The Pairing (The Proposition, #3)

Casey McQuiston

The Pairing (The Proposition, #3)

Casey McQuiston
48 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
YA
Published in 2020

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Theo is a 28-year-old aspiring sommelier and freelance mixologist living in Rancho Mirage, California. They operate a mobile bar called Saguaro and harbor deep-seated insecurities regarding their career, especially when comparing themselves to their highly successful family. Seeking a fresh start and a way to finally move past a devastating breakup, they use an old travel voucher for a European culinary tour.

Key Relationships

Ex-Partner of Kit Fairfield

Older Sister of Sloane Flowerday

Older Sister of Este Flowerday

Child of Theo's Parents

Tour Client of Fabrizio

Suspected Rival of Maxine

Tour Client of Orla

Flirtatious Acquaintance of Florian

Kit is a talented pastry chef working in a prestigious five-star hotel in Paris. Originally from California, he possesses a deeply romantic nature and a profound appreciation for art, history, and culinary creation. Despite his professional success, he struggles with the monotonous routine of his current job and boards the tour bus hoping to reignite his sense of wonder.

Key Relationships

Ex-Partner of Theo Flowerday

Son of Kit's Mother

Nephew of Thierry

Former Classmate of Maxine

Tour Client of Fabrizio

Former Classmate of Apolline

Fabrizio is the Italian guide tasked with leading the European culinary tour. Known for his striking looks and flirtatious banter, he transforms a group of international strangers into a friendly community. He demonstrates a genuine care for his clients' experiences and well-being during the trip.

Key Relationships

Husband of Valentina

Tour Guide of Theo Flowerday

Tour Guide of Kit Fairfield

Colleague of Orla

Sloane is Theo's younger sister and a successful film star. She possesses a strong work ethic and takes pride in building her acting career through intensive study rather than resting on her family's fame. She acts as a grounded sounding board for Theo during the European tour.

Key Relationships

Younger Sister of Theo Flowerday

Sister of Este Flowerday

Daughter of Theo's Parents

Former Friend of Kit Fairfield

Supporting Characters

Craig is Kit's father, a prolific ghostwriter for bestselling novelists. Following the sudden death of his wife, he relocated his family to New York and immersed himself in his writing, using deadlines as an excuse to maintain emotional distance from his grieving children.

Key Relationships

Father of Kit Fairfield

Husband of Kit's Mother

Este is Theo and Sloane's younger sister. Like her parents and sister Sloane, she is involved in the film industry as a movie star, contributing to the high-profile Hollywood reputation that Theo often tries to distance themselves from.

Key Relationships

Younger Sister of Theo Flowerday

Maxine is a talented pastry chef who grew up in an affluent household in Canada before moving to France. Having lost her parents at a young age, she understands the isolation of growing up wealthy but alone. She attended École Desjardins alongside Kit and helps look after his apartment while he travels.

Key Relationships

Former Classmate of Kit Fairfield

Acquaintance of Theo Flowerday

Orla is the pragmatic Irish bus driver responsible for transporting the culinary tour group across Europe. She frequently observes the dynamic among the tourists and works closely with Fabrizio to keep the itinerary moving smoothly.

Key Relationships

Colleague of Fabrizio

Driver for Theo Flowerday

Theo, Sloane, and Este's parents are acclaimed film directors living in Rancho Mirage, California. Their demanding careers in the movie industry meant they were frequently away on set, leaving their children with significant wealth but minimal supervision during their teenage years.

Key Relationships

Parent of Theo Flowerday

Kit's mother was a French woman who died suddenly when Kit was thirteen. To soothe her young son's homesickness after they moved to California, she taught him traditional French recipes, sparking Kit's lifelong passion for the culinary arts.

Key Relationships

Thierry is Kit's uncle, a French man who owns a generational pied-à-terre in Paris. He plans to relocate to Portugal to live with his girlfriend and is thrilled by the prospect of keeping the family apartment in the bloodline by passing it on to his nephew.

Key Relationships

Uncle of Kit Fairfield

Brother of Kit's Mother

Valentina is Fabrizio's wife, a welcoming woman living in Naples. She views the tourists with romantic optimism and shares her husband's belief in taking bold chances for love.

Key Relationships

Wife of Fabrizio

Florian is a handsome farmhand working at a French vineyard. His striking appearance captures the attention of the tour group, prompting an impromptu flirting contest among the tourists during a wine tasting and baking lesson.

Key Relationships

Flirtatious Acquaintance of Theo Flowerday

Flirtatious Acquaintance of Kit Fairfield

Apolline is a former pastry school classmate of Kit's who has recently opened her own bakery in Nice. When her staff falls ill, she relies on Kit and Theo to help prepare her delicate pastries for the afternoon rush.

Key Relationships

Former Classmate of Kit Fairfield

Paloma is a beautiful fishmonger living in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She represents the vibrant local culture of the coastal village and invites the visiting tourists to join her social circle for an evening picnic on the beach.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Kit Fairfield

Acquaintance of Theo Flowerday

Juliette is an observant fruit seller working in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She possesses strong emotional intuition, quickly noticing the underlying tension and unspoken feelings between her new tourist acquaintances.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Theo Flowerday

Birgitte is a tourist from Sweden traveling across Europe with her husband, Lars. She enjoys the vibrant, celebratory atmosphere of the trip and quickly befriends the younger members of the tour group.

Key Relationships

Wife of Lars

Tour Companion of Theo Flowerday

Lars is a Swedish tourist exploring Europe with his wife, Birgitte. He takes a mentor-like interest in Theo and Kit, offering earnest advice about holding onto love when one is lucky enough to find it.

Key Relationships

Husband of Birgitte

Tour Companion of Theo Flowerday

Santiago is a local chocolatier operating in Barcelona. After meeting the culinary tour group, he accepts an invitation to join some of the tourists for late-night drinks at Bar Marsella, bringing along his neighbor to expand the social circle.

Key Relationships

Neighbor of Caterina

Acquaintance of Kit Fairfield

Caterina is a painter living in Barcelona. She joins her neighbor Santiago for a night out with visiting tourists, adding to the city's artistic and spontaneous nightlife atmosphere.

Key Relationships

Neighbor of Santiago

Acquaintance of Theo Flowerday

Émile is a wealthy yacht owner docked in Monaco. He enjoys hosting opulent, decadent gatherings for the international elite and eagerly welcomes adventurous tourists onto his private deck for champagne and intimacy.

Key Relationships

Party Host to Theo Flowerday

Party Host to Kit Fairfield

Dakota is a young travel influencer documenting the European culinary tour alongside her friend Montana. She is well-versed in the California hospitality scene and quickly identifies Theo from their work with the mobile bar Saguaro.

Key Relationships

Friend of Montana

Tour Companion of Theo Flowerday

Montana is a travel influencer utilizing the European culinary tour to generate content. She travels with her friend Dakota, adding a modern, social-media-focused element to the diverse group of international tourists.

Key Relationships

Friend of Dakota

Tour Companion of Theo Flowerday