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hannahmichele5's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
What a special experience to be able to read this on my way to Paris! This was truly the perfect book about 2 messy, slutty, hot, bisexuals who find their way back to one another 4 years after their sudden break-up on an epic 2 week European food and wine tour!
As expected, this book was phenomenal! It is just so slutty and so gay. I loved every second of it! I found myself relating so much to both Theo and Kit. They were both so special and unique in their own ways and I’d protect both of them with my life! 🫶 also, the only one bed tropes were tropin’ in this one!
As expected, this book was phenomenal! It is just so slutty and so gay. I loved every second of it! I found myself relating so much to both Theo and Kit. They were both so special and unique in their own ways and I’d protect both of them with my life! 🫶 also, the only one bed tropes were tropin’ in this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Minor: Blood and Death of parent
prioryofprose's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Casey McQuiston did it again. They are such an amazing author and create the most amazing characters, the depth and complexity - chef's kiss.
Theo and Kit were so imperfectly perfect. I loved how their relationship was friendship that blossomed and then a happen-stance coming back together on a wine tour. It would be awful for sure. I cannot imagine thinking you are going to have some time away and then have you ex sitting on the bus in a foreign country.
While I hated the sex game, the rest of the book was perfection. I want to hate the miscommunication or lack of communication troupes, but isn't that just real life. How many times do we do that in our daily lives with the relationships around us.
The vibes of the book were perfect though. I madly want to go on a wine and food tour now. The cast of characters were goofy, caring, ridiculous, loving and just amazing.
I could see this turned into the most amazing movie - and it would be awesome! A perfect summer read that shows that love isn't always easy and growing up, changing and compromising are tough, but can be worth it with the right person!
Theo and Kit were so imperfectly perfect. I loved how their relationship was friendship that blossomed and then a happen-stance coming back together on a wine tour. It would be awful for sure. I cannot imagine thinking you are going to have some time away and then have you ex sitting on the bus in a foreign country.
While I hated the sex game, the rest of the book was perfection. I want to hate the miscommunication or lack of communication troupes, but isn't that just real life. How many times do we do that in our daily lives with the relationships around us.
The vibes of the book were perfect though. I madly want to go on a wine and food tour now. The cast of characters were goofy, caring, ridiculous, loving and just amazing.
I could see this turned into the most amazing movie - and it would be awesome! A perfect summer read that shows that love isn't always easy and growing up, changing and compromising are tough, but can be worth it with the right person!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming
jamiemamie's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I was really excited about this book, as I've enjoyed other books by this author. Unfortunately, I knew pretty quickly that it wasn't for me. I almost DNFed at 25%, 30%, 50%, etc., but I decided to finish the book so I could give a more thorough review.
Characters:
I found the two main characters, Theo and Kit, to be wildly pretentious and generally unlikable. This whole story felt very much "poor little rich kids." If you've ever worked in the service industry, especially in a larger city, you have probably worked with these people and rolled your eyes at them. Kit was a bit more likable than Theo, but only because he seemed more genuine in his actions toward Theo. Theo is a nepo-baby who just can't stand the privilege afforded to them by having rich, famous parents. Kit is a French-born, half-American pastry chef who seems to assume he knows what others are thinking instead of asking. Neither of them knows how to communicate.The entire plot of this book is based on the miscommunication in a single event that snowballed into a breakup and subsequent falling out between the two MCs.
Plot:
This story was a second-chance romance / friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. 🥴 Years, ago, they broke up on their way to a European vacation, and they end up in the same tour group when cashing in their vouchers for that missed trip. Kit and Theo are both really hot, and throughout their travels, they constantly encounter other really hot people who are always dying to sleep with one or both of them. Even though Theo comes off as really unpleasant to the reader (IMO), they are apparently able to charm everyone around them and charm their way onto a billionaire's yacht??? IDGI.
Overall, I was really disappointed by this one. Kit's POV was the only saving grace, and even then, I was struggling. It probably would have been better to start with Kit's POV, as he's more likable, but I understand why Theo's POV was first.
