While not my favourite book of Casey’s it was enjoyable, the book was clearly well researched and a fun read.

The pairing feels a lot more gown up than their other books so far which was a fun surprise, I loved the amount of diversity included and I think someone would struggle not to see at least a little of themselves in the characters.

While Theo and Kit are flawed they were very well written and well rounded characters that I was rooting for until the end b

As entertaining as other books from Casey McQuinston. A rather cool summer read, especially for foodies and travel lovers,

Casey McQuiston delivers another gem with *The Pairing*, a story that’s as delicious as it is emotionally satisfying. This book mixes romance with a dash of witty banter and a generous helping of character depth. McQuiston’s signature style—sharp dialogue, engaging characters, and a plot that keeps you hooked—shines through, making *The Pairing* a must-read. It’s a dish best served with a side of laughter and a sprinkle of swoon-worthy moments.

Looking for the perfect queer summer romance? This is it!
It's perfection. The trip across Europe that makes you want to be there, the food descriptions that make your mouth water and the queer representation?
It's all so good!
I love how Casey McQuiston set up the bi-exes and that one of them even identified as non-binary and how that was introduced and handled.
The only flaws I could find in this book were a few too many sex scenes for my taste (really wouldn't have needed them, the rest of the story was more than enough) and that I am now hungry and want to go on that vacation.

It took me a bit of time to get into this book. I admittedly do not relate super well to characters like this and relationships like this, though this does not by any means make them bad, just more difficult for me to connect to them emotionally. I also did struggle to engage with a romance book where the first half is them trying to sleep with other people, but I acknowledge they were both consenting and into it. It's just not necessarily what I'm looking for in an romance. When it switched to Kit's perspective, it started working more for me because it focused more on how they loved each other. I think Kit is also just more emotional as a character than Theo, so that worked better for me. I appreciated the representation, and it was well-written.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of The Pairing by Casey McQuiston,

I was so excited to have an early copy of this book because I love Casey Mcquiston and their queer stories. However, I ended up not liking this book as much as I thought. Funnily enough, a lot of people disliked the first part of the book with Theo's POV when it ended up my "favourite". I was happy for the queer representation in this book. I really liked the depiction of food and drinks.

I started reading this book in London where the story starts and when I went back to Paris, they also went to Paris which was really nice. I wish I could have done the all tour with the food, the architectures etc...

What I mostly disliked was the other sides characters. I felt like they were only here to have s*xual relationships with. They had no depth. I am glad that we have positive s*x books but when the main characters Theo and Kit met new people, they instantly think about having s*x with those people. Knowing someone ? Making friends ? Nah, just thinking about maybe having a threesome !
Also, Sloane (Theo's sister) saying she is where she is because of her talent and not acknowledging the fact that she is a nepo baby kind of annoyed me. No shame in being a nepo baby, but don't pretend you had NO help in your situation, especially when you tell your sibling that they should use that situation to their advantages.

I feel mixed about the ending, I know it's a romance so this is obvious how it ends but I just felt like the two characters could have worked a little bit more on themselves. But I was also thrilled to have a happy ending. But at that point of the book, I just did not care enough about them to really feel anything.

Overall, I would rate this book probably a 2.75 out of 5. Not my fave but I will continue to read Casey Mcquiston's books.

This is a DNF for me unfortunately! I always try really hard to avoid DNFing an ARC but this book is just not for me.

I'm finding it really hard to get through, the characters are unlikeable and the setting of Europe seems so over the top. The constant descriptions of food and wine are boring and everything seems to be so slow. It just feels very pretentious!

It's a shame because I enjoyed One Last Stop & Red, White and Royal Blue but Casey McQuiston's other books just haven't hit the same.

I'll be honest, I unsure when I started. I assumed it would be a queer romance, because Casey McQuiston - duh. But I was confused about the identity of Kit and Theo. I didn't actually realised that Theo was AFAB until someone referred to them as "she" - not sure if this was intentional to Theo's revelation later in the book at their non-binary identity and their statement of liking to dress/appear androgynous, but it was great either way.

I really loved the food and wine tour, particularly as it is relating to both Theo and Kit's careers / expertise, I adored the idea of FairFlower and really wanted them to pursue it, so was thrilled when they came up with FieldDay and pursued that. The book was filled with tensions of all kinds, but particularly sexual tension. It was amazing - read it.

