What a fun Rom com, the second in The Long Game series. Josie and Matthew are such fun characters. I love a good fake date/engagement story.

Josie Moore has given the opposite sex—and love—plenty of chances. Four exactly, if you count all her failed engagements, and five if you include the absentee father who kept her existence a secret until very recently. So when her father decides to announce his retirement with a splashy magazine piece about the family, Josie realizes her romantic history is a complicated PR issue.

Matthew Flanagan is in the mud, literally. Not only has he been fired from his job, but also the tires of his car are stuck in the muck after taking a wrong turn as he enters Green Oak, North Carolina. So, he grabs a duffel with his essentials and goes in search of a place to crash until he gets his life back on track. But instead, he finds his best friend’s sister, Josie, greeting him as her fiancé.

What starts as a big messy misunderstanding quickly turns into an arrangement with Matthew playing a new role as doting fiancé. A fifth engagement—and a stunt, at that—makes Josie’s stomach turn, but every dilemma requires a choice between equally undesirable alternatives, and Matthew doesn’t seem to mind becoming one more number in a colorful list of grooms-that-never-were. Despite the ring on her finger, Josie knows this is only temporary, even if the rest of the small town believes that the fifth time’s the charm.

I was somehow unaware that this was a spin-off of one of the author’s other novels. I understand that this book is being marketed as a standalone and the author said you don’t have to read her previous book to enjoy this one, but man I wish I had. The beginning of The Fiancé Dilemma really seems like it’s counting on the reader already knowing all the characters right off the bat. As a result, everything feels incredibly accelerated. I’ll admit, until about the 30% mark of the book, I was not feeling it. However, it’s possible if I had read The Long Game first, that this would’ve been completely avoided. So, it could be a me problem! All that to say, if you read this, start with The Long Game. You'll avoid spoilers for that book and start The Fiancé Dilemma off on a much better foot than I did. Then you can sit back and really enjoy!

What I liked:
Matthew. The MMC was so fun and adorable. He was in on Josie’s charade from the jump, and he never looked back. I loved his confidence and how he worked with Josie to set boundaries in her life, instead of burning herself out people pleasing. Plus, after some initial plot growing pains, the chemistry between Josie and Matthew was through the roof! I do wish we had learned more about Matthew, though. Maybe we do in The Long Game, but that doesn’t help the book he’s a literal main character in. Matthew was the perfect book boyfriend and it’s because his only purpose was to support Josie. That sounds nice, but it ends up feeling a little hollow.

The cover is *beautiful* but, after seeing all the ex-fiancés lined up, I wish we had learned more about Josie’s previous relationships and how that shaped her.

We mostly avoided the miscommunication trope (amongst others) that tend to plague romance books. That alone made me overall happy with the story!

While I loved The Long Game, and Josie's character as the mayor of the small town, I did not feel that the characters had as much development in The Fiancé Dilemma. I enjoyed the story that I read the whole story, but it did not grab me like the first book did.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Trope: Fake Dating
Spice: 🔥🔥

Synopsis: Josie’s absentee father, who kept her existence a secret until recently, has stormed into her life and turn it upside down. The media latched on to the story and started digging, especially when the media got ahold of Josie’s four failed engagements. When the PR consultant shows up on Josie’s doorstep unannounced, Josie is a literal hot mess with a green face mask, a robe covered in jam, and an old engagement ring on her finger. The PR consultant takes this misunderstanding and finds with it. Now, Josie finds herself engaged to #5, who happens to be her sister’s best friend.

Thoughts: I struggled with why Josie felt she needed to follow through with the fake engagement. She barely knew her father and did owe him anything. She could have easily told the PR consultant that she wasn’t engaged and to go away. If you take away that detail, I enjoyed the book. I love it when a fake engagement turns real. Matthew was so sweet and patient with Josie. He knows how to make a girl feel special.

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

"Perfection is subjective."

"What if I can't give you any fucking firsts, so / want to make sure I get a chance at being your last?"

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, and I'd like to thank Elena Armas, Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

Even though I hadn't read the first book, I was still able to get into the story, though I sensed I might have missed a few vague references. The romance between Josie and Matthew starts off with a slow burn that builds into a steamy connection creating a good build-up. Josie's journey of personal growth is a highlight of the book. She's a character you can't help but cheer on, especially as she learns to stand up for herself. Matthew, as the male lead, is the perfect mix of supportive and charming. The dynamic between the two is both humorous and heartwarming. The couple faces their challenges with maturity and open communication, which is refreshing and adds a touch of realism to the story. Although the premise of a fake engagement is familiar, the author manages to give it a fresh twist.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Elena Armas for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

I’ve been on a romance kick lately and this book did not disappoint. This is the first book by Elena Armas that I’ve read, but now I am searching out others. This is book #2 in The Long Game series, and there were parts that I could tell I was missing something by not reading The Long Game first, but overall this can be a standalone book.

