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A review by perfictionist19
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
2.0
I am a huge mcQuiston girlie and RWRB was my entire personality when I read it last year and Sara Wheeler earlier this year hit the right spot as well. So, you got me I was dang excited for The Pairing (;
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston starts with a promising setup: Theo and Kit, childhood best friends turned lovers, now find themselves estranged, with unresolved feelings simmering just beneath the surface. It had all the makings of a BRILLIANT second-chance romance, especially with the added element of a European food and wine tour to bring them back together. However, despite this enticing premise, the execution fell flat for me.
The biggest issue I had was the lack of meaningful character development for both Theo and Kit. Their history was rich with potential, but the book focused too much on surface-level drama and spice instead of letting their relationship breathe and evolve naturally. The constant back-and-forth of the two pining for each other while simultaneously hooking up with other people felt repetitive and frustrating. Unfortunately, their emotional journeys felt stunted, and the tension between them came off as superficial rather than complex.
As much as I love McQuiston’s writing in Red, White & Royal Blue, The Pairing just didn’t hit the same notes. Instead of delivering the signature heartwarming and layered romance McQuiston is known for, it felt like we were stuck in a narrative that didn’t know where it was headed. Every new city they visited during the tour seemed to bring the same conflicts and hookups, making the story feel stagnant rather than dynamic. I wanted to see them grow individually, not remain stuck in a loop of attraction and avoidance without any real emotional progress.
That said, there were moments that I enjoyed, particularly the descriptions of the European food and wine.The cultural immersion was a refreshing touch, offering glimpses of stunning locales and tantalizing flavors that made me wish the rest of the story matched that same richness.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston starts with a promising setup: Theo and Kit, childhood best friends turned lovers, now find themselves estranged, with unresolved feelings simmering just beneath the surface. It had all the makings of a BRILLIANT second-chance romance, especially with the added element of a European food and wine tour to bring them back together. However, despite this enticing premise, the execution fell flat for me.
The biggest issue I had was the lack of meaningful character development for both Theo and Kit. Their history was rich with potential, but the book focused too much on surface-level drama and spice instead of letting their relationship breathe and evolve naturally. The constant back-and-forth of the two pining for each other while simultaneously hooking up with other people felt repetitive and frustrating. Unfortunately, their emotional journeys felt stunted, and the tension between them came off as superficial rather than complex.
As much as I love McQuiston’s writing in Red, White & Royal Blue, The Pairing just didn’t hit the same notes. Instead of delivering the signature heartwarming and layered romance McQuiston is known for, it felt like we were stuck in a narrative that didn’t know where it was headed. Every new city they visited during the tour seemed to bring the same conflicts and hookups, making the story feel stagnant rather than dynamic. I wanted to see them grow individually, not remain stuck in a loop of attraction and avoidance without any real emotional progress.
That said, there were moments that I enjoyed, particularly the descriptions of the European food and wine.The cultural immersion was a refreshing touch, offering glimpses of stunning locales and tantalizing flavors that made me wish the rest of the story matched that same richness.