The excitement I had when receiving this ARC to read was unmatched - Casey McQuiston is an author I always enjoy reading and I absolutely love their books.

The Pairing follows Theo and Kit, who are two exes that are now on a food/wine tour across Europe together years after breaking up. This book had such perfect pacing and really shows you the complex background of both characters. One thing that I loved was that we fully get Theo's POV the first half of the book, and then it switches to Kit (vs every other chapter switching, as many books do). I felt so much more connected and in love with Theo after seeing them through Kit's eyes.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! I had a great time reading this book.

What a fun read. I loved being able to visualize the places we visited and learning about the relationship between theo and kit. Thanks to st Martin and Netgallery for this e-arc

Big thank you to Casey McQuiston and St. Martin’s press for the ebook version of The Pairing.

All I can say is Casey’s books always come in clutch. Whenever I’m having a reading slump, or trying to get through another book is proving really difficult, I know I can trust a McQuiston book to get me out of it and this one did the same thing.

I originally thought this wasn’t going to be one of my favorites by McQuiston because it seemed like there was going to be a miscommunication trope, and boy was I wrong. There WAS a miscommunication trope, but the way it was written here was way more believable than in other books I’ve read and it made it actually work.

McQuistons characters are always another big plus and Theo and Kit did not disappoint. I loved both of them equally which is rare for me.

Overall, excellent book, was so glad I was able to receive a copy. I 10000% recommend picking a copy up for yourself!

Delightful, highly engaging romance with interesting LGBT characters. Vivid descriptions of European locales that paint a rich world.

I had a hard time finishing this book, honestly. The premise was promising and the characters, in isolation from their obsessions, had some merit. However, what dominated my experience was the incessant focus on sex. I really did not love the focus on the horny bisexual. This turned the narrative into less of a story about personal growth and more about how many strangers one can sleep with in Europe. Which don’t get me wrong, I love a spicy romance, this just seemed to fall flat.

I have been a fan of Casey McQuiston since I read Red, White & Royal Blue in 2019, which means I will read anything they write. I was so excited to get an ARC of this book!

I knew basically nothing about this book other than it was a queer romance and Europe™️ was involved. After reading it, Europe™️ is definitely basically a character in the book. I thought the premise was fun, but it definitely felt different than their other books. I enjoyed the crazy coincidences that led Theo and Kit to meet again, and I thought the reveal of their platonic-turned-romantic past was well done.

Things I loved:
-Kit’s “love” nosebleed
-Kit <3

Things I liked:
-cool vibes
-Kit the patissier
-second chance romance (which I am normally not a fan of!)
-some cool characters and quirky personalities
-Theo’s identity storyline and how it was handled/revealed to Kit

My biggest complaint about the book is that if you are not completely interested in wine and European food, then there will be many pages that you just do not care about. There were also a lot of in-depth historical and art references, and even though I have a degree in History and enjoy Art History… I just… did not care for the amount of information that was thrown at me.

Even with this information overload at times, I thought this book was fun and sexy, and I enjoyed reading something that I probably might not have otherwise picked up if it wasn’t written by one of my favorite authors. It served as a great summer vacation read and there were definitely times when I was laughing and crying with the characters. Unfortunately, this is probably my least favorite Casey McQuiston book, but I will still be interested in their future books!

I will confess, I held off reading the last 100 pages of this book for about a month because I just didn’t want it to end. Friends, this book will make you hungry in so many senses of the word. It will have you starving, parched, satiated, thrilled. This is the second book in a row that I have called decadent, but god, there’s no other word for it. I mean, it is very obviously what McQuiston is going for here. The entire novel, from the first page to the very last is about hunger. For food, for wine, for sex, for travel, for the idea of being fucking happy. It is such a luxurious jaunt through every vacation that you’ve always wanted to take but have never made the leap. Sun slanted over cobblestone streets, the whip of the wind across the sea, a brilliant painting that you’ve always wanted to see. That ex that you always wanted to have closure with.

I make it no secret that I love Mcquiston’s writing. I have loved every book that they have ever written, but god, this was a syrupy sweet daydream. I want to crawl up inside of this book and just live in it. It’s so perfectly atmospheric, so drenched in longing. Ugh, I cannot get over it.

I will say that I did enjoy Kit’s half of the book better than Theo’s, though it was a very close race. Theo’s half is all anger and lust, a veritable maelstrom of emotions in a teeny tiny package. Theo doesn’t know what they want. They don’t know what they want from the world, from the trip, from Kit. Whereas Kit- Kit is all yearning and love, right from the start. Kit knows what he wants from day one. From that bus in London. And honestly? I like that. It gives a duality to the book that was unexpected but so very welcome. I love every inch of Mcquiston’s work, but it’s when they really get to wax poetic about love that ends up getting me every time.

