Casey McQuiston's latest novel The Pairing is a sexy European adventure that celebrates queer love

Social Sharing
When two people break up, it's usually for the best, right?
Getting readers to root for exes getting back together is no easy task. But it's one Casey McQuiston accomplishes seamlessly in their latest novel, The Pairing.
The Pairing tells the story of Kit and Theo, two exes with a long history of love and friendship. They accidentally end up on the same European food and wine tour after not seeing each other for four years.
To make matters worse, they originally planned to take that same trip together, years earlier, but they broke up on the flight there — leaving them both with unresolved feelings, frustrations and a need to prove that they're totally, 100 per cent over each other.
Trapped together at some of the most romantic places in the world, Kit and Theo jump headlong into a friendly European hookup competition to get their mind off their ever-present chemistry.
But the book's called The Pairing for a reason — and their shenanigans find them closer together than they could have imagined.
Writing this plot required "a lot of tightrope walking," said McQuiston on Bookends with Mattea Roach. They were determined to make sure neither of the main characters were "the bad guy" or seemed cringe for all their pining.
"You have to come up with a reason for the breakup that's big enough that it was justified … but not so big they can't come back from it."
Part of what made it successful, they explain, is the foundational friendship the characters shared even before they got together. "If it was this person who was your 'person' for so long, of course there's that void that you can't really move on from. I was intrigued by that connection. I felt like there was so much to work with in there."
The draw of romance
This is McQuiston's first take on the "exes-to-lovers" trope, but it's not their first rodeo when it comes to romance novels.
McQuiston started writing their debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue after they lost their father to brain cancer in 2014. Dealing with that grief, and a rough breakup at the same time, they tried different ways of coping — from cake decorating to textile art and then revisiting their dream of being a writer.
"I had somewhat given up on being a novelist for a while. I saw it as a very impractical career choice. I was really scared of chasing it," they said. "And then all of the worst things that could happen, happened." So they had nothing to lose.
There's something about the satisfaction of the connection between two people being consummated or being completed.
After reading The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan and feeling "unqualified happiness" for the first time in a while, they became inspired to write a contemporary romance featuring a secret love story between a fictional U.S. president's son and a prince of England.
They set to work — typing away at the story in a Google Doc at their day job — and in 2019, Red, White & Royal Blue was released.
Thanks to its endearing characters, compelling plot and a healthy amount of social media buzz, it became a blockbuster success. It was later adapted for the screen starring Nicholas Galitzine, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Uma Thurman — making McQuiston the new face of queer romance writing in North America.
Do LGBTQ films get harsher content ratings?
They followed up Red, White & Royal Blue with the sapphic romance One Last Stop and the YA novel I Kissed Shara Wheeler. And with their latest novel The Pairing, they haven't looked back when it comes to writing stories within the genre of queer romance.
"There's something about the satisfaction of the connection between two people being consummated or being completed — in this really poetic and symmetrical and satisfying way — that just scratches something in my brain," they said.
Ever-evolving storytelling
While McQuiston's books are known for being about queer joy and escapism, the way it manifests in their storytelling has evolved — as has their own relationship to their queer and non-binary identity.
In fact, when they were writing Red, White & Royal Blue, they weren't out as queer to their family.
I've come into my own as a non-binary person and as someone who experiences a lot of different kinds of love.
"A big part of what I was trying to create for myself with Red, White & Royal Blue was all of the things I wasn't getting from my physical life: the validation and support, the community, the celebration of my own queerness that I feel like I hadn't been able to fully let myself have yet," they said.
"Fast forward to many years later and to many times of being in rooms of hundreds of people who are in community, in queerness and transness, around my books. The way that has healed me, and given me this sort of 'do-over queer adolescence', has changed me a lot."
It's also altered the way they write about sex and love in their novels — particularly after having grown up in purity culture and worked through the shame that comes with it.
"I've come into my own as a non-binary person and as someone who experiences a lot of different kinds of love. I am able to write about it a bit more confidently," said McQuiston.
"So much of what I reach for now with wish fulfilment is not about big loud moments, but it's about these quiet moments of peace."
Representing queer joy
When it comes to representation, McQuiston is strong in their stance that their books are written for the people who see themselves in the characters.
"From my experience, a lot of my early relationship with queerness and transness was concealment ... I'm [now] able to begin dismantling the little shelter I built around my truest self," they said.
McQuiston is not so concerned about teachable moments in their books, but rather making people feel seen.
I'm now able to begin dismantling the little shelter I built around my truest self - Casey McQuiston
"For a long time in U.S. publishing, the way to get a queer story published, if it wasn't tragic, was for it to be doing a public good — which is a very didactic kind of storytelling," said McQuiston.
"That was why there was such a huge barrier of entry for queerness and romance because romance is a pleasure genre. Whereas I often come to representation from a place of, 'Well, sometimes what's important is having a good time and being horny.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Global News

