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!

The Pairing follows Kit and Theo, childhood best friends turned lovers, who, after a bad breakup on a transatlantic flight, find themselves on the same European food and wine tour. To distract themselves from their lingering attraction to one another they embark on a hookup competition, but old feelings rise to the surface quickly. The Pairing is original in its premise, wildly different to McQuiston’s previous novels, but still has their signature humour, something I greatly appreciated about this book. It truly is a love letter to food, wine, and travel, and this shows through both Kit and Theo’s passion for their craft. Their descriptions of their experiences and surroundings made me want to drop all of my responsibilities and embark on an impromptu backpacking trip around Europe. I really enjoyed the pov switch halfway through the novel as it allowed me to see how strong the yearning and pining was for both Kit and Theo, and to see them from a different perspective, making them far more complex as characters. The book does use the miscommunication trope quite frequently and Theo does suffer from a nepotism baby complex that may irritate some readers. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it as the perfect summer read.

This was an engaging story with some relatable characters. I love the way Casey always makes sure that these books are representative and if they are all this good I’ll never stop buying.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early release 🙂

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
🍷 second chance
🧀 foodie holiday romance
🍷 LGBTQ+ rep
🧀 it’s always been you

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
Kit and Theo, bisexual exes, accidentally book onto the same European food & wine tour 4 years after a brutal break up. They challenge each other to a “hookup competition” to try to prove to the other that they are over them 🫠

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
This felt like a book of two halves for me! Quite literally actually - the first 50% is in Theo’s pov, which I didn’t love, and the second 50% is in Kit’s, which I did!

Kit’s pov reminded me why I love second chance so much, he truly never stopped loving Theo, and the pining is 🤌🏼 Once we start to hear his side of things I was rooting for these two so hard, they really are soulmates 🥹

Having said that I didn’t love the first half - a combination of the “hookup competition“ (I don’t want to read my MCs getting with other people, no thanks x), and also the fact that Theo isn’t all that likeable. We needed a lot of character growth from them, and unfortunately because we switch to Kit’s pov we don’t really see it!

I loved all the food & wine across Europe! 🧀🍷 The tour & the foodie-ness did feel pretty (ok very) cliched and potentially googled (a sommelier remarking on the novelty of pairings which are fairly commonplace for example!), but as a big fan of both travel and food & wine I still found myself really enjoying it!

This doesn’t take the top spot of Casey McQuiston’s books for me (RW&RB 🥹), but I was fully won over and shed several tears for the beautiful ending! 🥲

The Pairing is a decadent summer romance, full of McQuiston's trademark humour, style, and so many fun pop culture references!

I'm a massive fan of McQuiston's books, and I really love how all of their characters feel so incredibly real. Kit and Theo's incredible chemistry, highlighted through the dual POV, is a real highlight. Both have clear flaws, and are not without their troubles to seek, but are so determined to try their best in the situation they've found themselves in, and it was lovely to see the world through their eyes.

I loved every moment of this book, and was only left looking for more! Perfect for hot euro summer!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for honest review!

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 by Casey McQuiston [ARC] • 4/5 ⭐️
(childhood-friends-to-lovers, second chance, Europe road trip, bisexual representation, pastry chef x sommelier, slow burn)

𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝟼𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺

• 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯: “Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other’s lives once and for all. […] Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.”

• I was so excited to receive an ARC for this book, not just because it was my first ARC ever but because I genuinely like books written by Casey McQuiston.

• I expected something similar to RWRB and while that wasn’t exactly what I got, I still liked this book very much. First of all, this book gave me such Call Me By Your Name vibes. In addition to that I had Chappell Roan songs in my mind, the whole time I was reading this. I loved the feeling it gave me.

• The story was also very interesting, not something I normally read. It was definitely an adventure and that is to say, not just because I felt like I was on this road trip with them. It was also quite spicy and full of sexual tension.

• I have to say, at times I found the MCs a little annoying because I just thought “It could be so easy if you’d just talk to each other.” But I guess it’s like this most of the time. Let’s be honest, I would be just as scared to talk about it as they were, so I think that’s quite relatable for me.

