Theo and Kit, two exes with a complicated past, were once childhood best friends, then crushes, and eventually in love—until a messy breakup tore them apart. Four years later, each decides to redeem their unused vouchers for a European food and wine tour, thinking they’ll travel solo. But they end up on the same tour bus, embarking on a three-week journey through the most romantic cities in France, Spain, and Italy. What starts as an attempt to prove they’re over each other turns into a playful hookup competition, but as they explore stunning locations, indulge in delicious food, and savor fine wines, they begin to wonder if their story is really over.
I’ve read all of Casey McQuiston’s books, and while The Pairing wasn’t my favorite, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. I found it a bit hard to believe that all of Europe seemed to be attracted to Theo and Kit, and I liked Kit more than Theo. The vivid descriptions of the places they visit, the food they taste, and the wine they drink really brought the story to life for me.
The audio version, narrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers, was well done, with both narrators bringing the characters and story to life. Thank you St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the gifted copies.

I really enjoyed the narration of the story. The voices suited the characters well, and I liked hearing Casey narrate some too!

I wanted to like this one, but I was bored reading it. Theo and Kit had booked a European tour back when they were still together. After they broke up, they each received a voucher for the tour in the future. Coincidentally, they both booked the same week (4 years later right before it expires) and ended up on the same food and wine tour bus through France and Italy. I never connected with either Theo or Kit as main characters. They seemed whiny and overly sexual. I usually enjoy a second-chance romance, but the fact that Theo and Kit kept trying to “one up” each other during this vacation in Europe, was not great. The plot was lacking, and I can’t remember a single side character. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator never brought me in. Unfortunately, this book was not memorable. On to the next.

I tried to like this book. I really did. The concept is simple: two lovers headed for a European trip break up on the plane before the trip. One flies back to the States, and the other moves to France. But lucky them—they get vouchers to take the trip at a later time. Lo and behold, they meet up again since they, obviously, chose the same date, albeit years later, for the trip. As far as I can tell, all they did was drink, hook up with others... many others... and lament about their past. Every character in the book was young, attractive, and bisexual. There were no meaningful secondary characters and no depth to anyone.

Gender identity, sexual identity, and self-worth are strong themes.
The narration of the story was excellent.

If you're looking for a light read with lots of sex, then this is your book.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

Everything about this book was delectable! Theo and Kit's relationship is so layered, complex, beautiful and so messy (deliciously so). Their relationship paired with the descriptions of their travels and the food was incredible! I could say so much about this book, but I'm afraid everything would be a spoiler. I've read everything McQuiston has written since their debut, and it's been so great to see how much they've grown! McQuiston just keeps getting better and better!

I recently just came back from a trip to Venice, Florence and Rome and seeing these places and then reading about the characters experiences in those same places seemed to heighten my reading experience; though this book would be a great way to experience a euro-summer! If you're traveling soon, or need a quick get away try this book!

Casey is my favorite author so I'm extremely happy that I received this arc! I loved this book so much. Not quite as much as One Last Stop but close. Thank you so much for letting have this arc. I also love that Casey narrated the audiobook!

2.5 stars. ummm what was this book? I love love love love Casey's books but this one was not good. From the description this book should be every thing I like, but oh my god the first half of half of the book is boring and oh my god Theo is the worst person on the planet. I am honestly grateful for the ambiguous ending because I can choose to believe they don't end up together. I was hoping this book would make me excited for my trip to France this fall, but it only made me mad.
That being said, I did enjoy the narrators for the audiobook. Emma Galvin and Max Meyers did their best to bring these two to life and honestly the audiobook was probably the only thing that kept me going in the beginning of the book.

This book was a really fun time with our two main characters on a food and wine tour of Europe. I enjoyed the story and the side characters a lot. My biggest issue with this book was I felt like I didn’t really know who the characters were and how they saw themselves. It felt like everything we learned about the characters was what the other character was saying about them.

I am sort of at a loss for how to review The Pairing. It is a love story between two people, Kit and Theo, who broke up right before a food tour of Europe, only to be reunited years later on the same tour before their voucher expired. I loved these characters. They were so well-developed, so multi-dimensional, so honest. I laughed out loud so many times - big guffaws. It made me hungry with the food descriptions. I loved the romance. But it was also a bit long and seemed a bit repetitive. And while I loved the romance, the competition between Kit and Theo on the trip made my romantic heart hurt and I may have said argh a few times. So take that for what it is….

