This book was SO sweet! I really loved the chemistry between Josie and Matthew. They may be my favorite couple of all of Armas’ books. The end had me in tears (in a good way). A great way to cap this duology.

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas is a fun and captivating rom-com. Fake dating combined with a slow burn? Count me in! I really enjoyed the relationship between Matthew and Josie. Josie is quirky and makes questionable decisions, but Matthew is simply everything. It took me a little time to get into the story because the reason behind the fake fiancé situation didn’t make much sense at first. However, since Josie is a people pleaser, it's understandable why she would make such a bold choice. I'm glad I persevered, though, because the second half of the book really shines—especially when Josie starts to trust herself more and her relationship with Matthew deepens. You definitely don’t need to read The Long Game first, but it’s helpful to know some of the backstory, and it's always fun to see what previous couples are up to now.

3.75 Stars

Ahhh. I really love all of Elena Armas books. The romance in this book was so well done. I actually decided to listen to this one because of the podcast scenes and it was great! I was laughing out loud while listening. I loved that there was no third act break up. Read if you like small town romance, fake dating, slow burn, sisters' best friend.

When the slow burn is too slow :( - I think Elena armas books are not for me. I struggle with the length of the books. They’re so long and feel like a slog to get through.

I love a fake engagement.
When chronic fiancé / runaway bride Josie finds herself in need of a fiancé, who better than her long lost sisters best friend.
I loved The Spanish Love Deception, but The Long Game fell flat for me, and unfortunately The Fiancé Dilemma followed suit.
I found myself struggling to pick this book back up.
I'm not sure if it was the story, or the characters, but I just didn't really care what happened in this story.
It was fine, but just not for me.

Admittedly, this took me a few chapters to get in to. The lead up to the trope was a bit over the top for me. Josie is a fun character who kept it bright and fun but I also found her a bit tiresome and immature at times. I was honestly a little lost when it came to her living with her non-grandpa and just blindly letting the PR lady into her home in chapter 1. It seemed so quick to want to try and establish some kind of relationship with a father that openly abandoned her? I also was never clear on how/why Matthew ended up in her driveway at that exact moment, seeing as they had never met in person. I also felt like making Josie into a runaway bride added very little to the overall story.
However, once it got going, the romance was so well done! Matthew was a great male lead. Shy but protective. I love that he was also emotionally mature and cared about those around him. I enjoyed the slow burn and reading about them actually communicating, learning about each other, and doing activities together. Adding in the podcast twist was fun, but a little over the top. Still not sure why this would be such a topic of gossip.
The intimate scenes weren't the best but they were worth the buildup. The pacing and overall plot kept me intrigued and made this a fun and quick read once I got into the first few chapters!

"Fuck me. Seriously. Fuck me, please"
- Matthew Flanagan

Let me just say, I am in love with this book. This book has it all, there's drama, comedy, romance and just the right amount of spice 👌🏼. Let me just tell you, I am not a girl who likes spice in her books, but in this book? I loved every bit of it. I could not get enough, Elena sure does know how to write a perfect spicy novel.

I adore the flirtatious Matthew, I love how he had me smiling with every line. He was just the perfect MMC (he even beat Aaron Blackford under my standards). I want to say so much more, but I prefer that you read the story and find out for yourself just how amazing he is.

I am not kidding when I tell you this book is great, I mean, I read this book arc about 1 month ago, and up till this date I keep going back to it and rereading my favorite parts. Matthew Flanagan stole my heart and lives in my mind rent free. Do yourself a favor and just read it.

If there is one complaint I can give, is that I would have loved more, the ending seemed so rushed for me, a duoalogy of Adalyns and Matthews story would've been great. Regardless it was a 5 star read for me, just because I can't stop thinking about this book and can't wait to reread it on it's official launch date!

Josie Moore, known for her failed engagements, convinces her sister’s best friend, Matthew Flanagan, to pretend to be her fiancé to protect her estranged dad’s image. But as they fake their relationship in their small town, real feelings start to complicate things.

Unfortunately, this is my least favorite book by Elena Armas. Josie was extremely unlikable, too much of a people pleaser, and a doormat. I couldn’t understand why she gave in so easily to the aggressive PR agent’s demands that forced her into a fake engagement. It was also strange that she barely interacted with her estranged father despite the family drama being central to the story. Matthew felt so underdeveloped that we learned almost nothing about him and the lack of chemistry between Josie and Matthew made their relationship hard to believe. They went from being thrown into a fake engagement to sleeping together without building a meaningful connection. The dressing room scene was so bizarre to me. Josie had a panic attack and Matthew’s response to it felt incredibly odd and cringeworthy. Matthew’s declaration on the podcast made no sense at all. I generously gave this book two stars because I finished it and enjoyed seeing Adalyn and Cam as supporting characters, but I don’t recommend reading it.

3.75/5 Stars

Elena Armas delivers another swoon-worthy romance in The Fiancé Dilemma, a heartwarming follow-up to The Long Game. This book shifts the spotlight to Josie and Matthew, supporting characters from the previous novel, and it’s a joy to watch their slow-burn love story unfold.

