This was an interesting one for me because the premise seemed perfect, I love food, wine, and Europe so I should love this book right? Ehhh.

There were a few things that worked for me. As a character, I completely adored Kit, he was a dynamic and fun character. There are also bits and pieces throughout the book where the premise of a food tour works, mainly revolving around Kit and his pastry chef career.

What didn't I like...? Everything else. My biggest objection to this book is that the "hookup" competition aspect seemed like it would be a fun subplot based on the synopsis of the book, but instead, it's front and center in a tacky and overdone way. On every other page, the characters are obsessing over each other hookups, obsessing over their own (off-page) sexual exploits, or making weird comments to each other about sex. It was repetitive, boring, and honestly a bit gross. While I am always excited to see LGBT representation, and I respect the multitudes in this book, I don't always love to see bisexual people represented as aggressively promiscuous, and the competition aspect of the book felt like it played into that stereotype.
Lastly, I hated Theo's character. They were one-dimensional, whiny, and didn't seem to show much emotional growth over the entire book.

Who's it for? For contemporary romance fans who like a miscommunication trope, this is a skip for anyone who wants a mature adult character or hopes to see European travel experiences represented.

⭐️: 4/5

On their way to a European food and wine tour, childhood friends turned lovers Theo and Kit had a dramatic breakup and never saw or spoke to one another again. Four years later, right before the vouchers for their cancelled trips were about to expire, both coincidentally ended up on the same tour. In order to make the most of the situation, and to try their hands at a tentative friendship, they agree on a friendly wager involving hooking up with hot, European strangers, but can that stop them from craving what they no longer have: each other?

I am a big fan of Casey McQuiston’s books, and I love her writing. I’m also all here for sexual freedom and expression, but it was just a teeny bit distractingly absurd to me how like, quite literally everyone in this book was so sexually fluid. If this book was all I had to go by, I’d think that all Europeans are constantly horny bisexuals. Also I don’t know if this makes me a prude or like, a hypochondriac, but I also couldn’t stop thinking about just the potential for STDs that was just like, glossed over, not to mention the safety of the main characters, just going off with relative strangers in the night. Anyway, all that aside, I do love a second chance romance book when it feels like the issues that caused the split have been sufficiently resolved, and add in that it’s childhood friends to lovers too, and I was in love with the tropes. The descriptions of the food and wine in the different countries that the book traveled to was also exceptional, and made me want to plan a European vacation ASAP to drink wine and eat pastries at some outdoor cafe. The ending was so sweet and everything I’d want from a book about ex-lovers traipsing across Europe together. Just whatever you do, don’t read this book on am empty stomach 😂

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Casey McQuiston absolutely knocked it out of the park with The Pairing. It’s heartfelt, spicy, messy, and intellectual all at the same time. Theo and Kit are realistic and dynamic characters you want to root for, and the secondary characters are so colorful.

My favorite thing about McQuiston is that they can go from writing a YA book, to a deliciously horny queer story of second chances. The Pairing was unexpected, but such a refreshing and entertaining read for the summer.

Theo and Kit were friends first, but after opening up to each other about their crushes on one another, they date and are a full on couple. They head to Europe for a trip of a lifetime that includes a food and wine tour, but during their transatlantic flight, everything turns upside down and they are left broken up. Fast forward nearly 4 years later and both Theo and Kit have left the past behind and have tried to grow and learn from their experience. Theo is a nepo child living in the shadows of their sisters that like what their parents' fame has brought them, but Theo likes the hustle of everyday life and is trying to make it on their own. Meanwhile, Kit never left Europe and found himself in Paris baking up pastries. But when they both unknowingly decide to use their voucher from their food and wine tour from 4 years prior, they both end up on the same trip. duh duh duh!!

