I received an ARC for this and I really wanted to like it but it was a miss. The FMC was so annoying and I know nothing about the MMC. They spent no time together other than the random hour here and there mandated by being in a fake relationship and yet I'm supposed to believe they somehow fell in love. I was confused this whole book and it would have been a DNF if I hadn't been trying to finish it in order to leave a review.I received an ARC for this and I really wanted to like it but it was a miss. The FMC was so annoying and I know nothing about the MMC. They spent no time together other than the random hour here and there mandated by being in a fake relationship and yet I'm supposed to believe they somehow fell in love. I was confused this whole book and it would have been a DNF if I hadn't been trying to finish it in order to leave a review.

thank you to netgalley and atria for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

the banter, the tension, the flirting…chefs kiss! the chemistry josie and matthew have in this book is unbeatable. this book had me laughing out loud with josie’s quirky personality and matthew’s constant flirting! the fiancé dilemma is full of tropes and has something for everyone; no third act breakup, soulmates, he falls first, sister bonding, small town, fake-engagement. i adore this book!

First, thank you NetGalley, Elena Armas, and Atria for this book.

I absolutely loved this book!! Elena is a queen of a slow burn romance and this was everything I wanted! Josie is the perfect small town girl who we all loved in The Long Game, and Matthew compliments her in the all right ways. Elena’s writing is fresh and fun and the story moves so well. She has a way of blending humor and emotion so well. And like I said, it’s a great slow burn!

I love the humor of the Filthy-Reali-Tea podcast that was thrown in there. And all the characters we loved from The Long Game are back too. Especially Maria, my favorite 11 year old soccer player always coming in clutch with her words of wisdom. The conversation between her and Matthew about soul mates brought me to tears.

Thank you again, to NetGalley and the publishers for this book, and thank you to Elena Armas for writing this story and sharing it with us. It was wonderful and I truly loved it.

I am going to assume that I am no longer the target demographic for this author, despite being a 29 year old female. I've read each of this author's works, and they've progressively gotten worse. The dialogue in this specific one is trying too hard to be trendy and GenZ, while also being creepy and cheesy. Seriously, the MC was ogling within the second chapter. I'm all for smut, but let's pretend to write intelligent smut, not just for the sake of it. Gross. I could not make myself read past the weird podcast bit, around 11%.

Such a sweet and HILARIOUS, and perfectly spicy fake engagement romance, with a small town + celebrity twist. The way these tropes collided was romcom movie worthy… Netflix, pay attention!

WHAT I LOVED MOST:
Matthew is swoonworthy. Patient. Kind. Witty. Golden Retriever energy with the protectiveness and loyalty of a Dobie. And each attempt at a nickname made me squee, with Sugar Snap at the top of the list. At first I was disappointed it wasn’t dual pov and we didn’t get to see Matthew’s view of the craziness happening around him… but then I got to fall in love with him just as deeply as Josie did.

Grandpa Moe. The Real MVP in this story.

Family & Friendships. From newly found family, to adopted family, to small town family, and BFFs… these side characters and their antics were loveable and gave me all the squishy, happy feels.

Josie’s POV. I felt her heart flutter, stomach drop, panic rise, hope falter… all alongside her. Her story, her thoughts, and hilarious internal dialogue were such a joy.


FAVORITE QUOTES (THERE WERE TOO MANY TO LIST THEM ALL!)
“I leaned down, snagged the checkered pajama shirt on the floor, and threw it at him. “I need to talk to you and your nippies are staring into my eyes, like two beacons of manhood asking to be acknowledged. So if you don’t mind?”

“Based on how my lower belly had perked up at the sight, I seemed to be into glasses-wearing men holding tiny farm animals.”

“Should I tell Mr. Matthew everyone can see his boobies, or will you do that, Miss Josie?”
“No cute euphemisms for sex, please. I’m trying my goddamn best here, Josie, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stay mad at you if you get all sugary-sweet.”

“The world would be boring without magic, so I choose to believe it exists. Regarding the juju matter, well, I’m fully convinced I was cursed at least once in my life. Premonitions are tricky, but there have to be people with a direct line to all those things we normies can’t really see. Ghosts are objectively probable. Fate explains things that would go unanswered otherwise. Manifestation is scientifically proven. And the yeti just makes sense.”

Thank you Elena Armas and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait to add this one to my collection.

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

The thing about having a book surround a fake engagement is that there should be a solid or at least somewhat believable reason for the fake engagement to occur.

Josie’s estranged father (a wealthy MLS-club owner) who she has never met in person is going through a PR crisis (a podcast for a tabloid is calling him out for abandoning Josie as a child). Her father’s publicist shows up at her door, sees a ring on Josie’s hand and decides to clean up the father’s PR mess by having him pay for Josie’s wedding.

Instead of clarifying that she isn’t engaged, she sees her half sister’s friend Matthew (who she doesn’t know outside of a group text) and convinces him to act as her fiancé and go through this engagement. It’s a little uncomfortable as a reader as we watch Matthew tell Josie more than once that he does not want to be her fake fiancé and she keeps pushing him until he says yes.

