I was so excited when I was approved to read this ARC. Josie was a favorite character of mine in The Long Game. This book is the perfect sequel in the series, might I say even better than the first. The spark between Matthew and Josie was there from the first meeting. Josie’s a simple small town girl whose life is the town. She’s putting everyone first and in walks Matthew who chooses to put her first. He is the perfect MMC. So glad to be able to read the journey of their love story, lots of wild rides and internal battles.
Elena Armas does it again with an amazing story!

Thank you to Elena Armas, Atria Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Fiance Dilemma in exchange for my honest review.

When I picked up this book, let me tell you I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. The Fiance Dilemma follows Josie, who recently discovered who her father is. Now, the media has discovered who Josie is and her history of running away from marriage. When an individual who works for her father has a PR specialist sees Josie wearing an engagement ring, Josie finds herself in an unexpected situation. This PR individual falsely assumes that Josie is engaged, and decides that having her successfully get married is the best way to fix this PR crisis. In comes Matthew, who just happens to show up when Josie needs him the most. As the two attempt to navigate a PR crisis and an upcoming wedding, lines begin to blur between fiction and reality.

After I finish a book, I always find myself reflecting on what I just read. One aspect of this book that stood out to me the most was the character development. While we only follow Josie's POV, readers can see Matthew's growth through Josie's eyes. Together, the two of them go on a journey of growth and learning. From the readers perspective, it is clear that Matthew understands Josie on a deeper level. He is able to read her emotions and help her get through periods where she is feeling anxious or having a panic attack. I truly appreciated how Armas depicted anxiety in this book, and how Matthew became a supporter for Josie with dealing with moments of panic, and not some cure to it. The relationship felt real, one that anyone might experience.

For anyone wondering, I have already preordered this book and I highly suggest that all readers do so as well. I predict that this book is going to become a staple of the romance genre once it is released.

I love this book! I truly think this was Elena de Armas’ best. There was tension, there was spice, and there were cute “heart-eye emoji” moments! The book was well paced, and I loved how she brought in the characters from The Long Game. Hopefully there is a third book!!

I want to start this review by first saying, I loved The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roomate Experiment, so when I got selected to receive an eArc copy of this book I about died! I was so freaking excited. Now that I've said that, here are my issues with this book...

(1) Maybe I wasn't in the headspace for this genre of book, but it took me almost two weeks to read it and normally I devour books like this in 2-3 days. I read two other books while trying to finish this one. I wanted to give it everything because I loved previous works of Elena Armas but there were just things about this book that I couldn't connect to which leads me to...
(2) the FMC was literally soooooo CHAOTIC. I am all for a spunky main lead. Messy characters can be more relatable, but this one I just couldn't with her. I didn't understand how this person could be the mayor of a town and maybe I needed to read The Long Game before this one to understand her better but I didn't love her or even really like her, therefore, I didn't love or enjoy this book.
(3) Her having daddy issues, leading to four broken engagements made perfect sense because she didn't have a dad in her life. But I absolutely HATED/LOATHED how she felt beholden to her father and to better his image when he literally had 👏ABSOLUTELY👏FREAKING👏NOTHING👏 to do with her for the first 30 years of her life until she was discovered by her half sister and the media found out and it was going to ruin him. I wanted her to have a backbones and stand up for herself, maybe that would have made me like her more, but then I guess the fake engagement trope wouldn't have needed to happen. I dunno, it just didn't feel organic to me.

Things that were great...
(1) Grandpa Moe Poe was the cutest nugget and I just loved him.
(2) Of course the writing itself was really well done.
(3) The MMC was great at standing up for the FMC.

With all of this being said, you can take my review with a grain of salt. If you loved Elena Armas other books, give this one a try and see what you think. Maybe this one just wasn't it for me. I'll still read any other books she comes out with.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Elena Armas for the free eArc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Josie is a go-getter, a hard worker, a friend to everyone, and most of all, she is absolutely not a problem for anyone. So when there’s a knock on the front door and she finds herself standing (covered in strawberry jam) in front of her famous father’s PR agent being told that she isn’t good for his brand due to her past failed engagements, she does what anyone who is terrified of being an inconvenience would do, and pretends to be getting married again (but this time, like, better). And who better to fill the role of the doting fiancé than the first man she happens to see after claiming she’s engaged, Matthew Flanagan? But as Josie and Matthew spend more time together, the lines start to blur. Will Josie end up with a fifth failed engagement or will she finally find the courage to walk down the aisle when Matthew is the one waiting for her at the end?

