The Pairing is an exquisite sumptuous feast of a book. I cackled out loud, I wept, I wanted to sweep all of th characters up in a massive hug. It was a visceral experience of a book that made me feel hungry and sunburnt in the best way.
Put simply, I adored it. It is their best work, and I say that as someone who adores all of their books.
This is a delicious treat of a novel that absolutely wrecked me, and I will be pushing it gently into people's faces the moment it is a released and demanding they read it immediately.

Prepare to be swept off your feet and taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with "The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston. This book is an absolute gem, filled to the brim with humor, sensuality, and an abundance of pop culture references that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

I loved this book! I truly felt the indulgence of a European summer trip. The characters, as usual with Casey Mcquiston books, really jumped off the page, and I would love to read more about the main and side characters. I also laughed out loud with the humor.
The romance was lovely, even though the ending and some parts of the plot were predictable and the middle became a bit anti climatic.
Also, the formatting for Kindle devices was all wrong. There were random paragraph breaks in the middle of sentences and I couldn’t see the beautiful art at the beginning of each chapter (I could see it from the NetGalley app).
Overall a great read! But it needs to have the format fixed for future e-book readers.

Welcome to the sluttiest food and wine tour of the summer! I have been a long time fan of Casey Mcquiston's works and The Pairing is no exception. This book is the perfect summer romance, full of wit and charm and journey to self discovery.

I adored everything from the setting, the rich history of each stop of the tour and the explosive flavours - I’m not a wine drinker but I never craved a glass of wine as much as I do now. The way Casey described everything from the food, flavours and scents made me feel like I was a part of this tour. Every sentence of this book was full of passion and emotions - and was also very gay & slutty!

I am utterly obsessed with both Kit and Theo, I thoroughly enjoyed getting both of their POV’s. First half we start off with Theo’s POV, their utterly witty mind and the second half we get Kits, sweet and so deeply romantic (and slightly tragic). These characters felt so easy to love & seeing them learn to love eachother again was pure magic! PLUS one of the best ensemble of side characters, each character had so much depth and personality, it was fantastic.

I always say I am not a fan of second chance romances but I think my mind has been swayed, after seeing these two characters rediscover their passions for art, food, wine and each other. It was a love letter to identity and gender.

If you read one book this summer, please make it this one!!

The first book that have really struggled with, I just couldn't connect with this book. I managed 30% before I started feeling like I wanted to skip chapters. I was getting really frustrated with Theo as a character, they were so flat, unrealistic and I was completely unable to connect to them. Kit was my favourite character throughout and I like that the book was also told from his perspective it round the characters out a bit more, rather than just seeing them from Theos perspective. The plot or lack of really was pointless, and felt really undeveloped, like the main focus was to include as much information on food and drink and their pairings, which was a cute nod to the books title and chapter titles, and also was quite educational and easy to envision in places. I hadn't completely finished the book but I predicted that after the competition both MCs get back together because they had a suddenly realisation to how much they mean to each other, and was not surprised when this happened, although the epilogue was really cute and I loved how all the characters throughout had met up. Overall I'm sorry but this is my least favourite book by Casey, and I am so disappointed as it breaks my heart to say that, this book was just lacking in comparison to their other work.

If you aren’t interested in travel, food or wine, then I would probs skip this book… Theo and Kit broke up before going on a pre-paid European tour, accepting vouchers to take the holliday at a later date. Of course they end up booking onto the tour at the same time unknowingly, four years after they broke up.
The whole story is pretty boujee, like they’re portrayed as having little money but who the hell can afford this and get the time off work? I’m outrageously jealous of all the food and wine they tried. Plus, any book that references the Lizzie McGuire movie is a winner for me 🫶🏻
The book started off from Theo’s POV, which frustrated me pretty quickly. I wouldn’t say for any reason other than I hate miscommunication tropes and that’s a big part of this plot ; why doesn’t anyone voice their feelings???? The book swaps to Kit’s POV at a pretty important plot point (their first reconciliatory kiss), at which point we get thrown back into the past BUT when it returns to present day, the kiss isn’t mentioned? 
The insight into their romance before was minimal, which meant there was little to root for? The throwbacks we do glimpse are arguments, which for a pair that have known each other since childhood, was just kinda sad. I wanted to see them back together, but I didn’t feel connected to their story because their actual break-up wasn’t explained until I was about 75% into the story.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, this was such a summer read!

It is with a heavy heart I say this book was simply not my vibe. I am still of an age where I think tortellini and mascarpone saucefrom tesco and eclairs from the reduced section are the height of sophistication so I found it hard to find any common ground with this book.
It's not that I think I should be able to relate to every character I read about, but with this book there was not one single thing or interest I had in common with the characters.
I thought this book was very well written, decadent and seductive. I liked the fact that we got the story from the perspectives of Kit and Theo ... although I did enjoy one more than the other.

