This is my fourth Elena Armas book and as always it was a cute, quick read. The Fiance Dilemma focuses on Josie and Matthew, two side-characters in The Long Game, Elena’s last book. While technically it can be read as a stand-alone I feel like I appreciated this book more because I read The Long Game and had already been introduced to these characters.

Josie has been engaged four times, and each time there was no wedding. This causes a PR nightmare for her absentee, yet suddenly back in her life, father. Not wanting to make waves for anyone, Jose announces that she’s engaged again…and to her sister’s best friend, Matthew. She just has to convince Matthew to play along for a little while.

This story, and the characters were definitely quirky. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the situations Josie and Matthew got into. When reading I found myself wondering just how far they were going to go before they were found out. I feel like I could picture the characters so well, and the descriptions were spot on. While my love for Matthew started slow in this book, he became my absolute favorite character by the end.

If you like cute and quirky books with some spice and fake dating, definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sisters best friend
•Small town
•Fake engagement
•No third act break up (!!!!)
•Slowburn

I have been in a huge reading slump lately and this book managed to get me out of it! I loved every aspect of this book, especially the discussion of some heavier topics. I loved the relationship between Matthew and Josie, it was so sweet. This is a classic he falls first and harder situation where he is so in love with her and she doesn’t even notice. Matthew has to be one of my new favorite book boyfriends, he’s such a sweet guy but would kill someone if they touched Josie.
I loved how realistic their relationship felt with the slowburn. They weren’t immediately in love with each other at the beginning of the book. I also loved that Elena Armas was able to write such an engaging book with a great plot without a third act breakup!
There is honestly nothing I can say I didn’t like about this book it was overall amazing and definitely a 5 star read!

This one was a miss for me, and DNF'd at only the 15% mark (it also somehow felt like I was reading this forever???)

I was excited to read this one because I really enjoyed The Spanish Love Deception, The American Roommate Experiment and the Long Game (to a lesser extent, but I still liked it), but this one wasn't hitting the mark for me. It kind of felt all over the place to me and I struggled with wanting to pick this one up.

I will still want to read whatever Elena Armas has next though.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this e-ARC.

This was a fun one! Josie & Matthew were so cute together, and the fake relationship/engagement trope will get me every time. I loved watching their relationship unfold and blossom. This was steamy and romantic, but also laugh out loud funny! I loved the banter and wit between the characters. Pick this up for a fun and adorable read.

I unfortunately did not finish reading The Fiancé Dilemma. I just could not get into it. I loved The Spanish Love Deception and enjoyed her other two books but this one was falling flat for me. Normally I find a fake engagement storyline to be cute and fun but this was so forced it was uncomfortable. Matthew clearly wasn’t comfortable agreeing to it but Josie kept pushing him. It gave me the “ick.” I tried to read more but after about 50 or so pages I gave up. I need a book to really grasp me in the beginning and this one didn’t do it for me. I do appreciate the opportunity to receive this arc and I just wish I was more into the book.

While I found aspects of this book enjoyable, I couldn't shake the feeling that I missed something crucial to the plot. Matthew and Josie's characters and their development were highlights for me, though their relationship felt a bit awkward and forced at times, lacking complete believability. The fake relationship plot was exceedingly far-fetched and overly prolonged, yet surprisingly, I found myself still engaged with the story. Some of the secondary characters grated on my nerves, but i think that was the point. Overall, while I didn't fall in love with it, I liked the book enough to eagerly anticipate future works by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me the opportunity to review this E-ARC.

3.5 Stars
Tropes:
- Engagement of Convenience
- Fake Dating
- Small Town
- Sister's best friend

"And you're my fiancé,"
"You say that like nothing."
"No, I say this like it's a reason to do with you whatever I want."

This book was cute and fun but lacked a hook that I need for fake dating tropes. I'm still not entirely sure when Matthew started to fall, and I think it would have gone over better as a dual POV. Either that, or the conversation about the text messages came sooner, so we knew about Matthew thinking she was his soulmate.

