Named one of the Best Romances of 2020 by Insider and Oprah Magazine’s + Marie Claire’s Best New Books of 2020
New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with a unique, sexy romantic comedy about a young married couple whose rocky relationship needs a serious renovation…
Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, … renovation…
Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: 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 hippie. 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.
“Her voice feels as fresh and contemporary as a Netflix rom-com.” —Entertainment Weekly
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4.5 stars!
The second book in the Hot and Hammered series is second chance romance at its best. Love Her or Lose Her is sweet, sexy and hit me right in the feels. I loved it!
Can I say? The connection between Dominic and Rosie is crazy explosive. *Blows out breath* My goodness the sexual tension between these radiated off the pages. Yes, they had many marital problems. However, they definitely did not lack in chemistry. Also, Dominic’s dirty mouth…yes, please.
I think I felt this book harder than I thought it would because I felt a kindred connection to Dominic. I grew up in a similar way. I definitely show my love through deeds. And, if your loved one needed something, you just did it. His struggle to verbally express his wants and his reasons felt a little too close to home. So, I could understand how he was feeling. That being said, I love, love love that Rosie took her life back and went after her dreams. I couldn’t root for her any harder than I was. The girl power within the Just Us League is still my favorite thing about this series.
I very much enjoyed this book!! If you looking for rom com that will hit you right in the heart, Love Her or Lose Her is right up your alley. I can’t wait to read Bethany’s story next.
5 Stars!
Rosie and Dominic Vega lived in the town of Port Jefferson, and have been together since seventh grade. They were high school sweethearts who fell in love and married. Then things changed in the last five years since he returned from active duty. Lately he felt like a stranger to Rosie. He’d shut her out, and stopped communicating. She didn’t feel like she could reach him anymore. They were wrapped in their routine, and just going through the motions. She used to feel so loved, and craved the affection and emotional connection they used to share. Her husband had disappeared, and she was done waiting for the old Dominic to return. She’d been unhappy for too long, and he’d been blind to it. It was time to focus on herself and her dreams that had been pushed aside, like opening up her own restaurant.
Dom is shocked to learn his wife feels their relationship is in trouble. He didn’t know where things had gone wrong. Rosie has owned his heart since middle school. He thought he showed her he cared by providing for her, but soon realizes he took her for granted. When she suggests marriage boot camp he agrees. They need to work on themselves and their marriage to rebuild what is broken. She had always been the most important part of his life, but they’d drifted apart. He wants another chance, and is determined to fight for her and their marriage.
Over time Rosie slowly starts to see glimpses of the man she fell in love with. As they reestablish trust and what’s important they grow stronger together. They become hopeful for a reconciliation, but will a secret leave their future hanging in the balance?
Love Her Or Lose Her (Hot & Hammered, #2) by Tessa Bailey is a heartwarming, romantic comedy about a young couple navigating marriage. We get a super swoony, steamy story as Dom and Rosie discover one another all over again. It’s full of passion, emotion, and explosive chemistry. I really loved this book! Dominic completely stole my heart!!! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
This unconventional second chance at romance will give you all the feels while satisfying your dirtier side.
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
Not going to lie, I love everything Tessa Bailey writes! If you’ve been looking for a second chance romcom for a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, Love Her or Lose Her will be your jam, my friends!
4.5/5 DELICIOUS STARS
It was sweet, angsty, funny and oh, so, SO steamy!!!
Loved Rosie and Dominic’s journey towards second chance (or maybe growing up as a couple?), how they open their eyes to their won issues and responsibilities in their struggling marriage.
And also, seeing again Georgie and Travis, and the glimpses of Bethany and Wes story was definitely great.
This book was delicious to read, Dom owned my heart, and I’m waiting eagerly for Book 3!!!!
***ARC kindly provided by author via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review***
Rated 4.5 Stars
Love Her or Lose Her was pretty good. It’s hot and steamy, sweet, cute and angst. I loved Rosie and Dominic’s journey to reconnecting. However there was one thing that Dominic did that really annoyed me, I’m not saying what it is because I don’t want to spoil it but I really wish he would’ve handled it differently. Other than that I loved it and definitely recommend it.
Copy provided by publisher through Edelweiss
3.5 -3.75 stars. This was a pretty good book. Love Her or Lose Her is the story of Rosie and Dominic. They have been married for years, sweethearts since their teens, but have lost themselves and their relationship along the way. They have some major issues to work through and must decide if their relationship is salvageable. Both must fight for their love and future together.
I liked Rosie and Dominic. They were a good couple. I liked their long history. I just didn’t feel 100% connected to them. At times, I didn’t understand why they were having problems or what all the fuss was about. There was no way that Dominic would have let Rosie go. He was determined to do anything for her, while Rosie was less sure that their marriage could be salvaged. I felt like there was a little too much angst and back and forth on whether they would end up together. But, they obviously loved each other and should be together. Still, I enjoyed this book. The writing and the story were good. I liked the cultural touches and the descriptions of Rosie’s food and restaurant, too.