4 hours ago

• Global News

Chris Brown pleads not guilty to assault charge in U.K.

Chris Brown pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. Brown, 36, wore a blue suit, a white shirt and black-rimmed glasses during his arraignment in London's Southwark Crown Court on one count of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent. When asked how he pleaded to the grievous bodily harm count, Brown said, 'Not guilty, ma'am.' Brown's friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu, 39, who performs under the name Hoody Baby, pleaded not guilty to the same charge. View image in full screen American singer Chris Brown arrives at Southwark Crown Court over allegations of attacking producer Abe Diaw with a bottle at a London nightclub in February 2023 in London, United Kingdom on June 20, 2025. Brown is accused of launching an 'unprovoked attack' on producer Amadou 'Abe' Diaw at the Tape nightclub in London in February 2023 while he was on tour. Story continues below advertisement Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said Brown struck Diaw several times with a tequila bottle and then punched and kicked him. The attack was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, prosecutors said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Brown was originally charged with a single count of grievous bodily harm after his arrest in May, but prosecutors subsequently brought an indictment adding two counts: assault causing actual bodily harm and having an offensive weapon, a bottle. He did not enter pleas on the additional counts on Friday and was ordered to return to court on July 11 to face those charges after wrapping up the European leg of his world tour. His trial was scheduled for Oct. 26, 2026. Brown shared an Instagram post following his court appearance with the caption, 'Let's [sic] the sky fall. If im looking at you then my lense [sic] is a rose. #holyblindfold #BREEZYBOWL.' Story continues below advertisement The Run It singer was released last month on US$6.7-million bail, which allowed him to start his Breezy Bowl XX tour earlier this month. Judge Tony Baumgartner said the 36-year-old singer could continue his tour, including several stops in the U.K., but would have to pay the bail to guarantee his appearance in court. Brown could be asked to forfeit the money if he breaches bail conditions. Brown's bail conditions include surrendering his passport if he is not travelling on tour, living at a specific address known to the court, not contacting Diaw, not visiting the Tape nightclub where the incident took place and not applying for international travel documents. Following his release after spending almost one week in jail, Brown posted on Instagram: 'Cook, remain humble.' Story continues below advertisement Brown is currently touring the U.K., playing in London with subsequent shows in Ireland, Scotland, France and Portugal. He returns to North America at the end of July to play Miami, before moving across the U.S. with a two-night stop in Toronto along the way. — With files from The Associated Press

Winnipeg Free Press

a day ago

• Winnipeg Free Press

Napoleon's world is on display for a landmark auction, from divorce papers to his iconic hat

