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The Pairing
In #1 New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston's latest romantic comedy, two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour and challenge each other to a hookup competition to prove they're over each other—except they're definitely not.
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.
Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past.
All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.
It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And 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.
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.
Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past.
All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.
It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And 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.
432 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 6, 2024
About the author
Casey McQuiston
7 books38.4k followersCasey McQuiston is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies, whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Bon Appetit. Originally from southern Louisiana, Casey now lives in New York City.
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Want to read
December 14, 2023two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour and challenge each other to an international hookup competition to prove they’re over each other
I NEED THIS LIKE I NEED AIR
I NEED THIS LIKE I NEED AIR
March 31, 2024
I was about 25% into this story when it dawned on me that I hated The Pairing.
I can't even tell you how much I was anticipating this story. I'm a HUGE Casey McQuiston fan, and One Last Stop basically changed my life, so I assumed (foolishly, oh so foolishly) that I would love The Pairing. But I was incredibly, devastatingly wrong.
Look, I think there is going to be a group of readers who adore this and think that I'm so boring and millennial for not loving the food-porn-orgy that makes up this book, but I really, truly just did NOT like it. I didn't like it so much that I would be cooking dinner or brushing my teeth, and my mind would be like AND ANOTHER THING with all of the reasons that I didn't like this story. It took me ages to finish it, and I skimmed the last 20%, that's how badly I wanted it to just be over.
I'll admit that the second half was better than the first. Theo's part of the story was just insufferable. I hated how Casey McQuiston wrote their journey through Europe as just some bacchanalia of pansexual, carefree, good-looking young people who all wanted to bone. I've been to Europe many times, and I can tell you that travelling is not sweet-talking your way into a billionaire's yacht where everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) wants you. Why was every single person down to have sex after literally one second together, and why was everyone bisexual and younger than 35 and attractive?? There were no stories there, no meaningful secondary characters. Everyone was rich and charming and flawless and was down for everything. It felt vapid and pointless. I HATED it. Nothing was memorable. The food and wine descriptions felt well researched, but also just... pointless. It was hard to see how they were advancing the plot. I'm a total foodie, and I was bored by it all.
Also, I hated Theo's struggle with being a nepo baby. Readers will discover early on that Theo's family is wealthy and well-known. Not just their parents, but sisters as well. All exceedingly wealthy and accepting and generous. Which is GREAT. But it made Theo's "struggle" to get their business off the ground and establish themselves by play-acting as a poor person feel insufferable. Theo's sisters offered multiple times to gift them tens of thousands of dollars. And Theo keeps saying no... but the reality is that people struggling in real life would take money with no strings in a heartbeat. It really irritated me. Stop acting like you have no options when you have multiple loving and RICH family members to fall back on.
Finally, the romance...
I have a particular hatred for second-chance romances where all of the emotional development and intimacy happens off page and the readers are just expected to know how much the characters love each other and why. That's EXACTLY what we get here. They grew up together, they know each other, and then things fell apart. Now they are back together and the readers don't get enough time to figure out why. Yes, they are sexually compatible, but it seems like they are also sexually compatible with half of Europe. Plus, Theo and Kit just don't seem like a good match to me. I much preferred Kit, as a person, but they both act like teenagers with their sex bets and dares and lack of communication. They just both seem spoiled, and the romance did NOT sweep me off my feet. In fact, I don't even know if this book even is a true genre romance. It really didn't feel like it to me. It feels like a book that Gwyneth Paltrow would write if she was nonbinary and taking a food tour across Europe, documenting her "deep" feelings.
There was no humor. The side characters were less like developed people and more like boring sex pawns (that came to me while brushing my teeth this morning). The book lacked so much feeling that it left me feeling bereft.
Yes, I'm being dramatic, and yes, I loved that this book was SO QUEER, but it really failed me on all other fronts. I hope other readers connect with it more than me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram
I can't even tell you how much I was anticipating this story. I'm a HUGE Casey McQuiston fan, and One Last Stop basically changed my life, so I assumed (foolishly, oh so foolishly) that I would love The Pairing. But I was incredibly, devastatingly wrong.
Look, I think there is going to be a group of readers who adore this and think that I'm so boring and millennial for not loving the food-porn-orgy that makes up this book, but I really, truly just did NOT like it. I didn't like it so much that I would be cooking dinner or brushing my teeth, and my mind would be like AND ANOTHER THING with all of the reasons that I didn't like this story. It took me ages to finish it, and I skimmed the last 20%, that's how badly I wanted it to just be over.
I'll admit that the second half was better than the first. Theo's part of the story was just insufferable. I hated how Casey McQuiston wrote their journey through Europe as just some bacchanalia of pansexual, carefree, good-looking young people who all wanted to bone. I've been to Europe many times, and I can tell you that travelling is not sweet-talking your way into a billionaire's yacht where everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) wants you. Why was every single person down to have sex after literally one second together, and why was everyone bisexual and younger than 35 and attractive?? There were no stories there, no meaningful secondary characters. Everyone was rich and charming and flawless and was down for everything. It felt vapid and pointless. I HATED it. Nothing was memorable. The food and wine descriptions felt well researched, but also just... pointless. It was hard to see how they were advancing the plot. I'm a total foodie, and I was bored by it all.
Also, I hated Theo's struggle with being a nepo baby. Readers will discover early on that Theo's family is wealthy and well-known. Not just their parents, but sisters as well. All exceedingly wealthy and accepting and generous. Which is GREAT. But it made Theo's "struggle" to get their business off the ground and establish themselves by play-acting as a poor person feel insufferable. Theo's sisters offered multiple times to gift them tens of thousands of dollars. And Theo keeps saying no... but the reality is that people struggling in real life would take money with no strings in a heartbeat. It really irritated me. Stop acting like you have no options when you have multiple loving and RICH family members to fall back on.
Finally, the romance...
I have a particular hatred for second-chance romances where all of the emotional development and intimacy happens off page and the readers are just expected to know how much the characters love each other and why. That's EXACTLY what we get here. They grew up together, they know each other, and then things fell apart. Now they are back together and the readers don't get enough time to figure out why. Yes, they are sexually compatible, but it seems like they are also sexually compatible with half of Europe. Plus, Theo and Kit just don't seem like a good match to me. I much preferred Kit, as a person, but they both act like teenagers with their sex bets and dares and lack of communication. They just both seem spoiled, and the romance did NOT sweep me off my feet. In fact, I don't even know if this book even is a true genre romance. It really didn't feel like it to me. It feels like a book that Gwyneth Paltrow would write if she was nonbinary and taking a food tour across Europe, documenting her "deep" feelings.
There was no humor. The side characters were less like developed people and more like boring sex pawns (that came to me while brushing my teeth this morning). The book lacked so much feeling that it left me feeling bereft.
Yes, I'm being dramatic, and yes, I loved that this book was SO QUEER, but it really failed me on all other fronts. I hope other readers connect with it more than me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram
June 26, 2024
Maybe The Pairing is Casey McQuiston’s wish for a bi Timothée Chalamet. Or their ode to Timothée in Call Me by Your Name. Trigger warnings: a peach.
This review is probably going to be an unpopular opinion …
I guess I just don’t like that many hookups if people are clearly interested in each other. Don’t get me wrong, I found Kit and Theo’s bi-for-bi pastime where they pointed out hot people to each other hilarious, but the actual hooking up? I hated it.
The same applies to the food and, the wine, and the scenery. Maybe it’s because I’m European and have seen quite a few of these places myself (I know I’m lucky). I hate stereotypes, and sadly, even Casey managed to put some of those in this story, including the ever-charming, passionate loving Italian travel guide, the chic French woman who, of course, smokes cigarettes, and a Vespa tour in Rome. Maybe I shouldn’t read books anymore written by Americans set in Europe. Sigh.