Casey McQuiston is one of the few romance writers that I enjoy reading and as always, her book did not disappoint. This story follows Theo and Kit, childhood best friends and now estranged exes who find themselves on the same European food and wine tour, an experience they'd booked together years prior but didn't think the other would be on at the same time.

The set up? Ridiculous, I love it. It's a very sort-of cute and corny way to introduce the characters and their personalities. I instantly loved both of them and really enjoyed getting their backstories of what they'd done throughout their years apart to bring them to the present in Europe. Also I just have to say, I started reading this book HOME from my trip to Italy (I never read book synopses before I start them) and this whole story made me just want to get on a flight back to Europe immediately.

This book is spicy! I hate spice without plot, but luckily that was never the case here. Theo and Kit were so complicated and had so much depth, I loved watching them grow and learn throughout this book. The side characters were also very fun (albeit a little over-the-top) but I think they really added some light-hearted energy to the story. This was the perfect summer romance read and I really enjoyed it!

I have loved Casey McQuiston's previous books, but this one was not for me. This was a second chance romance on a whirlwind trip through Europe. I didn't have any attachments to the two main characters, Theo and Kit. In the previous books, the supporting characters played a big part in the story and in this book that wasn't the case. It was really a struggle for me to finish the book. I really didn't care if they got back together or not. I had to switch from the audiobook to the book because I didn't enjoy the narrator for Theo.

My ranking of their previous books are: 1. One Last Stop, 2. Red, White, and Royal Blue, 3. I Kissed Shara Wheeler.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book and Macmillan Audio for the advanced digital copy of the audiobook.

The pairing by Casey Mcquinston
Publication date: August 6th 2024

I got the ARC of the audiobook on netgalley thanks to macmillan audio.

The poetic and descriptive writing is chefs kiss omg. This book is so funny and witty I feel like I know Theo.

-we love forced proximity and second chance they are stuck on a European trip together
-the way Theo describes Kit makes me fall in love with every detail about him you fall in love with him through them😭🥹

My thoughts while listening to the book:

-this book had me feeling like i’m on trip in Europe this book is perfect for the summer
-Ouuu this book making giddy and tingling
-They are literally competing who can get someone while fighting the feelings they have for each other 😩
-Their sexual tension is TENSIONING 🤪
-One BED TROPE HELL YEAH 🥳
-The spice is spicing 👀
-This book did feel a little long but I still ate it up wow
-“i’ve never loved Theo more than in this moment. Love took root in me before I learned its name….” 😭
-the meaning behind pairing the title 😭
-this book was beautiful I feel like I came back from a trip from europe wow

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will forever and ever be a Casey McQuiston fan. This book, sadly, will be lowest in my rankings from them. The premise is fantastic. Two exes go on a wine and food tour of Europe four years after their split. I am here for the second-chance romance. What I'm not a fan of is the lack of communication about their real feelings and waiting so long to talk about what happened that fateful day 4 years ago. That being said, the sex positivity is great and I love the unapologetic queerness in the book. I do wish there wasn't as much hooking up with other people during the tour but that is most likely just a personal choice. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around "I love you but I'm going to go do this with them over there." The queerness, though, and the discussions around how they both changed was everything and the reason this book was saved for me. If you are a foodie, you will salivate at all the descriptions of their meals and snacks throughout their journey. It felt very European throughout, providing the best escape from my own couch here in the States. The audio for this one was very well done. Reading it in this format puts the reader right in the scene with the accents and personalities of all the characters on the tour.

Overall, this wasn't a top read for me but I still enjoyed it and loved certain aspects. I will always be wanting the next Casey McQuiston. One of my favorite things about their books is how very different (and yet fantastic) each one is. I cannot wait to see what's next.

This was a fun second chance romance that paired food, wine, travel, humor, and spice. These characters are unapologetically queer and horny. I was rooting for these characters the whole time, even though I was mainly thinking just stop miscommunicating/not communicating and just admit your feelings already! This book had a lot of pining so if you enjoy that you will love this one.
I did find the fact that the book was split up into 2 POVs but instead of alternating it was 1 for the first half and 1 for the second a bit jarring, but that is probably because I knew one of my favorite narrators was narrating the second half and I just wanted to hear him haha. But that being said, I get why it was done that way and I think that it did work for the story because alternating would have definitely taken away from the impact of the second half. It's just not a type of dual POV that I see very often. Also the second half was definitely my favorite half of the book. It was just great getting into Kit's head after being in Theo's.
Overall another good queer book from Casey McQuiston

Audiobook specific: both narrators were good but Max Meyers is definitely a favorite to listen to.

