Once again, Casey Mcquinston doesn’t miss. Their writing immediately draws you in. It is both exciting and comforting at the same time. The pairing takes you on a 3 week journey through Europe, filled with delicious and decadent food, drinks and people. It’s filled with longing, lost love, finding oneself again and second chances.

Their writing makes you feel fully immersed in the experience, making you so often forget that you’re not truly there with Kit & Theo. Their writing is really a gift. This tale had me feeling everything Kit and Theo were going through and rooting for them every step of the way. I loved how everything played out and was worked through, not just ignored and glossed over.

I loved Kit & Theo and the way they loved each other. All the side characters were beautifully written and brought to life. Overall, this book was amazing and took me on the vacation and love of a lifetime.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book! It was a masterpiece.

I was really excited to get an ARC of this (in exchange for a review) and I think ultimately I've been left with mixed reactions. Some parts were excellent, some were not.

Liked:
- Casey McQuiston's writing. They sure know how to turn a phrase and some of the sentences here were gorgeous.
- The delicious food and drink paired with the travel scenes. This is McQuiston's travel writing and they certainly have a talent for it.
- Timothee Chalamet - sorry, he's hot and I for one welcome the future where Timmy replaces Adam Driver as the inspo a lead in all the romances.

Disliked
- I felt like the second chance lovers thing here could've been resolved by like two conversations. That was frustrating and made the longing and pining sort of more annoying. Talk to each other!
- Likewise, the whole "hooking up with other people" thing was not so fun for me. I'm a prude, maybe! But parts of that I just wanted to skim.
- The chemistry in general. Kit's POV was far better than Theo's POV - once it switched to Kit, I really enjoyed the book more. But I never really got their relationship the way I was supposed to.

I think overall, I'm a bit disappointed in this because I love love love Red White and Royal Blue and this just didn't have the same magic. But it was still enjoyable overall.

Parts of this book really resonated with me - Kit and Theo are lovely lovely characters. I enjoyed getting to know them. The trip concept was compelling and different. The descriptions of travel and food were delightful. The ending was very satisfying. A little bit too much of the miscommunication trope for me and the "competition" in the story didn't resonate. However, I thought the book was well written and made me have all the feelings for main characters. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

Another delightful book from Casey McQuiston. This book felt spicier than their other romances. Raunchy in fact. In all the best ways. It actually felt like they were free to write sec that doesn’t often get time in best-selling books. Thank you for that! All the variety is what we need.

Most importantly, I didn’t know I needed a second chance romance mixed with a travel guide and a food blog. It was a wonderful combination!

The pacing lagged a bit in the middle but by the end, I didn’t care. Not even a little. Can’t wait for Casey to bring another couple into the world!

I wanted to like this more than I did. I guess I'm a little tired of the weaponized sex/hooking up. I get that there was misunderstandings left and right, but the avoidance of honestly was getting tired. Everyone around them could see what they didn't. Together they were something special and they continually fought it, which is frustrating. Throughout their story and time together, they did come to understandings about themselves and grew, but did some stupid things along the way. I don't know, I'm not opposed to casual sex, but some of it was a turn off in the story. The scenes where they were honest with each other and happy were definitely the best ones.

Another great book from Casey McQuiston. I loved RWRB and was excited to have the opportunity to read this e-arc of this book.

We follow Theo and Kit, two lifelong best friends and forever exes who are reunited on an European food and wine tour. I love best friends to lovers and exes reuniting so this hit a lot of my ideal tropes. I found the plot engaging and it felt original and engaging while utilizing some tried and true romance scenarios like “there was only one bed”

The 1st half of the book is in Theo’s POV and then the 2nd half switched to Kit’s which was interesting. This book had some great banter and moments that made me laugh out loud which is rare! I enjoyed the food and wine descriptions but eventually it did feel a little tiresome like how in depth they all were. I enjoy good food and wine a lot but I did find myself eventually starting to skim over all the descriptions of the meals and wine.

Some great side characters as well! I enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely recommend reading it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest reciew

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you may come across a book that is perfectly written for you. A book that fits perfectly with your interests and what you’re looking for that you just get lost in it while you read. This book was that to me.

I loved Red, White and Royal Blue and I enjoyed One Last Stop so having the opportunity to read and review Casey’s new book was a delight. I was thrilled to find a book so beautify written that charm and warmth oozed from every page.

First, this book is a love letter to food, wine, and art. For someone who did study art history and then went to Europe and visited a lot of places that Theo and Kit visited, this book is also a trip down memory lane reminding me of places I’ve been before. (A fond memory of mine is eating in Florence, this book took me right back there.)

The love for each of these subjects is apparent in every page. You can feel the sun and imagine the taste of every dish. I walked away from this book missing Europe most of all and wanting to take a trip like Theo and Kit did desperately.

Of course, our main couple is the star of the book and I loved both Kit and Theo. I’m glad that we got to hear from both of them, and the point of view switch timing was innovative, surprising, and such a smart move. I love that we get to know Theo and then get to see Kit learn about how they’ve changed over the years and embrace their identity. Brilliant planning and writing.

