This was one of my first times reading a book written by Elena Armas, but it most certainly will not be my last time. She is an AMAZING author!
The book was a little difficult to get into at first, but once it grabbed your attention, there was no going back.
I laughed, I cried, I’m pretty sure I fell in love all over again. It was a little predictable, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need! Such a nice, light hearted, easy read. Will definitely recommend!!!

Elena has written another wonderfully swoony steamy easy romance read with amazing messages sprinkled in! Thoroughly enjoyed this more than I expected. A woman that’s been engaged four times? And the man who would only ever dream of a life with her. Fake dating to the max.

First off, shout out to Elena Armas for picking us to read this one before it released to the public. My best friend has read all of Elena’s books and raves about them so I had high expectations for this one… it did not disappoint! It was a bit slow to start but really set the scene for the novel. I love love love Matthew and his genuine love for Josie. I need a matthew in my life ASAP, someone who genuinely loves and cares for you like nobody else has. Such a great friends to lovers with a decent amount of spice!

This book is so good! The book has a light-hearted, romantic & warm feeling with many crazy & funny situations. The book is an easy & quick read since it is easy to become absorbed in the story.

It is amazing how Armas manages to create a stunning couple with the characters of Josie & Matthew. Matthew - he is definitely swoon worthy (especially with how sweetly he distracts Josie) - it is too bad he is not real. Josie is his complete opposite with a runaway bride history still she manages to rope Matthew into a fake engagement. Everything becomes over the top & overwhelming for Josie at every turn but Matthew keeps her centered and he is always there.

Armas also includes past character from her other books - I was excited to see Adalyn & Cameron make another appearance. I definitely know I will be reading this book again!

This book- I absolutely loved it! When a small-town girl's life is turned upside down, everything changes. She's been engaged and called it off multiple times, and now she's the daughter of one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the country. What's her next move? To find a pretend fiancee of course!

I laughed, I cried, I loved the tight small-town vibes and the real love that was shown between the two main characters. This is a hidden gem!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. Elena Armas' writing has always been one of my favorites, and this one did not disappoint. The Long Game was such a good book that I was nervous that the second in the series wouldn't be as good, but I was wrong. As much as I loved Cam, I LOVE Matthew. I loved how their relationship developed throughout the book, but you could tell there was a little something from the moment they laid eyes on each other. I need more of Matthew and Josie because I am not done loving the two of them.

Read if you like:
- Fake engagement
- He falls first and harder
- No third-act breakup
- Found family

DNF

I couldn't with this book. I got about halfway before I gave up. I've read The Spanish Love Deception (3.5 stars) and liked it okay, thought the The American Roommate Experiment was not quite as good (3 stars), and I hadn't gotten about to The Long Game yet, but I thought I'd enjoyed Armas's earlier books and figured this was worth a shot. I gathered the plot of The Long Game so I don't think not having read that book was an issue for The Fiance Dilemma, but this book read like a slapstick novel. Everyone is a caricature (Bobbi Shark? really?), including the FMC and MMC. FMC is from a small town - so small she barely knows how to use an iPad! I found a lot of the character details really hard to believe. I have so many questions -- How has the FMC been engaged so many times and she's not even 30? Why on earth would the MMC agree to a fake engagement with someone he's never met? Why are they trying to get married in 2 months? The reason they have to keep this charade going is so they don't upset the town - but they will anyway because 1) she's been engaged 5 times already and 2) they're not planning to go through with a wedding anyway - makes zero sense to me. So, for many reasons, I bowed out without finishing.

I...am....in awe. I feel like I am about to implode with all of the emotions I have swirling inside me right now. I think I will forever be a Josie enthusiast 😊and Matthew? God all I can say is 😮‍💨. That man is perfect. I was literally writing down notes about how this man is literally giving me more standards that I thought possible.

I love Elena Armas with alllll of my might so it's no surprise that this book left me speechless. Man does this woman know how to write a slow-burn and some angst. On the bright side I didn't feel as angsty as I did when reading The Spanish Love Deception (don't get me wrong I LOVE angst, but I felt like I was dying with euphoria when reading Lina and Aaron's first kiss scene). Anyways, that's not to say that Josie and Matthew's first time didn't leave my jaw on the fucking floor (it was).

This book is now going to be forever engraved in my mind and not just because it has a happy ending (which I love because I am also a hopeless romantic), but because this may be one of the first books I've read where they didn't get married or feel the need to (actually I lied the second book if I'm accurate). I loved that. It made me feel that much closer to the characters and now I'm head over heels for more fictional characters I cannot have in real life 😭.

