4.5 stars! I have read all of this author’s books and this one is my favorite by Armas to date. It felt like everything was more flushed out, the characters had more depth, and the story was more meaningful. I also just really liked both main characters, so that helped. The writing style in this was so quick, witty, and fun!(I read this in less than 24 hours) I think this book stands out from her others because of the character’s relationship and seemingly genuine chemistry. Not once during this book did I dislike the MMC and I feel like that says a lot. While I enjoyed The Long Game (first book in this duet) I think this one was better! Josie & Matthew forever! I would definitely recommend giving this book a shot, even if the author’s previous books aren’t your favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher Atria Books, and Elena Armas for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Engagement of convenience, secret child, family drama, fake dating, anxiety filled and people pleaser fmc, single pov, he falls first

This is my first time reading one of Elena’s books, I’ve done the audiobook for another title, and it was everything I loved from her first book. The banter, the female character who isn’t afraid to show her vulnerable side, and a male character who loves her for it. I also totally cried reading those so buckle up if you are an emotional gal.

I will say there was something off about this book, I got whiplash from a few of the scenes. They would be having one conversation, then a sudden left turn into a completely different topic. It made the story a little hard to follow because I kept going back making sure I didn’t skip a page or paragraph due to my confusion. However, I do think this was mostly used to show the spiraling and anxiety of the fmc, so even though it could get confusing at times, I don’t think it brings the book down.

Thank you NetGalley for an early read of this book. All thoughts are my own, I do not accept money for reviews.

3.5 Stars rounded up.

There were a lot of things to love about the Fiance Dilemma. The setting and whole town of Green Oak was possibly my favorite part. So many beloved townsfolk from The Long Game were back and creating ruckus, and with the addition of Grandpa Moe, I was just in love with the small town aspects Armas brought us into.

The story captured many of my favorite tropes, namely fake fiance, with a fun flair. I loved how the meet cute was when Josie roped Matthew into her off the cuff plan, setting a scene that had me giggling and wanting more. I didn't really love how Bobbi Shark played into the whole first 2/3 of the book and just found it kind of annoying. I think it was supposed to be endearing annoying, but it drug a bit for me.

I really liked Matthew. He had the whole 'tortured by unrequited love for her' vibe going on, and I really LOVED how he talked about the early texts about Josie between himself and Adalyn. Most of his interactions with Adalyn and his need to tamp down his obsession with Cam were in my list of favorite parts! Josie was a bit insecure for me, I prefer a MFC with a stronger sense of self. But, I liked how Josie resolved so much of her self doubt towards the end of the book. I also really enjoyed the Cam/Adalyn cameos as a whole, minus their overly predictable storyline.

I didn't care for the plot arc about Josie/Adalyn/Andrew. It didn't feel important in the story or in Josie's head space, just kind of something else that was happening to keep Bobbi around to be annoying. I did like how it all ended, though. Bobbi's piece to the puzzle and the father/daughter resolution.

Overall, this was a slow burn but the whole book moved pretty slow for me. I like a bit more action in and out of the bedroom. Unlike Armas's previous novels, this one didn't capture me or my heart. I liked it fine but it was no Aaron Blackford or Cam Caldani.

I really enjoy Elena Armas’ books and think this one was a perfect follow up to The Long Game. I loved diving into Josie & Matthew’s story and the fake dating/engagement trope. I missed getting the story from both perspectives like we did in The Long Game, but still enjoyed the perspective of Josie. Great quick summer read that I look forward to recommending.

I've historically been a Big Fan of Elena Armas' books, but this one just wasn't for me. The basic premise of the book - faking an engagement to assist with a PR nightmare for an absentee father - was a bit inconceivable. Like what obligation are we serving this man?? The 4 prior engagements would suggest some Daddy Issues but that never really gets unpacked/explored in the story - and it probably should have at some point given how central the Runaway Bride theme was throughout the story. Equally inconceivable was the progression of Matthew and Josie's relationship to falling in love. Their partnership through the fake engagement and wedding planning lacked depth and I'm not sure how we landed on those two being in love with one another. They were just kind of together throughout the story but without anything of real substance happening between them emotionally. There overall didn't seem to be a lot happening in this book - plot-wise, relationship-wise, FMC/MMC internal reflection-wise. It's a miss for me.