• Also, there was so much food talk which taught me a lot but also made me hungry all the time 😂

• Would I recommend it? Yes, just note that it’s not necessarily your typical sweet romcom. ✨

This was an unusual read giving this author's historical novels - it seemed more indulgent, overtly sexual and adult but also more authentic. The characters popped off the page and for the first three quarters of the book the European food tour vibe was really effective. However, much like a couple of the writer's previous works, it just goes on a little too long or it's a little over-egged. Despite that, really glad I read it.

The Pairing is a very atmospheric travel romance which follows former childhood sweethearts Kit and Theo as they accidentally traverse Europe together. Will they fall back in love? Or is what they had once gone forever?

I've never read a book which is so open and accepting of so many sex and gender elements, and it was so refreshing, with a wonderful level of spice. The detailed descriptions of places and food and drink were very well written but did slow the romance pace a little - although if you're a fan of the Eat Pray Love-style travelogue and you love a romance then The Pairing is 100% up your street.

Warning: This book will make you absolutely STARVING. Have plenty of food in the house/on your person while reading!

I feel so lucky to have had the chance to read Casey McQuiston's newest release ahead of publication - after adoring all three of their previous works, this is really a dream come true for me, first of all.

This was such a delightful read - the FOOD for starters - like I was just drooling at all the food, especially those chocolates! I really appreciated the atmosphere; this is the perfect summer read, every chapter and city felt so full of sunshine and warmth. The characters go through some incredible growth, and I loved how halfway through the book, we switch from one perspective to the other! It really helped me to like Theo more, and to understand Kit. Misunderstanding underpinned their breakup four years ago, and this was a beautiful story of reconnection and rediscovering each other. I think what I struggled with, was that SO much of their reconnection revolves around sex, and I wanted more CONVERSATION and less of the hookup competition? I think the book would've been 5 stars for me even, if the competition wasn't part of the plot, because it didn't add anything for me. That being said though, this is a gloriously summery read, a beautiful story and I will read anything this author writes.

I am so sad to say that I struggled to get into this.

I partly blame myself for not looking into the tropes beforehand, but as I have enjoyed Casey's previous work, I requested this arc hoping for the best.

I found the overall romance to be extremely lacking and felt next to no chemistry between the MCs. This was a shame as I believe they had huge potential, with their history, but the way they interacted from the start put me on the defensive and lead to me disliking both characters. I did like how Casey split the book into two parts, but by the time Kitt's part came around, I was just waiting for the book to end.

The atmosphere Casey creates in the book is superb, one thing this author does is set a scene, and the European food trip of my dreams they did create. The descriptions of food got to be too much for me at around the mid-way point but I can see this appealing to a different audience. McQuiston’s witty dialogue is a standout feature throughout as you'd expect.

If you are a fan of the tropes included, I would say give this book a go - but please be aware this is very different (in my opinion), to the authors other work.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

‘Red, White and Royal Blue’ is one of my favourite books, and also now one of my favourites movies. I honestly can’t express how scared I was to watch the adaptation and the pure joy in finding out that it’s just as wonderful. I really enjoyed both ‘one Last Stop’ and ‘I Kissed Shara Wheeler’, but they never hit the heights of Alex and Henry’s story. ‘The Pairing’ did.

It hit every single note that I hoped it would.

This book feels like a return to a real love story woven up with conflict, lust, and the most delicious tension.


Theo and Kit have been childhood best friends, crushes, lovers and, after a brutal breakup four years ago, estranged exes.

It’s not until Theo and Kit are trapped on board a tour bus that they discover that they’ve each had the same idea: to take their dream European food and wine tour – alone. And now they’re stuck with each other for three weeks of the most romantic sights and sensuous flavours of France, Spain, and Italy. But it’ll be fine. They’re absolutely over each other.

So, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is game. In fact, why stop there? Why not a full-on European hookup competition?

But sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can’t have.


Something that I look for in a novel is a vividness of setting, a strong sense of place; I like to be able to imagine that instead of laying in bed reading, I’m sweating under the Tuscan sun along with the characters. ‘The Pairing’ delivers that in spades.