If you loved this book, that's great! It just wasn't for me.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Characters:
I found the two main characters, Theo and Kit, to be wildly pretentious and generally unlikable. This whole story felt very much "poor little rich kids." If you've ever worked in the service industry, especially in a larger city, you have probably worked with these people and rolled your eyes at them. Kit was a bit more likable than Theo, but only because he seemed more genuine in his actions toward Theo. Theo is a nepo-baby who just can't stand the privilege afforded to them by having rich, famous parents. Kit is a French-born, half-American pastry chef who seems to assume he knows what others are thinking instead of asking. Neither of them knows how to communicate.
Plot:
This story was a second-chance romance / friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. 🥴 Years, ago, they broke up on their way to a European vacation, and they end up in the same tour group when cashing in their vouchers for that missed trip. Kit and Theo are both really hot, and throughout their travels, they constantly encounter other really hot people who are always dying to sleep with one or both of them. Even though Theo comes off as really unpleasant to the reader (IMO), they are apparently able to charm everyone around them and charm their way onto a billionaire's yacht??? IDGI.
Overall, I was really disappointed by this one. Kit's POV was the only saving grace, and even then, I was struggling. It probably would have been better to start with Kit's POV, as he's more likable, but I understand why Theo's POV was first.
If you loved this book, that's great! It just wasn't for me.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
nukie19's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
A solid four star summer rom com/beach read for me. This is a super fun and sexy trip though Europe with loads of scenery, food and drink descriptions, art, and a pretty broad spectrum of queer intimacy. This mixes up a fair number of standard rom com tropes and doesn’t have a big surprise at the end, but it’s different enough that it doesn’t feel like a mix of other books just scrambled up and republished.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual content
brianneh's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I’m a big fan of Casey McQuiston’s work and this one did not disappoint! In the pairing, we follow Theo and Kit, a former couple who by chance have ended up on the same food tour of Europe. They were previously supposed to go on this tour together, but broke up right before the tour started. This was their last chance to use the funds from their original tour and not have them be wasted. The two end up overcoming some of their differences, start talking again, and eventually start a competition of who can hook up with someone else in each of the cities they go to.
The descriptions of the food and the cities make me want to go on this food tour so badly. I read the majority of this book on a plane and it made me want to immediately hop on another plane to go do a European food and wine tour. It just sounds so fun!
I thought the two main characters Theo and Kit were very relatable and I would want to be friends with them in real life. They were so cool, but they were also flawed and I just think that makes them that much more real to me. I like that we got chapters from both of their perspectives as well.
My biggest issue with the book is how much miscommunication goes on between the two main characters. This is even more frustrating when you have chapters from both characters. I feel like if some of that were eliminated from the book, I would’ve liked it even more.
I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
ambrosiablue's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Have you ever borrowed a book or read an ebook/audiobook that you immediately knew you had to own? So you can reread it whenever you want, loan it to a friend, write in the margins, or really, just to know something that beautiful is in your home in easy reach. This was that book for me. I read The Pairing as an advanced reader's copy, and preordered the hardcover before I even finished because I had to physically own a book this perfect.
Theo and Kit are two bisexual disasters on a romantic European food and wine tour-- only four years and a nasty breakup too late. Stuck together on what was once the vacation of their dreams, they try to keep it from dissolving into nightmare by having a "friendly-but-horny" competition to see who can seduce more locals. The book ends up being part romantic comedy, part traveloge, with so much loving detail painting each city, dish, and drink that you're completely transported. August 6th cannot come soon enough!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Ableism
mspilesofpaper's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc.
Theo and Kit used be to best friends, crushes and lovers. Now, they are just estranged exes after a fight on a flight to Paris to start their European food and wine tour. The fight was several years ago and they have finally to make use of the voucher or the money will be forever gone. When Theo boarded the tour bus as one of the last participants, they didn't realise that Kit would be there as well. Three weeks through Europe, visiting three countries that are deeply connected with delicious food and wine, but also with love, passion and romance: France, Spain and Italy. Of course, they are fine with having to do the tour together - they are over each other. They are so over each other that they have a competition to see who can hook up with more locals.