It was a slow burn romance, but once the romance kicked in, it was steamy. Josie was a hilarious narrator and I loved the relationship dynamic between her and Matthew.

Fun summer read! Definitely recommend!

NetGalley granted me and advanced copy to this book and
O M G.
I had such a great time! I devoured this book in 24 hours. This book had me grinning, kicking my feet, blushing and at times emotional for the FMC.

I loved Josie as a one woman show. She’s kind, loves her town (so much she’s also mayor) and will bake you muffins to make you feel better.

Josie has a “reputation” as she likes to call it of being a runner. She’s skipped out on 4 engagements and is just trying to live her life. Enter rich absent daddy whose people think she is a PR nightmare and our story begins!

Mathew. My god, MATHEW. I love him. He’s an angel who is blond, wears glasses, has a dirty mouth and protects Josie with consent. Swooooooon ❤️

He (literally) storms in on our girl and in an anxious fit Josie creates an elaborate lie that they are in fact engaged. 😱
What’s a man to do except help a woman in need 👀😂
Also Mathew is our FMCs sisters best friend so there’s a little history there.

Ultimately this is a book of Josie growing, which I loved. There were times I wanted to shake her and tell her to stand up for herself but she gets there! Once she finally feels outside support (she’s suffered heavy loss) our girl really lands on her feet.

I really enjoyed the journey with these two. Sometimes in romance books I think the actual romance of the story suffers for smut. Not here. I absolutely loved this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for sharing this ARC with me for review!

As someone who has not read The Long Game (which I will absolutely read now!), I did not find picking up The Fiance Dilemma difficult to follow at all. The story was fleshed out enough for me to follow along, despite there being a whole previous novel in this world. That is difficult to do and Elena Armas does it flawlessly!

Our FMC Josie is a Runaway Bride, having been engaged 4 times but never married. Her biological father, who has recently come into her life, is a very famous man and sends a PR specialist to do some damage control. In that meeting, Josie panics, and introduces the MMC Matthew (who she has never met in person) as her Fiance as he was getting into town. I love the fake engagement trope so much. It warms my heart and Josie and Matthew are lovely individual characters who complement each other so well. The difficulties with social media and celebrity are highlighted throughout this book, and I love how Matthew navigates them with and for Josie as they grow closer. When the spice started after a delectable slow burn, it was spicy! I love a MMC who takes control and makes the FMC feel safe. His dirty talk was 10/10.

This book was a great, cozy read and I would highly recommend.

Josie just found out who her dad is – a famous soccer team owner, Andrew Underwood. When he announces his retirement, reporters show up at her door wanting to write a piece about his family. When she answers the door, they see the ring that she was wearing (from a previous relationship) and assume she is engaged. Matthew was just fired from his job and decides to head to Green Oak to figure his life out. After getting his car stuck in the mud outside Josie’s house, he finds himself being introduced as Josie’s fiancé. The reporters discover that she was previously engaged four times before always running away at the altar. Even though a messy misunderstanding turns into an arrangement with Matthew serving as her doting fiancé which he doesn’t seem to mind becoming just another failed engagement. Will Josie finally make it to the altar, or will she just run away again?

I really enjoyed the Spanish Love Deception, but Elena Armas’ books seemed to fall a little flat for me. I liked this much better than The Long Game though. The start of the book was a bit chaotic and slow start but the last half of the story got better and I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the characters together and Matthew is the epitome of the perfect man. I would recommend the book to anyone that loves a slow burn and fake dating troupe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I adored this book! Josie is such a fun female main character. She's easy to root for and so endearing. Matthew is all we could want from a male main character. He's tenacious in his support for Josie, and they both exist in the fullness of the small town community. As per Elena Armas' usual, this was a can't-put-it-down read that had me deeply invested in the main characters. I appreciated that a simple miscommunication wasn't driving the third act conflict. Instead, we saw the couple navigate external conflict with honesty and clear communication, which helped even fiction feel more realistic. Will read again and have already recommended to multiple friends!

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.