I have mixed feelings about Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing. It was an enjoyable read with a fun cast of characters and the banter and dialogue you know and love from a Mcquiston novel. It’s also their horniest outing in a big way - kind of makes you want to go on a big romp through Europe!

I really liked our main characters Theo & Kit. I liked them as individuals and together, but I never felt emotionally invested like I have with their previous books. I wasn’t going to be devastated if for some reason they went their separate ways; this could have been a story of friendship and meeting new people and making new friends while traveling and I would’ve enjoyed it! That being said, their personal journeys I was interested in and I’m glad that we got a large chunk of both perspectives.

Overall, this was a good time but not my favorite. I was never itching to get back to reading whenever I had to put it down. But, despite my lack of emotional investment I did tear up at the end and am glad it ended how it did!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC

I'm a huge fan of CMQ. The biggest positive is the fun dialogue and great characters. The book is really focused on sex, like really focused. And sex between everyone and anyone. I get it, but in some places it felt like overkill to the growth of the characters and the overall storyline of Kit and Theo. The first half is told by Theo and second half by Kit. Without spoilers, there were things told from Kit's perspective that could have been handled a bit better, maybe with more from Theo in their half. Still the European wine and food tour is so beautiful that I found myself wanting to search out an actual tour like this. Good but not my favorite.

I’m sad to say that I found this book extremely disappointing. I loved Casey McQuiton’s other books but this one felt very one dimensional with bland characters, a pretentious plot, and a version of Europe that felt like a caricature. Why was every European in every stop down to bang strangers? I doubt every European is actually bisexual and hot. But this book def paints Europe that way. None of the side characters have personalities other than sex. The two main characters aren’t much better—their personalities are food/alcohol AND sex. With all this overabundance of sex you’d think the actual sex scenes would be good, right? WRONG! The first major one on the yacht made me cringe so hard I skipped the rest of them.


Theo’s non-binary identity felt like an afterthought. Also why was it all processed through Kit’s point of view?


Anthony Bourdain gets mentioned frequently without actually referring to the fact he’s not still with us (and you can def do that without making it too sad). I felt it was pretty disrespectful that Kit mentions wanting to f*ck him.

thanks to netgalley and st. martin's press for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

i'm a big cmq fan. rw&rb and iksw are my bread and butter. every book is like a warm hug wrapped in insanity and lots of character development - my two favorite things. the pairing is not an exception.
while i struggled for a bit of the book differentiating narrators, i grew to enjoy hearing parts of the story from different perspectives, characters who knew each other inside and out but can't talk about it. it makes me think of that taylor swift new year's day lyric: "please don't ever become a stranger / whose laugh i could recognize anywhere."
theo is objectively the coolest person ever. they exude coolness. i've been trying to devise a new way to phrase that, but there isn't one.
kit reminds me of those characters that are normally the main character's best friend in books and you wonder, "why don't you just kiss him?" well, spoiler alert, theo does.
i also loved the references to european pastries and drinks, as i tend to spend a lot of time tracking down european bakeries and patisseries in my area to try. i might have to find a good focaccia now because of this book.
pick this one up if you are: looking for second-chance romance done right, friends-to-lovers-to-strangers-to-lovers, or a food tour in europe. or all three. all three are good too.

I loved this cute and cozy rom com and I definitely would read more from this author in the future! So excited for all of the stories that they’ll share in the future.

I am in love. This has finally edged out Red White and Royal Blue as my favorite book. If you've ever heard CMQ speak or follow their Instagram, you'll understand when I say that this is the most Casey McQuiston books they e ever written. Kit and Theo are both disaster children with the communication skills of a pair of rocks, but I love them. The supporting characters are fascinating and I feel like I toured Europe. Run don't walk to read this as soon as possible.

CMQ has done it again. Just as I was craving summer escapism (specifically of the European flavour), they absolutely deliver. I was completely enveloped by this book, I read it in 3 days and did little else. A wonderful story about characters you want to root for, even be friends with. The dynamic between Kit and Theo, the change in perspective to keep the suspense… artfully done. As with all CMQ stories, my only complaint is that I wish there were more of it. THANK YOU CMQ

Gahh this book is scorchingly sexy and painfully emotional and I loved it!!
Best of all - the sexiness comes not from wild sex acts, but from the intensity of being known and sharing an intimate moment with the person who knows you best in the world. Gosh I love sex scenes where characters are stripped bare physically and emotionally and revealed to each other on a journey to a relationship and the scenes in this book made me feel so many things. Surprising no-one, Casey McQuiston knocked it out of the park with this one!

