Okay, so I fell in LOVE with Fix Her Up, the first book in the Hot & Hammered Series. Which meant I was so excited for Love Her or Lose Her, especially because we met Rosie and Dominic in the previous book. This book was a damn journey. There are so many ups and downs, but the growth of both characters kept me completely enthralled. I've got to admit that I love a book with a good therapist, and Tessa Bailey wrote a really hilariously good one. Couples therapy for the Vega's is so eye opening, and I really enjoyed that. Sometimes we need that objective person to point things out to us that are right outside of our perspective. Rosie and Dominic kind of made me want to scream at certain points, because I felt like they shouldn't be that dense, but it is what it is. Overall, I enjoyed the second book is the Hot & Hammered Series, and I'm looking forward to the third!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey is a sweet, sexy romance about a marriage on the rocks. And while I enjoyed it well enough, it wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for.

Tessa Bailey is a great author -- I’ve enjoyed many of her books. The writing in this one was still good, however, there were a few times that the dialogue made me cringe a bit. The way Dominic would talk to Rosie sometimes was off-putting, especially early on when he called her “honey girl”. I was not a fan of that nickname, but I will say that as the book went on it grew on me. I think that it was the crude way in which he spoke to her that was a turn off given the fact that they were supposed to be working on their marriage.

As I said, as the book progressed, a lot of things grew on me, Dominic being the main one. I had to warm up to him quite a bit, but when I finally did it was great. I liked Rosie from the beginning. She’s strong, driven, and was brave enough to demand more for herself. I do think that her communication could have been greatly improved, but other than that I found her to be very likeable.

I think the main reason that I’m not raving about this book has more to do with me and my preferences than it does the actual book. The reason I read romance is for the falling in love part. I love when two characters meet and then getting to experience the process of them falling in love. It’s my absolute favorite. So, reading about a couple who’s already married and then having to go through the trial and tribulations of saving their marriage wasn’t nearly as enjoyable to me. It found it to be much more stressful than the sweet beauty that is falling in love.

Eventually, that was also something that I was able to overlook, and I found things about the story that I enjoyed. And to top it off, the sexy scenes are plentiful and hot. If you’re looking for a book that will make you fan yourself, characters that you want to cheer for, and a sweet love story then you will enjoy this one.

Love Her or Lose Her is not your typical romance novel - meet, fall in love, live happily every after. Instead, it is a story about a married couple that loves each other, but have to re-find their love and spark. There is NO CHEATING, so don't worry - it's a pure love story about falling back in love with your spouse.

We first met Dominic and Rosie in Fix Her Up, but we didn't get to see much of their relationship. On paper, Dominic seems like the perfect husband - loyal, devoted, passionate, trust worthy, hard working. And his wife, Rosie, is clearly the center of his universe. But Dominic was struggling after serving for his country, and they slowly drifted apart.

After Rosie left, feeling like they fell out of love, Dominic realized that drastic action was needed to get back to the core of their story - their undeniable love. With the help of a somewhat unconventional marriage counselor, they find their way back to each other. This book may be the purest romance that I've read in a long while. It was sweet, touching, romantic, and the love was so genuine and honest and evident. A wonderful read.

Happily Ever After Redux!

Rosie and Dominic are middle school sweethearts who’s ever after is a bit off course of happy. They both love each other with a ferocity that often can’t be explored in a romance because so much of the story is spent getting the couple together, but here they’ve been together for most of their lives so that love is deep and strong...but their communication is not.

Because they have trouble communicating we still get some of the get to know you aspect but we also get to see more connection, steam, and emotion early in the story than in other romances. The ending was perfect and rewarding after the emotional journey of their HEA redux!

I absolutely adored Armie and how Dominic was willing to try even though it went against his nature. Bethany and Georgie were the perfect girl power support for Rosie while Stephen and Travis and their bickering was what Dominic needed to get out of his own head beyond therapy. And this IS a Tessa Bailey book so the steam and heat is next level making the whole journey even more satisfying!

I can’t wait for Bethany and Wes to go round and round next!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.

I was really excited to read this book because I loved Fix Her Up. Unfortunately this one fell short for me. I had a hard time believing someone could be on the verge of a divorce but still couldn’t keep her hands off of her husband. I struggled with that aspect through most of the story but I admit it got a little better as I went on. Bailey is a great author who writes fun stories and doesn’t shy away from the steam. I really loved more bits of Travis and Georgie in the story. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this story!

Steamy second chance romance? Sign me up.

