I loved this book once I fully immersed myself.

I was waiting the entire first half for Kit's POV and was so happy to get it. I have enjoyed every boon Casey McQuiston has written and they are an autobuy author for me. They have a way of writing queer novels that make me, as a queer human, feel seen, validated, and heard.

This book is probably the spiciest one I've read by this author too, which I liked.

The whole book I was honestly freaking out because I was waiting for the "other shoe to drop", but it didn't...really. so that was nice 🥹

Also, this book just makes me want to go to freaking France. I thought the narrative was just as well done as the romance/dialogue aspects, and gave just enough detail without going overboard.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the chance to read and honestly review this ARC.

3.5 stars

I love Casey McQuiston, I love their books, and I just know every time I read one I am going to have a good time. The Pairing is no different - it's a sexual jaunt across Europe, in which Theo and Kit come back together after years apart during a food and wine tour they had once booked together. I see other reviews really knock this book for just how MUCH sex is present, but like, why not? It was fun! I have no problem suspending my disbelief that everyone Kit and Theo meet in France, Italy, and Spain are a) incredibly horny and b) incredibly bisexual.

What I didn't love as much about this book is a lot of the emotional development happened off page. With a second chance romance, I really like those revelations to be very present. This is a dual POV book, but the first half is in Theo's POV, and the second half in Kit's. Because of this, we read more about Kit's revelations about their relationship, but I would have also liked to read Theo's! One other little (extremely little) issue for me is just how much description of food and wine there were. I understand Kit is a pastry chef and Theo is an amateur sommelier, and I did enjoy picturing drinking and eating all the delicious wine and food throughout this tour, but it was just a little too much at some point.

I think if you're looking for a summer queer romance exploring the food and wine (and singles) of Europe and just want to experience that, paired with McQuiston's incredible writing, you'll love this!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of my most anticipated books of 2024, The Pairing by Casey McQuiston, does not disappoint! It is a true masterpiece of second chance love, with McQuiston telling the story of best friends Theo and Kit. They dated four years ago, booked a food and wine tour in Europe, and then broke up at the airport. Both armed with a voucher to reschedule the cancelled tour, they cut ties with each other until Theo walks into her rescheduled European food and wine tour and sits down next to none other than Kit. Can these former best friends, former lovers overcome their feelings for each other and be just friends? Add in a competition to see who can get the higher European body count, and laughs and feelings abound!

We start with Theo’s point of view, which I loved. Theo is a mess and will tell anyone and everyone this, and it’s just fun. I found myself rooting for Theo to find themselves and didn’t think I’d like Kit’s perspective half as much. But in fact, I fell in love with Kit and his story the minute he took over point of view halfway through the book. Such vibrant characters, beautiful descriptions of places, food, and drinks, dreams, and things left unsaid make this book everything I could wish for and more! This may even be my new favorite book from Casey McQuiston, and I adore Red, White, and Royal Blue so so much! The quickest five stars I’ve given a book this year for some of the best laughs, cute moments, and to die for food descriptions!

Available TODAY, August 6th!!!! Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this amazing novel!!

While I’ve previously loved books by Casey McQuiston, I didn’t love this one. Unfortunately, I found Theo to be a little insufferable, and a little immature. I did like Kit, and although he was far more mature than Theo, I just didn’t like them together. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. The only thing I think I really liked was the European tour trip, and I want to go on this exact trip to eat all the food, drink all the wine and just visit Europe.

What better book to read during the summer than a book that takes you on a wine and food pairing tour through Europe?? Two ex-best-friends-turned-ex-lovers reunite unexpectedly and are trapped on a tour that they initially had planned to take together, four years in the past. They run through a gamut of emotions and eventually find the ability to speak their truths to each other. It doesn't start out spicy, but it definitely ends up extremely spicy. Don't read this book if you can't handle bisexual heat.

This book made me want to travel and taste all the amazing foods and drinks that were described. I got the digital version so I'm unclear about what the "Special 1st Edition" entails.

