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

The pacing was a bit slow with this one, but I enjoyed it overall. Red White and Royal Blue is still my favorite by this author!

Prior to their newest release, I had read two of Casey McQuiston’s books and loved both. I was excited to read their third adult novel, The Pairing, out this week.

This one is a second chance romance between two childhood best friends, Kit and Theo, who had dated before a bad breakup four years ago. On the cusp of taking a European food tour, they went their separate ways and never spoke again. But they both had vouchers to take the tour within 48 months, and both happen to have booked it now at the same time. Kit and Theo will have to spend a few weeks together. Awkward due to their breakup… but maybe a chance to mend things and become friends again. Or a chance to have a sex competition, whatever! But is that all a distraction from the feelings they still have for each other?

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- Second chance romance
- Childhood best friends to lovers to exes to lovers
- Forced proximity
- First-person POVs (both Theo and Kit)

What I Liked:
- Settings in England, France, Spain, and Italy. I love travel and any books set in other countries. (Especially Spain, since I lived there for a year!) I enjoyed following the main characters on a tour across these countries, seeing the sights, taking in the culture, and practicing the languages.
- Food! Did I mention that it was a food tour they’re on? There are plenty of descriptions of local cuisines, desserts, and drinks that will make your mouth water.
- Bisexual characters. Both Kit and Theo are bisexual, and they have insightful conversations about their sexualities. They also have a lot of fun with their sex competition, sometimes going after the same people.
- One of the characters is nonbinary. This is revealed later in the book, so sorry for the slight spoiler. Regardless, I don’t read nonbinary main characters often, and it’s nice to see the representation here, as well as the characters’ discussions about gender identity.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- So much drinking. I don’t drink so I can’t relate.
- Kind of too much sex? I’m not a prude, and I like my spicy romances, but this book sometimes feels a bit too hyper-fixated on the characters’ horniness and constant need for sex. It could have used more breathing room from that to balance it out.
- Slightly juvenile? All of Casey McQuiston’s books have a certain youthfulness to them that makes them feel somewhat New Adult as opposed to just Adult. Not a problem at all, but not quite what I usually want from otherwise adult characters.

Audiobook
Emma Galvin and Max Meyers narrate as Theo and Kit, respectively. Theo is given an energetic, strong voice, while Kit has a softer and more whimsical tone; both match their characters perfectly. They don’t necessarily sound how I would have imagined in my own head (in terms of vocal inflection), but the voice actors do bring the characters to vivid life here.

Final Thoughts
The Pairing is a great book that will appeal to foodies and people who like wine, anyone who loves travel and likes books set in Europe, and fans of second chance romances. It has a youthful energy, and with the sex competition between Kit and Theo, it’s on the spicier end of spectrum. I liked the characters and overall enjoyed the whole story, even if some elements weren’t entirely to my taste (pun intended).

This book is so delightful! The humor had me absolutely cracking up laughing and the characters have so much depth, I felt like I knew them. This book was also such a treat for the senses with Casey’s writing beautifully describing the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of each new destination. I could taste the warm crusty bread and smell the salt air in this book.

Theo and Kit’s romance made sense. From the beginning you just knew these two were meant for each other, and even though this has the dreaded miscommunication trope in it, the storyline around this actually made sense in a way that you could see happening in real life (read: not just two people never asking the one question they want answered). This book sings with queer joy, and I would HIGHLY recommend listening to it as the duet narration is perfectly executed as were the music cues for each new destination.

Thank you for providing the audiobook in addition to the digital galley. I always prefer to switch back and for or read while listening to narration.

I already reviewed the content, so I’ll focus this review on audio feedback. I found the female narrator to be enjoyable and easy to listen to. The male narrator, however, was too performative and drastically changed Kit’s character compared to how he was portrayed during the first half of the book. I can see that he got cast because of how well he performs the accents and supporting roles, but his portrayal of Kit was way over the top,

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an alc in exchange for my honest review!

wow. what a disappointment. this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year! since i basically breathe red, white, and royal blue, i was excited for this one. but this didn't bring any of that casey mcquiston magic that i've come to love. it honestly felt like it was written by a completely different author. the characters were unbearably boring (also whiny and annoying with no character development at all), the dialogue was cringe, the plot was chaotic, and the pacing was so S L O W. a friends to lovers second chance with a sex olympics adventure through europe? right up my alley!!! but my god, nothing went right lol. one would have thought that a plot like that would bring a ton of fun and adventure but instead i was fighting sleep as i listened to these two characters unravel. also, you find out why they broke up pretty early on and it really didn't need to be that dramatic or cause for 4 years to get over. i can't.

this didn't need to be as long as it was. i had to force myself to get through this.

