Review posted to Goodreads 7/19/24

A generic romance that has some really outstanding aspects to it... and some that completely miss the mark.

The Plot
Josie, the mayor of Green Oak, North Carolina and local coffee shop owner finds herself in a sticky situation when she convinces her sister's best friend, Matthew, to play the role of her fiancé. Easy, right? Not quite. They have to convince her previously estranged successful businessman father... and just about the rest of the world that is reporting on the engagement. On top of that, this would be her fifth engagement. Yes, she's run away from four previous partners. The plot is really fun, but the timing felt completely off. The "meet cute" for the main characters is rushed yet the pacing for how their relationship pans out is slow. Everything felt too convenient that, even despite the ridiculous plot, felt very unrealistic.

The Writing
This is my first Elena Armas book (I know, I haven't read The Spanish Love Deception?!) and the writing is as expected. Some parts are humorous and have a lot of personality. Sometimes the dialogue drags on a little too long, but overall the writing is very similar to a lot of other romance books that have a predictable formula.

The Characters
I had no issues with the characters. They were likable, but forgettable. They lacked character development throughout the book, but they were written in a way where I had a very clear idea of who they were/their personality. Josie and Matthew have chemistry on the page, but it's not really anything to rave about.

I had high hopes for this book -- I've heard great things about The Spanish Love Deception, but it seems that it may be a one time success. I probably would have liked it more if it was shorter. It's good, but nothing special stands out to me.

My rating: 3.5⭐️

Thanks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Fiance Dilemma is a heartwarming, feel-good book. It makes you want to curl up in a blanket and sip hot cocoa or read in a bubble bath with a glass of wine. It has rom-com vibes with the perfect amount of spice (very well-written spice). While the love story was inevitable, it was still beautiful to watch it unfold, with a slight twist at the end. I do feel that it was a sequel, so I will most likely look to see if there is a Cam and Adalyn story to read. Thank you for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I was not a huge fan of “The Spanish Love Deception”. However, I’ve really enjoyed seeing Armas develop as a writer and “The Fiancé Dilemma” is my favorite book of hers so far. This book is advertised as a standalone, and while I was still able to enjoy and understand it, at times I felt like there was some context I was missing because I hadn’t read “The Long Game”. I’d maybe recommend reading that one first.

I really enjoyed both Matthew and Josie as protagonists, as well as the cast of characters in their lives. I understand why this book wasn’t dual POV, it would dissolve some of the tension, but at times I wished we got a little more from Matthew. He fell flat occasionally. I adored Josie, and loved her backstory. I wish that we dove a little deeper into it, sometimes her past engagements were treated more like a gag than something to spur character growth. It’s possible that this part of her backstory was expanded on a little in “The Long Game”. Again, this book really pushes the limits of what a standalone is.

My only other real critique is that the narrative felt choppy at times with moments I thought would continue on page but then were followed by a time jump instead. The frequent time jumps made it feel like we were hopping from one moment in time to another rather than creating a totally cohesive narrative. However, this wasn’t too irksome, and I don’t think we missed any important moments off page.

Elena Armas is really doing a huge service to blonde men everywhere with this book.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I sincerely wanted to love this book, but the writing style just was not for me. The premise of a runaway bride with a fake engagement sounded promising, but the introduction of the two main characters left me with more questions than answers. I could not get past the main character going to a fake engagement rather than just telling her estranged father's publicist that she just met to go away. I hate giving books low ratings, but the plot left much to be desired.

Elena Armas knocks it out of the park again!! I am such a fan of her writing and she is becoming an auto buy for me!

This book was everything I needed and so much more. I can confirm it has, in fact, become my new Roman Empire.

Every time I read a book written by Elena Armas, it makes me feel so melancholic because The Spanish Love Deception was the story that got me back into reading, and there’s absolutely no doubt that her writing will always be one of my all-time favorites; it’s simply amazing.

Matthew and Josie’s story gave me 2000 romance movie vibes, and that’s obviously a great thing for me. There’s not a single thing I disliked about their book. It was funny, cute, and truly heartfelt; there was just the right amount of humor and emotion.

