4.5 stars ⭐️!

literally DEVOURED Matthew and Josie's story omfg

one thing about me is that I will eat up an Elena Armas book, I've read her books since TSLD was published and I will simply continue to read every one that comes out and they will make it onto my list of comfort reads

this slow burn, small town, fake engagement story was literally made for a girl like me, literally some of my fav tropes to read! we were briefly introduced to both of the characters in The Long Game and so getting to learn about them fully was so so fun! I truly loved Josie so much, honestly she was SO relatable to me and I felt like I jsut understood her so well in some situations

Matthew was literally the perfect match for Josie! A character with a calm and lakd back personality, but a hidden side to him that was clearly wild 🙂‍↕️ and as the book progressed and we got to unpack his character more, I just fell more in love with him!

Their story follows a fake engagement plot (duh) but these two truly teased me with the SLOW BURN. now i truly love slow burns but i wasn't expecting that so I was def screaming at them (in a good way LOL) once i started this book, i was hooked

I'll miss reading about them so so much but I know I'll
come back and reread this book again

thank you Atria Books for this arc!

I read about 15% and just couldn't buy into the premise - I adore marriage of convenience, but this seemed like a very silly reason (the ring was stuck?) and moreso, you've never met this person in real life. No chemistry, no spark - it just didn't make sense to me.

Thanks to @netgalley @atriabooks and @thebibliotheque for the chance to read and review an early copy of The Fiance Dilemma. It releases on 7/30/24.

The hook on this one got me immediately--Runaway Bride meets 27 Dresses. If you've loved Elena's other books you won't want to miss this one! (I'm very sad that I will be out of town for her SF event)

Josie's estranged father kept her identity a secret until recently and now her romantic entanglements become a PR issue to solve. She has been engaged four times, so it doesn't seem like a stretch when she gets fake engaged for a fifth time to her brother's best friend, Matthew. What starts as a misunderstanding turns into a mutually beneficial arrangement. But their small town seems hell-bent on making the fifth time the charm. Will they succeed?

Steam: 🔥🔥
Tropes: fake relationship, small town, slow burn, friends to lovers, bad dad

This book was really cute! I absolutely loved the way Matthew treated Josie and the way he flirted with her was everything! I just felt like we knew nothing about Matthew until about 80% in, and even then we were only told things about his family and his previous job, nothing really about him as a person, and that bothered me a bit. I also felt that it was a bit too long for my taste. Despite this, it was a cute story and I would still recommend you give it a try if you're interested.

I've been anxiously awaiting this one and I put it off for so long because I wanted to savor it....and savor it I did. The story itself was a little bit messy, Josie was a little bit messy (and not completely in an endearing way). I wish I had reread the long game prior to starting this, there were so many things I had forgotten.

But Matthew. I loved the chapter at the end from his perspective, but I think the plot in general would have benefited from it being dual POV for the whole story. Matthew alone gets all the stars for this story. ✨️ easily a favorite book boyfriend.

As him and Josie rush to the alter to appease her newly found father, their fake engagement turns to real feelings and there are soo many melt worthy moments that you literally spend the entire book rooting for them. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I just really really loved Matthew. I can't wait to listen to the audio book and pick up things I may have missed!


Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my review!

The Fiancé Dilemma (The Long Game, #2)
by Elena Armas

⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second book in an interconnected series (duet?) by Elena Armas. I actually hadn't read the first book (The Long Game) but that didn't impact my ability to understand & enjoy this book.

This is a friends-to-lovers small town rom-com. Matthew and Josie's story is a sweet & spicy romance with The Runaway Bride vibes. It has a good sense of humor and fun cast of supporting characters. It has a lot of tried & true tropes like:

✨ Slow burn
✨ Found family (in more ways than one)
✨ Fake dating
✨ He falls first
✨ HEA

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was like warm hug that gave me everything I expected. Did it break any new ground? No. Did I ever expect that it would? Also no. I definitely recommend for contemporary romance readers.

Thanks to NetGalley, Elena Armas, and Atria Books for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

another hit by elena armas, loved everyone of her books before this and this was no exception. Hope she does a third in this series

I didn’t have the highest expectations after not loving The Long Game, but ended up enjoying this one so much more. Fake engagement, great banter, fun side characters (I want to be BFFs with Maria), and a blonde man 💕

Overall, the plot is quite silly but it’s entertaining, moves pretty quickly, and a perfect summer read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers & NetGalley for my copy!
This was a good book, but it was nothing special. I think I went in with too high of expectations as it was first title by this author, but had heard raving reviews for her other works. It was cute, but felt like every other fake-dating book. Nothing felt new or really exciting which I feel like is so needed in today's book society.
I did like the main characters & their chemistry. They were well developed, but I do wish we had learned more about her past relationships. What exactly went wrong with Duncan? He ended it, but for what reason? And then he leaked the video, but why if he wanted Andrew's support? Some things felt rushed and unfinished.
The whole daddy-issues trope didn’t hit for me either. It seemed problematic but Josie pushed everything to the side at the end. It felt unrealistic. Additionally, the sex became very intense. Just something that I didn't know of going into the book because one again, this was my first book from this author.
A bit of a miss for me but overall cute! I would still pick up another title from this author in the future to see what she does!