My experience with McQuiston books is a mixed one: 5 ⭐ for Red, White and Royal Blue, 4 ⭐ for I kissed Shara Wheeler (despite unlikeable characters), and 2.5⭐ for One Last Stop. So, on average: 3.8 ⭐ for her books. I did not expect another 5-star read but the book's summary made me think "ah, yes I think I will like it". Fun fact: by ~20%, I realised how much I dislike the book and I wish it would have become better instead of worse. By ~50%, I just resigned to my fate of forcing myself through it to finish the eARC.
The Pairing is an extreme case of "expectations vs. reality". I did expect a second-chance romance where two male lovers realise, while touring through France, Spain and Italy, that they still love each other. The reality is that it is an over-sexualised book with copy-paste parts from food and travel blogs, and with two bisexuals (1 non-binary and 1 cis but both are white) main characters as lovers. The entire book gives me #EuroSummer vibes because it is an over-romanticised view of Europe. As a European who knows some stops from the tour: yes, they can be beautiful but every description of a town/city sounded as if McQuiston was never there and just read three travel blogs (that tend to glamourise their trips to France/Spain/Italy) before copy-pasting those descriptions into the book. Right now, I'm a very tired European. Europe is not a theme park, guys!
As for the over-sexualisation: every character is portrayed as bisexual/pansexual and is down to fuck after meeting Kit/Theo for a second. Every character is either young and beautiful or older and attractive (e.g., Émile as a salt & pepper billionaire who is a bisexual yacht owner who wants a threesome). Everything is so beautiful that it makes characters horny/makes them think of sex. Likely, I am by far too asexual to understand it but why do allosexuals look at food and think "oh yes, I want to fuck now"? The fact that everyone wants constantly sex (to the point that a foursome/orgy is going on with 4 - 5 side characters) makes the entire book so vapid and pointless. I hated it. My best friend received several voice messages of me ranting about the book and how much I hate it. Please, do not get me started on the fucking peach scene ... it will haunt me forever.
Concerning Theo and Kit: I hate them. Theo (actually Theodora) is a non-binary (playing with the concept of being trans) bisexual who is a nepo baby and the definition of "woe me" who acts like the victim despite being the one who is responsible for the bullshit. Their part is the first part of the book and I hated every second of it. When they are not horny and try to fuck someone/Kit, they describe alcoholic beverages in extensive terms that mean nothing to someone who doesn't drink but they all sound like they come from a pretentious food blog. Their struggle with being a nepo baby (as their parents and siblings are famous) is basically "I act like I am poor because I cannot accept the help of my family to start a business". I can understand it that they don't want to accept money from their parents but their sister offered it multiple times, no strings attached, as a loan or an investment into Theo's business idea but they keep saying no because "I do not want to rely on my connections". If I would be able to meet Theo in real life, I would be like "Theo, fuck you. Your family loves and cares about you. Stop acting as if you have no options and need to be poor/do everything on your own when your family would help you to start your business. Not everyone has such a good support net!" because they are insufferable as fuck. Kit is also a nepo baby and his part of the book, the second part, is slightly more acceptable than the first part but I might think like this because it was easy to skip due to extensive scenes of: sex, sex, sex, architecture/art described in food terms, Kit being whiny about how much he loves Theo, sex. Both of them are vapid and their main characteristic is "being horny". They are so horny for each other and other people, it does not even occur to them that someone wants to spend an evening with them as a friend.
As for the side characters: they are not developed. If they were removed from the book, the book wouldn't be any different. With each chapter, the tour group becomes smaller or there are suddenly side characters that have never been introduced. Fabrizio feels like a caricature of a tour guide/an Italian.
As for the romance: I do like second chance romances when they are well done in terms of emotional development and growing to realise "Ohh, it's always been you". Unfortunately, The Pairing is a horrible case of second chance romance as the emotional development of falling in love again (or realising the "Ohh, it's always been you") happens mostly off-page as McQuiston considered never-ending sex scenes as more important. All I know about their romance is that they function well when it comes to sex but have zero ability to actually communicate with each other. Their fight on the plane that led to the break-up? Happens because of bad communication and a lack of communication afterwards. The only positive scene in the entire novel that concerns their relationship is Theo's coming out as non-binary to Kit and Kit easily accepting it because "you are bigger than one gender", and from there onwards, Kit uses they/them for Theo. (Previously, it is she/her and other characters consider Theo as female as well.)