Every single detail in the book was phenomenal. I loved all the characters and the different dynamics between them. I enjoyed getting to see Cam and Adalyn again and their cute interactions—everything was so damn perfect. Matthew had me swooning so hard, he’s for sure become my new favorite hero written by her.

I could not recommend this book enough. It was a wonderful read that everyone should pick up if they want to read about a very romantic love story. ❤️

I love fake dating and small town romances, so I was very excited for this book! Josie has recently found out that her father is a prominent businessman and he is planning to publish a tell-all book, but his team is worried about Josie’s image after a gossip outlet learns that Josie has had four broken engagements. Her dad sends a PR specialist to her small town to tackle her image problems and after a big misunderstanding, Josie ends up pretending that she is engaged to her half-sister’s best friend Matthew.

This was such a cute and funny story! Cameron was so sweet and I loved how enamoured he was with Josie. This was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the quirky town. I did not read the Long Game, but it was still really easy to follow along with the story. I definitely plan to read it eventually because I loved Adalyn and Cameron’s cameos in this book. I recommend this book if you like small town romantic comedies or if you were a fan of the Spanish Love Deception!

What to expect:
🤍 Romantic Comedy
🤍 Small Town
🤍 Sister’s Best Friend
🤍 Fake Dating
🤍 Friends-to-Lovers

Thank you to Elena Armas, Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this book, as the Spanish Love Deception was on of my favorite reads of 2023. This story had similar tropes (he falls.first, MMC is protective and sweet, the spice was just right!) and after I got into the story I finished it quickly.

This book is part of a series, and it's advertised as a stand alone read. If I have any criticism it would be that the story kicks right into gear in the first chapter. I felt like I was missing some context at first, but as the story unfolded it became more clear. I do plan to.go back and read the first book and see if it would have helped me understand the plot quicker..

Overall, I recommend if you like Armas' perticular brand of well muscled, quietly brooding/pining male leads paired with her strong and.funny FMCs. I appreciate that there are. I shrinking .violets , and there does not always need to be a breakup for there to be an HEA.

I unfortunately decided to DNF this ARC. Initially, I was excited as it seemed like it would be an engaging standalone with some connections to the previous book. However, as I read, it became clear that there were gaps in the story that likely stemmed from not having read the first book. These gaps made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the plot and characters. I just could not connect.

Despite this, there were some genuinely funny moments that kept me interested and tempted to continue; however it was not enough to fully engage in this book.

"The Fiancé Dilemma" by Elena Armas is a captivating romantic comedy that masterfully blends humor, heart, and a touch of suspense. The story revolves around Catalina, a spirited and independent woman who finds herself in a predicament when she needs a fake fiancé to impress her traditional family at an upcoming wedding. Enter Aaron, her infuriatingly handsome and annoyingly perfect colleague who agrees to play the part.

Armas weaves a delightful tale filled with witty banter, palpable chemistry, and unexpected twists. Catalina and Aaron's dynamic is electric, with their love-hate relationship providing plenty of laughs and swoon-worthy moments. As the charade unfolds, the line between pretend and real begins to blur, leading to heartfelt revelations and genuine growth for both characters.

The author's engaging writing style and well-developed characters make "The Fiancé Dilemma" a page-turner. Armas expertly balances the romantic tension with deeper themes of family expectations, self-discovery, and the courage to embrace love.

Overall, "The Fiancé Dilemma" is a charming and entertaining read that will leave readers with a smile. Elena Armas delivers a perfect blend of romance and comedy, making this book a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Whether you're looking for a light-hearted escape or a story with emotional depth, this novel has something for everyone.

I unfortunately decided to DNF this ARC. Initially, I was excited as it seemed like it would be an engaging standalone with some connections to the previous book. However, as I read, it became clear that there were gaps in the story that likely stemmed from not having read the first book. These gaps made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the plot and characters.

Despite this, there were some genuinely funny moments that kept me interested and tempted to continue. However, the overall experience felt incomplete, and I struggled to maintain my engagement.

