I enjoyed the romance central to this book, and devoured it in a day. So in all, I liked it. It was funny, sweet, charming. Small-town, which I love.

However, the context and lead-in to the central premise was awkward (first chapter seemed out of place - needed at all? - but also the whole dad relationship was undeveloped, even after the end of the book. And it felt very awkward that this guy happened to be standing there at just the right moment, who doesn't live there, but happens to be best friends with her sister). It needed more run-up, more scene setting, and more charismatic scene-setting.

I also have no idea what the main character looks like, which bothers me in a romantic book. I wondered if this was intentional, but even if it was, it left the reader feeling unconnected.

I didn’t read the first book , but this can be read in as a stand alone. I would say that if someone read the first one it would be more fun and probably make easier/ more connections between the two!

I LOVE the he falls first trope and that’s all in this book. Loved that about the MMC and it made me want to root for him/ support him throughout this story.

This is definitely making me want to read the Spanish love deception/ this author's work even more than I already did (yes it was on my TBR!)

Matthew is such a sweet guy and definitely a green flag on my list.

This story in itself is a bit unrealistic with the fake dating drama BUT I ate it up. I loved how the drama and romance fit together in this contemporary setting. I’m someone who enjoys stepping away out of my own life and reliving another and this brought me into that moment.

I can also greatly appreciate the no third act breakup. Breakups for drama can work, usually it does nothing but add length to a novel, and I can truly appreciate when a work doesn’t include a third act breakup because the other plots in the book can support itself and make it interesting.


Overall a nice story and read. I would recommend this to others and it’s made me want to read more by this author.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Release Date: July 30th

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am a sucker for a he-falls-first, fake dating trope story where the FMC is dealing with family trauma and the MMC is waiting for her to realize their relationship is not so fake. Needless to say, this book was a hit for me. 💕

Matthew Flanagan is a HOT leading character - from his glasses to his confidence to the way that he aims to make life easier for Josie. Elena Arias is great at writing a man who yearns and I am here for it. 🥵

I loved Josie’s character in The Long Game, so I was really excited to get to explore her (and her mysterious four ended engagements) in more depth. Her character was complex and flawed in a way that felt very real to me, and I loved how she learned to stand up for herself throughout the course of the book. 😊

Bobbi’s character was over-the-top and frustrating in a way that nicely balanced out the down-to-earth cast of characters, from the Vasquez family to Moe to Pedro Pigscal. I was hoping to get more Adalyn and Cam in this book, but I liked the scenes that they were present for. Andrew Underwood continued to be the worst dad around, but in a way that felt in line with his character from TLG. ❤️

The slow burn in this had me yearning as badly as Matthew. From the many near kisses to the bathtub and deli scenes to the more full-out sex scenes, the slow burn was exquisite. 🔥

I loved Spanish Love Deception and The Long Game so this book was a no-brainer. All her books are cute, cozy reads that don’t disappoint. The only reason it isn’t a five star book is because it felt very similar to a lot of other romance books I’ve read.

The fiancé dilemma
Elena Armas
Release date - July 30th, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

“There’s a ring on your finger. I don’t care about the specifics, for all practical purposes, it means we’re a team. We handle shit together. I don’t care if you can do it on your own. You shouldn’t have to.”

“Because with you, I’m unbreakable.”

Matthew is such a sweet guy. The things he says to Josie are adorable. My face constantly looked like this emoji 🥺. This is the first book I’ve read of this trope and I loved it. This book gives you the relationship and the family connections. I enjoyed my time while reading this book.

I was so excited to read this book as I loved both of these characters in The Long Game! However, one thing I noticed in both The Long Game and this novel is that I'm not a fan of the way the novel starts. Both started with such chaos and after something big had happened. The event was told to us, rather than letting us experience it with the character and I feel like that would've been a better way to start the novel and meet the characters again.

I will say that compared to the Long Game, I enjoyed Josie and Matthew's story a lot more! I liked their slow burn and cute moments and felt like their personalities work well together and they had amazing chemistry. I did feel like some parts got a little boring and overdrawn, yet at the same time, the last 30 pages felt so rushed and chaotic.

I like how Josie acknowledges that she has some issues she needs to work out; however, I wish we got to see more of Matthew's background throughout the novel rather than in the last few chapters. I loved learning more about the town and seeing Adalyn and Cameron throughout.

Overall I did enjoy the novel and I wanted to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

Matthew is a dream. That’s my entire review- A DREAM. Just kidding, but really, he’s a dream.

I loved this book so much. Josie’s internal dialogue had me hooked from the first page. Her thoughts are frazzled, silly, and yet so relatable. The romance was what did it for me though. Matthew is so in love with her and it’s just so beautiful to read. He would do anything for her and I love that in an MMC. I highly recommend you read this romantic book.

I was excited to get an ARC for this, as I've heard a lot about this author, but ultimately I didn't really love this one.