For anyone who read Bailey's Fix Her Up last year, you probably remember Rosie and Dominic, the couple barely speaking to each other wondering if they still had a future. In Love Her or Lose Her, the spotlight is on the Vega's to see if they can save their marriage once and for all.

If you've read Bailey before, you probably know she's the Queen of Steam so definitely be sure you're cool with that if you plan to pick this one up (hell, that's one of the reasons I love her books, honestly). Dominic and Rosie are really interesting characters and their story and tension is one I loved reading and hoping for their second chance had me fully invested.

Highly recommend! And be sure to read Fix Her Up while you wait for this one to release in two weeks!

Tessa Bailey brought the heat!

This book was the perfect sequel to Fix Her Up. I can't wait for the third book!

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey is the second book in her Hot & Hammered series. This is the first book I've read by Bailey, and unfortunately, it didn't hit the mark for me. The utterly controlling hero, who has very little respect for and trust in his wife, made it a really terrible read for me, and sadly, his character just doesn't have the development it needs to make him redeemable in my eyes. I think the rise in highly erotic reads with dominant men are influencing books that are better as straight romantic comedies. Based on the blurb, I thought I was going to read a fun romance novel, where a couple struggling with their marriage finds a way to work through it together (or through legit counseling). This is the story I want to read! Instead, the author took a comedic approach to therapy, drafting a story about a pot-smoking therapist who uses...unusual tactics and makes a mockery of marriage and commitment. The therapist himself meddles in their relationship, making a bigger mess of things, and crosses the therapist/client line far too many times to make this story believable. While I did enjoy the diversity and feminism, I didn't enjoy much else. This might not have been a good read for me, but the writing is strong, so I do recommend it to someone who wants to read erotic romantic comedy.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Rosie and Dominic Vega are high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.⁣
⁣
Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippy. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret... and it could demolish everything”⁣
⁣
I was completely obsessed with “Fix Her Up” and have read it probably about three times already since April. When I saw that Rosie’s story was coming out I requested it immediately! And thank the book gods, aka @avonbooks and @netgalley, for sending this to my kindle! There needs to be more marriage romances out there. The work Rosie and Dom put in to fix their marriage was so heartwarming. I loved Dom’s POV and what he thought it meant to be a provider for Rosie. And I also loved the Guru, he was hilarious. Also, THE STEAM OMG. Just as good as the first! Tessa Bailey has quickly become an instant buy author for me and I cannot wait for Bethany and Wes’s story! ⁣

Oh how this broke my heart! I was not expecting the intense sadness I got reading this book. I loved the characters so much and was rooting for them from the very beginning. I loved watching them fall in love all over again. Tessa Bailey does it again!

3.5 to 4 stars
3.5 to 4 stars
I was interested in Rosie and Dominic after meeting them in Fix Her Up. They have been married for over ten years, but due to circumstances, their marriage has been slowly deteriorating. Rosie has recently developed some new friendships and has started to feel more empowered. She is tired of settling in her marriage, her dead-end job, and wants to finally go after her dreams of opening a catering business or restaurant.

Years ago Dominic returned from his time in the military a changed man. He now works construction. He has always been taught that the man's place was to provide and that will be enough to show how much he cares. He is the quiet, brooding type that feels deep but has trouble sharing. But he did not realize that intermittent bedroom connections and being the behind-the-scenes provider would not be enough for her.

He gets his wake up call when she leaves. And now he is a man on a mission trying to figure out how to make things right. But Rosie does not know everything. And neither of them were really communicating effectively. They were not speaking each other's love languages, but can a last-ditch trip to an unorthodox therapist make them realize what brought them together in the first place?

I really enjoyed the first half of the book and it was interesting that the characters were already married and trying to figure out how to fix a broken relationship. That part was really relatable. I admit that as it went on I got more frustrated though, mostly with Dominic. He was keeping a big secret and it was driving me crazy that he did not just spill the beans. I could understand due to his background why he approached things the way he did and I was glad he was starting to learn alternatives, but it got a bit repetitive. I honestly felt like shaking sense into the man so he would tell her everything and quit feeling so unworthy.

And there was something about the way their chemistry was just so over-the-top full of sexual tension and so volatile that kind of felt a bit forced to me in a couple that was having trouble even speaking to each other. But overall I truly felt like they belonged together and was rooting for them to get it all together. And it had good messages about really trying to communicate and understand your partner and to figure out what you both need to be happy and content.

