Armas tends to be a hit and miss author for me- I like some, dislike others, and for me, this one fell somewhere in the middle.
It’s a fake engagement, second chances, romance that centers on a fmc who has been through four engagements… but no wedding. Her story gets picked up by the media and while some of the details differ, this largely paralleled the plot from the movie “my best friend’s wedding”.
The story takes place in the same universe as the Long Game, but this is a standalone narrative. It’s a character-driven book, but we get little character development outside of the main characters.
It reminds me of a hallmark movie- if that is your genre, you might find this to be a favorite! 2.5 stars for me.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Elena Armas blew me away again!

This was such a great read—I was captivated from the first page.

Josie’s life is spiraling out of control when she finds out her dad is a billionaire. All of a sudden, her life is being broadcast to the world.

This had a “runaway bride” feel because Josie quite literally ran from previous engagements, and everyone knew!

She decided to pretend to be engaged to Matthew, her sister’s best friend, and it was oh so sweet watching this go down!

They had such real chemistry, and I didn’t want to put this book down! It drew me in from page one. I desperately wanted to know his thoughts, but I think the “wondering” is what made me so excited to keep reading. Sometimes when you have the MMC POV, there is little left to the imagination!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and honestly it fell flat. I liked both of these characters in the previous book but when they got their own they just became really cringe and it became hard to follow them. This wasn’t really anything new. It felt like a very similar story to Rosie and Lucas. This is the only one of her books that I haven’t really enjoyed so I’m hoping the next one will turn out better.

First let me thank the publishers who provided me an ARC of ‘The Fiancé Dilemma’ by Elena Armas through NetGalley.

I was super excited to have the opportunity to read this e-arc because I really enjoyed The Spanish Love Deception that was also written by Elena Armas and The Fiancé Dilemma did not disappoint.

Let’s start with a synopsis. This is the second book in a series, I personally have not read the first one but I don’t feel as though I missed out on anything in this book or was spoiled for the romance in the first book though we do interact with that couple throughout this story. We begin by meeting Josie Moore during one of the silliest scenes I’ve read, wherein she gets covered in jam while trying to pull her ex-fiancés engagement ring from her swollen finger and ends up fake engaged to her sisters best friend Matthew who has shown up at exactly the right moment to rescue her from a scary PR lady who has just informed her that she is now the topic of a very popular gossip podcast thanks to her very rich father. She probably wouldn’t really be much to talk about except that Josie has been engaged before, four times to be exact, and has left three of those men at the alter. Now her and Matthew are committed to pretending that he will be her fifth and hopefully final fiancé as Josie tries desperately to “fix” her reputation that is being smeared through the mud.

Tropes you’ll find within this story are -
*sisters best friend
*soul-mates
*fake dating
*quirky heroine
*cinnamon roll boy
*he falls hard first
*single POV (last chapter in Male MC POV)

I really enjoyed this love story! It was fast paced and very cute and funny. Josie is a lovable character with complex feelings and Matthew was great book boyfriend material. I really enjoyed watching Matthew through Josie’s eyes and was caught off guard with some of the very romantic and sweet quotes dropped throughout their relationship. I 100% swooned at one point, it was just so good. There’s also a couple of Twilight references that caught me off guard and had me laughing out loud and making my husband patiently listen while I reread them aloud to him. Basically, a great read that had me hooked. Why four and not five stars? I think that for me it lacked a bit of substance and it time jumped a bit more than I personally prefer. I don’t doubt that some readers will enjoy the time jumps because it sped the plot along at a fast clip and kept things interesting but for me it felt a little rushed and I ended up wishing for Matthew’s thoughts and POV a little to provide some more depth to their love. Overall though, worth the read and definitely will be one I think about again.

This was a cute romance with lots of fun side characters. Matthew and Josie were great and I loved their interactions. Overall, I enjoyed their love story but sometimes I had a hard time connecting with them and really "feeling" their love for each other. It almost felt a little rushed towards the end of the book. I really enjoyed this book, I just wanted a little bit more out of their story.

Ok so I read The Long Game, which is the first book in this series, and I actually didn't like it at all. But I like Elena Armas, so I figured I would give this one a chance and I am so glad I did! It took me a little while to get in to. At the beginning I didn't like Josie, I found her a little annoying and her character came off as a little poor me. She also seemed like a completely different character from the first book with Adalyn and Cameron. Also I was really happy that there was very little Adalyn and Cameron because they were the worst in their book.

One of the main reasons I had issues getting in to the story in the beggining was that I didn't like the premise and how she felt forced in to creating this fake engagement. That part wasn't my favorite. But as the story went on, I found myself loving both Josie and Matthew and loved watching their relationship grow. Ugh Matthew, lovely Matthew. I really loved him from the beginning and it never changed throughout the entire story. I do wish that it had alternating viewpoints, because the book was only in Josie's viewpoint. And there were so many moments that I wanted to know what Matthew was thinking. I loved the ending and how it wrapped up.

