I love love love this book. It was so entertaining as well as it had the best tropes. The humor in the book is spot on, and I love a fake engagement. Elena Armas is an amazing author who captivates me every single time she puts out a new book.

3.5
I’m such a sucker for the fake-dating and fake-engagement trope, so it was a no-brainer that I was going to read this book. This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed her charming characters and the hilarious moments throughout the story. Reading about Matthew and Josie as they navigate their fake engagement was a delightful journey. I found myself swooning and kicking my feet during some of their sweet moments, and fanning myself during their heated exchanges. However, I must admit that it took me quite a while to finish this book, as I struggled with the slow-burn writing. While I appreciated the tension and build-up between the main characters, some parts of the story felt like they dragged on longer than necessary. I believe this book would have impressed me even more if it had been faster-paced, especially since I really liked the author’s writing style. If you’re a fan of slow-burn romances featuring the fake-relationship trope, this book is definitely for you!

3 years ago, I read Elena Armas’s debut The Spanish Love Deception and didn't love it, but I wanted to give her books another shot and I'm glad I did! I still had the same issue of The Fiancé Dilemma being a bit too long for my liking/the storyline but not as much and I had a ton of fun with the fake dating storyline. This is book 2 of the Green Oak series, but I haven’t read book 1 yet and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. Josie and Matthew’s connection was both fiery and sweet, and I spent my time rooting for them to end up together in the end.

The audiobook is narrated by Brittany Pressley & Zachary Webber, and while Pressley’s narration was top notch as usual, I did not enjoy Webber’s at all. I usually love his narration, but he was incredibly monotone for this one and I was not impressed. Pressley stole the show for me here, and I adored her narration of Josie. Wish she could have been the narrator for both! At the end of the day, I enjoyed a lot of aspects of The Fiancé Dilemma and I will definitely be reading more from Armas.

Thankful for the early copy but unfortunately this book was not for me. I loved the Spanish Love Deception but since then I haven't had the best luck with Elena Armas's books. I couldn't connect to the main character and I felt the romance lacked chemistry. As a result, I struggled to feel connected to the story.

This book had me cracking up! I love Elena's writing style and have been looking forward to this book. I love a fake engagement - add in some famous people to make it even more ridiculous. And then have the main character have multiple engagements in her past... plus a small town... honestly could not ask for more.

I really really love this small town and how up in everyone's business they all are... it is just fun. Makes me feel like I am right in that town.

Another win from Elena Armas, queen of young adult romance. THE FIANCÉ DILEMMA is witty, sizzling, and full of angst. Loved it.

I didn’t love this book unfortunately. I had read the previous book, The Long Game, but did not find myself invested in these characters. I thought the book had amazing potential but the storyline dragged a bit. I still can’t wait to read future books by this author despite this one not being my favorite!

Elena got some of her mojo back in this one. I didn’t enjoy her previous book as much and was hoping for some Spanish Love Deception magic again. I enjoyed Josie and thought Matthew was magic (she writes men well) and I always tend to be harsher on women characters. I am glad she is rebuilding her relationship with her dad and loved her sister. Matthew understood her completely and never pushed her but showed how committed to her he was. ❤️

The story portrays small-town life with quirky characters and a delightful romance. Matthew's transition to a supportive fiancé is heartwarming, highlighting personal growth amidst misunderstandings.

Once again Elena Armas delivers a beautiful, heartwarming, slow burn romance. She creates characters (both main and side) that you love to love. She is the only author that can give me a slow burn romance that doesn't make me want to scream "get on with it already!!". I enjoy every second of these character's journey. I want every ounce of banter and longing glances. This was an immediate and no brainer 5 stars for me and I cannot wait to see whose story we get next.

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
Book 2 of The Long Game series
I liked the first book, but I enjoyed this one even more! The Fiancé Dilemma is funny, sweet, and features a fake relationship in a small town where everyone knows each other.
Josie was such a fun character, and the way the town adored her made her even more likable. Matthew was a total sweetheart—passionate and genuinely caring toward others.
The plot kept me interested, and I loved the podcast episodes between chapters—even if they were just gossip, they added an extra layer of charm! And that ending? 🫶🏻 Absolutely swoon-worthy!
Overall, The Fiancé Dilemma left me with a smile on my face—a sweet, feel-good read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Elena Armas knocked it out of the park with this one! The Finance Dilemma was a whirlwind of romance and amazing plot. the engagement of convenience trope was so delicious, as was the best friend's sister/brother's best friend and there was no third act breakup which I greatly appreciate! I loved Josie's ray-of-sunshine personality and Matthew had a hidden depth to him that I loved watching unfold.

This was a fun, cute, rom com. I love the small town feel and the interesting characters in this book.

I’ve loved Elena’s beautiful writing ever since her self published book, The Spanish Love Deception. I got the honor of seeing Elena for the second time this year and I asked her what her favorite book she’s written is. And she said it was The Fiancé Dilemma. And you can absolutely tell by how amazing this book is.

You can feel her love for these characters and this story throughout the entire book. I lovedddddddd the fake engagement trope in this. Elena wrote it so well and made it insanely fun to read. Matthew was a national treasure and I absolutely adored Josie!!! Reading about them navigating their fake engagement just made me smile and giggle like an idiot basically the entire time.

