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jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was a creative whirlwind and i loved every second! From complex family dynamics to past mistakes and emotional development, its pages contain a love story for the ages that is tasteful and descriptive and leaves you feeling like your travelling Europe and experiencing the fragrant flavours of its pairings right alongside Kit and Theo. As with all of Casey's books, it had amazing queer rep with bisexual representation as well as nonbinary/trans representation too within our two main characters.
Filled with culture, it has some beautiful references to Rilke's poetry, which were beautiful and earnestly yearning for love. Additionally the comparing love to art truly left me breathless and my heart thrumming with feelings . The love in this is so true, although it takes a journey the way Kit loves Theo for all that they are is truly heartwarming and I adored following their journey and their love towards one another redeveloping.
Flavourful and enchanting this is the perfect read for anyone want an adventurous and tasteful romance that brings a perfect pairing back together. Perfectly researched, it was not only enchanting but made you feel like you were there seeing the sights too and combined with so much culture it kept me perfectly engaged. The way this ends left it perfectly open for potential short stories in future and honestly made me happy cry but thats all I can say without spoiling it.
A bit more adult than Caseys previous writings it has some pretty descriptive spicy scenes but honestly theyre artfully written and enjoyable so if this sounds up your alley I would aggressively recommend you pick it up sooner rather than later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
abby_reads_stuff's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Pairing is the epitome of second chance romance. It also holds a lot of friends to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers again charm. The depictions are super vivid and make you feel like you’re with Theo and Kit in the moment. It was very relatable when each character showed how deeply they had allowed their perceptions to influence their feelings about their breakup. I enjoyed this book and it was a pretty easy read.
jayybug's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jenedwards's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bettielovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I was very excited about this book because I love RWRB, and I really enjoyed Casey’s other books, specially I kissed Shara Wheeler, but this one I felt it dragged, I was really enjoying at the beginning but Theo’s insecurities and self-sabotage got old pretty fast, I wasn’t sure what Kit loved about them so much other than childhood memories, for being this long I still didn’t feel they showed me this love.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.
luckyonesoph's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
veve835's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
marmaladereads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is an incredibly steamy book that is erotic in all the self indulgent ways - having sex in every possible configuration with every possible person, binge drinking in gorgeous locales, and endless pastries and gorgeous lovers. Having been on similar European vacation itineraries, the fictional tour Theo and Kit take makes all the stereotypical stops and highlights one would expect - wineries in the south of France, riding Vespas in Rome, visiting the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - and as overindulgent as any vacation tends to be, but with all the boring parts (like long hours in the bus and the sleep and water breaks) completely skipped over. The result is an extremely rich experience that feels very over the top, like eating the fattiest and booziest of tiramisu.
In my opinion, it ultimately worked, because it was very much on theme with the European vacation, and it was also very much in line with who Kit and Theo are as a couple (or a former couple) - ones who overindulge in food and drink and sex, including bringing other people into their sex games. I loved that the one night stands didn't ultimately detract from the main romance. Even while sleeping with other people, both Kit and Theo were thinking of each other, and details of the other hook ups are brief and forgettable.
I loved that Kit and Theo are lifelong friends before becoming lovers, and we enter into this existing relationship at the set up of the book. Their connection is deeper than a typical second chance romance, they have both shaped and been fundamentally shaped by each other from their youngest moments, and are a continuum of each other whether their relationship is romantic or not. It also makes their forgiveness and reconciliation much easier to accept - you may stay forever angry at a lover, but you will typically forgive a family member, knowing you still have an entire lifetime to spend tied to them. Kit and Theo's relationship feels like they are tied together for life.
The bit that is frustrating is that this book has taken the miscommunication trope and spread it out over the entire 432 pages. From their initial break up, to four years later starting up a sex competition to avoid talking about it, Kit and Theo are a couple who are utterly incapable of understanding their own feeling, let alone saying them out loud. While this is eye rolling-ly frustrating at times, it does set up a novel that is also full of some of the most intense pining that I have read in a romance love. Their love for each other fills every page, even as they are denying it, sleeping with other people, running away from it, or are otherwise avoiding it. McQuiston's prose is beautifully romantic, and the deep longing from both Theo and Kit's points of view comes across for the entire book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC!
In my opinion, it ultimately worked, because it was very much on theme with the European vacation, and it was also very much in line with who Kit and Theo are as a couple (or a former couple) - ones who overindulge in food and drink and sex, including bringing other people into their sex games. I loved that the one night stands didn't ultimately detract from the main romance. Even while sleeping with other people, both Kit and Theo were thinking of each other, and details of the other hook ups are brief and forgettable.
I loved that Kit and Theo are lifelong friends before becoming lovers, and we enter into this existing relationship at the set up of the book. Their connection is deeper than a typical second chance romance, they have both shaped and been fundamentally shaped by each other from their youngest moments, and are a continuum of each other whether their relationship is romantic or not. It also makes their forgiveness and reconciliation much easier to accept - you may stay forever angry at a lover, but you will typically forgive a family member, knowing you still have an entire lifetime to spend tied to them. Kit and Theo's relationship feels like they are tied together for life.
The bit that is frustrating is that this book has taken the miscommunication trope and spread it out over the entire 432 pages. From their initial break up, to four years later starting up a sex competition to avoid talking about it, Kit and Theo are a couple who are utterly incapable of understanding their own feeling, let alone saying them out loud. While this is eye rolling-ly frustrating at times, it does set up a novel that is also full of some of the most intense pining that I have read in a romance love. Their love for each other fills every page, even as they are denying it, sleeping with other people, running away from it, or are otherwise avoiding it. McQuiston's prose is beautifully romantic, and the deep longing from both Theo and Kit's points of view comes across for the entire book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Transphobia and Deadnaming