Ugh, this book is so good (no surprise since Elena Armas is amazing). Literally the second I started reading, I was hooked. The dedication is even beautifully written and touching.

This book merges so smoothly from pretend love to real connection that it’s completely seamless. Matthew is so comfortable and caring from the start, that it would be reasonable to assume he has been in love with Josie from early on (and we love a pining MMC). The spicy moments are so good, and I found myself blushing and audibly saying “MATTHEW!” multiple times while reading.

I felt a little uncomfortable initially with how Josie seemed to kind of force Matthew into this scenario, but that was addressed and taken care of fairly quickly so it didn’t bother me for long.

Overall, a fantastic read with two very likable MCs. I loved the storyline. I love the little details (like Maria telling Matthew that none of Josie’s past fiances had done anything to stop her from leaving and then Matthew doing exactly that a few chapters later). I loved Andrew’s redemption arc. I love Matthew’s protectiveness and Josie’s strength and vulnerability. Definitely a must-read!

I think Elena Armas just might not be for me. I find her writing chaotic at times and dreadfully slow at others. If this is your style, you’ll love this one. Matthew and Josie were both great characters, but I struggled to get past the writing. It was just okay for me.

Josie Moore has given love plenty of chances. Four exactly, if you count all her failed engagements. Nonetheless, when her influential father decides to announce his retirement with a splashy magazine piece and Josie learns that her romantic history isn’t great PR for the family, she jumps at the chance to offer a solution. Matthew Flanagan is in the mud. Not only has he been fired from his job, but after taking a wrong turn on his way to Green Oak, North Carolina, his car is stuck. So, he goes in search of a place to crash until he gets his life back on track. But instead, he stumbles upon his best friend’s sister, Josie, greeting him as her fiancé. What starts as a big misunderstanding quickly turns into a fake engagement, with Matthew playing the role of the doting fiancé as he and Josie are swept into a PR whirlwind. They have rules in place, and one of them is that no matter what, there will be no exchange of “I dos.” But that’s easier said than done, as lines soon start to blur, and the rest of the small town comes to believe the fifth fiancé is truly The One.

Thank you so much @netgalley, @thebibliotheque, and @atriabooks for the ARC! I was ecstatic when I got approved for this ARC because I love Elena Armas so much and I was so excited for this book to come out! Elena Armas is back with an other laugh out loud romcom filled with drama, heart, and some steam! I really liked the writing style of this book. The snippets of the podcast really added to the drama and chaos Josie found herself in! I also really loved all of the other hilarious references to things like Star Wars and Twilight. Josie and Matthew were super sweet together and I loved how they brought out the best in each other. I also really liked how Matthew was able to help Josie work through some of her commitment issues without letter her push him away. Their banter back and forth was so good and I love a fake relationship story! The ending was super heartwarming and this was all around an other great Armas romcom full of heart and humor. The Fiancé Dilemma comes out in July!

Honestly the beginning was HARDDD to get through. One, because I couldnt wrap my head around why on earth Josie would be so eager to help her “dad” without much questioning. And two, she was just soooooo quirky and weird and (sorry, kind of annoying) in the beginning. THAT BEING SAID, after about 30% it picked up. I got to see the development of her and Matthew’s characters and grow to appreciate her demeanor. Cute ending of course, I love Matthew - so much. And grandpa Moe has got to be one of the best supporting characters of all time. All in all, would give it a solid 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :)

Elena Armas continually writes great summer reads!
Josie is mayor of a small town in North Carolina. She's had plenty of brushes with love (meaning she's had 4 failed engagements). Now stuck in the middle of a PR battle, Josie jumps to provide a solution that may just involve.....
Matthew, Josie's sister's best friend. Matthew rolls into town a little stuck...great new for him!! After a few wrong turns, he just got roped into quite the misunderstanding that quickly turns into a fake engagement combatting the wild PR battle.

This book is perfect for your summer read by the pool. If you love: PR issues, celebrity gossip, small town romance, books that read like your favorite Hallmark movie, and a plot line you can easily follow, this is for you! This fake engagement was so sweet. Matthew is such an absolute heart throb. Every scene with him in was my favorite. He was funny, the right amount of protective, and a great encourage. Love Adalyn and Cam's appearances and the continued building of Josie and Adalyn's sister dynamic. Armas did a good job of including A&C without switching the focus onto them or making them a distraction from the main plot line. Josie quirky and her nervous responses are ones that I feel a lot of readers may relate to.

