This book was absolutely phenomenal! I loved every minute of it and how their story played out! The concept was beautifully executed and the romance was sweet and the spice was so well balanced with this being a complete strangers to lovers story!

A MM romance meets The Amazing Race, I swear that’s all that was going through my mind when I Picked up this book and I was here for this Adventure.

This book did not Disappoint in any way, I had such a great time reading it and the romance was just the Right about. I’m so Grateful I was able to read tis Arc and can’t wait to pick up a Physical Copy to add to my collection

Oh my goodness, Winging It With You was such a ROMP! I've been a huge fan of Chip Pons for a long time, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read his trad pub debut. It's swoony, spicy, and sweet. It's a must read for anyone who loves reality shows, golden retriever MMCs, and queer joy. I definitely recommend checking it out!

Winging It With You follows the two MMCs as they compete in an Amazing Race-style travel competition. The story is action packed and fun, at times hilarious, and often pretty freaking swoony. OMG y'all, I absolutely LOVED Theo. He's kind, considerate, and all in for Asher, and I was so here for it. The banter between Asher and Theo is a ton of fun, definitely one of the best parts for me. They are hilarious together, and I loved all of the shenanigans they get up to with the cry and the other contestants. And the SPICE! Whew, Chip really took things up a notch in this one, omg.

I don't watch reality TV, but if I did I'd definitely be there watching Team Thrasher! I loved all the humor, the different settings, and omg the ending. And y'all, I made it through the entire book without crying, and then sobbed over the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS? Don't skip those, they are so sweet and perfect. Super excited for Chip, and I can't see what he comes up with next.

Putnam eARC
This was such a fun strangers to friends to lovers romance. It was full of adventure and high stakes that created such great tension. Theo and Asher were both easy to root for, and I loved the trajectory of their budding romance. I think a reality television show, think the Amazing Race, was a unique way to throw characters together and force them to trust and communicate. There was such good growth here, lovable side characters, and fun scenarios. I can't wait to see what this author does next!

4.25 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Winging It With You" by Chip Pons! Asher and Theo.... ugh, I loved and adored them so, so much. What a wonderful couple! I am usually wary of insta-love/insta-lust, but their story worked for me from the get-go. I was all in on their strangers-to-lovers tale as they both enter a reality show competition together as a "couple" (fake dating!!), only to *really* fall for each other on the way! I loved their very first interaction involving mozzarella sticks and how it continued to come up throughout the rest of the story. Their chemistry and banter really helped propel their love story. Pons' writing is fun, flirty, and adventurous, and it can even be serious at times. I loved the travel aspect of this book, and Pons creates a beautiful portrait of every country and city where Theo and Asher travel. I also enjoyed the spice elements of this story... it was really well-written and surprisingly emotional at times. Though it might be a teeny tiny bit long, I still really loved this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chip Pons, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I love Theo and Asher! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and add in the higher stakes of being on a reality show where everyone is watching, I was hooked. I loved the travel aspect of this book. The book was funny and sexy and sweet and tender all at the same time. Would definitely recommend!

A huge thank you to @putnambooks for the gifted copy!

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘬𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯."


I truly adored this book and these two glorious men. I loved everything about this book (except Clint... IYKYK... and Bianca and Jackson 😅)

As someone who relates HIGHLY to Asher, I loved seeing him come into his own outside of his comfort zone. And incredibly proud of everyone's growths!

✈️ Fake Dating
🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏼 Travel Competition
✈️ Opposites Attract
🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏼 Work/Life Balance
✈️ LGBTQIAP+
🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏼 Forced Proximity
✈️ Only One Bed (lots of them 😂)
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#bookstagram #booksta #books #booksbooksbooks #avidreader #ilovereading #thetwistedlibrarian #professionalbookworm #wingingitwithyou #chippons #whatsnikkireading #putnambooks #putnampartner #giftedcopy #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #fakedating #travelcompetition #oppositesattract #lgbtqiap #lgbtqromance #forcedproximity #onlyonebed #theoandasher #thasher

It’s a case of emotional whiplash for Asher who’s having the worst day ever. First his long term boyfriend dumps him right before they board a plane to participate in a reality tv competition. Then he somehow manages to make a deal with off duty pilot, Theo to stand in at the last minute. Who comes up with this? Chip Pons, obviously.