Overall, this is another Elena Armas book that I love and adore and I already can’t wait until her next book comes out!

*Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I’ve loved Elena’s beautiful writing ever since her self published book, The Spanish Love Deception. I got the honor of seeing Elena for the second time this year and I asked her what her favorite book she’s written is. And she said it was The Fiancé Dilemma. And you can absolutely tell by how amazing this book is.

You can feel her love for these characters and this story throughout the entire book. I lovedddddddd the fake engagement trope in this. Elena wrote it so well and made it insanely fun to read. Matthew was a national treasure and I absolutely adored Josie!!! Reading about them navigating their fake engagement just made me smile and giggle like an idiot basically the entire time.

Overall, this is another Elena Armas book that I love and adore and I already can’t wait until her next book comes out!

*Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

That said, while it's a fun, quick read with some sweet moments, it doesn’t offer anything too groundbreaking. If you're looking for a lighthearted romance, this one will definitely scratch the itch, but it’s not one for high expectations. Perfect for those cozy evenings when you need something cute and simple. 💖
Matthew and Josie were absolutely adorable together! If you're into charming male leads and the fake dating/fiancé trope, this one is a solid pick. Matthew's playful confidence and Josie’s relatable charm really made their chemistry pop!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series (The Long Game) as well as this one.
I do feel that this book can be read as a stand-alone... BUT I highly recommend that you read the 1st book first and then this one because it will feel better to read and you will not lose any of the info from the first book. But this is just my opinion.
This book was enjoyable to read, well written, with great characters and a fun fast read. Didnt want to put this book down. Loved it!!!
Josie and Matthew (main characters in this book) -we got a preview of them in the 1st book and set things up a bit. These 2 have so much chemistry and are so fun together, perfect.
I loved the Runaway Bride vibes from this story and Josie def fit the Julia Roberts character perfectly.
The book was from her POV mainly, we only get 1 chapter from Matthew. Which was good but if I had to make any changes to this book it would be to see a few parts (chapters) from his point of view because he was such a great character that you kinda fall in love with also.
And an award for the Best Supporting Character for sure goes to Grandpa Mo (Maurice) he was the best. He is sweet but grumpy, hard but soft and loveable and you will love his character as well. He is fantastic and an amazing part of this story. There are quite a few other background characters that are important and add a bunch to this book but Grandpa Mo was the biggest and best.
Back to Josie and Matthew, now these 2 had sooo much chemistry, which made you want to read and read and read not wanting to put the book down (even though I had to a few times because darn adulting life lol). The plot was fantastic, old engagement ring stuck, door bell rings (an important person from her dad's side of life, PR department), a PR crisis and a few fibs; perfect timing for Matthew to join into Josie's life. Nice guy Matthew steps in to help a woman in crisis (not even recognizing Josie but to his benefit he only met her on Zoom Calls and the WhatsUp App chats).
There is also a ton of drama with some famous podcasters; who are digging into her past relationships and that's all they talk about on the podcast.
Can a fake engagement become real love? Matthew is def a book boyfriend that you will become obsessed with. He is amazing, the perfect guy.
Like I said the the start of this review this is part of a series and it's book #2, which you can read all by itself but I really really feel you will get more out of the characters if you read the #1 book first and then this one. You will not regret it!!!
Must read!

Well... I was able to finish the book so that's the only reason why it's 2 stars instead of 1. I'm really disappointed. This book honestly didn't start off bad, but insta love is a trope I will always hate. There was no development of their relationship and I really don't even know why ended up together. There was no connection whatsoever. I loved The Spanish Love Deception but every book after that has just been bad. I need to just give up trying to read this author.

As much as the premise of Fiancé Dilemma is intriguing, it falls into a pattern that feels increasingly familiar. The storyline, though engaging in parts, seems to echo the plots of numerous other books in the romance genre, making it less refreshing.
There’s no doubt that the author is talented, with moments of sharp writing and compelling dialogue. However, the overall structure and narrative voices—perhaps unintentionally—mirror previous works too closely. It feels like yet another story of The Dating Plan by Sara Desai or The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory with “an unlikely romance blooming under familiar circumstances". After a while, it becomes exhausting to witness how many authors seem to regurgitate these storylines.
What made this book a disappointment wasn’t the lack of originality in the core idea, but the failure to innovate or elevate it beyond its predecessors. A little more character complexity, or a twist on familiar elements could have brought a fresh perspective, but instead, the book stays within the bounds of what’s been done before.
For readers new to the genre, this could be an enjoyable read, but for those who read a lot, the feeling of déjà vu is likely to overshadow its”positive qualities. Ultimately, while Fiance Dilemma has its merits, it doesn’t quite stand out in a sea of similar stories and felt the storyline dragged on.

I do love a good fake dating trope. Add in small town and sister’s best friend, and I’m a goner. I wasn’t a huge fan of the last book, but this one felt very similar to TSLD, which I ADORED. Really cute premise with a good plot and the excellent writing style and pacing I’ve come to expect from Elena.