Elena Armas is becoming a stand out star in the romance genre! Her quirky but fierce female characters are only outdone by her perfect brooding but secretly in love male characters. I loved every second of this book and seeing Josie really come to life!

I wanted to love this book. I was ecstatic when I received the approval. Unfortunately, this book was not it for me. I tried hard to get into it and keep pushing through but I found so many of the characters to be so unlikable. I could just not connect with Josie and five engagements, really? like home girl, you are the problem. I did enjoy Matthews characters and his protectiveness over Josie but I just feel their "fake relationship" was just so random. The book does have potential, maybe I'm the problem? Also, Bobbi? I just disliked her from the beginning and her father? Ugh. The writing style and the plot just wasn't for me so I unfortunately had to DNF at 47%. However, all these thoughts are my own so take them with a grain a salt and read it for yourself, you may actually enjoy it!


Some things I did enjoy are the tropes: .Small town romance, Sisters best friend, fake engagement.


Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an opportunity at receiving an ARC. The thoughts above are all my own.

not sure if i should give this a 4 or 3.5 star rating. i love elena’s writing (the spanish love deception is one of my all time faves) but the gen z / tiktok slang was a bit too heavy in it for my liking. and it could be very, very cringy at times. but, i love the two main characters and their relationship together. some of it even reminded me of my fiancé 🥹 definitely enjoyed reading this one. this book had me laughing, giggling and blushing. i was even tearing up at times. i loved it.

Armas’s best book yet. Matthew is frankly… hot. I’m obsessed with him and his bluntness and his ability/want/NEED to memorize and know every single thing about Josie than he can. Their dynamic was just so fun and the chemistry was chemistry-ing. There were maybe a couple too many scenes where something was just about to happen but then they suddenly get interrupted - I get this builds up the tension but after the 3rd? time I was getting annoyed I just wanted them to do SOMETHING (so maybe it indeed did work bc then I was devouring pages until something did happen). I LOVED the wedding dress scene - probably one of my favorite scenes/love declarations EVER.

Again, Matthew just gets her in such a special way even Josie can’t believe it (and can’t believe he isn’t running the opposite direction). I would have liked Josie’s character to have had a little more depth - I feel like I didn’t really get her/or an explanation to her other engagements until the end (and even at the end it was only partially so) and same goes for Matthew but at the end of the day I really really liked it.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the eARC in exchange for a honest review!

I enjoyed, although it had a couple drawbacks for me. I will say it was spicier than my usual romance book. Also, I found the main character not to be relatable. Who gets engaged 5 times?! And I do love the trope of a forced engagement but this seemed like too silly and trivial of a reason for the engagement. Overall though, if you suspend disbelief in some situations, I liked it!

This is my first Elena Armas book and definitely won't be my last! I did struggle a little bit through the first half but it picked up in the second half. Josie was super cute and made me LOL a few times. Matthew is a literal gem and I love him so much! The things he was saying had me swoooooning! I will say the reason they started fake dating was a little out there. They didn't know each other at all and then poof, they're engaged. Maybe it's my fault for not reading the first book in the series. But I will be reading that one soon! Overall, it was a really good book and I can't wait to read more from Elena Armas!

Honestly I did not like the character of Josie very much at the beginning, it seemed unbelievable that a woman would have her hand stuck in a jar of jam to try to remove a ring and she came across as kind of crazy. I cringed through most of the first few chapters. And she is the town's Mayor?

But once the fake engagement started I was hooked! This story was a good blend of funny and serious. Matthew Flanagan is her sister's best friend and he has just moved to town following the loss of his job. Josie has been a bride several times, but has never followed through, and she defintely has a damaged psyche. However, she is totally willing to pretend to be engaged yet again to make her new found father's PR nightmare go away. She cannot stand the thought of being the center of attention for her past failings.

It doesn't take much to get Matthew to go along with the idea. He has a soft spot for Josie and he is more than willing to pretend to be her fiance. He is both sweet and strong -- and just what Josie needs. Of course before they know it, they have fallen in love. The question is will Josie be willing to go through with the engagement this time for true love? Or is she broken beyond repair?