A great friends to lovers, second chance romance, slightly smutty read. Mild miscommunication trope, but the rest of the book made up for it! Basically - read the damn book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a review.
I have loved Casey McQuiston since RWRB and was delighted to receive this ARC. 'The Pairing' is a very different vibe - sexy and romantic and full of heartbreak. This is a story of two horny bis banging their way across Europe, fucking other people and trying to ignore that their love and attraction for each other still exists years after they broke up. I loved being in witty and funny Theo's head, was so frustrated when I realised the POV was switching, and then fell in love with Kit's descriptive and romantic way of viewing the world. You really root for them, as Theo and Kit go from panicking at the sight of each other, to becoming the best friends they had been once before and finally finding their way back to each other.
'I look at her and miss her twice, once as a lover and once as the friend I had yesterday.'
What's clear is that Theo and Kit grow as individuals in their time apart, and Theo opening up to Kit about their gender identity in the later half of the book, and immediately having Kit adjust his use of pronouns, 'shes and hers' become 'they and them' is something I haven't seen often in the books I've read. It felt authentic and hopeful, no doubt due to the author's own experiences.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to CM's next book!

Okay, it looks like this book is going to be divisive.

The Pairing follows two incredibly pretentious ex-lovers who eat and fuck their way through Europe on a food tour years after their break up. If that description doesn't appeal to you, then avoid this book. But for those of you like me who love the sound of it, this might just be your dream book.

It is a deliciously decadent, hedonistic book filled with sensual descriptions of food and scenery that leaves you feeling flushed and hazy. McQuiston truly transports you through these European cities in a way that feels dreamlike, despite the very real settings. As someone who has been to most of the places, I understand the criticisms that the places are not accurately described. And yes, it isn't realistic at all for all these cities to be gay oasis where everyone wants to sleep with everyone, but that is what romance is about - the fantasy of the thing. Also, I would argue that they are written to be idealised versions of these places, as seen through the eyes of two incredibly self-absorbed people falling back in love with each other and their own lives again. They would see what they want to see.

I found this book hard to put down and have recommended it to everyone I know who 1) loves food, 2) loves a slightly obnoxious narrator or 3) is a Sagittarius.

Thanks to NetGalley, Casey McQuiston and Pan Macmillan for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Headlines:
Whiplash affections
Competitive ex-lovers
Made me hungry

This fast-paced read felt kind of longer than I expected it to feel, probably because I never fully invested in the MCs Theo and Kit. These exes had a serendipitous meeting on a food tour-extravaganza across Europe and their reunion went from awkward, to flirty to placing competitive notches on the bedpost.

There was a lot of show with very little tell about these characters and when we finally got some credible deets about half way, I felt a little disappointed. Now most readers prefer show over tell, so this might just be me who was a bit slow on the uptake. When we finally got some Kit POV, I found that a refreshing change.

It goes without saying that the queer rep in McQuiston's hands was good and well-crafted in the MCs characterisation. The foodie vibes were incredible and I was figuratively drooling at times.

Some of the misunderstanding and miscommunications were a bit much for my taste. I wanted Theo in particular to slow down and use their words. By the culmination of this read, I felt half-hearted investment which was not where I wanted to be; I wanted to love this and that hype I set myself might have been part of the problem.

Overall, not my favourite McQuiston characters or storyline but it was a solid read in many ways.

Thank you to PanMacmillan for the review copy.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book when reading. It’s beautifully written and there’s no doubt we need some more bi representation in books. In theory I should have loved it more, as it’s travel based romance, in reality it came across as kind of – dare I say – pretentious. It might very well be that if I loved food and wine and Love Island style miscommunication tropes, I would have enjoyed it more than I did. The first part was sublime. Up until Kit and Theo decided on their competition, I was hooked. After that… not as much. I *do* think a lot of people will absolutely love it, and I’ve discussed it with other bookstagrammers already, who have thoroughly enjoyed it. I may very well be in the minority, it just didn’t entirely hit the mark for me. I think the double entendre in the title should have indicated WINE! I didn't pick up on the clues!

