This book was absolutely amazing. The fiancé dilemma deals with the trout that we all expect a fake dating, but also not at the same time. Once again, there was a little miscommunication that I feel like could've been avoided, but that's just the way that I read it. Thoroughly enjoy anything about Elena. Five stars can't wait for this to be published!!

I can always count on Elena Armas for a fun romance and this one is no exception!

When Josie's estranged, high profile father suddenly makes his way back into her life, she quickly realizes that her romantic past is a PR problem for the millionaire's reputation. Josie's been engaged four times, but has never quite made it down the aisle. When online gossip sites get a hold of this information they dig into her past and question if her absentee father could be the reason why she's never said, "I do." After a misunderstanding leads her father's PR strategist to believe she's engaged for a fifth time, she asks her sister's best friend, Matthew, to act as her fiancé until everything blows over.

I always like a 'fake dating' type of story and I particularly enjoyed this one for all of the nosy neighbors/small town antics. I really loved how vulnerable Josie and Matthew were with each other as they navigated this situation. A romance with no miscommunication or third act break-up will always be at the top of my favorites. I will say that I wished that this was dual POV like The Long Game, but I did like how telling the story through only Josie's POV put a large focus on her character development.

If you've been a fan of Armas' other works I have no doubt that you'll enjoy this one

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Fiance Dilemma was everything I hope and I continue to fall more and more in love with Elena’s writing.

Get ready because the gushing is about to begin. This book was freaking amazing and delighted and satisfied me in every way. Ok, this is the second book in The Long Game series, and it is probably best to read the first book in the series before diving into it. The events in the previous book are the main catalysts that precipitate Josie into needing to have a fake fiancé in this book. There is so much to love about this book, and Elena shows readers she knows what makes a good rom-com.

First, let's talk about the story. If you are a fan of Runaway Bride (and who isn't), you will fall in love with Elena's take on this '90s romcom. Elena did a great job taking that movie and putting her own updated spin on it. I really loved every moment of this book. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that often come about because Josie tends to act/speak rashly and without really thinking when she is panicking. This usually leads to hilarious, awkward, and quirky situations that you cannot help but laugh at. The meet-cute moment at the beginning of this book between Josie and Matthew was perfect in my eyes because it was delightful, bonkers and chaotic. And I know I will never forget their meet-cute moment.

I'm not always a fan of fake dating or, in this case, fake engagements, but for whatever reason, I always seem to enjoy this trope when Elena writes it. I think it's because it's pretty clear that the hero is head over heels in love with the heroine, and I enjoy that twist to the fake engagement trope. Elena knows how to write a gorgeous pinning hero who quietly tries to show the heroine how much he truly cares for her. Matthew is perfect and has worked his way up to being one of my all-time favourite book boyfriends. I've been trying to figure out the best way to describe him, and I've decided that he is this wonderful mixture of those great stereotypical hero characteristics like cinnamon roll, protective, fun, sexy, etc. He doesn't fit into one mould, which is why I think I loved him so much. There are just so many sides to him. Matthew is the perfect man for Josie, and I loved his quiet and, at times, spicy ways of showing Josie that he cares for her, that she is worthy of being loved, and that he is going to stick around. He had my heart melting constantly.

Josie was as delightful and fun as I had hoped she would be. She has such a big and caring heart, and she goes through this fake fiancé act to help her family. There is big drama surrounding Josie's father, who has just recently become a part of her life, and her romantic past has been dug up by the press and a rather terrible (but very popular) podcast. Her four broken engagements have reflected poorly on her father's image, and he has sent a PR agent to help straighten everything out. Josie's character, which relates to her past romantic relationships, is similar to Julia Roberts's character in Runaway Bride. In the sense that she sets aside who she is and takes on her fiancé's likes and dislikes even if she doesn't agree. Her character arc revolves around believing she can be loved for being herself and learning to trust and believe in Matthew fully. Her character story and its ending were perfect.

Fans of the previous book will be delighted to know that a lot of the secondary characters from that book make an appearance in this book. I adore, I mean really adore, Grandpa Moe and Otto. They have this whole grumpy old man thing going on, and it was delightful and hilarious. The adorable Maria, who is now ten years old, is just as sassy and wise as she was in the first book. If the adults around her would only listen to what she has to say then they probably wouldn't find themselves in all these messy situations.

The romance is slow burn at its perfection. Matthew knows how to get a bookworm's heart racing. There are so many moments where you find yourself holding your breath because you are so into what is happening and you have to keep on reading because you want more. There is plenty of lusty and spicy tension between Matthew and Josie. They bang in private and public places, and it's super hot. There is also fun witty banter that just flows so perfectly. You find yourself craving more and more. But besides all those fun and lusty moments, some really heartfelt, quiet moments between these two just give their relationship this tremendous amount of depth. It made their relationship believable and real.