When I got the crumbs of Matthew having feelings, I ate them right up. This man watched Bridgerton for goodness sake. Once I knew he was all in for her, I was all in on him. He had me kicking my feet and smiling like an excited teenager. HE WOULD LOVE HER IF SHE WAS A WORM.

"Only a fool would wait when there's something so precious to be claimed."

Overall, I enjoyed this book, I enjoyed the towns characters and I enjoyed the chemistry we eventually got from Josie and Matthew, but I feel like I still needed just a little bit more out of it. If you are already a fan of Elena and you've read The Long Game and enjoyed it, pick this up.

Thank you the author and publisher for the eARC of this title.

This is my first book by Elena Armas. I didn't realize it was a sequel. I didn't feel too lost, but would have enjoyed it more of I had realized that the characters had been introduced prior.

This book was sweet and humorous, and i enjoyed it. I'll definitely need to look up the other books by Elena Armas.

3.5 stars!

This author has been pretty hit or miss for me in the past, but this one was a HIT! I really enjoyed the premise and the relationship building. The connection between the main characters was palpable and heartwarming. I did wish we had a little more backstory on the characters and who they were apart from the dilemma they had found themselves in, but overall I really enjoyed it!

I adored this book!
From the opening scene, I was compelled to find out how this story would end for Josie and Matthew. Green Oaks is a quaint small town, filled with delightful characters who look out for each other and spread gossip like wildfire.
Josie is a character that you have to love. She has the biggest heart and takes care of her people, but she’s also a mess! Matthew is a bit of a mystery, but he quietly teaches Josie that it’s okay to choose herself.
This book made me laugh, so much, but it also made me tear up a little and when it ended I had a major book hangover.
This story is connected to the author’s previous book,The Long Game, and this one can be read as a standalone-but it will be even better if you read The Long Game first!
Thank you to Atria Books for the opportunity to read an early copy via NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Since release day is in less than a week, it's finally time to share my thoughts, and there's a LOT of them. I'm literally so excited to post my review on my instagram too, because this book was just CHEF'S KISS.

ELENA-- Ma'am. I read The Spanish Love Deception, and because I can't stick to a TBR to save my life, I didn't get around to reading the Long Game or The American Roommate Experiment; However I seen a posting for this on NetGalley and I couldn't turn my eye. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

Even the dedication had me hooked:
"Your expectations are not impossibly high. Never let anyone make you believe you're asking for too much."

JOSIE AND MATTHEW JOSIE AND MATTHEW JOSIE AND MATTHEW.

These two, UGHHHHHHH!!!

SO let me relax, synopsis of the book, Josie is our girl who has had badd luck with love. (Can anyone else relate? I know I can) Four previously failed engagements, and all of it comes to light when her absent father-- who is a billionaire with a whole different family and life-- decides to announce that he is retiring, and does a magazine piece on it that talks about him being a family guy. Only then does Josie realize what's going on when PR shark Bobbi shows up and tells Josie all about how she's now involved in her life. Our girl Josie, too stunned to form a sentence is brought back to reality when Bobbi notices her engagement ring on her finger, and panics.
In pops lover boy Matthew down the driveway minding his own business, but not for long until Josie runs with it, and screams "Matthew?" He turns, and little does he know it, the minute he turned was going to be the start of a (Fake) engagement; But how fake is it when real feelings get involved? And what if feelings were always involved?

----

This book had me absolutely swooning. It is definitely a slower start to the book, but once it picked up toward the middle with the fake engagement and all the wedding tasks, and Matthew and Josie needing each other as much as one another, you get to watch their relationship unfold and find out that Matthew doesn't mind being one more number on the list of "Grooms-that-never-were". Josie is so annoying at times but so relatable because she is just a girl figuring life out as she goes and she's picked quite a few toads to get to her Prince Charming, but once Matthew's there he's there for the good, the bad, the ugly, the real, and the fake. Exhibit Matthew: "You're not running, Josie. I'm not them, I'm not anyone. I'm not fucking letting you go."