Great narrators and I loved the intro lines read by the author at the start of each chapter. After listening to the first half of the book from Theo’s POV, I struggled a little bit with Kit’s narration. Even though I knew it was Kit’s turn to narrate I sometime forgot who was speaking in first person. I love the choice to tell the story this way though, it makes sense.

As a personal preference, there was too much sex for me. I love Theo and Kit separately and together but I didn’t need all of the sex scenes. It was a lot.

The secondary characters were also wonderful and there is so so much queer representation. Casey McQuiston has this ability to write complex,loveable, charming characters and I always feel good when I’m done reading one of their books.

Thank you to SMP Romance for the advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

The Pairing is a second chance romance between Theo and Kit. They were originally childhood best friends who became lovers. The two broke up right before taking a culinary tour of Europe together. And now, they have somehow both managed to rebook for the same trip years later just as their vouchers would expire.

What I loved about the book was the amazing food descriptions. This story made me want to travel through Europe, eating all of the amazing food at the same amazing sites. The chapters were fairly long, with each named for and lasting as long as the tour stop.

I love seeing a book that is bi for bi and also appreciated the trans rep, but for me, this one leaned into bisexual stereotypes too much. It seemed to play up the idea of promiscuity that I find far too commonly used as an insult. And that regularly took me out of being able to enjoy the story.

The writing was fantastic, and I appreciated that the dual POVs were split between the front and back half. And I appreciated the author's essay about their approach.

There was great narration by professional narrators, Emma Galvin and Max Meyers. I didn't appreciate the interludes from Casey McQuiston, as they were a much faster speaking rate. I prefer fiction to always be narrated solely by professionals.

3.75 stars rounded up

Just who does Casey McQuiston think they are and what right do they have to do this to me?

With descriptions of delicious pastries and sumptuous meals paired with masterfully described drink after drink as they slowly make their way through France, Spain, and Italy, my foodie heart was completely entranced.

This is the most sensual experience you can have out loud in public.

Theo and Kit were childhood best friends - inseparable - and then idealistic lovers, and then, during a transcontinental flight to enjoy three weeks traveling through Europe to enjoy food and drink, angry, misunderstood exes.

Four years later, their vouchers about to expire, the two have the same idea, which becomes apparent when they find themselves on the same tour bus. Take the tour they’d meant to take together on their own.

The time apart has given them a chance to grow up, to find success and to take lovers, to get over one another.

But Kit has never gotten over Theo, and Theo quickly learns they haven’t either. And so, thrown together, this sommelier and pastry chef, amidst the most romantic setting, they agree to…see who can have the most hook ups with people they meet on the trip.

I have loved many romance books, but this one is masterful. The narration is top notch - and includes a delightful surprise - and should not be missed. Theo is cheeky and messy, Kit warm and neat. Both are absolutely beautifully rendered, the sort of characters I begin to believe are real people who I root for when the story ends.

I’ll be buying a trophy copy for sure.

How do I feel about the book? I’ll quote Theo to answer: “I was born a dumb hot horny creature.”

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the eARC. This one came out August 6, 2024.

Thank you to St. Martin's and MacMillan Audio for the review copies of The Pairing by Casey McQuiston. This queer-inclusive, second-chance, friends-to-lovers story is rich with detail about wine, food, and Europe... but it didn’t quite work for me.

I’ve loved McQuiston’s previous books—the sapphic YA Shara Wheeler, the charming and endearing Red, White & Royal Blue, and the magical One Last Stop. In those stories, I felt the characters' connections, their desire to be understood, and the undeniable chemistry between them. I reveled in the joy of loving the characters, rooting for their relationships, and enjoying their banter. Unfortunately, I never reached that point with The Pairing.

While I appreciated the richness of the setting, I struggled to understand the attraction between Kit and Theo. Much of the writing made me feel disconnected from them, as I found them somewhat whiny, unlikable, and misguided in their pursuits. It might just be me, but this one didn’t land—and I’m heartbroken over that. For me, this book didn’t have the signature McQuiston style and character dynamics that I’ve come to adore.

Regarding the audiobook, I usually appreciate voice acting, even when a book doesn’t fully resonate with me. However, in this case, I found the narration distracting. It didn't help me connect with or appreciate the writing or the characters, which might be because I was already struggling to engage with the book itself.

I’m sure The Pairing will be a big win for many others, and I recognize its potential significance as an important, valuable, and needed read for queer and bisexual identities. I plan to read other reviews to see if there are themes and aspects I may have missed, in hopes of understanding who connected with this book and perhaps reconsidering it for a reread.