'The Pairing' is a great read for the summer. Like every single one of McQuiston's previous works, this book showcases their strengths as a writer. It delivers a compelling story about two characters who wear their hearts on their sleeves, even when they are trying to protect them from further pain.

This book has a big heart and that's apparent in every single page, delivering a vast array of emotions with each new stop of their journey.

If you like the chaos and the heart of McQuiston's previous stories, you'll definitely enjoy this new entry to their literary canon.

I did not think I would enjoy this book… I’m European, so I don’t get excited about old European things (aka architecture and stuff) like Americans do… I’m not a foodie or wine enthusiast… So this was not gonna be my thing at all…

but it’s written by Casey’s i was going to give it a try…

Boy, was I wrong… I enjoyed this immensely! I was right about all the food and wine stuff not being my thing… I skimmed all of those bits… But the love between Theo and Kit is what kept me glued to the book and I read 90% of it in one go.
I just fell in love with those two horny idiots! 💜

if you’re unsure, I suggest you at least give it a try! I don’t regret it at all!

TL/DR: I loved it, but hated it for about half the time I was reading it. Approach with an open heart and mind.

Now that's out of the way, let me say I adore McQuiston's writing. RWARB is one of my favourite books ever and when I saw there was a book that seemed to be essentially RWARB on an MM bacchanalic tour across the food of Europe I moved so fast I may have caused a small earth tremor. It was only part way in that I realised this wasn't quite the story I thought I was getting (the (view spoiler) was a big hint now that I look back, and there were others earlier). That's on me maybe, but I'm going to otherwise try and keep this review spoiler free. The book, more than anything else, reads like a love letter to European food, wine and culture, as seen through the decidedly rose tinted specs of the young, beautiful and wealthy. I grew up on the incredible Provence books of Peter Mayle, and by book 2 he was writing about enthusiastic international readers who had come to France and attempted to recreate down to the last glass of pastis every meal described in book 1. I guarantee this book will cause Americans to do the same. I expect the unofficial Casey McQuiston tour is already in the planning stages.

As for the romance, it made me ache. It made me give up halfway through chapters in a huff. It made me rush to find someone to read a passage that had made me smile so hard it brought tears to my eyes. I am not a fan of second chance romance (that's on me), and if you're on the fence about it this book may be hard for you. I personally found it heartbreaking to watch two characters so in love with each other participate in meaningless hookup after meaningless hookup.

I'm glad I stuck with it through the OTT sexscapades and nepo wallowing and all the other minor irritants because on the whole, it's a beautiful book, and one that reignited in me a fire for culinary discovery that's been buried a while. One for lovers of food even more than for lovers of romance. The overall feel of the book felt like a 3.5-star to me given how many times I nearly gave up on it, but the sheer amount of highlighted quotes I had by then end (each of them a work of art in their own right) pushed it up to a 4-star.

I loved the concept of this book - a European tour based around food! I am huge foodie so the descriptions were very detailed. I also loved the representation - two bisexual main characters and one who is also non-binary; it's not a spoiler but the change of pronouns as the dynamics of Theo and Kit's relationship changes was super meaningful. Overall, I can see the appeal of this book to many - it's fun, sexual and cultural. I just couldn't help but feel that as the main characters were previously friends, their interactions feel a bit as if we know who they both are and know a lot about their past already, so I think it's just missing a bit of backstory.

"Wonder if heartbreak will fuck you if you learn to love it enough."

Sticking to my gut feeling of this being a 4 star read to me.

I understand why this book will have so many mixed emotions and feelings towards it, I understand that this won't be some readers' cups of tea but I'd love for readers to give this a chance if they enjoy romance books out there with messy characters.

I enjoyed following along with the main characters, I majorly enjoyed that this was a romance that showcased queer characters and a nonbinary main lead. It was nice to see a romance story that showcased the romance and spice between two characters whilst allowing these characters the messiness that comes with discovering your gender, sexuality and the universal struggles of a romantic relationship.

Yes, you can get frustrated in the inactivity of characters admitting their feelings and emotions but I enjoyed that this was incorporated into the self-discovery and healing journey of the character. It's good to see writers allow the characters to be messy and not fit into boxes to allow them to have better development and story arc overall.