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Such a cute follow-up to Armas’s The Long Game! Was here for the romance, hilarious banter, and small town feels. Josie and Matthew’s story was exactly what I was hoping for!

I was surprised this was a single POV since The Long Game was dual POV, but I think that was a good call since it lead to wondering what Matthew truly thought about Josie! At first I really thought he did not like her like that, but as the story develops, you get to see how down bad he is!

I loved how the whole town comes together and supports them both, and the ending was so so sweet. I truly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick read that will keep you interested through every page!

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to NetGalley, Elena Armas, and her team!

This was a cute quick read romance with some quirky characters in a quirky small town. The characters overlap from The Long Game, but I preferred this book over that one.

I didn’t understand why Josie felt obligated to bail out an absent father who had never acknowledged her or why she would think solving a PR issue of having 4 ex fiancés could be solved by having another fiancé, but I guess they had to get together somehow. Matthew falls first, but lets Josie figure out her feelings herself. There’s a few slow parts, a few steamy parts, but overall a cute read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers ant the author for providing this ARC.

Elena Armas delivers a charming and heartfelt romance in *The Fiancé Dilemma*. The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable, and their banter is both witty and endearing. Armas' writing captures the complexities of relationships, blending humor and emotion seamlessly. While some plot points are a bit predictable, the overall story is engaging and satisfying. Fans of contemporary romance will find *The Fiancé Dilemma* a delightful read, full of warmth and genuine connection.

I absolutely LOVED this story! it was silly, it was fun, it was incredibly heartfelt and earnest. What more could you ask for!?

I adored Josie. she was so sweet and fun and i loved how much of a terrible liar she is. it made the fake dating aspect so funny. And of course Matthew was everything a book boyfriend ought to be, even with his blonde hair!! he was so kind and always so affirming and protective of josie and watching them try to fight their feelings for each other had me kicking my feet and giggling. i wish we had gotten a liiiiiiittle more interactions with Adalyn and Cam but i just loved them so much i was hoping to get to see a bit more of them! i loved the group texts with everyone though. there's something so fun about getting a peek into the text messages of the characters.

prepare yourself for a ssssllllllloooooowwwwwwww burn to end all slow burns!!!! but the payoff was so so worth it.

I also picked up on possibly some hints at a future book in this series???? maybe??? just me??? i guess we'll find out soon enough!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Release date is 7/30!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Iloved The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment, but The Long Game fell short for me. I gave The Fiancé Dilemma a chance but it left me unsatisfied.

I didn't love the premise and found it hard to believe, which made it difficult for me to get into. The characters felt shallow and cliche, particularly Bobbi Shark and Andrew Underwood.

That being said, I love a fake dating/engagement trope and sunshine x sunshine, so it was still enjoyable. I'll keep reading what Elena Armas writes as they're always lighthearted HEAs sprinkled with humor and vulnerability, this one just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This took me so long to get through and I’m so sad because it should have been something I really enjoyed.

I’m glad I read TLG before to give myself more context and an introduction to the characters because you’re thrown into the story. Josie is the mayor of the small town and Adalyn’s (from TLG) sister. Matthew is Adalyn’s best friend who comes to Green Oak after being laid off from his job. They start a fake engagement for many reasons despite not really knowing each other, and the plot goes from there.

I really liked the small town vibes in the beginning with them having to make public appearances to maintain the fake engagement and the meddling townsfolk, but it’s not something that carries on throughout the whole book. Josie was a bit of a frustrating character at times. She was almost too quirky and it seemed like her personality was reliant on her fake engagements. She never really explained what happened or where it stemmed from and I just needed more from her. We only had her POV and while Matthew was absolutely perfect on paper, I wanted more from him too. He really sees Josie and all her faults, and is so protective of her. I liked how much he cared for her right away, and was a great communicator. I wish we would have had his POV though because I feel like the only thing I know about him is that he’s from Boston. I would’ve loved to be inside his head and explore his feelings for Josie and his friendship with Adalyn. I felt like the characters and the romance were really lacking. I just didn’t feel the chemistry at all and the slow burn was almost too slow to where it felt boring.

