I received an ARC for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book. I liked Elena Armas's other books, but this was messy. The main character's motivations were not logical. She begged her sister's best friend into pretending she was engaged because she didnt want to let anyone down, but not realizing that calling a wedding off before the ceremony would let people down more? He kept telling her that he did not want to fake an engagement with her and when he finally relents she says that he made his own decision and she didnt force him. WHAT?

At times I thought that AI helped write it because the dialogue between characters did not flow well. It felt like a bad rip off of the Runaway Bride.

3/5 ⭐️

Idk how to feel about this. This was probably my least favorite of Armas's books. There were aspects I really enjoyed about the book but there were also moments I wanted to DNF it out of boredom.

Things I liked:
- Matthew and Josie's chemistry. They had some really sweet and steamy moments that motivated me to continue reading.
- The small town vibes were cute.

Things I disliked:
- The slow burn romance. It took soooo long to get things moving with the romance and the pay off once they did get together, wasn't all that great.
- The drama around her dad, the PR person (Billie?), and the fake wedding itself. I love a fake fiancé situation, and I'm pretty generous with jumping into a ridiculous scenario with why two people would agree to be in a fake relationship, but the reasons for why they should be fake engaged made no sense to me. The stuff with Josie's dad could have been more meaningful if it were set up better, but it fell flat for me. And I found the PR person to be unbearably annoying, which was maybe the point, but moments with her just dragged on and there seemed to be almost no point as to why she was even in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elena Armas, and Atria Books for my early access to this.

*squeeeeeel*

All my favorite tropes!!

Elena Armas knows how to write romance, as simple as that. Josie and Matthew are officially one of my new favorite book couples. The spunk, the sass, the banter, the silliness! As much as I loved Cameron & Adalyn, this second book was better. Green Oak is even more charming, and I loved getting to know Grandpa Moe. My tiny complaint is the same with all EA books: the pacing is a bit *too* drawn out at times. Otherwise, loved it! Go read it!

4.5⭐️

Golden retriever energy, he falls first, and no third act breakup/miscommunication; sign me up! I loved The Long Game and this was a beautiful sequel to that story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Elena Armas has once again delivered a heartwarming and enchanting romance with The Fiancé Dilemma. The story follows Josie Moore, a woman with a complicated romantic history, and Matthew Flanagan, a man who finds himself in an unexpected role as Josie’s fake fiancé. Set in the charming small town of Green Oak, North Carolina, the plot is sculpted around the classic fake dating trope, but with a fresh and inviting atmosphere that makes it feel new and exciting. We already met these characters in the author’s previous novel, The Long Game; however, each novel can be read on its own.

Josie is an extremely likable heroine. She’s funny, caring, a bit quirky, and someone who just wants to be loved. She does have her own set of insecurities, past trauma, and daddy issues, which are a prominent part of her character, making her relatable and endearing at the same time. Also, after having suffered many losses, her bond with her ‘grandpa’ Mo and her sister Adalyn is also quite touching, adding an extra layer of warmth to the story.

Matthew, the male lead, is the epitome of a golden retriever-like romantic interest. He’s charming, patient, protective, and always puts Josie first. However, underneath all that, there’s a more complex and layered personality making him a compelling and lovable character. The chemistry between Josie and Matthew is unmistakable, and their hilarious and brilliant banter makes their fake engagement feel surprisingly real.

The plot is filled with humour, sensitivity, and a touch of spice. Josie and Matthew’s relationship is well-crafted and nuanced, with their interactions ranging from tender to fiery. The supporting characters, most of which we already met in the previous book, also add depth and charm to the story.

While the novel is not without its flaws—such as a lack of depth in explaining Josie’s past engagements and a desire for maybe more of Matthew’s perspective—The Fiancé Dilemma is a delightful and heartwarming read. The small-town setting, a strong sense of community, and well-developed characters make it stand out.

Armas has once again proven her ability to create drool-worthy romances that hit you right in the feels and will have you giggling at all times. The Fiancé Dilemma offers a beautiful balance of humour, heart, and heat, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary romance this summer.

Thank you Atria Books & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is my favourite Elena Armas yet!!! I loved Matthew and Josie's story 🥺🥺 AND THERE WAS NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP!!!!! *cheers*
Bobbie was ANNOYING!!!! but the way Matthew would stand up for Josie, the way he supported her and was always there for her makes my heart melt!! I am a sucker for an "it's always been you" type of book 🥺 Also cameo's from Adalyn and Cam 🥺🥺 This book was so good, I couldn't put it down!! WHEN HE CALLS HER "BABY BLUE" 😭😭😭😭😭😭 and the whole thing about her ring 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I would recommend everybody read this book, If you enjoyed The Spanish Love Deception, I think you would love this one too!!

Tropes:
- fake engagement
- he falls first AND HARDER
- "it's always been you" vibes

The Fiance Dilemma: ★★★★☆ (4.5)

Pub date: July 30 - preorder your copy now!