So, the start of this story is basically traveling from city to city, food, booze, hooking up. Traveling to another city, food, booze, hooking up. And another city, food, booze, hooking up. I can’t even remember them drinking water to stay hydrated. Only alcoholic drinks. Even before noon in a sun-drenched and sizzling Southern European summer. So I raised my eyebrows and got bored. Like reaaally bored. I didn’t even laugh much.
The first half of the book is written in Theo’s POV, and only when it switched to Kit’s, the story got (a little) more interesting because he clearly loved Theo so much. And the way he reacted when Theo told him a big thing melted my heart. But otherwise? No chemistry, no witty remarks, no outstanding side characters. Only sex, food, and booze. Not for me, thank you very much.
Anyway, if this gets to be a movie, there’s only one actor who can play Kit. Guess who? Of course, it’s Timothée! And Saoirse Ronan will star as Theo. Mark my words! I like the chemistry between those actors on screen, so, I might even be going to watch it!
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Might round it down instead of up.
Thanks once again, Erin from Macmillan International for the ARC!
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This review is probably going to be an unpopular opinion …
I guess I just don’t like that many hookups if people are clearly interested in each other. Don’t get me wrong, I found Kit and Theo’s bi-for-bi pastime where they pointed out hot people to each other hilarious, but the actual hooking up? I hated it.
The same applies to the food and, the wine, and the scenery. Maybe it’s because I’m European and have seen quite a few of these places myself (I know I’m lucky). I hate stereotypes, and sadly, even Casey managed to put some of those in this story, including the ever-charming, passionate loving Italian travel guide, the chic French woman who, of course, smokes cigarettes, and a Vespa tour in Rome. Maybe I shouldn’t read books anymore written by Americans set in Europe. Sigh.
So, the start of this story is basically traveling from city to city, food, booze, hooking up. Traveling to another city, food, booze, hooking up. And another city, food, booze, hooking up. I can’t even remember them drinking water to stay hydrated. Only alcoholic drinks. Even before noon in a sun-drenched and sizzling Southern European summer. So I raised my eyebrows and got bored. Like reaaally bored. I didn’t even laugh much.
The first half of the book is written in Theo’s POV, and only when it switched to Kit’s, the story got (a little) more interesting because he clearly loved Theo so much. And the way he reacted when Theo told him a big thing melted my heart. But otherwise? No chemistry, no witty remarks, no outstanding side characters. Only sex, food, and booze. Not for me, thank you very much.
Anyway, if this gets to be a movie, there’s only one actor who can play Kit. Guess who? Of course, it’s Timothée! And Saoirse Ronan will star as Theo. Mark my words! I like the chemistry between those actors on screen, so, I might even be going to watch it!
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Might round it down instead of up.
Thanks once again, Erin from Macmillan International for the ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
April 19, 2024
someone def ghost wrote this cause no way we went from shara wheeler (perfect sapphic romcom in a book) to this (annoying mcs who need to grow tf up)
February 19, 2024
in the interest of transparency, a story in this book about a wine bottle in fact happened—though with different numbers involved—to my mother, earlier this year, after my grandfather passed away; when I read it in this book I curled up on my bed and cried like a baby, and subsequently my objectivity was what I would call at the mildest "compromised"
but I think this is what threads together the writers I have read who are really systematically built for the art of romance, is the compromise of objectivity. a friend who went to art school told me "beauty is what appeals to the senses". I don't think romance bypasses the intellect, exactly—hell, my favorite romances are meetings of the minds—but I think the logic of romance demands that it be experienced, first and foremost, as beauty is experienced, with the ear, the eye, and the tongue. I think it demands a kind of abandonment of the control that objectivity gives us, that detachment gives us, that abstraction gives us. love is the most regularly and intensely abstracted experience in the world, through cliche and truism and vague declaration and social script, and love is the experience we deal with in the most concrete terms.
McQuiston's books, from RWRB onward, are driven by the consistent philosophy that people deserve to be happy. this sounds very banal and universally held, and you know, I don't think it is. McQuiston writes people who come from a place of claustrophobia, people who are stuck—in palaces, in subway cars, in high school popularity—and they write people who cling fiercely to what hurts in the hopes that the hurt will elevate them: hard work, loneliness, hate. there's an impatience with the idea that suffering is necessary for the human character, and there's a corresponding and reflexive generosity. why leave anything off the table? why leave anyone out of the invitation? why should we obey the part of ourselves that tells us not to indulge—that indulgence is not just capable of being dangerous, shameful, dishonest, illusory, demeaning, weighed down by nostalgia and grief, but that it is these things by definition—when obeying it keeps us from indulging others, too? why should we feel the need to hold ourselves above what makes us happy? what makes us feel that there isn't enough happiness to go around?
a book about love in concrete terms, love in generous terms, love in the most indulgent terms. should also note that every day of my life I am banging on the door of RKO Pictures hollering BRING BACK THE COMEDY OF REMARRIAGE. nobody ever answers the door for some reason but the agenda advances
ETA 2/7/24: seen a number of reviews at this point that say they think Theo in this book is Casey McQuiston's self-insert character, which I've been trying to make sense of one way or the other for a while now, on account of I'm not sure what they have in common—point of origin? occupation? family dynamics? success level of career? general aesthetic? looks? religion, class, disability, clothes, age, mannerisms, hobbies? from the information McQuiston's shared publicly about themselves, no. if anyone can think of something I'm missing, let me know, because pretty much all I'm left with besides that is that they're both white American bisexuals, and all of McQuiston's previous protagonists have been American bisexuals, too, and two have been white, so what's different about Theo besides ?. (I hesitated over that spoiler-tag, but it is shared well into the second half of the book, so I feel like preserving its "reveal" status probably aligns with the book's intentions.)
I'd be surprised if we were facing a sort of "all writers, if writing characters, must be writing self-inserts" situation, particularly from Casey McQuiston's usual reading demographic, because that seems like a reaction that's pretty straightforwardly sexist—I think we've all run through the understanding that cis men are never, ever accused of this kind of lack of imagination, or this kind of public wish-fulfillment, unless they're very literally New England college professors having affairs with their students writing about New England college professors having affairs with their students. in fact I think that's such common knowledge that I wouldn't bother to add this note, except that that example gets at something I find actually kind of upsetting about this:
is the feeling that Theo's makes them a wish-fulfillment self-insert located in the experience of reading the sex scene(s) where Theo discusses ? is the understanding that because McQuiston is a writer writing about a character, we are purposefully reading those sex scenes as clues as to what McQuiston prefers in their own sex life? that's an upsetting prospect. I understand the practice of reading books and having an amused eye as to what the writer's kinks are—again, the proverbial college professor with an affair, or Joss Whedon or Quentin Tarantino or etc—but there's a line between "picking up what he's putting down" and, well, using a sex scene by a person as a Field Guide To What The Are Like In Bed. it's upsetting to me as a trans person when I feel that a real-life trans person's sex life has become an object for amused public speculation, especially with this ha-ha wink-wink know-what-I-mean tone attached, because this happens to trans people frequently and its effects on the trans community are overwhelmingly injurious.
anyway, that's my spiel, and there sure are a lot of "if"s attached to all that, so I'd like there to be another reason that people are saying what they're saying and I hope I can think of what it is
but I think this is what threads together the writers I have read who are really systematically built for the art of romance, is the compromise of objectivity. a friend who went to art school told me "beauty is what appeals to the senses". I don't think romance bypasses the intellect, exactly—hell, my favorite romances are meetings of the minds—but I think the logic of romance demands that it be experienced, first and foremost, as beauty is experienced, with the ear, the eye, and the tongue. I think it demands a kind of abandonment of the control that objectivity gives us, that detachment gives us, that abstraction gives us. love is the most regularly and intensely abstracted experience in the world, through cliche and truism and vague declaration and social script, and love is the experience we deal with in the most concrete terms.
