Winging It With You by Chip Pons is a solid fake dating MM romance that takes place during a reality tv competition.

Both Ashley and Theo are both well developed characters. Underneath Ashley's prickly demeanor and Theo's sunshine attitude they find a deep connection between them as they travel the road in a crazy yet exhilarating competition. I loved that not only did both find a new relationship together they each learned a lot about themselves.

Overall, Winging It With You by Chip Pons is an MM romance a fun adventure between two strangers with the oddest meet cute. Filled with just one bed scenarios, a grumpy / sunshine pairing , character growth, quality steamy scenes, and finding your person.

Chip Pons (and his book) is such a delight! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Winging It with You. The premise of the plot, a pairs' worldwide adventure race, was fresh and interesting and a great device in that it let the setting keep changing in an exciting way. But the star of this story is the romance between Theo and Asher. They were relatable and also goals. The third act conflict was believable and also shocking, and the way it resolved was beautiful. #ThasherForever Looking forward to more in the future from Chip!

Theo and Asher were SO dang lovable oh my goodness!
Their story was full of fun and just cuteness galore! I adored Theo- absolute golden retriever energy! Asher was adorable as well! I loved all of his blushing moments and I was just giddy with every flirty interaction these two had! Such a great summer read that’s full of adventure, growth, and plenty of spice! 💖

This book was so much fun! As a longtime Amazing Race fan, I loved the concept of the fake dating on the reality TV quest show. I thought the challenges were really cool and I liked how they lent themselves to the development of Asher and Theo and their relationship. A great summer read, especially for those who love to travel!

OHHHH how charming was this!!! I always adore Chip's writing, and this book felt so atmospheric and special!! I absolutely adored Asher and Theo and their antics. I thought the reality competition show was well done and felt thorough without being overwhelming. The emotional growth and revelations we see from both Asher and Theo felt relatable to so many different audiences and I think everyone can find something to connect with.

This book is so magical, and it felt like watching a movie in my head! Chip's trad debut was truly one for the books and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

“Winging It with You” by Chip Pons is such a sweet and fun gay rom-com! The story begins when Asher gets dumped by his boyfriend at the airport right before joining a worldwide travel reality show as a couple. He ends up meeting Theo, a charming pilot who’s being forced to take a break from work because he’s a workaholic, and they decide on the spot to fake date and join the competition together. I didn’t really care much for the reality TV part of the plot, but I loved seeing Asher and Theo grow closer as they faced each challenge. Their connection felt real, their banter was cute, and their relationship was so wholesome and full of heart.

Asher and Theo are both very likable, and I appreciated how realistic their personal struggles were. Asher is dealing with heartbreak, and Theo is trying to figure out how to slow down and enjoy life again. Watching them open up to each other and support one another was really touching. The spice in the book was nice, though a bit rushed, and I wish there had been more of it. That seems to be common in a lot of traditionally published MM romance. Still, this book was full of charm, warmth, and a lovely slow-burn romance that left me feeling happy and hopeful.

Fake dating? On reality TV? With airport mozzarella sticks as a meet-cute? Yes, yes, and absolutely yes.

Winging It with You is a feel-good, jet-set romcom with just the right mix of sass, sweetness, and slow-burn steam. Asher is drama with a carry-on, and Theo is the emotionally repressed pilot we’d all like to be grounded with. Together, they’re chaos, charm, and undeniable chemistry in motion.

It’s giving The Amazing Race meets Red, White & Royal Blue, but with more mimosas and awkward flirting in foreign countries. Come for the fake love, stay for the very real feelings, and the adorable, airport-found family vibes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Final boarding call for gals and gays with emotional baggage—don’t miss this flight! 🛫💘

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Winging It with You was a fun, joyful read! Theo and Asher were easy to root for. The Amazing Race-like reality show component was different and worked well with the fake dating aspect of the story. I love a good "there's only one bed" scenario. It was a slow burn, but when the spice came, it was excellent.

Lawd have mercy on my soul lol and to think I was obsessed with Graham and Will from You & I Rewritten (if you haven’t read it, you MUST), Asher and Theo are also at the top of my list right there with them.

