I have never laughed so hard. Elena Armas knows how to pull a reader in from the get go. The characters are so relatable in their own ways.

Elena Armas this might be your best one yet!! I am completely obsessed with Matthew and Josie. This is a fake engagement in the best way. Matthew is so sweet and funny and Josie is just the best. Of course the cameo's from Cameron and Adalyn are amazing as well!! I'm ready for the next book in The Long Game series ASAP. Perfect for lovers of Abby Jimenez, Christina Lauren, and Lynn Painter. I cannot recommend this book enough. I do recommend reading The Long Game first!

The romantic comedy vibes in this book were spot on! I love a good fake engagement trope, and this one truly delivered. There's something thrilling about watching two people who clearly like each other pretend that they don’t. Plus, the way it delves into the complexities of family relationships and their impact is beautifully done. Highly recommend!

So grateful for NetGalley and the Atria Books or the advance copy of The Fiancé Dilemma!

This was my first Elena Armas book and I wasn’t disappointed! I LOVE a good story with the fake dating/engagement trope. Josie has been engaged 4 times but never has made it to the “I do” part. Her father’s PR team arrives and sees the engagement ring on Josie’s finger things snowball quickly. Matthew, who just arrived into Green Oak, gets wrangled into being fiancé number 5.

The commencement of the fake engagement did feel rushed. I was always skeptical of Bobbi and her motives. She was so pushy and struck me as someone who would do anything to ensure her job was done, even at the expense of others. Josie’s quirkiness took some getting used to but I love how having anxiety was covered by Elena. Matthew took me by surprise. He was always on Josie’s side. I love how Josie’s and Matthew’s friendship evolved throughout the story. The story of their very first texting interaction made me swoon! The side characters were lovable and added more to the story as they were all rooting for Josie to get her HEA.

For me the pacing of the book was a little all over the place but overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it!

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second book in The Long Game Series by author of The Spanish Love Deception, Elena Armas. You don’t need to read this series in order to keep up but for those who have, this is Josie’s story.

Josie Moore is a Jill of All Trades small town Mayor who has had four failed engagements (think Julia Roberts a la Runaway Bride). Raised by a single mom, she finally finds out who her dad is and that he happens to also be the well known MLS mogul father of her best friend now half sister. Talk about drama! To dodge a PR scandal, she lands herself right in the middle of a fake engagement with her new half sister’s best friend. Will she finally make it down the aisle? Pick up The Fiancé Dilemma on July 30th to find out!

This was a fun rom com, though raunchier than my preference. The books in this series are also very long with a lot of detail around non essential situations and characters. If you like wedding planning and spicy rom coms, this one is for you!

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book covers so much from anxiety to family trauma to a beautiful golden retriever man who just really believes in true love. I ate it all up. I had some small issues at the start where I felt like she pressured him a little too much to agree to her wild plan, but it all worked out in the end. We've got: he falls first and falls harder, she has a panic attack and only asks for him to help, fake dating, small town, and that incredible "hey don't talk to her like that" moment. This book is incredibly sweet and just makes me want to be held.

This book makes you feel all warm and fuzzy! It’s a classic fake “fiancé” trope with so much more back story from the characters history. The main characters are relatable and kind making you want to keep reading until the very end! I found myself laughing out loud and falling in love with even the supporting characters in the charming small town.

The Fiance Dilemma

I really enjoyed this romance novel by Elena Armas!

The female main character, Josie, was lovable and super quirky, and I loved that she wore so many hats and was essentially a Jack of all trades. I could easily see us being friends if she were an actual person and found different parts of her to be relatable at times. And MATTHEW! (insert swoon)! Matthew was everything you want a MMC to be. He was caring, protective, and understanding, handsome! My only wish, is that I could’ve read more from his POV, so I could fully understand what he was thinking and felt more of a connection to him, rather than relying solely on what Josie saw through her eyes.

This was also my first time reading a book with the “runaway bride” concept, and after reading this one, I’d love to find others. This book surprised me in the best way, and the ending was not predictable for me at all!

Some of the things you'll find in this book are:

-sister’s bestfriend trope

-grumpy but secretively a cinnamon roll mmc

-rich daddy who’s trying to return to his daughter’s life

-small town romance

-slow burn


Thank you so much Atria Books for sending me this e-arc through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait to read more by Elena Armas in the future!

I was really excited to read this book after The Long Game, but I admit I liked the first book a bit more. This book was good- it was emotional when it needed to be and spicy when I wanted it to be, but I didn’t vibe with the characters as much as I did in the first book. Still very good, and like other reviewers have said, it wraps up very nicely in the end.

Fake engagement turned true love ❤️

Josie has had 4 broken engagements and her romance history becomes the center of a podcast show. Always the bride, but never a wife. To clear her reputation she decides on a whim to pretend to be engaged for a 5th time. Only the lucky man is completely unaware. This book was filled with so many funny moments and the tension was definitely strong.

