#the pairing spoilers

[whichcouldmeanothing]

THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston published August 6ᵗʰ, 2024

I look up to find handsome, enduring Theo thumbing the same knuckles they bruised for me when we were children. I know them. I know this person better than I know anything, better than Bernini or Middle-earth or the importance of good butter. And they know me, and they're still looking.

[lucifers-favorite-child]

Casey your writing has GOT to stop being so relatable

[potato-jem]

kit fairfield, you are so fucking pathetic. are you free friday

[justalittlechocolatemilkshake]

Oh my god I’m reading The Pairing and did not know we would get dual POVS.

Kit is breaking my fucking heart rn.

[inthefaceofadaffodil]

Finished The Pairing and honestly? Need a prequel novel about Fabrizio and Valentina’s love story and a book about Orla’s life in Ireland because oh. my. GOD.

[amscraypunk]

"Ralph Macchio and the bully from The Karate Kid" as a couple's costume... they get it they just always get it

[so-sona-books]

the pairing - casey mcquiston

rating: 5/5

summary: during their flight to europe for a food and wine tour, childhood best friends turned lovers, kit fairfield and theo flowerday break up. four years later, they both separately rebook the same non refundable tour and end up in the same group as each other. to prove that they’re over each other, they propose a game to see who can seduce the most locals over the span of their trip. but a few weeks in the european countryside, alongside great food and wine, may change the exes’ minds about each other. 

My thoughts (spoilers ahead): AMAZING. THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE.  casey mcquiston is an amazing author and every single book they write I absolutely love. this book in particular checked all the boxes for me. childhood best friends turned lovers turned exes turned strangers, and now fate has put them on the same tour group? sign me up. as well, this book had dual POVs, so while we begin with theo’s POV, it switches to kit halfway through. now, kit’s POV was my favourite. with theo, they’re angry about the breakup and in the four years since, they’ve (tried) to move on. during the trip, their goal is to prove they're over theo and the game to seduce more locals is their way of proving it. their chapters end with realizing they may still have feelings for kit.  however, once we get to kit’s POV, it's all about theo. theo this, theo that. kit fairfield is in love with theo flowerday and always has been, and the yearning and pining from his chapters was on point. in addition to the love story between kit and theo, theo’s views on gender were absolutely amazing to read. as a character, theo (and kit) were so fleshed out, and the conversation when theo comes out to kit as non-binary was so powerful. I could really resonate with everything theo felt, and this book was so so so amazing for having those conversations. for me, this is my favourite of casey’s books.

[sincenewyorks]

theo screenshotted the wrong ticket

[lacroixbabe]

Diving in! See y’all on the flip side 💋

[afterthelambs]

"In another life I would have really liked just dancing and making inventions with you"

[pairingbrainrot]

the record at the beginning of episode 7 😭

[lucifers-favorite-child]

Either Casey's writing needs to be less relatable or I need to up my meds

[potato-jem]

only critique for the pairing so far (under the cut)

if you have two calums, and they are both australian, and one has red hair, that calum no longer will be called calum. he would be called ranga or blue for the rest of his days.

[solarwreathe]

in another universe they could have been playing at the beach

[redundantz]

down down down...

[cavalierclavier]

When I broke the cycle, I made sure that the tear was rough. You carry a part of what should be her, and she carries a part of what should be you.