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

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

I've enjoyed some of Elena Armas' other novels but this one just wasn't for me. The main character was so quirky and I felt the story moved at much too slow of a pace. I did not finish this one around the 50% mark.

Elena Armas has done it again! If you have been wanting that fast-paced, yet slow burn aspect that The Spanish Love Deception has, then this is a must read. The 432 page novel is a true slow burn with a semi-chaotic meet cute that sends you through a lot of fast paced adventures and character development.

Josie’s history of breaking off engagements is a big part of the plot, so I really liked that we got to delve into each relationship a bit and uncover deeper details. Something I have seen in some reviews is how Josie isn’t layered, but I would argue that we are given little details throughout the book that show how much depth she has and I applaud Elena Armas for thinking of those little things. Speaking of details, I am a sucker for cute nicknames, and this book was chock full of them! Matthew, one of the main characters, is an absolute golden retriever that wants to adorably push every one of Josie’s buttons. Both of the main characters work so well together and we get to see them grow together and individually.

After finishing the book and sitting with my feelings for a bit, I do wish some concepts had been fleshed out a bit more. Don’t get me wrong, some parts were filled in so well, but some aspects were tied up very quickly towards the end or seemed to be explained away as “just a small town thing”. It all made sense in the end, but in my opinion, there could have been more.

How to describe the fiance dilemma? 100% swoon worthy. We are brought back to the small town of Green Oak, this time with a focus on the quirky mayor Josie and her half sister’s best- friend Matthew. They are such a cute couple and to say I devoured this book is an understatement. The fake fiancée trope is one of my favorites, add to that a nod to the 90s rom-com classic Runaway Bride, witty banter, perfectly steamy scenes, and a protective (in all the right kind of ways) MMC, and this made for a great read!

And just for emphasis- did I mention Matthew is swoon worthy?

* An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Elena Armas seems to be the queen of slow burn romances these days. In the follow up to The Long Game, Josie and Matthew find themselves faking an engagement to get the PR hound send by Josie's father off of her back, until it backfires on them.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book, but I definitely think it falls flat compared to The Long Game, which I absolutely loved. Matthew and Josie had chemistry, but I wasn't sure where the solidity of their relationship really stemmed from. The reason for this fake relationship also felt extremely fabricated and I was just unable to suspend my disbelief for the sake of this book.

This book had a lot of lovely tropes, but no real plot that was able to be followed.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a review.

*Thank you NetGallery and Atria Books for giving me an ARC of this book!*
4.5 Stars. This is definitely one of my most favourites out of this year so far.
I am a huge fan of fake dating so I already knew I would love this book. I thought I loved Cameron, but Matthew is just so good. Both Josie and Matthew are fun characters to read about and I stayed entertained the entire time.
This is a perfect book for fans of "Runaway Bride" and want to know more of how Julia Robert's character was feeling and thinking.
From the very beginning Matthew was aready doing more than he needed to and by the end, you just fall in love with him.
The writing, the plot, the quotes, the characters, they are all just so good and I'll always be thinking about the book.
Elena Amras knows how to write a good, shortish romcom but still have depth to the characters and have an emotional component to the story.
This was such a fun book to read and is perfect for people who love:
Fake dating
Best friend's sister
Small town
Strong characters
no third act break up but there is a third act conflict

Wow, I think that this may be my favorite of this author's books so far!

I liked how seemingly flawed the main female character was and how steadfast the main male character was. The story line was outrageous yes, but the way the characters react to everything poke a bit of fun at the oddness that is occurring to them and the town.

I think the story was really well paced and I found myself not wanting to put this book down at all while reading!

If you're a fan of contemporary romances and slow burn, this is for sure a book you should pick up!

I really enjoyed this book! I've really enjoyed every Elena Armas book I've read and this was no different. I did find Josie a little irritating at times but I really loved how her and Matthew balanced each other. For almost the entire book I was DYING for Matthew's POV and because of that I felt like I didn't know him as well and was aching for more. The ending really hit home why there wasn't a Matthew POV and really saved this for me. Overall, this was a fun, steamy, quick read that I loved. I really love this group of characters and would love to read more in this world!

The Fiance Dilemma
Genre- Rom Com
Rating- 3.5⭐️/really enjoyed

Thank you @atriabooks for the digital advanced copy - this releases on 7.30!

This is the slow burn we know and love from Elena Armas, with a spicy payoff.

It did start off a bit challenging for me though. The first two chapters felt a bit chaotic, as we fall right into a wacky meet cute in small town North Carolina with some crazy characters. While I think this will read well as a standalone, there wasn't much of an introduction to some of the characters from The Long Game. Josie and Matthew are definitely two sweet characters readers will root for, and I loved the updates of Addy and Cameron sprinkled throughout the story.

#thefiancedilemma #newreleasetuesday

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖥𝗂𝖺𝗇𝖼é 𝖣𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗆𝗆𝖺 • 𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐

Release date: July 30, 2024

I think I’ve peaked in life now after receiving this ARC of Elena Arma’s upcoming release. Ever since reading The Spanish Love Deception last year, I’ve been obsessed with her characters and the chemistry she creates between them!

To no surprise she did it again with The Fiancé Dilemma. I absolutely adored the town of Green Oaks that we got in The Last Game, and so happy to have gotten to revisit it in the Fiancé Dilemma! Elena Armas knows how to give a girl all the butterflies!! From chapter 1 you’ll be head over heals for the relationship Josie & Matt have in store.

