Review: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

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 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. 

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Christy's Review: 

 

If there was anything in this world worth fighting for, it was his wife.

Love Her or Lose Her is the second book in Tessa Bailey's 'Hot and Hammered' series. After reading and loving 'Fix Her Up' I was so excited for this one. It wasn't as fun or endearing, but I actually loved the romance more. Maybe it's the old married person in me, but sometimes I love reading about already established/married couples and this hit the spot for me.

Dominic and Rosie were high school sweethearts who married one another. They've always been so in love and had a great relationship, but lately things have changed. I wouldn't say they've lost their spark... their chemistry is still there. But that seems like that's all that's there. They don't talk anymore, they don't spend time together (outside of their Tuesday night bedroom date) and Rosie has had enough. She decides they need some real help if they're going to make it work, so she moves out while they undergo some 'extreme marriage therapy', which is unconventional but a hoot.

Dom is a great guy. He loves Rosie something fierce and always provides for her, but with their sessions they both realize they aren't doing the right things for one another. Some people show love in different ways, and some people need love shown to them in different ways. It was the breakthrough they needed. I think this will be so relatable for some people. If you've been in a long-term relationship/and or are married especially.

Dominic is the type of hero Tessa Bailey loves to write. Alpha, stoic, sexy, and protective. This would have maybe been a 4.5 or 5 star read for me if I felt more connected to him. I feel like the biggest part of his character was his proving himself and providing for Rosie. Rosie had all these dreams and all he wanted was to be there for her and help her succeed. I guess I wanted a little more of what he wanted, and to be in his head a bit more. I think my favorite part of the book was watching Rosie come to terms with the fact that she had some blame in this and trying to do for Dom what he'd always done for her. I loved watching them love each other in the way they both needed.

 

“You love me fiercely and quietly—you always have—and you’ve started loving me out loud these last few weeks."

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional, steamy, and made me laugh more than once. I enjoy Tessa Bailey's writing and characters and I'm loving this series. I have a feeling Bethany and Wes's book is next and I'm so here for it!