The Fiance Dilemma is very fast paced. And I like for a story to get to the point just as much as the next person, but I was starting to get whiplash. It was well written but honestly nothing new, I was a bit bored with it.

2.5 stars.

Oh how I wanted to love this. This was the cheesiest romance book I've read in a hot minute and I cannot take this level of cheese. The best way I could describe this is cheugy? Like sickly sweet innocence, a VERY unrealistic trope, and then the switch flipped with the sex? I'm confused lol it was just too much of a drastic change in tone that it was weird. I like Matthew, I do, but I forced myself to finish this.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/203572092

Another cute read from Armas. It’s a rom-com so you can guess what will happen, but it’s a fun, cute journey. You’re rooting all the way for Josie to find her happily ever after.

Super cute read! I have really enjoyed everything that I have read by this author.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I unfortunately Danced this, with no surprise, as this author's books have always confused me. I haven't like a single one, and though I keep trying because they seem popular, I can't understand why .

I’m on a roll in 2025! The Fiancé Dilemma completely charmed me. I love when the fake dating trope is done well and this was done well.

I fell in love with Matthew. Some authors can just write the perfect hero and Armas is one of them. Matthew is sweet and protective towards Josie. He loves her for exactly who she is.

Josie is charming and caring. She loves and cares for those close to her with all of her heart. I only wanted Josie to get her happily ever after.

Romance lovers - this is for you. 💜💛💜

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t hit the same as Elena’s previous books. It felt like Josie made all the wrong decisions, and poor Matthew is just dragged along for a hectic, non-sensical ride. The romance was nice, but felt unrealistic in the face of all the illogical and wild decision making going on throughout the story.

Honestly everything written by Elena Armas is amazing! The way this became my favorite book so quick

3.5/5 Stars

I started this book well before it released but had to put it down as it just wasn't hooking me. I finally got back to it when I was more in the mood and it was cute, but didn't win me over like Spanish Love Deception did. It wasn't my favorite of her books, but was worth a read if you're a fan of the author.

The book is a standard contemporary romance that fills the tropes and formula for a romance to a T, which made it predictable, but still enjoyable. It had plenty of funny moments and some heart to it as well, just didn't such me in enough to be something I'd recommend a lot. I think this wasn't a win for me because I struggled with connecting to the FMC. She was 'quirky' but came off as annoying to me a lot. I liked the MMC well enough though.

Overall, I enjoyed but wouldn't necessarily recommend to everyone.

If there's one thing about me, I love a good fake fiance romance and while this book was cute and enjoyable, it just didn't fully do it for me. I loved Matthew and how much of an absolute sweetheart he was, and I loved how Josie is such a cute sunshiney character, the book just felt very formulaic.

Elena you’ve outdone yourself once again. I had the honor of receiving this as an ARC and Josie and Matthew blew me away. They truly just fit so so so well together, which made the story flow with such ease. I laughed out loud, cried and kicked my feet giggling. Give me any fake engagement, second chances, and newfound family members trope. But don’t be fooled, Elena knows how to write the tropes best.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for 'The Fiancé Dilemma' back in summer, so lets ignore the fact that I'm only just getting to this review...

It pains me to say this, because it almost feels like giving up hope from here on out, but nothing by Elena Armas has hit the same since TSLD. This book had all the qualities that Armas has always included in her work—humour and wit, sweetness and spice, countless "..." moments—but, like the two novels preceding this one, I was underwhelmed.

The story of our main characters, Josie Moore and Matthew Flanagan, revolves around a handful of popular tropes (forced proximity, fake dating/marriage, small town), and maybe I would have enjoyed it more had things been executed differently. I liked Josie as a secondary character in 'The Long Game,' but as a protagonist I found her to be a bit bland. Or, it's also possible that the circumstances surrounding her character are what frustrated me most. Like, why was her having been engaged four times anyone's business? I get it's a small town, but surely basic social etiquette is universal. No one had any shame in discussing her personal life, and I didn't like how she let their opinions drive her actions.