Spice level: 3 🌶️
TW: alcohol consumption, graphic sex scenes, death of parent, difficult parent-child relationship, toxic relationship (bullying of each other, it is a kink for them)
Tl;dr: A romance book with two vapid, two-dimensional main characters who want to fuck everyone but especially each other, who are extremely entitled nepo babies who do not realise their privileges while they fuck their way through an over-romanticised portrayal of France, Spain and Italy where everyone and everything is down to fuck with them. The research that went into the book feels just as vapid and as if the author read 3 - 5 travel blogs and food blogs. Harmful portrayal of bisexuals who want to fuck everyone (plays into "they see prey, not people" stereotype) to top everything off.
Theo and Kit used be to best friends, crushes and lovers. Now, they are just estranged exes after a fight on a flight to Paris to start their European food and wine tour. The fight was several years ago and they have finally to make use of the voucher or the money will be forever gone. When Theo boarded the tour bus as one of the last participants, they didn't realise that Kit would be there as well. Three weeks through Europe, visiting three countries that are deeply connected with delicious food and wine, but also with love, passion and romance: France, Spain and Italy. Of course, they are fine with having to do the tour together - they are over each other. They are so over each other that they have a competition to see who can hook up with more locals.
My experience with McQuiston books is a mixed one: 5 ⭐ for Red, White and Royal Blue, 4 ⭐ for I kissed Shara Wheeler (despite unlikeable characters), and 2.5⭐ for One Last Stop. So, on average: 3.8 ⭐ for her books. I did not expect another 5-star read but the book's summary made me think "ah, yes I think I will like it". Fun fact: by ~20%, I realised how much I dislike the book and I wish it would have become better instead of worse. By ~50%, I just resigned to my fate of forcing myself through it to finish the eARC.
The Pairing is an extreme case of "expectations vs. reality". I did expect a second-chance romance where two male lovers realise, while touring through France, Spain and Italy, that they still love each other. The reality is that it is an over-sexualised book with copy-paste parts from food and travel blogs, and with two bisexuals (1 non-binary and 1 cis but both are white) main characters as lovers. The entire book gives me #EuroSummer vibes because it is an over-romanticised view of Europe. As a European who knows some stops from the tour: yes, they can be beautiful but every description of a town/city sounded as if McQuiston was never there and just read three travel blogs (that tend to glamourise their trips to France/Spain/Italy) before copy-pasting those descriptions into the book. Right now, I'm a very tired European. Europe is not a theme park, guys!
As for the over-sexualisation: every character is portrayed as bisexual/pansexual and is down to fuck after meeting Kit/Theo for a second. Every character is either young and beautiful or older and attractive (e.g., Émile as a salt & pepper billionaire who is a bisexual yacht owner who wants a threesome). Everything is so beautiful that it makes characters horny/makes them think of sex. Likely, I am by far too asexual to understand it but why do allosexuals look at food and think "oh yes, I want to fuck now"? The fact that everyone wants constantly sex (to the point that a foursome/orgy is going on with 4 - 5 side characters) makes the entire book so vapid and pointless. I hated it. My best friend received several voice messages of me ranting about the book and how much I hate it. Please, do not get me started on the fucking peach scene ... it will haunt me forever.
