I received this arc back in May and I was so excited!
I loved this book!! He falls first, small town romance, no third act breakup which I LOVE!! and the slow burn SIGN ME UP!!!
Someone please give me a Matthew because OMG he is the new ultimate book boyfriend!! You will fall in love with him and everything he does for baby blue hehe my hearts melts. I loved the slow burn and the romance that builds up between the Josie and Matthew. I loved Green Oaks and everything Josie was apart of in the small town it reminded me a lot of the atmosphere of Gilmore Girls and I loved that.
"If you don't wipe that please, Matthew smile off your mouth, I swear I'm going to kiss it away myself, Josie"
This book had me giggling like a little girl and the spice did not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

It’s Elena Armas #1 fangirl over here! Once again, the queen of sexy slow burns strikes again. Elena has always been my most loved author since her debut with TSLD (if you don’t know who she is, go read her books, fall in love with them and thank me later). She knows how to pour every emotion out onto the pages and write a romance that drives you to keep turning every page until you’ve hit the “About the Author” section. This book made me swoon, giggle, drop my jaw and say Oh sh!t, Matthew (iykyk). The love he has for Josie is truly heart melting and the tea is piping hot with this book!! The drama, the tension, the cute moments—I was here for all of it! I loved this book so much and I know you will too. Elena, thank you for gracing us readers with your beautiful words, I’m truly captivated every time.

Fuck me,” Matthew breathed out. Then huffed out a laugh. “Seriously.” He swallowed. “Fuck me. Please.”

This had no business being this good.

“You’re breaking my heart,” Matthew murmured, his nose almost brushing my temple. My body stilled, my mind quieting.
“Why?” I whispered.
“Because I’m trying to flirt and you’re not paying attention to me.”

How am I supposed to ever meet a man in real life when there are book men like Matthew?? I haven’t added a man to my book boyfriend list in a long time but hi, hello, Matthew. you are now on it.

“I’m coming over.” My chest filled with crazy, stupid butterflies.
“Almost everything is done.”
“Then I’ll keep you company. Bring you snacks. Don’t make me beg, Baby Blue. Because I will.”

The perfect mix of cinnamon roll, glasses toting, backwards hat and sweatpants, dirty talking man and I love him now. Seriously, the way he noticed everything, all of Josie’s issues, all of Bobbi’s manipulations, and Andrew’s lack of, well, anything, and how he protected her, stood up for her, loved her, just *perfect*

“I knew this would happen. That I’d taste an inch of you and I’d want more. Everything.”

Josie was a really lovable character too, she was strong on her own and had a good amount of past issues that made her character growth nice. Being engaged so many times and still wanting to find love was emotional lmao

“Seeing how I’ve blindfolded you in a sad excuse to spare you the sight of how I look right now.” My throat worked. Everyone’s watching us, Josie. I could indulge in that. We could.
“And how is that?”
“Like I want to throw you over my shoulder and run,” he said, voice low, just for me. He swiped at my bottom lip. “Like I want to drag my fiancée to that gazebo at the back and fuck the anxiety out of her.”

The spice was perfect and they had great chemistry!!

“You’re incredibly turned on,” he pointed out with a knowing smile. My cheeks flushed. “Do you want to grab my ass?”

NO THIRD-ACT BREAKUP YESSS

I hated the podcast so much! I hate people who make a living of the destruction of other people's lives, or these types of people who crave drama - like, fix your life and stop ruining other peoples.

“I want to watch your face when I touch you. I want you to see what it does to me.”

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada, Atria Books, and the author for this eARC!

*********
“You sent me an SOS,” Matthew explained, his brow knotting again. That urgency with which he’d stormed in returned to his eyes. “You can’t text me an SOS when there’s no real emergency. Do you have any idea how—” He shook his head. “I ran down here. From the lodge. I thought something was wrong. You wrote I need you.” That sensation in my stomach skipped, realization rippling.
“So that’s why you’re wearing a slutty shirt and slutty sweats?” My voice turned to a whisper. “You were working out? You didn’t leave me on read?... You didn’t need to drop what you were doing and come rescue me. Next time I text an SOS just . . . maybe put on a hoodie and calmly make your way down to me instead?” His thumb moved, grazing the underside of my jaw.
“You can’t send me an SOS, then, Josie. An SOS means I fucking run.”