My other thoughts:
I think this book could've been shorter.
I would have liked more from Matthew in the first half of the book. I wanted him to become more dynamic sooner.
There's one scene where Josie & Matthew are about to have one conversation about her previous engagements but we didn't get to see. It felt a little odd to me and stuck with me through the end of the book. I wanted to know what she had to tell/how that impacted the relationship.
As a native of NC, I was confused about the setting of Green Oak. How close to Charlotte was it? Is it in the mountains? It was a little hard to visualize and place and instead of creating the connection I was excited about, it felt a little flat.
Josie's dialogue brain dumps could've been a little less....loud. I think it created some miscommunication and eventually annoyed me some.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Fiancee Dilemma! Overall I thought this book was enjoyable. I loved The Spanish Love Deception and the American Roommate Agreement by Elena Armas, but I HATED the Long Game so i was a little hesitant going into this read, but I am glad i read it. I think this book is a solid 3.5/4. If you love a good fake dating or best friends sister trope, consider picking up The Fiancée Dilemma.

Plot
Josie, Green Oaks mayor, coffee shop owner and a perpetual runaway bride, finds herself in a major PR scandal. This turmoil begins after her estranged father announces his retirement and emphasizes the importance of family. This announcement sparks speculation, bringing Josie's four failed marriage attempts into the spotlight. In an attempt to squash the rumors, Josie does what any sane person would do: she invents a fake fiancé. Enter Matthew. Matthew is the best friend of Josie's sister, who lands in Green Oak following a change in his employment status. Agreeing to play Josie's pretend fiancé, Matthew proves to be nothing short of an angel, aiming to help Josie navigate through her predicament.

Characters
Matthew is AMAZING. He's the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, and the cherry on top? He wears glasses. Overall, he's the ideal book boyfriend, providing the stability that Josie so desperately needs.

Josie, on the other hand, is a hot mess. Her tendency to overshare and create chaos is overwhelming. As the epitome of an anxious talker, she often made me cringe. Josie's reliance on Matthew is evident, but it's also clear she could benefit greatly from therapy.

Grampa Moe is a character everyone needs in their life. Where do i find myself a Moe? He adds a light-hearted touch and perfectly embodies the lovable grumpy old man. We definitely need more Moe.

Cam and Adalyn have minimal roles in this story, which I found to be a relief, considering my strong hatred for both characters.

I hope y'all enjoyed my thoughts on the book, and I can't wait to hear what you all think! Let me know as well if i should give The Long Game a second chance.

These type of romances are my favorite. Small town girl meets big city boy. In order to smash some bad PR, Josephine and Matthew decided to be fake fiancés. Little did they know that they’d be fighting MAJOR attraction to each other and fall in love. 🥰

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!*

This book felt very different from most of Elena’s books for me. I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Josie after first getting to meet her in The Long Game. She’s the best kind of chaotic freight train and I was so excited for the potential she and Matthew had for a happily ever after. I enjoyed the whirlwind this story took us on and the amazing cast we get to meet along the way.

On the other hand, it was really really tough to read a book where the protagonist is treated so poorly by so many people. I get the juxtaposition between city-slicker PR rep and small town girl next door but it felt extreme and at points cruel. I also thought there wasn’t enough explanation early on as to why Andrew was given as much concern as he was. He went from emotionally abusing one daughter while hiding another for almost 30 years to Josie just had this unyielding desire to care for his feelings. If we do have to run with that, I don’t think it felt authentic that Adalyn would’ve stayed away so long (reasons be damned). I think we could have benefited from Matthew’s POV or more interference from Adalyn to try and show that people saw and cared that Josie was being mistreated.

The last 25% of the book gave me a lot of the things I needed and the instant connection between Matthew and Josie was as exciting as expected and overall I still very much enjoyed this book.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas is about a small-town mayor named Josie who in order to save a PR scandal her father is going through, must fake an engagement with her sister’s best friend, Matthew.

I am a huge fan of Elena Armas and this book was no different. While the FMC got a little quirky sometimes for my liking, and I think all the children in this universe’s dialogue is a little unrealistic, I still REALLY enjoyed and loved this book.

I really liked watching Josie and Matthew’s story unfold. It seemed like such a breath of fresh air to have such an emotionally intelligent MMC, who you could truly tell just wanted the best for his FMC. The small town dynamics of Green Oak were also incredibly, and I loved the little gossip and nosy neighbors!

This one was a SLOOOOW burn and I was felt like I was being suffocated waited for these two to kiss!!!