McQuiston's books, from RWRB onward, are driven by the consistent philosophy that people deserve to be happy. this sounds very banal and universally held, and you know, I don't think it is. McQuiston writes people who come from a place of claustrophobia, people who are stuck—in palaces, in subway cars, in high school popularity—and they write people who cling fiercely to what hurts in the hopes that the hurt will elevate them: hard work, loneliness, hate. there's an impatience with the idea that suffering is necessary for the human character, and there's a corresponding and reflexive generosity. why leave anything off the table? why leave anyone out of the invitation? why should we obey the part of ourselves that tells us not to indulge—that indulgence is not just capable of being dangerous, shameful, dishonest, illusory, demeaning, weighed down by nostalgia and grief, but that it is these things by definition—when obeying it keeps us from indulging others, too? why should we feel the need to hold ourselves above what makes us happy? what makes us feel that there isn't enough happiness to go around?
a book about love in concrete terms, love in generous terms, love in the most indulgent terms. should also note that every day of my life I am banging on the door of RKO Pictures hollering BRING BACK THE COMEDY OF REMARRIAGE. nobody ever answers the door for some reason but the agenda advances
ETA 2/7/24: seen a number of reviews at this point that say they think Theo in this book is Casey McQuiston's self-insert character, which I've been trying to make sense of one way or the other for a while now, on account of I'm not sure what they have in common—point of origin? occupation? family dynamics? success level of career? general aesthetic? looks? religion, class, disability, clothes, age, mannerisms, hobbies? from the information McQuiston's shared publicly about themselves, no. if anyone can think of something I'm missing, let me know, because pretty much all I'm left with besides that is that they're both white American bisexuals, and all of McQuiston's previous protagonists have been American bisexuals, too, and two have been white, so what's different about Theo besides ?. (I hesitated over that spoiler-tag, but it is shared well into the second half of the book, so I feel like preserving its "reveal" status probably aligns with the book's intentions.)
I'd be surprised if we were facing a sort of "all writers, if writing characters, must be writing self-inserts" situation, particularly from Casey McQuiston's usual reading demographic, because that seems like a reaction that's pretty straightforwardly sexist—I think we've all run through the understanding that cis men are never, ever accused of this kind of lack of imagination, or this kind of public wish-fulfillment, unless they're very literally New England college professors having affairs with their students writing about New England college professors having affairs with their students. in fact I think that's such common knowledge that I wouldn't bother to add this note, except that that example gets at something I find actually kind of upsetting about this:
is the feeling that Theo's makes them a wish-fulfillment self-insert located in the experience of reading the sex scene(s) where Theo discusses ? is the understanding that because McQuiston is a writer writing about a character, we are purposefully reading those sex scenes as clues as to what McQuiston prefers in their own sex life? that's an upsetting prospect. I understand the practice of reading books and having an amused eye as to what the writer's kinks are—again, the proverbial college professor with an affair, or Joss Whedon or Quentin Tarantino or etc—but there's a line between "picking up what he's putting down" and, well, using a sex scene by a person as a Field Guide To What The Are Like In Bed. it's upsetting to me as a trans person when I feel that a real-life trans person's sex life has become an object for amused public speculation, especially with this ha-ha wink-wink know-what-I-mean tone attached, because this happens to trans people frequently and its effects on the trans community are overwhelmingly injurious.
anyway, that's my spiel, and there sure are a lot of "if"s attached to all that, so I'd like there to be another reason that people are saying what they're saying and I hope I can think of what it is
Want to read
June 11, 2024if i do not find a romance that makes me swoon, giggle, and want to die of emotion in the next 3-5 business weeks, i may pass away.
Want to read
October 15, 2023NEW CASEY MCQUISTON??? SOUND THE ALARM, LOVE IS REAL AGAIN!!!
Want to read
October 16, 2023European food and wine tour? Sign me up!
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 23, 2024It's-a me, Luce, and-a welcome to my review! Bellissimo!
I wasn't a fan of Mcquiston's previous books (I only managed to finish Red, White & Royal Blue, which was childish, even by romcom standards) but I decided to give their latest novel a chance. However, within just a few pages, I found myself cringing at their humor (dildos...ah-ah) and their portrayal of places outside of America (that whole pub scene in London...why?)...it's giving Emily in Paris.
Mcquiston writing once again delivers some serious wattpad vibes, or the kind of character interactions and scenarios that would not be out of place in a romance movie of the netflix original variety.
The introduction of the Italian tour guide sealed my dislike for this book. His welcome: "Ah! The last two! Meraviglioso!" It's the same tired caricature of an Anglo-American's perception of an Italian, which is an amalgamation of clichés based on men from Rome or Naples (who are often portrayed as loud, boisterous, charming, handsy even). Imagine someone from northern italy or from a small southern town, working with or for a British company, greeting clients with a 'meraviglioso!'. Ridiculous, right? He also says "Ciao bella" to Theo because of course he fucking does.
And don't get me started on the cheek-kissing... Americans have misunderstood this whole kissing cheeks greeting. Depending on where you are in Italy, you might do it with family, friends, and depending on the setting, with friends of friends or when your friends are introducing you to someone or whatever. The Italians who work in Britain or with a British/non-Italian clientele wouldn't pull this.
It's frustrating how this Fabrizio character, despite his fluency in English, can't seem to resist sprinkling in Italian phrases/words like 'meraviglioso,' 'ciao,' 'grazie mille,' etc. It feels lazy and perpetuates a shallow stereotype. Frankly, it comes across as puerile, so much so that I doubt whether I'll bother finishing this book. Unless it's revealed later on that Fabrizio isn't actually Italian or is just playing up to the expectations of non-Italians (performing his own Italianness, so to speak), this portrayal is just lazy.
I don't care if you want to make fun of Italy and Italians, go for it. All I ask, is that you be clever, witty even, about it. Don't resort to such tired clichés, which are so unimaginative & unfunny that they could have been generated by AI.
Anyway, YMMV, so if you are the kind of reader who likes Emily in Paris chances are this book will be up your street.
I wasn't a fan of Mcquiston's previous books (I only managed to finish Red, White & Royal Blue, which was childish, even by romcom standards) but I decided to give their latest novel a chance. However, within just a few pages, I found myself cringing at their humor (dildos...ah-ah) and their portrayal of places outside of America (that whole pub scene in London...why?)...it's giving Emily in Paris.
Mcquiston writing once again delivers some serious wattpad vibes, or the kind of character interactions and scenarios that would not be out of place in a romance movie of the netflix original variety.
The introduction of the Italian tour guide sealed my dislike for this book. His welcome: "Ah! The last two! Meraviglioso!" It's the same tired caricature of an Anglo-American's perception of an Italian, which is an amalgamation of clichés based on men from Rome or Naples (who are often portrayed as loud, boisterous, charming, handsy even). Imagine someone from northern italy or from a small southern town, working with or for a British company, greeting clients with a 'meraviglioso!'. Ridiculous, right? He also says "Ciao bella" to Theo because of course he fucking does.
And don't get me started on the cheek-kissing... Americans have misunderstood this whole kissing cheeks greeting. Depending on where you are in Italy, you might do it with family, friends, and depending on the setting, with friends of friends or when your friends are introducing you to someone or whatever. The Italians who work in Britain or with a British/non-Italian clientele wouldn't pull this.