If some demon was looking for the perfect way to torture me for all of eternity, this book has given them the perfect guide. The idea of running into an ex I’m still in love with during a wine tour that would be incredibly inconvenient to leave and immediately entering a “who can sleep with the most people” challenge instead of thinking about talking to each other is my personal version of hell. There is literally not a piece of that that sounds cute or fun or anything. It only sounds like anxiety and pain. And, guess what? Reading it was also anxiety and pain. The entire first half of this book was just a “how much dread can we make liv feel?” challenge. The answer? Infinite. So, even if I loved the characters (spoilers: I didn’t) this was probably going to be a hard sell for me.

Despite a plot I didn’t quite connect to, there was still hope as characters are what really make or break a book for me. Unfortunately, the characters are what really broke the book for me.

The first half of the book is from Theo’s pov, a non-binary afab person who is quite literally the worst person you’ve ever met. They are literally a nepo baby with access to so many resources that they REFUSE to use so that they can cosplay being poor, which feels like the biggest middle finger to middle/lower class people. Like how are you going to not use your resources??? Do you not understand how lucky and privileged you are? But, of course, they have a whole complex about this, making them so annoying. Imagine someone with millionaire director parents and millionaire actress sisters coming up to you and complaining about not being able to do their career because they won’t take any money to help with it and they also fuck up all the time. I’m sorry, but there is literally no reason for me to feel sorry for you. Theo feels like the perfect character to have a lot of growth throughout the book because of how insufferable they are, but when they reach their peak shittiness the pov just switches to Kit for the rest of the book and all he does is reassure them that they’re totally not the worst? And then nothing with them gets developed because we are now in the pov of someone who worships the ground they walk on. It’s annoying. I’m annoyed and also refuse to feel sorry for nepo babies when they’re complaining about FINANCES. Get over yourself and talk to daddy. Being in their pov was like watching a continual train wreck and feeling dread and unease 24/7. There were no positives.

The second half is from Kit’s pov, whose only real crime is his god-like worship of Theo. I won’t dwell on him for too long because I really don’t have many feelings about him. His pov was fine in the sense that he was overly horny and literally only thought about this person he was allegedly in love with the in a sexual way or in a way that we, the readers, weren’t really shown. So basically he was a classic romance love interest. I was bored by him but not too offended. The relationship though? I was kind of offended. I just don’t see the value of a relationship that is so defined by sex and lust and I know it’s quite lame of me in a sense but also I just want real, deep feelings and all I got was really horny feelings. This was especially egregious here because of the fact that they allegedly were best friends and had been in a relationship and SOMEHOW barely anything was addressed about it? It was only fond memories and quirky misunderstandings? Like, y’all left each other for a reason and you fought a lot for a reason and it seems like y’all are just avoidant as hell and the exact same stuff will start happening as soon as things aren’t perfect? It just felt so shallow. The entire book was just about being horny or food and wine pairings and the most atrocious avoidant people who spiked my anxiety the entire time. I also hated the smutty scenes more than usual. Before this book, I have never skipped scenes, but this one brought me to my limit and I had to skip pages. My tastes were definitely not aligned with this book. It was definitely not a cute summer read, but also it was my worst nightmare, so that may be a personal thing.

All that to say, I finished this only because it was an arc, and I did have to switch over to an audio version at 3x speed in order to do it, but it also just… wasn’t for me and maybe I should’ve known that.

I think this book…possessed me? In a super hot way. This is the book that you want to pack with you to the beach or even the pool. Be prepared for, bi-panic, relatable characters, & found family.

There is something about Casey's writing that just gives me all the feels and this was no exception.

I absolutely fell in love with Kit and Theo through their journey through Europe. I loved reading about all the sights and all the foods and culture that made me feel like I was right there on the tour with them. Though I wish we got to see a bit more into their relationship growing up, you could feel the love these two characters have for one another, even while competing on their hookup journey. That part had me rolling my eyes a bit. I did hate how difficult it was for the two to simply communicate so I found that aspect a little frustrating. But all in all, I'm a sucker for second chance romances and know this story and characters will stick with me.