Now if this wasn't a clue to read this book IMMEDIATELY, please go get your eyes checked and read this again.

"The Fiancé Dilemma" by Elena Armas is a captivating romance that blends tension and tenderness in perfect measure. Armas crafts a compelling narrative with well-rounded characters, especially the dynamic between Josie and Matthew, whose chemistry is palpable from their first interaction. Their witty banter and heartfelt moments add depth to their relationship. This book is a delightful escape and a must-read for romance fans (as are all of Elena Armas’s books)!

Josie was brought up by a single mother and only recently learned about her father, Andrew. Andrew is wealthy and there is interest in writing a book about him. In doing so he would be exposing Josie to the press. Josie has had 4 failed engagements. Matthew is the best friend of her sister. He shows up in town the same time as the PR strategist for Andrew is on her porch. There is a podcast crew who is following Andrew and is now interested in Josie. In hopes of taking the pressure of her failed engagements off her, she spots Matthew and introduces him as her fiancé. Matthew accepts his new role and plays a convincing boyfriend. This book is a lot of fun. I loved how Matthew knew exactly what Josie needed and was there for her. I enjoyed watching their relationship flourish. Josie had a lot of people who cared for her, and her sister and her boyfriend added a lot to the story. Great characters, lots of humor and love.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I usually love a fake dating storyline but this one wasn’t for me. It made no sense to me why Matthew would go along with pretending to be engaged to Josie. They knew of each other but were basically strangers. Matthew seemed to develop strong feelings for Josie quickly which also didn’t make sense because they hardly spent time together aside from when they were doing things for the publicity stunt. I found myself bored with the story and not caring what happened.

What a fantastic book! Such a great continuation of the story in The Long Game! I absolutely love Josie and her weirdness is just the best.

DNF at 30%

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. I thought that maybe it was because I haven't read the first installment of The Long Game books (even though the posting made it seem like I didn't need to read it), but I just didn't feel a spark with the two main characters and didn't love the withholding of information as to how they had previously met/interacted/whatever. I felt like there was a lot of information randomly thrown out there without anything anchoring them, and I just couldn't find myself interested enough to continue. I'm pretty bummed this one wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another small town romance for the win! Josie is a classic "quirky" small town girl. Beloved by all the townspeople, running a coffee shop and volunteering as town mayor. Come to find out, she is the daughter of a well-known millionaire and now needs to rectify her public image as she becomes known as a chronic relationship runner, having left 4 men at the alter in her past. In order to save her reputation, she sells the lie that she is engaged to Matthew, her sister's best friend.

I haven't read the first book in this series knowing that it was able to be read as a stand-alone, but almost wish I would have read The Long Game first. I loved Josie's character and thought she was hilarious, but I never felt like I got to know Matthew outside of being Josie's love interest. Maybe reading the Long Game could have helped this? Grandpa Mo was one of the best side characters of any romance books I've read so far this year.

I love Elena Armas' work and this one is another great addition! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this title.

I had a blast reading The Fiance Dilemma. It was fun and hard to put down. Our main character is a silly, lovable, small-town girl who has had a few too many weddings, and our love interest is the yearning type. The author did a great job creating tension between the two, and the slow burn was everything. I appreciated the fact that each intimate moment was intentional and not just thrown wherever. I also was happy with how the dreaded third act played out. It was, for once, not frustrating to read. I think every romance reader will LOVE the author for that alone,

Some gripes:

- Okay, so there's this jumping off the ladder scene. I found it funny and confusing. How tall is this ladder? And why would you jump off one into a man's arms when you have a hammer in your tool belt????? That seems like extremely dangerous. What if you killed him???? LOL. I think this scene needed so much more context. Maybe forget the hammer? I had to re-read it to make sure I wasn't missing something. I feel like you shouldn't just jump off a ladder (of unknown height) into a man's arms when you have a hammer all willy-nilly in your tool belt.

- The Gen Z TikTok brain rot podcast is a bit much at times. I get that the overuse of internet language is supposed to show how ridiculous and petty the show is, but it's distracting at times and takes away from what they are actually saying. Plus, it kind of comes across as hating on Gen Z (a big demographic of this book).

- I think there needed to be more conversation between our two MCs in the beginning. Sure, they talked. But it wasn't anything substantial enough for the male mc to have such strong feelings so early on (IMO). Based on my reading it felt like they met and he already was extremely interested in her both physically and emotionally, despite not even knowing much about her at all.

These things didn't ruin the book for me. I would say they acted more as small distractions from the actual story.