After finishing this book, I have some very mixed feelings. I really love both Josie and Matthew in their own ways and there is a chemistry that builds between them. The themes around the characters did repeat a lot so I also didn’t get quite as much depth that I wanted from the characters. However, while the overall plot of the book is clear the subplot(s?) are all over the place and kinda ruined the flow of the book. I liked so many of the individual pieces of the book and somehow Bobbi Shark became one of my favorite characters, But I think the best way I can describe this is being directionless. There was a bunch of checkmarks to hit and they were but they weren’t put together in an elegant way. There were so many tiny details that I wanted more from (September 15th? How all the weddings ended?) and just never got. The characters themselves are fantastic and romance is built so well. The writing is great, but overall, I just wanted a little bit more. 3.5⭐️, 2🌶

I think the Fiancé Dilemma is my favorite of Elena Armas’ books. It’s a great romantic comedy. Josie is thought to be a runaway bride. She had been engaged 4 times and never went through with the marriages. Matthew was fired from his job and comes to live with his best friend's sister who is Josie. Josie’s extremely wealthy father came into the picture and threw her and Matthew for a loop. The story looks at why Josie never got married. Josie and Matthew decided to pretend to be engaged. They went through planning the marriage and all of the family dynamics that goes along with it. In the end it was revealed that they were faking the engagement. However, Matthew admitted in a speech that the moment he saw Josie in person, that she was going to be the one he married. In the end, Matthew and Josie were really both in love with each other and chose to stay together without a formal wedding. I really enjoyed their story. Thank you to NetGalley for an e-copy of the book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

3.5 ⭐️
I really liked the Long Game so much and couldn’t wait for the sequel! I love fake dating, slow burn, forbidden lovers….YES YES YES. This burn was realllly slow. But I find her writing to be hilarious!

The Fiance Dilemma (3⭐️) me dejó con sentimientos encontrados 😅.

La historia sigue a Josie quien vive felizmente en un pueblo de North Carolina, hasta que se dio cuenta que es hija de un conocido multimillonario, cosa que causa que todo el mundo mediático comience a indagar sobre su vida y pasado. Josie quien ha estado comprometida 4 veces, y ha dejado a sus 4 prometidos en el altar, tiene mucha ansiedad sobre la atención que comienza a recibir, lo que la lleva a un 5to compromiso con el mejor amigo de su hermana con el objetivo de redimir su reputación.

Aprecié el desarrollo de la historia, a medida que avanzaba con el libro me fue gustando más y más, pero nunca pude superar lo poco que me gusto como empieza la “relación” de los protagonistas. Y no es tanto que “no me gustó” sino que no comparti con los personajes el razonamiento detras de porque hacer las cosas que estaban haciendo y eso me estresó 🤣

Si pudiera eliminar el comienzo y solo quedarme con las partes de josie y mathew ya juntos y navegando la situación, hubiese estado mucjo mas feliz😅 igual lo recomiendo, solo siento que algunas partes pudieron ser mejor.

El libro sale el 30 de julio por si estan interesada/os!!!

📚✨Book Review✨📚

The Fiancé Dilemma
Author: Elena Armas

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is not part of a series BUT the characters are introduced in The Long Game, so I’d recommend reading that first. It’s ALSO a fantastic read!

What I Liked:
💍Matthew. That’s it. He’s everything! 🩷 He listens. He communicates. He loves. He savors every moment and supports his woman regardless or the situation. He’s perfectly not perfect and he’ll be tough to beat out for my book boyfriend of the month!

💍I loved seeing the evolution of Josie and Adalyn’s relationship. They are so supportive you wouldn’t know that they weren’t sisters their entire lives.

💍The slow burn was SLOW but so worth it! 🥵

What I Didn’t Like:
💍I wish we saw Matthew’s family. We hear about them, but we never get to really see them on page and I wanted to meet them!


Final Thoughts:
💍 I hope that this continues as a series. I mean I felt like Bobbi and Robbie had a spark no? And how funny would a book about Bobbi and Robbie be! 🤣

#bookreview #reviewsneedlovetoo #readforeverpub #unpopularopinion #booktok #bookstagram #bookfriend #books #bookish #booklover #instablog #romancereader #romcom #fantasybooks

Josie Moore has had four engagements--and zero marriages. Now that her estranged father has made Josie's presence known, a misunderstanding soon leads to a fake engagement troupe. Enter Matthew Flanagan. Soon, the fake engagement turns into real feelings.