Though it has not topped Red White and Royal Blue for me, I still can't wait to receive my special edition preorder to add to my shelf.

I love Casey McQuiston, I love this book. I love yummy foods and sloppy bisexuals and second chance romance. I love this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really really really wanted to love this book but ...

I strongly disliked Theo and the first half of the book from their perspective was so hard for me to read. The angst was heavy and their thoughts about themselves and how they interacted with the world was just painful. Theo needs therapy (everyone could use therapy) and probably shouldn't have blocked their ex without having a discussion.

I liked when the perspective switched to Kit but I was quickly frustrated with his unending love that he couldn't communicate.

Miscommunication is rife in this book - from the breakup, to the bus meet up, to the half truths on their trip. Neither character makes any move to understand the other until they start being honest and vulnerable with each other -- which was nice. Second chance romance is not one of ;my favorite tropes but the angst and miscommunication worked against my enjoyment of this book.

I know someone will fall in love with this book but it was not for me (and I feel a little bad for giving it a 2 star review because I love Casey McQuiston's writing). I enjoyed the settings (and daydreamed about when I was in Europe years ago) and the writing is stellar.

I will not be providing feedback for this title in solidarity with the Speak Up St Martin’s Press protest due to SMP’s refusal to correct their employee’s Islamophobic and anti Palestinian comments and actions. SMP is not a safe employer or publisher until they speak out and make the proper reparations.

Like other readers, I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances, but The Pairing has me rethinking that. There was delightful tension and a lot of spice, and it added up to a really enjoyable read for me. We have already ordered a couple copies of the book for the collection and I know it'll be a hit at our library.

My favorite read of July 2024! I was obsessed with this book and I loved how the POV switched halfway through. I loved the humor, the spice, and the heart.

What a fun horny romp around Europe. The food porn was exquisite. If this book doesn’t make you start planning your own international tour I don’t know if we can be friends.
For those still unsure of the book I would describe it as the Gen Z “People We Meet on Vacation” and like most McQuiston books had me tearing up at the end. It’s dense but oh so good.

Casey McQuiston often has premises that feel like they shouldn't work for me. That's true of The Pairing, where Kit and Theo accidentally book the same food and wine tour of Europe after their messy break up and, in an effort to ease the awkwardness of being forced back into each other lives, come up with a who-can-have-the-most-sex competition. I tend to not like second chance romances (you broke up for a reason) and I am a One True Pairing reader at heart, who doesn't want to see the main couple with other people. BUT despite this, McQuiston draws me in every time. There's something about their writing and they way they treat even the side characters with incredible empathy that I just eat up. I read this book in two days--devoured, might be a more appropriate term.

One thing I loved was that instead of choosing to do alternating POV chapters, McQuiston split the book in half. The first half we have Theo, and we get into their head and (at least in my case) fully on board with the undeniable fact that they have been wronged and Kit is a unfeeling jerk (a sexy jerk, but a jerk all the same). And then that beautiful perspective switch where we find out that Kit has actually been a pining loser who loves poetry almost as much as he loves Theo this whole time. I think if the POV had been alternating early on, this would have had much less of an impact so I think it was a smart choice on McQuiston's part.

I mentioned earlier that I like McQuiston's treatment of the side characters, but I want to talk about it more. I loved how there's not really a villain of the story (maybe Kit's dad, but he's not really present enough to be a true villain, is he?). Early on, I was sure Maxine, the intimidatingly beautiful friend of Kit that we meet in Paris, was going to be a rival, villain character. But even when in emotional turmoil, Theo doesn't treat her that way, and neither does McQuiston. The two travel influencers on the trip who could be nothing but a joke are actually very sweet and smart women who get into a vague poly relationship with two men who are both named Callum (who are also not a joke, at least not really). Even the tour guide who the whole time is being set up as this flirtatious trophy that would be the ultimate prize in their sex competition turns out to be a devoted husband and genuine friend. Appearances are deceiving. Nobody is who they are at first glance--they're more and they're better and they're everything at once.

