Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes. Throw in an engagement of convenience with him falling first and some witty banter and I’m all in. Such a fun, delicious summer read!

I don’t love super slow burns, which Armas excels at, but she does them incredibly well.

Thank you Atria Books for the advance copy.

Our FMC, Josie has quite the engagement history with four failed ones under her belt. When her famous father announces his retirement, she finds out her family is embarrassed of her romantic history. When a misunderstanding with her brother's best friend, Michael, has her family believing he is her new fiance, Elena convinces him to play along. While everyone believes this fifth engagement will end in marriage, Elena and Michael try to navigate their fake relationship that starts to feel all too real. Armas' follow up to The Spanish Love Deception did not disappoint.

This is a romantic comedy in which Josie, our lovely/quirky small-town mayor, lies that she is engaged for the 5th time to better her and her absentee father's reputation. When Josie is faced with the knowledge that the world has been given an inside look into her complicated romantic history and that can mean bad PR for her father, she feels as if her world is upside down. Thinking quickly, she spots Matthew stuck in the rain, and introduces him as her fiance. Thus beginning the fake engagement.

Josie and Matthew's story was fun and light. The will they-won't they of their conversations and sexual tension builds with each interaction and lie of their fake engagement. Josie's quirky and light energy was entertaining to read. Matthew's ability to keep up with her and also find her belief in magic and soulmates endearing was very sweet. I love how the author developed their chemistry into a seemingly strong relationship in which they both could read each other so well.

I enjoyed this book, but I did feel like it was too long. The scenes changed and seemed to end abruptly between chapters making the book feel choppy and lacking flow. I did take my time reading this arc and I feel like that's why I like it as much as I do.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"The Fiance Dilemma" by Elena Armas is a delightful romantic comedy that expertly combines humor, heart, and a dash of drama. The story revolves around Josie Moore, a woman with a string of failed engagements, and Matthew Flanagan, a man in need of a fresh start. Their paths cross in an unexpected and humorous twist of fate when Matthew finds himself stuck in the mud, both literally and metaphorically, and Josie impulsively introduces him as her fiancé.

Armas crafts a charming tale filled with engaging characters and a setting that comes alive with the vibrant small-town dynamics of Green Oak, North Carolina. Josie is a relatable and endearing protagonist whose past romantic misadventures make her desperate for a solution to her family's PR crisis. Her quick-thinking decision to pass off Matthew as her fiancé sets the stage for a series of comedic and heartfelt moments.

Matthew, on the other hand, is a refreshing contrast to Josie's chaotic love life. His down-to-earth nature and the personal challenges he faces make him a perfect foil for Josie. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and genuine warmth. As they navigate the complexities of their fake engagement, the lines between pretense and reality begin to blur, leading to a captivating and emotionally satisfying romance.

The supporting characters, including Josie's influential father and the nosy yet lovable townsfolk, add depth and richness to the story. Armas skillfully uses these characters to create humorous scenarios and to highlight the evolving relationship between Josie and Matthew. The town's belief in the authenticity of the engagement adds an extra layer of tension and humor, making the narrative even more engaging.

"The Fiance Dilemma" is a testament to Elena Armas's talent for writing romantic comedies that are both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The plot, while familiar in its use of the fake engagement trope, feels fresh and original due to the well-crafted characters and the heartfelt exploration of their personal journeys. Armas's writing is lively and engaging, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last.

Overall, "The Fiance Dilemma" is a enjoyable read that will leave readers with a smile on their faces. It's a perfect blend of humor, romance, and the heartwarming message that sometimes, the most unexpected turns in life can lead to the most beautiful destinations. Fans of romantic comedies and feel-good love stories will find this book an absolute delight.

I loved "The Long Game" so was excited to dive back into this world. But ultimately this book just wasn’t for me. The beginning was way too chaotic and the main character lost control of the situation too fast and was just plain frustrating to read. I am a fan of the fake dating/fake engagement/marriage of convenience trope but this felt like a poorly done example of it. I’ve never read a main character in a fake dating trope say "No" so many times to the plan or so vehemently and still continue to get steamrolled into going along with it. It felt unbelievable and cringey at times. There always has to be some incentive for the other character to go along with it (prior feelings, money, something they want or are getting out of the deal). However, in this case the MMC didn’t have anything to gain and didn't even want to do it. Also, this book could have benefitted greatly from more editing - over 430 pages? That feels about 100+ pages too long.

Elena Armas is an auto-buy author for me. Throw in a little fake dating trope? or engagement of convince? Double sold. Josie and Matthew might be my favorite couple yet. Josie has some trauma when it comes to engagements - so instigating her own fake one? its definitely a ride. If you love angst and the brothers best friend trope, you'll love this one!!

