The Pairing (The Proposition, #3)

The theme of second chances in love guides the romantic comedy’s structure and characterization. The main characters fit the best friends-to-lovers dynamic, which allows them to understand one another better than anyone else. At the same time, they are also exes who need to overcome jealousy and other difficult feelings to restore what has been lost. Their complicated history makes Theo and Kit afraid of jeopardizing their recently restored friendship. Kit’s thoughts after the kiss in Monaco illustrate how this fear proves to be the main obstacle to their second chance in love: “It took time to understand how I’d made Theo so angry she could leave me back then, but this time it’s simple. I’m supposed to be her friend, and I kissed her” (208). McQuiston builds suspense by gradually revealing the details that led to the breakup and by describing how the main characters dance around one another while trying to conceal their feelings, unaware that their love is requited. The theme of second chances in love adds tension to the plot and complexity to the main characters’ dynamic.

Theo and Kit’s growth turns their breakup from a tragic misunderstanding to a necessary part of their evolution as individuals and as a couple.