----

I would give this book a bajillion stars if I could. I give five stars veryyy easy I will admit so take my review with a grain of salt if you must, but if I enjoyed it it gets 5 stars. This book had me kicking my feet, giggling and screaming. Bobbi also turned out to be one of my favorite side characters because she really brings Matthew and Josie together IMO. Also, the podcasters? Such a fun addition even though sometimes I loved them sometimes I wanted them to leave poor Josie alone. The spice was spicing, Matthew has a MOUTH on him. Up there with Aaron Blackford. Overall Super cute book, will definitely read again.

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Favorite quotes/highlights: (Limiting myself to 2/3 for the sake of this review and I can't give away all the swoon worthy moments!)

* "You handsome smile." // "Enough to make you proud? Enough to make you want to show me off?"

* Something goes down and Josie sends him an SOS, it's not a super emergency but she didn't think it'd matter that he would call back when he got the chance. Mid workout, Matthew drops everything to run to Josie. "You're mad?" / "You sent me an SOS, You can't text me an SOS when there's no real emergency. Do you have any idea how-- I RAN down here. From the lodge. I thought something was wrong, you wrote 'I need you.'" / skip a few sentences for length clarity.. "You can't send me an SOS, then, Josie. An SOS means I fucking run." / "You're being very rigid about this, it was just a text" / "I am rigid when it comes to important things." OK SWOONING

* "I don't know Matthew. Are you the jealous, possessive type?" / "Yes. I can be. But I'm easily swayed to be nice and proper. Do you have me wrapped around your pinky Josie?"

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TROPES

* Fake Engagement
* It was always you
* Small Town
* Slow burn
* Sisters best friend
* He falls first AND harder
* no third act breakup
* "Where's my fiancé?"

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC on this book.

I love a good Rom-Com and this one hit on all parts. It gave all the Runaway Bride feels and EVEN joked about how the main character was just like Julia Roberts.

As mentioned, Josie, the main character has been engaged 4 times and walked away from all of them before the wedding. Josie's mother passed away when she was 19 and she never knew her father....until a year ago. She gained national attention as her father is a multimillionaire who discussed his long lost daughter in TIME magazine.

Here comes the PR specialist Bobbi to save the image of her father, and to save herself in this first unexpected meeting Josie claims she is engaged to her sister's best friend Matthew. Matthew agrees to go along with the plan of the "fake engagement".

Pick up the book to learn what happens from here. My only regret with this book is that I haven't already read the first book in the series. Definitely picking it up today.

This book was a 2.5-3 star read for me. I read The Long Game and so I knew the characters, but they didn't captivate me in the way small towns normally do. I wasn't as bought in to the found family and extended community. Instead of endearing, I found them complicated and a bit overwhelming to the story.

Josie and Matthew had a fun meet-cute and I did enjoy their chemistry although it was quite a slow burn. He was sweet and we got to watch Josie heal a bit as the book continued.

Overall, I just didn't connect with this book enough to rate it highly. For reference I loved TSLD and really liked The American Roommate Experiment. The Long Game was hard for me to get through, too.

Elena Armas never misses! I absolutely love her books, and this is no exception. The writing is amazing as always.

Thank you Atria Books for my #gifted copy of The Fiancé Dilemma! #AtriaPartner #atriabooks #TheFianceDilemma #ElenaArmas #TheLongGame #Thebibliotheque

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜é 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second book in The Long Game series by author Elena Arias and tells the story of Josie and Matthew. While this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I absolutely LOVED Josie. She was such a likable FMC and was so sweet and caring and fun and I just adored her. I loved Matthew and Josie together and the chemistry between the two of them was amazing. This was such a slow burn, to the point where it was almost getting frustrating at times, but I think it was all worth it in the end. There were some elements that I had a hard time connecting to, specifically relating to her father and how he was able to essentially dictate her life so easily. Apart from that, I did find this book to be a fun read and I did really enjoy Josie and Matthew’s story!