Alright, ending up on the same tour nearly 4 years after breaking up without having talked to one another during that time seems like a pretty big stretch, but hey. This is fiction and it added to the element of the story. I was fine with that. What I did like was seeing how their animosity to one another changed over the course of the tour. Going from best friends to lovers to not speaking had to be difficult for these two characters that were always in each other's lives. So, even though what seemed to start out as hate had to slowly melt away and give way to some sort of friendship for these two. But it ended up so much more than I would've thought. It turned into a game of a sexual conquest competition to hide the fact that they both still harbored feelings for one another all in the middle of traveling to beautiful European cities and pairing those places with great food and drinks.

Ok, honestly, I probably didn't even really need the games these two played with one another to enjoy the story. I really liked the character growth of both Kit and Theo, even if they had very little communication at the beginning of what they were feeling. They had 2 distinct voices and being that they were in their mid 20's I could understand what they were going through. Life is about figuring yourself out and becoming independent. And you could see that playing out, even on their tour. They wanted to prove to one another that they changed and were over each other, but they also wanted to prove that they were successful and had their shit together. But really. Who in their mid 20's does??

I really just had a good time reading and listening to the audio. Their were two narrators for both characters and it brought Theo and Kit to life. The conquests were a little over the top and sometimes almost hurtful to each other, but also amusing and got them out of their shells. Heck, they got aboard a yacht with their little game! lol. What played well into the whole plot was the beautiful scenery and all the delicious food and drinks. They are what drew Theo and Kit together over and over again.

Overall, this was purely an indulgent read. The first half was from Theo's POV and the second from Kit's. I liked that we got to hear from both of them in their own time and how their feelings for each other never really left, but they had grown over their time apart. The audio was great with the added addition of a little music making it that much more interactive. I now want to pack a bag and head to Europe on my own food and wine excursion.

If you like horny, queer stories of friends to lovers to enemies to lovers and second chances while traipsing around Europe, The Pairing is the perfect summer read (or listen).

I read 40% in two weeks. I cannot make myself read any more. This book is about two people who broke up 4 years ago. They are seeing each other again during a tour of Europe. While they are on the tour they are hooking up with other people. When I am reading a romance book I do not want to read about the two main characters hooking up with other people. Then they made a competition out of it and that was just icky.

'The Pairing' is a sensual delight, dripping with color, flavor, scenery, romance, yearning, and hot hot sex. After a lifetime of loving each other, Theo and Kit finally got together when they were 22. After two years together, they broke up en route to a decadent European food tour and parted ways. Four years later, they coincidentally book the same tour to use up their cancellation vouchers, and resume a prickly acquaintance, and then a friendship, and then a sex competition (whatever, it works), and then... do yourself a favor and find out.

With prose perfectly balanced between sweet and savory and spicy, attuned to character voice and full of the just the right amount of too much, Casey McQuiston has us laughing and loving and rooting and googling fares to Paris. The conflicts and character growth Kit and Theo face are rich enough to make an extremely satisfying meal out of this second-chance romance, even for those (like myself) who don't usually love that trope. Not to mention, this might be the only travel guide you need for your next vacation.

Like ending a day in the Riviera sunshine overstuffed on too much exquisite indulgence, I loved it.

Many thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the eARC.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication! The review will be live on my blog on 8/01/24. I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:

If you've not read or heard about Casey McQuiston's "Red, White & Royal Blue," then you're either new to reading, from another planet, or have been living under a rock. I was super late to the game with that one, and once I finally read it, I understood why everyone loved it so much. I was excited to get an ARC of this one, and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it as much as I loved the former. Still, if you're looking for a steamy, hilarious, and heartwarming read to add to your summer TBR pile, look no further. This best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy will have you laughing, swooning, and rooting for Theo and Kit to find their way back to each other.

In this book, Theo and Kit are former best friends turned romantic partners turned exes who find themselves on a European food and wine tour together a few years after their messy breakup. Forced to spend several weeks in close quarters with each other, they decide to turn their trip into a hookup competition after they each notice that they're both lusting after their sexy tour guide. What starts as a friendly wager soon turns into a chance to rekindle their lost friendship, but when old feelings begin to resurface, they need to decide if they will keep the competition friendly or if they'll allow themselves to cross the friends-with-benefits line - and if that happens, will they be able to avoid falling for each other all over again?

