I sadly had to DNF this book in the first chapter. The main character just seemed whiny or needy or something and the PR rep Bobbi was like some Hallmark movie version of a big city girl in a small town. The gasping over not having Starbucks and same day delivery was annoying. I also didn't really understand what was occurring because too many characters were introduced all at once. I enjoyed others by this author. I guess this one just didn't work for me.

A delightful story, this romance novel is a heartwarming tale of love, laughter, and second chances. "The Fiancé Dilemma" by Elena Armas is a captivating blend of humour, heart, and unexpected twists, this book is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance.

Meet Josie Moore, a woman who has had her fair share of failed engagements. When her absentee father suddenly announces his retirement, Josie realizes that her romantic history is a complicated PR issue. Enter Matthew Flanagan, who stumbles into her life when his car gets stuck in the mud. What starts as a big misunderstanding quickly turns into an arrangement: Matthew becomes Josie's fake fiancé.

Armas masterfully crafts the chemistry between Josie and Matthew. Their banter is witty, their interactions sizzle with tension, and their journey from strangers to partners is both heartwarming and hilarious. As they navigate the complexities of their fake engagement, readers will find themselves rooting for this unlikely couple.

The small town of Green Oak, North Carolina, provides a charming backdrop for the story. Armas vividly paints the picturesque setting, making it feel like a character in itself. From cozy coffee shops to quirky townsfolk, every detail adds to the book's charm.

But "The Fiancé Dilemma" isn't just about romance. It's also about family secrets, newfound connections, and the courage to take second chances. Josie's relationship with her father evolves throughout the book, and the emotional depth adds layers to the narrative.

Armas' writing style is engaging and fluid. Her prose flows effortlessly, pulling readers into the story. The pacing keeps you turning the pages, eager to uncover the next twist or heartfelt moment.

Now let's talk about the swoon-worthy moments! Whether it's stolen kisses, late-night confessions, or unexpected acts of kindness, Armas knows how to make your heart flutter. The chemistry between Josie and Matthew leaps off the page, leaving you grinning like a love-struck teenager.

"The Fiancé Dilemma" is a delightful blend of romance, humour, and family dynamics. Armas has once again delivered a swoon-worthy read that will leave you believing in love, even when faced with dilemmas. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Fiancé Dilemma is the second story in The Long Game series by Elena Armas. While it is helpful to have some backstory on the characters in this quaint town, it’s not an absolute necessity to have read the first book (The Long Game).

Small town mayor, Josie, deserves her HEA after 4 (yes, that’s right - FOUR!) failed engagements. She may just be the real runaway bride of Green Oak, NC! This is a PR problem for famous, millionaire father. To save face, she ropes her brother’s best friend into faking a (fifth!) engagement. But faking a relationship becomes complicated when real feelings develop.

If you’re looking for a slow burn, heartwarming story with a cast of quirky characters, this is definitely the book for you! Such a fun and cute read. 💕

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I typically really enjoy Elena Armas books but this one just did not really hit the spot for me. The beginning was odd- I dont know why Josie feels she needs to handle the PR issue by pretending to be engaged. It felt like a forced plot in my opinion. I also had a hard time connecting to Josie's character. I also like a bit more of a slow burn. Overall, it was good, just not my favorite.

josie has major fucking issues and the plot makes 0 sense why do i keep reading books by this author???

Many thanks to Atria books via Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler free review. All opinions are my own.

This book was utter non-stop chaos from page one right up to the end.

Josie is one of those people who try to get stubborn jewelry off using sheer manifestation and strawberry jam. She also is the voluntary mayor, and coffee shop owner in a small town in North Carolina.

Matthew is the travel-worn, rain soaked, hero who appears on Josie's doorstep and finds himself becoming Josie's accidental fiancé in a very public engagement.

The Netflix rom com writes itself.

Confusion and anarchy ensues. Tea cup pigs get involved. A grumpy grandpa (who's actually no one's real grandpa) named Maurice tries to keep nosy neighbors under control by hurling colorful insults.
The residents of Green Oak love Josie but no one can resist spilling tea and talking smack.