We travel with Theo and Kit through France, Spain and Italy in the heat of August, trying local delicacies, drinking their fill of wine and getting swept up by the magic of summer in countries that were made for the season. As we jump from place to place, at the beginning of each chapter there is a local delicacy and the accompanying wine, which we then get to see the characters experience. The descriptions of the food and drink are so rich and sensual that they’re an experience all there own and it becomes an integral part of the setting, the characters and the atmosphere of this novel. I don’t even like wine and it got me googling wines for people who don’t like wine because I want to experience some of that joy and awe as Theo flaunts her sommelier skills while she drinks around Europe.

Theo and Kit are so well crafted that I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they’re real people. They’re flawed and have histories and traumas that shapes them, and it’s really cool to see their growth since they were together without even having a split timeline. But there is a split POV. There’s so much depth added in the mid-book POV switch from Theo to Kit.

The connection between them is electric and I couldn’t read fast enough. It’s a five star read for me and I’ll be recommending it endlessly.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the review copy.

Written by Sophie

Due to the mixed reviews, I will admit I was dubious going in.

Was there a bit too much Americanised touristy European fantasy? Yes.
And does someone trying to explain the leathery, dark fruity notes of wine usually give me the ick? Also yes.

But somehow in the world of Theo and Kit, it worked.

I can see why it may have not been popular. But I appreciated it didn’t follow the usual format of 2nd chance love. There was pining, but it was nice to see queer enjoyment with other people.

I liked that each half of the book was from a different perspective. It was a good choice to have Theo first, the dryer and more cynical of the two.

I had a soft spot for Theo and seeing them from Kits perspective, softened them in the latter half.
I will admit I enjoyed Kit a bit less, he lacked something that I can’t quite put my finger on. But together, they rounded each other out.

Beautiful descriptions of places, food and drink.
Overall, a good read. Best enjoyed on a summer day with a glass of red, paired with some fruit and cheese.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. 4/5 ⭐️

Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The pairing is a highly anticipated novel written by a popular author, so I have no doubt that it will do well. My issue lies in the fact that this response will not be based on this novel's content.

Kit and Theo are, perhaps, the least convincing couple I have ever come across in literature and their lack of connection and chemistry made this a slog to get through. Typically I can enjoy a book if the characters are lacking so long as the plot is strong. Instead, we have a lengthy tale of pretension in which McQuiston series to tell the reader how much they know about Europe.

The entire premise is 'how hot are Kit and Theo? Everyone wants to sleep with them so you don't need to see any redeeming qualities-just trust me, no one (except one woman who wont play second fiddle to Kit ) can say no to them’ and frankly it gets boring quickly.

Two awful characters, no chemistry and a ridiculous plot made for a difficult read. The 2 stars are for the tour guide and the bus driver.

This is kind of the book of the summer for me. I didn’t know how much I needed bi 4 bi exes going on a food and wine tour of Europe while desperately trying (and failing) not to rekindle their feelings until now. The only way to combat them is with a little friendly competition; whoever can have the most hookups across the trip wins, if they don’t let their own simmering tension get in the way first. I thought the bisexual representation was so refreshing, especially since the characters were allowed to explore their own promiscuity without fear of stereotype. It led to some important conversations around sexuality and (at the risk of spoilers) gender identity, all of which was handled very sensitively. Even if I found it hard to sympathise at times, I found the element of nepotism added an interesting layer to things too. Plus, the lush descriptions of each city on the tour and how they were characterised by their food and drink were simply to die for. Overall, this book swept me off my feet in a whirl of wine and pastries, and I can definitely see myself returning to it in future for some summer escapism.

i adore theo and kit with every soul of my being <3 this is a childhood friends to lovers (and then they break up and don’t speak for 4 years), friends with benefits, second chance romance with a side of miscommunication!

THEO is the character that i connected with the most because i related to them so much! my heart physically hurt for them during his pov/“version”.

KIT really had down bad vibes for theo. the way he was willing to just love theo from afar, and waited for them even if theo never came back— he just never stopped loving them. his love for theo was unmatched and swoon-worthy.

i fully believe that they needed their break up and 4-year separation in order to go through self-discovery etc. i loved not only that they came back together, but the way they came back together.

i do, however, wish that we could have seen theo’s pov during certain moments that we saw in kit’s pov. regardless, this book was truly giving summer romance, in the best way.

