4.5 stars!

Casey McQuiston has done it again! This hot, whirlwind second-chance romance will absolutely take the summer by storm. Theo and Kit's hedonistic romp across Europe was immaculate fun, and their path to healing will brighten your day.

First, the good, which there is a lot of! The writing in this is really gorgeous and I can tell the author's skill has improved since their earlier books (as much as I loved them). It still has all the humor and great heights of emotion you expect, but with a more lush and tangible setting that I really enjoyed. As usual, the cast of characters is extremely lovable and provide a great backdrop for the main romance. Theo and Kit's competition was so much fun and the tension...UGH. I just ate it up (pun intended). The smut was fantastic and super creative. I think smut tends to run into the same/similar scenes and positions over and over again but The Pairing really sprung for originality in that aspect and it was great.

As for things I struggled with, it's not a huge deal but the food descriptions got a little long-winded at points, although I just don't really care about food or wine so that's moreso on me. Even given that this is a wine tour, the characters consume a vaguely concerning amount of alcohol which made me feel a little off. I didn't really care about Theo's nepo baby guilt, particularly as someone who hears about a lot of privilege guilt.

Having said all that, I really loved this. It's more sex-focused than the author's other books and nearly strays into erotica so be conscious of what you're comfortable with before you crack it open. As always, though, we just need more queer joy in the world and McQuiston always provides that whole-heartedly.

Happy reading!

This book felt like a sunny trip through Europe, complete with delicious food and wine. I felt like I was traveling alongside the characters while also watching them fall in love. I really liked the POV switch, although I almost wish we would have seen some POV back and forth throughout the entire book.

This book was very, very spicy, to the point that I felt like it took away from the story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book.

I loved this book! It's a bit different from McQuiston's other work, but the charm and banter we've all come to love is still there. Theo and Kit are so delightful and the swap between the narrators about halfway through was a pleasant surprise. I loved their combined inability to talk about what happened and to just "be okay" because that's so very real. Having loved someone for over half of your life and having it end the way it did for them is traumatic and I was entirely with them not knowing how to talk about stuff. It truly felt like I was on the trip with these two fabulous characters and watching them figure things out. The third act breakup made perfect sense and I wasn't annoyed by it like I normally am by those. All in all, love love love love love. Bravo, Casey McQuiston!

A sweet and thoughtful romance story between two main characters I really loved. I enjoyed Kit's portion of the book most. Some of it was a bit melodramatic/sentimental for me, but it's great to read about such a beautiful friendship and love story that ends on a happy note. The descriptions of the different foods and sightseeing in Europe was super enjoyable. Fans of Casey McQuiston will love it.

Casey has created another masterpiece. This book makes me want to grab my passport and see the world. Each page is dripping with feelings and beauty. It’s refreshing to read a romance that focuses so much on self-improvement while at the same time fostering a healthy and heartwarming relationship. Kit and Theo are a triumph for loving with everything you’ve got. I was pleasantly surprised this novel contained non-binary representation that was so well done. If you’re into soul mates, jealously, and exploration of the self and world, then grab a copy of The Pairing and enjoy the ride!

The Pairing is a love letter to Europe, youth, good food, friendships, and sex. Lots of sex. A miscommunication was revealed early on but not resolved until the end, which felt a bit immature. Kit and Theo seemed like they were in their 20s with all of their escapades but they were actually in their 30s. At one point in the book they even made fun of themselves for the same thing. I struggled to get through the first half of this book written in Theo's POV because it was like a neverending love letter to food. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a foodie romance... I just found page-long descriptions of food to be a bit excessive for my taste. The second half of the book from Kit's POV redeemed the story for me. Kit really had it bad for Theo! There's a lot of humor and quick wit that you'd expect from Casey McQuiston. Overall, I liked the book and thought the concept was unique. It's not one I'll forget!

Definitely not my favorite by this author. It felt drawn out and unnecessary in moments. There’s definitely a lot more sex in this one than others and sometimes it felt like it didn’t aid the storyline. It was engaging enough, but not one I would recommend.

I loved the setting and the premise of the novel but the character's fell a little flat for me. I would still recommend this to people.

