I was so stoked to have a Casey McQuiston arc in my hands, thank you NetGalley! Red, White, and Royal Blue is a huge comfort read for me and I’ve enjoyed McQuiston’s other books, so I was highly anticipating this release. I was really pleasantly surprised, I’m not always the biggest fan of second-chance romances, but this book may have changed my mind about the trope. I absolutely adore Kit and Theo, and found their conflict to be believable, and loved that they each had ample time to grow into themselves. It also made me want to go back to Europe ASAP.

I never thought I would say that McQuiston could write something that would replace Red, White & Royal Blue in my heart...but they've done it! Not only is the setting so visceral and lovely, but the romance is believable and touching. I truly believed that two different people were telling the story, because their points of view are so different in terms of the writing style, both really well-rounded and full feeling. This was a book that I didn't want to put down and then didn't want to leave.

I'm someone who didn't like Red, White, and Royal Blue at all, but since I enjoyed Shara Wheeler, I decided to give the author a third chance. However, I unfortunately did not enjoy this book.

I've noticed a trend of MCs who are nepobabies (or the children of celebrities) in stories like this. I enjoyed it the first time I read it with another author, but now it's getting old as it's completely unrelatable. It's fine in stories ABOUT it like RW&RB or as a wish fulfillment story, but just in the background I find it annoying and hard to sympathize with. Especially as someone who would LOVE the opportunities Theo has but doesn't take.

Second, I'm someone who has lived most of my life in very tourist-heavy places. I grew up in Hawaii, where most media about Hawaii was from the tourist perspective. Now I live in Tokyo, where American tourists often control the narrative. So I'm aware I'm biased when I say, I'm very tired of tourist perspectives on places. I'm very interested in Europe, but I'm not interested in a story that seems like a European tourist handbook by an American. And while I cannot speak for Europeans, I've seen many speak up and say that the research in this novel is very limited and that the characters and representations were very stereotypical.

In terms of characters: I didn't really connect. Side characters were hard for me to distinguish, which wasn't helped by the common trend I also dislike of giving pairs similar names. I like the bi rep and NB rep, but I'm not a fan of Theo's gender being some plot twist spoiler. But I say this as someone tired of coming out stories. I also side-eye "everyone in Europe is bi" from Americans. I'm fine with bi-normative stories and stories that ignore homophobia, but coming out is a Thing in this story, so it's a little jarring.

Two stars instead of one because the writing and voice are fine. It's just ultimately an extremely derivative book with many tropes I cannot stand.

Thanks, Netgalley for the Arc

Where to even start with my love for this book? I’ve always loved Casey McQuiston's writing. So when they announced The Pairing and explained what it was about I was already hooked. Two exes that go on a food tour together enjoying more than food through Europe. What is not to love? But the book was so much more than that. I adore both Theo and Kit. Casey always does such an amazing job developing characters you can’t help but love. There is something so special about Theo though. I just barely finished the book but I know this character will live rent-free in my head. If you’re wanting a fun queer rom-com book make sure you add this title to your TBR. One of my favorite reads this year!

An incredibly addictive story of the times.
When old meets new. This story is captivating, adventurous, romantic and hot hot hot!
A truly remarkable story of young love lost. When things come full circle for Kit and Theo.
Kit and Theo are the best of friends from such a young age. Growing closer as years pass until the unthinkable happens and they both loose the love of their lives, each other trough a crazy mishap.
Years pass and a once planned trip by the pair happens reuniting them both. Even though neither is ultimately happy with the circumstances around it.
Meeting many fun characters, learning from their many adventures. This story truly makes you feel like you there with them on a trip of a lifetime.
5 stars. One of the best books I've read this year.

The story follows two exes as they travel through Europe when they end up booking the same tour dates, using their vouchers from before they broke up.
Theo and Kit had been best friends since childhood until an argument and subsequent break up while traveling. Years later they end up on the same tour with all the old hurts and emotions still alive and well. As the story unfolds we learn the reasons behind the break up, the misunderstandings and pain as they agree to call a truce for the trip and begin a contest of who can have sex with the most people. That sounds like a great plan, right? LOL
The descriptions of the scenery, art and food help you feel like you are there. And the side characters are likeable and add to the story. Bisexuality and gender expression flow naturally throughout the story as the author gives us a two person perspective.
I stayed engaged throughout the story and was able to empathize with each of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early!

