Theo and Kit have been almost everything to each other - childhood best friends, crushed-on roommates, lovers, and now strangers. After they breakup while traveling to Europe for a food and wine tour, Theo returns to California and Kit goes on to Paris, each with a voucher to use to go on the trip. Shortly before the vouchers are set to expire, they separately decide to cash them in and end up trying to prove to each other that they're over the other one while traveling Europe.

I absolutely loved this book! As soon as I saw that Casey McQuiston had another book available, I knew I'd be reading it for Pride month. I hadn't even read the book's blurb. So I wasn't aware that both Theo and Kit were bi until after I'd started reading. The book starts off being told from Theo's POV and then about halfway through the trip, switches to Kit. Which means that you don't truly know what happened with the breakup until well into the book. Honestly, this was much better than the normal back and forth POVs. Of course, everything probably could have been avoided if they'd taken time to be adults and talk things out, but that would be a really boring book. The "contest" of hooking up with other people was really a way to prove that they were over each other when they clearly weren't. And it gave some steamy scenes. But none of them came anywhere close to the scenes with Theo and Kit together. The idea of touring Europe's food and drink was also something I loved (and was jealous of so many of their meals). It was so good!

In many ways I’m the perfect reader for this book- I love wine and food, I’m in Europe in some the places described while reading, I love thinking about gender and reading about sex. And I am all for a second chance epic love story. There is a lot to like here. Theo is a unique character and McQuiston is masterful with description. But ..it was all too much for me, too literary not enough plot. At first, the sex felt desperate..which it was supposed to but it was kind of sad- and maybe that was the point. Then it morphed into a romance that was sumptuous and torturous. Maybe this book was too raw for me but a lot of it felt self indulgent- foodie, historical, and travel porn. Strong Call Me By Your Name vibes. It picked up 50% of the way through and as I said- plenty to admire in the writing and the purity of the characters’ love for each other, but at the end of the day, could’ve been paired down quite a bit. Rating this was tough- 3.5 rounded to 4 for the writing, research, and love that pours through these characters.

Short summary: Theo and Kit broke up 4 years ago on their way to a European food/wine tour and haven’t spoken since. Now’s their last chance to cash in and they’ve both signed on. How will they handle 3 weeks together? A sex bet…that’s how.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This made me so desperately want to travel more and enjoy every bite of food and every taste of a drink. This book is a love letter to food and travel. I could've done with less spicy times because I feel like that's not the reality of all European trips, but I understand why it was a big part. I enjoyed the dual POV's quite a bit. I feel like it was needed! Second chance romance isn't my favorite trope, but this one was done well. There are twists and turns, romance and rivalry, but overall just a fun time.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for an eARC!

Theo and Kit's relationship imploded on the flight to their European food and wine tour. They cancelled the tour and got vouchers for another time. Theo went back to the US, but Kit stayed in Europe and became a pastry chef (and his pastry class's sex god). With the deadline to use the vouchers coming up, both of them use theirs...for the same time. Now they are stuck together for weeks of food and wine and Europe.

It had been some time since the break up. They have been living their own lives. All that is in the past. They decide to make the most of the vacation and start a hookup competition.

This was a fun book about food and wine and sex and young people living life. There is not a hint of vanilla in the sex scenes. With there being a hookup competition and both Theo and Kit being open and bisexual, this won't be surprising. Millennials and younger won't blink an eye, but older generations might clutch a pearl or two.

I appreciated the maturity level of the main characters. Once things got rolling, they didn't get caught up in stupid things that could be solved by communicating better. The cast of characters throughout their travels are a lot of fun. And some spicy love scenes are always good, too!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press , St. Martin's Griffin for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

I'm withholding my review of The Pairing in solidarity with the #SpeakUpSMP boycott. Please visit https://r4acollective.org/about/ for more information.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. I loved Theo and Kit, and the way they both evolve and grow throughout the book. The only thing that keeps it from a 5 star is that a lot of the technical jargon both characters used took me out of the story, specifically when it was a paragraph strung together that I had to try to wrap my head around.

Pairs well with bi chaos & squeals & tears & laughs & lots of wine while reading 🥂

THE WAY KIT AND THEO MADE MY LITTLE BISEXUAL HEART BURST & FEEL SEEN WAS EVERYTHING 😭

Honestly y’all, this is a bold claim but I think The Pairing may just be my favorite @casey.mcquiston book. There I said it! It was equal parts hilarious & bittersweet & messy & beautiful & so so so fun. I am so thankful that I was able to get my hands on an eARC of this book because it’s truly everything & I cannot wait for y’all to read it!

