The speed at which I raced to snag an ARC of Casey McQuiston’s new book, The Pairing, can only be beaten by the rate at which I fell in love with the main characters. This delicious romance follows Kit and Theo, two exes who accidentally reunite on a European food and wine tour they were supposed to take together before their relationship imploded. Drowning in unresolved tension and desperate to show one another that they’re so totally over each other, the two strike a ‘numbers’ (read: sex) competition in the hopes that they both make it to the end of the trip with their dignity intact. Everything totally goes according to plan, and all is well (read: everything definitely does NOT go according to plan, and...well, all miraculously does end up well…sorta).

I was excited about this book because Red, White, and Royal Blue is one of my top 3 LGBTQ+ books, and McQuiston is a master at breaking my heart and creating characters I would die for. Not only does this book fit the bill, but dare I say it, it does so even more than RWRB. Kit and Theo were charming, funny, and incredibly sexy. Their banter and wit were so smooth and effortless. These characters felt so real; I wanted to be their best friends and shake their dumb little heads. I absolutely loved the representation that these two characters embodied. The structure of this book was fantastic. The pacing perfectly parallels how I imagine a European food & wine tour should feel: leisurely and decadent. The dual POV was excellent at allowing us to get the full shape of Kit and Theo. It was set up in such a powerful moment that I quite literally tossed my iPad (thank goodness for my case, eh?) to the end of the couch, only to scramble for it seconds later because I needed to know what happened next.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how illustrative all the descriptions were. I was completely ravenous the whole time, and I had the insane urge to book a flight to every single location on their tour. Okay, in all seriousness, I absolutely ADORED the descriptions of all the food, drinks, and locations. McQuiston did a masterful job of ensuring that the exposition enhanced the story instead of being overbearing.

This book is for people who read RWRB and wanted it to be just a little bit dirtier. It is for people who see food and drink as foreplay. It is for people looking for books with rich LGBTQ+ representation. I devoured every second of this book and will be racing to the bookstore when it is released. 10/10, def recommend.

A million thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the privilege to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at around 20%

I'm having a hard time with this one! I've loved Casey's other books, but I just can't get into this one. Maybe I'll try another time.

This book is one of my most anticipated releases this year, and it did not disappoint!!! I absolutely loved this book and found myself savoring every moment.

We meet Kit and Theo as they've just broken up right before their planned European vacation. Fast forward to four years later and they end up on the same vacation together. We get to see how intense it can be to run into an ex and how much they both still care about one another. To prove to themselves they can still be friends they start a friendly competition to see who can hook up with the most people while both secretly long for each other.

I love that we got the first half of the book from Theo's perspective and the second half from Kits. I thought the story telling weaved together so smoothly. You really get to understand how both characters feel and why they make the decisions they make. The way you get to see how Theo and Kit grew in their time apart and how it makes them even better for each other now is magically done. I love that these characters got to grow into themselves in their time apart and then continue to grow with each other.

If you love a second chance romance and LGBTQIA+ reads this book if definitely one I would recommend you pick up. I am still smiling in the joy of it.

LOVE a second chance romance, love grow adult cvonversations about relationships and what they mean. Love the steamy parts. Love every single one of the characters. God this was just such a good read that was so fun but not only a light beach read and dealt with some important and heavy subjets

This is not your typical romance. Two exes end up on the same food and wine tour through Europe and decide to engage in a hookup competition. I enjoyed the travel and food elements. I liked the main characters but found their lack of communication very irksome. I understand that second chance romances come with a lot of baggage to overcome, but it was just too much. I appreciated that the book didn’t equate love with celibacy. While I enjoy romances where the characters haven’t had sex with other people since they met, it’s a nice change for the characters to not only have other experience, but be able to appreciate the other person’s experience. I thought the dual POV format worked really well—the first half is from Theo’s POV and the second half is from Kit’s POV. Overall, I enjoyed this book and devoured it quickly, but it’s probably not one I would reread.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Theo and Kit are childhood best friends and former lovers. After a terrible fight and subsequent breakup on the way to vacation in Europe, they have each forged their own lives: Theo in the U.S.; Kit in Paris. But they encounter one another four years later... using the non-refundable trip voucher for the European tour they were about to take when they split.