From the picturesque landscapes of France, Spain, and Italy to the mouthwatering descriptions of wine and pastries, McQuiston effortlessly transports us to a world full of beauty and indulgence in a story full of humor, romance, and so much food. It's almost like "Eat, Pray, Love" but with more sex and a lot of longing. As expected, McQuiston's writing is witty and engaging, with a tone that feels like chatting with your best friend. The dialogue crackles with energy, and each chapter is a delicious blend of humor, romance, and food that will leave you hungry for more. (See what I did there?)

What makes the book work is the dynamic between Theo and Kit. Their banter is razor-sharp, and their chemistry is sizzling. They felt real, and I firmly believed that these two had a special bond and history. As they navigate the highs and lows of their relationship, you'll find yourself rooting for them to overcome their past and find a way back to each other.

I was also lucky enough to receive an advance listener's copy of the book, so I could listen and read at the same time, and both of the narrators were great. Emma Galvin voices Theo, while Max Meyers voices Kit. I've experienced Galvin's narration in Kresley Cole's "Arcana Chronicles" and Veronic Roth's "Divergent" series, and I always enjoy their performance. Meyers was new to me, but I enjoyed his performance as well.

Overall, this is a delightful romp through Europe that will leave you laughing, swooning, and maybe even craving a glass of wine and a pastry. If you loved McQuiston's "Red, White & Royal Blue," you'll likely enjoy "The Pairing." While I personally preferred the latter, I still enjoyed this book and have no doubt that McQuiston's fans will eat it up.

Casey McQuiston is, unequivocally, a literary virtuoso. With The Pairing, they have once again transcended expectations, crafting a novel that is not only a testament to their unparalleled research but also an immersive feast for the senses. Every page is a masterclass in historical and cultural authenticity, effortlessly blending the nuances of European heritage with the intricacies of human connection. McQuiston’s storytelling is a symphony of meticulously developed plots and characters, each contributing to a tapestry that is both profound and exhilarating.
Theo and Kit’s love story is a revelation, resonating with an intensity that rivals any romance McQuiston has penned before. Their affection is woven into the fabric of their being, illuminating every page with a brilliance that left me in tears. The depth of their bond and their willingness to go to great lengths for each other is nothing short of extraordinary.
The distinct and vibrant voices of Theo and Kit offer an intimate glimpse into their souls, enhancing the emotional resonance of the narrative. Kit's zest for life, his way of capturing moments and savoring experiences, adds a unique layer of charm to the story. The Pairing is a literary treasure, rich with detail, from the culinary delights to the historical insights, and imbued with a refreshing celebration of queerness. McQuiston has elevated their craft to an otherworldly level, creating a novel that will linger in my thoughts and heart for a long time to come.

a very hot, second chance romance, forced proximity, lgbtq+ rep based book!

loved the setting of the story and the travel aspect of it, i feel it was the perfect backdrop for this second chance story! lots of angst and some hair-pulling moments, but thats to be expected from a second chance romance!

really the whole plot is two people stumbling their way back to each other through drinking and sex, which I'm totally okay with! knowing ahead of time that is what to expect, I think people will have a better time reading this one.

casey's writing is some of my all time favorite, and this book is no different. i love their style, voice and humor, and the way they create lovable, flawed and realistic characters.

this was a fun, horny time!!

I was able to read this book by obtaining an ARC copy from NetGalley. I am a huge fan of Casey McQuiston but this book was hard for me to read. I feel like it was a niche type of book. I loved the idea of traveling and experiencing certain cuisines, but if you’re not someone who is passionate about food it gets very boring to have every chapter describing the smell, taste, and look of food. I was not a fan of the POV change halfway through the book. Even though the POV change did add context to the story it didn’t happen until halfway through the book leaving you wanting more from the original POV character.