A fave quote: “There is perhaps nothing as true, as enduring, as fitting a tribute to the Renaissance as being so horny you could die on the streets of Florence”

One of my absolute favorite writers is back at it again with a swoon-inducing romance between exes on the same European food and wine tour. I thoroughly savored this book like Theo and Kit savored all kinds of sumptuous foods throughout their horny (and fully hilarious) romp through France, Spain, and Italy—you can picture yourself in the heart of every city, experiencing the wonders through Theo and Kit’s dual POV. Fell in love will their love and the cast of characters (shout out Fabrizio)!

I’m giving The Pairing by Casey McQuiston a middle rating to embody my ambivalence. It was well written and had great narration. I knew going in that this book had a hook up competition and it might not work for me. Second chance romance is hit or miss, depending on how it’s handled. That said, I’m sure most will love it!
*Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ebook and audiobook copies for review

This was such a disappointment for me. I was so excited to read it, but I liked nothing about it. The constant hooking up with random people, the droning on and on about the food, there is absolutely no chemistry IMO.

By the halfway point when we switched to Kit's POV I simply didn't care if they ended up together or not. I was over the whole keeping g count of hookups. I wish I could say it got better, but honestly it just doesn't.



Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 72%.

Casey McQuiston has become a very hit or miss author for me and, unfortunately, The Pairing was a miss. In fact, I don’t think I would’ve finished it if it weren’t for the audiobook.

I’m not a big fan of second chance romances because I find that they lack the emotional build-up that I need to care about the relationship. You can’t make me invested in a story about two people getting back together through off-the-page assumptions and flashbacks of their past relationship. What makes them work now? Show me how they have evolved in a way that makes sense for them to find each other again. Casey McQuiston didn’t sell it for me here.

It also didn’t help that I found Theo completely insufferable. There’s nothing I hate more than a whiny nepo baby constantly crying about how unfair it is that they have a wealthy family willing to help them finance their business. Just take your sister’s money and shut up! Anyone who was truly struggling would gladly accept it and move on. And the whiny voice used for their dialogues by the narrator of Kit’s part of the book only further cemented my hatred of their character.

Kit is also incredibly bland. I remember practically nothing about him except that he is handsome, French and a baker… that is, if there was more to him to remember. It seems like his character only served to be in love with Theo and go on and on about how great and beautiful they were. Which, when you find them as insufferable as I previously mentioned, got annoying really fast.

If you want an amazing Casey McQuiston book, read One Last Stop, not this one.

4.5⭐️

Warning: do not read on an empty stomach! This book will make you extremely hungry!

The Pairing is a breathtaking, transportive, immersive experience for all the senses while having a dreamlike, ethereal feel. I think this story is remarkable in how it will connect with a multitude of readers as McQuiston builds this story around memories. McQuiston presents readers with the opportunity to journey back into our own personal experiences through certain dishes, drinks, and time we’ve spent around the table with friends… memories tied to food are so powerful and can transport us to pivotal moments of joy, heartbreak, and comfort in our past through a single bite or sip.

The collection of characters McQuiston crafted were so colorful, vivacious, and endearing and I loved how they became a family throughout their travels. Witnessing the characters break bread, swap stories, and share in joy and laughter felt magical and like coming home.

So. Much. Longing. I didn’t know if my heart would survive this second chance story and I found myself on many occasions holding my breath. The journey of healing and growth, of sharpening communication, and baring of souls that Theo and Kit went on to find their way back to each other was such an emotional experience and so honest, raw, and moving. The processing of feelings and internal debate of how much and what and when to share was so palpable and I was on the edge of my seat wondering will they or won’t they?

The Pairing is a beautiful love letter to creatives and artists who pour out their passion, inspiration, dreams, and their very souls into the art they create and share with the world. This story will turn your heart inside out and truly take your breath away with its incredible vulnerability and depth of intimacy shared.

This book was just so good with all the delectable pining and angst, one bed situations, dual POV, sex positive discussions, and beautiful ending… it was a remarkable experience!

This was easily one of my most anticipated books of the year. Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop are two of my favorite comfort books to revisit, and Casey McQuiston's writing is always witty and an absolute romp.

The Pairing did not disappoint in delivering McQuiston's trademark banter and loveable characters. Our main characters, Kit and Theo, and the rest of the cast of characters we meet at every stop on this friends-to-lovers-to-enemies second-chance-romance adventure are truly a delight. The characters are complex and fleshed-out, and you just can't help but want to have them as your friends.

I loved seeing Kit and Theo's story unfold throughout their European tour, inspired and propelled by the people they met. However, about two-thirds of the way through the book, the story began to drag and get repetitive for me. I started to lose track of which city we were in and what had happened in previous cities when referenced. If this had been about 50-75 pages shorter and the story a little tighter, it could have been perfect for me.

Casey McQuiston is absolutely at the top of my favorite author list. They're writing voice is so distinct and just a joy to read. I'm grabbing a finished copy when this is released and giving this another read in the future.

