Cute sequel to The Long Game - MMC falls first, quirky FMC needs a fake fiance... you know what happens next :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Such a good book! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I've read every book by Elena Armas and I've loved each one of them but I'm a bit disappointed with this one, honestly.

I have loved The long Game, Cameron and Adalyn were perfect. I've said it once and I'll say it again, Cameron seemed a lot like Roy Kent from Ted Lasso and I've loved it some much. I needed more of them in The Fiancé Dilemma, honestly.

From the looks I got on both Josie and Matthew in the Long Game, I was really looking forward to this, but it kinda fell flat.

Fake dating and fake engagement is one my favourite trope, so when I got approved for reading this arch I was over the moon. But I don't know, the reason why they started this fake engagement was non-existant? I mean, there are many other books with many other better reasons to start a fake relationship. Saving your dad from a PR nightmare is not one of those. Especially since Josie just found out about his existance. Also, Matthew accepting it was a bit off? He didn't even know Josie. And, we don't have his POV so we don't really know what his thought process is.

I liked Matthew but his character was one dimensional and boring at first. Then he suddenly became possessive - which I didn't mind though - but again, without his POV was a bit weird to see him switch gear like that.

Josie's character kept talking about having daddy issues and four failed engagements/wedding, but there was no explanation on that, nothing. Still don't know why most of her engagements failed. Then she realises the problem was that she doesn't want to get married? I don't know, feels rushed, like there was no thought process here. No idea what brought her previous engagements to fail, it cannot just be because she didn't want to get married, or the engagements were broken before. Why did they? Why?!?!

The ending really saved this book for me. I found the initial pacing to be odd at times and scenes are somewhat skipped over, which I didn't really enjoy. Overall, I enjoyed the relationship development. I enjoyed the MMC to be more enjoyable the FMC, but that tends to happen sometimes. Their lack of communication together was pretty frustrating. It felt like MMC was already in love with her to begin with, which we always enjoy, but without his POV most of the book, it was hard to tell for sure where they stood. Grandpa Moe was probably my favorite character.

If you love a good love story with lots of laughs and a bit of messiness, then you'll want to check out "The Fiancé Dilemma" by Elena Armas. This book has it all: fake engagements, second chances, and some unexpected family drama.

Meet Josie Moore, who's had her fair share of failed relationships—four failed engagements to be exact. Just as she's dealing with her distant father's sudden interest in her life, she runs into Matthew Flanagan. Matthew's just lost his job and arrives in town, muddy and a bit lost, only to find himself mistakenly playing the role of Josie's fiancé.

Matthew is the kind of guy you'd want on your side. He's sweet, always there for Josie, and just gets how to make her feel special. Despite their engagement being just for show, their connection feels real. Matthew shows up just when Josie needs him, proving that sometimes, the right person might just be where you least expect them.

The story doesn't just focus on their romance. The small town of Green Oak feels like a character itself, filled with interesting people and cozy spots that add to the charm of Josie and Matthew's growing relationship. They banter, they care, and you can't help but root for them.

Elena Armas really knows how to keep things fun and engaging. "The Fiancé Dilemma" mixes humor with heart in a way that keeps you hooked from start to finish. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a feel-good romance that’s easy to get into.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Elena Armas or just looking for a fun romance to dive into, this book is a great pick. It's all about finding love where you least expect it and the joy that comes from giving love one more chance.

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Elena Armas for granting me this advanced review copy.

You can see a full review on my blog here: https://leylaslibrary.wordpress.com/2024/04/30/the-fiance-dilemma/

I absolutely loved getting read more about Josie and Matthew and their backwards love story! The silly banter, nicknames and all around drama thrown in with hot blondie and I’m sold.

This book is super cute!! I love a good fake dating, he falls first scenario. Matthew is absolutely book boyfriend goals! He is super protective of Josie and hilarious. Grandpa Moe is a trip! Definitely a must read!