PARIS (AP) — After the Hollywood epic 'Napoleon' exposed the legendary emperor to a new generation two years ago, over 100 relics — which shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged. His battered military hat. A sleeve from his red velvet coat. Even the divorce papers that ended one of history's most tormented romances — with Josephine, the empress who haunted him to the end. Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France — but above all, unavoidable. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation. 'These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history,' said Louis-Xavier Joseph, Sotheby's head of European furniture, who helped assemble the trove. 'You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand.' From battlefields to boudoirs The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($7.5 million) — is a biography in objects. The centerpiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze. 'Put a bicorne on a table, and people think of Napoleon immediately,' Joseph said. 'It's like the laurel crown of Julius Caesar.' The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars. For all the pageantry — throne, swords, the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honor — the auction's true power comes from its intimacy. It includes the handwritten codicil of Napoleon's final will, composed in paranoia and illness on Saint Helena. There is the heartbreakingly personal: the red portfolio that once contained his divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalized their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance. 'Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion,' Joseph said. 'It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private.' A new generation of exposure The auction's timing is cinematic. The recent biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance. The auction preview is open to the public, running through June 24, with the auction set for June 25. Not far from the Arc de Triomphe monument dedicated to the general's victories, Djamal Oussedik, 22, shrugged: 'Everyone grows up with Napoleon, for better or worse. Some people admire him, others blame him for everything. But to see his hat and his bed, you remember he was a real man, not just a legend.' 'You can't escape him, even if you wanted to. He's part of being French,' said teacher Laure Mallet, 51. History as spectacle The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II. 'I wanted to electrify history,' Castelbajac said. 'This isn't a mausoleum, it's a pop culture installation. Today's collectors buy a Napoleon artifact the way they'd buy a guitar from Jimi Hendrix. They want a cabinet of curiosities.' He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colors of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed. 'I create the fog in the entrance of the Sotheby's building because the elements of nature were an accomplice to Napoleon's strategy,' the designer said. Castelbajac, who said his ancestor fought in Napoleon's Russian campaign, brought a personal touch. 'I covered the emperor's bed in original canvas. You can feel he was just alone, facing all he had built. There's a ghostly presence.' He even created something Napoleon only dreamed of. 'Napoleon always wanted a green flag instead of the blue, white, red tricolore of the revolution,' he said, smiling. 'He never got one. So I made it for Sotheby's.'