There's a lot of great things about THE PAIRING, particularly it's bisexual characters and the book's frank look at sexuality, queer love, gender norms, and gender fluidity. There's also just so much damn description. If you want endless talk about food and wine and the European countryside, you'll love THE PAIRING. If you are looking for some actual plot or forward momentum, you're less in luck.

I found myself skimming over more talk of wine pairings, as I just could.not.take.it.anymore. I get that there was a whole "vibe" for this story, but it was not one I enjoyed. I wanted to hear more about Theo and Kit, their past, and see them interacting in the present.

The two make a pact to see who can sleep with the most people on the trip, while ignoring their own chemistry. It takes a while to even get to this point, with so much lead up (have I mentioned the wine?). All the description makes it difficult to care for Kit and Theo as a couple, especially since most of their romance occurs before this story starts. Many of the side characters have little depth, serving just to act as a foil in the one night stand competition, and everyone seems young and ready to eat and party. There's no differentiation or room for anything else. A side plot with Theo's family being wealthy and famous seems unnecessary and irritating.

Theo and Kit's sexual tension and escapades are fun, albeit somewhat repetitive, much like the endless food and wine. I preferred the focus on gender positivity and Theo feeling comfortable in their body. In the end, though, I never found myself wanting to read this book, and often flipped rapidly through scenes. Hopefully others more into the European bacchanal style will enjoy it.

It is fairly common, I think, for books to romanticize life, and The Pairing is no exception. But there's something special about Casey McQuiston's writing that makes the rainbows-unicorns-sunshine-feeling bleed off the page, and for a little bit, makes real life seem just a little brighter. Perhaps it's the characters who are so raw and real and who you cannot help but root for. Or maybe it's the fast-paced plot paired with an abundance of sensory details that pulls you in and keeps you immersed throughout. Or possibly, it's the way queerness is so central to the story and is somehow portrayed in a way that simultaneously feels so normal and so beautiful. I'm not sure, but what I do know is that I really quite enjoyed this book.

Loved! Great characters and amazing travel writing, including the food. It transported you to some amazing locations, and I loved the unique relationship between the two main POCs.

A solid four star summer rom com/beach read for me. This is a super fun and sexy trip though Europe with loads of scenery, food and drink descriptions, art, and a pretty broad spectrum of queer intimacy. This mixes up a fair number of standard rom com tropes and doesn’t have a big surprise at the end, but it’s different enough that it doesn’t feel like a mix of other books just scrambled up and republished.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

As a massive Casey McQuiston fan, I absolutely devoured this book. Theo and Kit are officially forever on my mind. If you want a book that transports you to a summer in Europe with all of the satiable parts of rekindling a lost relationship - this book is for you. Be right back while I book a guided trip through Europe with my ex for the summer! (Kidding…kind of).

Wow. I feel so privileged to have read this book. This is Casey McQuiston's best work in my opinion. This is a heart wrenching slow burn romance about long-term love and a second chance romance. The characters were so tangible and I felt such a connection to them and was rooting for them both individually and as a couple throughout the entire book. I loved how in addition to the main characters re-finding a relationship, they also learned to love themselves and understand themselves.
The story pacing was perfect and I loved hearing about Europe and all of the food and drinks. I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to everyone, it is one of the best books I've read so far this year.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

US pub date: 8/6/24
Genre: romcom (second chance romance, childhood friends, enemies to lovers, queer)
Quick summary: Theo and Kit were best friends turned lovers with a deep connection, until a miscommunication derailed their European food and wine tour and broke them up. Four years later, they both end up on the same tour and end up in a hookup competition to convince each other they are over the past...