As for Matthew, he was a decent MMC. Charming, patient, understanding, attentive...but something was missing. Idk. I just didn't feel any attachment. Maybe it was his cringe, unrealistic lines that put me off (i.e., "your glorious peaks"). God forbid anyone ever utter this, and any iterations of it, in my presence. I did feel bad for him at times though, like when Josie practically bullied him into going along with her ridiculous plan. She was selfish and only thinking about herself, and poor Matthew was dragged into the mess created by HER lie without a say. And that Bobbi woman didn't help the situation. She was INSUFFERABLE! What gave her the right to march into town and delegate herself wedding planner for a "couple" she didn't even know? To basically force Josie into having a relationship with her estranged father? This brings me to another point: why was a fake marriage even necessary? Her absentee father ruins his own career and SHE was expected to do damage control by getting married?! Tell me you're joking...

There was also never a discussion between Josie and Matthew regarding the wedding. The initial agreement was to not actually get married but stay friends; however as the wedding drew closer there seemed to be some mutual understanding that they would actually go through with the wedding. It was strange, because you'd think that with all their beating around the bush, they'd talk about it. Not to mention, what would have happened had Josie gone with the plan of leaving Matthew at the alter? Back to square one yet again, which surely would have caused more harm than good.

Anywho... I've got one last complaint. The podcast segments? So unnecessary. All the pop culture/random gen z lingo was overwhelming, and it was weird how the hosts would say things like "we're girl's girls" but then contradict themselves by making backhanded comments about Josie like "what is this, her fifth engagement." By the end I was over it. I couldn't feel the "love" and chemistry between Josie & Matthew as I don't remember any significant moments of them getting to know each other, but whatever. I also expected more of a reaction to people finding out that Josie and Matthew were suddenly engaged, but again, whatever.

This book wasn't terrible...it just wasn't for me.

This was light, cute, easy to read. Nothing special but enjoyable. Definitely cliche for the trope and very surface level conflict/ romance.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love fake dating, but fiancé is right up there as well. In usual Elena Armas fashion, she really brought the humor to her characters. I had such a fun time enjoying this story for exactly as it was. It had an unique concept, and I liked the way it came about. Including the backstory between Josie and her father. You get to really understand why the main character had so many engagements and why they fell through.

Also, Matthew was so adorable and it cracked me up how he went along with her plan so easy and fluidly. Also, I totally understand having a crush on someone without actually having met them in person yet.

Elena Armas continues her reign as the slow burn queen… I really loved the characters in this one - Josie is so likable, and so is Matthew. I love how he loves her and stands up for her and waits for her and all the things. Sweet, seeet romance…

The Fiancé Dilemma takes place in the most delightful town! I wish go visit it seems like Stars Hollow in North Carolina!

Elena does it again!! I’m convinced she was meant to write small town romances !! You can feel the amount of love she put into these characters which makes it so special.

"Like Flynn Rider. From Tangled?"

This had me grinning, I absolutely love Tangled. This was a sweet romance where Matthew is pulled into being Josie's fake fiancé to help her protect her father's reputation. The real relationship that develops between them, is adorable and I loved when he tries different nicknames to see what would work. Matthew was the perfect protective partner and I enjoyed Josie's growth as she came to understand her reason for not being able to commit.

A quick, easy and enjoyable read that made me add the rest of Elena's books to my ever-growing TBR

3/5 on GR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

I was a huge fan of The Long Game. This book picks up a little after the first ended - Josie found out she’s Adalyn’s sister, and that her father knew all along and just chose to not be involved. That whole thing leads to a big PR crisis and uncovers Josie’s multiple failed engagements. She’s now fodder for the gossip pods. Enter Matthew, Adalyn’s best friend, to whom where ends up saying they’re engaged, for some reason?

The premise was fun. The read was easy. However, I really couldn’t buy in to the relationship between Josie and Matthew. I didn’t believe the whole fake dating/engagement trope, and I really didn’t see much, if any, growth from either character. I wanted to see more of Matthew’s family. I wanted there to be more personality from him - rather than the one-dimensional look we had. I loved how supportive and caring he was, but I really struggled to connect with him or Josie on a deeper level.

I wanted more Adalyn and Cam, too. I know it’s a spin-off standalone, but it would really have given more depth to Matthew’s character if we saw more of him and Adalyn. Also, I felt like the ending with Adalyn was literally just thrown in there. I understand the reason after having read the Long Game, but if I hadn’t just read it shortly before, I may have not made the connection.

I think it was a cute story. I loved Josie’s complicated trauma surrounding her past engagements and her abandonment issues. But I just wanted more from it.

I literally DNF on the first page. There were three euphemisms for sex without saying the word sex, and they were childish, and it was all just to say that her mom wasn't sure who her dad was. It just came off incredibly immature and I couldn't make myself read anymore.