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

After recently reading and really enjoying The Long Game by Elena Armas, I was SUPER delighted to have been approved to received the ARC to read and review this book because I wasn't quite ready to leave Green Oak, North Carolina.

This was a very quick read for me and that's simply because I couldn't get enough!
I love a good fake engagement, second chance romance and Elena Armas knocked it out of the park with this one.
Josie has had 4 failed engagements, she's got daddy issues, she's the mayor of the small town, and she owns a cute coffee shop. You can't help but root for her and wish her the best.
Matthew is Josie's sisters best friend and he comes into Josie's life quite abrupt and at the perfect time.
Josie ends up convincing Matthew to be her fake fiancé and they go from strangers to lovers real quick.
Matthew is definitely one of the best book boyfriends out there. Since he has sisters, he has that protective side to him and he also has a really good intuition for exactly what Josie needs and how he can help. I also LOVED the nicknames he gave Josie.
Elena does a really great job at making the reader feel captivated. I was swooning throughout all the romantic scenes.
My only gripe with this book would be that I wish it was dual POV. I would have loved to gotten more of Matthews side of things.

Overall this was a very fun, romantic, read and I'm really glad I read it!

Elena Armas never disappoints! She’s become an automatic buy author for me. She wrote another beautiful, funny and swoon worthy story that I devoured in one sitting! Can’t wait to read more from Elena!

Loved returning to characters from the Long Game. This was a fun book, just like all of Elena Armas' books. I love a small town, fake engagement trope and this didn't disappoint!

This was my first Elena Armas book and I’m so sad it took me this long. I absolutely loved this book. People kept trying to talk to me while I was reading it and I was unable to engage in conversation. I wish I had read the preceding book first even though I didn’t need to to enjoy this one I absolutely loved it! I laughed so much and got teary a couple of times. Need to read more from her

Single POV
Fake fiancé
Small town
Runaway bride
Fifth chance love story


This book was…..okay? I really enjoyed the last 20%, but the first half felt slow reading. I didn’t mind the single POV in The Long Game, but I really think where this book went wrong was not giving Matthew’s POV from the start. Loved the story, loved the concept, loved the final chapters, but this just wasn’t a winner for me (I really did like the ending, so I would still read if I went back in time)!

Also—precious pig 🐷 🐷 🐷

What can I say aside from I love this book. It was witty and heartfelt. There was romance and tension but there was also understanding with Josie and her fear of abandonment. I love reading these books that Elena Armas has written because she joins the humor of everyday life with the romance that I want to read. I couldn’t put this book down and was live « tweeting » on threads because of the excitement I felt for this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the final copy and to see what she comes out with next.

I love Elena's writing! This book follows side characters from The Long Game, but it can be read as a standalone! A small town romance with a fake engagement, slow burn, & he falls first & HARD? SIGN ME UP! It was spicy, but not overly spicy so I enjoyed this. Josie & Matthew might be my new favorite Elena Armas couple!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The only dilemma I have with this book is that it ended! If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of The Long Game before jumping into this one. The Fiancé Dilemma focuses on the supporting characters from that book- Josie and Matthew.

Although I’m sad we didn’t get to fully jump into the brain of Matthew with his POV, I still loved his grumpy to sunshine vibe. And my goodness, ladies, he might just be your new favorite book boyfriend. Don’t let his quiet demeanor or glasses fool you-this man knows what he wants. His patience paired with his protectiveness of Josie had me blushing more than just once. Overall, he ran through the pages with nothing but green flags and I absolutely adored him!

Josie. Sweet Josie. I mean, who doesn’t love a small town girl like Josie? She shined in the FMC role of this story and I am so glad she got her own book. Josie is just so easy to relate to and after leaving you wanting to be best friends by the end of The Long Game, she continues to draw you in with her quirkiness and charm in this story. She truly is a ray of sunshine and you can’t help but smile whenever she’s around.

The fake engagement, slow burn, he falls first tropes were so much fun to read and made the journey to Josie and Matthew’s HEA such a sweet treat. And don’t even get me started on their chemistry, the spice and overall love story. It truly was swoon worthy and why I simply just didn’t want it to end-do you see the dilemma now? 🙃

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that the storyline was unique. I did not realize that this was second in a series, however that wasn't necessary to get the backstory of the characters. I would aslo say that this was a very steamy book, but not in a cheesy way that some romance novels can be.