Concerning Theo and Kit: I hate them. Theo (actually Theodora) is a non-binary (playing with the concept of being trans) bisexual who is a nepo baby and the definition of "woe me" who acts like the victim despite being the one who is responsible for the bullshit. Their part is the first part of the book and I hated every second of it. When they are not horny and try to fuck someone/Kit, they describe alcoholic beverages in extensive terms that mean nothing to someone who doesn't drink but they all sound like they come from a pretentious food blog. Their struggle with being a nepo baby (as their parents and siblings are famous) is basically "I act like I am poor because I cannot accept the help of my family to start a business". I can understand it that they don't want to accept money from their parents but their sister offered it multiple times, no strings attached, as a loan or an investment into Theo's business idea but they keep saying no because "I do not want to rely on my connections". If I would be able to meet Theo in real life, I would be like "Theo, fuck you. Your family loves and cares about you. Stop acting as if you have no options and need to be poor/do everything on your own when your family would help you to start your business. Not everyone has such a good support net!" because they are insufferable as fuck. Kit is also a nepo baby and his part of the book, the second part, is slightly more acceptable than the first part but I might think like this because it was easy to skip due to extensive scenes of: sex, sex, sex, architecture/art described in food terms, Kit being whiny about how much he loves Theo, sex. Both of them are vapid and their main characteristic is "being horny". They are so horny for each other and other people, it does not even occur to them that someone wants to spend an evening with them as a friend.
As for the side characters: they are not developed. If they were removed from the book, the book wouldn't be any different. With each chapter, the tour group becomes smaller or there are suddenly side characters that have never been introduced. Fabrizio feels like a caricature of a tour guide/an Italian.
As for the romance: I do like second chance romances when they are well done in terms of emotional development and growing to realise "Ohh, it's always been you". Unfortunately, The Pairing is a horrible case of second chance romance as the emotional development of falling in love again (or realising the "Ohh, it's always been you") happens mostly off-page as McQuiston considered never-ending sex scenes as more important. All I know about their romance is that they function well when it comes to sex but have zero ability to actually communicate with each other. Their fight on the plane that led to the break-up? Happens because of bad communication and a lack of communication afterwards. The only positive scene in the entire novel that concerns their relationship is Theo's coming out as non-binary to Kit and Kit easily accepting it because "you are bigger than one gender", and from there onwards, Kit uses they/them for Theo. (Previously, it is she/her and other characters consider Theo as female as well.)
Spice level: 3 🌶️
TW: alcohol consumption, graphic sex scenes, death of parent, difficult parent-child relationship, toxic relationship (bullying of each other, it is a kink for them)
Tl;dr: A romance book with two vapid, two-dimensional main characters who want to fuck everyone but especially each other, who are extremely entitled nepo babies who do not realise their privileges while they fuck their way through an over-romanticised portrayal of France, Spain and Italy where everyone and everything is down to fuck with them. The research that went into the book feels just as vapid and as if the author read 3 - 5 travel blogs and food blogs. Harmful portrayal of bisexuals who want to fuck everyone (plays into "they see prey, not people" stereotype) to top everything off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Toxic relationship
nxclx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book early in exchange for my honest review.
4/5 *s
Second chance romance, with steam up to your ears, and also, it makes you hungry.
Theo and Kit broke up four years ago on their way to a European food and wine tour, and have not spoken since. They cancelled their excursion and each got a voucher to go on the tour later. Well, now that voucher is about to expire, and Theo figures it’s better to use it than let that happen. Unfortunately Kit has the same idea, and now they’re both in Europe, on the same tour together, with no escape. What entails on this tour is indulgence to it’s highest level, with so much pining and amazing descriptions accompanying it.
Favorite Quotes
“I came to drink champagne and eat tortellini until I throw up.”
“Kiss me, haunt me, handle me recklessly.”
Review
Casey McQuiston is my favorite author, and they did not disappoint with this new novel. From the start of the novel, I got that signature writing style and humor that I’ve been missing in my life. I loved the plot lined and the way the story was structured, and to me it lent well to the over all narrative. I ordered this book on presale back in December and I’m glad I did. I’m already so excited to reread this with a glass of wine and some delicious baked breads, cheeses, jams, everything. The description of the food and the locations is amazing, though I have to admit I am not familiar with a lot of the food words/flavors/descriptions, so some of it went over my head, but what I got was sublime. The flirting, the banter, the connections, all fantastic. This is the second book I’ve read that is second chance romance, and I can’t believe I’ve been sleeping on it. The second half of the book is probably my favorite, and connected me to the story more than the first half.
