**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this audibook**

This read for me was just full of sighs. I couldn’t stop thinking about my rating throughout the listening experience which is…well it’s kind of a bad sign isn’t it? I ended up going back and forth between 3 and 4 and 3 and 4 and 3 and 4 again, before realizing that if I was so hesitant to award it 4 stars maybe it wasn’t one in the first place. Final verdict 3.4 stars (if I did 3.5 I’d have to round up wouldn’t I?). The problem here, regarding my reading experience at least, is that The Pairing, while very cute, never managed to recreate the absolute feel trip that was RW&RB for me. For example:

One of my favourite things about RW&RB was the very vague spicy scenes which felt intimate and plot relevant without being very graphic. The Pairing has *multiple* not safe for work scenes and while McQuiston always writes them very beautifully, there is no denying that they are both always longer and MUCH more explicit than in RW&RB, which definitely not something I had expected going into it.

I am fully aware that the comparison mindset is fully my fault, and this is where I am going with my review: If you are coming from RW&RB thinking that you will feel the exact same thing now than you did then, stop. This is a different book. The Pairing is about art, food, love, sex and discovering the world to learn about oneself. It has very different characters, a different dynamic, a more mature plotline and not even the same the same type of narrator for crying out loud.

So, if you were like me, going in and wishing for it to be RW&RB 2.0: don’t. Let The Pairing be its own thing, let Kit and Theo get to you in their own way without any à priori. Be open to discover something new, and I am sure that you will love it more than I did.

2.5 stars rounded up

The Pairing follows Kit and Theo, two bisexual ex’s who find themselves on the same food and wine tour of Italy many years after their breakup. What follows is a chaos of hookups, miscommunications, and pining over each other.

Unfortunately this just was not for me. I absolutely love Casey McQuiston’s bi representation (also adored it in Red White and Royal Blue) but I just didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters. I’m not a huge romance reader to begin with so maybe I should have avoided this novel but I was drawn in by the premise. The tour of Europe was my favorite part of this book and I loved the settings and the food/wine descriptions. The writing was also engaging and well done.

My rating is being rounded up for the audiobook narrators who were so fun to listen to and nailed the accents! I’d recommend picking this up via audio if available

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy of The Pairing in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

Overall enjoyed many moments of this book. The descriptions of the food and all of the various locations Kit and Theo traveled was top notch. I loved the imagery and can tell a lot of heart and soul went into these descriptions.

I’m glad I listened to it on audio, because I think I would’ve had a hard time powering through the middle portion. The “will they won’t they” did get kind of repetitive, especially for a book of this length. Both narrators absolutely killed it which helped, and has also been my experience while reading/listening to the last 3 books by Casey McQuiston.

My overall criticism of the book and the reason for my rating is that this book is kinda’…pretentious 😬. I don’t mean that as harshly as it comes across, but I think I struggled with that more than some readers may when this book is released. I’m interested to see more reviews and if anyone else agrees with me. It was just hard to enjoy these characters when I felt like I couldn’t connect to them.

I did LOVE the raging bisexuality, however. And the spice was creatively written and believable, which I have come to expect from this author!

Decent summer read, not my favorite overall of all of the novels they’ve written, but still has me excited to continue reading more of their work in the future!

this is a fantastic book, the characters are wonderfully written. they felt so alive and real and i find myself missing them now. the naration of the audio book was perfectlty done i am super impressed with all of it!

I reviewed this when I received a text ARC earlier in the year, and that review is below. I echo everything I said earlier: this is a beautiful and also hot book. I loved the narrators, and the instrumental bits and start-of-chapter narration from the author is a great touch. Read this book!

Review from March 2024:
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.

What an absolutely fantastic read! Casey does such a good job expressing true emotions and full fleshed out real humans. The joy, the sadness, the smut, the longing, the desire, the hurt. It's all just so so so wonderfully done and what a treat to get to experience this masterpiece early.

