*Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review*

Tessa Bailey is my new go to for romance! Such a great balance of love, humor, heartbreak and sexy times!! She’s my new romance queen!

I was so excited to finally get Rosie and Dominic’s story!!! I’ve never read a romance about a married couple and I was totally here for it! It was so different knowing there was a past and slowly getting glimpses into it. I loved falling in love with them and knowing the past, present and glimpsing the future. Such a breath of fresh air in my romance reads!

Rosie was so relatable in her fears and insecurities. I totally related to her job and wanting more. She is totally different than me but I was able to relate to her as a wife and a woman and that was awesome. Loved her so much!

Dominic was like AMAZING. Even his flaws were hot! Haha I just really loved his love and his dedication to Rosie. I really enjoyed reading his perspective and I just fell easily in love with him. Swoon worthy!!!!

While I usually go for historical romance, I received access to Love Her or Lose her as an ARC and I’m so glad I did. I started with the first, Fix Her Up, and was so enchanted by the writing and the story, I couldn’t wait to read the next in the series. Now I have to wait a year for the next one? I can’t handle it! Absolutely realistic characters with delightfully rough scenes, I absolutely recommend this romance, even if you prefer historical.

Being the person that I am, I did not realize that this book was in a series when I started reading. Luckily, the book can be read as a stand alone book even though a couple of the supporting characters are from the first book. For me, I just wanted a bit more of the backstory from the first book but it didn’t diminish the experience of this book.

Tessa Bailey writes about a pivotal point in romances as the main couple in this book have been together forever but aren’t present in their marriage. The tenderness of the way Bailey approaches this topic but hits at the rawness of emotions between the characters is done well.

If you want a tender romance with well done smutty moments, this book is definitely worth the pick up. I will say, that this book does depict a dominant male with a submissive woman trope that may not be for everyone. I think this book does show the emotions of the dominant male though.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Avon via NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rosie and Dominic began dating in middle school, got married straight our to high school, and have been together for ten more years since then. In the meantime, Dominic, a former Marine, did a stint in Afghanistan. But when he came home, something seemed a bit off in the relationship, and that blip has grown instincts an abyss in the off our years since. Now, Rosie is determined to take her own happiness into her hands: she refuses to remain in what appears to be a loveless marriage (even if the sex is off the charts). Dominic refuses to let her go without a fight and agrees to attend couples therapy with Rosie. There, they start to learn about love languages and how they both give and receive love with different preferences. But will that be enough to save their marriage?

I loved the love languages aspect, as I fully adhere to its relevance in relationships (and not just limited to romantic relationships either). However, Dominic’s possessiveness is a bit off-putting. Rosie doesn’t mind it, and she even admits that that old-fashioned notion and feeling of being so coveted excites her. Obviously that is not /my/ love language.

Diverse reads: Both Rosie and Dominic are Latinx

**Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers via NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review**

I don't know why I ever doubted Tessa Bailey, this was just as good (if not better) than Fix Her Up. I was skeptical about a love story between a couple who was already married but I'm not going to lie this one even got me with the tears by the end. It was emotional, swoony, hot, and funny and I couldn't ask for more in a romance. Definitely a must read for any romance fan.

This book started out by breaking my heart.

I mean, my heart ached in a way I don't know that I've ever experienced so early in a book. It usually takes me a while to attach to characters, to buy-in to the relationship they're building. But there's something about the way Tessa Bailey has written Dominic and Rosie that allowed them into my heart immediately. And they bruised the heck out of it.

It felt so real. One of the reasons I typically shy away from books about married couples is because I know first-hand how difficult marriage can be. I don't want to read about it because I'm living it. But at the same time, reading about it resonates with me. This is likely why my heart attached to them so easily, and why it felt that pain so vividly.