As far as second chance romances go, I believed in Theo and Kit so much. They truly belonged with each other, there wasn’t any other way for them to move forward other than together. I did get frustrated with them every so often because they just needed to hash things out. But at the same time, I get where the fear of losing each other again came from. (It did drive me a little mad though so that’s where the .25 star was deducted.)

I loved the humor and friendships that developed through the book. This book is less found family and more reconnecting with family, but those family relationships also felt authentic and I loved how they grew through the book too.

Overall, this is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and when I dream tonight, you’ll find me on the shores of Italy, glass of wine in hand and sun on my face wishing to wake up in Europe tomorrow…

Another great queer rom com from Casey McQuiston. This one left me wanting to take a European food tour and wanting a glass of wine. Kit and Theo are both adorable and great rep for bisexuals. 🤩🥰

3.5/5 stars

Some notes on my reading experience:

-I've read every Casey McQuiston book thus far and this is by far the horniest
-McQuiston is the god of writing chemistry
-It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize the title related to food as well as to the romantic coupling...
-Everyone in this book is gay. I seriously don't think I've read a book with as many gay people in it as this one has
-The story made me realize how little I know about food and spirits. I understand Star Trek technobabble better than I understood some of the food descriptions here
-The way Theo experiences gender and refers to themself is so relatable

Overall, I had a really fun reading experience with this one. I didn't love it as much as some of McQuiston's others, I think because there was less plot to keep the story going (and as an ace person sex scenes are not always my cup of tea---and this is full of them). I still recommend this for those who like messy gay romances, and I look forward to reading McQuiston's future work.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this scrumptious summer romance. McQuiston is an immediate read for me because I've loved everything.

Theo and kit's story was so good. Theo's self sabotaging was so frustrating but relatable but Kit's personality was so endearing. Loved the supporting cast as well!

I already can't wait for McQuiston's next book. Highly highly recommend for anybody who is a fan of the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

You know, if I had a nickel for every extremely hot queer food focused romcom I read this year as an arc, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice!

I adored "The Pairing." Kit and Theo are such loveable characters, each with distinct character arcs, quirks, and internal monologues. I loved experiencing their food tour through each of their eyes, I loved watching them fall back in love with each other, I loved their personal exploration of their own queerness. From start to finish, I was so invested in these two, and found the conclusion a really satisfying payoff. If you're on the fence about this title, I'll also add that after reading all of McQuinston's other adult titles, this is by far my favorite.

I don’t even know how to describe what this book meant to me. It was such a breath of fresh air, with the turmoil on Theo’s end causing me to remember my awful breakup with my own best friend, and yet, when we switch to Kit’s pov we realize that maybe all isn’t as it seems and that there’s always two sides to a story. I think this style of first person was also something that I’ve never encountered before, and it was simply beautiful.

I really really enjoyed this!

This fits a cute Casey McQuiston Romance in every way.

Theo and Kit were both lovely relatable characters you couldn't help but root for. There's a good and juicy amount of angst through the book which I enjoyed.

I can understand if many people don't like the overall premise, a competition where ex's sleep with other people to realize they really only mainly want each other, but personally I found it both entertaining, funny, and sexy. I was in to it.

I really liked the romance between the characters, once I understood why their initial breakup happened it just made me root for them even more. Their dynamic was on point. I loved the buildup and feelings release there.

The sideplots of their family dynamics, and lives since they broke up are interesting too. I really felt for both of them as black sheep of their respective families.

And the food in this book! I needed to try all the things and drink all the wine. I was so hungry at times with this book.

I personally really enjoyed the nonbinary rep and discussion in this book too. It's not something seen often in a traditionally published romance so I hope many people can get something out of that where they might otherwise not find it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

I just binge read this in 1 day while listening to Chappell Roan. The book captured my attention and I couldn’t put it down. I just fell into the world of Kit and Theo. Also, love the Bi x Bi and enby rep! The structure of the novel is a bit odd, at times hard to follow, especially around POV changes but the structure of seeing glances into their story at stops along their tour makes the book unique.

4.5 stars

god i cried my eyes out at this. theo was so painfully relatable and the relationship they had/have with kit was the literal definition of soulmates. where does one acquire a kit of their own because i want one too please.

i'm so glad the breakup wasn't just a miscommunication because i hate when it's just one person's fault. i liked that it was actually kit who messed up and validated that theo had a right to be upset.

all the supporting characters were great and the casual queerness of them was even more wonderful.

i've read all the author's other books and i think this one has become my favorite.

thank you to Netgalley as always for the ARC!

After enjoying each of Casey McQuiston’s previous books, I am disappointed to report that The Pairing really missed the mark for me. Upon beginning to read, it was quickly apparent to me that I was not vibing with the story and its plot. If had not kindly been given a review copy, I likely would have DNFed. DNFing a tried and true author?! Let me explain why.