I had to think about this for a bit before deciding how to rate and review it. I really enjoyed this, probably more than the American Roommate Experiment and the Long Game but not as much as the Spanish Love Deception. I think my primarily issue with not making it five stars was that I struggled a little with the FMC’s personality. I found it a bit grating. Which I hate saying as a girl’s girl but I struggled with it as far as connecting with her as a main character. I also found the lack of communication at times to be equal parts frustrating and also adding to the tension. It was clear that he fell first and hardest, which is a trope I enjoy. And their personalities clearly worked well together. I did also appreciate that the third act climax was not a break up, which is rare in a romance. I also liked that her sidekick in this one was a grumpy old man. Several interesting side characters. A plot and a dilemma I found to be pretty far fetched, but had fun running around Josie’s home town with her and everything that entailed.
All in all, probaby 4.25 stars for me.

4.5 stars!!

Elena always hits, and this is near the peak of her for me (The American Roommate Experiment might have just been surpassed as my favorite of hers)!! And if this had been dual POV or if we had gotten a bit more of Matthew's inner world and thoughts, this would have absolutely been 5 stars for me! While I absolutely adored Josie and getting to go along for the ride of her journey in realizing that life isn't all about leaving or getting left, I needed to know what was going on inside Matthew's smug, goofy blonde head.

The small town of Green Oak is the perfect setting for a small town fake engagement story- everyone's already extra nosy and up in each others' business- and all the events can be town-centric. While The Long Game introduced us to this lovely little world, The Fiance Dilemma really made it more into a home!

This book was swoonworthy, joyful, and a perfect summer read. Check it out on July 30th!!

Thank you so much to Elena Armas, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review- and shoutout to goodreads for the physical copy from a giveaway :)

I've found my new book boyfriend! Mathew wears glasses, is playful, sweet, protective, can be serious when needed, and an alpha in bed. What more could you ask for. I really enjoyed reading Josie and Mathews story. You could feel the attraction on page. An emotional and fun read.

4.75🌟 Thank you so very much to Elena Armas and Atria books for the ARC copy of The Fiance Dilemma.

The Fiance Dilemma follows Josie, who has recently found herself as the center of a possible PR disaster, at least according to a podcast for Page Nine. After an unexpected run in with her sister's best friend, Matthew, she decides to try to fix her PR problems by convincing him to pretend to be her fiance so that all her past run-ins with near marriage fade into the background.

I had such a good time reading this book. Elena Armas did such an amazing job at creating chemistry and a true sense of care between the two main characters. I was so wildly invested in Josie and Matthew's relationship that my heart was hurting at certain points in this book. I have not loved a couple this much in a very long time and I am soooo hoping there will be another book in this series so that I can see them again. The author evoked so much emotion out of me, and I loved even the smallest side characters in this wonderful book (looking at you, Pedro).

If you are looking for a fun, small town, romance book that will make you laugh, cry, and most definitely swoon, I would highly recommend The Fiance Dilemma.

𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒙𝒆𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕.

Vibes:
Fake Engagement
Sister's Best Friend
He Falls First
Slow Burn
Spice: 2/5

𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒅.

Thoughts: The book had many cute parts. It was a little bit of a slow burn. I wish we had Matthew's POV some of the time. The chemistry on Josie's side seemed to not be there for most of the book. The book was hilarious at times, especially Grandpa Mo.

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔.
- same honestly

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was truly a gem. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel following Josie’s story but as the book went on and I learned more about her character, I fell in love with her strength and candidness. Matthew is such a swoon worthy love interest and the definition of an emotionally intelligent man. I loved reading this slow burn, fake dating book. This has easily become a favorite book of Elena Armas for me.

This was my first experience with a fake engagement trope, and this book was a pleasant surprise!

I found Josie's character pretty relatable -- constantly getting lost in her head, her thoughts overwhelming, and doubting herself. I enjoyed seeing how her character progressed and took control of the situation with Andrew, and the boundaries she put in place.

Matthew's character was *chef's kiss*. I just loved him. He made me laugh, he made me smile, and he tugged at my heartstrings. He was fiercely protective of Josie, and so, so sweet to her.

The slow burn was slooow, but I believe it was perfectly timed given the premise of their story. The spice had me grinning and kicking my feet.

I absolutely loved this book!! Thank you so much NetGalley!

Thank you netgalley for this arc! 3.5⭐️ this book was sooo cute. I loved both main characters and their banter, I loooved the slow burn. This was such an easy read, *most* of the characters were likeable. Some parts of it did make me cringe though, which knocked the rating down. I really enjoyed the ending and the fact that she didn’t fold under everyone’s pressure and didn’t get married!! Girls that don’t fold to please their boyfriends>>>. I’m glad her and Matthew are getting their happy ending though.