Readers who love a yearning man, a slow burn, and NO third-act breakup will love this one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!

3.5 stars. It’s my second favorite book from Elena Armas (yes, I have read all of the others). I actually even stayed up till 2am to finish it. <- not sure it meets my general standard for losing sleep but I really just wanted to finish.

I would put this in the category of slow(ish) burn and he is obviously head over heels for her from the start and she is absolutely clueless.

Josie and Matthew have chemistry during this fake dating/ engagement story. Some of the dialogue is awkward which I think might get polished in the final version.

The personal conflict between Josie and her father was handled in a satisfying way.

Just my initial thoughts a fuller review to come!

Josephine Moore is the mayor of Green Oak, a little town in North Carolina. Her life was simple until she founds out that the father who abandoned her, was the powerful businessman Andrew Underwood. That’s why the media gets interested in her life and her record as a runaway bride. The press and the public assume that she being a runaway bride is because she has daddy issues. This gives Andrew a bad image and a desire to clean his reputation. To do that, Josie seeks help in Matthew Flanagan, her sister’s best friend. Both are going to fake being engaged, and then break the engagement before the wedding day. However, the more they fake, the more their feelings become real. The question that is left is, if the fifth engagement would be the last one?

I must admit that this book is what I expected and more. It’s been a while since I laugh a lot reading a romantic comedy. I swear that I was in the 10% of my reading and I couldn’t stop laughing. I was engaged to Josie and Matthew’s story because it was simple and without complications. Elena Armas used all the correct clichés and left out the misunderstandings. Likewise, the chemistry and the tension of the characters was undeniable. They complement each other to perfection and make a perfect balance.

What to say about Matthew Flanagan? Sorry Aaron Blackford, but Flanagan become my favorite man of Elena Arma’s universe. Since his first appearance I was loving him. His honest and blunt personality made me fall in love with him. Maybe his bluntness would be rude in other characters, but in Matthew it was his trademark. Until I read the acknowledgements I didn’t though of how much Matthew reminds me of my favorite character of Friends, Chandler. Moreover, I loved that Flanagan knew what he wanted and went for it. The way he treated Josie is how everyone should love their partner, in every way possible and without limits. Sincerely, every woman in the world deserves a man like Matthew Flanagan.

For me, Josie was a surprise. At the beginning, she was presented as this poor nervous girl that got caught up in her dad’s world. However, while you keep reading, you realize that she is more than her fears. Josie is the mayor of her town, and everyone trust her. Moreover, she has her own successful business. What everyone sees like failed relationships, they aren’t her fault. All the men in her life never considered her, and they always expected her to mold herself to what they wanted. It isn’t until she meets Matthew that she begins to know what true love is, to give and receive. He helps her understand that she’s special and that who loves you fights to stay by your side.

The Fiancé Dilemma is the perfect book to forget your troubles and enjoy the moment. Elena Armas gives us a romantic comedy that gives justice to the genre, and lets you wanting more. This is a book that you would not want to put down until you finish it, and when you do it, you would not want to say goodbye to the characters. Without any doubt, reading a book from this writer is always a good decision. Imagine if I like it so much that, even though I received the digital advance copy, I decide to preorder the paperback because I need to have Matthew Flanagan in my bookshelf. Also, remember that the book would go on sale on July 30 of this year. This is today’s review. I hope you like it!

Elena Armas brings us back to the enchanting town of Green Oak in The Fiancé Dilemma. Josie starts off as a wonderfully strong and independent character, which I absolutely loved. However, as the story progressed, she seemed to lose some of that fierce independence, which was a bit disappointing. Another minor gripe was the overuse of "f-bombs" in what were meant to be epic romantic moments.

That being said, the charm of Green Oak and its quirky, lovable residents made up for these small issues. The setting and community add a warm, comforting backdrop to the romance. Fans of small-town love stories will find much to enjoy here. Despite its minor flaws, The Fiancé Dilemma is a heartfelt, engaging read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley & Atria Books for the E-ARC! This was so cute! Loved the characters & the banter. Really enjoyed the concept too. Definitely will read more from this author.

What I liked:
- Faves from book 1 were back (María is the wisest 11 year old I’ve ever met)
- Chemistry between Josie and Matt is great later on
- I really did love the ending, won’t say what happens, but will be happy to discuss :)
- The nicknames are so cute

Disliked:
- Hypermodern references, just not my thing! the word “slay” does not belong in a book
- Slow burn was almost too slow
- Matt felt like a flat character, I wish we had his POV
- The beginning was so slow, then hit 70% through and it felt so rushed!