Oh! Almost forgot! This was an ARC (obviously) so all the thank you’s to the publishers, NetGalley, and of course, Casey for making a very bad day in April turn into something perfect when my request was granted for this. I have read every McQuiston original in the span of a single 24 hours up until this point, but this one is made to be savored. When this comes out in August- savor it. Taste it on your tongue. Feel the sunshine in your hair. Taste the wine, the limoncello, the spritz. The many French pastries and the arancini. Feel this book the way it was meant to be experienced. And maybe, just maybe, listen to the Vintage Italian Summer playlist on Spotify from Monaco onwards if you want to truly experience life to the fullest.

And one last suggestion- required experience here. You must buy and eat at least one peach while reading this. I don’t make the rules.

This book includes approximately 5 things whose singular presence in a work will typically cause me DNF them. And yet, this book was absolutely delicious and lovely and one of my favorite reads of the year. Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This book feels like the story at its center. A meandering, decadent, borderline gratuitous traipse through lush scenery, mouth watering confections and unapologetic intimacy. It is not a book you read for a thrilling plot. It is a book to read when you need to feel the summer sunshine dancing across your skin. It’s one to read to remind yourself that you deserve to be deeply known and lavishly cherished. These characters are incredibly messy and so damn precious that I read half of this book with tears in my eyes either from laughter or the sheer sweetness of their affection for each other. This story is driven by lust for the lushest of life’s experiences and watching Kit and Theo chase them made my heart throb with queer joy.

Thank you CMQ for another stunning queer story that makes me hopeful for our futures. Thank you for giving ENBYs like me, a beautiful, validating love story to hold in my hands and my heart.

Long live Theo and Kit, may your sluttiness for each other forever reign.

I wanted to live inside of this book. Theo and Kit are without a doubt people who I would find pretentious and annoying in real life, but in fiction? I loved them, I loved their obsession with food and wine and all the finer things in life, and I loved their second chance romance disguised as an international hookup competition. CMQ has done it again!

2.5 stars

I thought the romance in this book was very cute and I liked the premise of this book. However, the book was very slow paced and boring, so it was difficult to get through. I was rooting for Kit and Theo though.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

Casey McQuiston does it again, but add spice. Another wonderfully queer novel, with fantastic characters, a well written story and the addition of some spicy scenes that we haven't really had from her books before. Would absolutely recommend.

I adore this book. It's genuinely one of the best I've ever read- not an exaggeration. The characterization was lovely, and it had the perfect balance between poignant, serious moments between the MCs and silly goofy funny moments.
I also just adore bi rep in books (as a bisexual) so that was really cool to see.
And yes, I do have a list of my favorite moments in my notes app. In conclusion: GOD this was good and I need to erase it from my brain and reread to experience the emotions that ran through my brain again.

The Pairing is a full-on visual and gastronomic feast. If you're like me, the best time to read this is right after you've eaten because it will make you incredibly hungry, and not for something simple and cheap like fast food. I don't know if I've ever read a book that makes me want to go take a tour of Europe more, not that that's particularly hard anyway. The romance part of it I have more mixed feelings about. It's pretty clear that both Theo and Kit have it bad for each other. The reader will pick it up incredibly quickly, and the rest of the people on their tour seem to as well. But they broke up years ago because of miscommunication, which they seem to pick right back up with when they reconnect, by placing a bet to see who can sleep with more people during their trip. The characters are very free love, and borderline promiscuous, which really isn't my vibe. And while I can't speak from experience of being in an open relationship, encouraging the person you're in love with to try and keep up with your own sexual escapades doesn't seem like a really good idea. The language also tends to be more coarse than what's really my vibe, which is a personal turnoff but may not bother other people. The story is told by both Theo and Kit, but unlike in most books the first half of the trip is told by Theo and the second half by Kit, instead of alternating back and forth throughout the book. This is unique, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It kind of made me feel frustrated with the opposite one in turn for all the stupid things they were doing to screw up the relationship, or for putting the other one on a pedestal when both had their inherent flaws. Maybe this would have been less noticeable if the POV had been alternating? But maybe this is exactly what McQuiston wanted the reader to experience. The romance wasn't bad, but I definitely enjoyed the food, drink and settings more. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have diligently read all of McQuiuston’s books, and found all of them wanting. The Pairing hit me IMMEDIATELY, though, and I loved it all the way through. I’ve already recommended it to numerous others and wish it was oublishing sooner so it could be one of the books of the summer. I’ve described it to others as Sex and Vanity meets Anthony Bourdain meets Eat Pray Love,

I am extremely disappointed with 'The Pairing.' If it wasn't Casey McQuiston, I would have dropped it about a quarter of the way through, and even after reading the rest, I would still think not finishing it was the right call.

'The Pairing' is about Kit and Theo, who split up years ago on their way to Europe for a wine and food tour, and received vouchers for cancelling. Right as the vouchers are going to run out, both of them decide to take the tour, they end up together on it, feelings happen. They work through misunderstandings of their breakup, try to grow up, and have a competition about who can sleep with the most people (which is just as cringe and weird as it sounds).

I found the others on the tour to be charming, there's a great moment with a sheep, a hilarious possible threesome and some truly beautiful lines of text. If you love the romanticism of food, wine, mythology and architecture, you will be entranced.

