★The Pairing: Special 1st Edition. Casey McQuiston. St. Martin’s Griffin. Aug. 2024. 432p. ISBN 9781250862747. pap. $20. LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE

Four years ago, Kit and Theo were on their way to their dream European food and wine tour, but after their brutal breakup on the flight, they were both left heartbroken at the airport without their longtime best friend–turned–lover, but with a voucher for the now-canceled tour. Now Kit is a pastry chef in Paris, and Theo is an aspiring sommelier in California. They haven’t spoken since their breakup, but then they discover that they’ve each cashed in their respective vouchers for the tour on the same date. Forced to spend three weeks together on a bus, Kit and Theo launch a hookup competition to prove that they’re over each other, are able to date others, and can go back to being friends. Because they can definitely be just friends, right? VERDICT Lush scenery, well-drawn secondary characters, and believable, grounded conflicts lead to a sweet and satisfying ending for Kit and Theo in McQuiston’s (I Kissed Shara Wheeler) funniest, sexiest novel to date, here in a special edition with painted edges.