./ The sex scenes were genuinely sexy/ I adore Kit and Theo separately and together/ the LONGING is unmatched. Cons- it’s absolutely too long, so the pacing takes little dips depending on where they’re traveling to/ I’m not a foodie, so descriptions of food and wine don’t really do anything for me and that’s probably 25% of the narrative. But overall it’s a queer European romp with two characters that you really can’t help falling in love with (as much as they can’t fall in love with each other).

My review will post on my instagram @boozehoundbookclub

Typically I’m a big fan of Casey’s work, but this book fell a little flat for me.

It was longer than needed and it was just a constant cycle of characters travel to new city, drink alcohol/wine, and sleep with someone. Water who? I ended up skimming so much of the book as I became bored and it’s more character driven than plot driven (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but I didn’t care for the first half of the book as it was in Theo’s POV and I didn’t find Theo very relatable or likeable. I felt bad for Kit as he was so down bad for Theo, yet spent so much of his time chasing after them and cleaning up after them (and although I know this was a small part of the plot itself and how Theo doesn’t want the help, it just felt like Kit was doing a lot more in the relationship).

I had such high hopes for this book and even though it did make me want to book a long European trip of my own, I just ended up bored with the same cycle in each new city and the flowery descriptive language that felt like it was almost trying too hard.

This 395-page book took me 35 (excruciating) days to read. It was incredibly gratifying to find out later that I wasn't alone in struggling to overcome the pacing, especially in Theo's POV half of the book. The POV switching by to Kit for the second half was a pleasant surprise, and definitely the better part of the book. Theo was an endlessly negative, relentlessly self-destructive nepo-baby. I actually fantasized about a Stranger Than Fiction type scenario that would let me punch them in the throat. Kit brought sense, reasoning, and my favorite- angst to this party, which is why I will still recommend you give it a shot.

Personally, I thought this book was about two cis men for the first 20% of the book, and I think that ended up being a huge part of why I couldn't connect with the characters. I couldn't see them in my head, and I spent so long being angry about that and at Theo that I stopped wanting to (THROAT. PUNCH.) Without pictures in my head, it became just words on the page, and with a book about a tour through France and Italy, AND highfalutin English, I was on a struggle bus of Google and Google Translate. Not my jam. No part of this was sexy in my opinion. The food sounded gross, and I don't really drink. It was all a giant NOPE.

I also, for the record, canceled my own preorder.

Red, White, and Royal Blue is one of my favorite books. I didn't love One Last Stop or I Kissed Shara Wheeler. HOWEVER, I will read anything Casey McQuiston writes, because I love Red, White, and Royal Blue that much. I think The Pairing got closer for me, but still not a home run. I found Theo a bit insufferable and I'm not the biggest fan of second-chance romance. There's also just a lot of food, wine, and European scenery descriptions. It all seemed very Call Me By Your Name inspirited, which is fine, but not the vibe for me. I love the representation in Casey's books! And the writing style is still very good and interesting.

Casey McQuiston simply does not miss. The Pairing might be my favorite of theirs yet—I’m a sucker for a good food novel. The descriptions in The Pairing are so vivid and specific, and each word seems like it was chosen as carefully as the wines Theo loves so much. I could taste these flavors. And the descriptions of the art and architecture! How incredibly lovely. I need this tour. This is one of those novels where the setting was absolutely a character and McQuiston executed it flawlessly. I will have a serious book hangover for a while. Five easy stars.

I genuinely, unequivocally loved this book. Probably my favorite Casey McQuiston book, although One Last Stop still has a special place in my heart. This is the most bisexual book. Other books might think they are bisexual, but they are not this book. I bought myself some fancy cheese while I was reading this book, because there is so much food and wine talk. Funny and charming but with some real thought about art and love and food and finding something you love doing.

Read if you like: bi4bi romance, southern European food and wine, slutty exes trying their best to be friends but also they love each other so so much, casual hookups on foreign shores, not so casual hookups also on foreign shores

Casey McQuiston has such a knack for character development, setting, and a beautiful line of prose, and all of these talents really shone in THE PAIRING. I had a great time reading this raunchy romp through Europe, full of romance and beautiful scenery and great cuisine. I'm not sure the structure, though clever in many ways, fully worked for me—it pulled some of the power of seeing a full second-chance romance arc—but I still had a great time reading. A fun, inclusive, full-bodied summer romance.