I couldn't really get behind how the whole story started. Fake dating is a hard trope to write in a contemporary setting, but this felt extra unrealistic and contrived. I could not understand just why Josie was doing all this to appease a father who was an absolutely sorry excuse of a father in the first place. I also couldn't really relate to her character because of this. Matthew was a decent romantic interest for her, though. He seemed like a good person and kind of normal but I just didn't understand why he played along with her antics.

Overall, this just wasn't really for me. Those who love this author's other works and don't mind a bit of far fetched plot and insta-love relationship might enjoy this though.

Absolutely my favorite of Armas books to date. I hadn’t read the Long Game but after breezing through The Fiancé Dilemma almost too quickly I went back to check it out. She writes such complex but lovable main characters; both Matthew and Josie had their flaws but were totally lovable. Elena Armas has quickly stolen my heart as my fave romance author!

The Fiancé Dilemma
By Elena Armas
3.5⭐️

runaway bride x4 💍
fake dating
small town 🐔
no third act breakup

I was a little unsure about this book when I picked it because while I really liked The Spanish Love Deception, I did not like The Long Game and I dnf-ed The American Roommate Experiment. I had no idea that this book would pick up after Adalyn and Cam’s ending but I was happily surprised to really like Josie and Matthew. Josie was a very fun & quirky character but at times she was a bit too much. She is very millennial coded especially in the first few chapters. Honestly I think Matthew kind of saved this book for me. First of all, he has the same name as my husband so that’s a plus but more importantly he is a Bridgerton fan and had some of the most memorable moments! I think they made the cutest couple and I was dying for them together because the slow burn was so painfully slow. I love fake dating and a good marriage of convenience so this should have been an easy 5⭐️ for me but it didn’t have the magic I needed.

Bobbi Shark is the most gen z person to ever exist, I love/hated her. One of the things that frustrated me was the lack of communication. I think Matthew’s interest in Josie was so clear but they both could have benefited so much from actually asking each other questions and talking honestly. Overall much better! I really enjoyed reading this so I consider it a major step up from The Long Game.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

*scheduled post on IG for 6/27/24*

So excited to have gotten this ARC! I have read all of Elena Armas books, and I loved this one just as much as the others! The romance and humor were great, was not annoyed by their communication at all which I feel is rare for a fake-dating trope. Overall I gave this 4 stars! Very enjoyable but a little slow in some places.

I was excited to get an ARC for this and really wanted to like it but it was a huge miss for me.

I couldn’t get behind the driving factor for the fake engagement at the center of the plot. It felt unrealistic (and that is saying a lot for a fake engagement trope) and I couldn’t see why the FMC, Josie, would do all this to appease her negligent father. A father who always knew about her, abandoned her, and then even after being confronted with her existence never bothered to meet her in person. The only reason he is involved now is because he is getting bad press for being a deadbeat and wants to fake a good father/daughter relationship. So why on earth is Josie doing all this lying and jumping through all these PR hoops to help him? It made me unable to relate to her at all.

Speaking of Josie, she was meant to be quirky and cute but it just came off as unhinged and weird. And Matthew, the MMC, was just plain boring and it was never really explained why he was going along with all this to begin with. They had zero chemistry as a couple and the entire relationship felt contrived.

Anyways, this was not for me but if you like this author and don’t mind an insta-love ish storyline then you may enjoy it. I will say that, although it is marketed as a standalone, it does seem like a lot of the plot is driven based on the previous book so I do think you need to read that first. I didn’t read the first one and felt like I was constantly missing information.

I do so enjoy Elena Armas’ funny, slow burn romances! Following an MC we were introduced to in the Long Game, this is the story of quirky altar-leaver Josie and her fake-fiancé-to-avoid-a-PR-fiasco Matthew as they make the journey from fake to real.

I do really enjoy her writing style and I LOVE a slow romance, but something about this just didn’t quite work for me. I think it might’ve been Josie’s quirkiness. It just wasn’t my sense of humour, and I quickly got sick of her antics. She did somewhat redeem herself by the end and I did leave the story feeling satisfied. I liked the small town setting, the good nature of the main characters, and the slow buildup, and although this wasn’t my favorite Armas book, I’ll certainly be returning to her future work.

I was so excited to get this ARC from Netgalley. I have been a huge fan of Elena Armas. This book was really good, not quite my favorite, as The American Roommate Experiment has that spot. I really loved Matthew and what a strong leading man he was, soft and kind but also ready to throw down if needed. The reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that I would've like the ending tied up in bows a little more. I won't say more as not to spoil the ending. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows Josie; she is caught in a whirlwind of a PR nightmare. She is under scrutiny as her father announced his retirement with a magazine spread. Josie’s love life is dug up and is forced to do damage control. Josie has had four failed engagements. She always leaves her partners at the altar. When a PR specialist, hired by her absentee father, is at Josie’s front door she does damage control by announcing she has a fiancée. Who is the first person she sees on the sidewalk, …lo and behold Mathew Flanagan, her sister’s best friend. Josie then acts as if Mathew is her fiancée and that’s where it all begins.