The one downside to the book was that something didn't quite gel with the emotional payoff towards the end. The pining is top-tier but because it was so great I wanted a little more of a push when they got together but it felt like they kind of slid together? Which makes sense given their history but it wasn't a swoony as I would have liked. Besides the ending feeling a bit rushed, I loved everything else about this book. If you love second chance romances and books that are gloriously queer this is the book for you!

-Bedsharing/only one room
-Pining for days!!
-Second chance romance
-Best friends to lovers to exes to lovers
-Sex-positive! - bisexuals having lots of casual sex with no slut-shaming
-the sexual tension is palpable
-the emotional angst of old intimacy is so painful I loved it 😍
-Is it Over Now? and Now That We Don't Talk by Taylor Swift in book form (if you're a 1989 TV fan you know what I mean)
-dual pov (1st half in Theo's pov and 2nd half in Kit's)

If you told 2019 me that I would have the honor to read an early-access digital ARC of one of Casey’s new books, I wouldn’t believe you. With that being said, I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to get my hands on this work earlier than the release date.

I kid you not, I read this in 24 hours straight. I read it non-stop, catching little snippets while at work, and could NOT for the life of me, put it down. That’s how good it was. It felt like I was catapulted on a summer food and wine tasting excursion right at the tips of my fingers. Not to mention the steamy, yearning and romantic plot within the book, it was astounding and very binge-worthy. I give this book a whopping 5 stars, but wish I could give more than that. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who’s feeling a little indulgent. You’ve done it once again, Casey! You are my icon and hero.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this incredible digital ARC of The Pairing in exchange for an honest review!

As a fan of Casey's writing I knew I'd like this book. But I wasn't prepared for just how much I'd absolutely love it!

This book was beautiful! I loved the characters, the world and everything about it. I started reading and just couldn't put it down, I finished the whole book in one sitting. It's just that good!

If you love romance books with heart, this book is for you! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book started out so fantastic, I was devouring every sumptuous word. The settings, the food, the wine, the people. Everything was so rich and the writing hilarious, I just knew this was going to be one of my favorite reads of the year. And then…it lost steam. There is a shift at the halfway point that honestly killed the momentum for me completely, and I completely get why the shift was necessary and would normally appreciate this tactic, but in this case the chance was slow, wordy, insufferable a d redundant. By the 75% mark I was skimming just to get to the inevitable end. I’m so bummed that it took such a drastic turn for me, but it was a lovely beautiful written book even if the back half didn’t quite live up to the first for me.

As a big fan of Casey McQuiston’s novels, a hater of change, and someone who let Red, White, and Royal Blue turn their brain into mush for a month straight, it’s hard to pick a new favourite CMQ. But I think I can confidently say that The Pairing is their best work so far. The writing style is beautiful and poetic and shows a maturity in their penmanship that, while not wholly absent from their earlier work, has certainly aged like a fine wine. Even the discussion around Big Topics (eg. Theo’s gender, the Upstairs Lounge, etc) were handled more gracefully than the almost clunky way they were in the past.

The characters of this book are the heart of it, as with any good book, but this is essentially true of The Pairing. While they do have a beautiful relationship, Theo and Kit as individuals are loveable, complex, whole people and they make the book worth picking up. I could feel Theo’s blood, sweat, and tears, Kit’s yearning and heartache. They were palpable beings and I loved them for it. While the book is a little light on actual plot, I found that the depth of the characters (and even the fun of the supporting cast) more than made up for it.

In an effort to devour this book, I didn’t stop to translate certain phrases or look up unfamiliar art pieces or foods - that’s something I’ll definitely be doing on a reread, and recommend other readers of the book do as well, as I can only imagine it would deeply enrich the reading experience. The book is so much about food and art that I almost wish it came with visuals, saving readers the hassle of having to Google something every other page if they’re as unfamiliar with European cuisine and architecture as I am.

All in all, this book will make you want to book a food tour the very moment you finish it. It’s decadent, loving, heartbreaking, and a perfect summer read. I can’t wait to reread it when it comes out so the sun can warm me outside and this book can warm me inside.

I really wanted to like this. I was excited about the travel through Europe, the food and the romance. But instead of decadence, it read to me as pretentious - the characters, the story, the writing. I saw little chemistry between the leads and frankly just found them boring. If this is what Casey’s writing has “evolved” and “grown” into, then I think I might have to stick with RWRB and call it a day.