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed the food and travel element, and I think other readers will also enjoy the armchair travel. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with Theo and Kit as much as I had hoped - they spent so much time hiding/denying their emotions. The hookup bet could have been fun, but it required so much suspension of disbelief, as basically every person they met on the tour seemed to be bi/interested in one or both of them. At 432 pages, this book just had too much gamesmanship and not enough emotional depth for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think that many contemporary romances require a certain ethical suspension of belief in order for me to get behind the conceit, and I've found this especially with Casey McQuiston's books. Basically, the question that I have to ask myself is as follows: is the fun of this story enough for me to get over my qualms or issues with the premise? With their other novels, all of which I've read, I've mostly had enough fun to ignore the things that didn't work for me. With The Pairing, I was never having as much fun as I wished I was, and I found the way the sex bet was written to be a bit creepy, to be honest. I love sluttiness, but something about the sex bet was giving hints of like 2000s frat scoreboard for me, and the queerness of it didn't shake the sliminess. Also, this was very clearly Europe through an American lens which is fine, but it felt more like stereotypes of places than actual places and so the scenery didn't woo me like it was supposed to.

What I did really like was seeing Theo and Kit through each other's eyes, because love is nice, and being seen by someone who loves you is nice. Also the descriptions of food and wine. It made me wish I understood anything about wine other than my own personal scale of drinkability.

(2.5 stars rounded up!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-ARC!

She's done it again! Casey McQuiston absolutely secured her spot as a favorite author for me with One Last Stop, and like a fine wine, she just gets better as time goes on. The Pairing is a delightful romp through the European countryside, full of quirky side characters, sexy encounters, and plenty of pastries! I was craving a croissant the whole time!

Kit and Theo, bitter exes who haven't spoken in 4 years, unexpectedly reunite as they both cash in a voucher for the European Food and Wine tour they booked when they were still together. Trapped by circumstance and haunted by their messy breakup, the two are thrown together as the only solo travelers and they are forced to be civil, if not downright friendly to each other, while navigating lingering feelings and the picturesque countryside. They challenge each other to a hookup competition, (because that's what friends do, right?) and discover more about each other, themselves, and what they truly want in the process.

I was absolutely dazzled by this book! I devoured it in less than 24 hours and immediately recommended it to all my friends. It definitely had the potential to be one of those books about rich people problems that would have fueled my inner cynic and put me off entirely (Kit is a hunky french Adonis with dual citizenship and Theo is the 'disappointing' offspring of Hollywood Royalty with two A-list actor siblings and they're on a food and wine tour across Europe, for crying out loud!) but instead it managed to feel like a dreamy fantasy, a warm fresh baked slice of bread with butter, a smooth European wine that I was more than happy to indulge in. Deliciously sexy and heart-warmingly earnest, I will definitely be buying a copy for my bookshelves when it's finally published!

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this free digital review copy.**

I'm a big fan of Casey McQuiston's writing, and when this book was recommended by Becca Freeman after her trip to Rome (that was just a few weeks before ours), I had to try to get it from NetGalley, and I'm SO glad I did. This story kept me company for the long flight home, and it was a delightful adventure.

Theo and Kit broke up on their way to a European food tour, and so they don't go on the tour, but it's non-refundable and they only have a certain amount of time to cash in. Unknowingly, they rebook the tour for the same time and are reunited on a whirlwind adventure through France, Spain, and Italy. Through their travels they unpack a lot of what went wrong with their former relationship, a lot of miscommunication and a lot of emotions that have been festering for so long. They also meet so many fun characters, both as part of the group tour and in the various places that they stop. The descriptions of the food and drinks and tourist spots were perfect for a vacation read.

The story does get very spicy, so I don't recommend if that's not for you. It started out fairly tame (more closed-door) but did get spicier as the book continued.

No one captures the melodrama and mayhem of mid-twenties romance like Casey McQuiston, the author of Red, White & Royal Blue. This new RomCom is set on a tour through France, Spain, and Italy where the cast of characters gets to sample famous sites, gourmet food, and local fancy drinks. One of the MCs is a bisexual pâtissier and the other is a gender fluid sommelier. They individually find their way to this tasting tour after years spent apart following a heart-wrenching breakup. Childhood friends to young lovers to strangers meeting on a bus, neither one is equipped to handle this chance encounter and come out unscathed. It is set to release August 6, and I was so pleased to receive an ARC from NetGalley for my review. If you love a will-they, won’t-they, this one’s for you!