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved returning to Green Oak- I love the small town aspect of this town! This was a classic fake fiance/but then fall in love for real trope. It kept me turning the pages. I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it-- but I really dislike Josie's father and her publicist and that whole part of the storyline. I think my favorite character in the whole thing, though, was Grandpa Moe. I'll continue to read anything Armas writes but this one was just okay for me-- 3.5 stars.

DNF@55%

This was my first Elena Armas and I really wanted to love it to spite all the mixed reviews towards TSLD and TLG, however I did not. The dialogue was the true villain here. Millennial humor has to be done perfectly to work and sadly, it was done sooooooo much here that it was cringey at best.

I also didn't connect to the main character, which is kind of a deal breaker for me. I don't have to love the FMC, but I have to at least connect with them and I didn't. I didn't think the MMC was bad, he was just a little too ready to go through with the world's most random fake engagement (that plot device was also not great to begin with.)

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

i was a little nervous going into this one because i dnf'ed The Long Game but this redeems her writing for me!! honestly, you can totally skip the first one and just read this one, because it can be read as a standalone.

this might just be my new favorite couple that she's written. like even with however far i got into the first one, josie stood out as being the best side character so i'm so glad we got to read her story because she really does it all. and MATTHEW is just too cute and supportive and he falls first and ugh the romance is so good. i didn't have a ton i disliked about this other than her father (andrew when i see you...) and bobbi being really obnoxious. i just didn't find the whole idea of them getting together to avoid this pr crisis being super believable - like you're telling me that your father's career and reputation could go up in flames because his daughter that he's not really been present for, has been engaged four times? this just would have been so much better if they had to fake their engagement for a different reason.

Ya know...if there's one author I can count on to write an absolute banger, I would def include Elena Armas in that list! IDK but all I can say is she has GOT to throughly understand the female gaze cuz every single one of her male main characters are some of the BEST book boyfriends in the game! And the SPARK between Matthew and Josie was soooo good! I mean the flirting, the texting, the nicknames?!?!? All of my FAV aspects of romance books but done SO well! And plus, the fact that the main trope of this book is fake dating/fake engagement doesn't hurt either!👀
I also LOVED getting to revisit Green Oaks, NC from The Long Game and getting to kind of pick up where we left off in the first book BUT ALSO getting to revisit Adalyn and Cam AND getting to not just see Josie and Matthew's storyline progress but also Adalyn and Cam's storyline too!
A great book for people who love Elena Armas and people who love fake engagements + great book boyfriends! I think we all need a Matthew Flanagan in our lives! 💖
Thank you SO much to Atria for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review!💕

4.5 stars! I have read all of this author’s books and this one is my favorite by Armas to date. It felt like everything was more flushed out, the characters had more depth, and the story was more meaningful. I also just really liked both main characters, so that helped. The writing style in this was so quick, witty, and fun!(I read this in less than 24 hours) I think this book stands out from her others because of the character’s relationship and seemingly genuine chemistry. Not once during this book did I dislike the MMC and I feel like that says a lot. While I enjoyed The Long Game (first book in this duet) I think this one was better! Josie & Matthew forever! I would definitely recommend giving this book a shot, even if the author’s previous books aren’t your favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher Atria Books, and Elena Armas for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Engagement of convenience, secret child, family drama, fake dating, anxiety filled and people pleaser fmc, single pov, he falls first

This is my first time reading one of Elena’s books, I’ve done the audiobook for another title, and it was everything I loved from her first book. The banter, the female character who isn’t afraid to show her vulnerable side, and a male character who loves her for it. I also totally cried reading those so buckle up if you are an emotional gal.

I will say there was something off about this book, I got whiplash from a few of the scenes. They would be having one conversation, then a sudden left turn into a completely different topic. It made the story a little hard to follow because I kept going back making sure I didn’t skip a page or paragraph due to my confusion. However, I do think this was mostly used to show the spiraling and anxiety of the fmc, so even though it could get confusing at times, I don’t think it brings the book down.

Thank you NetGalley for an early read of this book. All thoughts are my own, I do not accept money for reviews.

3.5 Stars rounded up.

There were a lot of things to love about the Fiance Dilemma. The setting and whole town of Green Oak was possibly my favorite part. So many beloved townsfolk from The Long Game were back and creating ruckus, and with the addition of Grandpa Moe, I was just in love with the small town aspects Armas brought us into.