I LOVED their blossoming relationship and they both fell hard for each other. I was smitten with Matthew's protective instincts. But Josie has more difficulty believing that this is real. There is definite, palpable attraction and the open door scenes were hot, which Author Armas has proven herself very capable. I thought the ending was quite believable and not cliche. I read The Spanish Love Deception by the same author and I was not impressed, but this one was delightful, sweet, and charming (and hot). I highly recommend!

**Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review**

♾️⭐️

💜 Sister's best friend
💜 Engagement of convenience
💜 Small town

I'm obsessed with this book? 1000%

Believe me when I say I smiled the whole time I was reading it. Josie and Matthew had me hooked from the beginning, and seriously, these two together are everything.

Matthew, my man... I have to admit I'm not usually into blond book boyfriends, but this guy changed my mind. Elena Armas, whatever you put in here, this man kept making me smile and blush!

The slow burn was so well done; I loved every scene with them together. It was a mix of tension and fun at the same time. One of my favorite things is how Matthew understands and appreciates her; he's totally smitten.

This book became one of my favorites of the year. I've lost count of how many highlights I made while reading it.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Atria Books, for sending me this ARC!

<i><b>"To my readers(yes you. Hi, babe) Your expectations are not impossibly high. Never let anyone make you belive you're asking for too much."</i></b> I knew by reading this dedication I was going to love this book🥹🥹

Before I get into this review I want to say I did not love The Long Game and thought the American Roomate Experiment was just okayyyy. However, this book was a masterpiece and I believe it is Armas's best work.

<b><i>Tropes& What to Expect</b></i>
💜sister's best friend
💜sloowwww burn
💜small town romace
💜golden retriever MMC with a filthy mouth
💜he falls first and HARDER
💜where's my fiance
💜runaway bride
💜cute nicknames
💜HEA

<i><b><blockparagraph>"You're not running, Josie. I'm not them, I'm not anyone. I'm not fucking letting you go."</i></b></blockparagraph>

Josie is such an extremely likeable heroine. Shes funny, caring, quirky and just wants to be loved.. She has daddy issues which I could relate to and she deserved the world. She's the mayor of her small town and is always making sure the people are taken care of her grandfather Mo who is hilarious!!!

Matthew the MMC was such a sweetheart I loved how he stood up for Josie at all times and put her first. He was patient with her and never once rushed her. He gave major golden retriever energy and was such a sweetheart. I loved the nicknames and his playfulness. But don't let this sweet man fool you he is possessive and did not play at all when it comes to our girl.

<i><b><blockparagraph>"I can't decide how I want to have you." His voice strained. "Eat you. Fuck you against this wall. Have you ride my face. Take you on the bed. Fill that tub up and beg you to let me come all over your back."</i></b></blockparagraph>

The spice was SPICING. It was written so perfectly. The dirty talking, the buildup everything was perfection!!!

The ending...omggg!!!!!! I was curious how it would end but it was the perfect ending. I'm so happy I got the chance to read this early as an arc. I would definitely be buying a copy.

Elena Armas does it again with her newest book in one of my favorite series. My only complaint is that there were a lot of storylines to follow, but overall, another knockout from one of my favorite authors!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I have read all of Elena Armas's books, and I'm sure I still will in the future, but I am bummed to say that I like them less and less as I go. I didn't love the Long Game and wasn't really excited to see a return of Andrew Underwood, and especially with the story starting right off the bat with Josie contorting her otherwise pretty happy life to please her newly found dad - who was seemingly uninterested in knowing the real her. Seeing a woman subordinate and conform for a patriarchal man's image's needs was less than satisfying, and I would love to see books rely on these tropes less and less. I wanted Josie to just say no from the get go and tell the press and her dad to shove it.