I need to preface by saying that it's very probable CMQ could write a book containing one word per page and I would probably throw myself at their feet accordingly.

Be that as it may: this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. It was rich and decadent and brimming with writing that had me moving from blushing ( as if I haven't been reading fanfic since the age of 12), contemplating crying, crying and then absolutely shrieking with laughter. All in a 15 page span.

What is it like to be loved the way Casey McQuiston writes about love? Every sentence and emotion- horny, sad & happy- all came together in the best way and I will now be wandering around aimlessly contemplating this book until it comes out and I can force it upon everyone around me and wax poetic (as Kit would want me to tbh).

This book sets the bar for romance and, maybe reminded me that second chances can happen. True love really hits, eh?

I received this as a e-galley from NetGalley as an auto-approval from the publisher St. Martin's Press!

I was very hyped to read this book as it involved three things I love: travel, food, and bisexual protagonists!

It look me a while to get into this book (which is why it is more like 4.5 than 5) but once they were full on the trip and in the hookup competition I was all-in! Kit and Theo are very likeable folks despite having the messiest of breakups and I was rooting for them to get their shit together. Also if you were maybe disappointed in the fade to black of the love scenes in RWRB fear not because this book does not...

This book will make you want to eat all the food and travel and find your people.

I can't wait to re-read it asap.

Theo and Kit are best friends as children, who became lovers, which ended abruptly on a plane on the way to a food and wine tour in Europe. They both decided to use their tour vouchers 4 years later, at the same time. What is the best course of action to take when on a tour with your ex? A competition, of course.

I enjoyed this book. It follows Theo and Kit as they realize what was and was not true, and work though their respective hangups. This story is a beautiful exploration of what love is and what it means to be happy.

I recommend this to anyone looking for romance, set against gorgeous French, Spanish, and Italian countryside. Pairs well with food and wine.

I received a free copy from St Martin's Press through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I think is book broke me… TheoandKit KitandTheo broke me, The amount of highlighting I did for this was insane. Who let Casey write, “Sometimes I think the only way to keep something forever is to lose it and let it haunt you.” Because I think I need financial compensation for that one. What a beautiful and decadent book. Can’t believe I read my favorite book in January and it doesn’t even come out until August.

Wow! Casey McQuiston does it again! The Pairing is all I could have hoped for and so much more. McQuiston’s descriptions have always been dazzling, but The Pairing takes it to a whole new level. The way food and drink are written is so deliciously vivid & sultry at times. Kit & Theo are just phenomenally developed characters and I really enjoyed how distinct their 1st person pov’s were. I was slightly unsure how the alternating pov’s would work as I’ve gotten used to their 3rd person omniscient style, but McQuiston knows best and I honestly can’t imagine The Pairing being written any other way. The whole collection of supporting characters are just lovely and add so much to the dreamy nature of Kit & Theo’s travel journey. In terms of bisexual representation, I’m always so impressed with McQuiston’s ability to present so many ways of being being bi and the freedom that exists within bisexuality. At the heart of it all, love, whether it be romantic love or friendship love, is the beating heart of this book. This is without a doubt a book that holds the presence of love in vast quantities. The “steamy” scenes are definitely a leap from those in McQuiston’s previous books and they don’t disappoint! If you are a true lover of romance novels, you will not want to put this book down! Without spoiling anything, I just have to mention how much I adore every single movie reference Casey included. While I’m so glad to have been able to read it now in the cold month of January, I know this will be so enjoyable to read and reread in the summer.

Theo and Kit are childhood sweethearts who has a brutal breakup on the flight to their dream European food and wine tour. Years later, they both cash in the unused voucher for their trip at the same time and end up together for 3 weeks.... they realize that they still have feelings for each other...

Love Theo and Kit 's chemistry. Their banter is fun. It's a terrific romantic story. Love how they work out their issues.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

To say that I loved this book feels like a massive understatement and an inadequate description of just how good it is. The characters are wonderfully flawed, wildly dynamic, and so incredibly lovable. The story itself is a love letter to Europe, elegantly leading you on the journey the characters are on too. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was back in places I’d seen before but also visiting for the first time places I’ve never been. I felt every part of the story so thoroughly. I already want to read it again and I can’t wait to buy it. Utterly thrilled NetGalley let me experience it.