The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ .5
Spice: 🌶️.5
Genre: Romance
Pages: 432 - Published: 30 July 2024
Dates Read: 29 Sep 2024 - 30 Sep 2024
I’ll read anything except for the book I should be reading. Like when I have a couple ARCs that have been hyped up and are waiting for review, I’ll grab another Skip the Line book from Libby, wait ‘til I only have one day left, and read that instead.
That’s what I did with The Fiancé Dilemma and I have no regrets. In the end, I really enjoyed reading this—it just wasn’t a perfect 5-star read.
Maybe it was just me, but I thought it somewhat confusing at first, I couldn’t understand the main characters’ motivations. Why would Matthew just agree? Maybe reading the Long Game would’ve helped?
About
Josie has tried and failed to have relationships with the opposite sex, four times if you only count her engagements, five if you count her father who kept her a secret until very recently. Her father is a big shot, rich guy and when he decides to announce his retirement in a splashy magazine piece about the family, her romantic history suddenly becomes a PR nightmare.
Matthew has been fired from his job and when he heads to stay at a friends’ empty home, his tires get stuck in the mud and he has to walk in the rain the rest of the way. He gets absolutely lost and instead of finding the place, he stumbles upon his best friend’s sister, Josie, who greets him as her fiancé.
Everything is a MESSY and before they can backtrack, the whole town knows. Think Runaway Bride but better.
Thoughts
I’ve read The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experience, but gave them both 3 stars. I honestly forgot what I thought about them and dove in without any expectations. I was PERPLEXED in the beginning, but I kept on reading and eventually, I was hooked.
Matthew is the perrrrfect book boyfriend. He was so sweet, patient, caring, and had a way with words that will stay in my mind for a while. Sometimes, even on the phone! Usually I don’t like pet names in books, I’m not one to call someone “honey” or “darling” and so they make me cringe. But when he calls her “Baby Blue”, I melted just a little bit. I don’t know why, but I thought it was super cute.
He also has the most charming conversation with one of the kids who participates in one of the community activities and I was literally tearing up. Don’t even get me started on his story of how they met or “Grandma’s Yarn”.
Meanwhile Josie was super quirky, almost to the point that I didn’t understand what he was seeing in her, in the beginning. Eventually she leveled out a bit, but some people might have trouble connecting with the FMC because of it. If you can look past it, the book will make it for it with the Grandpa Moe character, who was just well written and I could totally picture exactly who they were.
This book had just the right amount of plot and the drama ends in a satisfying way. There’s no 3rd act breakup or miscommunication either! Hallelujah!
Tropes/What to Expect:
Small town
Slow burn
Fake dating
Found family
Single POV (w/ one chapter from the MMCs POV)
I definitely recommend checking this book out if you want a touch of spice, an amazing MMC, sweet/touching moments and a very heartwarming couple.
Here’s what I wrote about the other two Elena Armas’ books I read:
The Spanish Love Deception: Mildly repetitive, for example, the MC too often describes Aaron’s blue eyes. A bit lengthier than necessary. I found myself skimming through the MCs thoughts to get to the dialogue.
The American Roommate Experience: I loved it! Some parts I felt were unbelievable, like how it seemed so obvious that Lucas had feelings for Ro and yet she doubted it so much and didn’t make a move. Sometimes the dialogue used their names a little more than what I thought was realistic but otherwise, this hit all the marks. Strangers to friends to lovers. A sweet man, big gestures, and all the pining you could want. The spicy scenes, the conflict and the very sweet resolution. I devoured this book in 9 hours over the course of a day and a half. I likely wouldn’t read it again, but I would recommend it! I really wish there was a second book about this couple because I would devour that too. Although I’m not sure what it’d be about, I’d still read it. Loved it.
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t rate The American Roommate Experience higher considering what I wrote, but it was March 2023 so I have no memory of it whatsoever.
Words I learned/looked up
Reverent: feeling or showing deep solemn and respect
Quotes
“We’d ruffle your hair and come out of this closet pretending I’ve just fucked you against this shelf right here.”
“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.”
“What if I can’t give you any fucking firsts, so I want to make sure I get a chance at being your last?”
“This moment, right here, right now, is perfect for me. And that’s because you’re in it. That’s because it’s you. Only you. I don’t care about firsts when I have you.”
“It’s okay to be hurt. It’s okay to have issues. It’s fine for life to bruise you and leave a mark. That only means you’re living, you know? It means you’re trying.”
“You’re my reward, Baby Blue.”