I'm so happy for Kit and Theo and the leaps of faith they take throughout this book. I especially love the secondary characters and how much they bring to this book.

I understand fully the gender experience that we were going through in this novel but there were moments during the first quarter of the book that I did struggle to know what pronouns Theo used.

I absolutely LOVED THIS!!! Casey McQuiston has such a way that sucks you right into the characters they've included in their novels. WOW!

Theo and Kit were childhood best friends, telling each other everything, spending every second together, planning to travel Europe together, all the things, until one day they no longer were friends.

Making good on the Europe voucher, Theo decides to go on the trip, do all the things, see all the sites, but they don't plan on running into Kit on the train to do all this. The two decide to put things aside and enjoy this trip together, not realizing that they might just be falling in love.

Some things taste better together. Those things are not Kit and Theo.

Kit and Theo are bratty, insufferable, and immature exhibitionists. If I were to meet them, even in passing, I would hate them so viscerally. Their lack of communication and common sense is astounding and ridiculously annoying. They’re in their late 20s acting like 17 year olds. Why are you betting who can have a higher body count by the end of the trip instead of, oh, I don’t know, having a conversation? These are two characters who do not belong anywhere within 500 feet of each other. There is no chance they would stay together (happily) long term.

What I enjoyed:
The transitions between chapters in the audiobook where they play a jaunty little tune and a narrator (I believe it was Casey, the author) tells me some pairings. I also appreciate the amount of research the author clearly did about food and wine.

What I didn’t enjoy:
Everything else.

Theo’s struggle with being a nepo-baby is so whiny and unrelatable. Oh no! My super rich and famous parents and sisters are willing to fund whatever passion project / interest I would like to pursue. That sucks so bad! Like stfu no one can relate to that. People are dying, Kim.

Kit was annoyingly pretentious and had the worst superiority complex. Oh, you carry around a notepad and FOUNTAIN PEN? You’re so cool and everyone wants to be your friend.

Also — why is the entirety of Europe so horny, sexually fluid, and DTF? Is no one just here for food, wine, and relaxation?? Aren’t you tired, sweaty, and stinky after all these excursions??

I was SO EXCITED when I heard the premise of this book, but have been deeply let down.

If this book has no haters, I am dead. I knew from the prologue I was going to hate this book, but I did not trust my instincts. By the time I realized I should have DNFed, it was too late. I am done reading McQuiston’s work, unless they do something more in the Shara Wheeler wheelhouse, as I am realizing that is the only book of theirs I enjoyed.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Netgalley.

"Perfect Pairing" by Casey Mcquiston is an absolute delight! This charming romance blends humor, heart, and a dash of foodie heaven to create a captivating read. The characters are vividly portrayed, and their chemistry leaps off the page. Mcquiston's writing style is fresh and engaging, keeping you hooked from start to finish. If you're looking for a feel-good romance with depth, this book is a must-read!

On a purely technical level, this is easily Casey McQuiston’s best work. It’s also unequivocally their sluttiest and possibly romantic book.

Theo and Kit broke up en route to a European food and wine tour four years ago. Now, during the last chance to use their booking, the two find that they both had the same idea and meet again for the first time after complete silence during the intervening years. How are they going to cope? Well, by a purely friendly competition to see who can hook up with the most amount of people during their weeks together traveling.

I savored this book and read about one chapter a day. I didn’t want it to end. McQuiston has described this book as indulgent and that’s honestly the best way to describe it. The plot of this book is about sex, food, wine, and love. The conflict is about sex, food, wine, and love. The vibes? You guessed it. Sex, food, wine, and love. If you’re going to read it, be prepared to be the hungriest you’ve ever been. By chapter 3, I was craving (and eating) croissants, borrowing Italian pastry cookbooks from the library, and reaching out to friends who bake to see if they could recreate some of what Theo and Kit eat across Europe.