(Spoliers below)
I love how Theo’s gender was handled, and how Kit responded to it both in day to day and when they were intimate. Their growth over the tour was believable and realistic, and I love how they overcame their issues and communicated.
My main complaint about this book (besides be being too ignorant about food and wine) is the miscommunication that led to the characters break up four years ago. Miscommunication is very hard to pull off right, thus a lot of people hating it, but if it’s done right it works well. In this book, it simply didn’t work for me. Thats what stopped it from being 5 stars, but other than that it’s an amazing read.
Content Warnings
Alcohol, Blood, Misgendering, Sexually explicit scenes
Annotation Guide
Green - Positive Notes
Red - Critiques
Yellow - General reactions/commentary
Blue - Gramatical/Plot related notes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, and Sexual content
ee1000's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
4.75
Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you may come across a book that is perfectly written for you. A book that fits perfectly with your interests and what you’re looking for that you just get lost in it while you read. This book was that to me.
I loved Red, White and Royal Blue and I enjoyed One Last Stop so having the opportunity to read and review Casey’s new book was a delight. I was thrilled to find a book so beautify written that charm and warmth oozed from every page.
First, this book is a love letter to food, wine, and art. For someone who did study art history and then went to Europe and visited a lot of places that Theo and Kit visited, this book is also a trip down memory lane reminding me of places I’ve been before. (A fond memory of mine is eating in Florence, this book took me right back there.)
The love for each of these subjects is apparent in every page. You can feel the sun and imagine the taste of every dish. I walked away from this book missing Europe most of all and wanting to take a trip like Theo and Kit did desperately.
Of course, our main couple is the star of the book and I loved both Kit and Theo. I’m glad that we got to hear from both of them, and the point of view switch timing was innovative, surprising, and such a smart move. I love that we get to know Theo and then get to see Kit learn about how they’ve changed over the years and embrace their identity. Brilliant planning and writing.
As far as second chance romances go, I believed in Theo and Kit so much. They truly belonged with each other, there wasn’t any other way for them to move forward other than together. I did get frustrated with them every so often because they just needed to hash things out. But at the same time, I get where the fear of losing each other again came from. (It did drive me a little mad though so that’s where the .25 star was deducted.)
I loved the humor and friendships that developed through the book. This book is less found family and more reconnecting with family, but those family relationships also felt authentic and I loved how they grew through the book too.
Overall, this is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and when I dream tonight, you’ll find me on the shores of Italy, glass of wine in hand and sun on my face wishing to wake up in Europe tomorrow…
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for a review.
I loved Red, White and Royal Blue and I enjoyed One Last Stop so having the opportunity to read and review Casey’s new book was a delight. I was thrilled to find a book so beautify written that charm and warmth oozed from every page.
First, this book is a love letter to food, wine, and art. For someone who did study art history and then went to Europe and visited a lot of places that Theo and Kit visited, this book is also a trip down memory lane reminding me of places I’ve been before. (A fond memory of mine is eating in Florence, this book took me right back there.)
The love for each of these subjects is apparent in every page. You can feel the sun and imagine the taste of every dish. I walked away from this book missing Europe most of all and wanting to take a trip like Theo and Kit did desperately.
Of course, our main couple is the star of the book and I loved both Kit and Theo. I’m glad that we got to hear from both of them, and the point of view switch timing was innovative, surprising, and such a smart move. I love that we get to know Theo and then get to see Kit learn about how they’ve changed over the years and embrace their identity. Brilliant planning and writing.
As far as second chance romances go, I believed in Theo and Kit so much. They truly belonged with each other, there wasn’t any other way for them to move forward other than together. I did get frustrated with them every so often because they just needed to hash things out. But at the same time, I get where the fear of losing each other again came from. (It did drive me a little mad though so that’s where the .25 star was deducted.)
I loved the humor and friendships that developed through the book. This book is less found family and more reconnecting with family, but those family relationships also felt authentic and I loved how they grew through the book too.
Overall, this is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and when I dream tonight, you’ll find me on the shores of Italy, glass of wine in hand and sun on my face wishing to wake up in Europe tomorrow…
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for a review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content