This book made me flip flop back and forth harder than a freshly caught branzino on the deck of an Italian fishing boat. (I was trying to match the food tour through Europe vibe…)

The good: I do love complex characters. I’m not here for a romance novel that gives me two totally perfect people who end up in a totally perfect little couple by the end. These characters were messy. I felt for Theo and their struggle to be an actual grown up by themselves with no handout from rich sisters. I felt for Kit and his struggle to find what he really wants and go after it.
I also liked a lot of McQuiston’s world building - descriptions of flavours and scents and scenes; you could tell the author put a hell of a lot of research into their setting.

The not as good: While I do love a complex character… I don’t love them as much when they’re surrounded by almost 2D caricatures of side characters. Is the whole of Europe populated with sexy single or poly bisexuals? Or was this European tour formulated specifically so the guests only came across sexy single or poly bisexuals?
The messiness of the characters did have me saying, I think out loud, “do adults really behave this way?” While I love the mess and the complexity, I didn’t see any of the supposed growth that Theo or Kit were saying they’d done. At one point Theo bemoans that Kit always had to take care of them - but then when they start to fall back together, Kit is right there still having to take care of them. I will grant that Kit, at least, recognised that he was repeating the same patterns and broke that off.

Overall: I really didn’t know if the ‘not as good’ outweighed the ‘good’ or vice versa throughout this story until I got to the very end. Having Kit and Theo have a HEA makes sense for the genre, but didn’t make sense (to me) for them as characters - they needed so much more growth for that pay off. It would have made more sense (again, to me) to have a time jump epilogue where they reconnect again after doing more work on themselves. 3 out of 5 stars - I might do a re-read and see how I feel after another go.

Theo and Kit were childhood best friends turned lovers. Then it all went very wrong during their worst fight ever on a flight to Paris. Years later, the two ended up on the same European food and wine tour they were supposed to do as a couple. The exes want to prove there are no lingering feelings with a hookup competition. There’s just one problem. They’re definitely not over each other.

There are so many great things to highlight from The Pairing. I loved Theo and Kit's backstory, the epic food and wine tour through Europe (don't read this book hungry!), the identity discussion, Kit's introspection after speaking with tour guide Fabrizio, and when they finally confess their love for each other.

But there was one thing that confused me. The hookup competition seemed odd for two people pining for each other who were serendipitously brought back together. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the competition! However, it didn't quite fit the idea of a couple who had finally grown enough to be in a relationship that celebrates the love they've felt all this time. Perhaps it's me. These flawed and complex characters have a complicated history and don't always make the best decisions, so maybe this competition suits them.

Grab The Pairing for an angsty, sexy, emotional second chance story!

This was my favorite of Casey McQuiston's books. And that says a lot! Two likeable characters finding their way back to each other. These two were soulmates, best friends and lovers, who were separated by a miscommunication 4 years old by the time they reunited on a food and drink tour of Europe. It was great to see their relationship (re)evolve. I didn't want to put this book down. It was a tiny bit too long - we maybe could have cut out a stop, but overall I really enjoyed it!

I will not be reviewing nor promoting any St Martin's Press titles until they address the racism, Islamophobia and all over reprehensible behavior of one of their employees.

I admit that this one was slower on the uptake than I expected, but god I loved it so much. I'm a grandma- bed by 9:30 asleep by 10- but when I got to 80% at 9:45 I had to stay up til nearly midnight to finish this. Kit is the most woman-coded man and I love him for it, and Theo is so relatably insecure about their place in the world. The amount of pegging jokes in this had me kicking my feet and it was SO wittily written I am obsessed. I didn't understand anything about the wine or the pastry references but they made me very hungry, and I'm impressed that either Casey knew all this in their head or else researched this so well? I can't wait for a reread, as I find second chance romances hit harder on the second read through once all my anxiety about what happened is gone.