I found the slow burn to be sooooo long, but the spice sure delivered! That's one of the things I always go back to Elena Armas for lol!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced e-copy of The Fiancé Dilemma, in exchange for an honest review.

Elena Armas's 'The Fiancé Dilemma' is the second installment in her charming 'The Long Game' series but can be read as a standalone.

The book follows Josie, the mayor of Green Oak, NC, who has had the unfortunate experience of four failed engagements. To save her reputation and her father's political career, Josie reluctantly agrees to fake an engagement with her brother's best friend, Ethan.

Ethan, a successful millionaire, finds himself in a similar predicament and agrees to the charade. As they navigate the obstacles of public scrutiny and their own evolving emotions, they discover that their fake engagement might just be the real deal.

Armas's writing is both engaging and humorous, creating a delightful and heartwarming atmosphere. The characters are relatable and well-developed, with their own unique quirks and motivations. The slow-burn romance between Josie and Ethan is both believable and satisfying.

The small-town setting adds a charming and nostalgic element to the story. The cast of quirky characters, including Josie's eccentric mother and Ethan's loyal assistant, further enhances the book's appeal.

Overall, 'The Fiancé Dilemma' is a highly enjoyable and entertaining read. It's perfect for fans of slow-burn romances, heartwarming stories, and quirky characters. If you're looking for a fun and cute escape, this book will definitely deliver.

The Fiancé Dilemma was a great follow-up to The Long Game. I loved The Long Game, but I did feel like The Fiancé Dilemma fell short on captivating my attention. I don't regret reading it whatsoever, but mainly because we get to see Adalyn and Cam again.

With that said, I was so very confused why Matthew was SO crazy about Josie right away, but Armas made that come full circle at the end, and it did make the book so much better. If you loved The Long Game, then The Fiancé Dilemma is a must. Cam and Adalyn were hard to top!

I enjoyed this book a lot. Grandpa Moe was the star of the show and cracked me up. All the characters did actually, and I liked the push and pull between Josie and Matthew. They had crazy chemistry that leapt off the page. And I adored that ending. These two were made for each other. I'd love to see how Josie's relationship with her father pans out, but overall this was a satisfying, funny, swoony read.

The author set the bar high with Aaron Blackford (The Spanish Love Deception as a Book Boyfriend), but Matthew Flannagan set a different bar on his own. I love how the author writes about these imperfectly perfect men and makes you fall in love with them. I want to say I'm a sucker for fake dating and fake relationships, but I'm also picky. I don't want it rushed and all steamy. This book was just right. I must admit I was getting impatient reading the steamy part or even the first kiss, but I really enjoyed the budding friendship and romance between Matthew and Josie. I love how Matthew was just there for her. Although I had my initial doubts, "Why is he doing it for her?". I also think it might have helped if I read the author's other two books, because I'm pretty sure I'm missing a part of Cam and Adalyn's story to fully know who Matthew and Josie are. I love the small-town set-up, rich dad, podcast, and damage control plot. I love how Josie had the biggest heart, and I love how Matthew was so damn supportive and distracting. I wish Matthew had his POV as well. As sweet and attractive as he sounded, I was missing his growth in the book, and it just felt like he wasn't doing anything else aside from being there for Josie. Overall, this was a fun and sweet read. I love how their HEA ended and the way they wanted it to be.

I just absolutely loved this book, the premise was so unique and was executed absolutely beautifully. This story follows Matthew and Josie as they fake an engagement in order to ease a PR issue currently going viral involving Josie’s romantic history. I felt like Josie’s four previous engagements could have been made really gimmicky but I loved how it was handled and the insight it gave into her character.

Truly I just adored this story it felt like a 2000’s rom com in the best way. Matthew and Josie complimented each other so well and his patience with her is everything. As a certified romance reader I think flirting is one of the hardest feelings to capture in a story, but Elena did it so insanely well with this story. Had me giggling and blushing and just so invested. Also let’s just say my number one annotation was “the mouth on this man” so if that’s your thing PLEASE pick this book up.