Content warning: spicy content, death of parent, grief

Thank you to @macmillainaudio for an ALC. All thoughts are my own.

This book definitely delivers on the horny in Europe promise here, because that’s what you’ll get here. I do wish we had more of Theo and Kit’s relationship before the breakup and a little more depth. Theo is a bit insufferable at times, and didn’t love their nepo baby bit. Loved the travel writing of it all with the food and drink talk, and overall pretty solid.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC!

Casey McQuiston knocked it out of the park with this one! I fell in love with the two chaotic bisexuals fumbling their way through the narrative. Theo and Kit are complicated, compassion, and so hot. The smut scenes in the book were on point and the descriptions of food made me drool ( funnily enough, these takes are interchangeable). The narrator for each characters perspective also did a great jobs of adding a personal touch to the inner monologue.

I loved this book so much I went out and bought a special edition! Sexy and fun ride with really great characters. Highly recommend!

Casey McQuiston first captured my heart with their debut novel, Red, White, and Royal Blue. I was completely enamored by the story of the American President's son falling in love with the British Prince. The cleverly plotted forbidden romance, along with a diverse and brilliantly crafted supporting cast, made the world feel incredibly real. Naturally, I eagerly anticipated more from McQuiston, but their next book, One Last Stop, didn’t quite meet my high expectations. McQuiston returns now with another new novel, The Pairing, a globe-trotting second-chance romance.

Kit and Theo have known each other since childhood. As best friends, their bond eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship. However, their romance fell apart during a trip to Europe, culminating in a nasty breakup on a plane that ended any chance of a future together. Part of the fallout included canceling a planned European food and wine tour. They went their separate ways, left with nothing but a voucher to reschedule the nonrefundable tour.

Four years later, Kit and Theo are living completely separate lives. Theo returned to the US, working as a craft cocktail mixologist while studying to become a sommelier. Kit stayed in Europe, attended pastry school, and became a pastry chef in a world-class Paris restaurant. The wounds of their past relationship have started to heal as they focus on their individual careers and casual relationships. But when they both decide to redeem their food and wine tour voucher at the last possible moment, Kit and Theo are suddenly thrust back into each other’s lives.

There’s a lot happening in The Pairing that should have made me enjoy it. Casey McQuiston forces her protagonists into a second chance at love by placing them on a weeks-long tour, where they have no choice but to interact. Theo knows wine, and Kit knows food. It's a perfect match, leading to the pair coming together naturally during this food and wine expedition. McQuiston's novels have always been inclusive, and this one is no exception. Both characters are pansexual, and one is revealed to be nonbinary. I loved how McQuiston effortlessly switched to using neutral pronouns for this character after the revelation. It truly is that simple, and it baffles me why or how anyone could have an issue with using someone’s preferred pronouns.

Unfortunately, that’s where the positives ended for me. Kit and Theo decide to challenge each other to see who can sleep with the most people during their tour. This premise felt contrived and out of character for them. The competition aspect seemed off and made the plot feel repetitive. Each new section was another city, filled with more descriptions of meals and the sexual conquests of the main characters with the ever-willing locals. This pattern persisted for most of the book, and by three-quarters of the way through, I was just ready for the story to end.

Most disappointing, though, were the main characters themselves. All their troubles stemmed from a simple problem: they didn’t talk to each other. Miscommunication caused their breakup and continued to hamper their supposedly rekindled feelings for each other. Ultimately, The Pairing features a clever setup that never fully comes together into an emotionally satisfying whole. While I appreciate McQuiston's knack for writing diverse characters into romances, I’m starting to think their debut was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that may not be captured again.

This is hands down one of the best books of the year I've read. This epic love story soans decades. Casey McQuistion delicately addresses learning disabilities, fear, the struggle of self worth and acceptance. When 2 souls are meant to be the tale is woven beautifully and is absolutely exquisite. The narration bring another level to this amazing novel

I absolutely loved this book! I won’t be able to stop thinking about it.
The amount of care and detail that Casey put into every line of this book was extremely noticeable. I mean I could taster everything the two of them ate, like I was right there with them!
I absolutely adored Theo, they were such a delight. So fun and they knew who they were and weren’t afraid to take up space in the world. Their humor and confidence was truly inspiring.
This is hand’s down Casey’s best book yet, I mean, wow! It was sexy and lovely