As entertaining and enjoyable as it was to read about Josie and Matthew, the real reason for this entire charade, Josie's estranged father Andrew, was the most lackluster character of life. For someone who is so charismatic and dynamic that Time magazine follows him around with a recorder and notepad, he barely participated in his own story.
He more than made up for it with his obnoxious PR manager Bobbi Shark, and I kind of wish they switched roles.

All in all though, if you're looking for a delightful summer slow burn, TFD has you covered!

This book had some of my fave tropes:
✅ Slowest burn
✅ Fake engagement
✅ Goat yoga
✅ A MMC who wears glasses
✅ Nosy small-towners
✅ A Runaway Bride FMC
✅ Tea cup pigs
✅ Grandpa Moe

The Fiancé Dilemma release date: July 30, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5

I now like blondes...I also might like him more than Lucas?! Gave me all the feels and and smiles. Elena and her damn slow burns will be the glorious death of me.

Matthew MATTHEW I love you.
From the moment I met you in long game I just KNEW I would be obsessed and let me tell you any expectations I had for him were not even close. Sweetheart, baby, blue, BABY BLUE. I’m a sucker for nicknames. He knew she was the ONE from a text?!!! And he was all in from the beginning. Never once did he falter for Josie. I am all for a man that knows EXACTLY how to help HIS WOMAN.
Okay so fake relationship 👀 fake engagement!!! But they obviously like each other and then obviously fall in love! This is a romance right?!! We have Adalyn and Cam and Andrew from Long Game and also many appearances of Pedro Pigscal!
She’s been engaged four (now five) times but will she make it down the aisle? With being in the spotlight because of the strained and new relationship with her father will Josie forever be a bride and never a wife? How far will they take their fake engagement and will they actually walk down the aisle?
ALSO WE GET A “WHERE IS MY FIANCÉ” I swooned so hard. Elena Armas never disappoints in my eyes. I already ordered my autographed version of this book because I need her on my shelf. I definitely recommend this to romance readers!
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Elena Armas for allowing me to read the earc of this book before it is released!

The main character Josie felt like she was a teenager, if this book were a YA novel i’d understand her train of thought and her mentions bc she just came across as very immature and “inexperienced” when that wasn’t the case, she was a late 20s woman who’d been engaged 4 times and i felt like i never got to know her completely in a way that made me like her and root for her
i wanted to experience this book without reading the first o e to see if it’s really a standalone and i don’t think it is, clearly josie’s introduction in the last book was important and i missed all that
i think matthew fell short, i wanted so much more from him, i couldn’t understand how their feeling developed so fast when they meet bc we never got to see how their connection grew, all they talked about was the fake wedding and they never got personal and vulnerable with each other
the only part i liked about this book was the sexual chemistry they had, and although those scenes were very well written i think they didn’t feel rewarding enough bc i didn’t understand their connection
this book overall would’ve worked as a YA novel bc. i just couldn’t believe that adults really behaved like this

Small town romances and fake dating are two of my favorites so I just knew I’d enjoy this book. I really enjoy how Elena Armas crafts her characters and how you see them grow.

- Small town romance
- Fake dating/engagement
- Family drama

Josie is the Mayor of the adorable little town of Grren Oak and she’s almost made it down the aisle 4 times. When her past love life becomes a PR problem for her famous millionaire father she’s never met, she fakes a relationship with the first guy that passes by. She immediately realizes she accidentally roped her sister’s best friend into her problem, enter Matthew. With nothing but time since he was fired from his journalism job Matthew agrees. But things soon spin out of control and Josie can’t sift through her fake feelings and her real ones.

This book is essentially Runaway Bride meets What A Girl Wants! Such a fun and cute read!

I rarely like the second book of a series more than the first, but I guess there is always an exception. I enjoyed Matthew and Josie's fake fiance storyline more than Adalyn and Cam's story. I love that the characters, setting, and stories intertwine, and I do think reading book one makes this one that much more enjoyable. Elena Armas is the goddess of flirty, slow burn tropes. It's that butterflies in my stomach, early love feeling that gets me every time! It has just the right amount of spice. Not too naughty, not too nice. For me, this is a close second to the Spanish Love Deception.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Elena Armas for this fabulous read.

