Book Summary: 

Asher Bennett thought his relationship was just fine. Until he’s unceremoniously dumped at the Boston airport ahead of the world-wide travel competition reality show, The Epic Trek. Armed with only a ticket and righteous indignation, Asher finds the closest solace he can: a mimosa and mozzarella sticks combo at an airport TGI Fridays. Still, Asher is determined to find a new partner and luckily, right in front of him is a smooth-talking airline pilot ready for takeoff.

Theo Fernandez has been grounded. He’s the only pilot that has never taken a vacation and the edict has been passed down: prove you’re prioritizing a work-life balance or say goodbye to your wings. As he struggles to bask in his new downtime, without reconnecting with his family, he stumbles upon the perfect opportunity. The handsome guy who “stole” his mozzarella sticks at his favorite terminal eatery has a sudden opening for a partner . . . on a nationally televised reality show.

Theo and Asher buckle up to fake date for the cameras, but as they do the undercurrents of attraction make them wonder if their on-screen chemistry hints at something bigger. Do they have the courage to leave behind their baggage, and wing it together for another chance at love?

My Review:

I thought contemporary romances based on reality TV shows would have gotten old by now – but I’m so happy to be wrong! In Winging It With You, Chip Pons channels the essence of international travel competition shows with a sweet twist of fake dating, undeniable chemistry, and mind-blowing sights that makes you envy every adventure shared by Theo and Asher.

Finalizing the checklist to make sure Asher Bennet has everything he needs for The Epic Trek? Check. Arriving at the airport hours early to appease his boyfriend? Check.
Having said boyfriend break up with him at the check-in counter, just hours before takeoff? Funny how that wasn’t on the checklist. Now, Asher finds himself at an airport TGI Fridays, frantically trying to find a new competition partner – who also has to pretend to be his boyfriend (no small feat). Running out of ideas and just a little amazed at how quickly mimosas hit on an empty stomach, Asher orders some mozzarella sticks, never realizing that those golden bites of fried cheese would be the answer to his prayers.

Theo Fernandez can’t believe he’s been grounded! Well, okay – technically, he’s been placed on “mandatory administrative leave” for three weeks. After his supervisor emailed to inform him that he exceeded his flight hours for the third quarter in a row, Theo is also required to prove he’s working on his work-life balance. Not sure what to do with himself, Theo heads to TGI Fridays with his best friend Mark, keeping up their time-honored tradition of grabbing mozzarella sticks whenever they fly together. Except – the kitchen is closed. The last basket of mozzarella sticks belongs to some cute guy at the counter – and he’s not interested in sharing. Never one to back down from a challenge, Theo bargains for the mozzarella sticks, not realizing that a simple coin toss over fried cheese will change his life in ways he never imagined.

I adored the dynamic between Theo and Asher. Their personalities were like night and day, the perfect grumpy-sunshine pairing! Watching them influence one another, grow closer, and find healing in each other’s presence was what made this story so memorable for me. The cherry on top was the secondary characters. Emma, hands down, was my favorite. And don’t even get me started on the places they visited! I never knew Ben & Jerry’s had a flavor graveyard, and learning about La Tomatina was such a fun surprise. I had to stop and Google so many of the places they visited. If I had a bucket list, this book would have added at least two or three items to it!

That said, I struggled a bit with the competition challenges. I’m not sure if they were overly descriptive or not detailed enough, but I had a hard time trying to visualize them. Most of the time, I just accepted them at face value, which caused them to lose their intended emotional impact – especially the first challenge with the ice cream. Another hiccup for me was the occasional plot hole or lack of setup for key moments. For instance, the importance of the elephants as a surprise for Theo came out of left field. While sweet, it wasn’t clear why it meant so much to him. Same with the ending, when they moved into their Chicago apartment, it caught me off guard. We hadn’t been told Theo was from Chicago, and it left me confused about why they chose that city.

As for the chemistry between Asher and Theo, every encounter will leave you breathless. A close whisper, a soft caress, a longing look – each one perfectly captures the desire between these two characters. And as hot as those moments were, they didn’t even come close to the lava-level heat when they finally slept together! Bravo Chip! That voyeur/exhibitionist shower scene still has me fanning myself.

Beyond the chemistry and humor beats the true heart of the story: learning to live in the present while breaking free from the chains of the past. Theo was outed against his will, and the man he loved denied anything had ever happened between them – for the sake of his career. That type of betrayal would mess anyone up, let alone someone whose entire world was turned upside down with no one on his side. His sense of trust and protection was gone. He was essentially stripped of everything and cast back into a world that placed a glaring spotlight on an identity laid bare with judgment. He didn’t know how his family or friends would react, because he was never given the chance to handle things on his terms. So he hid. Every interaction he faced after that became about protecting himself, about avoiding vulnerability, about never letting himself be in such a position again.

The same was true for Asher. He never believed that who he was could possibly be enough to be loved, so he molded himself into everything Clint could ever want. He pulled, chipped, and sawed away at himself until there was nothing left. In the present, he no longer knew who he was. His go-to response was to become whoever people wanted him to be, to hide his true self – his wants, needs, and desires.

Throughout the story, we got to see both Theo and Asher take baby steps toward a safe space they found in each other. A space with no judgment, no demands – only support. A place where they were seen, accepted, and welcomed exactly as they were. And it was a truly beautiful thing to witness.

Winging It With You is an incredible story about growth, healing, and learning to embrace who you are – flaws and all. Yes, it’s delivered in the mold of a contemporary romance, with humor to keep it from tugging too much on your heartstrings, but the message is there, and it is clear. As this is Chip’s second book, I have to say – keep up the great work! I may just need to check out his debut novel, You and I Rewritten.