This brings back the quirky characters from Fix Her Up and sets up a new story for one of her friends, Bethany. It looks like she might have met her match.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Let's hear it for the marriage in trouble trope!! A close trope sibling of a favorite of mine, the second chance romance. I really felt for Rosie when we were introduced to her in Fix Her Up. Her marriage to Dominic is crumbling, she's stuck in an unfulfilling mall retail job (been there) and she is yearning to go after her dream of opening her own restaurant. Anyone that's been in a long term relationship and has experienced it getting so tangled and knotted only to have it unravel and end will get major feels from this couple in trouble.

My biggest likes about this book is how couples therapy was utilized in the storytelling and the.....sex connection between MCs. That's right Ladies and Gentlemen, no surprise to anyone, Tessa Bailey writes amazing sexy times. The shared history of this couple only makes the physical part of their relationship more layered and important for character development and pushes the story forward. And it's really freakin' hot.

We get introduced to the next couple, and I'm really looking forward to the enemies to lovers trope that will for sure happen!

Rosie and Dominic Vega's marriage is over. The spark they shared since meeting in middle school has fizzled, despite their explosive sex life. Stuck in a rut they seem they will never recover from, Rosie does the unthinkable and leaves her husband... but she underestimates just how much Dominic is prepared to fight for their marriage...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love Her or Lose Her was the heartbreaking, tear inducing, and extremely sweet story about fighting for the one you love. Rosie and Dominic have a love for the ages, but after years of marriage and taking each other for granted, the unstoppable connection they once shared has changed and made them a shell of their former selves. Now, with their very future on the line, Rosie and Dominic are either going to find each other again, or be forced to walk away from each other for good... 

Rosie has had enough of the silence in her household. Where she and her husband once shared everything with each other, in recent years their interaction has shrunk to nothing... except for their once weekly sex sessions. Rosie loves Dominic, but she knows she deserves more than what their life has devolved to... like finally pursuing her dream of opening her own restaurant.

Dominic has always shown his love by taking care of his wife. For him, providing and protecting is his biggest responsibility, and he takes it very seriously. But, the problem is that he does all of his taking care of her in secret, while she has no idea of his commitment to her happiness and well being. And when Rosie finally lets him know just how far their marriage has fallen apart, it may be too late to repair the damage they have already let happen...

This book had such a great plot and I absolutely loved the characters. Rosie and Dominic really love each other, despite the fact that their marriage is in ruins. They had a sizzling attraction, and no matter what else was broken, they have always fallen back on their super hot sex life. But when the sex is missing the substance, their hope of reconciling for good may never happen. 

Rosie was a strong and talented woman who needed the push given by her friends to take her life into her own hands. Dominic was a very sweet and attentive husband who is closed off and never shows his emotions. They were both great characters, but they did disappoint me a little with the fact that their relationship seemed to mature only the smallest bit and they still seemed to rely on their sexual attraction way more than they honesty and companionship they both obviously needed to focus on. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

I don't know if I can love this story more than I already do. Of all the characters in these two books of this series, I mostly relate to Rosie. Seeing her relationship with Dominic and how my own marriage has some (definitely not all) similarities has been eye opening. I took so much more than I had expected away from reading this story. I absolutely loved it. The story line is relatable for anyone who is or has been married. The characters are so well developed and amazing.

But I have to say Travis had me laughing a ton in this book. He will always be my favorite.

Its' been so long since I have read a Tessa Bailey book, I don't know what I was waiting for. Love Her or Lose Her is book two in the Hot and Hammered Series. Love Her or Lose Her can be read as a standalone, but in my personal opinion, it is much better if you have read the first book in the series, Fix Her Up, first. Rosie and Dominic have been together since junior high, physically, but being together physically isn't everything in a relationship.
Lover Her or Lose Her, is a Rom -Com. The characters, all of the them are well developed and compliment each other in such a way that makes this a easy and enjoyable read.
If you like Rom-Com, second chance romance or small town love stories, this is definitely a book and series for you to read.

probably 3.5
Dominic and Rosie Vega have been together since middle school but now their relationship has hit a few snags. Former Marine Dominic is quiet in the extreme, despite the fact that he's a faithful husband and provider, Rosie can no longer recognize the man she fell in love with and she's had enough. With encouragement from friends, Rosie decides to pursue her dream of opening her own restaurant, with or without Dominic, though she gives him the option of last-ditch marriage counseling, thinking he'll never do it, but this way she'll have tried and won't feel guilty.