I read one chapter and it was so long and slow - when I turned to chapter 2 and my kindle said it was 51 minutes long I gave up

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bisexuals Theo and Kit are exes and former best friends. After breaking up on the plane ride to a three week European food and wine tour, they are given four years to each use their tickets. Nearly four years later, both coincidentally book the same tour. Stuck together for the next three weeks, the pair make a truce and decide to have a friendly competition to see who can hookup with the most people while on the trip. While they’re reconnecting, they learn more about each other and how things went so wrong the first time while fighting the attraction that never really went away.

Who could resist a Casey McQuiston book? I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue so I was excited to read this one. I really enjoyed the journey that these characters went on. I loved the way that the tour guided the story and gave the story a path to go on. I appreciated that the book was sex positive and gave some different representation. Speaking of that representation though, I will say that I was a bit confused about Theo during the book. On my initial read of the first chapter, I assumed (based on McQuiston’s previous books) that Theo was male. I then read the word “daughter” and thought “Oh ok, female. Let me go back and reread this.” This confusion makes sense later when Theo finally reveals that they are non-binary. If Theo was realizing this in real time in the book, the switch would make sense, but in the context of the story, Theo already knew that they were non-binary. I wish that I could have known that as the reader, even if the other characters hadn’t known yet.

This may also be a fault of me reading too many books in the same genre, but I found myself a little annoyed at Kit for recognizing that he does something wrong but then continuing to do it and expecting different results. I think we’re in an era of books where the characters are becoming more self aware but the conventions of storytelling require them to have the same problems as if they weren’t aware. All is well in the end and it wasn’t enough to put me off entirely, but this is becoming a bit of a sticking point with me. It’s okay and even expected for characters to grow over the course of the book, they don’t have to know what they’re doing wrong right away.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book, although not as much as RW&RB. Bring on more NB rep and I look forward to what they write next.

4.5 stars, rounded up

If I were to describe *The Pairing* in one word, it would be "decadent." Everything, from the wine and food pairing epigraphs to the pining of our main characters, is exactly what I need from a swoony romance.

Depending on your mood when you start this book, you will either appreciate or lose patience with the languid pacing. It excels at providing rich relationship development and quirky side characters, but it can feel a bit drawn out for a lighter style romance.

Overall, I am thrilled with this read and cannot recommend it fast enough for your next heartfelt romance. But you absolutely have to be comfortable with spice. I’m not in the habit of rating spice, but I feel like this is at least a four-pepper read.

Huge thank you to Casey McQueston, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for my advanced review digital and audio copies. My opinions are my own.

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development - 5
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 4.6

The Pairing is out Aug 6th, 2024!

I appreciated the Jaws references, but not much else. Unfortunately, this book was very much not for me. I didn't like either of the main characters, I felt that the plot was boring/repetitive, and the conflict was frustrating but not in a fun or interesting way.

The most important advice a great author has ever given is that you should write about what you know, and look up what you don't, I add.

I'm not Casey McQuiston’s biggest fan but, if I'm here, that means I somehow believe she and I could meet on common ground - the queerness, but I'm afraid that's it.
This aspect hasn't changed since her first book: being comfortable in your own sexuality and feeling free to explore; it's the thing I love most about her characters.

But it can't be enough.
I could have excused a lot, and I mean A LOT, of wrong details, especially since you can see they come from an American romanticized view of Europe, even if a little research wouldn't have hurt but, essentially, there's no pairing in this story.
From beginning to end this book is only about Theo: their version of how they and Kit broke up, how they felt, how they survived, how they changed, their relationship with their family and being a neo-baby. And then, when we hear from Kit’s POV, it's still about Theo: how much his heart broke because he missed them, how much he loves them now, how gorgeous they are and always were, how they helped him during the darkest time of his life, and so on.

Some things were just stupid - even the Italian guy couldn’t speak Italian, can you believe it?! -, while others just have to know them - for example, in Monaco, the biggest yachts don't leave the harbour because it's too much of a risk and labour.
And even if I could close my eyes in front of how much Call Me By Your Name” must’ve been an inspiration for the author - with peach and everything -, I can't really empathize with a love story with very little romance, focused on an unlikeable character that always got their way.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.