This one was honestly scary relatable lol. Military background, commercial pilot lol a specific scene that was one of the best days of my life 🤩🐘. Aside from all that lol this book really does have everything you could want and need. It has fake dating, it has adventure, it has the witty banter we all know and love, it has the spice, oh lawd the spice 👀. I never knew I would be so affected by someone being called a “good boy” but I am not mad at all lol. It also has the sensitive parts where you’re like, wow, they get me 🥹. Those moments that pull on your heartstrings, and being able to listen to Chip Pons speak about his writing journey and how he came about writing this one, really just made everything so much better.

Run and pick this one up! You can thank me later 😚.

Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the free e-arc and finished physical copy. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I loved Chip Pons Indie published book and 2as exciting for his first trad pubbed book. He does emotions, tenderness, spice, vulnerability, compassion and growth so dang well. I am in awe of an author who can make me a fan when 3rd act breakup / miscommunication takes place.

Definitely recommend giving it a try if you read open door mm romances.

4.5/5☆

4 stars, ARC review

This is a feel-good love story rooted in joy, taking risks, falling hard, and saying yes to something new.

The premise is traditional rom-com coded. Asher gets dumped at the airport right before filming a couples-only reality competition (this book’s version of The Amazing Race). So he recruits a total stranger, Theo, a broody pilot who desperately needs a break from his life. From there, it’s a trip around the world with fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, slow burn… everything we love in a classic rom-com

Asher and Theo are really easy to root for. They’re sweet, a little messy, and have great chemistry (it gets spicy). And their emotional growth, especially around self-worth and trust, gave the romance real depth.

If I had any complaints, it’s that the reality show aspect could’ve done more. The third act was just a touch more dramatic than I’d have liked it to be. But none of that took away from how much I liked this. It’s charming, heartfelt, and left me smiling. This was a fun read for me and I’d definitely recommend it.

Winging It WIth You by Chip Pons -I was really excited for this premise, fake dating/partners on a nationally televised Amazing Race type reality show. When Asher is dumped by his long term boyfriend, he recruits pilot Theo to be his partner. They immediately take off to stop one for the show, which is supposed to last weeks as long as they don't get eliminated - good thing Theo was just told he needed to talk mandatory time off for working too many hours.Unfortunately, this fell really flat for me. The dual POV had such similar voices that I couldn't remember who was narrating most of the time. The chapters hop around from location to location because of the tv show, but we get the bare minimum about most of the actual happenings from The Epic Trek, yet we are reminded again and again how exhausting it is and how tired they are, but from what? We're being told instead of showing how their trust and connection and partnership is growing, we're being told that they've grown close with Jo, and then the passing of time is not clear - I couldn't really tell if it had been four days or four weeks. The third act break up was also hard to get through because even though I didn't feel the biggest connections between Theo and Asher, the way it was handled still felt really extreme. There were a few plot points left completely open that also had me scratching my head. I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn't work for me. Thanks, Putnam, for the arc in exchange for a review.

ARC Review
Winging It with You by Chip Pons

Theo and Asher were absolutely wonderful in this book. It was so freaking cute.
We have Asher who is slated to be on a reality show similar to The Amazing Race with his significant other, however, he gets dumped at the airport. This leads to a meet-cute with Theo, the grounded, work-a-holic pilot over some mozzarella sticks at an airport bar. They decide to fake date for the cameras and compete for the show.
While on the surface this was a cute and fluffy story, it also discusses some bigger personal issues.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
* Fake dating
* Reality show shenanigans
* Only one bed
* Black cat x golden retriever
* Spicy scenes

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

So in love with this one. Theo and Asher were perfect! This was such a wonderful story of fake dating until it turns real, opposites attract and finding your person in crazy circumstances.

✨ Fake Dating
✨ Reality Show
✨ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
✨Queer Joy
✨ One Bed
✨ “ Good Boy “

It was such a cute plot too with a chance meeting and these seeet me. Competing on a reality show. I loved the antics, the side characters and Theo and Asher were both so damn easy to swoon over.

And Theo had some unexpected Daddy energy that I was absolutely here for. The spice the swoon, just everything was perfect.