The Pairing was just not for me, sadly, but I do think a lot of people will enjoy this.

Can't beleive I got to read the new Casey McQuiston early!! Beyond thankful to Pan Macmillan for approving my request 🥰
I loved it so much. I haven't read that many books with non-binary rep, and Casey McQuiston did such an amazing job with Theo.
The second chance romance was so well done, It was really interesting that we get to see Theo's perspective of the break-up and what follows - all that heartbreak, and anger and thinking Kit didn't care that much about them. And then switching to Kit's and getting a more clear picture of what happened, it kind of broke my heart to read how much they missed Theo.
It was such a good story, I loved the slow build up to the reconciliation, I savoured it, they way Theo and Kit savoured all that amazing food!!
And I gotta say, the way Theo's and Kit's attraction to people is decribed is so refreshing and charming. Its just so full enjoyment and admiration for the beauty they see in others.
That part when they both think they're about to hook up with Fabrizio, to then have his wife opening the door, AND inmidiatly switching gears to 'she's really HOT' and they'll both be willing to entertain the idea of hooking up with hervas well, that killed me!😂
I've never laughed that much.

This is definitely my favourite Casey McQuiston novel!
Theo is instantly such an enigmatic character and I was drawn into their narration immediately. The story is cliche, flowery and cheesy, but the way it is written Almost makes you gloss over it (almost) and turns it into a heated rollercoaster of a romance and I loved it.
McQuiston knows their characters and always has done, but Theo and Kit feel especially well created.
Theo narrates the first half in their perspective whilst Kit narrates the second through his, both have a unique character voice and are fun to read and draw you in.
As I said, it’s cheesy, so the ending was expected, but it didn’t make it any less romantic! I honestly just adored the characters, from Theo and Kit to the background characters we meet once or twice.
McQuiston has written a great, queer romance.


Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the ARC!

Probably a 3.5 for me.
Lots of mixed feelings.

I liked the characters and the big bi energy! There was lots of fun banter and they both sounded gorgeous.

Enjoyed all the focus on food and different European places, though sometimes that was a bit too detailed. Like there’s A LOT of food descriptions.

I didn’t mind the casual sex, I mean they’re young single people on a European tour. But some of it felt a bit cringe (mainly that gross peach scene/almost threesome…). I think it was meant to be sexy but just gave me the ick. Most of the other spicy scenes were great though. The chemistry between Theo and Kit was stunning.

On the whole I liked it. I enjoy friends to lovers and second chance love tropes. Just had a few niggles with the lack of communicating. It was kinda stupid they broke up and stopped talking to each other in the first place… but then there wouldn’t be a story.

I really enjoyed the tour through Europe and listening to the food, drink and culture talk. I've visited a few of the places mentioned so it was nice to almost be back. I thought Theo and Kit were amazing as separate characters and I did love the ending but I just didn't overly enjoy the competition side of it.
Casey is an incredibly talented author and the representation in their books is incredible but I just preferred some of their other works and that's okay! I just know some people will absolutely eat this up.

This book was a creative whirlwind and i loved every second! From complex family dynamics to past mistakes and emotional development, its pages contain a love story for the ages that is tasteful and descriptive and leaves you feeling like your travelling Europe and experiencing the fragrant flavours of its pairings right alongside Kit and Theo. As with all of Casey's books, it had amazing queer rep with bisexual representation as well as nonbinary/trans representation too within our two main characters.

Filled with culture, it has some beautiful references to Rilke's poetry, which were beautiful and earnestly yearning for love. Additionally the comparing love to art truly left me breathless and my heart thrumming with feelings . The love in this is so true, although it takes a journey the way Kit loves Theo for all that they are is truly heartwarming and I adored following their journey and their love towards one another redeveloping.

Flavourful and enchanting this is the perfect read for anyone want an adventurous and tasteful romance that brings a perfect pairing back together. Perfectly researched, it was not only enchanting but made you feel like you were there seeing the sights too and combined with so much culture it kept me perfectly engaged. The way this ends left it perfectly open for potential short stories in future and honestly made me happy cry but thats all I can say without spoiling it.

A bit more adult than Caseys previous writings it has some pretty descriptive spicy scenes but honestly theyre artfully written and enjoyable so if this sounds up your alley I would aggressively recommend you pick it up sooner rather than later.

