Winging It with You

Pons debuts with a frothy rom-com in which strangers agree to fake-date to win a reality TV show. After Asher Bennett’s self-important boyfriend dumps him in the airport on their way to compete in the 25th season of The Epic Trek, in which two-person teams travel the world completing challenges, Asher convinces a passerby, Theo Fernandez, to join his team. Theo, a workaholic pilot, has been grounded on mandatory vacation after hitting the maximum flight hours multiple months in a row. Spontaneous and charming Theo perfectly complements Asher’s need for control, and the producers agree to let the men compete as long as they can make the viewers believe they’re a couple. Alongside fellow competitors—including a friendly mother-daughter duo and a cutthroat pair of twins—Theo and Asher jet around the globe, failing most challenges but developing a passionate fan base. They keep their masquerade professional by agreeing not to have sex or catch feelings, but as the show goes on, breaking these self-imposed rules proves ever more tempting. Pons nails the erotic charge between his leads, and the far-flung backdrops add to the appeal. Timothy Janovksy fans will gobble this up. Agent: Jessica Waterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (June)