I was captivated from start to finish and so deeply invested in Theo and Kit’s story. The audiobook adds so much to the story and the narrators are exquisite! I had already read the digital arc, so to hear these characters be brought to life was so incredible.

On a personal note, reading about Theo was the most that I’ve ever read my own experience and personality in a book before. There’s a lot to unpack there and again, I credit McQuiston for helping me unlock a part of myself. We’re four for four on that now.

This book is exceptional and I’m going to read it forever. I'll absolutely be getting the audiobook as soon as it comes out. I feel like it will always be in rotation.

This book is European vacation maximalist. So much food, so much sex, so much emotional angst. We have two main characters here, childhood best friends turned lovers, turned exes. One is a nepo baby sommelier (who I found frustrating yet also lovable) and one a smitten French pastry chef (who seemed mostly unreal, but let's enjoy the fiction). While the blurb hypes their post-breakup hookup competition, it’s more about will they or won’t they get back together. Beautifully queer, and I don’t want to spoil it but there is one scene related to a reveal that is so gorgeously written. If you like McQuiston’s other books, but want MORE of everything, then go on this hedonistic tour of Spain, Italy, and France with Kit and Theo.

The writing isn't terrible here and the plot moves briskly. For me, the problem was that I just did not like or want to root for either of the main characters. They were childish, callous, co dependent, and predatory. That does make them more realistic but if I want to see/read people behaving poorly/stupidly I can always look across the street. It's ironic considering all the controversy about American tourists ruining Europe right now and then we have a book about American tourists ruining Europe (don't worry, all the one night stands are consensual).

Story: Theo and Kit were best friends who 'got' each other. But something happened along the way and they broke up abruptly. Now, years later, Theo is attempting to take the trip that was cancelled so abruptly when Kit and Theo broke up. But Surprise, Kit ends up on the same 'wine tour' across Europe as Kit and sparks fly. How to deal with it? Make a bet about who can bag the most sexual conquests among the small local towns as they move through them.

So yes, Theo spends most of the book mooning over Kit and then denying it. Cue lots of parties and shacking up with attractive locals who are happen to do one night stands with the American tourists. Kit spends a lot of the book seeming confused but it never gets in the way of flirting with the locals. It's okay because he can impress with his command of French and pastry chef experience; Theo can show off sommelier experience and knows the exact history and flavor influences of any wine tasted. But aw shucks, Theo still loves ol' Kit and keeps wishing it was him in the bed rather than the random locals.

It is not a difficult read. As with most of McQuiston's books, it is a bit too long and overstays its welcome about three quarters of the way through. There are the usual cliché European side characters and a lot of (boring) discussions of wine.

So was this terrible? Of course not, McQuiston knows how to write. This is just an example of writing a story that I didn't find appealing and with characters who disgusted me more than enchanted.

Note: I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a decent job, though was unable to make the characters any more likable. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Europe? YES! Four Tour? YES! Queer Representation? YES!! I am here for it and Casey McQuiston did not disappoint, LOVED the entire story.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and McMillian Audio/St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I was excited to read this book. Red, White and Royal Blue was by far one of my favorite books. When I got into the Pairing, I found myself going back and forth about my feelings.

Here’s what I liked about the book. I loved the travel. Each time they went to a new place, we got a taste of that area - whether it would be exploring an art piece or a landscape. McQuiston does a great job of setting the scene and making you feel as if you’re there with the tour. I enjoyed the food and wine banter between Theo and Kit. I found listening to their drink and pastry recommendations to be tasty. Honestly, I think that was the most exciting parts of the book - was getting to new places to hear about what’s there.

Here’s what didn’t bother me: McQuiston does fall into the trap of making the trip perfect. The weather is perfect and always sets them up for the perfect moment - whether it’s the hot sun causing them to strip down or the rain causing a close situation. You have a typical Italian tour guide that is outgoing, flirty, can get you into any place (because he knows people), and he is the meddling “uncle” that just wants everyone to be happy. Also, everyone is in an open hooking up relationship. There’s a foursome on the trip and lots of couples, and lots of people looking to add a plus one for the night. Again, I don’t know how true that situation would be.