McQuiston’s past two novels have unfortunately fallen flat for me. Their first two works, Red White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop were both five star reads for me, but this and I Kissed Shara Wheeler have scraped by with a three star rating. The setting for their more recent book, The Pairing, was enthralling and sensual, filled with lusty imagery and glittering seas — if only the characters could be the same. Halfway through the book there is a perspective switch from Theo to Kit, and truthfully, there is barely a difference in the two characters. They truly blend into one another, which, granted, could be intentional, as the plot heavily revolves around their reconciliation and likeness, but their traits as people just did not work well enough to hold a story on its own. We get glimpses of interesting family characters, such as siblings, only for them to remain rather one dimensional and truly there just to move the plot along an insubstantial amount, which is unfortunate. All of the secondary characters fell victim to the same issues, they just did not feel like people in their own right, which is an important factor in a character driven novel. The imagery really saves the book, but sometimes a little more is needed.

I really liked this book. I had my doubts, at the beginning (no one dips scones in tea!) and I think it may fall into a few of the common pitfalls of an author writing countries that are not their own (and not running it by anyone who is from there), but overall it was really enjoyable, and I can forgive a few minor inaccuracies. This, I think, is a perfect summer read, something that I can imagine myself enjoying on a beach somewhere sunny, and incredibly easy to get lost in. It was also fantastically queer, very fun and an all-round delight from start to finish. I think if you liked Casey McQuiston's other books, you'll definitely like this, and if you weren't so convinced by them, then this is worth giving a shot anyway, because it has some aspects - particularly, for me, the setting and the fast pace - that set it apart from their earlier books in a way that I could only appreciate.

Reading the story of Kit and Theo, past and present, as they ate and drank their way across sweltering Europe was such a treat. McQuiston immerses us in this coach tour, bringing to vivid life their fellow travelling companions (shout out to the Calums), as well as the character of each city they visit, making me so hungry for the incredible local delicacies they try along the way, and yearn for a cool-off in the sea. And that's just the backdrop- centre stage are Kit and Theo, unexpectedly reunited after a pretty awful breakup several years before. Trying to make sense of who they are to each other now is challenging - they have years of history, best friends through their teens before getting together in their early twenties. So much of who they were, who they are, and who they are becoming is woven together in their shared past, former love, and hurts that still have a sting to them. It was a delight to travel with them as they pick their way through, trying to work out how to interact from who they are now, but so aware of all that is not being said about what has come before. Agreeing on a body-count competition, trying to hook up with a new person in each location, is maybe an unusual approach, but it gives them a way to negotiate their new friendship. McQuiston was not joking when they said this was their horniest book, and I was here for it - seeing two chaotic queer people lean in hard to the heat and the food and the beautiful people they meet, with joy and exuberance, and without shame, was a lot of fun, and kind of refreshing. And without spoiling anything, I love how McQuiston handled the ending - absolute chef's kiss. Highly recommend as an escapist, gorgeous, sexy summer read, with a lot of heart.

This is third of McQuiston’s novels that I’ve read, and it has their characteristic wit and well drawn characters. The split POV is interesting - I don’t think I’ve read a novel that splits the POV’s via halves of the novel as this one did. It took me a little while to adjust to Theo’s POV, and by the time I felt I had we’d shifted into Kit’s. Theo is a brash, funny character on the surface, hiding their insecurities, and whilst I understood this characterisation I did also find Theo a little bit… irritating at times. I also felt we were told quite often that Theo was disorganised and felt their life was crumbling, but could have benefited from seeing this more - they seemed relatively together to me, particularly as the book opens with a show of their competence. Their push-back against their wealthy family and not wanting to take money to help out their potentially failing business was also a plot-point that I disliked. I do get where it’s coming from, and the desire to strike out on your own but…God plot-points where characters could just take money and don’t (particularly as with Theo it’s from their sister - with whom they have a decent relationship) never sit well with me, though that’s a personal bugbear. I also wonder why Theo wouldn’t change their name, if they want to distance themselves from being the ‘other sibling’ and get away from the nepo-baby stuff.

The food descriptions were lucious, and as this is a big part of the story this is important. McQuiston nailed it. The sex scenes were also suitably sexy, although there was an occasional coyness (I think to avoid ‘gendering’ Theo’s genitalia as they’re non-binary, but there’s nothing inherently gendered about describing body parts) that made some of the sex scenes slightly… tamer feeling than they ought to be, considering this is a book about sex and food. The food definitely delivered though - don’t read this hungry.

I enjoyed Kit’s POV a lot, actually more than Theo’s. I almost wished he’d opened the book, or that we’d alternated POV’s, but it does also work structurally to have his POV recontextualise what we know so far, coming in mid way. I really felt the love he had for Theo - I bought their previous relationship much more from his POV, though this may just be because it was the most recent one so it’s sticking in my mind more clearly (barring the epilogue). Through Kit’s recontextualising I really felt these characters' relationship, and the realness of them. Kit's past with his mother absolutely broke my heart. I also thought the stuff around Theo’s non-binary identity was handled well (as one would expect from an NB author), and it was refreshing to see. I had initially thought the characters were both cis men from the blurb, so that could have been a little clearer for those specifically seeking an m/m romance - I enjoyed the romance despite this expectation, but others may not? - or to help those specifically seeking an NB character find this book easier.