It's frustrating how this Fabrizio character, despite his fluency in English, can't seem to resist sprinkling in Italian phrases/words like 'meraviglioso,' 'ciao,' 'grazie mille,' etc. It feels lazy and perpetuates a shallow stereotype. Frankly, it comes across as puerile, so much so that I doubt whether I'll bother finishing this book. Unless it's revealed later on that Fabrizio isn't actually Italian or is just playing up to the expectations of non-Italians (performing his own Italianness, so to speak), this portrayal is just lazy.
I don't care if you want to make fun of Italy and Italians, go for it. All I ask, is that you be clever, witty even, about it. Don't resort to such tired clichés, which are so unimaginative & unfunny that they could have been generated by AI.
Anyway, YMMV, so if you are the kind of reader who likes Emily in Paris chances are this book will be up your street.
February 15, 2024
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.
From the moment I delved into its pages, I was completely captivated by McQuiston's trademark wit and charm. They have a knack for creating characters that feel incredibly real and relatable, and in "The Pairing," they have truly outdone themselves. Theo and Kit, our lovable protagonists, stole my heart with their quirks, flaws, and undeniable chemistry.
McQuiston masterfully weaved together a tapestry of themes, including found family self-sabotage and childhood friendship, adding layers of depth and complexity to the story. And let's not forget the incredible representation of bisexual and non-binary characters, which is portrayed with authenticity and care.
One of the highlights of this book is the dual POVs. Getting to see the world through Theo and Kit's eyes was an absolute treat. From Theo's feelings of displacement to Kit's journey of self-discovery, every chapter felt like a revelation, pulling me deeper and deeper into their captivating story.
And oh, the plot! "The Pairing" follows the story of Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef, whose paths cross once again when they embark on a vacation they had planned together years ago. What ensues is a delightful blend of romance, rivalry, and self-discovery as they navigate the ups and downs of their past relationship while trying to outdo each other in a culinary competition. Their journey is filled with twists and turns, laughter and tears, and enough delicious treats to make your mouth water.
I adored every moment of "The Pairing" and found myself completely swept away by its beautifully crafted imagery of Europe. Casey McQuiston's writing is effortless and immersive, making it impossible to put this book down.
"The Pairing" is a deliciously stunning read that will leave you craving more. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a heartwarming romance filled with laughter, love, and plenty of delicious treats. Trust me, you won't be able to resist falling head over heels for Theo and Kit's enchanting journey.
From the moment I delved into its pages, I was completely captivated by McQuiston's trademark wit and charm. They have a knack for creating characters that feel incredibly real and relatable, and in "The Pairing," they have truly outdone themselves. Theo and Kit, our lovable protagonists, stole my heart with their quirks, flaws, and undeniable chemistry.
McQuiston masterfully weaved together a tapestry of themes, including found family self-sabotage and childhood friendship, adding layers of depth and complexity to the story. And let's not forget the incredible representation of bisexual and non-binary characters, which is portrayed with authenticity and care.
One of the highlights of this book is the dual POVs. Getting to see the world through Theo and Kit's eyes was an absolute treat. From Theo's feelings of displacement to Kit's journey of self-discovery, every chapter felt like a revelation, pulling me deeper and deeper into their captivating story.
And oh, the plot! "The Pairing" follows the story of Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef, whose paths cross once again when they embark on a vacation they had planned together years ago. What ensues is a delightful blend of romance, rivalry, and self-discovery as they navigate the ups and downs of their past relationship while trying to outdo each other in a culinary competition. Their journey is filled with twists and turns, laughter and tears, and enough delicious treats to make your mouth water.
I adored every moment of "The Pairing" and found myself completely swept away by its beautifully crafted imagery of Europe. Casey McQuiston's writing is effortless and immersive, making it impossible to put this book down.
"The Pairing" is a deliciously stunning read that will leave you craving more. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a heartwarming romance filled with laughter, love, and plenty of delicious treats. Trust me, you won't be able to resist falling head over heels for Theo and Kit's enchanting journey.
June 21, 2024
I will be withholding my review of this book in solidarity with the St. Martin's Press boycott.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin
May 31, 2024
In this book, you will find:
• Most of Western Europe being pansexual and very horny
• Lots of Italian and French food you cannot pronounce
• Miscommunication for days
• A scene with a peach that I did not expect
• Non-binary representation
• Hot Italian men with flowy manes of dark hair
• Chaotic bisexuals (my favorite kind)
• Pure, unadulterated yearning
• The word “fuck” over 200 times
• Barrels and barrels of wine
• I’m serious everyone in this book is insanely horny
• Most of Western Europe being pansexual and very horny
• Lots of Italian and French food you cannot pronounce
• Miscommunication for days
• A scene with a peach that I did not expect
• Non-binary representation
• Hot Italian men with flowy manes of dark hair
• Chaotic bisexuals (my favorite kind)
• Pure, unadulterated yearning
• The word “fuck” over 200 times
• Barrels and barrels of wine
• I’m serious everyone in this book is insanely horny
Shelved as 'unreleased'
October 13, 2023i have known about this book for less than 24 hours and i am already obsessed and unable to stop thinking about it! there's something truly special about one of your favourite authors writing a book so full of your own personal favourite things thank you so much casey!
May 8, 2024
A mixed review from me this time. I've previously enjoyed many of the author's books. Mostly, I struggled through this one. Premise was good. Characters as individuals without some of their obsessions had merit to a degree. Yet the thing I focus on is how non-stop sexual they were... both Kit and Theo were obsessed with one-upping each other, and every person they met was hot, horny, and bisexual. This was really less about proving how they'd grown up in the years since their relationship ended and more about how many times you can nail a stranger in Europe. I skimmed so many scenes because it was the same thing over and over again. Had it been 30% shorter, a few of the supporting cast would have stood out, and I would be cool with each having 2-3 hookups over the course of 3 weeks on tour in Europe. Unfortunately, I felt the repeat button happening too often, and in the end, I didn't really care if they got back together. All that said, the progression of feelings, the description of food/wine, some of the sex scenes, were appealing. I'll still read more from the author but hoping the characters and plot have more substance.
February 26, 2024
Content warnings: alcohol consumption (a lot, it is a 'food and wine' tour, so this features heavily in the book), sexual scenes and situations, miscommunication, blood/blood noses.
Rep: Theo (MC) is white, bisexual, and non-binary, Kit (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Side queer characters.
It pains me more than anyone would ever know to say I did not like this book.
Rep: Theo (MC) is white, bisexual, and non-binary, Kit (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Side queer characters.
It pains me more than anyone would ever know to say I did not like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
October 12, 2023Two bisexual protagonists?! 🤯🌈
The revolution is clearly coming!
The revolution is clearly coming!
February 27, 2024
Spanish review: Leí este libro antes gracias a el ARC de @bookupmx y ¡QUE JOYA! Tenemos a dos ex's que se reencuentran después de unos años de no verse. Les seguimos en su tour de vinos con una pequeña competencia por ahí. Es una historia que se siente súper fresca, aprendí y disfruté muchísimo. Casey nos ha dicho que este es su libro más spicy y TOTALMENTE lo es. He leído miles de historias con representación LGBTQ+, pero hasta ahora ninguna se había sentido como esta y por eso ame todo🩷
English review: I got this ARC thanks to @bookupmx and IT’S AMAZING! This is the story about tow ex’s, they reunite after a couple years of not seeing each other. We follow them in a wine tour and a little competition they have going on. This story feels super fresh and I learned a lot about it, I really enjoyed. Casey has told us that this is their spiciest book and IT TOTALLY IS. I have read a hundred books with LGBTQ+ rep, but never something like this and that is why I loved it🧡
English review: I got this ARC thanks to @bookupmx and IT’S AMAZING! This is the story about tow ex’s, they reunite after a couple years of not seeing each other. We follow them in a wine tour and a little competition they have going on. This story feels super fresh and I learned a lot about it, I really enjoyed. Casey has told us that this is their spiciest book and IT TOTALLY IS. I have read a hundred books with LGBTQ+ rep, but never something like this and that is why I loved it🧡
June 8, 2024
This is a sweet second-chance romance infused with McQuiston’s signature sense of humour and quite a bit of spice.