The plot of the story I enjoyed, the movement and flow of it lends really well in creating a good pace for the characters and scenes to keep moving. The different locations, cultures and food added a richness to the story and whilst giving a break for the romantic focus of the story, it allowed the reader to connect more to the characters and the love that they expressed through their passions.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for an eARC copy, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Have you ever wanted to travel around Europe tasting all the food and drink on offer whilst also falling in love? Then, The Pairing is the book for you. It is a joy of a book that is full of humour, charismatic characters and beautiful settings.

The Pairing has been at the top of my anticipated releases list for the majority of the year and for good reason. Casey McQuiston has once again written a spectacular novel that you can’t help but fall in love with.

Theo and Kit have been best friends, crushes, lovers and for the past fours years, estranged exes. It isn’t until Theo and Kit are trapped on board a tour bus that they discover they’ve both had the same idea. That is the dream to take a European food and wine tour. They planned on doing this alone but now they’re stuck together for three weeks traveling through France, Spain and Italy. It’s fine though, they are absolutely over each other.

So, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot tour guide first, Kit is game. In fact, why stop there? Why not have a full-on hookup competition? But, it makes them crave the one thing they can’t have.

I loved that this book is told from dual POVs. The first half of the story is told from Theo’s perspective and then the second half, from Kit’s perspective which I enjoyed. I loved them both. We get to see Kit discover who they are and what they want from life. Then, we get to see how Theo starts the book feeling out of place and goes on a journey to find their place in the world.

There are so many different themes in this book which are weaved together excellently. These include found family, childhood friendship, finding yourself, self-sabotage amongst many others. All of these add depth and an element of complexity to the story which I thoroughly enjoyed. Plus, there is incredible representation of non-binary and bisexual characters and this representation is done with care and is realistic.

On top of all of this, I loved the plot. It was a lot of fun to go on a road trip around stunning parts of Europe. Not only that but we have a sommelier and a pastry chef at the centre of the story which allows for the descriptions of the food and the drinks to be next level. Every time I finished a section of this book I was hungry.

Casey McQuiston is still one of my favourite authors out there. Their books are always incredible and such fun reads. Their writing is so easy to immerse yourself into and makes it impossible to put the book down.

Overall, The Pairing is an excellent book to read if you are dreaming of a road trip. It is full of joy, humour, beautiful settings and a lovely romance. I would highly recommend it!

In my opinion as a reader, that the best kind of books are ones you experience. The ones you keep thinking “this would make a great screen adaptation”
The Pairing was exactly that.

There’s a couple of tropes that I’m just not a fan of, friends to lovers for example, isn’t always done well enough for my liking.
Only in such case Casey Mcquiston truly took over and said “hold my beer,” gave us Theo and Kit, the best friends to lovers to exes I’ve read in quite a while (if not ever).

These two are on a bus ride all through Europe, competing who’s the sluttiest -literally taking points on who gets laid faster- until they can no longer fight the true attraction and emotions that they always had which are only strongest towards each other. Stuffing their faces full of exquisite sweets. And slowly combing through the tangle of miscommunication that turned then into exes in the first place.

The Pairing is also the kind of book that makes you fall in love with every single side character mentioned. Even the sheep bumping Kit’s thigh as he talks with Theo on the side of the road.

The perfect summer slutty read.
I hope everyone loves it as much as i did, though i may be biased as i would read anything Casey puts out. And love every minute of it.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this arc!!

Finally — my first 5* book of the year, and I am so happy it goes to The Pairing.
Summer-sweet, liquor-drenched, this book is an absolute delight from start to end. The food and wine descriptions are mouth-wateringly sumptuous, and they made me crave every single item mentioned in every location. I was transported to the old squares in Florence, the beaches of France, and it is testament to McQuiston’s writing skills that no place ever felt the same.
But, the romance! Deliciously sexy, Theo and Kit — with their adoring, poetic metaphors for one another — are the summer’s hottest literary couple. McQuiston writes connections, relationship history, and top-tier dialogue like no one else, making every couple feel so established and so destined for one another. I was rooting for this pairing, for The Pairing, and I was not let down. An absolutely glorious European summer romp that pulls at your heartstrings even as it titillates. Everyone read this!