Josie, having just learned her father’s identity, is now subject to a PR nightmare. Her love life has been rather “robust” - four engagements and no marriages. Now, with her new found father’s publicist on damage control. Josie claims a fake engagement to the nearest man - Matthew (the best friend of her newly found sister). Can Josie manage to put her past behind her and end this fake engagement without causing more damage?
I absolutely love “marriage of convenience” so I was excited to pick this up. Overall this was an enjoyable quick read. Josie’s character was a delight. However the pacing felt off to me for this one. Additionally, while Matthew is “attractive,” I felt there was missing character development. I wish this has been dual POV.

Absolutely adored this book! The character of Matthew was perfection and I loved his and Josie’s relationship.

This was pretty cute. I really liked Matthew and I wish we could have gotten more from him. Josie was ok but she seemed a little underwritten. I deeply hate surprise pregnancies in romance novels and I saw that plot point coming from a mile away but I'm just glad it was not the main point of the books. All in all, a fun read.

Synopsis 📚
When her long lost father contacts her for the first time ever, Josie Moore isn’t quite sure how to feel. She’s gone from small town mayor to the daughter of a millionaire in a matter of days. To make matters worse, the press and people on social media have started digging into Josie’s personal life. Soon enough, the whole country knows about Josie’s disastrous romantic history, her four failed engagements, and how she left each of her ex-fiancés at the altar. Safe to say that this newfound discovery is not doing wonders for Josie’s reputation or her father’s and things are going downhill… fast.

Which is why when Josie sees her sister’s best friend Matthew Flannagan standing in her front yard, her mouth works faster than her brain and Josie finds herself calling him her fiancé. Of course, Josie is mortified and is about to admit that she lied when she learns that this could be great for PR for her family. And it’s too late to back out of this lie so Josie and Matthew pretend to be engaged. They act like a love-struck couple for the cameras, participating in romantic photoshoots and interviews, and they play the role of a loving couple well. Perhaps a little too well… because Josie and Matthew step into the role even when they’re not on camera. As the days tick down to the wedding date, Josie and Matthew find themselves getting closer and closer… and maybe even falling in love?

Personal Thoughts 💭
This book was a literal gem. Comedy, romance, annoying reporters, it had it all! Matthew is probably my favorite character. He’s so iconic and hilarious. He’s a literal and figurative golden retriever and I loved his character immediately. He’s so supportive of Josie which I absolutely L.O.V.E! I will have to say though… it felt like the buildup to the romance was slow and then it went from 0 to 100 very quickly. It was a slow burn but a very enjoyable read. Would definitely recommend to any romance lover and anyone who loves the fake dating (in this case fake engaged) trope!!

I thought this read was a good romance! I think the characters were at times a little hard for me to be really interested in but I did enjoy the read.

This was a sweet single POV contemporary romance. There were times at the start it was a little slow, but it picked up well. I would've liked a bit more groveling from Andrew because he never suffered enough in either book, but that may just be that I'm out for revenge for Adalyn and Josie. Matthew was so sweet and I loved Grandpa Moe.

Oh my god Matthew Flanagan is LIFE. This is my new favorite book from Elena. I love a chaotic FMC with a golden retriever MMC to keep her grounded.

Thank you to Atria books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I have loved Elena’s previous books but this one is my new favorite. She’s the queen of a classic slow burn. Matthew and Josie’s story did not disappoint and is a true fake dating/engagement trope.
All this to say, Matthew Flanagan is goals and we love a man in glasses!

“And they nicknamed her "The Bolter"” 🎶

Elena Armas didn’t just write a novel about two unsuspecting individuals falling in love in the most unconventional of ways. She included humor, humility, and heart, going so far as to make Josie and Matthew as relatable as possible. She also did a great job of edging the living daylights out of you, like some evil villain, allowing the sexual tension to build so much I felt like i was going to scream. It only took about 72% of the way to get to the best bit, and that’s not including the bathtub scene (ifkyk). Forgiving the slowest of burns though, this was wildly entertaining and included just the right amount of fluff.
If you enjoy:
✨ Fake engagements
✨ Close Proximity
✨ He Falls First (and hard)
✨ Slow Burns
This is for you.
Plus, how can you not feel all flustered when you read this:

"You're going to be a good girl and let me work for those moans." - Matthew

Was it cheesy? yes. But it was a cheese that will leave you kicking your feet like a love-sick fool.

I enjoyed this book. I gave the first one 3 stars, and this one is no different. While I did enjoy reading this book, the burn was slowwww. I got bored in some parts. I wish the romance was a bit more fast paced.

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*