I think this is the only Casey McQuiston book I haven't rated 5*, but it still had a lot going for it. Mostly the vibes. Those immaculate summery vibes. Food porn for days. Do not read while hungry. DO read on a sunny day. Even better yet, read while you're on holiday yourself, at the beach or by the pool or at a bar somewhere, so the jealousy isn't so strong when you raise your head above the surface, back into the real world.

Anyway, I guess what I was really looking for (for a 5* rating) was more humour, and more time with the background characters. What we do get is great, but I wanted more on that front as I loved those elements in the author's other books. I could also argue the pacing is a bit slow, but to be honest it fits with the lazy summer day vibes (probably why I enjoyed reading this more on sunny days). What I will say was a big plus was the development of the relationship - there's no big third act break up or anything, just normal, lowkey highs and lows that build to a happy ending. Nothing felt forced.

Overall this was a lovely summer read!

Review of ‘The Pairing‘ by Casey McQuiston. A vivid travel romance with compelling characters, but an overabundance of miscommunication. This book takes readers on a picturesque journey through European cities, capturing the essence of each stop. Dive into this review to explore the highs and lows of McQuiston’s latest novel and see if it’s the right fit for your next read.

Casey McQuiston’s ‘The Pairing‘ is a whirlwind of a book that takes you on a journey through some of the most picturesque spots in Europe. I really loved how each chapter is a stop on their trip. As someone who has visited places like Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Bordeaux, and San Sebastian, I found it delightful to see these cities through the eyes of the characters. McQuiston’s descriptions brought back fond memories and made me feel like I was walking those charming streets again.

The plot is engaging, but let’s address the elephant in the room: there’s a lot of sex. And I mean, A LOT. The graphic scenes are plentiful, involving not just the main characters but others as well. While I didn’t mind the explicit content, the sheer volume of it might be overwhelming for some readers. The book is about a European hookup competition, but I feel like it could’ve been toned down a bit. In essence, the book felt like it was about food, drinks, and sex. In the beginning, it was very entertaining, but as the story progressed through more stops in different cities, it became a bit predictable. Also, a quick warning: Theo does swear quite a lot. I swear a lot too, but in ‘The Pairing‘ it felt really exaggerated. Every other sentence Theo said had some swear word in it, which was such a contrast with Kit.

A major downside for me was the heavy reliance on the miscommunication trope. I generally dislike this trope, and this book was packed with it. Theo’s handling of situations, especially considering their close relationship with Kit, felt off and often annoying. Their behavior sometimes bordered on frustrating, making the constant misunderstandings feel excessive and tiresome. I also wasn’t a fan of the nepo baby trying not to be a nepo baby storyline.

On a more positive note, I appreciated Theo’s journey of self-discovery. It was a significant part of the story, though I wish it had been explored more deeply on the page. Kit, on the other hand, was an absolute gem. Reading his POV was both heart-wrenching and compelling. His experiences and the way Theo often put him in difficult situations made me root for him even more. Kit was definitely my favorite character. I would’ve liked to see more of the other characters as well, such as Theo and Kit’s siblings and parents.

A bit of a reality check was needed. The fact that nearly every character in the book was queer and willing to engage in sexual activities felt a bit unrealistic. While I understand and appreciate the intention of representation, it stretched believability to the point of distraction.

Despite these issues, I was entertained and couldn’t put ‘The Pairing‘ down. I just kept reading and wanted to know how Theo and Kit’s story ended. I read until late at night just to finish the book. McQuiston does have a writing style that really works for me.

Would I recommend it?

Overall, ‘The Pairing’ is a mix of vivid travel, intense romance, and self-discovery. Despite its flaws, it offers an engaging read with memorable moments, especially if you enjoy travel-themed stories with a touch (or multiple) of heat.

6,5/10

I really really REALLY wanted to love this book. No one, absolutely no one, was manifesting a 5 star read for months with this book more than I was. I have been waiting for this for months. I needed it in my body and soul because who doesn’t want to read about two bisexual ex’s touring Europe’s finest Wine and Food spots whilst partaking in a sex competition?!