I feel the need to emphasize that there’s ZERO reason for Josie to go through with any of this, she owes her father nothing. It takes her almost 13 chapters to realize she doesn’t need to take orders from her father’s publicist.

The reasoning behind the fake engagement really soured the book for me. I did really like Matthew and I liked Josie once she realized she didn’t owe her father shit. There were so many characters I was frustrated with throughout the book (her father, her father’s PR person, the podcasters who were constantly calling Josie a “misstep” and digging into Josie’s life after finding out she was abandoned by her dad).

The cover for this book is also really odd. It looks like this is a why-choose book but in reality they chose to put her four exes on the cover even though they’re only ever mentioned in the book. The UK cover is so much better, I wish they stuck with that one for the US version.

This was such a fun, small-town romance! Definite Runaway Bride vibes, and I loved the meddling small town. Josie was such a great main character, and I loved her spunk. The perfect summer read!

There’s something that will always keep me hooked with a fake dating trope, I’m just a sucker for it! I realized shortly into this story that is was the second in a “series”, but I feel it can be read as a stand alone. If you read and enjoyed the first one though I’m sure you’ll be happy to know you get to catch up with a few of your favorite characters throughout and see how their journey has progressed.

What I enjoyed: The male main character, Matthew! His protectiveness and calming nature was so sweet and caring. He is full of himself in just the right dose to be silly and appealing in the best way. He also has a dominant side which was clearly what the FMC needed. I also enjoyed the setting, the small town of Green Oak definitely gives nosey neighbor vibes. Not everyone will like this, but I thought the slow burn romance here was good, and ultimately important to the plot itself.

What didn’t I love as much: Unfortunately I found the female lead, Josie, to be over the top with her awkwardness and anxiety. As an anxious person, I like when this is represented in books and a fake dating PR stunt would clearly cause some, but it felt like it overtook her personality. I also found some of the banter and nicknames a little cringy, but I did laugh a few times while they try to find the “right” nickname. The other thing I would have enjoyed was a little more of Matthew’s POV, but that’s likely only because I enjoyed his character a bit more than Josie. I do understand though, the amount we did get was effective/appropriate to the story.

Ultimately, I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys a light and quick romance read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me this ARC. It was a pleasure to read and share my thoughts.

This girl is stupid. Only an idiot would do a fake fiance after jolting 4 others. No one would go along with it, or at least they'd run the other direction as soon as they could. Entire book is filled with idiot characters making idiot decisions. Could barely finish it. Just dumb.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me this ARC. Now onto the review…

I. FREAKING. LOVED. IT! It was so wholesome and sweet. I immediately fell in love with all the characters (well… except Bobbi, but that’s a given). Josie and Matthew were absolutely made for each other. Their relationship blossomed in such a beautiful way and I’m seriously upset there was no epilogue so I could have more of them. Josie was so adorably awkward, but not in a cringy way; a funny way. All of her and Matthew’s interactions were so genuine. Matthew… that man’s mouth… I could listen to him talk all day. He’s so perfect I don’t even know how to put it into words.

This is my second book I’ve read by Elena Armas. I had only read The Spanish Love Deception (which I loved btw) before this. Now I will be reading more books by her on the future. Greatest part about this book… NO THIRD ACT BREAK-UP! YAY!

It was a 4.5/5⭐️. My only wish was that we got more of Matthew’s POV.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve read all of Elena’s books, and “The Long Game” was by FAR my favorite, so I was so excited for the second book in this series. Sadly, I’m so so disappointed in it.

For one, it is SLOW. Agonizingly slow. It feels like there’s really no plot so it just drags on. I kept finding myself putting off picking it up to read because I was so bored.

Secondly, I found the main female protagonist to be very emotionally immature and a bit annoying. This is supposed to be a nearly 30 year old woman who’s also a business owner and mayor of her town, but she can’t even ask someone how he feels or tell him how he feels? Or anyone really. Lies upon lies. It was like, okay, let’s please get past this already.

Thirdly, there was just zero chemistry between her and Matthew. I feel like we didn’t get to know him at all. All of a sudden he’s just there and she’s swooning over him over very limited contact, and he’s lusting after her, and all of a sudden they’re in love after avoiding telling each other how they feel for over 80% of the book?? I just couldn’t root for them at all.

Extra points for Grandpa Moe and for seeing how Cam and Adalyn were doing. Otherwise, I simply didn’t enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed coming back to Green Oak. This story brings back characters from The Long Game. This is Josie’s story and she’s had a bit of an interesting life that seems like it’s a 90’s romcom. Her sister’s best friend shows up just when she needs him. They fake an engagement with rules not to catch feelings but that never works. He sees her and gets her and wants to take care of her. The only thing I didn’t love is not getting Matthew’s pov until the end.

This one had perks and downsides compared to The Long Game. Mostly, Josie. I was not a fan of her in The Long Game, but I'd hope to grow to love her in this one, I did not...in fact, I think I found her even less likable- she's just annoying. Matthew on the other hand, was a great male lead. He carried this read for me. The banter was a little cringy in parts which made me take this one a bit slower, but, again, I think that was Josie as a character not the writing by the author. I am glad to have gotten a copy of this read from NetGalley, it was still a light, fluffy summer romance!