I wanted to love this book the way I loved the rest of Elena's stories. Sadly, while I grew to like it, I never fell in love with it as I hoped. While the characters had great chemistry, it was so disjointed and all over the place. The story never really clicked, made sense, or brought things full circle. Every time the story started to lead somewhere, it got interrupted, or something happened to detract from the development. There were definitely cute, fun, spicy moments, but overall, the story didn't land with me in the same way her previous books had.

I knew Josie would be my girly. I enjoyed the Long Game, but I hope those that didn’t love it can be convinced to continue the series because this sequel is honestly SO much better! I knew Josie’s story would deliver but I’m literally obsessed. I couldn’t be stopped the last 48 hours.

Josie’s character is so quirky and lovable. The book made me laugh out loud. And I’m PRAISING Elena for showing the world of romance lovers that a third act breakup is not necessary 🙌🏻 Sometimes when you read romcom after romcom the spice can feel a little bland or get repetitive but Elena stepped it up with some freakin’ creativity and I was all about it. The Fiancé Dilemma gave me the tension, chemistry and pining from the first chapters that I felt like I was missing a bit from the Long Game.

The only thing I felt ‘meh’ about through this whole book was Andrew’s development and not having a full understanding of how that took place, but I still don’t really care about him so I can move past that 😂

LOVE. OBSESSED. PRAISE ELENA.

This is the kind of romcom I need in my TBR 24/7.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to receive an early copy of this book! I will read anything Elena Armas reads and this latest book doesn’t disappoint! It’s full of heart, laughter, and two main characters you can’t help but root for and fall in love with.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC!!

Ever since I read The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, she has become one of my auto-read authors. It became one of my favorite books so I was excited that she was releasing a new book, The Fiancé Dilemma. Even though it is listed as a sequel to The Long Game, it can be read as a standalone. It just takes place in the same location. Also, the main characters from the first book are side characters in the sequel and vice versa.

The Fiancé Dilemma was exactly what I needed right now: a rom-com with loveable characters and some spice (actually more than I expected). The main characters, Josie and Matthew, have major chemistry from their first meeting. They have such a connection with one another physically and emotionally. I especially love their fun and joking manner to one another which made me smile and laugh so much throughout the book. I enjoyed how their relationship developed and the characters within the story. Many characters from the first book, The Long Game, also appear in this one. It was fun revisiting some of these amusing characters.

I also really liked how the story flowed and was formatted. We start right into the action right away. There are a few recallings of the past but most of the time it stays in the present. There is also an ongoing podcast throughout the story, and we get to read the transcript of it all. The only thing I wish about this book is that it was a dual POV so that we could get more of Matthew's perspective of the story rather than just one chapter.

Overall I think Elena Armas hit it out of the park again with The Fiancé Dilemma. She is just so great at making loveable characters with great chemistry and developing a fun rom-com with plenty of spice throughout.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

This was such a charming and fun story, where instead of the usual trope of a 'marriage of convenience' we got to enjoy an 'engagement of convenience', and I enjoyed every second of it. The pace stayed fast throughout and made it really hard for me to find stopping points to put my kindle down! Josie and Matthew's banter throughout the book had me rooting for them from the very start, and the tension was incredible. I will say I would have wanted more depth into the relationship between Josie and Adalyn-- however I can let it slide since I haven't read "The Long Game' (yet!!)

3⭐️
"Because i only ever wanted you, Josie."

I think I just have to finally admit defeat that EA's books just aren't for me. I've read a few, and they're all fine? But to be honest I don't see the huge hype about them

I feel like I'm saying this for the hundredth time, but fake dating stories have to have a really solid reason in my opinion or they just come off silly. Fake dating so you don't look like bad PR to the dad you've only just found out exists? Not a good enough reason. Like why did Matthew even agree to this?!