In The Pairing, two exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour, then engage in a hookup competition to prove that they don't have feelings for each other anymore.

This book is going to make a lot of food lovers very happy, but it was not for me. I made it a third of the way through and still didn't feel like I knew or cared about either character, and the elaborate and sensual descriptions of food and wine that happened on nearly every page felt repetitive. I just couldn't get invested. This all came as a surprise, as typically I'm a fan of McQuiston's work.

“The Pairing” by Casey McQuiston is a delightful romantic comedy that whisks readers away on a European food and wine tour. In this Special 1st Edition, readers are treated to spray-painted edges with a stencilled script design that enhance the reading experience. The limited print run makes it a collector's item for fans of McQuiston's work (like myself!). So don’t miss out and preorder your copy quickly!

McQuiston is one of my favourite authors, and she weaves a captivating tale of two estranged exes who accidentally find themselves on the same tour. Their journey takes them through stunning cities in France, Spain, and Italy, where luscious flavours and breathtaking views serve as the backdrop for their rekindled connection.

Meet Theo and Kit. They were once childhood best friends, crushes, and lovers. But after a brutal breakup during a transatlantic flight, they went their separate ways. Now, four years later, they both decide to redeem their unused voucher for the European tour. Little do they know that fate has other plans. As they board the tour bus, they discover their shared itinerary and find themselves trapped together for three weeks.

The chemistry between Theo and Kit crackles with tension. McQuiston masterfully portrays their complex emotions, from lingering desire to unresolved hurt. As they challenge each other to a hookup competition, the stakes rise. Who will win the wager and sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first? But beneath the playful banter lies a deeper truth: their feelings for each other never truly faded.

McQuiston's prose is as intoxicating as the finest wine. The descriptions of sumptuous meals, picturesque landscapes, and romantic encounters evoke all the senses. Readers will feel the sun on their skin, taste the velvety red wines, and experience the thrill of stolen kisses against ancient city walls. The pacing is perfect, allowing for moments of introspection and sizzling passion.

Theo and Kit are flawed yet endearing characters. Theo, the hustling bartender and aspiring sommelier, exudes confidence but hides vulnerability. Kit, the pastry school graduate turned Parisian baker, balances charm with a touch of cynicism. Their witty banter and shared history make their journey unforgettable.

“The Pairing” celebrates bisexuality and explores the complexities of love. McQuiston deftly navigates themes of identity, forgiveness, and second chances. As Theo and Kit navigate cobblestone streets and hidden alleyways, readers will root for their reunion. The supporting cast adds depth to the story.

“The Pairing: Special 1st Edition” is a feast for the heart and soul. Pour yourself a glass of your favourite drink, settle into a cozy nook, and savour every page. McQuiston's storytelling magic will leave you craving more. Cheers to love, laughter, and the joy of unexpected reunions!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Having also read Red, White, and Royal Blue, something I've always admired is Casey Mcquiston's ability to write tension in the most beautiful, tangible way. The Pairing is a second chance romance in which two exes who haven’t spoken in years end up on the same European tour they had cancelled on the day of their breakup. Kit and Theo are complex and flawed and I loved seeing their interactions through both of their perspectives (the first half of the book is told from Theo’s, and the second half Kit’s). I would describe this book as sexy, queer, and decadent. The food, wine, and scenery descriptions made me feel like I was in Europe with them. Run don't walk to pick this one up if you've ever studied abroad in Europe, questioned your identity, or just want to have a great time!

The Pairing is a deliciously witty and heartwarming romantic comedy that will leave you craving for more!
When exes Theo and Kit find themselves accidentally reunited on a European food and wine tour, sparks fly and old feelings resurface faster than you can say "croissant." From stunning views to luscious flavors, the author takes readers on a whirlwind journey through the most romantic cities of Europe.
With laugh-out-loud humor and sizzling chemistry, Theo and Kit embark on a hilarious hookup competition that will have you rooting for them every step of the way. But as they navigate the challenges of love and friendship, they soon realize that some connections are too strong to ignore.
So pour yourself a glass of wine and get ready to fall head over heels for The Pairing! It's a literary feast you won't want to miss.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!