Overall, this was a pretty good read, even if it was not my very favorite by Ms. Bailey. I enjoyed it and was happy Rosie and Dominic worked out their issues. I like this series and look forward to more to come in the future.
I couldn’t get enough of this! I don’t often find stories about married couples who want to stay together and actually put in the work. This is a romantic comedy but it’s also so much more. It’s about learning to communicate and understanding what went wrong and fixing it. In their journey to help their marriage and their dreams get back on track, I laughed, I felt frustrated, I smiled most of the time, I cried, and felt every other emotion possible. I loved this!
The perfect rom-com that I couldn’t get enough of.
Love Her or Lose Her is the second book in the Hot & Hammered series which features a couple whose troubles were eluded to in Fix Her Up. Rosie and Dominic Vega are high school sweethearts whose once picturesque relationship has turned into a marriage where tensions simmer and silence reigns supreme.
Their last thread of communication is in their undeniable attraction to one another but in a last ditch attempt to save their marriage, Rosie makes the move to sever that connection in order to rebuild their foundation from the ground up.
Dominic loves his wife and fulfils his duty in providing for her. He is absolutely devastated by Rosie’s decision to separate in order to save their marriage. It’s hard for him to reconcile that what he provides is not what she needs to feel fulfilled in their relationship, but he is a determined man and will win her back by any means necessary.
As someone who enjoys a good grovel the way this couple fought for their marriage was catnip for me. There was no denying the ferocity of their feelings for one another and as I reader I felt the anguished they bared witness to, and felt it believable. I adored Dominic and was happy that it was not all one sided when it came to realisations. Rosie too had her part to play in the breakdown of their relationship and I’m glad that it was acknowledged.
It’s a Tessa Bailey book so of course there was steam. As in, can’t see your hand in front of your face amount of steam. There was also much humour from secondary characters, and I loved the dynamic of the friendships forged.
Tessa laid the foundation for the next book and I for one am fully tantalised for promise of Bethany and Wes’ book.
Eep! A marriage on the rocks, second chance romcom by Tessa Bailey!
So different but so worth reading!
Most romance books are boy meets girl and they fall in love, argue and get back together and live happily ever after. Love Her or Lose Her is anything but because it starts after the happily ever after when the shine is off and they have to start working on their marriage. Rosie decides that she wants more out of the marriage and asks for a separation while they figure out whether or not the marriage is worth saving.
Rosie Vega always dreamed of having her own restaurant but her dream fell by the wayside and one night at work she realized she wanted more out of her marriage. Dominic Vega wanted to take care of his wife and provide for her because he knew they were always attracted to each other but when they forgot to show their love to each other, things started to fall apart. The marriage counselor is funny but so accurate!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Live and looks amazing!!
I’m going to be honest here, I ended up on the fence about this book. Maybe the issue was 100% me but I truly feel that I can split the blame with this read equally. I feel I am at fault for going into this book with high expectations of what to expect and those expectations did not really match up with the book I ended up reading. Now I am not saying that this was a bad book, because it wasn’t. It simply just didn’t deliver the funny, rom-com feeling I was looking for. I did think that this book had a real genuineness to it. I felt that the situation that Rosie and Dominic were in with their relationship and marriage would be very relatable to many readers.
Tessa Bailey’s books were some of the first I read when I began reading ebooks and they quickly became some of my favorites, so it pains me to say that I was a bit disappointed in this one. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I just didn’t feel the connection between the characters like I generally do. I enjoyed the premise of the book and I definitely didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t one of my favorites. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.
I enjoy a good book about a couple that’s married and having problems, but I have rarely found one that really does it for me. This one was exactly what I look for when I have a hankering for the trope.
Dominic and Rosie were each other’s first for everything, but when Dominic returned from serving in Afghanistan everything that once made them shine was missing. When Rosie can no longer take living together in isolation, she walks away leaving a devastated Dominic behind.
Rosie was easy to identify with as she had lost so much of herself through the years. I loved watching her not only regain the old her, but gain additional confidence to become someone even stronger. When the time came for her to do what needed to be done, she did so without hesitation, something I love seeing the hero do but don’t see too often with the heroine.
There’s no doubt that Dominic has shot to first place on my favorite hero list! He was freaking amazing. He was determined to do what it took to win Rosie back. The deep need he had to provide for her, his caveman tendencies that he had to fight against, and his constant need just to have her, had me swooning each time we were in his point of view. Add in his dirty talk and it’s going to be almost impossible for another hero to beat him.
While this definitely has some angst, it was leveled out with the perfect amount of humor to keep it from being a heavy read. The steam level is beyond sizzling and I’m sure my Kindle was in danger of melting. This couple are the very definition of hot and heavy. With the addition of fun and quirky secondary characters, this book has just become my favorite of the new year.
Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey is an excellent, entertaining, sizzling, and sweet romance. It is a follow up of sorts to the author’s last book Fix Her Up. I have to admit that this is the first time I have read a book by this author, but I do not feel that one has to read her first installment in order to follow along and truly enjoy these characters.
I was initially drawn to this book because it centered around Dominic and Rosie, a married couple that are currently experiencing a definite rough patch, and their path towards recognition, acceptance, and improvement. Not very novels are centered around a married relationship, and it was nice to be able to identify with these characters in that respect.
I enjoyed the main characters, Dom and Rosie, and felt that they had great chemistry and “staying power”. I also liked the fact that, as in real life, neither party was perfect, nor innocent. Each person had their faults, imperfections, strengths, and weaknesses. However, I was drawn to the fact that they both recognized this fact and felt that their love and each other were worth the fight.
I enjoyed the therapy process and the unconventional methods that they had to work with, as it definitely added a humorous aspect at times to something that can be quite heavy and serious. I felt that both concepts complimented one another nicely.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters and cast and am excited to see there is a further installment focussing on Bethany and Wes! I loved this book so much, I am going to search out and read Ms. Bailey’s first book to find put more about this great cast of characters.
Definitely entertaining, engaging, and I truly enjoyed the ending.
5/5 stars
I’m not gonna lie – I love Tessa Bailey and I loved Fix Her Up, so I was super stoked for Love Her or Lose Her and Rosie and Dominic’s story. As a married person (whose relationship is far from perfect), so many parts of their story hit so very close to home, which made the reading experience very cathartic and emotional for me. It meant a lot to me personally to see Rosie stand up for herself and prioritize her emotional needs – it is so common for women to put our needs and feelings on the back burner for so long that we forget that we even have them, let alone the fact that they are not being met. I also really appreciated that BOTH partners had to take responsibility for the things that were wrong in their relationship. However, a lot of the plot and issues in their relationship stem from a massive failure (on both of their parts) to communicate. While that is so very true to life, it is also one of my biggest pet peeves in books AND in this case, the failure to communicate was on a scale that I just could not understand and it honestly dampened my joy in reading. That being said, I really did enjoy the book – it had all the emotions and heat that I’ve come to expect and love from Tessa Bailey. I”m really excited to continue on with the series, especially since the next book appears to be enemies to lovers and there’s a child involved! 4 out of 5 wine glasses.
A marriage in trouble story is basically the most serious of second chance romances, which we all know I have a love/hate relationship with. But Rosie and Dom loved each other so much, and you were pulling for them the entire time. I loved this story.
Rosie and Dominic Vega had a picture perfect relationship, until they didn’t. How did it happen? Rosie doesn’t know, she just knows she can’t live like this anymore. Rosie has always wanted to open her own restaurant, but she’s shelved her dreams for a long time, never thinking it was the right time to act on them. Dom has gotten so quiet in the years since he came home from deployment, and Rosie doesn’t know what to do when he just doesn’t talk to her anymore. He just works and comes home, and things never change. They’ve been dancing around their issues for years, and when things boil over, they’re both left not knowing how to move forward. When Rosie finally decides to leave her husband, her love, her childhood sweetheart, she thinks there’s no going back. But Dom isn’t willing to give her up without a fight. He agrees to do WHATEVER it takes to make her come home, and when she proposes last resort marriage counseling, he doesn’t bat an eye.
Their marriage counselor was hysterical: a pothead hippie, with office decor straight out of the 1960s. But, he certainly knew his stuff, and he helped them realize they weren’t speaking the same love language. As an aside, I learned about the 5 Love Languages in my pre-marital counseling class. And thank god for that, because my hubs’ language and mine are VERY different. In fact, they are the same as our hero and heroine. Dom (and my own husband) shows his love with acts of service, and Rosie (and me!) with words of affirmation. This struggle resonated so strongly with me, as we’ve had to learn to interpret each other’s languages over the years, and its not easy. Watching them struggle to understand each other just really hit home in my heart. And Dom’s letter to Rosie? *Swoons Forever*
Rosie and Dom had flaming physical chemistry like whoa, but their emotional intimacy had been sorely depleted. Watching them find their way back to each other’s hearts was painful, and beautiful, and I just loved their love so much. They both had gotten so bogged down in the day-to-day, that things were totally out of control before they knew it. I’m sure everyone can relate to that in some way. But they both compounded the issue by not communicating, and not sharing their feelings, along with other important truths, and it just made everything worse.
Rosie and Dom’s friend group is truly outstanding, and seeing all their interactions were as enjoyable as they were in book 1 (which I also loved with my whole heart!). Having a new face added, in Wes, and seeing his spark with hilarious Bethany was so great, and I can’t wait for their book up next!
This book had my emotions on a yo-yo the whole time, but always, I was pulling for Rosie and Dom. Hoping they could each get out of their own way, and make the changes they needed to make to be all they could for each other, and for themselves. They both learned how to support each other, while letting the other person fly, and it was so satisfying. I highly recommend this story.