While this book is based in the same universe as The Long Game, it can be read as a stand alone which I read it as.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The Fiancé Dilemma will be published July 30th.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of “The Fiancé Dilemma” by Elena Armas

I’m still debating on eating this 3.5-4 stars

The beginning was not ideal. It was very “I’m so quirky” millennial which irked me. Also the whole fake engagement plan seemed to happen quick into the book.

As the book continues it gets more interesting and Josie gets less quirky. Either that or I just got used to it but anyways I’m feeling better about her. She can just be a lot at times.

This book has more spice than I thought it would so that was a plus for sure
And man those scenes were making me sweat!

Matthew was your perfect blonde golden retriever man with a filthy mouth that I absolutely adored! Oh and he also wears glasses which is even better.

I loved the ending of this book it was all wrapped up perfectly in a little bow!

Overall I did enjoy reading this and I MAYBE she’s a tear or two!

I recommended for a great summer beach read

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of “The Fiancé Dilema” by Elena Armas. All opinions are my own.

I loved the premise of this book and could see the inspiration from the film “Runaway Bride.” Looooved Matthew and how his and Josie’s relationship grew over time.

I do felt like the beginning was rushed and the fake fiancé scheme began really suddenly. But I loved the ending of this book and how everything was resolved.

Looking forward to the authors next book! Overall I like these two books more than her first two and hope there is another in this small town!!

I really wanted to like this book, but found myself really struggling, especially in the beginning. I felt the dialogue was cute and witty and definitely picked up after the first 1/4 of the book. I have enjoyed all of Armas' books and would recommend this as a cute summer read.

The Long Game by Elena Armas was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was very excited to get The Fiancé Dilemma that continues on with Matthew and Josie.
Matthew is a such a great MC, and I wish there was more from his point of view. However Josie's character was a bit too much at times. It all comes together in the end and it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to my adult friends.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas.

I absolutely loved THE LONG GAME, and this picks up after it ends. So many great characters in that book perfectly flourish in this book.

It’s great for readers who liked that book, plus love stories about:
- Friendship and community
- Finding your people
- Fake engagements and the good they can lead to
- Clarity in relationships past
- Social media and gossip media

Another winner by Armas!

Fake relationship is one of my favorite tropes, and I've enjoyed past titles by Armas, so I was really looking forward to this one. It was rewarding to have more complete character arcs for some of the people we met in The Long Game, the first book in this series, and that payoff was nice. Unfortunately, overall, it fell a little flat for me, and was difficult to understand Matthew, the love interest's, actions and motivations, especially since we don't get his POV like we have in some of Armas's other books.

I think this is my favorite Elena Armas book yet. Matthew and Josie were perfect, and the story delivered the HEA without compromising.

The Fiance Dilemma takes the fake dating trope to a whole new level of insta-love that just didn't appeal to my slow-burn loving heart. The MMC was so sweet and well-adjusted! I mean, come on... where's the angst and borderline toxic personality we love to change?
In all seriousness, what a great novel. Both main characters were loveable, and even though the FMC was the one with commitment/trust issues and not a morally grey male, I was able to persevere through the novel with Grandpa acting as the toothless jester. 4 stars!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgallerybfor the advanced copy of this work in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @NetGalley and @Atriabooks for letting me read this ARC!!

We return to Green Oak in this hilariously heartwarming love story between Josie and Matthew. Josie has been engagements four times, but has never taken that final step in tying the knot. When her father’s PR agent shows up in town and sees a ring on Josie’s finger, she thinks it’s the solution to all the PR nightmares. Enter Matthew Flanagan as Josie’s fake fiancé. While acting they like they are in love, something else is brewing within them and might just boil over.

This book is amazing!! The tropics that Armas decided to shed light on are so real and really makes you feel less lonely. I was giggling and literally hugging my kindle the whole time. If you like men in glasses with a dirty mouth, I promise Matthew will not disappoint.

You don’t need to read Elena’s other books to read this one, but I highly recommend reading The Long Game. They are interconnected standalone and I promise you’ll love Cameron and Adalyn so much.

Favorite Quotes (to be verified with final print):
“This wasn’t a shit situation. It was a truckload of cow dung clogging all five of your sense kind of situation.”

“No rules are being broke, now give me what I need. Let go. Give your fiancé a little scream. Tell me who’s making the world disappear.”

“‘New rule,’ he said, words stopping me ‘I kiss you.’”

Tropes:
engagement of convenience
Sisters best friend
Small town

Official Review on Goodreads and Instagram will be posted 1 week before the publishing date.

I have never been a huge fan of the fake dating (or engagement) trope...but I think Elena Armas might have finally won me over with The Fiance Dilemma!!! I loved Josie and Matthew together <3 There were so many laugh-out-loud moments for me in this one. Adalyn & Cameron made a few appearances too, and Grandpa Moe was just the best! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun, chemistry-filled romance from the very start! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️