Matthew’s grumpy yet quietly confident demeanor is a standout, and his protectiveness toward Josie makes him a memorable romantic lead. Josie, with her small-town charm and quirky personality, shines as the relatable, sunshiney heroine who perfectly balances Matthew’s seriousness. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the fake engagement and slow-burn tropes are executed beautifully, making their eventual happy ending deeply satisfying.

While I would have loved more time with them as an established couple, the journey was still delightful. Cameos from previous characters, the humor of Grandpa Moe, and the nostalgic Runaway Bride vibes added to the charm.

Fans of Armas’ signature slow-burn romance will find plenty to love here. It’s a sweet, feel-good story that leaves you wishing it didn’t have to end.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

I was in a contemporary mood this month thanks to my friend reading Emily Henry for the first time, and maybe it's a mistake to read one of my faves to someone I hadn't tried yet in the genre. While I really enjoyed Matthew in this book, the pacing felt really off, and maybe it's because it's the second in a series (even though it's a standalone). But honestly, I was frustrated by the plot and the pacing more than anything. It just felt like things didn't really have room to breathe since we were just go go go right at the beginning that by the end I was truly just glad it was done. But again, I did love the sweet moments with Matthew and Josie enough to want to finish the book.

It was just OK. The FMC was too quirky and a little cringe. It was funny enough but just not my favorite. My biggest gripe was the plot just wasn't plotting - there was not depth or development.

Thank you to Atria books for the eARC of this one via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts!

This book didn't immediately capture my attention in the way other Elena Armas books did. The fake engagement story starts off where The Long Game ends, where Josie is dealing with the fallout of finding out who her father is and all about the sister she never knew she had. A PR consultant is standing on Josie's front porch, ready to SAVE Josie from a PR nightmare brought on by her famous father... and Josie being the runaway bride. And then, her sister's best friend who lives in Florida just so happens to walk by, and Josie lies about him being her fiancé to "save" herself from the PR nightmare...... which only becomes a worse nightmare because she has to plan a wedding to Matthew when everyone finds out they're engaged, because her dad is famous??

IDK. I liked it. But when I'm writing out the beginning, I can see why it didn't take right away. Once we actually got to start seeing Matthew and Josie together (the selfie at goat yoga, trying food for their wedding festivities, decorating for the party, Matthew being super protective), I got into it. Thanks to Matthew for being swoonworthy! And even more... he saves the book by the end.

This gets like, an average 3.5 rating from me? It went on just a bit too long and it definitely took too long to get to the good stuff in my opinion. I definitely love other Elena Armas books more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

What a great small town romance 💜

Josie Moore, has four failed engagements and an absent father who has recently appeared in her life. Then father announced his retirement and that put her in the spotlight. Which is the last thing she wanted. Matthew soon finds himself involved in a misunderstanding that leads him to pose as Josie's fiancé.
What begins as a farce to keep up appearances soon turns into much more.

Josie was such a funny and quirky character and Matthew was such a sweetheart. I loved how he always put her first. Don’t let his sweetness fool you. This man can talk spicy 🥵 Overall, this was a hilarious and cute book that I couldn’t put down!

📘: The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
🗓️: July 30, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Elena Armas, and Atria for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Hello! :) I appreciate that Netgalley provided me with an ARC of the Fiance Dilemma. This book was super cute and sweet - I am reminded of Hallmark movies when I read this book. I think, while Josie has her own issues to overcome, it was fun watching her evolve and watching the 'fake' relationship with Matthew grow to a real romantic one. The book was written well, and the characters are well-formed. Each character had to struggle, in a way, to overcome something internal and external before they could join together in what became a real romance. Thank you! :)

I actually really liked this one. It was a common romance troupe, fake relationship, but it was really sweet. It was pretty obvious that Matthew was in it for more than pretend right away, and I think watching him be there for Josie was really kind of wonderful. He didn't push, he didn't force his hand too early, and he was just there. I really enjoyed him and watching the relationship between him and Josie grow. It also had just the right amount of steam!

A delightful contemporary romance that will warm your heart. The writing is charming and engaging filled with humor and heartfelt moments. I liked the small town setting as it added a cozy and inviting atmosphere to the story. Josie and Matthew have chemistry and their banter will leave a smile on your face.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Elena Armas’s other books and was looking forward to this one because it’s set in the same world as her last, but unfortunately it was a DNF for me. Something about the interior monologue of the characters just felt super cringy. I will definitely give her next book a go, though!

Elena Armas is one of my top 3 authors of all time for a reason. Holy crap I loved everything about this book and Matthew is my new favorite book boyfriend!! The slow burn is exquisite, I loved getting to see more of Adalyn and Cam and their HEA and I'm just obsessed with all the side characters including grandpa Moe and Pedro Pigscal. This was just the read I needed to pull me out of a major slump, I devoured it and felt all the feelings in the best way.

In preparating for this book, I read the first in the series. Well, I tried. I listened on audio, and about 3/4 of the way through I stopped wanting to pick it up. That said, I'm not interested in reading the next installment. I don't want to give a one-star rating to a book I did not read, but I want to remove this off my shelf. Book one does not bode well for book two. I had high hopes since Cam (I think that's his name?) gave off some serious Roy Kent vibes in the beginning.