Rosie is shocked when Dominic agrees. Not only that but counseling shows her she's also at fault for the deterioration of their relationship. As Rosie and Dominic complete their ridiculous therapy and learn one another's love languages, their relationship comes out stronger than ever, until a secret Dominic has kept for over a year threatens to derail their progress.

I don't typically read a lot of contemporary romance but I requested this one at a time when my husband was annoying me -- he's definitely the strong and silent type as well so I thought this could at least be entertaining. And it was. I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down once I got into it, although I think that may just be because I was stressed and wanting them to get it together. I know several reviewers don't like Dominic and think he's too possessive, but really I think this is his way of showing love and it's rather endearing. I think he got the short end of the stick here and his only desire in life was Rosie and whatever she wanted and he really didn't get much from her in return. Which she finally did realize.

I loved the exploration of love languages and communication and that both characters were so flawed. It made them seem real and relatable. I think Dom's post-war PTSD issues should've been explored more after their brief mention of why he struggles to communicate and then that just goes away. I think it would've been more fulfilling to explore that just a bit at least. Dominic actually was very sweet once Rosie opened her eyes to how insecure and unworthy he was feeling. This was lovely once they learned to communicate, although I would've liked a bit more real conversation between Rosie and Dominic; it was like once they saw each other clearly, everything was better than ever and a lot was left unsaid that I would've liked to see written out. I did enjoy this one and plan to go back to the previous book and then continue with this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was generously provided an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.

Ya’ll are gonna need a fan to get through this book because Tessa Bailey does not play games— this book is hot. Rosie and Dominic are familiar characters if you read the first book in the Hot & Hammered series, Fix Her Up, but if you haven’t, then boy are you lucky. Rosie and Dominic have an incredible level of chemistry and Fix Her Up does not prepare us for the absolute smoking hotness that is their relationship.

Bailey opens her novel by throwing us into the deep end of Rosie and Dom’s relationship. High school sweethearts with a nearly a decade of marriage beneath their belts, Rosie and Dom are no longer on the same page. They don’t speak to one another, eat dinner with one another, hang out with friends together, etc. The only thing they do together is have hot, hot sex. How hot you ask? Let’s let Dom take the floor for a moment:

“Listen closely. If I can play ‘just the tip’ with your virgin pussy for a fucking year, I can play the long game to get my wife back.”

But for Rosie, their sex life is the last vestige of what their relationship used to be like. But for Dom, their sex life is proof that their marriage is working. From the first few pages it is clear that Rosie and Dom are no longer communicating about their desires, wants, or goals for the future. Rosie believes that their marriage is over, but Dom has only just learned that his wife is unhappy. Again, they on completely different pages. Rosie decides to challenge Dom to attend marriage counseling, assuming that he will baulk at the uncomfortable setting where he’d be expected to express his innermost thoughts and feelings. However, this is a romance novel and of course Dom is in it to win it— he accepts Rosie’s challenge and in doing so, he begins to learn how to express himself.

Dom is Puerto Rican. This is extremely important to mention because Dom’s entire understanding of relationships and family life comes from watching his parent’s very traditional latino marriage:

“His jaw hardened. No. [Rosie] was supposed to stay regardless. His parents weren’t necessarily close, but they respected each other. His mother depended on Dominic’s father, had always been confident in his ability to give her a comfortable life. They were a united front at the weddings, funerals, and barbecues Rosie and Dominic attended for his mother’s side of the family. Botton line, they’d stayed together, through hard times and good…They’d sworn to stay together until the end and they damn well would. They didn’t even sleep in the same bedroom, but they admired each other. He and Rosie, they had a lot more than mutual admiration. Didn’t they?”

I’m Puerto Rican also (WEPA!) so I was super excited to see a boricua character in a novel. It almost felt like seeing a familiar face— you love to see real diversity in romancelandia. I absolutely understand Dom’s perspective on marriage. Immigrant and marginalized couples are bound by more than love or lust. They are teammates working together to cobble together the American Dream. Unfortunately for Dom, I side with Rosie. I don’t believe that mutual admiration and a commitment to stay is enough. My grandparents were married over fifty years before Papi passed away and although our family likes to romanticize their story, I don’t really know if they had a healthy love that went beyond cohabitation.