Montreal Gazette

6 days ago

• Montreal Gazette

Where the rich and famous stay on Grand Prix weekend

News By Montreal's the Ritz-Carlton was launched with quite the bang on New Year's Eve in 1912, and the party has yet to stop at this ever-chichi Golden Mile institution more than a century later. The Ritz's Royal Suite was also inaugurated that soirée following the bash, and while there's nothing official about who bedded down there then, speculation is that it was some prominent captain of industry. But the suite, although altered over the years, has since drawn more than its fair share of regal figures — among them, Queen Elizabeth II and family — as well as heads of state and noted dignitaries from around the planet. But come the annual Canadian Grand Prix here — this year taking place June 13-15 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve ­— it has hosted another kind of royalty: top-tier F1 drivers, high-end Hollywood celebs and CEOs, as they are among the precious few able to pony up its $18,000-a-night cost — with a four-night minimum. Of course, this is no run-of-the-mill suite. Spread over 4,700 square feet, this mini-palace features one principal bedroom, two not-so-minor bedrooms, four bathrooms, a dining area, a separate dining and living room, and all manner of eye-catching art and antiquities over the suite's exquisite marble flooring. And as a bonus, complimentary wireless internet and a coffee/tea maker just in case that might be a deal breaker. Under 'posh' in dictionaries, the definition could well include a pic of this space. Suffice it to say that Grand Prix week is the most impactful business period of the year in these parts, fuelling our economic engine like no other event in the city and estimated to be generating around $100 million in revenues. A large chunk of that cash comes from tourists, mostly American and European, who get a big wallop for their buck from our dollar — in the U.S. 70-cent range — and who spend liberally with gusts to wildly at city boutiques and restaurants. Nor do they hold back on hotel room expenses, and hoteliers, ever wise to the ways of supply and demand, are able to up the ante on what they charge over this period. Regardless, our hotels are nearly fully booked for the period, and quite often reserved many months in advance of the actual race. For the record, the Ritz's Royal Suite can be had for a mere $12,000 a night the rest of the year — not exactly a commoner's price but still a relative cash break. The Ritz, with its 120 other luxurious rooms, has by no means the market cornered on lavish suites in town. The downtown Le Mount Stephen Hotel, within eyeshot of the Ritz, has a most stately, 5,000-square-foot penthouse suite, replete with an outdoor terrace and countless amenities like an in-house butler. The hotel can even install a private gym — at a price — should its occupant so desire. The suite can go for up to $15,000 a night — gym not included, with a four-night minimum during race week. It is rumoured that no less than British F1 royalty figure Lewis Hamilton has spent quality time here in the past and might even return again. Of course, it has been rumoured that Sir Lewis has stayed at the Ritz. Le Mount Stephen also offers three Sky Loft Suites, two Luxury Suites and seven Junior Suites going from $3,000 to $5,000 a night. Its other 90 rooms start at $1,300 a night. Not to be outdone is W Montreal at Square Victoria with its three EWOW suites, each with an outdoor terrace affording a panoramic overview of the city with nary an orange cone in sight. The W also has the aptly named WOW suites without terraces. Prices range from $1,300 to $5,000 a night — with a four-night minimum. Without doubt, though, the Ritz is turbo-charged for the Grand Prix, whether or not those who surface there occupy any of its suites, although many of the race's major players and visitors have also booked some of the hotel's 129 rooms, which start at $3,200 a night — with four-night minimum — with prices spiralling upwards toward the $18,000 Royal Suite. No matter, since the entire inventory of its rooms is sold out, notes Katia Piccolino, the ball of fire who serves as the Ritz's director of sales and marketing. 'We are the hub of anything off the track downtown,' Piccolino trumpets. No doubt. The tea-and-crumpet set vanishes as of Tuesday, June 10 as the lobby and restaurant area is transformed into a party zone for visitors. Festivities officially kick off at the Ritz on Thursday, June 11 with its 'Streets of Monaco' salute, with high-end sports cars dotting the hotel's Sherbrooke St. entrance and crowds converging outside to check out the who's who of celebs checking in. The most heralded Grand Prix party of all, the $1,000 evening bash takes place Friday the 13th with luminaries from the worlds of sport, culture, fashion and finance hobnobbing over caviar and champagne in the hotel ballroom. Cost of the affair is close to $1.6 million, and a percentage of ticket proceeds goes to the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation for mental health. So who's coming to the hotel? 'We are the Ritz so we do have to be discreet, but we can say that off the track people will see glimpses of those who may be on the track,' Piccolino somewhat discreetly notes. 'And let's just say that the occupant of the Royal Suite, which I would describe as 'old-school luxury,' is very well known and is from Hollywood. There will also be a lot of celebs and athletes staying here as well.' A previous Royal Suite occupant was Italian cinema icon Sophia Loren, who dazzled her guests and staff by concocting pasta dishes in the room's kitchen. Over the years, the hotel has also hosted Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler and Charlize Theron as well as Hamilton's Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and late/legendary Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna and Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi. And gawkers outside the Ritz, particularly during Friday night's ball, can count on catching a flurry of Habs stars, past and present, as well as other NHL and NBA stalwarts, not to mention American fashion model Niki Taylor and possibly cast members like Naomi Watts, Tye Sheridan and Michael Imperioli from the film The Housewife currently shooting in town. 