I really wanted to like this! But I feel like the synopsis was a little deceiving...there was sooo much good tension at the beginning, but I very quickly lost interest once I realized just how much of a "competition" Theo and Kit were having instead of just figuring out their feelings for each other. I'm all for healthy sex lives but this a bit much for me. So so sad, I've loved this author's other works but this just wasn't for me!

Another excellent book from Casey McQuiston! The language was so lush and beautiful and detailed, I couldn't put it down. I loved how Theo and Kit evolved over the course of the book and their trip -- I want more from them!

Due to the ongoing marketing boycott of St. Martin’s Press, I will not be sharing my review of this book on social media at this time. This is very disappointing, because The Pairing is easily Casey McQuiston’s best work.

Two bisexual exes reunite by accident for a three-week food and wine adventure through Europe, where the kitchen isn't the only thing heating up!

Casey McQuiston does it again with The Pairing! It's funny, vulnerable, and tells a unique story of a love and friendship that knows no binary. I adored Theo and Kit's hilarious banter and terrible misunderstandings! The rest of the characters on the tour were well-developed and so charming. The descriptions of the food, wine, and locations are enough to make me want to book a ticket right now! I loved the book!

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and Casey McQuiston for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Casey McQuiston knows how to write cute, easy reads. It is nice to shut off your brain and eat up a sweet LGBTQIA+ romcom. It's refreshing that there are more options out there now for diverse books, and Casey is contributing to that. It wasn't the most spectacular book I've ever read but I did enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for this Advanced Copy.
This story will make you hungry! It is a story of an European Food & Wine tour through italy & france. the characters are constantly eating and drinking the best food in the most picturesque places. I think the author does a great job of drawing the reader into the story and I really felt like I was there. I am not sure if the author did a ton of research or if they have actually visited all these places but I believed in the whole journey!
The romance itself was very sweet and our two main characters spent a lot of the story denying their feelings. I really dislike the miscommunication trope, but their big miscommunication happened before the book began. we got a short chapter in the beginning of a glimpse into the past, and then the bulk of the book is 4 years later.
Our characters didn't have a lot of growth on page, but rather they had grown individually during their time apart and now were trying to build a friendship with each other.
This is a second chance romance. It features LGBTQIA+ representation and a great outlook on how love transforms over time.

My favorite book by this author was Red White & Royal Blue, this one didn't quite live up to RWRB but I very much enjoyed the story.

I'm ready to book my ticket for this tour! I enjoyed the characters and the romance, but what I really loved were the descriptions of the places and the food.

Thanks to SMP and Netgalley for the ARC for a honest review.

We have Theo and Kit, bisexual exes who just so happened to reschedule the food and wine tour they were supposed to go on four years ago together but broke up on the plane ride to London. They see each other after four years on the bus heading towards Paris (why he didn't meet up with the tour in Paris since he lived there is a plot hole that I'm not going to dive into), and cue a nearly 400 page book on food, wine, sex shenanigans, and the most egregious use of the miscommunication trope I've ever seen.

I wanted to like this book. I was disappointed in Casey's last novel (the YA one), so I was excited to see that she had gone back to contemporary romance with adults. That being said, this book kind of fell flat to me. I really enjoyed Kit as a character, and I enjoyed reading about Theo coming to terms with their gender identity and finding out who they are as a person altogether on their own terms. However, the romance left very little to be desired since our two mains were sleeping with random people in half the towns there were visiting instead of having an honest to go adult conversation about what happened four years ago. These two are so emotionally stunted and no mature at all that they'd rather fuck random ass people and make it a competition than address how they're feeling. And apparently, these random people think that Theo and Kit are just so hot that they have no problems wanting to fuck them as well.

I don't know if this was supposed to be a raunchy rom com or a horny travel guide of the best foods and wine to eat and drink in France, Spain, Italy, and Sicily. I wanted more romance. I wanted to see why Kit and Theo worked as people, not two horny kinky demons who've known each other for nearly their whole lives so far. I also felt that Theo was insanely immature. They lose a client during the trip (why they didn't tell this client they were going to be on a 3-week long tour out of the country is beyond me), and instead of being a grown up about it and working on how to save this client, Theo freaks out and then essentially blames Kit for Theo being preoccupied with him. Theo also finds enjoyment out of being a sommelier but nothing every comes out of that. All the fucking pretentious talk about wine throughout this whole book, and it was for nothing. Okay, fine, sure. Theo found their dream and they're going to stick with it this time. Good for them.