Kit and Theo were childhood best friends turned lovers, but after a brutal breakup on a transatlantic flight, they haven’t seen each other in years. When they find themselves on the same European food tour, they try to distract themselves from their lingering longing for one another by engaging in a competition to see who can hook up with the most people during the trip…but those pesky feelings keep bubbling up.
Like all of McQuiston’s books, this one made me laugh out loud, and the main characters were complex and deeply likeable. This book is a love letter to food and travel. The main characters are a sommelier and a pastry chef, and the narration really puts the reader in the headspace of someone passionate about finding new flavours. I also highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romances that feature a strong sense of yearning, as the characters pine for one another for much of the book. Overall, this is exactly what I hoped for. It met my expectations for a new Casey McQuiston book…which are very high!
Kit and Theo were childhood best friends turned lovers, but after a brutal breakup on a transatlantic flight, they haven’t seen each other in years. When they find themselves on the same European food tour, they try to distract themselves from their lingering longing for one another by engaging in a competition to see who can hook up with the most people during the trip…but those pesky feelings keep bubbling up.
Like all of McQuiston’s books, this one made me laugh out loud, and the main characters were complex and deeply likeable. This book is a love letter to food and travel. The main characters are a sommelier and a pastry chef, and the narration really puts the reader in the headspace of someone passionate about finding new flavours. I also highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romances that feature a strong sense of yearning, as the characters pine for one another for much of the book. Overall, this is exactly what I hoped for. It met my expectations for a new Casey McQuiston book…which are very high!
June 23, 2024
I don’t like wine. I spent years, in my twenties, trying to taste what everyone else seemed to taste, but though every once in a while it almost clicked—a very dry red wine on a very good Valentine’s day date with a very beautiful Valentine’s day date, a spicy-smooth bottle of Madeira (though does fortified wine even count?)—ultimately, I was wasting my time. The problem, I finally decided, is that when other people drink wine, they taste something more than overwhelming bitterness. Something subtle. Something much less like salad dressing. I say all this, because if I had even just a mild appreciation for wine, it is possible that I would have enjoyed this novel far more. It feels like an important caveat.
Casey McQuiston is a great writer. She has a way of taking a sentence where you don’t expect it that often makes me smile and sometimes makes me laugh out loud; a way of getting inside her characters so that they feel larger than life, but also like someone you used to know. And thank God she does, because frankly, just about the only thing this book has going for it is that Casey McQuiston wrote it. Two gorgeous, rich, basically insufferable 28-year-old kids on a three week luxury food and wine tour across Southern Europe. I think I would like them if they were my friends—their enthusiasm, their humor—but they're not my friends, they're characters in a novel, and I spent way too much of this book skimming endless pretentious conversations about wine and pastries and wishing they would, you know, shut up.
We see almost nothing of France, Spain, or Italy you wouldn’t see from a tour bus. Which, to be fair, is absolutely logical and realistic—but compared to what an observant author is capable of showing of a place, also utterly impoverished. When, in the second half, one of our leads starts reflexively quoting Rilke, it is almost a relief—at last, something like substantive engagement with human culture, a book actually read and loved and internalized, to enliven the never-ending parade of paintings and churches. That said, I settled in after a while, accepted the tour and novel for what they are: decadent, indulgent, shallow, capitalist, and basically realistic (if we set aside the ease with which threesomes seem to arrange themselves, at least).
No, the problem at the novel’s heart, for me, lies in the relationship, not the setting. Here, too, Casey McQuiston proves herself an exquisitely good author, equally adept at heartfelt conversations, unvoiced soliloquies, and raw, vulnerable, pleasurable sex (there’s a sex scene towards the end good enough to justify reading the book all on its own, honestly). But—and what follows could be construed as a spoiler, though I don’t think I ever really doubted it—our leads love each other on page one. They have always loved each other. They always will. Which means, in the novel, on the tour, they’re not falling in love, they’re miscommunicating. In three countries. By the end, I was more or less persuaded that their extraordinary sexual chemistry alone was grounds enough for marriage, but I spent much of the novel fending off the suspicion that they would really be better off if they just got over each other.
Four stars because almost everything I dislike about this book is contained in its premise, and honestly it’s so well executed on its own terms that I should probably be giving it five—but if I rated books based solely on how I feel about them in my heart, it might be closer to two.
Casey McQuiston is a great writer. She has a way of taking a sentence where you don’t expect it that often makes me smile and sometimes makes me laugh out loud; a way of getting inside her characters so that they feel larger than life, but also like someone you used to know. And thank God she does, because frankly, just about the only thing this book has going for it is that Casey McQuiston wrote it. Two gorgeous, rich, basically insufferable 28-year-old kids on a three week luxury food and wine tour across Southern Europe. I think I would like them if they were my friends—their enthusiasm, their humor—but they're not my friends, they're characters in a novel, and I spent way too much of this book skimming endless pretentious conversations about wine and pastries and wishing they would, you know, shut up.
We see almost nothing of France, Spain, or Italy you wouldn’t see from a tour bus. Which, to be fair, is absolutely logical and realistic—but compared to what an observant author is capable of showing of a place, also utterly impoverished. When, in the second half, one of our leads starts reflexively quoting Rilke, it is almost a relief—at last, something like substantive engagement with human culture, a book actually read and loved and internalized, to enliven the never-ending parade of paintings and churches. That said, I settled in after a while, accepted the tour and novel for what they are: decadent, indulgent, shallow, capitalist, and basically realistic (if we set aside the ease with which threesomes seem to arrange themselves, at least).
No, the problem at the novel’s heart, for me, lies in the relationship, not the setting. Here, too, Casey McQuiston proves herself an exquisitely good author, equally adept at heartfelt conversations, unvoiced soliloquies, and raw, vulnerable, pleasurable sex (there’s a sex scene towards the end good enough to justify reading the book all on its own, honestly). But—and what follows could be construed as a spoiler, though I don’t think I ever really doubted it—our leads love each other on page one. They have always loved each other. They always will. Which means, in the novel, on the tour, they’re not falling in love, they’re miscommunicating. In three countries. By the end, I was more or less persuaded that their extraordinary sexual chemistry alone was grounds enough for marriage, but I spent much of the novel fending off the suspicion that they would really be better off if they just got over each other.
Four stars because almost everything I dislike about this book is contained in its premise, and honestly it’s so well executed on its own terms that I should probably be giving it five—but if I rated books based solely on how I feel about them in my heart, it might be closer to two.
May 10, 2024
I have discovered the PERFECT vacation read. Frankly, I’m furious it doesn’t come out until August. (Anyone traveling before then… you should probably move your trip or book another one, because this book is that good). McQuiston’s latest follows two exes who accidentally end up on the same food and wine tour through France, Spain, and Italy. The descriptions of the settings are lush, the ones of food and wine even more decadent, and the sex scenes—god, this book is SO HORNY—most sumptuous of all. The format of tour stops makes the book easy to pick up and put down without feeling lost, but it still has enough deeper thematic content around gender identity and worthiness to lend substance. A+, cannot recommend this highly enough.