I have been a Casey McQuiston fan since Red, White, & Royal Blue.

While I didn’t love Theo and Kit as much as Alex and Henry I did enjoy this one.

Immersive reads have basically become my personality at this point but for this one I highly recommend the audio. I really enjoyed Emma Galvin and Max Meyers narration a lot and at times when the story was dragging I turned to the audio and that got me out of the slump.

I am bummed I didn't read this when I was in Europe last month. This would have been fun to read along with while I was also in Italy and France.

One of my favorite things about romance reads is getting dual POV. Theo and Kit are both characters you’re going to love for their own quirky ways. They both struggle with things we all do and it was very refreshing the way McQuiston explored those themes.

Now I want to eat all the european treats I miss so much!

Thank you @stmartinspress for the early reading copy and @macmillan.audio for the early listening copy

3.85 stars

I know there are a lot of mixed reviews on this one so far but quite honestly, I really enjoyed it. I think it isn’t necessarily being taken for what it’s meant to be: a very cliché romp through Europe. It doesn’t seem to be like it’s trying to be anything other than that and personally, I took everything at face value. I’ve said it before but I suspend my disbelief a lot for books like this. They exist in a picturesque world.

Are there very distinct stereotypes? Yes but in the same vein, it’s painting a very idealistic type picture. It’s rich in descriptions, indulgence, and passion in the place that a lot of us know to be the birthplace of such feeling. As for the sexual content, as someone who normally doesn’t like a lot of spice in my books, I didn’t find it very off putting that they were effectively sleeping around in every country. Both Kit and Theo are aware of those stakes and it’s very consensual. They’re two adults who enjoy having sex and it might not be everyone’s cup of tea in a romance, but the boundaries felt clearly drawn in the sand to me.

On a contracting hand, Kit and Theo have a whole heap of privilege and take that for granted, which did rub me the wrong way. Who has the resources to up and move to Europe? Not very many. There also could be some more diversity, not just the young and hot being the focal point. I really wish we could have stayed with Theo’s POV, because where Kit is sure and poetic, Theo is very insecure and confused and a bit bumbling. I found their perspective more satisfying and found myself wanting for it once we were in Kit’s.

Overall, I can see the criticism of this and respect it. I just also very much enjoyed it and thought it was a good contrast to everything already produced by this author.

Thank you to Casey McQuiston, Macmillan, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book - one of my most anticipated of the year!

I LOVE this book!! One of its most intoxicating qualities is that the characters and the story are unabashedly queer. I love McQuiston's kind, thoughtful treatment of sexuality and gender in all their fluidity and times of constancy/surety for Theo and for Kit. They are not universalizing 'the queer experience' and that is an easy trap to fall into with fiction. Instead, they're filling in the details of their characters' lives in a way that makes everyone the reader encounters on the page feel real.

This book isn't "political" in the colloquial sense. In fact, it feels a little out of time (or, maybe, timeless). What I appreciate about reading anything from Casey McQuiston is knowing that they're aware of the political nature of LGBTQIA+ people living our lives as ourselves and they do not shy away from being authentic in their public persona and in their published works.

The sincerity and authenticity McQuiston lends to their characters extends into the setting and plot as well. It feels very plausible that both Kit and Theo would wait to use their tour tickets until the last possible moment and end up running into each other because of that. Every single time I picked up this book to read, I wanted an artisanal pastry! Every food market, cramped restaurant, kitchen, bedroom, bus seat felt lifelike; the text transported me to every place Theo and Kit visited. I don't drink or particularly care about wine pairings and yet I got caught up in Theo's enthusiasm on the subject.