There were just a couple of other bugbears I had. There’s quite a bit of French peppered in, which I liked, but there was one phone call between two francophone characters where both characters should presumably speaking French… but then one of the characters then starts speaking French, implying the prior conversation was in English? This was weird. There’s also a sexy bit with a peach that felt very much like a reference to Call Me by Your Name, but wasn’t referenced as such by feels like a reference but isn't referenced and it felt like Theo at least would have been very aware of the similarity. Perhaps it was unintentional, or McQuiston was trying not to draw attention to it, but it did jar somewhat.

These are relatively minor complaints, though. The love story is gorgeous - I usually find miscommunication as a plot point irritating, but here it felt very real. I loved seeing how the characters had changed and grown from their younger selves, and how the relationship was a good fit now. The ending really built up the tension and had me rooting for the happy ending, which delivered. The epilogue was also gorgeous, and felt like a perfect way to tie up all the loose ends. McQuiston is skilled at writing these very real feeling romances with witty, fun characters, and this feels like a culmination of all of their skills. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler: This book put me in the worst slump.

Okay, I'll start off by saying that I am sure this book has its audience, but it was not for me. I tried really hard to like it, I hoped it would grow on me, but it was hopeless.

I want to begin with the positives.
The idea of the book sounded amazing, and I was really excited for a fun romance. But boy, I did not know what I was getting myself into. Theo and Kit, childhood best friends and estranged ex-lovers find themselves on the most romantic food and wine tour of Europe. They've both grown so much in their time apart, and now have another chance to be together. Sounds great, right? I thought so too.
It had great bisexual representation and a nice non-binary coming out story. It also helped that there were tiny splashes of humour throughout the book.

But, as much as I wanted to, I could not grow to love the characters. Kit, especially, had the potential to be a great character. He is passionate, kind and smart, but this is all outshined by his lust for Theo. They become the subject of ALL of his thoughts. It felt like the only point of their existence is to be a love interest. Kit's whole potential was wasted on a horny obsession.
Now, Theo. I loathed their whole struggles with being a nepo baby. Their whole family (both parents and sisters) are very wealthy , accepting and supportive. I understand that they wanted to build something for themselves, but the way they were acting to be poor was insufferable. Theo kept refusing their help, which felt realistic up to a certain point. The truth is, any person who needed financial help would accept it at some point. They were acting like they had no option, when the reality was they had multiple loving and supportive family members who believed in them.

Now, the romance. Theo and Kit did not have chemistry. They were both selfish and did not communicate to save their lives. I understand that they have history, but it seemed to me that the whole development and intimacy happened off page.
They had sexual chemistry, yes, but they somehow had sexual chemistry with half of Europe. Speaking of, I have read my fair share of smut, I enjoy it, but here it felt vulgar. The side characters felt less like people and more like sex pawns.

Some scenes were absolutely cringe-worthy and I really wish I could wipe them from my memory. When did we start sexualising having a nose bleed? How is it sexy to French kiss someone while they are literally bleeding into the kiss? Just, no, thank you.

This was a massive disappointment for me, unfortunately, but I'm sure it will find its audience.

Unfortunately don’t think this was a good match for me.
I find a certain connection with the main characters quite important to be invested in the story. Especially if there’s a romance involved (ugh well - was it even a romance?). I want to feel the tension and anticipation and the buildup towards the end. I want to not be able to put the book down because I’m so immersed in the world the author build.
But it wasn’t the case for me sadly… At some point I was more enjoying the food and scenery description (and there were a LOT) instead of the actual plot. I dropped this book multiple times over the weeks because it just didn’t do anything for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

It was my first book by this author, so I have nothing to compare it too. I think I may have too high expectations though because R,R&Blue is one of my favourite movies and I’ve heard SO much good from her other books.

oh dear. maybe casey mcquiston was a one off. i liked red white and royal blue. i thought one last stop was fine. i did not like their ya debut shara wheeler, but the pairing is. oh it's not what i was looking for.

This is a story of best friends to lovers and them split apart. It's full of misunderstandings, first love and how time allows you to know yourself better. Theo accidentally sabotaged their relationship with Kit and regretted it every single day. When they finally meet again on a tour they were supposed to take together, there is a lot of tension and a lot of skirting around their feelings. Ultimately they finally realise that they still love one another and with a lot of help from their friends they get their HEA. . If anyone deserved to be happy it's these two who complete each other and their love leaps off of the pages.