This was such a fun intro to his writing that’s filled with funny banter, humor and sarcasm. I’ve seen snippets of the Amazing Race so that gave me enough of an idea of the challenges played out in this story. Theo and Asher being strangers at this point are naturally awkward. I liked seeing two very opposite characters interact, pretend they’re together, and convince an entire viewing audience that they’re in love. Their personalities do compliment each other, and the chemistry is there so it’s inevitable that the lines get blurry that it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s for the cameras. The heat between these two though is 1000% real!!

Highlights:
🏃 Romance, dual POV
🏃 Fake dating, opposites attract, reality tv
🏃 Humor, banter
🏃 Spice, open door
🏃 Different countries, games, physical challenges

If you’re a fan of reality shows, unexpected meet-cutes, and compulsive decision making that turns out to be the best decision ever, add this to your summer reading list now!

Thank you @putnambooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book! Asher Bennett and his long-time boyfriend are set to be on an international travel competition reality show, The Epic Trek. His boyfriend dumps him at the airport on their way to filming so Asher needs to find a new partner. Luckily, pilot Theo Fernandez has been forced to take a vacation, and what better vacation to take than a travel reality show?

I loved the set-up for this book (although I did have to suspend some disbelief that the show would let the partner switch right before filming). The travel and competition gave such an exciting backdrop for the sweetest romance to develop. The chemistry between Asher and Theo was perfect! I also loved the addition of the other reality show contestants that rounded out the story. The book was funny and emotional and swoony!

This was my first Chip Pons book, and I absolutely loved the writing style. I highly recommend this romance! Thank you to Chip Pons, Putnam, and NetGalley for this e-ARC; all opinions are my own.

Read if you like:
💕 Dual POV
💕 LGBTQ+ rep
💕 Fake dating
💕 Reality competition shows
💕 Traveling the world

Admittedly, I loved this book more than I anticipated liking it. It ended up being the perfect level of swoony romance with navigating more complicated feelings and experiences. The spice was spicy, but I came to love the characters for all of their flaws and growth amidst the journey too.

This was honestly just such a fun and quick read. It definitely would serve well as a quick palet cleanser book inbetween 2 more dense reads. However, despite having quite a lot of fun reading this book I did also have my issues with it, and overall don't see this one sticking in my memory for very long.
Basically let's start with what I liked. As I mentioned before I just generally had a blast reading this book. I've been quite on the edge of a reading slump lately, and this pushed me right away from that. I also really liked the reality tv show setting. We don't focus on it too much but at the start the challenges definitely serve as a great frame from seeing these characters just become more of a team. I also really liked the cast of side characters. I just thought they were really fun.
As I mentioned before I also had some small issues with this book. I thought the characters were a bit one dimensional. This book is dual POV but it was nearly impossible to distinguish the two narratives, depite the two of them supposedly being very different people. I also thought the romance was quite underdeveloped. They were quite cute together but I never fully felt invested in their romance because I feel like it just came a bit out of nowhere. In the second half we also kind of forget about the tv show setting, and I often got lost in the lack of transition between different scenes. I also thought the third act conflict was extremely stupid, so that kind of lost me as well.
So yeah, none of those are really major things for me, especially with how much fun I had overall reading this book. However, add them all together and overall you just get a bit of an underwhelming book for me sadly enough. However, I would still definitely recommend this book to those who are interested in it.

This was freaking cute!!! This was my first book my Chip Pons, and I will definitely be following for his future books.

To start - I really loved the plot. It felt original without being too over the top. The reality show vibes + the circumstances under which they met were both exceptional and within the realm of possibility. Theo and Asher were adorable and such a perfect couple. They complimented each other so well and it felt like it could actually be the story of a real relationship. Even the third act break-up (which I’m personally never really a fan of), was written well and handled (mostly) well by the characters.

I only didn’t give this book a full five stars because there were a couple parts that felt a little disjointed in the writing/timeline and took me out of the story for a second. I’m sure they were fixed with a final edit!

Overall thought: From the way they met to the adventures they went on, I was into it. Definitely recommend.

I loved the premise of a fake dating MM romance to participate in an Amazing Race type reality competition! Asher and Theo are both such likable characters. I loved Asher’s nerdy science references. And Theo is such a positive golden retriever MMC. There were so many funny moments and I really appreciated Chips sense of humor and style of writing. But he also managed to include more serious topics like family dynamics, messy relationships, and other LGBTQ community struggles.

This is a spicy one so if MM spice is not your thing, look for spice chapters to skip. It’s still worth the read.

What a beautiful display of queer joy! This book is like one giant hug.

I loved the element of travel in this book. Through the game show, we as the audience were able to join Asher and Theo on some amazing experiences. I also appreciated the slow burn and healthy boundaries established as the couple formed feelings for each other.