This had some cute moments and if you're a fan of EA's previous works, you'll probably enjoy this
Thank you to Netgalley and publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Fiancé Dilemma ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ever since I read The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, she has become one of my auto-read authors. It became one of my favorite books so I was excited that she was releasing a new book, The Fiancé Dilemma. Even though it is listed as a sequel to The Long Game, it can be read as a standalone. It just takes place in the same location. Also, the main characters from the first book are side characters in the sequel and vice versa.

The Fiancé Dilemma was exactly what I needed right now: a rom-com with loveable characters and some spice (actually more than I expected). The main characters, Josie and Matthew, have major chemistry from their first meeting. They have such a connection with one another physically and emotionally. I especially love their fun and joking manner to one another which made me smile and laugh so much throughout the book. I enjoyed how their relationship developed and the characters within the story. Many characters from the first book, The Long Game, also appear in this one. It was fun revisiting some of these amusing characters.

I also really liked how the story flowed and was formatted. We start right into the action right away. There are a few recallings of the past but most of the time it stays in the present. There is also an ongoing podcast throughout the story, and we get to read the transcript of it all. The only thing I wish about this book is that it was a dual POV so that we could get more of Matthew's perspective of the story rather than just one chapter.

Overall I think Elena Armas hit it out of the park again with The Fiancé Dilemma. She is just so great at making loveable characters with great chemistry and developing a fun rom-com with plenty of spice throughout.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Another hit from Elena Armas! I enjoyed The Long Game (despite being rather not into sports lol) and particularly loved Matthew so was super excited to dive in to his book.
I have to admit, I got pretty annoyed with Josie in the end and think if Armas had gone a bit deeper with her childhood trauma and why she is the way she is it would’ve read better, but who am I kidding I still fell for this book. It was definitely because of Matthew though what an excellent excellent book boyfriend/fiance! Armas knows how to write em

The swooooooon is real.

Josie and Matthew had my heart from the first chapter and I have no doubt they’ll have yours also. Elena Armas is so great at providing a story that makes you laugh, swoon, and maybe even shed a tear.

I would definitely recommend picking up this book!

The others haven't quite measured up for me, unfortunately, including this newest book The Fiance Dilemma.

I liked the premise of this book, the cover is super cute, and was excited for it to come out. I really wanted to like it more than I did. I felt it was a little long and drawn out. The characters were ok, but I didn't feel a very strong connection to Matthew or Josie.

The positives to this book included the set up to the fake engagement and the cameos by Cam and Adalyn from The Long Game. In the end, this was a 2.5 rounded up to 3. However, if you really liked The Long Game I think you would enjoy this book as well.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

First of all, I want to say thank you to Net Galley and Atria Publishers for giving me an ARC of this book. Now, onto the review.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. Maybe I read it at the wrong time so I wasn’t in the mood, but unfortunately I didn’t love this book. We have Josie and Matthew who are thrown into a fake engagement as a solution to a press monstrosity. And while I don’t mind the fake dating or fake fiancée trope, this just rubbed me the wrong way. It felt FAKE, which was the problem.

Matthew fell first, and I love him. He wants to make life better for Josie and will do anything to help and protect her. Josie on the other hand…. I found her to be so unlikable. It felt like her failed engagements was the main chunk of her personality. I needed more from her.

I’m not going to lie, I got about 60% through and skimmed the last 40% of the book. I hate to say it, but I got BORED. I absolutely loved the American Roomate Experience, but this book did not do it for me. Also, the ending, in my opinion, was beyond disappointing. There was all this build up, and SPOILER, she calls the wedding off, AGAIN. I kept reading for their happily ever after and it didn’t really happen.

A more accurate rating would be a 2.5-3 stars.

I expect nothing less than excellence from Elena Armas because I already loved her previous books and this one was even more amazing than I expected. The world is not ready for The Fiance Dilemma. Buckle up.

I enjoyed my ARC copy - Thank you Netgalley!
Wow - Elena Aramas delivers again. Quite spicy, and fun! Looking forward to more books of hers over the years.