The Pairing By Casey McQuistion

Theo and Kit started out as childhood best friends. Then they were each other’s secret crushes, and they fell in love. They even discovered that they were bisexual and confided in each other about it. Theo came out later than Kit.

Now they are estranged exes. Theo and Kit break up on a flight for a European food and wine tour. At night, Theo works as a bartender, and during the day dreams of becoming a sommelier. Theo can taste the most subtle flavors in wine, like wood or leather, and has lots of casual lovers.

Kit, who grew up in Europe before moving to America, takes the flight they were going to be on and uses it to move back. He becomes the top of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Kit is an amazing pastry chef. He knows what flavors go together in pastry, like Theo knows what wine goes with what food.

He occupied any free time with one of his many casual lovers. All that is left of the past is an unused European tour voucher which was almost at its use within 48 months voucher expiration date.

Four years after the breakup, it seems like a good idea to take the trip separately. When they board the tour bus, they discover they had the same idea by sheer accident. Now they are trapped with each other for 3 weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy.

A big reason they had wanted to do this tour was that they were and are big Anthony Bourdain fans. They want to explore like he would have.

Theo and Kit decide to be friends on the tour and enjoy themselves. It’s fine, there’s nothing left between them, so much nothing in fact, that when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can get their hot tour guide to sleep with them, Kit is game.

Why stop there? Why not have a competition to see who can sleep with the most people while on tour? What could go wrong?

I love the LGBTQIA+ representation in this book, specifically as it pertains to bisexuality and gender identification. There are not enough books with these topics in them. As a member of the community, I place special importance on this. I also appreciated the fact that consent and respect play a significant role in the story. Their connection is not flawless, but I think it was essential to show the different aspects of the connection and the negative components that led to the breakup.

Another thing I love about this book is the descriptions: sight, sound, taste, etc. You name it; it is there. The one critique I have for this book is that I wish there were more travel and a few fewer sex scenes, but that is my preference. I will read from this author again because they write very well, and the way they write spice is not too over the top for me.

I recommend this book to romance readers who like spice.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press\St Martin’s Griffin for giving me access to a DRC of this book for an honest review. I would also like to thank NetGalley for giving us all a platform.