January 25, 2024
(4.5)
any review for this being withheld as part of boycott against smp & imprints
Rep: nonbinary bi mc with ADHD, bi mc, sapphic & achillean side characters
any review for this being withheld as part of boycott against smp & imprints
Rep: nonbinary bi mc with ADHD, bi mc, sapphic & achillean side characters
February 5, 2024
ok...so I'm 75% in and think I'm going to abandon this. This is the first McQuiston that isn't for me. I think this will be a book for many ppl but not me. Trigger warning for alcoholic levels of drinking porn and a kink built around bullying.
There's no plot. It drags and drags, through two people longing for a former relationship, putting each other on pedastals, and then having what I can best describe as obnoxiously horny sex 24/7. There is so much sex and it becomes so incredibly boring and monotonous. They're mean to each other, which I think is their kink, so go off queens, but it's too intimate for me to be comfortable with reading. This review is gonna sound so fucking pearl clutchy in regards to the sex and I swear I'm not but I do have boundaries. GenZ is gonna hate this book, the sex is gratuitously over the top and excessive. I absolutely signed up for queer sex in a McQuiston book but...not this. My approach might have been different if this was clearly marketed as erotica with what's supposed to be Call Me By You Name longing (which is also excessive and doesn't hit.) They're almost 30 but act 21 in both their characters and their horniness. Again, there are going to be readers who absolutely look for this in their books, and no shame to them, but it's not working for me when it's framed as a queer romance, I expect a lot more plot and structure than this. ("But the blurbs says they're sleeping their way across Europe," you say, "you should have known!" I was certainly prepared but not for this. I'm uncomfortable with how embedded this behavior is in both self harm and intentional harm of the other person.) Also, hot take, I'm tired of gay culture being built around and celebrated for sex, especially embedded in masculine energy and approach to sex. But that's a discussion for another day.
They're very obnoxious people, both are entitled, perfect, nepo babies and this book is trying to say "nepo babies are people too!" And, yeah, they are, but they're also incredibly privileged and rich and that removes any literary tension from the story. Like, I don't care that Theo learns their bar-bus-business is going under and they suddenly have credit card bills - so do we all - but they have incredibly wealthy family offering to bail them out, so where is the crisis? The worst thing that has happened to these two is a miscommunication that led to a breakup. And I'm supposed to feel it's incredibly tragic? There's A LOT of telling and not showing of how tragic their breakup was, of how they loved each other and put one another on these incredibly high pedastals. I'm not finishing this because I'm tired of hearing Theo describe the perfection that is Kit again and again as they voyeuristically watch him.
I'm so bored. I'm so bored with all of the sex and the alcohol and the perfect privileged people whose love I can't buy into.
There's no plot. It drags and drags, through two people longing for a former relationship, putting each other on pedastals, and then having what I can best describe as obnoxiously horny sex 24/7. There is so much sex and it becomes so incredibly boring and monotonous. They're mean to each other, which I think is their kink, so go off queens, but it's too intimate for me to be comfortable with reading. This review is gonna sound so fucking pearl clutchy in regards to the sex and I swear I'm not but I do have boundaries. GenZ is gonna hate this book, the sex is gratuitously over the top and excessive. I absolutely signed up for queer sex in a McQuiston book but...not this. My approach might have been different if this was clearly marketed as erotica with what's supposed to be Call Me By You Name longing (which is also excessive and doesn't hit.) They're almost 30 but act 21 in both their characters and their horniness. Again, there are going to be readers who absolutely look for this in their books, and no shame to them, but it's not working for me when it's framed as a queer romance, I expect a lot more plot and structure than this. ("But the blurbs says they're sleeping their way across Europe," you say, "you should have known!" I was certainly prepared but not for this. I'm uncomfortable with how embedded this behavior is in both self harm and intentional harm of the other person.) Also, hot take, I'm tired of gay culture being built around and celebrated for sex, especially embedded in masculine energy and approach to sex. But that's a discussion for another day.
They're very obnoxious people, both are entitled, perfect, nepo babies and this book is trying to say "nepo babies are people too!" And, yeah, they are, but they're also incredibly privileged and rich and that removes any literary tension from the story. Like, I don't care that Theo learns their bar-bus-business is going under and they suddenly have credit card bills - so do we all - but they have incredibly wealthy family offering to bail them out, so where is the crisis? The worst thing that has happened to these two is a miscommunication that led to a breakup. And I'm supposed to feel it's incredibly tragic? There's A LOT of telling and not showing of how tragic their breakup was, of how they loved each other and put one another on these incredibly high pedastals. I'm not finishing this because I'm tired of hearing Theo describe the perfection that is Kit again and again as they voyeuristically watch him.
I'm so bored. I'm so bored with all of the sex and the alcohol and the perfect privileged people whose love I can't buy into.
Shelved as 'tbr-ebook'
January 30, 2024HOW ON EARTH DID I GET SO LUCKY TO READ THIS ONE EARLY???
March 2, 2024
I was so excited to get a ARC for this book and I am so glad!
It is a deliciously stunning book filled with beautiful imagery of Europe. The story is about Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef. Theo and Kit met during their youth when Kit moved from Paris to California and slowly fell in love as they aged, only to break up while on their way to a vacation they planned together. The story truly begins when Theo decides to finally go on that vacation but by themself four years after their break up which coincidentally is also Kit’s plan.
I think this story at core gives very pretentious western european in the best way possible. The prose is gorgeous with the scenic backdrop of Europe and food but I will say unless you are super into food you won’t understand most of what Theo/Kit are speaking of without having to look it up, they are THOSE pretentious foodies. Also I’m unsure of how much of this is the reality of Europe as someone who’s never been.
I am a character reader at heart which perhaps is the saving grace for this book. I will read anything if there is a character I can root for. In this book I fell in love with Kit, Sloane (Theo’s sister), and Fabrizio, their eccentric tour guide. Kit is so annoyingly good hearted, he loves so deeply and he takes the world on his shoulders for Theo. He is absolutely a babygirl that I want to cuddle and protect. Sloane is the voice of reason that keeps her siblings in line and is probably most representative of me in the text, I can relate to her so much as a eldest child even though she is not the eldest in her family. Finally, Fabrizio is perhaps a bit stereotypical frenchmen in his mannerisms but he is a sweetheart and the comedic heart in the series, I adore every moment that he shows up.
The problem arises with Theo. The first half of the book is in Theo’s perspective, and initially their extreme insecurity is so relatable and lovable but that quickly changes as the story progresses. You soon realize Theo is overly self sabotaging for absolutely no reason, they have this nepotism baby complex that made my eyes want to roll out of my head. Somehow by the end of Theo’s perspective, I was actively disliking them. Theo was a contradiction of themself at every corner of the plot. That dislike only worsened when l got to Kit’s pov and realized what a sweetheart he is.
½ way into the book, the plot kind of reaches a stalemate. We know all the troubles Theo has, and Europe is still beautiful but the story is just repeating the same thing over and over with slight side character variations. The whole casual sex trope also doesn’t really work here because of the execution. I love a slut era but here, it’s a lot of borderline unhealthy sex for the sake of petty issues. It is not a ‘let’s sleep around because it is fun’, it is a 'let's sleep around because I want to show off to my ex while I’m suppressing my emotions’ situation. It left me feeling icky.
Overall, I did enjoy the book a lot, it's very picturesque, almost like an arthouse movie but in text. Even the romantic plot, I enjoyed to a degree. Theo and Kit just didn’t click for me. I am a sucker for happy endings and here we have it but I wish it had been a bittersweet ending. My heart was left aching and yearning for something more (and better) for Kit who is the only reason I am going so high with the rating.