Mathew, Mathew, Mathew……oh the man you are. This man had me hooked from his first interaction with Josie. Typically blond men don't do it for me but my word, this man was it. From his banter to his protectiveness of Josie, I had not felt that intrigued by a male character in a long time. The spice was top notch. Not many books make me take a lap around my room before continuing. The tension between these two was unmatched.

I knew this book had me in a chokehold when there was a Twilight reference. The pacing of this book was PERFECTION. A five star read!

“And I loved him, I loved Matthew in a way that made me wonder if I’d ever known how love felt before him. It was so scary, it made me feel so vulnerable, so frail, and perhaps . . . perhaps that was how this was supposed to feel. Perhaps that was fine. Perhaps, I love yous were meant to feel this big. To make you feel this naked. This exposed. So big you were terrified to hurt. So safe no one could touch you. Perhaps to love was to leave a mark. And perhaps I no longer wanted to run from that.”


ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

this is something very serious I'm about to write, but I believe matthewjosie have become my new favorite couple of Elena above the other babies who I still love very much.

Like I stayed up until 4am because I needed to finish the book and I don't do that anymore because it messes with my sleep and anxiety. Is that serious.

I just connected so much with Josie, how she's so selfless and full of love for her people, her community, how everybody loves her so much. And also how she wanted to have someone who loved her so much and chose her above fears and troubles. It wasn't always obvious this but it was there. And most of all someone who wouldn't make her compromise herself and her dreams.

And Matthew is that perfect someone. Omg did he exceeded all my expectations. He was already an amazing best friend to Ada but here he just knock it out of the park!!! What a perfect loving brave man, ready to help and defend Josie from anyone and everyone. And he kept surprising me until the end of the book. Like I couldn't love him more and then he said something even more perfect.

All I ask is pleaseeeee Elena give us an epilogue of both couples because after the ending is very much needed.

I also wouldn't hate for certain character that was mentioned to have their own book on a new series. When you read you will know.


“Josie laughed. And the sound felt like a bell, signaling the start of something. It was the start of a life, with her. And I had every intention of doing all those smiles justice. Every morning, evening, and night. Every dawn, every sunset, every time she frowned or laughed. Every time she saw me standing before her. For the rest of my fucking life.”

The Fiance Dilemma by Elena Armas 💒
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐

This was a really fun and cute love story. Some moments were a bit cringey for me, but I could see some people absolutely adoring this.

Overall, I feel like the characters and plot were pretty solid and although it took me a while to read, it was still a decent romance book.

I liked this one better than The Spanish Love Deception and would recommend reading it if you are into the fake dating trope.

This book was slower and more self-reflective than her previous work. The relationship development in the first 3/4 of the book left a lot to be desired, the spicy scenes were ok. Overall it was not my favorite book of hers, but it came together well in the last 15% or so of the book. I love her as an air and can’t wait for what’s next!

"i might break your heart, matthew."
"you can try. won't work though. because with you, i'm unbreakable."

elena armas, you have done it again. every single book of hers just makes me feel so cozy. there is a certain humor in these books that just comes so naturally, and makes me physically laugh out loud.

first of all. matthew. i love this man. this is a classic instance of He Fell First AND he fell so hard that i'm surprised he didn't leave an indent in the ground. man was gone from the get-go. super silly, super overprotective but in really cute way, and just so loyal i have no doubt that the only thought going through his head at all times is just "josie josie josie."

and josie... my love. she is so sweet, so caring, and so, so anxious. i loved getting to see her really find herself in this book, not because of matthew, but with matthew. her relationship with grandpa moe was so cute and i NEED to go to her adorable little small town coffee shop.

the only thing (and i couldn't even say it was bad) was that you most DEFINITELY need to read the long game before this. i did not (and thats my bad so it def doesn't affect my review in anyway), so i spent a good chunk of the book wondering what in gods name was going on. lots of references i just couldnt understand. which is totally understandable because this is book two so, like, duh. but usually romance books can be completely stand alone and i went into this thinking id be all good. however! now i just really really want to read the long game and im SUPPPPERRR excited to read it!!

4/5 stars. someone get me into a small town immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas.

Wow, oh wow!! I only learned of Elena Armas when I was gifted her Spanish Love Deception duology for Mother’s Day last year. When I received this one, I went ahead and read The Long Game. Elena Armas just keeps hitting them out of the park, each one better than the last. I thought Adalyn and Cam were one of my fav book couples, but Matthew and Josie just took the lead. And how can you not love them, Matthew who seemingly has it all together while Josie is trying to hold it together. So many tender, yet spicy moments and still a bit of funny to it. And let me just say, the wine tasting scene, please someone sign me up!!! If you enjoy rom-com style books with some spice, this a good pick for sure. And if you enjoyed anything Elena Armas has done, you will LOVE this one.