What I didn’t care for: the sex competition. I’m not anti sex or anti hook ups. However, I don’t like the fact that the whole purpose of the competition is to avoid feelings that should’ve been addressed in counseling or through talking to one another awhile ago. It’s just so repetitive… they go to a new place, they both identify a person, they get super jealous when they see each other with someone else…they either have sex or don’t, and then the compare the score, debate food and wine, and repeat. And because both Theo and Kit are amazing at sex, every sex scene ends with people being pleased and being blown away with one another. I enjoy a good sex scene, but at some point I started to just fast forward through them, because it was always the same with Theo and Kit where Kit is expressing his undying love in his head, and Theo is enjoying before putting up their walls. At some point, especially when you realize the “scenario” that ended their relationship - you’re just like…are you both serious? A minor miscommunication means two people who just drag on and on and on and sleep with as many people as possible until they can finally talk to one another again. I also got a bit annoyed with Theo’s character. They are a Nepo baby, and they want to make it on their own, but they are convinced they are a complete fuck up. At some point, you would expect them to grow emotionally and mentally…and to see that shift in perspective. No. No character growth whatsoever except in the last chapter and epilogue where they magically switch. I don’t even know if Theo loves Kit, because you never really see them delve into that. I preferred listening to Kit’s perspective because you actually hear him changing and hear him giving weight to the relationship and love. Theo’s perspective is just mainly focused on the negative, what’s wrong, what’s going to go wrong, and why things are bad. I didn’t find Theo’s character to really be one I could relate to.

Overall, I don’t see myself re-reading this book. The epilogue did make me tear up a little, because who doesn’t like a happy ending. I think if you want a book that gives you plenty of sex scenes while on an international tour - this is for you. If you’re looking for a book where the characters are complex and the relationship is full and dynamic, I would probably look elsewhere.

<i>The Pairing</i> by Casey Mcquiston swept me off my feet and into the arms of a very European vacation style tale of two exes. Four years ago Theo and Kit were hastily breaking up right before they were set to go on a food and wine tour throughout Europe… and now… They both find themselves attending the same rescheduled date of that very food and wine tour. Can they put their differences aside for long enough to make it out both physically and mentally unharmed? Only time will tell…

This was an absolutely beautiful story about how in order to grow as people, how we have to take risks and act out of love and trust alone. How the logical thing will end up breaking your heart.

My favorite parts of this story was how easily the characters flowed. There were so many laugh out loud moments, it felt like just the perfect balance of drama/plot and humor/moments the character’s personalities shined through.

The way that the author details how relationships can implode and what that looks like on from both POVs is deeply interesting. Specifically, I thought it was very interesting <spoiler>to see how both parties in a relationship can be in the wrong. I did not just see black and white in Theo and Kit’s story, but the entire spectrum of their relationship and just what went wrong.</spoiler>

There were times that I did not agree with the choices the characters were making, or rather, the choices the author was making for the characters. I felt that oftentimes it felt like every single character in this book was obsessed with everything about sex. I am not opposed to them feeling like this, but it felt out of place and strange in the world the author created. Though I did enjoy the length of the book, despite it feeling vey long, I think the sex obsession contributed to some drag towards the middle of the book. It felt like the book slowed to a crawl, and like I could have done without this entire food + wine tour’s worlds revolving around sex. Who needs the food or the wine when you have sex and drama, right?

Overall, this story was very impactful. I felt so invested in the lives of all the characters, whether that was the main characters or the side characters. I adored the themes of finding your happiness, no matter what that means. It’s taking the leap out of the logical and feeling your heart. This book gave so much, drama, intrigue, and an exquisitely described backdrop.

Dare I say… This is my favorite Casey McQuiston book. Only time will tell whether the general public agrees with me, but I know that this book made me feel every feeling so hard, and that is the most rare, hard to capture moment of reading.

***Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio through NetGalley for providing me an ARC for my honest review!***

I have a lot of opinions about The Pairing! I'll start off with what I enjoyed:

-The food and drink descriptions are DIVINE. Casey McQuiston did her research on these foods and it shows! Her ability to describe foods and the beautiful sceneries of Europe is incredible.
-I love how bi this book is. Literally everyone is bi. It feels a little unrealistic that everyone they meet is bi and down to hook up instantly, but it's fiction, and it's fun.
-Nonbinary main character
-I like the overall story of two exes finding their way back together on a fun European Food & Wine tour.
-Kit's love for Theo is sooo sweet.

My criticisms:

-The Pairing feels way longer than it needs to be. I found myself bored during many portions of the story.
-The plot doesn't feel strong and it's muddled in a lot of rambling internal monologue. This story is definitely more character-driven, which is totally fine, but it just feels a little too exhausting.
-Theo and Kit's actions don't quite make sense to me when they are so obviously in love with each other. At the beginning, the hooking up with other people thing wasn't too bad, but after a certain point, it did not make sense why they were still entertaining other people. I found them to be incredibly frustrating for most of the book.
-There are a lot of side characters who feel like caricatures and just add nothing to the story, aside from being people Theo and Kit hook up with or want to hook up with. I kept mixing up characters, but that could just be a me problem.
-I love the nonbinary character representation in a romance (very hard to find), but Theo really got on my nerves. The way they handle almost every situation feels incredibly immature to me. I also have a hard time relating to- and sympathizing with- Theo's struggles as a nepo baby. I totally understand them wanting to build their career on their own, but they are so incredibly whiny about things going poorly. Them acting like they aren't privileged feels like a huge slap in the face.

I do think that The Pairing could be super fun as a movie! Everything is described so beautifully and vividly, I can just see this as a movie in my head. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read The Pairing early. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the ebook, but as usual, audiobook just really hit it out of the park. My second time reading The Pairing, and I think I love it even more now!

The first half of "The Pairing" is a montage of European cities, food, booze, casual sex, etc. It's charming, but not very memorable.

Theo and Kit were fine — lovable but not the most memorable characters. I think my primary issue with this book is that all of the emotional development and intimacy happens off page. They're already in love, broken up and still hung up on each other before we even meet these characters. There's an entire lifetime before this the readers are not privy to and it's not adequately captured in the story for us to catch up. Instead, we're just expected to know how much they love each other and why without enough development to really merit it.

Their sex bet also failed to serve their arc and instead just cheapened everything. Also, lots of weird "Call Me By Your Name" references?

This was a solid audiobook. I did feel like the narrator voicing Kit didn't really fit the chracter? That's a personal preference thing, though.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you're frustrated by the lack of communication trope, avoid this one because good gravy these people will do everything but say what they feel, think or need.

Anyway.

Theo and Kit have been friend forever and eventually crossed the line into more than friends as young adults. Of course a miscommunication ruined everything and it's been nearly 4 years since they've last talked or seen each other when they both decide to use a voucher for a food tasting trip they'd initially intended to take together.

Being back in each other's space ignites sparks that bubble over into a "who can get the most a$$' competition in each of trips stops, which leads to a huge amount of sexual tension between the two of them. Which you know is going to lead to something. Not a conversation, of course.

Anyway there was a point in this book where I though I was going to be deeply unhappy with the conclusion, but it comes together

I did enjoy the characters, even with all their flaws, and it is a fun read. Great diverse representation, a healthy dose of spice, and a happily ever after that's necessary for a frothy romance.

this was a little all over the plae for me, which is maybe what it's supposed to be. I feel like I know the characters and the world they set up, and I am glad I read it.