But this just wasn’t it for me. I am so disappointed it didn’t quite deliver like I thought it would.

It’s a long book with a lot of food and wine descriptions at quite a niche level (Googles “is Casey McQuinston a certified sommelier), and I actually quite liked how detailed it was. It felt immersive and homely throughout Europe and the vivid descriptions of the European cities and food within it was very atmospheric; I felt like I was standing there right beside Theo and Kit. I also loved how queer it was; yes everyone they met was the most attractive person you’ve ever seen and conveniently bi or pansexual, but I liked this alternate fiction where sexuality is fluid and the norm.

But on the negative side, we were told way too much of Theo and Kit’s past relationship and were never shown. Straightaway it was very difficult to connect to them and care about their stakes of will they / won’t they get back together. So whilst it did have some really tender and touching moments throughout between them and their own self realisation, the majority of the chemistry felt either forced or flat.

For the most part, The Pairing also includes a lot of McQuinston’s humour and character banter back and forth. But whilst the dialogue is quick and funny with one liners and rude jokes, it’s amazing how on an individual level both are quite boring people? They barely have a personality other than they’re both beautiful and a little bit sad. Throw in a nepotism baby complex which makes up all of Theo’s personality, and an art history major which makes up Kit’s, and we’ve got a two people that coexist on this trip together that are constantly miss-communicating.

This is (or at least feels like) an extra long novel that doesn’t have a lot of interesting side characters playing any part in the story other than to make it convenient that sometimes Theo and Kit have a buffer for their conversations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so, you know, I'm a fan of all the other books this author has written (can't talk about I kissed Shara Wheeler, yet, since I still need to read that one, but I love the other two). This one just wasn't it for me, even though I had high hopes to love it as well. But I'm sure it will be the book for someone else, because I can see why people will love this story.

Let me start with that I for sure did like some things in the book, because otherwise, I wouldn't have finished reading it. But it still took me like 40 days to read it, which is a lot for me. Anyways, maybe I should have read better what this book is actually about, because then, I probably would have decided beforehand that this wouldn't be the book for me. I'm not a fan of anything food related, so a book which follows a food tour might not be the best reading choice.

Okay, so, I did love the characters. Especially Theo, I loved their character and their growth. I felt a little less connected to Kit, but I enjoyed reading his pov more than I did enjoy Theo's. I don't know, but I think Kit's pov came when the story also got a bit more deeper, and that made me love his pov more. Also, I loved the vibes. I can't really explain that one, but the right vibes were in the story, and that made me keep reading. I also wanted to know whether or not these two would end up together again, and if they did, when that would happen.

And honestly, I didn't really care for the rest. I know now that I'm really (and I mean REALLY) not a fan of like a sex competition?? Like, what was that even necessary for. It felt like all the side character were in the story, just because they have a good body and they could be a possible sex partner for Theo, Kit, or both. I missed some deeper meanings with all the other characters, who were pretty prominent in the story, but never had any depth if you ask me. Also, WHY was like everyone ready to have sex after just having met. Like, you know, I loved the queerness in this story, but that part could be less. That would also have made things a bit more realistic.

I did love one scene very much, when Kit and Theo get to Fabrizio's house. If you have read it, you will know what I'm talking about. But safe to say, that scene made me laugh a lot. And also made this book a bit better.

Also, their struggles sometimes didn't feel that realistic? I mean, I get that Theo hates to be a nepo baby. But the fact that they couldn't establish something in the business world felt weird. I mean, you keep hearing how their entire family is so wealthy and well-known. I mean, they could easily get some business off the ground just by using their name. And the fact that they did play to be some poor young person, felt absolutely wrong. They just kept going on about how they were a failure in life, and refused any kind of help. That just irritated me a lot of times.

Anyways, this story did have some cute scenes, especially, when Theo and Kit start really talking to each other again. But overall, this wasn't the story for me. And that's okay. Because it will be the story for someone. I will just enjoy the other books this author has written, and when a new book comes out, I will look again if that book is something for me or not.

This book was certainly not bad, but I just didn't like some big parts that were going on in the lives of the main characters. Even so, I loved reading about the main characters themselves. Oh, and I really recommend you to look up fan art about them, because it is super, super, cute.