'Toronto has TIFF and we have the Grand Prix, which is the most lucrative week there is in Montreal and we have to rise to the challenge in keeping the vibe going and in innovating it every year,' Piccolino says. Le Mount Stephen account manager Amy Cadiz echoes Piccolino's comments: 'There is no question that Grand Prix week is our most important of the year, but it's our mix of new and old dating back to the times of its founder Lord George Stephen in 1926 that really resonates with our guests. And those fortunate enough to have stayed at the penthouse are so blown away by it. Many have said it's like living in a museum. It is truly one of a kind.' This gargantuan suite features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two kitchens, a living room, dining room and an office, not to mention a butler at the guests' disposal. It sleeps 6, but frankly it could accommodate not only the F1 drivers but also much of their paddock-team members — and perhaps even their racecar. W Montreal offers a different ambience with a more modernistic touch but also butler — called an 'insider' here — availability. 'We have a kind of unique recipe as far as lifestyle goes — it's part of our brand DNA. We call it 'luxury liberated.' We don't have the formality of a luxury hotel, but we do have the luxury touches,' says Alexandre Tessier, the hotel's director of sales and marketing. 'The Grand Prix has been a kind of mini-Olympics for us. It's been such a huge blessing for hoteliers to have this every year, where demand always surpasses supply. It's our best time of the year by far revenue-wise.' Tessier credits the Netflix F1 series Formula 1: Drive to Survive in enticing more Americans to attend our Grand Prix and to stretch their dollar in the process: 'They don't count their dollars. … The race has been a real game-changer for us.' Though not necessarily geared to the needs of all F1 drivers, Nico Hülkenberg of the Haas team, has previously decamped here as have members of the Red Bull Canada sponsorship team. On the celeb side over the years, it's a different story as the W has welcomed Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Céline Dion, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Tommy Lee. 'Rihanna almost stayed with us,' points out W's marketing manager, Sarah Le Bars. 'She was set to sleep in one of our EWOW suites, but her team decided not to wake her up after her show — so she ended up spending the night in her tour bus right in front of the hotel. A true missed opportunity … but a great story.' And then there are those Grand Prix regulars to the city who want none of the glitz associated with it. Nor do they seek swank amenities like gyms/swimming pools or restos/bars inside the hotel. What they seek instead is old-school charm that won't necessarily break the bank. And where they can find it is at Le Petit Hôtel on St-Paul St. Provided they were lucky enough to have booked one of this One-Key Michelin hotel's 28 rooms. Alas, they're long gone for this year's race. Situated in a heritage building — one of the oldest in Old Montreal — the hotel, launched in 2009, retains many of its original features, including its exposed stone walls, lancet windows and wrought-iron railings and has meshed them with Quebec-crafted furniture and stylish décor. Rooms, petit but cozy, range in price from $800 to $1,200 during the Grand Prix but prices drop significantly the rest of the year. Only continental breakfasts — featuring St-Viateur bagels — are served. No F1 drivers and only the occasional celeb — like Samuel L. Jackson, Alfre Woodard and Jake Gyllenhaal — seeking some serenity show up here. Far more A-listers turn up at the Petit Hôtel's much larger, more glam sister spot in Old Montreal, the 120-room Hôtel William Gray. 'Quite often, our guests book right after the Grand Prix for the next year's event,' says Georgia Antonopoulos, the vice-president of sales, revenues and marketing for the Gray Collection, owners of the two aforementioned spots. 'We cater to those who want to explore the city and are not looking to have their meals in the hotel. But when you wake up here, you know you're in Montreal.' The Gray Collection group is also the proprietor of the recently opened Le Petit Hôtel Notre-Dame in Old Montreal. Even plus petit than Le Petit Hôtel, this latest features but 17 rooms. 'Montreal is the North American flagship of the Grand Prix and really makes the city a global destination, putting a spotlight on the city and showcasing both the big and small attractions. We can almost forget about the street work — which may never end — during Grand Prix week,' cracks Antonopoulos, glancing over at the closed, construction-laden section of St-Paul St. outside Le Petit Hôtel. Sitting in the tiny lobby area, Philippe Cassidy, a former hotel employee, is totally oblivious to the clamour outside. 'I've worked at and have stayed at many hotels over the years, but, to my mind, Le Petit Hôtel is the best in the world,' Cassidy marvels. 'It is just so distinct.' Petite or princely, distinct does best describe lodging havens in Montreal — as it does just about everything else in this town. This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM. Bill Brownstein montrealgazette Born and bred in Montreal, Bill Brownstein has been a columnist at the Gazette since 1987, commenting on the city and the splendid array of characters therein. Also a broadcaster, podcaster (Corner Booth), documentarian (Bill Lee: Profile of a Pitcher, Skating on Thin Ice), author (Down the Tube, Montreal 24, Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story).