Every time I read a Casey mcquiston book it makes me reevaluate how I think about love. This book was so rich in literally every way. From the descriptions of food and people and sex to the actual characters themselves. I tend to dislike second chance romances because of how we are told of the characters relationship and not shown it. This book does such a spectacular job of evading this flaw. The characters are amazing both as individuals and as a pair. They are relatable and mess and beautiful and they also learn and grow and change which is something I think gets forgotten about especially in the setting of one book and is more often seen over longer series. But they manage to get that out of these characters dispute the short amount of time. It’s also so beautiful written and amazingly queer. This book had me laughing out loud and crying in public places. It made me think about how big and exciting the world is and get me a desire to explore and taste and try so many new things. Overall a full amazing experience from front to back. Loved the different points of view and how it was split almost 50/50 between the two. A great story and an amazingly fun adventure to follow.

I received an arc of this book

This story was cute and held a lot of romance. From Paris to Rome and a lot of place in between, following Theo and Kits story was delightful. Great for finding yourself and figuring out what you want in life!!

The Pairing follows two bisexual exes who, after breaking up four years ago before a food & wine tour around Europe, both decide to use their travel vouchers during the same trip. There they try to be just friends and to help the awkwardness, they decide to challenge each other to bedding the most native Europeans that they can. Of course, when love is involved, it can never be as straightforward especially with the amount of history they have. I enjoyed the European experiences and the people they met along the way. I loved Theo's journey to being open about them being non-binary and how they expressed that to Kit. I have loved Casey McQuiston's books in the past and I really wanted to love this one as much as her other adult books. Unfortunately, it feel flat for me in many ways. While I enjoyed the food and wine talk at first, as I got farther into the book, the constant descriptions weighed down the story. I ended up skipping past a lot of it because I wanted to get back to the story and I did not know what a lot of the food was. The sex scenes with Kit and Theo were cringey as well, which I had never experienced in her books before. Lastly, I feel like a lot of this book was McQuiston telling us how much Kit and Theo loved each other without showing enough of it. I would have loved to see more of their relationship before it ended or even more of their friendship. I wanted more from this and I'm a bit disappointed. I can still see others loving this one but it just didn't work for me as much as RWRB and OLS.

"The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston delivers a delightful romantic comedy filled with witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and heartwarming moments. McQuiston masterfully crafts a story of second chances and unexpected reunions as Theo and Kit, two bisexual exes, find themselves entangled in a hilarious hookup competition during a European food and wine tour. The dynamic between Theo and Kit is electric, and their journey through stunning landscapes and romantic cities keeps readers hooked from start to finish. With vibrant characters, mouthwatering descriptions of food and wine, and a refreshing exploration of love and friendship, "The Pairing" is a must-read for anyone craving a charming and uplifting romance.

A sexy, queer, fun book by the one and only CMQ. This one was exceptionally gay and horny in all the best ways with so much heart and soul.

Yearning. Angst. HEAT.

Gosh, this book has completely destroyed my CMQ ranking and taken hold of my heart.

What a beautiful story about love and food and drink and travel and sex and humor. The utter romance of it all is stunning and might contain some of McQuiston’s best romantic prose yet. I loved getting sucked into Theo’s angry and heartbroken POV, but the sudden shift into Kit’s romantic and longing POV swept me off my feet and squeezed my heart in a firm grip. I’m already excited to reread it, as well as annotate the crap out of a physical copy in August.

Be warned—this book will not only make you extremely hungry but also have you yearning to go on your own European food tour. And fall ridiculously in love along the way.

I think my favorite part of this book might be the copious references to Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings. Could not get enough. 10/10.

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

The Pairing immediately drew me in and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Each of the two main characters narrates half of the book- Theo the first half, and Kit the second. This has a big effect on how the story unfolds and created a lot of emotion and tension. The characters felt so real and their hurt and insecurity about what happened between the two of them felt heart-wrenching.

The setting in various amazing places throughout Europe was almost a character in itself and evoked so much nostalgia for me. The meals and the drinks paired with each location, and Kit and Theo’s experiences with them, made me want to live vicariously through them. The side characters added extra richness to the story and were, like the food and drinks, perfect for each location. I felt so much anxiety about how things were going to work out between Kit and Theo, and the way they kept avoiding their true feelings was at times painful- you could feel their yearning.

This was compulsively readable, with complex, imperfect, and interesting characters, and some fun steamy situations. McQuiston writes characters that affect readers deeply (just look at all the RW&RB fanfiction!) and this is no exception. I think it’s their best book so far and I’m looking forward to its release and reading everyone else’s reactions

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review the digital ARC!

CMQ knocked it out of the park. Wow, I love this and am working on describing how much.