If you like small town romance, fake engagements, minimal spice and no third act breakup, I think that this could be a good one for you. It just wasn’t for me.

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second book in The Long Game series. I haven't read the first book in the series yet, and I feel like this can be read as a stand alone. The main trope here is fake dating. This is a slow burn, but the characters are very enjoyable and relatable. A fun and heartwarming read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Omg this is the 4th book I have read from Elena Armas and she did not disappoint Matthew & Josie….. my heart I loveeee how this story ends the beginning middle I mean all of it was just chef’s kiss! I could NOT put this book down I read this book in 4 hours!!!!! Great job!

Read if you like:
🥸 Fake Dating
💍 Engagement of Convenience
🏘️ Small Town Romances
😘 He Falls First
😳 FMC Afraid of Marriage

Elena Armas is most absolutely one of my fave romance authors that I know if she publishes it then I will be reading it, especially with The Long Game and this follow up in the series following Adeline’s sister Josie!

The trope goodness was troping in this story and I truly just enjoyed it so much, there was so much heart to the story and loved the cameos of the small town characters we met in book one in the series and our MC’s from book one.

The dynamics of Josie being so afraid of full commitment and Matthew being clearly head over heels and willing to do anything for this woman, was just so well done!

I loved that Josie was imperfect and searching for something that ultimately she realized maybe just isn’t what is meant for her path and that is okay to have a path just for you.

I don’t want to say much more, other than definitely read this book!

Thank you so much to Atria for my ARC and Simon and Schuster Audio for my gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

First things first, this is book 2 of The Long Game series & is marketed as a standalone that can be read without TLG & as someone who took this route (I didn’t realize it was a series when I requested on Netgalley & it was a slow reading month) I highly, highly do not recommend. Read TLG first & be way less confused that me. Just trust me on that. Just say its book 2 & should be read as a book 2. Not every book needs to be a standalone.

While I will admit not reading The Long Game did play apart in my overall (not) enjoyment of this book, it, unfortunately, was not the only factor. I struggled with how fast this was while also having the slowest plot ever. I felt like I got a whiplash in the beginning. A lot was happening (with no context, see above). But at like 80% the MCs still hadn’t kissed or showed an ounce of chemistry. There were some cute moments mixed in, but the plot felt buried under a lot of filler that really messed with the pacing.

Josie started off with a very promising personality. She was a small business owner & (small) town mayor. We started off visiting her in the shop & around town at community events, but it all just…stopped. Randomly. She was never a steamroller or excessively assertive, but she kept her head held high & knew who she was, but by the end she needed a man to physically hold her up. Her development seemed to go backwards throughout the book. On the flip side, Matthew had absolutely no personality in the beginning, but at the end came in strong. But again, went from 0-100. There was no development, it just wasn’t there then was. His very strong dominate end personality just didn’t match up with what we had seen throughout. I had a lot of hope for him as a character, but he just didn’t do it for me (& I say this as a blonde MMC activist).

The ending of the book felt a lot like the beginning: we saw a lot of things hit the fan at once with little to no explanation or consequence. We are just supposed to go with the fact we are told things are resolved or okay. I also felt like some of the conflict (& subsequent resolution) came out of absolute left field.

Bottom Line: I was really disappointed in this one. I loved the premise & it had so much potential, but it just was not executed well. The middle of the book (approx. 10%-90%) seemed to drag & was full of fluff. There were so many characters & situations that just randomly popped in & left us with pages of info dump, only to never be heard or seen of again. We never get any backstory on Josie (which leaves a lot of question of why certain things happened or are important to her) & we do get some backstory on Matthew but it just comes way to late in the book. I do think there were some fun moments & I loved watching Matthew learn Josie’s -isms & how he knew what she needed & when, but overall this book was not for me.

The Fiancee Dilemma, Elena Armas
6 stars

Elena Armas outdid herself with this one. It is my favorite story, characters and small town by far ever, I truly loved and felt everything about the relationship between Josie and Matthew. I think everything was tied perfectly, and Josie was so relatable and I just wanted to give her a great big hug. Josie and Matthew have the most perfect dynamic and seeing their relationship grow truly made me feel comforted how there is someone perfect for you, and who will love you as you are. It just felt like a great big comfort, and honestly I think it had a much bigger meaning than just being a romance, which I love books that have a multi-faceted meaning incorporated.

Elena Armas always does a wonderful job of creating the best puzzle pieces of couples who compliment each other. I think Josie and Matthew are the best example.

Perfect for fans of:
-Acts of service
-Slow burn (in the most perfect pining way)
-Small town
-Fake relationship
-Small town girl, City boy