I had a lot of issues with this book, but the biggest one for me was that Casey NEVER mentions these dumb ass tourists (minus Fabrizio) drinking a stitch of water while they traipsed across Europe in AUGUST. Has Casey been to Europe in August? I can't speak for France or Spain, but Rome and Naples and Sicily are unbearable in August. I've lived in Sicily AND Naples in August. These dumb asses would have died of dehydration before they left Barcelona.

This felt like a love letter to Europe's food and wine and queerness as a whole I wish it would have been a love letter between our two leads instead.

If i had one word to describe "The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston it would be 'divine'. When I saw that I had been approved for an ARC of this book I already had high expectations. I adore McQuiston's writing and couldn't wait to get my hands on 'The Pairing' and it did not disappoint!

Picture this: Theo and Kit, once madly in love, now find themselves reluctantly reunited on a European wine tour, four years post-breakup. As they navigate the picturesque landscapes and historic cities, their unresolved feelings simmer beneath the surface, threatening to reignite the flames of their past passion.

McQuiston's storytelling shines brightly in this tale of love lost and found. Despite my usual hatred of the miscommunication trope, I found myself utterly mesmerised by Theo and Kit's chemistry. McQuiston's trademark wit dances through every page, effortlessly drawing readers into the lives of characters who feel as real as old friends. Theo and Kit are the beating heart of this story, with their quirks, flaws, and undeniable connection making them impossible to resist. From their endearing banter to the tender moments that tug at your heartstrings, you'll find yourself rooting for this dynamic duo every step of the way. I saw so much of myself in Theo's stubborn, sometimes self-destructive nature, while also relating to Kit's tenderness and love of art and literature.

But like any love story worth its weight in romance, "The Pairing" isn't without its flaws. Around the halfway mark, the plot hits a bit of a snag, with repetitive scenarios and casual sex scenarios that fall flat after the third or fourth city. While I'm all for embracing sexual liberation, the execution in this instance left me feeling bored and ready to move on.

Despite this minor hiccup, "The Pairing" was a five-star read for me. With laughter, love, and plenty of delicious surprises awaiting you. So, grab a copy, settle in with your favourite snacks, maybe on a trip of your own, and prepare to fall head over heels for Theo and Kit's enchanting journey through love, loss, and everything in between.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Publishing for the ARC of this book.

I adore Casey’s writing but The Pairing felt more complex, much like the tastes of food, wine, and cocktails they describe throughout Kit and Theo’s tour of Europe. The characteristics of their writing that I’ve adored in other books, remain there - the banter, oh god, the banter. But in The Pairing, the spiciness is ratcheted up to 10. No more fade-to-black or shifting the gaze of the camera to the trees. Also, the descriptions - not only of food and drink (although those… I would say not to read this on an empty stomach but it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t, whatever state you’re in, you will be hungry throughout reading) - but also of Kit and Theo’s internal experiences. I found myself highlighting passages, which I have not done in previous CMQ books.

A good story, with witty and fully-formed main and side characters, with gorgeous prose. Cannot wait to reread it!

5 stars

This book broke my heart and put it back together over and over again. From the incredible food descriptions, the settings, the chemistry between the characters- this was a truly delightful book.
I was so drawn into the journey these characters were on, both in their relationship and their literal tour of Europe. I couldn’t get enough of the food tastings, the iconic landmarks, but I also couldnt get enough of Kit and Theo.
This is a perfect summer book about second chances, finding yourself, and delicious food

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Publishing for the ARC!!

I was about 25% into this story when it dawned on me that I hated The Pairing.

I can't even tell you how much I was anticipating this story. I'm a HUGE Casey McQuiston fan, and One Last Stop basically changed my life, so I assumed (foolishly, oh so foolishly) that I would love The Pairing. But I was incredibly, devastatingly wrong.