I wanted to like this book! I love fake dating/fake engagement. Maybe it would help if I read the first in the series? That would have given more background on Josie's sister and Matthew, who is Josie's sisters best friend.

One of my favorite lines in the book was when Matthew referenced watching Bridgerton.

4.75 rounded up to 5!

If you love:
→ Slowwwwwww burn romance
→ Plot with a side of open door romance
→ Golden retriever MMC
→ Single POV
→ Small Town
→ Fake Dating

Then this book is for you!

I adored Josie and could relate to her colorful chaos, genuine heart, and kind nature. She’s the mayor of Green Oak, a coffee shop owner, a goat yoga lover, and so much more. Her story details the reality of love with a modern day twist.

Josie Quotes:

“And like my mom always said, normal is what you make of the cards fate hands you.”

“Overhearing was one of my love languages. It wasn’t the best love language to have, but it was the way I was wired.”

Matthew was one of those MMCs that you just couldn’t dislike. He’s sunshine and a protector all in one. I find myself often relating more to the FMC but also was able to relate to him in The Fiancé Dilemma.

Matthew Quotes:
“Beautiful things shouldn’t be boxed. It eventually dims their light”

“You don’t have a reputation. You have a heart that chose to believe in love”

Side Characters:
Almost all of the side characters in this book are lovable and most give you an excellent small town feel that supports the story well. My favorite? Pedro Pigscal, hands down! Adalyn, Cameron, & Grandpa Moe were extremely lovable. I mean especially the grumpiest of the three (I’m looking at you Grandpa Moe). I didn’t even hate the Sharky publicist Bobbi Shark who lives up to her name daily or Otto the meddling neighbor.

Overall:

I would highly recommend picking up The Fiancé Dilemma if you’re looking for a unique and quirky romance filled with the most lovable characters. This books has undertones of finding roots in who you are and family relationships without too much fluff or extreme drama. There’s no third act breakup (thank you for not making me have to be upset about that Elena). This is a beautiful, swoon worthy, and quick read.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! If this book sounds like your cup of tea then make sure to grab it on its pub day— July 30th, 2024!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest opinions about The Fiancé Dilemma!

Elena's work just keeps getting better! Admittedly, this one might be my favorite because it hits on some of my favorite tropes, but it was still incredibly well executed and well written. Still funny and bright (which I always come back to Elena to find) yet earnest and moving! Can't wait for what's next from her. Definitely will be recommending.

The Fiancé Dilemma tells the story of how small town mayor, Josie Moore, gets thrust into the spotlight after celebrity news outlets learn that her father is a rich business mogul. Never mind that he's been absent for most of her life. Suddenly they have loud opinions about Josie's relationship history and she enlists her sister's best friend, Matthew Flanagan, to help her squash this PR nightmare once and for all.

I'd read Elena Armas's first book of this series, The Long Game, and so I was eagerly anticipating the sequel. It was sweet to see Adalyn and Cameron make their appearances in this book and continue the story. The colorful side characters added some humor and I would've loved to see more of them. I'm hoping the next book is about the super observant and cute kid, María, and her farmer dad.

I enjoyed the chemistry and banter that Josie and Matthew had - it was a solid slow burn build-up. The spice and dirty talk were hot, but I did wish they both had more uniqueness in terms of their looks. It read like everyone agreed they were (conventionally) attractive in a way that took me out of the story a bit. I would've also liked to see more from Matthew's POV, since he came off as a bit too perfect and we only got a snippet of his other interests and struggles. That said, his love for her was fierce and such an enjoyable read.

I do think Josie could have benefitted from some *therapy* to work through her abandonment issues. However, it was great to see her come into her own and start to stand up for herself more. She was a great reminder of how we all are deserving of love and that no one's perfect. In the end, Elena Armas knows how to write a heartfelt and humorous romance, and continues to be a go-to author for me.