It is a deliciously stunning book filled with beautiful imagery of Europe. The story is about Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef. Theo and Kit met during their youth when Kit moved from Paris to California and slowly fell in love as they aged, only to break up while on their way to a vacation they planned together. The story truly begins when Theo decides to finally go on that vacation but by themself four years after their break up which coincidentally is also Kit’s plan.
I think this story at core gives very pretentious western european in the best way possible. The prose is gorgeous with the scenic backdrop of Europe and food but I will say unless you are super into food you won’t understand most of what Theo/Kit are speaking of without having to look it up, they are THOSE pretentious foodies. Also I’m unsure of how much of this is the reality of Europe as someone who’s never been.
I am a character reader at heart which perhaps is the saving grace for this book. I will read anything if there is a character I can root for. In this book I fell in love with Kit, Sloane (Theo’s sister), and Fabrizio, their eccentric tour guide. Kit is so annoyingly good hearted, he loves so deeply and he takes the world on his shoulders for Theo. He is absolutely a babygirl that I want to cuddle and protect. Sloane is the voice of reason that keeps her siblings in line and is probably most representative of me in the text, I can relate to her so much as a eldest child even though she is not the eldest in her family. Finally, Fabrizio is perhaps a bit stereotypical frenchmen in his mannerisms but he is a sweetheart and the comedic heart in the series, I adore every moment that he shows up.
The problem arises with Theo. The first half of the book is in Theo’s perspective, and initially their extreme insecurity is so relatable and lovable but that quickly changes as the story progresses. You soon realize Theo is overly self sabotaging for absolutely no reason, they have this nepotism baby complex that made my eyes want to roll out of my head. Somehow by the end of Theo’s perspective, I was actively disliking them. Theo was a contradiction of themself at every corner of the plot. That dislike only worsened when l got to Kit’s pov and realized what a sweetheart he is.
½ way into the book, the plot kind of reaches a stalemate. We know all the troubles Theo has, and Europe is still beautiful but the story is just repeating the same thing over and over with slight side character variations. The whole casual sex trope also doesn’t really work here because of the execution. I love a slut era but here, it’s a lot of borderline unhealthy sex for the sake of petty issues. It is not a ‘let’s sleep around because it is fun’, it is a 'let's sleep around because I want to show off to my ex while I’m suppressing my emotions’ situation. It left me feeling icky.
Overall, I did enjoy the book a lot, it's very picturesque, almost like an arthouse movie but in text. Even the romantic plot, I enjoyed to a degree. Theo and Kit just didn’t click for me. I am a sucker for happy endings and here we have it but I wish it had been a bittersweet ending. My heart was left aching and yearning for something more (and better) for Kit who is the only reason I am going so high with the rating.
May 9, 2024
Foolishly I decided to vlog this experience so when I get around to editing that footage into something that won't ruin the book before its publication date I'll edit that in.
As for my actual thoughts on this book, I think it's McQuiston's worst book to date. At least that I've read, so Ms Shara Wheeler is safe for now. In some ways I'm not surprised since their sophomore outing, One Last Stop, was almost painfully not for me. While my re-read of Red, White & Royal Blue happened months before I ever requested a copy of this I think I might have still had some lingering goodwill, hoping that the third time could be the charm and even something of a return to form for McQuiston as an author.
This is the story of Kit and Theo. It's important that you know these two were lifelong friends that dated seriously for roughly a year. Four years before the start of the book the couple flew to London to embark on a European food and wine tour only they got in a fight on the plane and when they landed they went their separate ways. Kit went to Paris and Theo booked the next flight back home to California. [ I'll save my nitpicky thoughts on the way SoCal was represented because in the grand scheme of life it's not that important, but I will die on the hill that no one in Southern California would talk about the Coachella Valley or the greater Palm Springs area as simply "the Valley"... that's just not how anyone would ever talk. ]
Time heals all wounds and so with the voucher for the missed tour set to expire Theo [and Kit] each decide that this is the year that they'll cash in the voucher and make the most of that missed food and wine vacation. Of course this leads to an awkward moment where our leads are reconnecting after all these years apart and Theo decides to tell some white lies as to have Kit be impressed with what they've been up to in the intervening years since the last time they were together. Eventually these two strike up a bet about how many people can have the most hookups on the tour because why not and the story is off to the races.
The early leg of the tour is in France and so we spend a lot of time meeting characters that Kit has some kind of relationship with; seeing their life fleshed out in a way that the few chapters we spent back with Theo in Palm Springs never received. If anything that should have been an initial warning of things to come yet I somehow managed to ignore those red flags and kept chugging along. This book is eventually dual POV, but both are told from a first person perspective and it's a pain to be in both of their heads. It's quickly apparent that Theo is still hung up on Kit. It's the kind of second chance romance that feels more like it was the right person and the right time but that fight was so catastrophic that it's what our characters need to resolve in order to move on.
Spoiler alert, even that was an incorrect assumption on my part.
You'd think that as this was a group tour of Europe some of the other people on this tour would factor in more. Especially given the reader is meant to think that Kit and Theo aren't all too thrilled to be spending all this time together. While the other people are named, and the ultimate goal of the sex bet is to seduce the head guide, the people on the tour have nothing to do. Instead we get a series of characters that only exist in each city to be sex objects for our leads . Instead Kit and Theo spend almost every page of the book together despite this idea they've been avoiding one another all these years and that initial meeting was super award for the pair of them.
Oh, and that fight that broke them up all those years ago? The fallout from that fight is quickly explained thirty percent into the book. So almost immediately it feels like we have no reason to have these characters not get together then and just cut our losses, why keep up the charade of them only being interested in a quasi friendship as they sleep their way through Europe when we could just cut to the chase a little early.
Instead the book continues on its slow pace, eventually swapping over to Kit's head halfway through. Normally I'm a proponent of dual POVs, but when both characters are on the same page mentally and are practically attached at the hip for the entire story I do think that the case for including both perspectives does become a little harder. Since both are pitiful we really should be cutting our darlings. As much as I hated being stuck in Theo's perspective they just had more to offer. So much of the conversation around identity and gender came when we were in Kit's head and so much of it just felt gross? I'm cis so I'm really not the one to call it out, but Kit was having some weird thoughts that never felt like they were being articulated in a way that I think they were meant to be come across? At least for me they didn't.
As for the fight that happened? We do eventually get to learn what it was all about at around the eight percent mark. That combined with the foolishness of the fallout it definitely wasn't something that needed four years to move on from. The end of the book sets up the characters to be in a similar place to where they were when that had that argument but now they've grown as people so they can almost do it all over again and have different outcomes. It feels like something that should be applauded for the literary merit of it all, but honestly it really just felt like a story that didn't need to be told. If the whole book could just not exist if two people had a conversation four years before the story began is there really a story to tell?
So much of the forward momentum of the book feels like it should be based in the reader being invested in the wager our leads make, but it's just not something I cared about. It was so clear from the beginning that none of these people that were being used as a one night stand were going to be fleshed out and neither were any of the characters that hung around the periphery. For as much time as we spent in Kit and Theo's heads and saw their memories of the past and how they were tying those memories to ones being forged in the present, they still felt like entirely flat entities and not fully realized individuals. Though maybe their continuous geographic fuck ps of life in SoCal might have prevented me from really investing.
As sad as One Last Stop might have been for me, at least over there you had side characters so fleshed out they were continuously pulling focus and a lead character trying to defy the laws of physics to be with their love interest. Here we had no conflict for over four hundred pages for people that never really had a reason to be broken up in the first place. It reads like a series of contrivances because that's all it will ever be. At no point did the narrative actually try and be a story that a reader could really invest themselves in.
