Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance electronic copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to get an ARC of a Casey McQuiston book! I have enjoyed all of their books that I have read so far! This was not an exception. Theo and Kit had quite the complex relationship on several levels, mostly having to do with their history. Their unexpected reunion, on a food and wine tour they were supposed to take together before they broke up just brings it all to a head.

It's hard to say much without spoilers, but it is important to say that this is a VERY SEXY book. More so than any of McQuiston's other books, or perhaps it just seemed so because I also acquired the audiobook--but that's a separate review. Suffice it to say, this book definitely made me want to go on food and wine tour throughout Europe!

I liked the second half of this book way way more than the first half. It felt like Kit liked Theo way more than Theo liked kit. Second chance isn’t my favorite trope and I feel like it’s all because of miscommunication.

So sorry I really wanted to love this one cause I am such a huge Casey McQuiston fan -- but I just couldn't do it. I wasn't interested in the characters at all, and the exciting adventure they should be having in Europe was completely overshadowed by their obsessions for each other. I also found parts of the prose confusing since there was about two billion characters at any given time. Really not for me.

This is the fourth Casey McQuiston book I've read (or tried to read) and I still don't know how I feel about them. I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue; I didn't care for One Last Stop; and enjoyed I Kissed Shara Wheeler; but I could not get through this book. I tried 3-4 times and either fell asleep or found the main characters to be incredibly whiny. I might try it again at some point, but my expectations are low.

I wasn't a fan of this book. The characters were awful to each other and whiny - constantly complaining instead of making changes. They showed a complete lack of character growth. The writing included way too much talk about food and wine that it took away from the plot. And the spiciness was way off the charts, which I wouldn't normally care about, but since I despised the characters, it was hard to handle.

I read this while on vacation in August when I REALLY needed a distraction and it was perfect. Casey McQuiston NEVER missed but I love their range of storytelling and it’s evident the amount of research and work they put into this one. More friends to lovers to enemies to lovers please!!

Casey's incredible writing brought me to tears multiple times throughout this book -- they found the words to express a kind of love, understanding, and appreciation of/for another person that I've never seen before. A wonderful transportation.

Ok Casey McQuiston. Go on with your bad self. The Pairing was a top notch read. Bisexual characters, food, wine, travel and the pining!! What's not to love, honestly. Cannot wait to get my hand son a physical copy of this book.

Casey McQuiston does it AGAIN. An auto-read author for me, every book Casey releases is such a comfort.

I feel so blessed to receive an ARC of The Pairing from NetGalley. I have told ANYONE I give book suggestion to read this book. The Pairing has been added to my recurring read of the year for the summertime after I bought myself a copy once it came out in print. The romance is top notch for rekindled flame, the food and scenic descriptions make you think you’re walking through the tour yourself and eating what they are serving, and made me want to go on my own food tour in Europe. A MUST read with incredible representation.

I'm so conflicted on this one. Yes, I enjoyed the read and liked the vibes of the book. The characters were wonderful, the writing was great, and the romance got cute. My biggest thing was that these are two people who love each other, right? They're a second-chance romance, right? Why on earth did they have sex with other people a large portion of this book? I did like the second chance, but I wanted more from Theo and Kit together.

God I love this book so much. It was so incredibly indulgent in every way--from the food and drink descriptions, to the sex scenes. Casey McQuiston does a great job of depicting a rich and luscious through the eyes of Theo and Kit. The romance itself is extremely compelling, and the amount of tension and unfinished business helped me stay engaged.

One thing that really meant a lot to me was Theo's gender journey. As a queer reader, it felt great to see a character experience something so similar to me, and I think these depictions are so important to have. I love the unique use of first person POV as a way to establish Theo's feelings about themself, which then creates the appropriate sense of wrongness when we switch to Kit's POV and his subsequent experience as he learns about Theo as well.

In general, I am not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, which is the primary reason Theo and Kit broke up in the first place, but I recognize that is personal preference.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and Casey did not disappoint!

Adored this book! I do not read many romance books but Casey McQuiston is an auto-read author for me at this point. The Pairing was no exception! This was so sweet and had an ending that was just so satisfying. I'm so glad this was an Illumicrate Afterlight selection this year so I could have a physical copy for my shelves. I have already lent it out several times to many people who loved it just as much as I did!

Casey McQuiston’s “The Pairing” offers a fresh take on the second-chance romance genre, centering on Theo Flowerday, a sommelier-in-training, and Kit Fairfield, a French pastry chef. Set against the backdrop of a three-week European food and wine tour, the novel explores themes of love, identity, and the complications of past relationships.