If you are a fan of fake engagement, sister's best friend, small-town, slow burn, he falls first and harder, and no third-act breakup, then you will devour this book.


The Fiancé Dilemma is by far one of my favourite rom-coms of this year.

Unrealistic storyline but it made me happy the whole time. I liked it much better than the long game.

I loved absolutely everything about this book! This is the first time in a long time that I have thought that Book Two is better than Book One. I just related so much to Josie and could understand and sympathize with what she was going through and feeling. Sometimes the feels hit a little too close to home, but honestly in the best way possible. I also thought this was an excellent take on the fake dating trope. In the beginning, it felt wayyy too messy, but we got there. I was a little shocked when we only had Josie's POV, but I think it enhanced the story so we could find things out and be shocked with Josie instead of just waiting for everything to click for her. Stunning book, please everyone read it.

Loved this book so much, I never wanted to put it down, the characters were so well developed and the plot was so good. I was definitely swooning over Matthew and thought Josie had a very strong amazing personality. The ending of this book was AMAZING, and really made a point. Overall this book gets 5 stars because of how well it was developed, the spacing of everything, and how it made me feel. Elena Armas never disappoints! Cannot wait for the next book brought!

Armas never fails to deliver. I was so excited to read this book after her previous book in the series gave us bread crumbs of what was to come. I loved the MMC so much- he was an instant book boyfriend for me. Armas has delivered a banter filled love story that uses a popular trope in a refreshing way. Such a good read

I sadly struggled hard to read this book, I DNF’d at 37%. I was so game for the small town romance, fake engagement, 90s rom com vibes but I struggled. I enjoyed bits of it, the banter coming from Matthew to help give off the “we are in love” vibes was great but Josie, it felt like she was missing something. I also struggled with the writing style, I didn’t get roped in and it felt flat, nothing against the author, it just wasn’t my style.

Elena Armas does it again in this heartfelt fake engagement romance. We all fell in love with Josie and Matt in The Long Game, and now we get to watch them fall in love when Josie hatches a plan to fake an engagement to calm Bobbi Shark. Who knew the tension in a he falls first, friends to lovers could be so good?

I love Elena Armas so much! Her romances are so great to read when trying to get out of slump and you don’t want something super heavy. After reading the long game earlier this year I was so ready for Josie’s story! Can i say her inner monologue was so real lol! It was so realistic to how my brain works it was kinda scary. Matthew ahhh Matthew!! Love him so much! The fake engagement was done so well and I can’t wait to read more from Elena!!

She has written another amazing book!! Matthew is funny and charming. Josie convinced him to be her fake fiancé to help fix a problem that her father caused and she feels like she needs to fix. As the time to the wedding gets closer Josie starts to fall for Matt and doesn’t want to hurt him.

The book was a great read and I’m very thankful I got to read it early.

The Fiance Dilemma was such a fun summer read. I have been a huge fan of Elena Armas’s writing and was super excited to receive an eARC of this book.

The beginning of this book at first seemed so rushed; however, at the end of the book this all made sense. I first off want to say how much I loved the side characters (I’m talking about you Moe). I also love a good fake dating trope. This book follows Matthew and Josie who both come from a small town. Josie is Wonder Woman who own’s a coffee shop, town mayor, caregiver to Moe, and the list goes on but Matthew accepts her for all of it.

I feel like Elena did a fantastic job showing what a healthy relationship looks like between characters. Matthew gave Josie space when she needed it, was the perfect gentleman, and what it looks like to come to a relationship with a past. Matthew is probably one of my favorite romance fiancés to date.

There was a lot of character growth in Josie that I loved. After having 4 failed engagements she at first propositions engagement to Matthew but throughout the story she finds that pleasing others isn’t what was always best for her which I loved. And in the end I LOVED how Matthew protects and lifts her up. Hands down one of my favorite couples in a while.

This was such a good book. Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this eARC I enjoyed it!

A small-town x fake engagement romance novel with quirky characters and family drama. When her famous absentee father is exposed in the media, Josie's usually small-town casual life is interrupted and her past relationship drama is also exposed. With the help of Matthew, her sister's best friend, the two make an agreement for a fake engagement to hold the media over until they can figure out what to do next. Little does Josie know that Matthew has had an ongoing crush since first hearing about her from her sister. The boundaries of the fake relationship get tested as real feelings arise. I would recommend this novel to fans of fake dating, independent FMCs, and found family.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the first one in this series, BUT this one was just so sweet! I love a fake dating trope. Some of it seemed just a bit far fetched, but I don’t have a millionaire father so I guess I can’t judge 😂 I want to take Grandpa Moe home with me. Very cute story and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for this ARC.