It's also likely why my heart stayed along for every beautiful, bittersweet moment of their reconciliation. Y'all, is there anything more sexy than a man consumed with devotion for his woman? The sort of all-consuming passionate -- desperate love that takes your breath away? That's what it's like for Dominic and I can't even tell you all the ways it made my heart flutter. I loved his love. So. So much.

This is a fairly heavy storyline, but I appreciated the bits of lightness sprinkled throughout. The time spent with their unconventional (and yet lovable) hippy marriage therapist were some of my favorite moments. It somehow manages to be hilarious and thoughtful at the same time. I also loved getting to spend some time with Georgie and Travis, and for me, the set-up between Bethany and Wes were some of my favorite moments of the book (talk about a couple of scene-stealers!).

Overall it felt pretty balanced between emotional and lighthearted with a pretty hefty helping of heat along the way. Were there moments where I wanted to give one or the other of them a good shake? God. Yes. I spent some time shaking my head and cringing away from my kindle for sure. But over all? I really enjoyed Rosie and Dominic's love story and I cannot wait for more Hot & Hammered! ~ 4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Hot and Hammered series. Love Her or Lose Her features Dominic and Rosie - high school sweethearts who are at an impasse in their 10 year marriage. Things have gone stale and both partners rarely talk to one another. I enjoyed reading a romance that had to do with an established couple, trying to work out their differences and relearn what makes their partners great. I thought Tessa Bailey did a great job of showing the ways that marriages become stale after so much time together. This books also brought some major steam between Dominic and Rosie. I can't wait to read the next book feature Wes and Bethany. The teasers in this book were great!

I liked this book overall. It did get a little too graphic for me so I did some skimming of the bedroom (and kitchen and night club) scenes, which I hadn't expected based on the cover. But I did like that the characters actually had some depth, worked through real life issues, and grew through the book. And I'm a total sucker for second chance romances.

1 star
Marriage in trouble tropes are not for me. I just dont care for them. On top of that I didnt care for either Dominic or Rosie.

As soon as I heard Tessa Bailey was writing a sequel for her book Fix Her Up, I got excited because I loved her first book. And this one I think I actually liked a lot more! I think romance novels with marital problems are unique and fun to read if your married. The couple felt real and had real issues that I felt are relatable. I was pleased on how much I liked it!

I didn’t think I would enjoy a marriage in trouble romance, but boy am I glad to be proven wrong! The love story between Rosie & Dominic is so sweet and real and just lovely. Dominic is a secret cinnamon roll of a character, whose desire to provide the best life for his wife ended up with him setting unrealistic standards for himself and carrying around these secret feelings of shame and guilt. I was thrilled to see the couple visit a marriage counselor and actively try to work on their relationship. Their story was hot, satisfying, and crazy emotional. Definitely recommend it!

I loved this book! I had high expectations as I really enjoyed the first book in this series by Tessa Bailey and it delivered. I'm usually not the biggest fan of second chance romances but I loved seeing Rosie and Dominic get to know each other again. They've been together since high school but have grown apart over the years. Rosie feels stuck in her job and in her marriage and feels like she's given up on her dream to open a restaurant. Dominic loves her but doesnt communicate his feelings. They have such an intense and passionate relationship and the steamy scenes were STEAMY. I would highly recommend if you like second chance romances with some intense love scenes!

Dominic & Rosie Vega were high school sweethearts, best friends, and madly in love, married for ten years and counting, then life happened. After Dominic return from his last deployment, things changed his caveman response of a grunt here and there, was Rosie's undoing. Not to mention Rosie gave up her dream of becoming a chef and owning a restaurant, to work in the mall as a perfume pusher. That is until Rosie had enough, up and left her husband and their marriage, as a last-ditch effort they went to a hippie marriage counselor only to be told their marriage would never work.

The blurb made this story sound funnier than what it is, and as with any story you read there is a take away this one is communication is key. In a way, this story reminded me of a Christmas story about a couple who had no money to purchase gifts for the other, they sold their prized possessions in order to purchase each other gifts that no longer matter. This story is chock full of reminiscent tales.