As for my actual thoughts on this book, I think it's McQuiston's worst book to date. At least that I've read, so Ms Shara Wheeler is safe for now. In some ways I'm not surprised since their sophomore outing, One Last Stop, was almost painfully not for me. While my re-read of Red, White & Royal Blue happened months before I ever requested a copy of this I think I might have still had some lingering goodwill, hoping that the third time could be the charm and even something of a return to form for McQuiston as an author.
This is the story of Kit and Theo. It's important that you know these two were lifelong friends that dated seriously for roughly a year. Four years before the start of the book the couple flew to London to embark on a European food and wine tour only they got in a fight on the plane and when they landed they went their separate ways. Kit went to Paris and Theo booked the next flight back home to California. [ I'll save my nitpicky thoughts on the way SoCal was represented because in the grand scheme of life it's not that important, but I will die on the hill that no one in Southern California would talk about the Coachella Valley or the greater Palm Springs area as simply "the Valley"... that's just not how anyone would ever talk. ]
Time heals all wounds and so with the voucher for the missed tour set to expire Theo [and Kit] each decide that this is the year that they'll cash in the voucher and make the most of that missed food and wine vacation. Of course this leads to an awkward moment where our leads are reconnecting after all these years apart and Theo decides to tell some white lies as to have Kit be impressed with what they've been up to in the intervening years since the last time they were together. Eventually these two strike up a bet about how many people can have the most hookups on the tour because why not and the story is off to the races.
The early leg of the tour is in France and so we spend a lot of time meeting characters that Kit has some kind of relationship with; seeing their life fleshed out in a way that the few chapters we spent back with Theo in Palm Springs never received. If anything that should have been an initial warning of things to come yet I somehow managed to ignore those red flags and kept chugging along. This book is eventually dual POV, but both are told from a first person perspective and it's a pain to be in both of their heads. It's quickly apparent that Theo is still hung up on Kit. It's the kind of second chance romance that feels more like it was the right person and the right time but that fight was so catastrophic that it's what our characters need to resolve in order to move on.
Spoiler alert, even that was an incorrect assumption on my part.
You'd think that as this was a group tour of Europe some of the other people on this tour would factor in more. Especially given the reader is meant to think that Kit and Theo aren't all too thrilled to be spending all this time together. While the other people are named, and the ultimate goal of the sex bet is to seduce the head guide, the people on the tour have nothing to do. Instead we get a series of characters that only exist in each city to be sex objects for our leads . Instead Kit and Theo spend almost every page of the book together despite this idea they've been avoiding one another all these years and that initial meeting was super award for the pair of them.
Oh, and that fight that broke them up all those years ago? The fallout from that fight is quickly explained thirty percent into the book. So almost immediately it feels like we have no reason to have these characters not get together then and just cut our losses, why keep up the charade of them only being interested in a quasi friendship as they sleep their way through Europe when we could just cut to the chase a little early.
Instead the book continues on its slow pace, eventually swapping over to Kit's head halfway through. Normally I'm a proponent of dual POVs, but when both characters are on the same page mentally and are practically attached at the hip for the entire story I do think that the case for including both perspectives does become a little harder. Since both are pitiful we really should be cutting our darlings. As much as I hated being stuck in Theo's perspective they just had more to offer. So much of the conversation around identity and gender came when we were in Kit's head and so much of it just felt gross? I'm cis so I'm really not the one to call it out, but Kit was having some weird thoughts that never felt like they were being articulated in a way that I think they were meant to be come across? At least for me they didn't.
As for the fight that happened? We do eventually get to learn what it was all about at around the eight percent mark. That combined with the foolishness of the fallout it definitely wasn't something that needed four years to move on from. The end of the book sets up the characters to be in a similar place to where they were when that had that argument but now they've grown as people so they can almost do it all over again and have different outcomes. It feels like something that should be applauded for the literary merit of it all, but honestly it really just felt like a story that didn't need to be told. If the whole book could just not exist if two people had a conversation four years before the story began is there really a story to tell?
So much of the forward momentum of the book feels like it should be based in the reader being invested in the wager our leads make, but it's just not something I cared about. It was so clear from the beginning that none of these people that were being used as a one night stand were going to be fleshed out and neither were any of the characters that hung around the periphery. For as much time as we spent in Kit and Theo's heads and saw their memories of the past and how they were tying those memories to ones being forged in the present, they still felt like entirely flat entities and not fully realized individuals. Though maybe their continuous geographic fuck ps of life in SoCal might have prevented me from really investing.
As sad as One Last Stop might have been for me, at least over there you had side characters so fleshed out they were continuously pulling focus and a lead character trying to defy the laws of physics to be with their love interest. Here we had no conflict for over four hundred pages for people that never really had a reason to be broken up in the first place. It reads like a series of contrivances because that's all it will ever be. At no point did the narrative actually try and be a story that a reader could really invest themselves in.
Want to read
December 21, 2023i love being bisexual
December 15, 2023
1. I will only ever refer to this book as Sluts Across Europe.
2. It’s hands down my favorite McQuiston book.
There is so much in this book that on paper (I know it’s a book on paper) shouldn’t work as a romance novel but it does. It really does. While I’ve loved all of McQuiston’s novels (in different degrees, but still ultimately loved) for some reason, which I’ve never been able to pin down, it’s always taken me time to get fully invested in them. And the endings have made up for that. This time I was invested from the very opening. I was deeply invested. I won’t go into details because part of the enjoyment for me was going along for the ride as each part unfolded but I am convinced that the reason this worked so well has to be that McQuiston deeply loved these two characters so much that through all their faults you never doubt the love nor the kindness.
2. It’s hands down my favorite McQuiston book.
There is so much in this book that on paper (I know it’s a book on paper) shouldn’t work as a romance novel but it does. It really does. While I’ve loved all of McQuiston’s novels (in different degrees, but still ultimately loved) for some reason, which I’ve never been able to pin down, it’s always taken me time to get fully invested in them. And the endings have made up for that. This time I was invested from the very opening. I was deeply invested. I won’t go into details because part of the enjoyment for me was going along for the ride as each part unfolded but I am convinced that the reason this worked so well has to be that McQuiston deeply loved these two characters so much that through all their faults you never doubt the love nor the kindness.
Want to read
October 12, 2023“micah wants to read the pairing” i mean obviously
February 29, 2024
2.5
first of all, NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP. everyone cheered!
second, this was…the most unique book i think i’ve read so far, at least in the romance genre. idek if this can even be called a romance because at the end of the day is wasn’t very romantic at all.
theo, (who, to clear up confusion i’ve already seen, is nonbinary) and kit spend half the book fucking other people as was the book description but that sucks?! and it hurts??? very badly!!! no romance there. and the other half of the book i shit you not was about different food descriptions (which made me hungry), sexual paintings, sexual innuendos, threesomes, and navigating sexual acts. so i mean if that’s your cup of tea kudos to you and this is perfect for ya! i can’t say i’ll think about this book again to be so honest
first of all, NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP. everyone cheered!
second, this was…the most unique book i think i’ve read so far, at least in the romance genre. idek if this can even be called a romance because at the end of the day is wasn’t very romantic at all.
theo, (who, to clear up confusion i’ve already seen, is nonbinary) and kit spend half the book fucking other people as was the book description but that sucks?! and it hurts??? very badly!!! no romance there. and the other half of the book i shit you not was about different food descriptions (which made me hungry), sexual paintings, sexual innuendos, threesomes, and navigating sexual acts. so i mean if that’s your cup of tea kudos to you and this is perfect for ya! i can’t say i’ll think about this book again to be so honest
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