If you had asked me when I read the Spanish Love Deception, if I would have LOVED this series the way I do, I would have given you a resounding no. But each book has gotten better and better, and Josie and Matthew’s story is the best one yet,

Josie doesn’t give herself credit for how emotionally strong she is, and Matthew thinks people won’t like the serious side of him. I loved watching the way they learned these sides of each other and grew together and made each other stronger. Not to mention, Matthew and his glasses are 10/10 hot, perfect book boyfriend, no notes.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and this fake fiancé scheme is an incredible version of it. The way they stumble into it is a tad unbelievable, but their chemistry is so intense and fun and sexy that even early on, you just believe they’re perfect together. I’m so glad they didn’t turn physical too early, because I really loved watching their friendship grow during that slower burn.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but the beginning was problematic. Josie feeling pressured to fix her estranged father's PR issues made no sense since she barely knew him. Bobbi's unpleasant behavior was also frustrating, and it's unclear why Josie, who wasn't a pushover, didn't stand up to her sooner. However, once the story focused on Josie and Matthew's fake engagement, it became much more enjoyable. Josie's quirkiness grew on me, and Matthew was a great character. I loved the ending and how everything resolved. Despite its flaws, I still recommend this book.

💍 Book Review 💍

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: July 30, 2024

Rating: It was okay!

Things I enjoyed:
🔔 The humor and chaos of Josie & Matthew! There were a few times that I found myself snickering

🔔 Matthew was such an amazing character in my eyes. He was a calm force for Josie which she needed.

🔔 The side characters! I think my favorite was Grandpa Moe

Things that didn’t work for me:
💍 Barely any chemistry between Josie and Matthew

💍 Not enough depth to the characters

💍 Story seemed all over the place

For fans of:
🔔 First person POV
💍 Singular POV
🔔 Small town
💍 Sister’s best friend
🔔 Chaotic FMC
💍 Sunshine x sunshine
🔔 Fake engagement
💍Slowwwww burn
🔔 Previous Elena Armas books

🛑 Trigger Warnings 🛑
⚠️ Parent abandonment
⚠️ Death of a parent (mentioned)

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas 💜
The Long Game, Book 2
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
432 pages
🗓️ July 30

💍 fake engagement
💜 he falls first
💍 small town
💜 best friend’s sister
💍 slow burn
💜 no 3rd act breakup

📌“You’re not what I expected. And at the same time, you are.”

📌“Those are the best things to fall in love with. The ones we find accidentally.”

📌“We wouldn’t have an aesthetic. Beautiful things shouldn’t be boxed. It eventually dims their light.”

Uhm mm. Yup. Yes. Very much so. I loved this one probably as much as I loved Spanish Love Deception. Not sure if it’s the fake dating/engagement or the MCs dynamic… but both books are now roommates in my head, rent free.

Of course, I had completely forgotten this was book 2 in the Long Game series of interconnected goodness 🤌🏼 Elena Armas is an auto buy author for me so as soon as I saw this one available, I applied. Immediately.

It was only when I started reading and saw Josie, Matthew and a cute little small town with a stubborn rooster and the most adorable 11 year old that I realized I was back where I met Cam and Adalyn. But sorry guys, Josie and Matthew stan here. They are my favorites and nothing could possibly change that 🫶🏼😌

Josie was absolutely hilarious. Effortlessly too, I should say. But that POV change nearly undid me… in all the good ways a “he falls first” can 🥹😭

Julia Roberts has nothing on Josie.

In case you haven’t noticed… I’m team Josie all the way 😜

Duncan is worse than Andrew. And that’s something. Oof, I needed to get that out of my chest 😓

Not that it matters, but isn’t the cover pretty?! I love it so much 😍

I really wanted to love this one, but for some reason Matthew and Josie’s story felt so fast for me. I think I needed like a months before, meeting to buy into their story more! I did love the banter, but some chapter just ended so abruptly when I wanted to hear more about that plot. I still enjoyed this and the premise was so entertaining, it just fell a little flat for a slow burn.

This was a very fun book to read. Josie is so full of light, and Matthew is a knight in shining armor.

They're both so cute you should hate them, but you can't. Underneath all that light in Josie is layers of insecurity. Matthew is exactly what she needs to see who she truly is. He's almost too perfect, but I'm choosing to look past they because I enjoyed the book so much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.