This was a heartfelt, adventurous strangers to lovers, dual POV, forced proximity, reality tv show romcom from a fav bookstagrammer turned author that has Asher, a contestant on an Amazing Race type contest getting dumped by his boyfriend and partner right before the show is set to start.

When he runs into Theo, an airline pilot forced to take time off for putting in too many hours, Theo agrees to step in as Asher's partner and 'fake' boyfriend. Cue lots of hijinks, amazing chemistry, excellent emotional depth and vulnerability and great insights into life in the military as a queer person and a depressive episode that follows when Theo is outed against his will.

You can see a lot of the author in these characters and the writing shines with how much of himself he poured into the pages. It was also great on audio and perfect for fans of books like The charm offensive by Alison Cochrun. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and finished physical copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

5/5 Stars 3/5 Spice

Tropes:
Travel Romance
Forced Proximity
Fake Dating
Only One Bed
Opposites Attract
“Good Boy”

🎧 Narration: 2.5x - Dual: Lee Osorio & Michael Crouch
the way these two absolutely crushed this audio. their expressive performances had me giggling & kicking my feet with the tension & swoon. i cannot recommend this audio enough. 10/10

team #thasher forever. i loved chip’s debut & had no doubts going into this one that i would like it but gah it blew me away. these two & the pining & the tension & the complete chaos that follows them had me HOOKED. asher was such a lovable mess. protect him at all costs. but the little spanish moments from theo were so endearing & every time he said baby 🫠 i’ll probably never be over it. that “good boy” still has me sat honestly. this book was just a complete delight & truly you should do yourself a favor & dive in immediately.

Asher and Theo are my faves! Such a cute queer romance for pride month! So much fun. Loved the reality tv show atmosphere to it. The supporting characters were fun to read about as well! No notes. The spice was spicing.

Winging It With You by Chip Pons is a heartwarming, fake-dating queer romance that brings together a grounded pilot (literally) and a recently single man with something to prove—on reality TV, no less. It’s sweet, funny, and full of the kind of emotional depth that sneaks up on you between the witty banter and staged kisses.

Theo, a pilot temporarily benched from flying, is adrift. Asher, fresh off a breakup, needs a partner for a televised competition that requires couples. Enter the classic fake-dating setup—with cameras rolling and feelings creeping in.

Their dynamic is irresistible: Theo is charismatic and steady under the surface, and Asher is determined but vulnerable. Their chemistry unfolds with the perfect mix of awkwardness, flirtation, and emotional honesty. Pons does a lovely job building their bond while also exploring personal growth, grief, and what it means to choose your own future—even when it’s messy.

My only minor critique is that the pacing occasionally drags, and a few emotional beats felt a little drawn out. But the payoff is well worth it. The romance is sincere, the found-family vibes are strong, and the finale hits that reality-TV-meets-real-feelings sweet spot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Winging It With You is the kind of queer rom-com that leaves you smiling—and maybe just a little teary-eyed too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chip Pons and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ability to read Winging It with You in exchange for an honest review. This is my first Chip Pons book and it was such a refreshing read. I was captivated from the opening scene, and the adventures that followed kept me on my toes. The story revolves around Asher and Theo, who meet by coincidence and are suddenly thrust into a reality TV adventure show while also pretending they are a couple. Asher and Theo were excellent leads with complex backgrounds that readers are able to peel with each chapter. The adventure aspects were so entertaining and informative. I am pretty sure I added most of these destinations, if not all, to my bucket list. It was such a lovely experience getting to read just how Asher and Theo grow as individuals and as a couple. The way they supported each other during the challenges captured how Chip was building their relationship with such care. The supporting characters were entertaining but not distractive and the family dynamics were relatable. All in all, I loved Winging It with You so much I purchased the audiobook to listen to it from Asher and Theo's perspectives. This was my first gay rom-com for Pride Month and such a great introduction for the others in my TBR. Love stories should be inclusive and I'm so happy to support!

What a sweet story!! I went into it blind and was nervous I wouldn’t like it when I realized it was based on a reality show, but I was wrong. I loved it! The two characters are so adorable, yet still mature and accomplished adults. Also the spice was SPICING but in the best ways! Immediately ordered a shelf trophy for myself!