Rating: 4.5 stars
CW/TW: panic attacks, death of a parent, pregnancy
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Good for readers who: wish Hallmark movies had more spice or like the movie Runaway Bride
Romance tropes: fake fiancé, slow burn, sibling's best friend, small town

*Thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for providing this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I scooped up the Fiancé Dilemma after devouring The long Game, which I am so glad I got to read first! The second book explored the character of Josie, who readers will root for as she tried to navigate her choices that led her to announcing she has a 5th fiancé. Josie learns a lot about herself, her relationships with others, and life as she deals with the consequences of her rash decision making. She took on a problem that was not hers to own and in doing so really opened herself up. Readers also get to meet Matthew, a character who is introduced in the Long Game as he is Adalyn's best friend. His inner strength and humor while being at serious at time makes him a well-loved character. The Fiancé Dilemma is full of heart and emotion. Thanks Net Galley and Atria Books for an early copy.

I gave The Fiancé Dilemma 3.5 stars rounded up to four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Net Galley and Atria Books for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and it was a cute story. I usually prefer some angst or tense moments in a book over 400 pages. This one didn’t really have any of those moments, sadly. It could have easily been 50-75 pages shorter and been a great book. Very little 🔥 until around 80% and just a little after that.

4.5 stars rounded down to 4

Josie's small-town life is turned upside down when her mysterious birthfather turns out to be Andrew Underwood. Suddenly, Josie, and her four failed engagements, are splashed across gossip blogs. Anxious to avoid a PR nightmare, she pulls her half-sister's best friend Matthew into a scheme to pose as her fake fiancé. But as the 'wedding' looms closer, just how fake is their relationship?

Read if you like:
-Fake Engagement
-Small Town Romance
-He Falls First
-'Where is my fiancé?'
-Slow Burn

I ate this book up. How Josie can't tell that Matthew is really, truly into her from the word 'fiancé' is beyond me. He's down bad. From literally running to her rescue (that scene is delicious by the way) to calming her down every time her anxiety spikes, that man is all in. Josie, if you don't want him, I do! It was a little long, which was the only reason I didn't rate it higher. But if you love the fake engagement trope, you will eat this book up.

This was a fun and easy read! Not quite as enjoyable for me as The Long Game, but I still liked it. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy! Publication date July 30, 2024.

I really wanted to like this book. I really did but it just didn't do it for me.

When I originally started to read this book, I did so without reading The Long Game. I felt lost in though and decided to stop and read that book first before continuing. This is said to be an interconnected standalone but I do recommend reading The Long Game first.

I felt everything move really fast in terms of the fake engagement plot so it didn't feel the best to me. The reason behind the engagement, the anchor to the plot was pretty flimsy. I didn't love the characters- they were fine but I didn't really connect to either one of them.

This book has Runaway Bride vibes, so if you enjoyed that movie this may be the book for you.

Not my favorite book but I would recommend to readers that enjoy fake dating with no third act breakup!

This is a slooooow burn. Too slow. I did not like Josie at all. All of her reactions towards the PR/wedding planner and father seemed like the complete opposite of the woman who runs her own business and is mayor of the little town.

I really wished the book was dual perspective, I would have loved to get inside Mathew’s head. He seemed charming but I felt like we got nothing from him until the very end.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

When I say I need a lil treat what I mean is actually a book just like this.

How was this book 400 pages because I somehow feel like I just started it and kept turning the pages in the end for more story.

First of all we have Matthew, a hottie with a BAHHHDEEE. The first MMC who is described as blonde that had me feral as a runaway rooster. Enter Josie who runs a business, runs the town (girl boss) and runs away from fiancées like it’s her job. The way Elena Armas described the smirking and smiles made me giddy in a way that has not been seen since the first time I watched the cinematic masterpiece that is A Cinderella Story.

Honorable mentions for this review: Anytime a story mentions Tottenham Hotspur (COYS), a bossy MMC with a foul mouth, backwards baseball hat, hands on the wall.

Elena Armas is back.

Thank you Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’m a fan of Elena Armas books. I was super excited to read The Fiancé Dilemma, but I was disappointed in the story. I just couldn’t get past why the groom, Matthew, would agree to go along with the fake engagement. I felt like he needed a benefit to jump into the dilemma. I also did not care for Josie. All the lying was too unrealistic for me. The whole book was unrealistic! I’m sorry for the poor review, but Elena usually does so much better.