The book centers around two exes (Theo and Kit) who have accidentally wound up on the same European food and wine tour. In an effort to prove they’re over each other, they start a hookup competition. In my head I was thinking a CMQ novel! A second chance romance! Traveling through Europe! What I was not factoring in was that I don’t drink wine, I have a very picky palate, and would never embark on a food and wine tour myself. Why is this important? Because unfortunately for me, I quickly realized the names of said wines, foods, and ingredients were so detailed and so frequent that they were going over my head and not holding my interest.

Already on shaky ground, I continued reading, only to repeatedly find that the jokes (to me) weren’t funny. This (as is much of my feedback) is likely personal preference, but when the humor is not hitting in a rom com, it does not lend to a very enjoyable reading experience.

The author has stated that The Pairing is their sluttiest book yet, and the before mentioned hookup competition is stated in the blurb. Going in however, I was still unsure what exactly this would look like. The resulting continual hookups with others, despite being privy to both MCs POVs and knowing they are madly in love with each other… just didn’t do it for me.

Then there was Theo’s swimming backstory... I would like to preface this next part of my review by acknowledging the fact that this will be incredibly specific feedback, that will likely feel inconsequential to any other reader. But to someone who competitively swam from grade school through college, and was injured during their first semester and then unable to compete during their first collegiate season… the inaccuracies took me completely out of the story.

It is established early in the book that a large part of Theo and Kit’s friendship (and later relationship) is focused around food. They try every restaurant/food stand in their town and then later travel all over the state searching out new food to try. Theo is also a self-proclaimed house party king, inviting schoolmates over when his parents are out of town. Then, 15% into the book suddenly there is mention that Theo was scouted to swim in college at UC Santa Barbara. I paused while reading to scratch my head. They not only swim, but are so good that they were scouted by a Division 1 school??? And we’re just now mentioning it?

I don’t expect every author to be an expert on every topic nor do I expect every aspect of a rom com to be entirely realistic… but what I presume was meant to simply be a few details in a character’s past, part of their story yes but otherwise not terribly important, suddenly pulled me completely out of the book in confusion.

There is no world (in my opinion) in which someone is good enough to be scouted by a D1 school AND when they were younger be driving all around the state of California trying new foods/throwing house parties. Why? They wouldn’t have the time! The only activities they would have time to be doing are going to school and going to practice (and sometimes going to practice twice a day).

Theo then injures their shoulder at one of the first meets of the season, and… then drops out of school. As previously mentioned, swimming and an injury during freshman year is eerily similar to my own experience (which is no fault of the author)… but to read that Theo then just drops out of school in the aftermath?? I simply could not buy it. If you’ve spent the years training to be competing at that level, that sport is your life. The ONLY plausible action in my mind is to do everything in your power to get back in the water. Of course Theo is fictional, and is not me, and the author is at liberty to write their characters however they choose, but the other details that we know of Theo’s past coupled with the details of a past in competitive swimming, are not a great pairing.

Although, I did not love all aspects of the plot, the humor, or Theo’s background, I still read this book quite quickly. Somehow through it all, I was still rooting for Theo and Kit’s relationship and kept turning the pages waiting for them to find their way back to each other. All in all, though this may not have been the book for me, if you’re looking for a sex positive book with queer rep and enjoy food, wine, and travel then this may be the book for you. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access to a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The book started off well and ended great, but there was a large lull in the middle. Although I really liked the characters, I just feel like they didn’t do much in the middle of the book and found them bland and boring. By the end I fell in love with them again and couldn’t wait to hear how it ended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a total fever dream but it was a good fun romp (pun intended).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really all over the place. A beautifully written love letter to food and travel is sprinkled among 1001 graphic sex scenes of every conceivable type. The plot is lacking, the character development is spotty, the miscommunication is infuriating, and the overall result is tedious. I’m a fan of the author’s other titles, but this story’s singular focus on erotic sex became repetitive and boring.

If you're yearning for a Europe girl summer spiced with a touch of post-breakup fever, then Casey McQuiston's "The Pairing" is your ticket to a whirlwind romance. Meet Theo, the embodiment of anxious exes we all know too well, and Kit, effortlessly unraveling everything in his path. McQuiston's narrative flows effortlessly, drawing you into a world where you'll immediately find yourself smirking or laughing out loud at the banter between Kit and Theo.

But this isn't just any love story; it's a bisexual dream. With a perfect twist waiting around the corner, McQuiston keeps you constantly on edge, nervously rooting for both characters. And oh, the food! "The Pairing" will make you want to devour every dish in Europe and maybe even sign up for a wine class—crazy, right?

What sets "The Pairing" apart is its surprise dual perspective, giving you intimate access to both Kit and Theo's inner worlds. You'll find yourself unable to put the book down, desperate to know what fate has in store for this captivating duo. In the end, McQuiston delivers the perfect queer love story, one that will literally rip your heart out with its emotional depth, yet leave you feeling like you can finally breathe again—a true breath of fresh air.