At the same time that I was feeling immersed in this book and its world, I also felt a sense of fantastical unreality, a heady giddiness that I think the reader at times shares with Theo and Kit. Do I think I could pull a new hottie in every city I visit? Absolutely not. Do I believe that Kit and Theo could? Absolutely. Both protagonists progress both geographically and metaphysically as the story does and I appreciate that they worked through some issues but remain imperfect at the end, realistic but satisfying.

I love romance. I think it gets a bad rap from a perception of trope-heavy plots and flat or static characters - this book has none of that and all of the good shit! Sex scenes that serve the reader's pleasure and the plot, two main characters you root for (and not always for them to be with each other!), food scenes that make you salivate, and a consistent celebration of desire. I fell in and out of love with all these characters a dozen times over, and I loved every second of it.

spoilery thoughts after this line:
- I usually hate the miscommunication trope but in this story it was used well and prompts a reexamination of assumptions and rigid thinking for both Kit and Theo. I also think the fact that the breakup occurred somewhat "off the page" for the reader also made it more believable and approachable for me
- The peach scene can and should supplant the scene formerly known as the peach scene and take the crown as the ultimate peach scene

I could go on forever about this book. It's already my favorite book of the year and I think it'll stay at the top of my list, despite having half a year of reading left to do. I can also see myself returning to this book when I need a warm hug, a kick in the pants, or both.

Hey Siri, play The Alchemy by Taylor Swift.

Sadly for me, The Pairing was a bit of a disappointment. This beyond lengthy second-chance romance became just a bit too much and I ended up skimming much of the book just to get to the end. Which I hate to do but I didn't want to dnf a book by the wonderful Casey McQuiston since she's such a great storyteller. Usually, that is.

Kit and Theo kept avoiding the obvious as they took a long-planned food and wine tour of Europe they had booked before they broke up 4 years prior. They were clearly still in love with one another but, of course, it took them most of the book to finally have that conversation to clear the air as to why they weren't still together. They became friends again and had this ridiculous bet to see who could bed the most people before the tour was over. That part was just so dumb but thankfully became a way for them to truly realize they missed the other fiercely.

This is also a story about Theo's acceptance of who they truly were and the life they needed and really wanted to live. They were very clueless most of the time and felt like the one person in their very successful family who couldn't find a true career path. I was glad to see that Theo found their way as the book ended and that Kit would finally be the most important part of their life.

Kit is a keeper but Theo grated on my nerves at their overzealous nature which wasn't charming, it was merely annoying. The book was a hard one to get through and only picked up in the last 10 percent or so. I will say that the author did her research wrt wine and food in France, Italy and Spain and I did enjoy getting a first-hand look at how these characters enjoyed themselves as they ate and drank their way through this 3-week tour.

In the end, it would be hard to fully recommend this book. It was way too long. Way too wordy. And the love story really didn't exist. It was more about the food, the drink and the ill-will between two long-time friends and lovers.

2.5 stars.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

This book was perfect. Food and drinks and love and traveling and characters finding themselves and lots of smut.

Second chance romances make me nervous and I generally don’t love them, because if you broke up you broke up for a reason. This book expertly navigated a miscommunication where I genuinely understood why they got where they did, and the four years of growth made me excited for them to reconnect.

The side characters all had beautiful stories that made me laugh out loud, and I loved them! Fabrizio can officiate my wedding if he wants!!

🚨woop woop🚨
Call in the horny police! (They don’t arrest anyone, bc ACAB.) The SMUT! There was so much and it was delightful! I love a book where they sleep with not the main love interest because I think it shows connection with others and takes shame away from having a history or a separate life. The sex Theo and Kit had?! I WAS SWEATING. 🥵 Casey, you can’t tell two characters they can have every sex except for penetrative and expect they won’t get hornier for each other!!! It was beautiful and incredible and I’ll think about the Good Boy moment until I die!

Five Emojis to Describe This Book: 🥐🍷🧺🌊🧡💙 (yeah I did six, IT DESERVES IT.)