I’ve read all of Elena Armas’ books and somehow always find myself loving some parts and not enjoying others. Unfortunately, this one was the same for me. In this case, the premise of this book was very hard to get past, especially this idea that Josie would fake a wedding for a father she had no relationship with. It was really hard for me to get past this and the idea that Josie would just compulsively say she’d get married was just a little too ridiculous for me.

"The Fiancé Dilemma" by Elena Armas throws Josie, a woman with a string of failed engagements, and Matthew, a down-on-his-luck guy, into a hilarious (at least, for the town) fake engagement. While the story is a fun take on the classic trope, it suffers from a rushed start and a sense of "been-there-read-that" for fans of Armas' previous work.

There are cute moments, and Armas' signature humor shines through. But for those familiar with her writing, the plot might feel predictable. Still, if you're looking for a light, breezy read with a dash of mistaken identity, "The Fiancé Dilemma" might be your cup of tea. Just don't expect a groundbreaking romance.

I am obsessed with The Fiance Dilemma!!!

Thank you so much Atria for the arc.

Fake dating, in this case fake engagement, is my face trope. So I was so excited when I saw that Elena was using this trope.

Matthew is the perfect book boyfriend.

I can't wait to get my finished copy! I know I will definitely be rereading.

The Fiancé Dilemma is a “Runaway Bride”-esque romcom about Josie, the four - now five - times engaged mayor of her small town, and Matthew, a writer who’s just been laid off and finds himself seeking a refuge of sorts in Josie’s town. The two are connected through Adalyn, Josie’s half-sister and Matthew’s best friend, and after being cornered by a PR specialist, Josie ropes Matthew into a fake engagement. The two become fast friends and grow even closer as they plan their wedding.

I greatly enjoyed The Fiancé Dilemma, even more so than The Long Game. I love a fake dating plot, add in “rules” to their arrangement that inevitably must be broken/changed, and I’m in. The portrayal of Josie and her anxiety over the pressure she feels about her past relationships was very well done. While I wish she had a bit more growth/development as a character across the book to accept herself and her past, it does feel like she makes a bit of progress in that regard by understanding that Matthew accepts her. Matthew is utterly swoony. I wish we had gotten his POV throughout the book (though it was pretty obvious what was going on in his head a lot of the time between his interactions with Josie and how communicative he is).

If you enjoyed movies like Runaway Bride, 27 Dresses, or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you’re sure to love The Fiancé Dilemma.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

I don't even know where to begin with this one.

Josie has issues, like major issues. Matthew lacked development. The plot was so confusing. And it was just WAY too long of a story.

I generally enjoy Elena's books, but this was so so bad. I found myself wanting to DNF it so many times and it felt like it was never going to end.

Thank you so much to netgalley and atria books for the arc, I truly appreciate it!

Overall, I really enjoyed "The Fiance Dilemma" by Elena Armas. While the FMC didn't totally win me over - she was a bit too over-the-top and clumsy for my liking - it didn't ruin the book for me. On the flip side, the MMC was spot-on and added a lot to the story.

What I liked best was how the relationship between the characters developed naturally, without any of those cliché third-act breakups. And again, the MMC was so perfect that it really made the book all the more enjoyable!

So, despite some minor gripes, I had a good time reading "The Fiance Dilemma". Big thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC, and I'm definitely interested in checking out more of Armas' work in the future.

Such a cute read! I loved the characters and the overall storyline, but the writing just didn’t click for me. I felt as though there wasn’t enough detail when describing feelings/emotions so it made it a bit hard to connect to at some points for me. I would recommend though and had a good time reading!

Matthew and Josie are now my favorite of Elena Armas’ couples! This was a delightful read!

I like that it didn’t have the usual cheesy ruts in a fake fiancé story that make me roll my eyes, and that was purely the brilliance of the MMC. Armas wrote him perfectly to be a perfect counterpoint to the FMC. It left me wanting more, and that’s always the mark of a great book! I think there’s a bit of Josie in all of us, just ultimately wanting to be enough and needing to realize we already are.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!