All in all, to no surprise to me - Elena Armas wrote another INCREDIBLE book!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

If they nicknamed you The Bolter, this one is for you.

Guys... Elena Armas did not come to play with this one. The way she writes slow burn and fake dating is just SO. GOOD. Lovers of The Spanish Love Deception can turn to her newest book and know they are in for a treat.

The Fiancé Dilemma follows Josie, a small town business owner who has tried and tried again at love, resulting in four failed engagements. When her famous, absentee father announces his retirement, her romantic history is suddenly in headlines. Enter Matthew: Josie's sister's best friend. He was recently fired from his job and travels to Josie's small town and into her PR crisis, one where he is suddenly the solution, as her fiancé. Josie and Matthew find themselves in a fake engagement that has the town rooting for love and the media rooting for a fifth ex-fiancé.

I devoured this book in a little over 24 hours and it was the perfect read to get me out of a slump. I seriously could not put it down and enjoyed it so much!! It was fast paced, funny, and steamy 🔥 I LOVED Josie and Matthew's characters and really enjoyed reading about both of their backstories. They felt real and their story was so sweet 🥹 I loved this about as much as I loved The Spanish Love Deception... and that's saying a lot!

This is a must for your summer reading list ❤️

⭐️4.5/5
🌶️2/5

I loved this follow up to The Long Game. Matthew and Josie are such a fun couple to read.

Josie was a very imperfect character and Matthew complimented her quirks.

Good summer, beach read rom-com. I haven’t read an Elena Armas I haven’t liked yet.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 small town rom-com!

Josie and Matthew’s story is one I’d been waiting for since finishing The Long Game, and their book did not disappoint! As expected, Matthew was the golden retriever MMC I needed in my life. My one criticism of this book lies with sweet, charming Josie. In The Long Game, I truly loved Josie’s character and pictured her as a Rory Gilmore kind of girl. She loved her small town and was at the heart of all the wonderful things that happened in Green Oak. However in The Fiancé Dilemma, I felt like too much time was spent harping on her flaws and insecurities. Don’t get me wrong, I love an imperfect FMC who has her baggage, but it was too much for this story. I would’ve liked to have more character development from Matthew, but too many pages were spent on Josie’s daddy issues to truly discover his character. I also would’ve loved more shenanigans from the quirky supporting cast!

Overall, I would recommend this book if you liked The Long Game. It’s adorable and you’ll get the happy ending you’ve always wanted for Josie and Adalyn. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Short and sweet, The Fiancé Dilemma is a great addition to your summer tbr!

The Fiance Dilemma is a lighthearted rom-com with a little sprinkling of deeper issues. Josie is excitable and animated, it’s impossible not to experience in her energy.

Matthew is an absolute sweetheart and a gem for going along with Josie’s fake finance plot.

The attraction between Josie and Matthew is clear from the start, and with every day as fake fiancés, their attraction and chemistry continue to build, leaving us swooning.

Delightful and witty, I absolutely devoured The Fiancé Dilemma in one sitting, unable to put it down.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of Elena Armas's The Fiance Dilemma! As a fan of Armas's previous works and the world of Green Oaks from "The Long Game," I was excited to read this latest installment.

Armas tells the story of Matthew and Josie, two characters whose journey is a slow-burning delight. There were a lot of jumps from important events to days later. I think there could have been a benefit to spending more time on those in-between periods. While I really enjoyed this book, I think that it would have benefitted from delving a little more into the relationship of Josie and Andrew since it was a pivotal part of the plot.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book to readers in general, and defintely to Armas fans!

Josie is the mayor, barista and a slew of other jobs in her small town. When she is in a tough spot, she convinces Matthew to pretend to be her fiancé.
I love fake dating trope, but this book just was not it for me. Josie was so quirky and made so many idiotic decisions that I could not empathize with her. Matthew was so profoundly bland - I cannot think of a single trait to describe him other than tall.
I love Elena and her writing is wonderful but this book was too formulaic. It lacked real connection, growth and fun

4.5/5

Elena Armas has done it again! After reading The Long Game, I was excited to explore Josie and Matthew’s story, and boy I was not disappointed! The Fiancé Dilemma was cute, funny, heartwarming, and highly entertaining. It left me wanting more from all of the characters and the town of Green Oak. The only thing I did miss was the dual POV that I am used to from her last two books. There was a nice snippet from Matthews POV at the very end which I’m glad was included. I can’t wait to see what Elena Armas has in store for us next!

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