Love Her or Lose Her: A Small-Town, Grumpy-Sunshine Rom-Com Featuring Family Secrets and Marriage Boot Camp (Hot and Hammered, 2)

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.

I was excited to read this one! I had asked for married couple romance recommendations in a Facebook group, and Love Her or Lose Her was one of those mentioned. I read the first book in the series to prepare and met Rosie and Dominic there.⁣⁣I enjoyed seeing a couple make an effort to work on their marriage. The therapy scenes with their hippy therapist were funny but also had some tender moments. Discovering each other again through the process was beautiful to watch.⁣⁣I loved that through it all, Rosie continued to pursue her dream of owning her own restaurant. I feel like she needed that as a way to come into her own and be the confident woman that was there all along. Dominic's growth throughout the book was exponential. He goes from a silent provider to a man fighting every day to show (and in his case, tell) his wife how much he loves her.⁣⁣I still loved Georgie's character and her ability to make her siblings uncomfortable. Also loved the build to book 3 between Bethany and Wes!⁣⁣My only issue was his name for her - honey girl. While I loved the "baby girl" thing from the first book, this one didn't roll off the tongue in the same way. It felt a little awkward and forced.⁣⁣Overall, I enjoyed this one but Fix Her Up is still my favorite of the 2. Looking forward to September to read about Bethany and Wes!⁣

I love this author, who wrote the amazing Clarkson series but I had a hard time with this one. I wonder if these two had gone into licensed therapy instead of the path guided by a pot smoking old hippie what the outcome would be. I was seriously disturbed by the fact that Rosie was all but a prisoner for ten years. No friends and no social interaction outside of the marriage. Her life and emotions under the control of a man who could easily be termed abusive emotionally and it could be argued physically as well. Demanding Rosie make admissions during rough (consensual) sex as opposed to giving her secure confident space to express herself with the demand of her impending orgasm. These were two seriously disfunctional people. His possessive desire to own her would hardly be addressed in four short counseling sessions. These issues are the kind that run deep and not the type that a bit of self awareness makes go away like turning on or off a light. I love the other two books in this series so I'd go for one of those over this disturbing tale. And I am almost hesitant to mention this in 2020 but I was uncomfortable that these personality traits were attributed to the only clearly non white couple. Readers will make their own judgments whether the machismo of Puerto Rican Dom isn't shaded by stereotyping. I wrestled with whether to review this book at all but when I found the issues causing a need to speak out I decided to go with it. In my opinion this author has many better stories/books to offer.

Tessa Bailey’s 'Love Her or Lose Her' is a novel that will make you laugh, cry, and swoon… most likely all at once.Rosie and Dominic Vega have been together since middle school. While their chemistry has never been in question, their ability to communicate has slowly degraded over time. When Rosie hits her breaking point, Dominic is willing to do anything to prove his love… even go to a weed-smoking hippy therapist and talk about his feelings. As Rosie and Dominic both begin to understand each other better and own up to their own failings, their relationship steadily begins to improve. But one last secret may be their undoing.One of the things I love best about Bailey and her writing is her ability to create dynamic, interesting, and realistic characters. (Plus, she writes the heck out of a romantic scene. Oh. My. Goodness.) In 'Love Her or Lose Her' you can’t help but feel fully invested in Rosie and Dominic’s relationship. You celebrate every victory, you lament every shortcoming. You feel the palpable, white hot chemistry between the two. You feel the gamut of emotions that both protagonists experience throughout the narrative arc. It’s enthralling.Bailey also deftly continues Georgie and Travis’ story from 'Fix Her Up' and sets up Bethany and Wes’s story (title to-be-announced), which will complete the Hot & Hammered series. Her ability to create a compelling cast of characters beyond the heroine and the hero is another testament to her superb writing and world-building skills. Every time a I read a Tessa Bailey novel, I have a new favorite when I finish. It’s not a bad problem to have.Take it from me, this is a must-read, and will undoubtedly make all of the best-of lists for 2020.

First, I loved Rosie and Dom. They were fiery, complicated and sadly very real.Second, this is not your typical romcom. A marriage in the rocks wi the a fight ahead of them.I struggled a bit with this story. I loved the characters, their spice, effort and friends circle. Where it faltered, for me, is too much internal dialogue. I just needed a bit more interaction between characters.Having said that, I think Rosie and Dom needed all the internal time to work things out. They needed to put in the time so I can let that go.