As a modern and independent woman, I want more. I can pay my own bills (mostly) and I can survive on my own (mostly). If I am going to open my heart and life to someone else, I want something special in return. In this sense, I feel close to Rosie.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was sexy, it was funny, it was heartfelt— Tessa Bailey put it all in here and then some. There is one note that I have though and I will admit it is probably pretty knit-picky. I fervently hope that we will see more white and/or white presenting writers explore new stories through POC characters. But, if white authors want to accurately portray these characters and worldviews then they must be sure interview someone who has the same cultural background as their character.

Bailey may have described Dom as Puerto Rican and he may have a hotAF Puerto Rican flag tattoo on his shoulder, but beyond that, I did not really feel a connection with Dom. Puerto Rican Americans have a lot in common— we love our flag, we love our food, we love our music, we love our families, and we love our Island. If I walk up to any Puerto Rican here in the states or on the island, we have at least 15 things we can talk about. With Dom, I felt there were key cultural connections missing from his character development. I’m happy to list the reasons here:

1. Puerto Rican men who have tattoos of the flag on their shoulder, also have the flag on their trucks. This is a law of nature. Dom does not have a flag hanging from his mirror nor does he have a flag as a bumper sticker.

2. Dom’s mother and father are alive. There is not a Latino parent on this planet who is okay with a child who never calls. At no point in the novel does Dom have a conversation with his mother. I can’t believe this because my mother calls me twice a day, every day. Every latino I know speaks to their family on a weekly basis, including family in other parts of the world (hello group chat!).

3. Rosie and Dom have been married for nearly a decade— without children. The issue is not that they don’t have children, it’s that not one member of Dom’s very extensive boricua family is hounding the two of them for progeny. Any latino knows that questions about your individual relationship status and past/future pregnancies is always part of any family get together.

4. I have no problem believing that Dom had no idea his marriage was in trouble. But I cannot fathom how Dom’s mother and tias had no idea his marriage was in trouble. There is not a latina mother on this planet who wouldn’t hesitate to call her daughter-in-law if she is worried about her son. Also, gossip is the chosen currency in latino families. I find it difficult to believe that Dom and Rosie’s relationship, lack of children, and lack of warmth wasn’t dissected over un cafecito across the Bronx.

I would encourage white and white presenting writers to connect with many different people from various cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. When these details are failed to included, readers like myself can only half-hearted cheer for the characters that look like /sound like / pray like / eat like us. I find myself completely thrown out of the story and while I was able to really enjoy Dom and Rosie’s journey, I didn’t feel like my lived experience was captured on the page.

Final Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: Once you finish reading Love Her or Leave Her, read about your own love language! Here is a fun little quiz to find out how you express love and how you best wish to receive love.

Also, please let me know if I am absolutely insane for being annoyed that Dom isn’t rocking a Puerto Rican flag tattoo on the cover. I’m very annoyed about this.

I am DNFing this one at 40%. I know a lot of people enjoyed this book and it's banter but I could not get past Dom's possessiveness. This is entirely based off my personal experiences. I really enjoyed Fix her Up and I will give future books a try, this one was just not for me.

I was provided an eARC in exchange for a honest review by Netgalley and HarperCollings.

Tessa Bailey gives readers a unique second chance romance involving a married couple that has drifted apart over the years. The novel offers readers two strong main characters, a bit of humor, a little angst, and a happy ending. If you love second chance romances, read this novel and enjoy.

Excuse me while I take a cold shower and fan my face. You see, this book is scorching hot. HOT, I tell you. Of course. If you’re familiar with Tessa Bailey, you’d know it’s to be expected. Whew, hopefully I’ve cooled down enough to write a coherent review.

First thing, I’d recommend reading Fix Her Up first although isn’t not 100% necessary. There’s just a lot of character overlap and I always prefer to read in order. We meet shy Rosie and quiet Dom previously so I was t expecting their explosive relationship. And I don’t mean violent in any way. It’s just that these two have such raw chemistry despite the problems in their marriage.

I won’t spoil plot details but essentially the entire book is Rosie and Dom trying to save their marriage despite some pretty big obstacles, mostly dealing with a lack of communication. Dom is a great guy whack doesn’t talk much and doesn’t know how to express his feelings in a way that makes Rosie know how much he cares. Rosie is sick of feeling less than herself and not talking to her husband.

A lot of the book is actually pretty funny, especially moments with the ‘Justus’ league. All the old characters are back and provide a lot of depth and levity to the book. The writing is fast paced, banter is great, sooo many reasons why I enjoyed it. There are definitely some serious moments as well and I shed a few tears related to both Rosie and Dom’s feelings on their marriage.

The ending is perfect, though and has a nice little set up to the next couple!