Theodora “Theo” Flowerday, the eldest daughter of Hollywood directors Ted and Gloria Flowerday, has spent their life avoiding the shadow of their famous family. Rejecting the label of “nepo-baby,” Theo has worked hard to establish their own identity, refusing help from their successful actress sister, Sloane. Since childhood, Theo and their best friend, Kit Fairfield, have been inseparable. At twenty-two, during a Halloween party, their friendship takes a romantic turn when they share a kiss. This marks the beginning of a complicated, intense relationship. After two years of dating, they embark on a three-week European food and wine tour, only to break up mid-flight, leaving their relationship fractured.

Fast forward four years, and Theo, now twenty-eight, is living in California. They work as a bartender at a Michelin-starred restaurant while preparing to take the sommelier exam. With only a month left to use a food and wine voucher before it expires, Theo books the tour, hoping it will help them move on from Kit and the unresolved feelings that still linger.

Meanwhile, Kit has built a life in Paris as a pastry chef at a renowned pâtisserie. In the years following their breakup, Kit has avoided confronting his emotions for Theo, focusing instead on his work and casual relationships. But when he decides to join the same food and wine tour, he’s stunned to find that Theo is his travel companion, seated next to him on the tour bus.

What follows is a complicated and often humorous journey as the two former lovers are forced to confront their unresolved feelings. Determined to prove they no longer care for each other, Theo and Kit strike a truce and make a bet: whoever hooks up with the most people during the tour wins. Since both are bisexual, they set out to charm potential partners—male or female—in each city they visit. In every location, they attract attention, but as the days go on, their attempts to move on from each other only make their emotional and physical attraction more undeniable.
One of the novel’s unique elements is McQuiston's use of alternating perspectives. The first half of the book is told from Theo’s point of view, and the second half shifts to Kit’s. This structure gives readers an intimate look at both characters’ thoughts and desires. However, while the alternating points of view add depth to the narrative, the focus on their physical escapades sometimes overshadows the emotional core of the story. The bet between Theo and Kit, though initially playful, becomes a repetitive plot device that distracts from the more meaningful aspects of their reconciliation.

Another issue with “The Pairing” is the lack of communication between the two characters, which persists for much of the novel. While the miscommunication and emotional distance in their breakup at twenty-four is believable, it becomes frustrating to see both characters, now in their late twenties, still struggling to express their feelings. The novel would have benefited from a more balanced exploration of their emotional reconciliation alongside their physical connection.

Moreover, while McQuiston does explore the complexities of attraction and intimacy, the novel’s emphasis on casual sex and the absence of any mention of safety precautions feels irresponsible, particularly for a story that otherwise handles relationships with nuance. If the book focused more on the emotional journey and less on the sexual dynamics, it could have become a deeply satisfying culinary and romantic experience, rich with flavor and heart.

This is a fun book for those missing European summer exploration and the wild stories that come from the people you meet along the way

Nah. This didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it’s the book or if I’m just chasing the high of RW&RB and this just didn’t compare.

hate hate hate hate hate

as someone to whom casual sex is a foreign concept, i hated the majority of this book. call me old fashioned but i really don't want to read about the love interests in my romance book fucking other people for 300 pages. sorry.

also, i would still be holding a grudge. theo is a better person than me. kit ur insufferable. <3

Casey McQuiston you've done it again! They have an innate ability to curate longing and love in a way that is immersive and contagious. Know readers who are a fan of Red White & Royal Blue and One Stop will enjoy this

DNF @ 66%

While a food and wine tour of Europe is the perfect setting for any book, let alone a romance, the setting couldn’t offset how annoying these characters are. 🙈 I usually fly through romances and was reading this book sooooo slowly. I didn’t pick it up for multiple days and then had to talk myself into doing so - a big sign I should have DNF’ed even sooner than I did. The narrator switches from Theo in the first half to Kit in the second and it changed from enemy exes to “I am so obsessed with this person” so quickly, which is my absolute least favorite. It became completely intolerable. I really should have known better because second chance is not a trope I particularly enjoy, but I had really high hopes for this, especially given it was on the NYT 100. But I simply can’t go on and spend another moment with these characters. Womp!

This was my first book by Casey McQuiston and I give it three solid stars. Casey is such a descriptive author and I truly felt like I was traveling through Europe and could see and taste the food and wine and of course loved the pairings. However, this book was kind of boring to me. This is a second chance romance book told from two point of views. The first part was told from Theo's point of view and the second half of the book was told from Kit's point of view. There is definitely character depth and angst, You get their backstory and also live through their many hook ups while figuring out their lives. This book had plenty of spice and I am not sad that I read it, perhaps I have just outgrown alcohol filled hookups throughout Europe.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.