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey is the second book in her Hot & Hammered series! We're first introduced to Rosie and Dominic in Fix Her Up and you guys I loved every moment of their story!!From the very first chapter until the very end I was swooning and emotional. This book is everything you love and want in a romance. Rosie and Dominic are soulmates who have been together since they were teenagers. They've been through it all. They're flawed. Their marriage has taken a turn. Rosie and Dominic aren't the same people they used to be when they first got married. Now the two must fight and fall in love all over again, rediscover each other, and reunite once more but for good this time.Their relationship has been all-consuming from the moment they met that at one point they forgot to communicate with one another. The passion and the fire has never waned but Rosie needs more from her husband and she takes a stand and decides to leave. Dominic gets a wake up call. All he's ever wanted is his honey girl. He's been taught to provide and now he must also learn to show his emotions and reveal his needs as well. This is hard for Dominic at first because he's such a quiet and broody man. When Rosie suggests couples therapy he's willing to do anything to win her back.So much emotion, growth, and love with amazing friendships and secondary characters who were truly adored in book one. I loved Dominic's troubled side as well as his fierce and loving side. Rosie, too, grew so much. She became independent and fought for her dreams and for her marriage. These are two people who saw their faults and worked together. I was captivated and charmed until the last page. And enough said about the new hero introduced to torment Bethany!! I'm dying for their book next and I just know it's going to be a lot of fun. That being said, please do yourselves a favor and start this series!!

Definitely still the slightly cheesy, giggle-worthy type of book found in the contemporary romance genre. The difference from all the other cookie cutter stories out there? A real married couple, with real problems and truly applicable solutions. Incorporating the love languages was fantastic. My husband and I went through that book early in our marriage and it truly positively changed how we both felt love and connection from the other.I like Tessa Bailey's writing style, but there are some things that could have been developed a bit more. I thought Dominic's time in the military/deployed and how it changes a person could have been grittier and a real focus in part of the therapy, but instead she chose to focus only on his feelings of insecurity. I did appreciate that aspect too though, a nice change in vulnerability from typical male issues and over the top alpha antics that show up in most books. All in all something any couple that has been together for awhile can empathize with and maybe even learn a thing or two from. I do wish we had more crazy hippie therapists. Lol

I’ve never read a book like this (that I can remember) where the MCs are in a troubled marriage, but they ONLY want each other. The monotony of their marriage gets to the h, and the H is determined to change that.Rosie and Dominic have been married for years, and they have an okay marriage, but lately Rosie’s been feeling the deficit in their marriage, the routine of it all, and she doesn’t want to continue living this way. She gets home from work, on a Tuesday, and before they do their normal Tuesday Smexy time routine, she leaves him (but not before he.. ahem… tries to convince her to stay 🥵🔥). There are things that are missing in their marriage, like their lack of communication, but what’s really bothering Rosie is that she isn’t fulfilling her dream, her dream of having her own restaurant.Dominic was in the military, and all he wants to do is please Rosie, which is why he works so much. He never realized she had something missing in her life. He thought the only thing she was missing was their dream home, but because he never opened up and talked to her about it, he didn’t find out until she walked away. When they see each other again she tells him that they need to seek therapy, and he crazily agrees.Their therapist’s a hippie and has… unconventional ways of doing therapy, but it allows Dominic and Rosie to get closer. It really allows them to look into their souls and see how strong their marriage is. I was laughing my butt off when they were doing the chubby bunny exercise 😂 (the narrator is awesome). As time passes, Rosie realizes all of the things Dominic has done for her, from paying a security guard to make sure that she gets to her car safely after work every day to warming up her seat before she leaves, he’s so swoony 🥰and thoughtful🥺, I kept falling in love with him more and more myself lol.And don’t get me started on the dirty mouth this man🥵Jeeeezus… Tessa Bailey knows how to write dirty talking Hs! He’s ALL ABOUT her pleasure (he keeps himself in shape because he knows she’s a 10 and needs to keep up to her smexiness)- the “just the tip” scene was SCORCHING 🔥 and the hotel room scene (after they pretend to be strangers on the dance floor) was EXPLOSIVE… I’m surprised my kindle survived! If you wanna read a scene where he lays her down on a table so her head is hanging off the side… for… um… deep purposes, then this book is for you💦😅🔥.They reconnect on such a PRIMAL level, and I loved that the whole time, they ONLY want each other. The way Dominic’s willing to sacrifice anything for Rosie is noteworthy and everything we want in an H ❤️. Plus, I love books that have the MCs chemistry off the charts 💦 and they have it in spades 🥵.Loved it!⚠️safety squad⚠️-no cheating/sharing/owd/omd

I really enjoyed this story of Rosie and Dominic and their marriage in trouble romance. These two have to find their way back to one another after years of taking each other for granted and losing sight of what the other needed. I liked that going to therapy was a big part of this story - that made it feel real. And while Dominic frustrated me at times (man just TALK to your wife) and the resolution was one that felt like it happened quickly and without much fuss - this was still a great story that I liked reading.

It’s very rare to find a book where the couple is already married and going through a tumultuous time. It just seems so real. I loved every minute of it. Dom & Rosie absolutely need to communicate. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.

I like this book so far…I am half way though it and I like it better than the 1st one. It’s more mature then the 1st part.If you are married and like romance I think this is for you!!!

I put this one off since I’ve never read a second chance type romance but the spirits called me to read it and I’m so glad I did,This is a beautiful story of love and redemption and learning how to just be a person againIt’s my favourite of the series the ending got me right in the feelings

Nicht allzu anspruchsvoll aber auch nicht einfältig und somit für mich die perfekte Urlaubslektüre.