💜Fake Dating
💜Friends To Lovers
💜Small Town Romance
💜Sister’s Best Friend
💜Slow Burn

Posted on Goodreads on July 24, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 25, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 30, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Review for the Fiancé Dilemma
You guys, this book was so cute! The characters were so loveable, and their love was so TENDER! I have never used the word tender before to describe a love story in a romance novel but it is so perfect here. Josie has been engaged four different times and none of those engagements have ended in marriage. Her famous and super lame absentee father is getting married and is going to have a high profile wedding. Josie’s father’s PA shows up at her front door to interrogate her about all her failed engagements when Matthew Flanagan walks by. Matthew Flanagan is Josie’s half sister’s best friend. What ensues is swoony romance, friendship, pining and hilarity! Matthew is aallllll the flame emojis and Josie is a heroine that’s absolutely a delight to root for. I could not figure out how Armas would write an ending to this story but when I got there, it was TOTALLY satisfying, sweet and unexpected!

Side note, while they may seem a little suspicious, the reasons behind all Josie’s broken engagements were totally valid and understandable. Again, I was wondering how Armas would make it work but she TOTALLY did.

Thank you to Atria Books for the opportunity to review the book via Netgalley. I absolutely loved it and will highly recommend it to all my reader friends!

This book has so many amazing quotes and moments.
Matthew is literally Josie’s dream man, and she doesn’t even know it. He is there for her in all that she needs.

Also I loved the little Cam and Adalyn moments we were given but was hoping for a bit more. I know they had their own books but they are such integral parts of Josie and Matthew’s lives that it wasn’t enough.

I will start off by saying that I really enjoyed Elena Armas’ other books and was really looking forward to this one with the glimpse of these characters in another one of her books. The characters were okay here, but the execution of the story as a whole fell a bit flat for me. I hate saying this, but it felt like the story was rushed and formulaic while also being slow. I am hoping this one was just a miss and look forward to her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of The Fiancé Dilemma in exchange for an honest review.

Elena Armas has done it once again. And this time, with a blond MMC.

The Fiancé Dilemma is the follow up to The Long Game and is set in the same small town of Green Oak, North Carolina and takes place about a year after the events of that book. This book is best enjoyed if you have first read The Long Game or many of the events and people will not make sense.

Our FMC is Josie, the de facto town mayor and (surprise) half-sister of Adalyn, the FMC from The Long Game. Jose has a lot of baggage in her past, which includes four "failed" engagements. When Adalyn's best friend, Matthew, loses his job and comes to Green Oak, Josie enlists him to fake an engagement with her to help her fix a PR problem her and Adalyn's father is having - which is a direct result of his horrible actions in The Long Game.

Where I felt the book flourished was in the main characters themselves. As with all books from Elena Armas, we got a lot of fun, witty banter, and an MMC who is absolutely, 100% in love with the FMC from the start. A favorite runner of mine from this book was Matthew's continued testing of different pet names for Josie. And his continued use of calling her is fiancé whenever he got the chance? Swoon.

This beginning plot point is where I struggle with this book. Why does Josie give a single fuck about the PR problem of the man who abandoned her and her mother? And how exactly does her getting engaged and then married in a short time fix this problem? It only gets worse when a popular podcast catches wind of the story of Josie and her engagements and becomes absolutely obsessed with her - why? And don't even get me started on the PR person, Bobbi, who is supposed to be helping Josie. She was awful to Josie the entire book and was never actually helpful.

I also feel that the Adalyn we met in The Long Game is way too smart to buy the lie of the sham engagement. I wish she had done a little more to protect Josie from their father since she had first-hand experience.

Overall, after what felt like a chaotic start, and then a slowdown in the pace, I enjoyed reading The Fiancé Dilemma. Bonus - there was no third-act breakup!

4 stars

I knew I wanted to read Josie and Matthew’s story after getting clips of them in The Long Game but this was more adorable than I could’ve dreamed. Elena is the QUEEN of slow burn and I couldn’t wait for them to finally make the fake engagement real! I don’t normally like blonde MMC’s but Matthew may have just changed my mind. From his swoony declarations to his Chandler Bing-like jokes, I was rooting for him the whole time.
This is the book for you if you love Runaway Bride, fake dating/engagement, slow burn romance, butterfly inducing declarations of love, farm animals named after Sebastian Stan and Pedro Pascal, hilarious hijinks, and soulmates. 🤍

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC!