I went into this book ready to roll with quirky romcom antics. The Pairing definitely delivered on that front, but I just couldn't get into these characters.

I'll start with my favorite part - Theo and Kit's flexible dynamic, including in the bedroom. Their interactions are refreshingly free of gendered stereotypes and roles. The spicy scenes are fun, inclusive, and creative.

My main hangup is Theo. They came off very abrasive...often pretentious and braggadocious. I couldn't shake this impression even after backstory I think was meant to make them more sympathetic. I did not like how they treat Kit at all...Theo lashes out when their decisions are questioned and Kit has to acquiesce or lose them. By the end of the book, I was convinced their relationship is too unhealthy to suspend disbelief.

I listened to the audiobook version. I really did not vibe with the accents in Theo's portion, but I liked the narrator for Kit's portion.

I think this book has its audience...it just was not for me. I'm happy to see so many people loved it! I hate to give low reviews but I strive for honesty and hope my thoughts help the Pairing find the right readers.

I'm grateful for the chance to check this audio ARC out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

I’m giving The Pairing by Casey McQuiston a middle rating to embody my ambivalence. It was well written and had great narration. I knew going in that this book had a hook up competition and it might not work for me. Second chance romance is hit or miss, depending on how it’s handled. That said, I’m sure most will love it!
*Thanks to St Martin’s Press, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ebook and audiobook copies for review

DNF at 72%.

Casey McQuiston has become a very hit or miss author for me and, unfortunately, The Pairing was a miss. In fact, I don’t think I would’ve finished it if it weren’t for the audiobook.

I’m not a big fan of second chance romances because I find that they lack the emotional build-up that I need to care about the relationship. You can’t make me invested in a story about two people getting back together through off-the-page assumptions and flashbacks of their past relationship. What makes them work now? Show me how they have evolved in a way that makes sense for them to find each other again. Casey McQuiston didn’t sell it for me here.

It also didn’t help that I found Theo completely insufferable. There’s nothing I hate more than a whiny nepo baby constantly crying about how unfair it is that they have a wealthy family willing to help them finance their business. Just take your sister’s money and shut up! Anyone who was truly struggling would gladly accept it and move on. And the whiny voice used for their dialogues by the narrator of Kit’s part of the book only further cemented my hatred of their character.

Kit is also incredibly bland. I remember practically nothing about him except that he is handsome, French and a baker… that is, if there was more to him to remember. It seems like his character only served to be in love with Theo and go on and on about how great and beautiful they were. Which, when you find them as insufferable as I previously mentioned, got annoying really fast.

If you want an amazing Casey McQuiston book, read One Last Stop, not this one.

The Pairing is the perfect summer read! I am familiar with Casey McQuiston and her books, though I had no idea about this book and its existence until I saw it on NetGalley. I was not sure what I was getting into but I was fully abord for whatever was planned. I enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed the upbeatness of the story. It was funny and I felt like I was on the beach side of Spain soaking up the sun while drinking some refreshing cocktail. McQuiston captured the vibe perfectly with her storytelling.

Both characters were interesting and well-written. This could have easily gone into a moppy and sad path, however, I am glad it remained on the positive (with the perfect tone of emotional inner turmoil). As much as I liked Theo, the book really picked up when the POV changed to Kit.

All that being said, it is another hit for McQuiston! I really enjoyed the audiobook format and would read more of her books in the future as they have not disappointed me.

4.5⭐️

Warning: do not read on an empty stomach! This book will make you extremely hungry!

The Pairing is a breathtaking, transportive, immersive experience for all the senses while having a dreamlike, ethereal feel. I think this story is remarkable in how it will connect with a multitude of readers as McQuiston builds this story around memories. McQuiston presents readers with the opportunity to journey back into our own personal experiences through certain dishes, drinks, and time we’ve spent around the table with friends… memories tied to food are so powerful and can transport us to pivotal moments of joy, heartbreak, and comfort in our past through a single bite or sip.

The collection of characters McQuiston crafted were so colorful, vivacious, and endearing and I loved how they became a family throughout their travels. Witnessing the characters break bread, swap stories, and share in joy and laughter felt magical and like coming home.

So. Much. Longing. I didn’t know if my heart would survive this second chance story and I found myself on many occasions holding my breath. The journey of healing and growth, of sharpening communication, and baring of souls that Theo and Kit went on to find their way back to each other was such an emotional experience and so honest, raw, and moving. The processing of feelings and internal debate of how much and what and when to share was so palpable and I was on the edge of my seat wondering will they or won’t they?

The Pairing is a beautiful love letter to creatives and artists who pour out their passion, inspiration, dreams, and their very souls into the art they create and share with the world. This story will turn your heart inside out and truly take your breath away with its incredible vulnerability and depth of intimacy shared.

This book was just so good with all the delectable pining and angst, one bed situations, dual POV, sex positive discussions, and beautiful ending… it was a remarkable experience!

I was able to read along with both my eyes and ears and really enjoyed the dual narration and getting to hear the story in both Theo and Kit’s voices, but I didn’t love all the choices Max Meyers made when reading Theo’s lines. It made Theo’s character sound a little out of touch and slightly flighty. But, I loved loved Emma Galvin’s narration.

The narrators did a fabulous job bringing this book to life! They both created very distinct voices for each character which made for a nice immersive listening experience. And I really enjoyed the music between each part along with the authors comments on each pairing!

As for the story, I'm already a fan of Casey's writing so 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, their journey and everything about it. I started listening and just couldn't stop, 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 Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely adored Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue but unfortunately, I did not mesh well with her newest release. This book follows two exes on a European tour, both of whom are trying their hardest to convince themselves and each other that they are over their failed relationship.

The Pairing was far too overly-sexual for my liking. Not even “smutty” really, but just two adults who are constantly talking and thinking about sex with nearly every person they encounter. I’m no stranger to sex in books, but I was sooo over the constant horniness halfway through the book.

I also just really struggled to find proof that Kit and Theo were ever good for each other, both in their previous relationship and in their current lives. I feel like we were never shown any true bond between the two of them that amounted to anything more than sex.

Definitely a miss for me, but hopefully other readers are able to connect with this story more 🫶🏼

Theo-and-Kit, Theo-and-Kit, Theo-and-Kit. It just makes sense.
It’s a tough competition to be in, and maybe I’m overcome by recency bias, but I believe this may be my favorite CMQ book so far. The characters gripped me instantly: the intricacies of their lives intertwined with their shared history revealed in bits at a time, their striking humor and witty banter, the way they are head-over-heels for each other from the very beginning—I’m obsessed. The split novel dual POV is a delectable choice to let readers into Kit’s mind after getting the scoop from Theo first.
The narrators did a phenomenal job—especially with the accents—in bringing these characters to life, and the music intro with each chapter was the icing on the cake.
This novel is sweet, spicy, savory—a whole feast, truly. I devoured every bit.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title.

I hated it! And I hate that I hated it because I was so excited for this but the plot felt so aimless, the story lagged majorly by the half way point, the side characters lacked spark, the main characters were insufferable and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it

I loved this audio - hearing the characters' voices.
The tension between Kit and Theo. Gah smoking! Learning about each other, reconnecting and a new maturity. Loved it.
Second chance. Miscommunication. I was HOOKED.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
The Pairing was a second chance romance about two lifelong friends/exes who accidentally book the same European food tour. As the only two single people on the tour, they’re forced to interact for three straight weeks all while pretending they’re not still in love with each other.
This book was HORNY with a capital H. Double underlined. Italicized. Both main characters were just always doubled horned up on a Tuesday. The whole time I kept thinking “aren’t they TIRED???? Aren’t they HUNGOVER???? How do they have so much ENERGY for this???” The food and drink descriptions were really interesting and I did really like the secondary characters. Second chance romances aren’t my favorite and Theo wasn’t my favorite character. I found them sort of annoying and pretty crass often, but maybe I’m just a hater. I really love Casey mcquiston’s books and this one was unfortunately my least favorite so far. I still enjoyed it, but compared to her others I just didn’t love it.
3.75⭐️

I have been a devoted Casey McQuiston fan since reading Red, White, and Royal Blue several years ago. Although I'm not sure my love for that book can ever be replaced, I did find The Pairing quite enjoyable. I loved the dual perspectives of the relationship and the complexities of the characters. As always, McQuiston does a fantastic job with queer representation in her books.

Throughout the entire book, I was left wanting to plan a European vacation. Or, at the very least, I was left craving some pasta and wine or perhaps a compari spritz. I loved the inclusion of the food and drink 'pairings' to set the tone for each chapter.

If I had to give any critique, it would be that the book was slightly longer than it needed to be and, at times, felt a bit monotonous. For some reason, there was also a disconnect to me from the way I pictured the characters in my mind and the narrators chosen. However, all that aside, this is still a book I will highly recommend!

Even though I couldn't relate to these characters, I liked reading this story a lot. Kit and Theo are fully developed as characters individually, making my desire to root for them stronger. This is basically a second chance romance where these two childhood friends reconnect after a falling out. Now, was this falling out completely centered around miscommunication? Yes. But did it diminish my enjoyment of seeing them come back together? Absolutely not.

I read this as an audiobook and really enjoyed both narrators on top of the small sections of music tha accompanied each of the pairings. I can't comment on how good the pronunciation is of the French and Italian words, but the Spanish was quite good. I'll admit when someone goes too hard on the pronunciation of foreign words when speaking English, I do cringe a little bit, but that could just be a me thing. Nonetheless, I am so happy I read this as an audiobook! I had already preordered the physical book, but the audiobook is a great way to go for this story.

Theo and Kit definitely tasted a lot of wine, food, and local residents during this tour, making reading this book an experience that you feel with more than one sense. There's a lot of sex scenes, but they are all affective at being hot. I loved seeing these two bi icons whore around Europe while falling back in love with each other! It was funny, sexy, and understatedly sweet!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy of this audiobook.

I like McQuiuston's books and this didn't disappoint. It was a good romance and I enjoyed reading it. There was some cheesy parts but it was still really good because McQuiston doesn't overdo it with the romance. I think it was a fun concept and was pulled off well. I really like the narration and the narration was soothing while also showing the emotions of the character.s

I received an arc of this audiobook through NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

I gave this book 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

I love the way Casey McQuiston writes! This is my fourth book by her and this did not disappoint! I also love the narration!

This is about Theo and Kit and their relationship from kids to adults. They started out as best friends, always there for eachother. As they got a little older they realized they loved eachother V and tried a romantic relationship. Due to a mistake/misunderstanding, they both believed the other didn’t want to be with each other anymore and’ stopped talking.

Years later, they coincidentally met up on a tour (lots of wine, food, and alcohol in this book) and rekindle their friendship and maybe more.

I loved both Kits and Theo’s personalities, especially together! It was fun to experience each one through the eyes of the other because they both held eachother in such high esteem. They definitely had me swooning throughout!

I highly recommend this, and I’m glad I got to read this during summer and Pride month! Definitely a beautiful story!

Casey McQuiston is literally an author whose novels are hit or miss for me. I've loved half of them, and I've been indifferent-to-meh of the other half.

This had my interest until about 40% of the way into the book, and it started to drag for me.
I did enjoy the travels, though

This was a book filled with tension. It had some of the author’s style from other books but this seems to be a standout different genre of book. It may appeal to a different readership than what they had before.

I really enjoyed the romance the most. The characters were interesting and had such depth. The research the author did truly shines because wow that food sounded great! (Warning: don’t read when you’re hungry!). I enjoyed this second chance romance and how the characters came together.

This was just personal preference but I didn’t love the challenge that was set up. I just thought it was kind of superficial, but I guess being out of my 20s, I am not in that “scene” anymore.

The story is definitely one for any reader to pick up. I feel like many readers will find themselves in some of the characters’ stories. It was very romantic, sexy, and interesting which was quite refreshing. If we don’t see this book on the bestseller list, I’ll be very surprised! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my review.

"The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston is a delightful and emotionally charged journey through some of Europe's most romantic cities, masterfully blending humor, heartache, and rekindled romance. Theo and Kit, once inseparable, find themselves on a collision course with their past when they both decide to use their long-forgotten European tour vouchers separately—only to end up on the same trip.

McQuiston's writing shines with wit and charm, utilizing alternating points of view to deepen the reader's connection with both Theo and Kit. This switch in perspective enriches the narrative, offering a nuanced look at gender and perception, particularly through Theo's eyes. Theo's transformation into a confident bartender and aspiring sommelier contrasts beautifully with Kit's rise as a celebrated pastry chef in Paris, creating a rich tapestry of character development and growth.

The playful wager to woo their tour guide adds a fun and sexy twist, but it's the underlying tension and unresolved feelings between Theo and Kit that truly captivate. As they travel through France, Spain, and Italy, readers are treated to lush descriptions and a poignant exploration of what it means to rediscover love. The alternating viewpoints also highlight how Theo's gender identity influences his experiences and perceptions, adding depth to his character and the overall narrative.

"The Pairing" is a must-read for romance enthusiasts, offering a perfect blend of humor, sensuality, and heartfelt moments. McQuiston expertly crafts a story that reminds us sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can't have, while also engaging in a meaningful conversation about identity and self-perception.

The entire time I was listening to The Pairing, I felt like I could close my eyes and smell every note, taste every pastry, and feel the tension between Theo and Kit. The narrators brought this story to life in such a bright, authentic way. The accents, the intonations, the difference between the voices was absolutely delightful. It made me love the book that much more.

Reading a few reviews before starting this book I was a little worried it wouldn’t compare to the author’s past books that I’ve loved. It doesn’t top ‘Red, White, & Royal Blue’ or ‘One Last Stop’ for me, but the characters grew on me, even if I wanted to shake some sense into Theo and Kit at times. While some characters they met along their European adventure felt a bit over the top/exaggerated at times, overall it was a fun read (or listen) and exploring the touristy sights and tastes alongside Kit and Theo makes you want to start saving for your own trip. It won’t replace my other McQuiston favorites, but the book’s premise was fun, the cast of characters were entertaining, everything described sounded delicious, and the pining/angst was so real. I enjoyed the audiobook, including the narration, and the dual perspectives of Theo and Kit. If you enjoy messy love stories, fierce friendships, irreverent humor, and people just trying to figure their shit out, you’ll probably like this book.

Thanks for NetGalley for the audiobook.