🌼engagement of convenience
🌼small town romance
🌼sister’s best friend
🌼no third act break up

Thank you NetGalley & Elena Armas for this advanced readers copy! ✨

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the E-ARC. When I tell you Elena Armas is the Queen of SLOW BURN I totally mean it. This author will draggg out a kiss like its no ones business and I am here for it. It makes you feel like it is you that is waiting for that kiss. With that being said I thought Lucas from the American Roommate Experiment was the best man she had ever written but let me introduce you to Matthew Flanagan he told Lucas muevete que ay te voy (yes girl you got me writing in Spanish porque este hombre es perfecion). I read this book in one sitting not even bothering to do anything except feed my son because it was that good and even though I wanted to savor it I wanted to finish it more. I don't know what your writing next but Shark needs her own story.

The Fiancé Dilemma follows Josie and Matthew from Elena Arma's book The Long Game on their own fake dating in a small-town adventure.

I really enjoyed the "world building" in this book. Josie is a small-town mayor/business owner who was abandoned by her dad, who reconnected with her after her mom's death. The town and it's people reminded me of Gilmore Girls, in the way everyone was in everyone's business and how quirky the town was. Josie has a reputation for ending engagements, and the town is fully invested in her finding a relationship that will stick.

Matthew shows up in town and is thrust into a fake-engagement scheme by Josie, who is trying to save face in light of a recent podcast that declared that she is broken due to her complicated relationship with her father.

I think it will be greatly enjoyed by anyone who loved The Long Game!

The setting and the plot in whole was interesting and developed greatly. At the same time, i wish book was shorter. some chapters were not necessarily parts of it just felt like it went on and on

i loved Matthew, he is such a good male character. nicknames, behavior, personality and how he talked to Josie…soo cute.

i wasn't as into Josie characters mainly because I couldn't interpret her actions. . in general, good romance for easy and fun read! definitely will recommend to new readers

Thank you so much NetGallely and Atria Books for approving my request.

The Fiance Dilemma was a solid second novel in The Long Game series, and it brought us back to Green Oak, North Carolina, with a similar cast of characters, but this time following Josie Moore. Josie has had four engagements fail quite literally at the altar, while Matthew, has lost his job and is kind of stuck in a "what's next" cycle. When Josie is surprised by her father's retirement and his PR person comes to "fix" her, she somehow loops Matthew into a fake engagement. Hilarity, predictability and romance ensues.

What I loved:
-the male main character, Matthew, was a cinnamon roll who would do anything for his girl
-Josie has found family galore, and the town of Green Oak is hilarious.
-Conniving senior citizens who love Josie but hate each other
-A romantic relationship that involved trust and respect

What I did not like:
-the fake engagement trope just did not feel believable for one second. Couldn't we have communicated? Who does this?
-Josie's self doubt and reasons for leaving men at the altar did not feel believable.
-Not enough Cameron
-Not enough baby goats.

All in all a solid second book with some flaws but I had fun reading it!

Rating: 3/5 stars

Josie wants to head off a scandal for her long-lost father, so she comes up with a ploy to avoid it—pretending she’s engaged to her half-sister’s best friend Matthew.

I love Elena Armas. She’s easily a top ten romance author for me, and I ADORED all her previous books, including THE LONG GAME, which is the first book in this series (please don’t read this as a standalone I don’t care what the professionals say). I was so excited when I heard the premise and tropes for this one, and it’s been one of my most anticipated reads of the summer for weeks now.

Unfortunately, I didn’t ultimately love this nearly as much as I hoped to, and I’m not even sure I can articulate why. Something just never *clicked* for me, and I think the lack of a dual POV also made it particularly hard for me to connect to Matthew, because I didn’t know what he was thinking until very late in the book. This was also an excruciatingly slow burn for me, and while that can be okay in certain circumstances I think in this case it just contributed to my difficulty getting pulled in to the story.

That said! There were a few things I absolutely loved and I do want to highlight them:

-the premise! It’s funny and goofy and silly and cute and exactly what I want in a rom-com.

-Adalyn and Cameron cameos (Cameron Caldani is unmatched, pass it on)

-the farm animals (Pedro Pigscal, I mean come on)

-there is no third act breakup!!!!! (my personal holy grail)

-the way Matthew knew *exactly* what Josie needed and how to be that for her, and was willing to do it

Overall, while I’m a bit disappointed at how I felt about this one, fear not—I’m very much still on the Elena Armas fan train and can’t wait to see what comes next!

CW: Mentions of death of parent/grief; panic attack; mentions of pregnancy

4⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc!
I have been a big fan of Elena Armas since I first read The Spanish Love Deception two years ago and was so excited to get my hands on this.
The only thing that deducted a star for me was it took me a little while to get into this book, and the beginning did feel a bit slow, but once I was hooked I couldn’t put it down.
Loved Matthew and Josie ( and Pedro) and this was the perfect addition to The Long Game universe,
100% recommend reading if you love Rom Coms, Elena Armas, or Teacup Pigs!
Can’t wait to see what Elena writes next and once this is released I will be picking it up to add to my Library!

3.5⭐️3🌶️

Contemporary romance
Romcom
Second book
Fake engagement
Small town girl
MMC with glasses
Family issues
Celebrity family


That was the follow up book to The Long Game and I found it to be way better than the first book in this series. Way better.

The characters were the side characters from the first book. Manic and flawed, but fun. I wish that there was a little of the introduction from book 1 added to this book. I think because so much was riding on the sister relationship and best friendship, but then not getting to see the characters interact until almost the end made the disconnect from book 1 even more pronounced. I knew who I was supposed to be reading about, I just felt like I was dumped into the middle instead of being introduced to the new couple.


The tension and banter was really good. I found myself laughing multiple times.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.