Holy feelings. Big, chest-seizing feelings.

I tell you what, the older I get the more profoundly I experience a well done Marriage-in-Trouble romance. I loved this book…but ouch. It did hurt.

I mean, don’t panic! It’s a Tessa Bailey romance. Everything works out (duh) and there’s HEA wonderfulness. But getting there. Phew. It was painful and raw and real. Seriously. Through the entire first confrontation scene my heart was in my throat. My chest was painfully tight.

But while this is a heavy story it’s also smoldering hot. Rosie and Dominic might have a communication problem but they never for one minute have a sexual chemistry problem. *fans self* And, as a fan of Fix Her Up, I was thrilled to check back in with Georgie and Travis. AND the set-up for Bethany’s book is perfection. I can’t wait.

Empowering female friendships, humor, and an angsty fight for true love… Love Her or Lose Her is fabulous. It’s mature and honest and emotional. Highly recommend!

Love Her or Lose Her is set to release in January of 2020. Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A sexy romance featuring characters with incredible chemistry! Rosie and Dominic have been together since middle school but they have become distant in the last few years. Rosie has had enough of Dominic's seemingly indifference toward her and has moved out. Before throwing in the towel, they enroll in intense marriage therapy. As the two receive lessons on communication and love languages their relationship starts to get back on track. However, Dominic has a secret that could derail all their progress. There's not many books that cover what happens after the characters fall in love and get their supposedly happy ever afters. I appreciate this book peeling the curtain back on a marriage and hopefully this will be a new trend!

Loved her and LOVED this book!!
The steam as always was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The story was fast based and constantly moving and engaging and amazing.
I loved the banter between the characters and the way that they both pushed each other and held each other just when they knew it was needed. I loved the way that the guy really struggled to get his shit together and he worked his ass off in his own to get his girl back.
Absolute ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me!

This book is the story of Rosie and Dominic who we first met in Fix Her Up. I loved this book, and finished it within 1 day. Although there were times I wanted to smack both of them upside the head. I liked the look that we got into a marriage that was no longer working. I enjoyed getting both view points as the story progressed, it helped show you that Dominic is about as far from indifferent about his wife as possible even though that’s how she feels. I appreciated the logic of the couples different love languages and how that understanding could help their marriage. I think overall I loved this story because it is very relatable. My marriage is not troubled like theirs but I could still relate to some of the things they were going through and grow from reading it. #LoveHerOrLoseHer #Netgalley

I cannot wait until this book comes out! I loved this just as much as Fix Her Up or maybe even a little bit more.!

I love how authentic Rosie and Dominic's relationship feels. We all know a couple like this, so deep in love yet so far apart, I appreciate how the book normalizes therapy and marriage counseling.

Even though I didn’t really care for Fix Her Up, I was so hyped for this book because I was invested in Rosie and Dom from just the little bits I saw them in. This story is very different than any of the other romcoms I have read in the past as the main couple are already married, already in love, and already know each other – and I was so excited for this new dynamic. And Tessa Bailey delivered!

Reading about these two who have been in love with each other since middle school and have drifted so far apart emotionally was amazing and frustrating and so fascinating all at once. It was rough to see these two, who clearly loved each other, struggle throughout this book – but I loved it. I loved the flashbacks of their teenage years, I loved them making it work while Dom was deployed Marine, I loved their struggle to keep making it work when he came home and things changed so drastically, and loved how completely devoted they are to each other.
After five years of near silence, Rosie is done and tells Dominic that she is leaving. This seems to jolt him out of his normal and he realizes that he has to fight for his wife. Enter the best and most new age marriage counseling with a pot smoking hippy genius. I loved the counseling session and the homework assignments he gave them.
This relationship felt real in a way that most romance books don’t. It wasn’t just fixing or changing one thing and it was all happily ever after. As they worked on and improved one thing something else would come up and need to be addressed. I really enjoyed how different this is than so many other books I have read.