This is probably one of my most anticipated books of the year, so it is with great disappointment that I express how let down I was by it. I adored RWRB and One Last Stop. I own several copies of each of them because I love them so much. Theo and Kit just didn’t work for me. Theo was insufferable and was just a horrible person. I felt that in exchange for character development, we got horniness. And not really for the sake of anything except hooking up, it was a lot. I think that Theo needed to grow a lot as a person and that just didn’t happen over the course of the book. As far as working together, I felt that there was so much history between Kit and Theo, but we never got into that, just they were supposed to be back together. For a second chance romance to work for me I need to know why a couple broke up, why they’re trying again, and how they have overcome why they broke up to begin with. That did not happen here. In this case we got a little, but it was so brief I was unsatisfied and needed more.

I think that this book is about being horny and working your way through Europe. I was expecting more from this author.

I loved Casey’s other books, but this one hit too close to home for me. The miscommunication was so frustrating and reminded me of real life arguments. Hearing about the different locations was fun, as well as the foods and drinks. The characters are lovable and sweet. I’d love to see them again within the Casey universe.

I enjoyed this book a lot!

Theo and Kit, childhood best friends and former flames broke up on the plane to a european food and wine tour, wine tour unfulfilled, years later they both have decided to cash in their tours at the same time. they in order to show how much they’ve gotten over each other challenge each other to a sex contest to see who can have sex with the most people.

While this book was very fun, it was very stressful for me. Theo and Kit squash their years long fight with one conversation that amounts to, oh yeah sorry I should have told you oops!! Like it gave me heart palpitations.
But it was pretty exciting, the food and alcohol, I’ve never been to Europe or eaten or drank literally 90% of the items that were mentioned but they sounded good!

I absolutely adored Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue but unfortunately, I did not mesh well with her newest release. This book follows two exes on a European tour, both of whom are trying their hardest to convince themselves and each other that they are over their failed relationship.

The Pairing was far too overly-sexual for my liking. Not even “smutty” really, but just two adults who are constantly talking and thinking about sex with nearly every person they encounter. I’m no stranger to sex in books, but I was sooo over the constant horniness halfway through the book.

I also just really struggled to find proof that Kit and Theo were ever good for each other, both in their previous relationship and in their current lives. I feel like we were never shown any true bond between the two of them that amounted to anything more than sex.

Definitely a miss for me, but hopefully other readers are able to connect with this story more 🫶🏼

Theo-and-Kit, Theo-and-Kit, Theo-and-Kit. It just makes sense.
It’s a tough competition to be in, and maybe I’m overcome by recency bias, but I believe this may be my favorite CMQ book so far. The characters gripped me instantly: the intricacies of their lives intertwined with their shared history revealed in bits at a time, their striking humor and witty banter, the way they are head-over-heels for each other from the very beginning—I’m obsessed. The split novel dual POV is a delectable choice to let readers into Kit’s mind after getting the scoop from Theo first.
This novel is sweet, spicy, savory—a whole feast, truly. I devoured every bit.

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for this review copy.

I really enjoyed this book, even more than I had expected to. I do love the author's way with words in general. This story just felt so much more... adult? grown-up? emotional? than previous books. I don't want to go into details that would be spoiler-y, and it would be way too easy to tip over into that, but the growing relationship, with all its twists and turns and miscommunications, is the epitome of the epic rom-com movies we love.
besides all the feels in the story itself, those FOOD descriptions are amazing! I want to eat (almost) all of it (no lamb spleen, TYVM)
Overall, the characters were delightful, and could easily carry their own stories. (The Calums? yes, please)

This book made me swoon, reflect, and dream! It was a beautiful story with nuance and the complexity that comes with storytelling about honest relationships. I loved how flawed and beautiful and earnest the protagonists’ relationship is. Besides the ups and downs and misunderstandings of real relationships, this book portrayed intimacy, physical and emotional, with such care and queer joy. The formulaic intimacy that you see in so many hetero romance books (and some queer ones) flattens experiences that are important drivers of characters’ development and relationships. This book up ends so many ideas about intimacy and gender as a part of the story. Not knowing one of the character’s pronouns and gender identity for so much of the book made me jump to assumptions which then had me pausing to reflect on why I made those assumptions. It made me want to read the book again so I could really appreciate how McQuiston wrote her characters more expansively than I could initially understand.
Besides the incredible queer expansiveness and nuance in this book, it is a very fun travel book! Hearing about the sumptuous food and wine throughout the tour through Spain, France, Italy, and Sicily made me want to travel immediately! I loved how intentionally connected to each community the tour was. The characters met and got to know locals everywhere they traveled and it gave depth and fun to each of the stops on the tour.
This is a book I will be thinking about and rereading for a long time! I have already told friends to buy it when it comes out. I’m going to get my own copy too!!