For the first third or so of the book, I was telling friends it's a fun romp of a Eurotrip. After that, it's not that it becomes any less of a romp, but things get deeper and we really get to know Kit and Theo (and their baggage). And I love Kit and Theo and their baggage and Fabrizio and the Callums, etc. etc. I feel very mushy and privileged about getting the opportunity to meet these characters ahead of publication - it feels like I've had a private moment to get to know them before the (warranted) buzz surrounding this novel picks up.

I would challenge anyone who says there's any other book quite like this out there. Somehow it rolls some pretty advanced gender and sexuality discourse into a wild ride of a rom-com, but also there's an element of self-discovery, and AND there's a lot of hot smut. Also, discussions of medieval architecture. Like, well done. Round of applause.

When I remember to document my favourite passages, I like to share some. My Storygraph review contains a few of these.

It was a quick read for me which usually means that I'm enjoying it, so another fun, easy read by Casey McQuiston! Usually, their books are hit or miss with me, and this one was a mixture of both hit and miss.

I loved the general plot- very People We Meet on Vacation, but way smuttier and more queer (both fun!). The very first chapter has childhood friends, Theo and Kit, becoming more than just friends, then the very next chapter (so, slight but barely spoiler) we skip ahead to the end of their relationship.

The relationship ends on a plane journey to London to start a food/wine tour of Europe, so both characters postpone their tour. They have three years to take the tour, so, of course, they both reschedule for the last available timeslot before losing their money.

Each chapter is a new city as Kit and Theo travel around Europe, which was so fun to read! I loved when they visited places I've been as much as places that I have never seen- lots of spots have been added to my bucket list! I loved the travel aspect, as well as all the colorful characters joining them on the tour! And, of course, the romance was very will-they-won't-they, miscommunication trope, and steamy sweet. Very enjoyable.

Without giving too many spoilers, my main issue with this book was the way that one of the character's gender was handled. I really get what McQuiston was trying to do, but it felt jarring to have one of the narrators reveal their gender identity three quarters into the book. Again, I get the point and enjoyed the attempt... but it felt more like the reveal came later for shock value. It felt unauthentic to me that the narrator wouldn't have used their preferred pronouns in their narration, especially as this book had a lot of internal dialogue. Additionally, the book starts without identifying this character's gender which, again, I get, but it was hard for me to better visualize and understand the dynamics of the characters without this information. Perhaps I'm being unfair because I'm not sure how I would alter what I'm disliking,

All that to say, I did enjoy this book and found it to be a fun read which I've already recommended to a number of people! And, a great cover!

I love Casey McQuiston, and this book lived up to everything she has written before. I fell in love with the story and the characters. These two were soulmates and I couldn't get enough of them. I loved this second chance, friends to lovers to strangers to lovers again. I love the forced proximity and the comedy throughout. I would highly recommend this book! I am so excited for everyone to get their hands on it!

my most anticipated release of the year and i am so so thrilled i took the chance and requested an arc for this book bc i absolutely devoured this in a day and a half. cmq does it again. i laughed, i cried, i indulged, i yearned, i fell in love. theo’s strength and kit’s tenderness kept me coming back for more. the way they capture the human condition in words is so unique and has brought so much joy and flavor to my life. i truly hope they never stop writing.

Everything about this was decadent and delicious. I adored Theo and Kit. While their miscommunications/lack of communication were frustrating as ever (like in most romances), I thought it was layered enough to make sense why they would be so cautious and hesitant about rekindling their relationship - even though it's obvious they're meant to be together.

The European settings are described in luscious detail, with a cast of characters who added personality and fun to the story. The food and drink sounded so good that I genuinely had to write some of them down so I can try them one day.

I think this is a perfect summer read or at least a great read to put you in the spirit of summer. I loved it!

I absolutely adored this book! It’s early yet, but I think this will be my favourite book of 2024. Casey has created such rich, complex characters and goes deep into exploring them, both as individuals and together. I loved Kit and Theo’s journey from best friends to lovers to estranged and all the way back to falling in love again (though they never really stopped!) The detailed descriptions of the landscapes, the food and the local communities they travel to enrich the story, as do the colourful cast of supporting characters that I’ve come to expect from a Casey McQuiston book. CMQ has done it again!

This is a beautiful book about decadence, love, and food. The amount of descriptions of food made me want to hope on a plane and live in Europe. I loved the couple, they grew on my slowly but by the end I was so ready for them to have their happy ever after.

✨ARC obtained through NetGalley✨

As a Casey mega fan, I was SO excited to be able to get my little reviewer hands on the arc of The Pairing. I had sky-high hopes, and they were still exceeded. If you aren't a fan of angst, this one might not be the one for you. But if you're like me and you love a good longing... Oh my god, the yearning! The pining!

As a fellow bi slut, I felt so at home among all these characters. The sights, the food, the art, the wine. It all comes together to make one of the most heady, seductive vibes I've ever felt. McQuiston has truly elevated their ability to transport the reader to new heights with The Pairing.