"What if I can't give you any fucking firsts, so I want to make sure I get a chance at being your last?" AHHHHHH

This is a fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, protective mmc, he falls first and harder, small town, golden retriever mmc, and healing fmc trope filled book. I was lucky enough to be given a chance to read this book before its release, so thank you Elena, Net Galley, and atria books!

josie's father is a rich man who has never been in her life. She lost her mother at a young age and decades later her father's past catches up to him and everyone knows about Josie. She's not exactly good for his image because she's been engaged four times and has called off every single one of them. So, a PR specialist randomly arrives to her hometown in an attempt to deal with the "scandal". She hasn't been treated right in some of her past relationships and has insecurities of being left/not good enough because of her father. She goes through a long journey of learning to accept the idea of someone loving her for her and learning to love someone and trusting that they won't leave.

Matthew is our fmc's sisters' best friend, but they had never met in person, until one night when he showed up at the perfect moment. He showed up when the PR specialist was talking with Josie, and she said he was her fiancé. Matthew is a very sweet and understanding character. He was always there for her and would help ease her anxiety in any way he could. It was literally never fake, that man was so clearly in love with her from the beginning. He shows her that love can be gentle :( (emotionally).

This book gets 5 stars, it was so perfect. It was an easy, fun and lovely read.

This book was such a fun read! Armas masterfully blends humor, romance, and relatable characters into a captivating story. The chemistry between the protagonists is electric, and the plot twists keep you hooked until the very end. Perfect for anyone looking for a fun and heartwarming romance. Highly recommend!"

5 ⭐ 3 🌶

Gahhhh I love them so much! Matthew and Josie were so dang sweet, and the spice was angsty, dreamy goodness. I really loved the whole story too and I had such a hard time putting this book down, gobbling it up any chance I got.

Matthew was a got danged dream boat. I knew from the start he felt something for Josie, but as the story went on and he started to show her, it had me in a freaking puddle. And the text exchange between him and Adalyn, it had me close to tears it was so sweet and so perfect.

Grandpa Moe was everything. I love a good gpa/gma with no filter and Maurice was amazing. I adored seeing Cam and Ada again, especially in the roles they played. The podcast guys, Bobbi and 98% of Andrew can kick rocks, but overall this cast of characters had me swooning and cackling for days.

I'm guessing both series are done at this point (although I'd love to see Matthew's sisters in a book or two!), but I'm so excited to see what Elena has for us next. She has very quickly become a one click read for me.

This book was everything. I always get nervous the second book in a series won’t live up to the first. This one may have actually been better!! And I loved the first!!

This was so much better than the 1st book of this series! I loved the first 2 books I read by Elena but The Long Game was a bit of a let down so I was nervous this one would be a bust too but it was so good! I have a feeling Matt would have committed murder for Josie if she had asked because he had no issues doing whatever she needed of him. There was great banter and flirting, a decent amount of spice, and a great surprise from Cam and Adalyn from the first book. So glad that Maria hasn't changed a bit from the first book, that little girl is hilarious!

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

The whole premise of a romance novel is knowing there is going to be a happily ever after at the end. This happily ever after was absolutely everything! I don’t want to give too much away but the journey was so amazing and heartfelt and real. Elena Armas is so incredibly talented that you feel like you never want to leave the world created and once you do finish the book, you are in such a better place than when you started.

Elena Armas has done it again with *The Fiancé Dilemma*, delivering a delightful romantic comedy that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The story follows the classic trope of a fake engagement, but Armas injects it with fresh humor and heartfelt moments that make it stand out in the genre.

The characters are well-developed, with the protagonist, Lina, being both relatable and endearing. Her chemistry with her fake fiancé, Mateo, is palpable and their witty banter adds a fun dynamic to the narrative.

The pacing of the novel is just right, balancing moments of comedic mishaps with deeper, emotional scenes that explore themes of love, family, and personal growth. The secondary characters also add depth to the story, making the fictional world feel vibrant and real.

While the plot is somewhat predictable, it's executed with such charm and skill that it doesn't detract from the enjoyment. If anything, the predictability provides a comforting framework that allows the characters and their relationships to shine.

Overall, *The Fiancé Dilemma* is a charming, light-hearted read that's perfect for fans of contemporary romance. Elena Armas continues to prove herself as a talented storyteller who knows how to tug at the heartstrings while making you laugh. Highly recommended for a cozy weekend read!

Josie Moore has had an unfortunate past surrounding her previous engagements. And when her newly discovered, absentee father works with a magazine on a piece about his family, Josie’s past comes to light and becomes a PR nightmare. Matthew Flanagan lost his job and decides to pack his things and head to Green Oak where he find himself being introduced as his best friend’s sister’s fiancé. Josie’s plan to deter her father’s PR team only creates more buzz about her (now very public) love life. Matthew and Josie continue on with their ruse and plan a fake wedding for a fake relationship… even if it doesn’t feel so fake anymore.

The Fiancé Dilemma was nothing I expected and everything I needed. Matthew Flanagan has such a fun personality and he has become one of my favorite book boyfriends. The romance and tension between the main characters was incredible, but the plot itself had its flaws. I felt that mose of the conflicts were very avoidable, but I pushed those thoughts aside and thoroughly enjoyed the relationship building between Josie and Matthew.

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second book in the Long Game series but it can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend reading The Long Game first to really get the full experience. Much thanks to Atria books for providing an early copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

small town deliciousness reminiscent of Stars Hollow with all the quirky townspeople. Insta love with a slow burn pay off that's worth the wait.

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!