Red White and Royal Blue is one of my favorite books of all time. I think Casey McQuiston is a beautiful writer but the story didn't work for me in this case. I didn't like that the two main characters repeatedly slept with other people and the plot started to feel repetitive as well as the food descriptions. I did really enjoy the insight into identifying as non binary. I think non romance readers might enjoy this more. It doesn't really feel like a romance to me.

Emma Galvin and Max Meyers did a great job with the audio! I have enjoyed both of their narration of other books as well!

Second chance romance and travel are two of my favorite things. Both are very well done in The Pairing. McQuiston is great at writing charming, vulnerable queer characters. My only issue was the annoying miscommunication/lack of communication that resulted in their breakup to begin with. But I enjoyed their forced travel experiences and how they became reconnected.

Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 5/5
Plot Development 4/5
Character Development 5/5
Narration 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 4/5

I’ve been a fan of Casey McQuiston’s books for a while now, and know that her books are guaranteed to give off some witty banter, laughs, and a great romance. Naturally, I leaped at the opportunity to read the ARC, and then NetGalley sweetened the pot by providing access to the audiobook version as well!

The audiobook was narrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers, and both did a good job with the characters. I was surprised at how the POV chapters were divided, with the first half of the book being told from Theo’s perspective, and then the second half being told through Kit’s eyes. The structure didn’t work as well for me, since it didn’t really allow me, as a reader, to connect with Kit for half the book, so by the time his chapters started, I was already not feeling his character.

Maybe this is my own internalized gender bias showing, but I thought the cover illustration was of two guys, until through the reading I realized that Theo was short for Theodora, and for a lot of the book, I was confused about Theo’s gender identity. Kit and others refer to Theo as a girl for significant portions of the book, but then McQuiston does a great job with exploring Theo’s journey of their own gender identity. While the gender identity subject was discussed well, I thought the bisexual representation played heavily into the slutty bisexual stereotype—with the central premise of the story being a hookup competition. The romance takes a long time to kick in, probably because they’re so focused on avoiding feelings by getting naked with someone else.

I would have loved seeing more of the travel aspects of the story—the characters go to some really interesting cities and I’m sure they do a lot of cool stuff, but everything started to feel so repetitive that the cities blended together and got lost in the shuffle. It was overly formulaic—travel to new place, eat, drink, have a casual hookup, lather, rinse, repeat. The characters all came across at petty and immature, and I really struggled with getting invested in their lives and their f*ck-your-way-across-Europe competition. However, I found it incredibly fascinating to see how differently sommeliers (even ones in training) experience flavors. But this book might be a better fit for you if you enjoy second-chance romance in clueless characters, raunchy competitions, and if you’re all about foodies and winies (is that even a word? Well, it should be!).

When SMP addresses the concerns of readers and reviewers I will send my full review. Until then I am withholding my review during the St. Martin's Press boycott.

I’m so sad that I didn’t enjoy this audiobook more! I’ve adored all of Casey McQuiston’s other novels. So, my hopes were high!

Before I dive in, let me say that the queer representation was wonderful. I saw close friends and family on these pages, so that aspect of my listening experience felt incredibly special. I also thought that the narrators did a fantastic job, and I loved the music intros for each chapter, plus the author's cameos. The food descriptions were also fun, and it's obvious that the various European regions and delicacies were well-researched.

Unfortunately, several other factors pushed the book into the “just not for me” category. A big one was that I couldn’t buy into the romance. It’s clear early on that Theo and Kit have a long history together. There’s so much rich backstory to delve into but we get very little of it. They’re just…in love. But why?? I couldn’t tell you and that left me unable to connect with either character.

The overall structure of the novel contributed to my disconnect as well. The first half is told from Theo’s perspective, while the second is told from Kit’s. Multiple POVs work for me when the perspective shifts happen consistently throughout the book. But only hearing one POV at a time for such a long stretch felt like being a friend caught between two people arguing. I got each side of the story separately, but couldn't connect the dots.

And that brings me to the main bummer factor…major use of the miscommunication trope. There's a long build-up to revealing what drove Theo and Kit apart, and it hinges on a single misunderstanding. Even after realizing how easily their fight could have been resolved, Theo and Kit continued miscommunicating. It was baffling and left me feeling frustrated.

As mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the author’s previous books! So I’m considering this one a rogue wave that sent me to Outlier Island for the summer. Please bring the boat back around when Casey McQuiston releases their next book! I will happily jump aboard. :)

My fave book by Casey so far! This second chance romance will have you traveling through Europe, and felt quite bougie. I really liked the queer representation and the tension between the main characters was alive & well! My favorite part was all the side characters who make up the found family, which Casey always writes so well. The narration was fun, especially the intro between each chapter!!