But Kit and Theo didn't work. Nothing about their emotions felt tangible. It was a weak relationship built on weak characters, and I felt removed from them entirely. I did not care about either of them at all. I couldn't connect to them, and I could barely feel them connecting with each other. It felt uncharacteristically flat for such a talented author. And that broke my heart.

It is entirely possible that The Pairing might be replacing I Kissed Shara Wheeler as my favorite Casey McQuiston book.

I LOVE getting dual POV so I was extremely excited when there was a shift halfway through the book (queue the mutual pining).

Some of my favorite things about this book with absolutely no context were:
- the Calums
- Baguette husband
- Peaches
- Olive condoms
- Fabrizio

Does this book make it out like everyone in Europe is a hot 20 something looking to bang any other hot person they come across? Yes. Is this realistic? No. But when the main characters have created a literal sex competition to deny their feeling for each other obviously every person they come across is going to be a literal god/goddess. And I’m okay with that. I’m calling this the rose colored vacation glasses. Where everyone you come across is inherently hotter because you are on vacation and those are just the rules.

If you don’t like second chance romance or miscommunication this might not be the book for you. While I typically despise miscommunication and find myself screaming in frustration at the characters. It didn’t bother me as much in this book. I think this could be that for the most part this miscommunication happened off page with their initial breakup and the reader didn’t experience it in real time. I also, shockingly, think that their miscommunication benefited them in the long run. Which is probably why it doesn’t bother me much in this book.

If you’re like me. One good quote can convince me to read a book. So here are some of my favorites from The Pairing:

“Life is silly and random and magnificent, and I’m experiencing it all the way.”

“I would be so much braver if I was someone I could trust.”

“Seems like a waste to never have sex with the person who pulled you from the mouth of a shark.”

“I have had the gift of being loved to the center of my soul twice in my life, and even if both of those people were gone, the love had been there. It was still there, in the shape it had made me into.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Casey McQuiston's "The Pairing" delivers a vibrant and indulgent escape to Europe's culinary delights, but with a few caveats. Theo and Kit, estranged exes reunited on a food tour, offer an intriguing premise with the potential for fiery passion and emotional depth. However, the narrative often loses its way in overly detailed descriptions of landscapes and cuisine, leaving the characters and their rekindled connection somewhat underdeveloped.

McQuiston's prose is undoubtedly evocative, painting vivid pictures of picturesque vineyards and mouthwatering delicacies. Yet, this focus on setting sometimes overshadows the emotional core of the story. Additionally, the lengthy chapters can feel cumbersome, disrupting the narrative flow and hindering the development of tension.

Despite these shortcomings, "The Pairing" shines in its exploration of second chances and the enduring power of love. The simmering chemistry between Theo and Kit keeps the pages turning, even when the plot veers into indulgence. While not McQuiston's most refined work, "The Pairing" offers an enjoyable, albeit flawed, journey of rediscovery and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. Love all of Casey McQuiston's books. I really enjoy the love stories they have written and this is no exception. The reader must continue turning pages, quickly, to discover if the main characters end up with each other. The happy ending is always fantastic. Keep writing McQuiston!! 5 stars

The most important thing I can say about this book is that you should be highly prepared to be super hungry whilel you're reading it. The setting is a food and wine tour across Europe and there is so much delicious food described that I wanted to be eating the whole time I was reading. Our two main characters, Theo and Kit, are exes who haven't seen each other at all since they broke up, rather dramatically, on the way to Europe for a food and wine tour several years before the start of this story. They had been in love since they were kids, and since the breakup they've both been focused on building their professional lives (Theo as an aspiring sommelier in Palm Springs and Kit as a pastry chef in Paris), but have each been serially hooking up with people rather than pursuing real romantic relationships. Because they never went on their original food and wine tour due to the breakup, they each have a voucher and, because this is a romance, they both decide to cash in on the very same tour. I had a lot of trouble connecting with them both for the first half of the novel or so, and I think this might be an age/generational thing. They spent like half of their tour competing to see who can hook up with more people (they both identify as bisexual, and they are happy to point out hook-up prospects for each other) as a way to avoid actually dealing with their unresolved feelings for each other. I make no moral judgments against hook-up culture, but I also have literally no experience with it so I find it hard to connect with. As a child of the 1980s and 1990s, I'm not only much older than Theo and Kit, I was also permanently impacted by the fear that existed around HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in my youth. When they finally started talking to each other, I felt more invested in the story and their characters. This wasn't my favorite Casey McQuiston, but I did enjoy it overall and appreciated that it brought up topics related to sexuality and gender identity in what felt like a sensitive way. Also, so much delicious food!

The Pairing is a queer contemporary romance that follows two childhood friends who, after a deeply heartbreaking split 4 years earlier, reconnect on the European vacation they were supposed to take together. I think both characters had great growth through the story, and I enjoyed being able to hear from both of their POV's. There were certain things in the book that felt a little silly, but when you want someone around, you'll sometimes do ridiculous things to keep their attention and friendship.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. I have yet to read a Casey McQuiston book that I haven't enjoyed. It's witty, funny, and a great summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the ARC of this book in exchange for review!