Matthew is the type of man I fear may only exist in books and Josie’s joy and selflessness just makes this couple the easiest thing in the world to root for. Overall this book is hopeful, genuinely laugh out loud funny, and so swoon-worthy.

This review will be posted on my instagram page hbs.library on the publication date!

I was really looking forward to this book as it gave The Runaway Bride vibes and I loved that movie. I have read all of Elena Armas’ books and absolutely loved The Spanish Love Deception. There was just something missing for me in this one. Maybe it’s because I have read several fake dating books recently and this one just didn’t hit the same, but I wanted more. I’ll continue to read all of her books though!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. The opinions are all my own.

I loved this book so much. When I was younger, my favorite movie was Runaway Bride (and by favorite, I mean I watched it every single day, sometimes multiple times a day). This story had so many funny and nostalgic nods to the Julia Roberts/Richard Gere classic, and it made it even more fun to read.
Something I think Elena Aramas does very well is character development. I loved this story because the characters were easy to love. Before reading this, I had not read The Long Game, but I still fell in love with the characters and enjoyed this book. I do think reading The Long Game first would have provided some context and answered some questions I had while reading, however, I liked that it wasn't necessary to enjoy this story.
Matt is one of my favorite MMC's I've read by far, and I couldn't put this book down mostly because of him. I was invested in the story and the conflict, watching to see how everything would unfold. The situation Josie and Matt found themselves in was humorous and entertaining in a way that didn't feel forced. The way Aramas writes humor into her rom-coms creates such an enjoyable reading experience. Fake Dating is one of my favorite romance tropes, and this book did it very well in a unique way. I was genuinely invested in how things would unfold, and I was also very satisfied with the ending because it fit the characters as I'd grown to know and love them.

I am a big fan of Elena Armas's writing. I love her characters and have enjoyed all three of her previous books so it was an easy yes when I saw that her upcoming release - "The Fiancé Dilemma" - was out on NetGalley. The Fiancé Dilemma is a follow up book to The Long Game but this time we get Josie's story and a whole fake-engagement fiasco with Adalyn's best friend, Matthew.

Whereas The Long Game was told in dual POV, The Fiancé Dilemma is told in single POV until the last chapter/epilogue and it suffers because of it. I needed Matthew's POV throughout the book. Josie's POV is too muddled and a lot of the fake-engagement plot line reads like a big miscommunication trope.

It was fun to revisit Green Oak and I wanted to LOVE Josie's quirky character and appreciate all of the ways her experiences have led her on the path she's been on. I love the way Matthew SEES her - he is a delightful MMC - and I really really wish we'd had his POV throughout the book instead of only at the end.

Since this is a connected story, I have to say that I had a hard time connecting the dots and placing all of the characters and remembering the relationships. Some authors & editors seem to do that smoothly (reminding the reader of who is who and what the history is from a previous book) and this didn't feel quite so seamless. I also realized with this book especially that Armas's use of the Spanish language in her stories is a big piece of what I loved about The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment. I missed it in these Green Oak stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the egalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Though I was super excited to read an early copy of The Fiancé Dilemma, this book just missed the mark for me overall, but it did have some redeeming qualities.

It *did* make me audibly laugh within the first few chapters as it had a few stellar one-liners. I adored the small town vibes and the fact that there is a mini pig named Pedro Pigscal (are you for real?!). I also loved how dominant Matthew was in the spicy scenes, but that just wasn’t enough to salvage the book as a whole for me.

This book had so much potential to be good, but I just felt like it was lacking. It was almost as if certain chapters would end before completing a thought or a scene, and that was beyond frustrating for me as a reader. It seemed as if the author would write *right up to* the climactic part of the scene and then just abruptly end the chapter and cut to the next day.

Also in several spicy scenes, phrases like “my goodness” and “oh boy” were used, and the word “folds” was used like 4 times. I just truly could not handle that. 🤢🤣

This was a 2.75 star read for me (rounded to 3). I’m sure this would work for some folks, it just wasn’t really working for me.