Look, I think there is going to be a group of readers who adore this and think that I'm so boring and millennial for not loving the food-porn-orgy that makes up this book, but I really, truly just did NOT like it. I didn't like it so much that I would be cooking dinner or brushing my teeth, and my mind would be like AND ANOTHER THING with all of the reasons that I didn't like this story. It took me ages to finish it, and I skimmed the last 20%, that's how badly I wanted it to just be over.

I'll admit that the second half was better than the first. Theo's part of the story was just insufferable. I hated how Casey McQuiston wrote their journey through Europe as just some bacchanalia of pansexual, carefree, good-looking young people who all wanted to bone. I've been to Europe many times, and I can tell you that travelling is not sweet-talking your way into a billionaire's yacht where everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) wants you. Why was every single person down to have sex after literally one second together, and why was everyone bisexual and younger than 35 and attractive?? There were no stories there, no meaningful secondary characters. Everyone was rich and charming and flawless and was down for everything. It felt vapid and pointless. I HATED it. Nothing was memorable. The food and wine descriptions felt well researched, but also just... pointless. It was hard to see how they were advancing the plot. I'm a total foodie, and I was bored by it all.

Also, I hated Theo's struggle with being a nepo baby. Readers will discover early on that Theo's family is wealthy and well-known. Not just their parents, but sisters as well. All exceedingly wealthy and accepting and generous. Which is GREAT. But it made Theo's "struggle" to get their business off the ground and establish themselves by play-acting as a poor person feel insufferable. Theo's sisters offered multiple times to gift them tens of thousands of dollars. And Theo keeps saying no... but the reality is that people struggling in real life would take money with no strings in a heartbeat. It really irritated me. Stop acting like you have no options when you have multiple loving and RICH family members to fall back on.

Finally, the romance...

I have a particular hatred for second-chance romances where all of the emotional development and intimacy happens off page and the readers are just expected to know how much the characters love each other and why. That's EXACTLY what we get here. They grew up together, they know each other, and then things fell apart. Now they are back together and the readers don't get enough time to figure out why. Yes, they are sexually compatible, but it seems like they are also sexually compatible with half of Europe. Plus, Theo and Kit just don't seem like a good match to me. I much preferred Kit, as a person, but they both act like teenagers with their sex bets and dares and lack of communication. They just both seem spoiled, and the romance did NOT sweep me off my feet. In fact, I don't even know if this book even is a true genre romance. It really didn't feel like it to me. It feels like a book that Gwyneth Paltrow would write if she was nonbinary and taking a food tour across Europe, documenting her "deep" feelings.

There was no humor. The side characters were less like developed people and more like boring sex pawns (that came to me while brushing my teeth this morning). The book lacked so much feeling that it left me feeling bereft.

Yes, I'm being dramatic, and yes, I loved that this book was SO QUEER, but it really failed me on all other fronts. I hope other readers connect with it more than me.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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This book was literally a journey, a roller coaster of emotions.

Casey, oh Casey. They never disappoint me but with this book they have outdone themselves. They created a real masterpiece. All those places and the food, the wines, the museums and all the descriptions of the paintings and sculptures were sensational.

And finally, Theo and Kit. OH.
A true love story. Dual pov is insane and so right because the reader can feel every single emotion that they feel each other in different part of the book.

Thank you Casey.

Kit and Theo were best friends since they were kids, then they fell in love. Unfortunately, they had a huge fight on their way to a European food and wine tour and broke up. Kit moved to Paris and Theo went back to California. Four years later they both decide to use their vouchers from that trip for the same tour and see each other for the first time since their break up.

As they spend time together on the tour, they tried to be friends again. Unfortunately, they find it hard when they’re both still nursing broken hearts. Theo in an attempt to get over Kit suggests a challenge to see who can have sex with the most people while on the tour, which Kit accepts. Unfortunately, it does nothing for either of them except make them jealous of who the other person is with.

"The Pairing," is a captivating story about the rekindling of a relationship between former best friends. The book is divided into two parts, with the first half narrated from Theo's point of view and the second half from Kit's perspective. While the dual point of view added an interesting dynamic, I found myself wishing for more alternating perspectives at times. The narrative truly came alive when Kit and Theo reignited their relationship, and it was evident that they were meant to be together. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Pairing" and would give it a rating of four and a half stars.