I hope to read more by this author soon!

Winging It With You is such a fun, beautifully written romance! From page one, I was swept up in the charm and delightful chaos of Theo and Asher’s story. The absolute joy they discover in each other is utterly heartwarming—it practically jumps off the page. I LOVE a character‑driven romance, and these two? They are the best pairing. Theo’s exuberance balanced so well with Asher’s quieter strength makes their dynamic irresistible.

What truly sets Chip Pons’s novel apart is how he balances humor, sweetness, and meaningful growth. Watching Theo and Asher soften each other’s rough edges and evolve both as individuals and as a couple made their romance feel authentic and earned—not just swoony, but emotionally satisfying.

I could yap nonstop about everything I loved: the playful game‑show setting, the snappy one‑liners, the mozzarella sticks cameo (yes, mozzarella sticks!), the charming supporting cast, the dual POV, the forced‑proximity trope, and the fake‑dating that turns genuine—all underpinned by strong backstories and character development.

If you're craving a feel‑good, fun, and heartfelt M/M romance with genuine emotional stakes—and a generous side of laughs and sweetness—Winging It With You by Chip Pons should absolutely be on your radar. I smiled the entire way through!

This book started out a bit slow for me, but as I kept reading it got better. I really liked Theo as a character almost immediately, and how him and Asher interacted during the 'Trek' was really great. I liked how the show they were on was a mix of survivor and amazing race, and how they grew closer together as they traveled. this story does have a third act breakup, but it is resolved well. Overall, a really enjoyable book.

Book 20 of 2025 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons & Chip Pons for an ARC of Winging It with You, in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve followed Chip Pons on social media for a minute, and was so excited when I got approved for Winging It with You. That cover, the plot - sign me up! Our protagonists, Asher Bennett & Theo Fernandez, meet at an airport TGI Fridays after The Epic Trek contestant Asher & his ex breakup, and pilot Theo has landed after a flight. The fake dating trope was beautifully done by Pons, and he uses the miscommunication trope in a unique way, outside of the relationship. While I’m not the biggest fan of a 3rd act breakup, Pons makes it makes sense and executes it flawlessly. I’m also not usually drawn to books that are set in the entertainment industry or are entertainment industry adjacent because I work in TV - somehow, I was able to focus on the travel/Amazing Race aspect of it all, without being taken out of it.

This was a fun, sweet and occasionally steamy romance, and it was a lovely pride month read. 4.5/5 ⭐️ s & 2.5/5 🌶️ - I will definitely be reading more of Pons’ work! #NetGalley #WingingItwithYou ✈️ 🧳 👨🏽‍🤝‍👨🏼

Winging It with You is about Asher, who is dumped right before he and his boyfriend were supposed to participate in a competition show, and Theo, a pilot who has been grounded because he needs to work on work-life balance

This book had a lot of things I love: fake dating and forced proximity (due to participating in a reality competition show)? Yes, please. I enjoyed reading about Asher and Theo's relationship development and how they both had some things to work on individually to have a successful relationship in the future. I would have liked to see how things turned out with their individual life circumstances and how the show wrapped up at the end, but overall, it was a fun read!

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

What a pair of lovable guys!

This story was a great blend of humor, adventure, and heartfelt moments.

I found the side characters very likable and the main characters relatable, which is always a bonus. I think there are many people who have thrown themselves into a job, a relationship, etc., and in doing so, lose some of themselves. I loved that this adventure helped both of them rediscover who they are and what they want in life.

That said, the spice between the characters happened a little too quickly for me, especially considering what had just happened to Asher before meeting Theo. I thought a slower burn might have worked better and made their connection feel more earned.

For the most part, the pacing was well done—until the ending. Something about it felt rushed, random, and incomplete. I was really hopeful that the two of them would find each other, band together, go back on the show and compete—maybe not win, but at least compete. I wanted them to finish what they had started. While I was glad Theo reconnected with his family, it did leave me a little unsatisfied.

Overall, this was a solid 3-star read for me that I would recommend.

Winging it with You is a dual POV story about Asher and Theo. Asher is at the airport checking in to fly to LA for a reality travel competition show when his boyfriend dumps him. He decides to go on the show without his boyfriend and propositions Theo, a pilot just told he is over his hours and is grounded for three weeks. As luck would have it Theo agrees and they both fly to LA and compete as a couple.

This was such a cute and wholesome story. I loved that both men had relationship baggage and worked through it together as partners while pretending to be together on a crazy, hectic reality tv show.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.