Oh, and the peach scene?! Probably the hottest yet most original sex scene I've ever read. This is my new favorite book!

5 stars! 🎉

This hurts- I love this author. Red, White, and Royal Blue was a great first start. One Last Stop was enchanting. This one- yikes. Oddly reminded me of the James Bond novel You Only Live Twice, in that there was a plot, but that came in a far second to the author's obsession with describing what was apparently her life changing European food tour..

And the characters; wow. McQuiston knows how to write vivid, breathing characters (see above examples). The two on display here came across as unbridled libertines, and a good chunk of their scenes together came across as being shocking for shock's sake. Also; and this is picky, they/them pronouns are great in speech. In text I kept losing track of how many people were in the room. Rebecca Roanhorse uses "xe" to much better effect.

Anhyhoo- this could have been a pretty good travelogue or a passable romance novel. Both together, not so much

Delicious and lush story of a second-chance romance, with years and misunderstandings and resentments standing between them. When Theo boards the bus for the European food tour they were meant to take four years ago with their then-boyfriend Kit, they’re stunned to see he’s on that bus, too. They haven’t spoken in 4 years since their fight and breakup and now are stuck on their dream trip together, exploring the myriad sights and tastes of France, Spain, and Italy. Slowly they rediscover their friendship, and their never-lost love for each other. I adored reading of their admiration and pride in each other — they both grew in the time spent apart and they each revel in the other’s successes, at first only to themselves but then sharing that pride with each other. We spend the first half of the book in Theo’s head, then jump to Kit’s for the second half — revealing how he’s been thinking of them the whole time, also pining. I wanted to eat everything they are describing, drink all the drinks, explore all of the scenery and beaches and countrysides. A beautiful story wonderfully told.

Oh god, where do I even start with this. This book was all. over. the. place. It was such a mess, and not in a good way. First of all, the main characters are just so flat and they just come across as hungry, alcoholic whores because they only talk about food, wine, and sex. Also, all Europeans in this book are portrayed as hot bisexual sex gods that are always down to hook up in a random alley and that is just very much not true. The sex scenes were underwhelming and the plot was... actually, there was no plot so no real critique there. Overall, a very unpleasant and horny (?) experience.

First, huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never met a Casey McQuiston book I haven’t gone absolutely feral for, and this book takes it to the next level.

“The Pairing” is about two exes, Theo and Kit, who had the fairytale romance of the century - until they break up on their way to their trip of a lifetime, where they’re going to eat and drink their way across Europe. Years later, both armed with a voucher for that missed trip, they find each other back on that same tour, each changed and having grown from years apart. Both still obviously have feelings for each other and maybe more than a little bit of trauma over how things ended the last go around, so they do the only logical thing: challenge each other to a hook up competition. Whoever has bedded more people in more cities by the end of the tour wins.

As I already mentioned, I’m a huge CMQ fan. But they really outdid themselves with the Pairing. What a sexy, fun romp. This is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long while - I truly didn’t want it to end. Each page left me giggling - and googling the food, beverages, and locations I didn’t recognize. The Pairing was somehow sneaky educational - I learned so much about the history, architecture, and culture of so many cities. McQuiston’s descriptions of the scenery, food, beverages, and architecture made me truly feel like I could reach out and run my fingers along the rim of the glass of white wine or across the bumpy stone of the old Tuscan villa. The writing is beautifully descriptive without being overly flowery or precious.

McQuiston has a true gift for creating characters that feel so real and honest that you swear you’ve known them your whole life. The dialogue they craft is truly unmatched. They are able to examine and tackle complex issues like grief, gender expression, sexuality, and loss in a way that feels true and authentic.

Anyway, back to the plot - is it slightly unrealistic that everyone Theo and Kit meet on their travels are both sexually fluid and always ~down for a good time~? Maybe. But there’s always an element of suspended disbelief in romantic comedies, and wow am I willing to suspend my disbelief for this story.

Yes the book is sexy (like, really sexy, blush-worthy sexy even for a non-prude) but it’s also wildly sweet and written in such a believable way that somehow it’s not overboard or cloying.

I want to live in Casey McQuiston’s world. This book was magic. It is indulgent and seductive. It is the book equivalent of the first ripe peach of summer (yes that’s a reference to a very specific scene…), the expensive bottle of wine, the morsel of dark chocolate melting in your mouth. I would read a million sequels about Theo and Kit.

I was very excited about this book because I love RWRB, and I really enjoyed Casey’s other books, specially I kissed Shara Wheeler, but this one I felt it dragged, I was really enjoying at the beginning but Theo’s insecurities and self-sabotage got old pretty fast, I wasn’t sure what Kit loved about them so much other than childhood memories, for being this long I still didn’t feel they showed me this love.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.