While the author clearly did a lot of research into the destinations, wines, and pastries featured in the story, I unfortunately found the relationship between the characters to be lacking the spark that makes a good romance. Theo and Kit both seemed a bit two dimensional, and I would have liked to see them both have some slightly more pressing/challenging external challenges to overcome-- it was hard to be sympathetic for such privileged and carefree people. The setting descriptions were lovely and well done, I just wish the plot had been a bit more satisfying.

Despite enjoying Casey's other works and finding the summary for this one entertaining, this book fell very flat. Right from the start, the writing style feels as though it is trying (too much, at times) and not as fun or enjoying in previous works. The two main characters have a confusing story that is barely explained - or even shown - until later. The main characters also, despite their age, are immature and act as though they are in a YA novel instead. Overall, my experience was negative and I wish it had been the European summer exes-to-lovers I had been hoping for instead.

I have to start this off by saying that I’m biased in that I absolutely LOVE Casey McQuiston’s books—all of them (and this one is no different). This book was so much fun and loved that “hoe life” was a part of it in all the best ways! Haha! This book was a fun, sexy, cute, and often irritating read (iykyk with these characters!) that I absolutely enjoyed. I loved the writing, the environment was an absolute blast, and the characters are always top notch in McQuiston’s writing. Loved it!

I have read THE PAIRING and am now deceased. Please bury me in cheese and wine.

But for real, this is the horniest, hungriest, dreamiest, wanderlustiest, queerest romance of all time. CMQ is magic. Read this book. Be prepared to blow all your savings on a European food and wine tour immediately afterwards.

Honestly, the only thing I need to tell you about this book is that it’s Casey McQuiston’s newest book. It has all the trademarks of the other beloved gay novels they’ve written; you’ll be highlighting six sentences on every page and biting a pillow to keep from yelling at the characters. This one takes place between a pair of bisexual exes who end up on the same trip across Europe. It’s full of food and wine and gorgeous locations and even more making out with all the other bisexuals who are out there traveling the world. It’s luscious and indulgent and just so very McQuiston.

Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other's lives once and for all. Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past.

All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately. It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game.

I really wanted to love this one. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the other McQuiston books I've loved. I felt like the plot was mostly missing. I liked Kit, but Theo was annoying to me, and the food p*rn was a little over the top for me. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I feel like it could have been so much better! 3.5⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Former lovers who find their way back to each other, set against a beautiful backdrop and mouth wateringly descriptive paragraphs about food. Reading this book made me so hungry. No really, I’ve literally never craved a pastry as much as I had while reading this book. Great banter as always with Casey McQuinston books. This book was both a love story between two people and a love letter to food, travel and wine.

The writing in this book was so detailed and descriptive, especially when it came to the food and wine. I loved the childhood history of Theo and Kit, that they knew each other so well, not just their childhood experiences but what made each other tick and could guess the others feelings or thoughts with just looks. And of course, my favorite part in this book was the non-binary representation and the coming out scene, it felt so right *chef’s kiss*. I felt it was a little bit too unrealistic that when it came to their little competition, they seemed to always find someone super hot and be able to take them to bed after just talking for a short time. But overall, it was a cute book and would definitely recommend!

this was just fun ok!! I love the way cmq writes banter, i love that the horniness for both food and people was turned up to 11, and i am so jealous of this tour i could scream. as someone who is a big-time hater of the subway sex in OLS, i was nervous going into what promised to be a spicy book, but a majority of it was so much better, thank you Casey, i’m sorry i doubted you.

1.5 stars rounded up because you can tell this was casey mcquiston’s passion project…but i wish they had kept it 200 pages shorter because oh, my, god, this was so long and nothing happened.

took me three months to read this and at the end, it was just a personal vendetta to finish it and not dnf it. got stuck at 70% for an entire month where i’d do anything except pick up my kindle because i knew i had to finish this.

i was SO excited about it because i have loved all of their previous books and the concept of bisexuals in europe sounded awesome. however this felt like watching a very long documentary on a 12-hour flight where they only have the discovery channel available and you don’t even like the show.

the food and wine tour concept was really cool in theory but the incessant amount of descriptions added little to the story because at one point it stopped being interesting and just felt like i was reading a travel guide. it felt very pretentious but in a way that was not enjoyable. i think as a movie it would’ve worked better because the visual aspects would’ve actually attracted the eye but unfortunately there’s only so much description i can tolerate before i feel like i’m reading a manifest.