I might consider giving it another try after reading The Long Game, as it could provide the context I feel I'm missing. For now, though, this one just didn’t work for me.

Everything Elena Armas write is magic, with this one being no exception! This one could be my new favorite.

A fun fake dating romance. I don't think you need to have read the previous book, as it can be read as a standalone.

This was so incredibly cute and I think I might have loved it more than The Long Game. Josie and Matthew are honestly so good together and I love the aggressive dom side of Matthew. Josie is such a people pleaser, so having someone like Matthew balance her out is great. Plus I'm a sucker for a fake engagement 💕 Elena Armas made a blond book boyfriend anyone will like!

Elena Armas never misses! Her books always give the perfect amount of fun. Such an easy but interesting read

I thought the premise was cute and there were definitely some redeeming qualities, but overall it was a little confusing and convoluted for me. I still don’t understand why Josie’s first thought was to fake an engagement. It just didn’t make sense to me at all. Also, even though I read The Long Game, it felt like there were some missing pieces here that were maybe in the author’s head but not communicated to the reader. Ultimately, The Fiancé Dilemma was too long and not much seemed to actually happen. I do enjoy the small town vibes and characters of this world, though.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I did not rate this book online because it was a DNF for me!

I can totally see where some people could love this book, I don’t want to post online and spread negative thoughts on it, especially since it hasn’t released yet! I will post my online review a little while after the book releases.

I went into this thinking I was going to LOVE it, I honestly hate that I didn’t enjoy it…like at ALL. I wanted to like Josie especially since I really enjoyed her in The Long Game but I just didn’t connect with her in this book.

It really gave me the ick when in the beginning she asked Matt to help her and he straight up told her no… and she did it anyway. Like CONSENT! It really threw me, and then after that I think maybe I was a little off because I just didn’t feel any chemistry between them. Maybe if I would have gotten Matt’s POV it would have helped but I honestly was getting annoyed and quit about 75% through!

Thank you to Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley, for the free E-copy for review.

From the small-town setting to the fake fiance, and the quirky side characters, this book had me grinning and chuckling at Josie's antics. Matthew is a dreamy knight in shining armor, coming to Josie's rescue.

The slow-burn immersion into Josie and Matthew's developing relationship was gripping, and Josie's complexity left me eager to unravel the mystery of the modern small-town runaway bride. The inclusion of steamy scenes added sizzle to their story, and the absence of a third-act breakup offered a refreshing twist, focusing instead on family conflict.

The book's ending, delivering a happily-ever-after that suits the characters' journeys, left me thoroughly satisfied.

I felt the fake dating was rushed in the beginning and wasn’t sure I would like it as much as her other books. The story had a bit of a slow start but halfway through I found myself reading so much faster! And as the story continued, I fell in love with the characters. I loved his attempts at finding a cute nickname. (Won’t give away spoilers but the cutest nickname 💙) I know Elena was going for Matthew McConaughey vibes when she wrote Matthew’s character. And she succeeded! Love him. He was just the right amount of humble and cocky. I love small town romances. And the side characters in this book were adorable. The spice!! Omg I blushed a few times reading this. A couple of times in public 😂 And that ending - mic drop is all I have to say. I truly couldn’t get enough of Matthew. I loved the story - it really was so good! Elena did not disappoint.

Elena Armas weaves a delightful tale of fake engagements, second chances, and newfound family connections in this charming romance. Josie Moore, known as the runaway bride of Green Oak, North Carolina, has a history of failed engagements—four to be precise.

When her influential father decides to retire and Josie's romantic past threatens the family's reputation, she concocts a solution: a fake engagement. Enter Matthew Flanagan, who stumbles upon Josie and unwittingly becomes her pretend fiancé. As lines blur and the small town buzzes with gossip, readers are treated to snappy prose, steamy love scenes, and a perfect romantic hero in Matthew. Armas delivers a swoon-worthy story that will keep you turning the pages!

If you enjoy swoon-worthy stories with fake engagements, relatable characters, and steamy love scenes, "The Fiance Dilemma" is a must-read!