I have to stop reading books by this author. I have read all of her books and think they are all bad. So I am not sure why I read this one. It was not good.

I read the first book of this series so I was excited to be approved for the second. This book was sloooowwww. It took me quite a while to finish it because I just had no desire to know what was going to happen next. Many times I found myself board. I wish there was more of their actual romance instead of what they were pretending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this book, I have most of Elenas work.
I have the following the Spanish love deception, the long game, and the American room mate experiment.
Let me tell y’all when I got home and found that beautiful brown package awaiting me I screamed of joy!!
This is my first physical arc and digital arc as well.
Thanks to Simon & schluster.

Book review [ MAY CONTAIN SPOILER ]
This book had me laughing A bit as well as in the feels. Our protagonist Jamie is what I like to call the runaway bride, our boy Mathew is set up lol
Jamie pretty much makes up this lie that they’re engaged, crazy right ?! But there’s A plot twist they both end up falling for each other and the rest is history.
This novel is A solid 4 stars for me, Elena is very talented and she is hilarious she’s dm me on insta and I felt like I knew her personally. Check out this title if possible you wont regret it.

The Fiance Dilemma is the second book in The Long Game series. Elena Armas is one of my favourite romance writers and I've enjoyed all her books so far, including The Long Game. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy The Fiance Dilemma so much. The male character was great but the female character didn't quite do it for me and the chemistry between them wasn't so believable. I still didn't get why the female character had so many failed engagements. It wasn't a bad read, but it was a long read. Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books for giving me the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Beautiful things shouldn't be boxed in. It eventually dims their light."

This book is an example why I tend to shy away from single POV books. It wasn't objectively bad and the book was well written. However, only being in Josie's head for 98% of the book had me scratching my head at their romance. I also found it weird that we finally got Matthew's POV only for the epilogue. The chemistry felt odd and stilted at times. While their "romance" started quickly with a fake engagement, this one had a much slower start for me. It wasn't until about 50% into the book that I actually started believing the chemistry between the pair and that they could make a go of it. The steamy scenes were well done, but the first couple felt like they came out of nowhere.

Even though I did not enjoy this book as much as I have with Elena's previous books, I liked Matthew and Josie's characters as a whole. Because we only get in Josie's head, we see how much Matthew shows up for her, even when it might be difficult. I loved how protective he is of her and how he doesn't think she needs to change or fix herself in any way. And he's so vocal about it to Josie, which was endearing. You have to love a man in glasses and his sweet acts of love (the engagement ring!) totally melted my heart. Josie is super quirky and I loved how she said whatever she thought. It just flew out of her mouth, which was absolutely awkward and hilarious. However, I found her incredibly chaotic and all over the place with her emotions. At times, she was just too wishy washy for me and I got whiplash a couple times.

There were some fantastic lines, banter, and declarations of love that were absolutely beautiful. I also loved all the quirky side characters and the strong elements of found family. Moe is a damn hoot and Maria will forever have a place in my heart. There were many redeeming qualities of the book in the end and for fans of single POV, this is one you will enjoy.

First of all, I love Elena Armas’ writing style, her adorable book covers, and mostly her engaging characters! I also enjoyed revisiting the Long Game universe, where supporting characters Josie and Matthew earned their own book. That’s where we find ourselves taking a closer look at their romance story.

I know this sequel is not perfect. Some background details about Josie's past were not fully explored, and I wanted to read Matthew's perspective earlier in the book. I liked him in Long Game: he’s supportive, reasonable, and a goofy best friend. However, I wish I learned more about his thoughts and what makes him such a compelling character. That said, he’s caring, lovable, and charming as hell from the beginning, never disappointing the readers.

Josie, with her girl-next-door charm, already stole our hearts with her kindness, putting other people first, and a mix of naivety and intelligence to fight her own battles.

I loved both main characters. Grandpa Mo/Maurice is one of the greatest supporting characters in the romance world, and I laughed every time he appeared.

The chemistry between Josie and Matthew is off the charts, making each chapter intense, passionate, and incredibly hot.

In the opening of the book, Josie finds herself in an awkward situation involving an old engagement ring and a PR crisis. Matthew, covered in mud and fresh from a car mishap, gets dragged into the chaos. They end up pretending to be engaged, leading to a series of hilarious and heartwarming events.

The plot is filled with palpable chemistry, and the line between pretending and reality gets delightfully blurred. Josie and Matthew’s bond grows stronger, and their dynamics are a joy to read.

Overall, I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5. Despite wanting more from Matthew's POV, the main characters and their chemistry were so compelling that I couldn’t help but rate it higher. I loved Josie and Matthew’s dynamics even more than Adalyn and Cameron's.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this highly anticipated romance novel’s digital reviewer copy with me. I highly appreciate it.