Absolutely loved this one!! The humor was fantastic. The romance was everything. I loved how Matthew just was super bold and said how he felt and didn’t let people talk crap to the Josie!!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book early!

Thank you to Elena Armas and Atria books for allowing me to read an early copy of "The Fiance Dilemma."

Going into this book I didn't realize that this was a sequel to "The Long Game" but as soon as I realized it I was happily swept back into the world of Green Oak, NC. I was happy to realize that the POV in this book is from Josie, the always seemingly happy town mayor and coffee shop owner from the first book in the duology.

We stumble upon Josie in a world where she has been identified as the daughter of Andrew Underwood and fame and attention is being thrust upon her at the loose lips of her father at a press conference. We meet Josie as she is being confronted by a PR person sent by Andrew and in a case of misunderstanding Josie is supposedly engaged once again. This man just so happens to be Matthew, Adalyn's best friend from Chicago, the catch is that Matthew and Josie have never met in person. What ensues is the bumblings of two people falling in love, mistaken intentions, and a lot of laughs.

I would definitely recommend this book. In the "Spanish Love Deception" and "The American Roommate Experiment" duology I preferred the second book and similarly I preferred the sequel in this duology as well!

**Provided by Net Galley**. Don’t generally do this but rounding up from a 3.5. You don’t have to read the first book in this series first to enjoy but would definitely recommend as there are spoilers for book one.

I think I have a favorite trope, I really like the fake lovers one. This one was told only from the lead female, Josie’s, perspective so you only get the male’s, Matthew, perspective at the end. I think this worked better this time as there was more going on with her. Matthew was a very small character in the first book so you don’t really get to know him that well. Both of them are really likable characters with really good intentions.

I wish we had heard more about Josie’s history, especially with Duncan. It feels like there was good dirt there that could have added some context to the story. I am glad they referenced Runaway Bride, it felt like too much of an opportunity not to!

Thank you Netgalley, Atria books and the author for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review!

I liked that this was a slow burn. I enjoyed reading about the friendship between the fmc/mmc. Didn’t love the fate element especially in a contemporary romance. Loved the way it ended.

Fun read. Would recommend.

I was kindly provided by the ARC by NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange of an honest review, thank you!

4⭐️

This was my first Elena Armas’s book, and I wasn’t aware the story comes after The Long Game so at first I was a little lost with Adalyn’s and Andrew’s character and obviously wasn’t aware of the family issues 😅 BUT, besides that, I really enjoyed this book!

Josie is sooooo warm and sweet and she really cares for the people she loves! Is obvious she has trust issues, and daddy issues, and that’s the reason she were not one but four times engaged and all four times she quit the engagement, even she left a couple fiancés at the altar, and this reminded me a lot of Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride 🙊🙊

Now she has to pretend she’s engaged again with her best friend’s sister!!! And all because Bobbi (her fathers PR) showed up at her door telling her she’s ruining her and his father reputation because now all the world knows his father left her while he was making millions 👀

The relationship between Josie and Michael was sooooo full of funny moments and also spicy and romantics moments that I can’t enjoyed a lot! It was a little too much slowburn for me, but only because i prefer a little more fast paced romance 😅

I wish we could have Michael’s POV because I think it would be very interesting to dive in his thoughts with all the non so fake engagement thing 🙊🙂‍↔️

I certainly going to read more books by this author because u really enjoyed her writing 🙊

I love Josie and Matthew! If you’ve read The Long Game, you’ve already met and love both of them, too, but in The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas we finally get their stories. I’m going to be honest. As much as I enjoyed Adalyn’s and Cameron’s HEA (and you’ll be happy to know we get plenty of them in The Fiancé Dilemma as well), Josie’s and Matthew’s story OWNS me. Josie is a small town mayor who runs a coffee shop and has been engaged four times. Matthew just lost his writing job and is visiting Green Oak, Josie’s town. Miscommunications and fake fiancé plans ensue.

Like most romances, this book is full of fun romance tropes, but Josie and Matthew are both fully fleshed out characters. Josie is a warm hearted, funny mess. Matthew is sincere and bold, and may be exactly what Josie needs. (Also-he wears glasses and has a dirty mouth)

I’m so glad that Elena Armas decided to write Josie’s and Matthew’s story with us. Her writing style is really engaging, and she has a special talent for delivering stories that are spicy and sweet in equal amounts. I related to Josie so much. She tries so hard (too hard!) to do everything right, but in spite of it all, hasn’t found a love that follows all the way through for her. Matthew literally wanders into her driveway exactly when she needs him-could he be the one to give her the kind of love she really needs?

Matthew is supportive of Josie, and also, the foreplay/sex scenes is this book are so steamy, while also somehow being sweet. (Like, really. I don’t think I’ve ever read foreplay scenes so HOT). I think this is Elena Arnas’s best novel yet! Thanks to her and to Atria Books for the digital advance reader copy for review.

Thank you Net Galley for proving the eARC. I don’t know if I am simple minded or if this is a sequel but this book was hard to follow. The writing was amazing and the characters were fun but the concept was just not for me. I think if you like her other stuff though you will love this release.