additionally and very sadly, the competition that theo and kit had going on didn’t even make sense nor it was interesting to see it play out.

also i feel like their reasons to not be together were just not valid enough for me to believe they had any weight. like…i was just like “okay that is literally not a problem???”. and the rant about theo not wanting to act like a nepo baby even though they are was annoying. they were trying to live the poor lifestyle so badly that they forgot that any actual poor person would take their millionaire sister’s gift of money immediately if they were struggling the way theo thought they were.

don’t get me started on theo, actually. i actively disliked them because they were just a contradiction of themselves but also thinking everyone was trying to control them. it was incredibly frustrating to see theit attitude towards everyone in their life. kit was constantly trying to make amends and rebuild bridges, but theo’s reactions were far too impulsive and apathetic about it all.

there is absolutely no development for any side characters and they just seem caricatures at a point because they are severely underdeveloped. the only one i was genuinely interested in was (i forgot her name. oops) kit’s best friend but that was as far as it went.

lastly, and most importantly in the genre, i did not feel a connection between them. the reason behind their breakup and going no contact for 4 years seemed ridiculous at best. but ultimately i did not feel a strong connection between them other than sexually. and they were fighting a lot.

the “bagging people on Europe” bet seemed cool in theory but truly there was never any indication for me to believe they actually could get with all these people, and truly it felt kind of pointless considering most of the bet came from them trying to suppress their feelings. i don’t know, i am not the greatest at difficult talks, but i am of the humble opinion that if they had called each other and talked for thirty minutes, 90% of the problems would’ve been instantly solved.

HOWEVER i will not let these things go unnoticed :
~ lovely exploration of gender and i liked the way kit immediately switched pronouns in his inner monologue for theo. felt refreshing and very sweet and inclusive.
~ i loved that gender nonconformity and acceptance of nonbinary pronouns was never put in question and was not a major plot point. just lovely people being lovely but unfortunately in a very long and tedious book.

i am so incredibly disappointed but will be picking up future CMQ books because as i said, i love them and their books - this one just wasn’t for me.

Kit and Theo, childhood best friends turned lovers, stopped speaking after their devastating breakup. Four years later, they accidentally meet again on a month-long food and wine tour of Europe. After weeks of sightseeing, eating, drinking, and having sex (with other people and each other) they finally come face to face with their still-strong feelings and the reason for their long-ago breakup.

I expected this book to be a carefree romp, and it was. Kit and Theo both have traumas and pasts, but the present and its sensory joys take center stage. There are many lovely and interesting descriptions of wine and food and the sights of France and Italy and Spain. But - there are just so MANY of these descriptions. The tour, and the book, goes on and on, city after city, meal after meal and enticing stranger after enticing stranger, and eventually I began to get indigestion.

In a novel of this length, I wanted more depth, and I had a hard time finding that. Although I liked the writing and found the main characters distinct and relatable, I didn't feel invested in their relationship or in their personal journeys. We never saw either of them in the context of their regular lives, and although references were made to their families we never saw those relationships play out in real time. On top of that, the vacation was (apparently) amazingly well-designed and Kit and Theo amazingly resilient: there was not a single bad meal, linguistic difficulty, unpleasant fellow traveler, or unlivable hostel in the whole trip. (There was one excessively warm room somewhere in Italy. One!)

This gave the novel a leisurely, indulgent feel - but also removed any sense of urgency or conflict. Eventually the beautiful sights and delicious foods and gorgeous bodies began to blend together, an endless romp, a pairing of sweet and more sweet and even more sweet that overwhelmed the palate.
3.5 stars.

I love Casey McQuiston so very much. Their writing is some of my favorite of all time and I’ll happily read anything they write, even if it were a dinner menu.
However, I hate miscommunication tropes, especially when it can be solved incredibly quickly with a simple conversation. I have zero issue with a slutty era, as other say, but perhaps it’s the former abstinence only sex-educated kid in me, but the lack of any kind of mention of STI protection just takes me out. I know, I know, it’s not a fun thing to write about, but I have read other books that specifically mention grabbing a condom or whatever and I love that.
I would also love to go on this vacation, mostly to just enjoy the food and views.
Do I love this book as much as I love RWRB? No. But I will still gladly ready anything Casey publishes and I will read this again later this summer. I do think it’s a fun summery read that many people will enjoy.