This is a sequel but it's standalone. Love the small town feel! Love the 'he falls first' trope. I felt like she was in her head so much, but that is exactly how Elena was writing Josie's character: flawed, anxious, overanalyzing. I was not a fan of the podcast and celebrity aspect-I just wanted them together and happy! I do wish there was an epilogue of Josie meeting Matthew's family!

The Fiance Dilemma: A Novel by Elena Armas is a delightful fit for readers who adore lighthearted, humorous romance stories with a touch of small-town charm, friends-to-lovers tropes, and a dash of mistaken identity, as they'll be swept away by the witty banter and heartwarming journey of Josie and Matthew as they navigate their unconventional engagement of convenience.

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC! Where do I even begin? AH - I LOVED this book. The obsession with Matthew is real. The build up of this relationship was so worth the read. It was frustrating at times waiting for things to happen but that only enticed me more to keep reading. The tension and relationship between Josie and Matthew was die for and it kept me wanting more, he is absolutely perfect for Josie. This is the type of book I could read over and over again and still fall in love with the characters and the storyline. I was not expecting this to turn out the way it did - I'm used to something major happening and they break up then come back together but reading their love story had me rooting for them the entire time and praying there were no twists. This had the PERFECT ending and it made me emotional to finish it. This is a book that will be in my mind for a little while and replaying their story over and over. Fantastic read.

Elena Armas is a new to me author, but I have seen her books everywhere and I am soo happy Atria Books and Elena Armas picked me to read an ARC for the Fiance Dilemma.

This book is nothing like I thought it was going to be. I expected a rom-com, which it was, cute, which it was, romance story. This book checked all the boxes for me.

It had characters that I absolutely adored. Josie is this quirky girl living in small-town America, who recently found her father and is now in the public eye due to who he is. Matthew Flanagan. In the beginning of the story, he was down on his luck, and was adamant of not being part of the "Josie Show". He changed his tune to help her out and the way he protects her and makes her feel like she is the only woman on the planet, is soo swooony. He is the perfect book husband!

The writing. I really enjoyed her writing style, the banter, even the single POV! I can't wait to read her backlist. This a slow burn, but WHOA does it ignite!

The feels. The way the author wrote, and connected me to the characters just gave me all the feels. I can't stop thinking about this book.

If you love a fake-engagement of convenience, rom-com, small town, then READ THIS BOOK. This is book 2 of the Long Game, but I had no problem with reading it as I did not read the first book.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 2/5

While reading The Long Game, the first book in this series, I was hoping for a Josie and Matthew story. They are both such heartwarming characters. Josie is the sweet, girl next door, who is full of kindness and is always putting others first. Matthew was so loving, super charming, supportive, brutally honest/blunt and was always putting her first and helping her see it was okay if she put herself first too sometimes. I love the fake engagement, small towns, farmers markets, and the side characters.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

This! I'm so glad I gave Miss Armas another chance. I loved both the Spanish love deception and the American Roommate Experiment--however her last release did not hit the mark for me. I'm glad to say that this one was much more enjoyable! I loved the banter, the tension, and (of course) the writing. If you're a fan of Elena's other works, definitely give this one a go! Perfect start to the summer.

4.5/5
I love me a fake dating trope plot, don't know what it is about it when characters get themselves in this crazy situations that makes for an entertaining read. With The Fiancé Dilemma we get Josie who has literally ran from 4 weddings and is trying not to hurt her image or her dad's any more than it is. Enter Mathew who is trying to get away for a while after being fired and needs a break. She ropes him into a PR engagement.

I think this might be one of my favorite couples from Elena Arma's repertoire. I think because Mathew felt less like the typical grumpy and standoffish MMC, he wanted to help Josie right away. He still had a bit of a possessive trait but it was not overbearing, he felt more caring and lovable. They had great chemistry, that first kiss was the slowest of burns. My only critique would be that a lot of their relationship was focused on Josie, I know this is her story but I don't know how to word it. He was always asking what she wanted and the conversations geared towards her, like he did not share as much about himself and we didn't get to know his a much, I wished we had gotten some chapters from his POV. I do like that there was no third breakup act. I gotta say the podcasters were insufferable, I get why they were there but doesn't make me hate them any less. Also loved the cameos from Adalyn and Cam.

Thank You to NetGalley, Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.