The story captured many of my favorite tropes, namely fake fiance, with a fun flair. I loved how the meet cute was when Josie roped Matthew into her off the cuff plan, setting a scene that had me giggling and wanting more. I didn't really love how Bobbi Shark played into the whole first 2/3 of the book and just found it kind of annoying. I think it was supposed to be endearing annoying, but it drug a bit for me.

I really liked Matthew. He had the whole 'tortured by unrequited love for her' vibe going on, and I really LOVED how he talked about the early texts about Josie between himself and Adalyn. Most of his interactions with Adalyn and his need to tamp down his obsession with Cam were in my list of favorite parts! Josie was a bit insecure for me, I prefer a MFC with a stronger sense of self. But, I liked how Josie resolved so much of her self doubt towards the end of the book. I also really enjoyed the Cam/Adalyn cameos as a whole, minus their overly predictable storyline.

I didn't care for the plot arc about Josie/Adalyn/Andrew. It didn't feel important in the story or in Josie's head space, just kind of something else that was happening to keep Bobbi around to be annoying. I did like how it all ended, though. Bobbi's piece to the puzzle and the father/daughter resolution.

Overall, this was a slow burn but the whole book moved pretty slow for me. I like a bit more action in and out of the bedroom. Unlike Armas's previous novels, this one didn't capture me or my heart. I liked it fine but it was no Aaron Blackford or Cam Caldani.

I really enjoy Elena Armas’ books and think this one was a perfect follow up to The Long Game. I loved diving into Josie & Matthew’s story and the fake dating/engagement trope. I missed getting the story from both perspectives like we did in The Long Game, but still enjoyed the perspective of Josie. Great quick summer read that I look forward to recommending.

I've historically been a Big Fan of Elena Armas' books, but this one just wasn't for me. The basic premise of the book - faking an engagement to assist with a PR nightmare for an absentee father - was a bit inconceivable. Like what obligation are we serving this man?? The 4 prior engagements would suggest some Daddy Issues but that never really gets unpacked/explored in the story - and it probably should have at some point given how central the Runaway Bride theme was throughout the story. Equally inconceivable was the progression of Matthew and Josie's relationship to falling in love. Their partnership through the fake engagement and wedding planning lacked depth and I'm not sure how we landed on those two being in love with one another. They were just kind of together throughout the story but without anything of real substance happening between them emotionally. There overall didn't seem to be a lot happening in this book - plot-wise, relationship-wise, FMC/MMC internal reflection-wise. It's a miss for me.

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

After recently reading and really enjoying The Long Game by Elena Armas, I was SUPER delighted to have been approved to received the ARC to read and review this book because I wasn't quite ready to leave Green Oak, North Carolina.

This was a very quick read for me and that's simply because I couldn't get enough!
I love a good fake engagement, second chance romance and Elena Armas knocked it out of the park with this one.
Josie has had 4 failed engagements, she's got daddy issues, she's the mayor of the small town, and she owns a cute coffee shop. You can't help but root for her and wish her the best.
Matthew is Josie's sisters best friend and he comes into Josie's life quite abrupt and at the perfect time.
Josie ends up convincing Matthew to be her fake fiancé and they go from strangers to lovers real quick.
Matthew is definitely one of the best book boyfriends out there. Since he has sisters, he has that protective side to him and he also has a really good intuition for exactly what Josie needs and how he can help. I also LOVED the nicknames he gave Josie.
Elena does a really great job at making the reader feel captivated. I was swooning throughout all the romantic scenes.
My only gripe with this book would be that I wish it was dual POV. I would have loved to gotten more of Matthews side of things.

Overall this was a very fun, romantic, read and I'm really glad I read it!

Elena Armas never disappoints! She’s become an automatic buy author for me. She wrote another beautiful, funny and swoon worthy story that I devoured in one sitting! Can’t wait to read more from Elena!

Loved returning to characters from the Long Game. This was a fun book, just like all of Elena Armas' books. I love a small town, fake engagement trope and this didn't disappoint!

This was my first Elena Armas book and I’m so sad it took me this long. I absolutely loved this book. People kept trying to talk to me while I was reading it and I was unable to engage in conversation. I wish I had read the preceding book first even though I didn’t need to to enjoy this one I absolutely loved it! I laughed so much and got teary a couple of times. Need to read more from her

Single POV
Fake fiancé
Small town
Runaway bride
Fifth chance love story


This book was…..okay? I really enjoyed the last 20%, but the first half felt slow reading. I didn’t mind the single POV in The Long Game, but I really think where this book went wrong was not giving Matthew’s POV from the start. Loved the story, loved the concept, loved the final chapters, but this just wasn’t a winner for me (I really did like the ending, so I would still read if I went back in time)!

Also—precious pig 🐷 🐷 🐷