I liked the book - and this subgenre of romance featuring married couples working on staying together - but I think Bailey's intimate scenes go rather farther than I am generally comfortable with, which detracts from the story rather than adding to it. But I will likely keep reading this series.

I was a little scared going into this book because I wasn't sure how Tessa was going to write it. She NAILED IT!! I ended up reading it in one sitting. I like that it's a storyline that's not done very often. I've been married for FOREVER and, I'll tell you that this story had me following closely, making sure that we don't have similar issues. Single or Married this story, will have you striving to be better. I am wholeheartedly on #TeamVega.

I love how different the storylines are with both books in the series. I can't wait to get more of the new to town guy, raising a kid. YES PLEASE.

Good book. I thought it was a traditional romance book kind of like a lifetime movie. Tessa Bailey does a good job developing characters and plot.

I'm new to the world of Tessa Bailey and I'm happy to have found her. This book was everything, it was entertaining, informative and had some interesting characters.
Dominic worked my last nerve but in a good way. Every time he had a cave man moment , I kept wanting to hit him over the head and knock some sense into him. Overall he's a good guy
Rosie was interesting, I liked her personality. One thing I didn't really
connect with her, it felt like she needed too much from Dominic to go after her goals.
The passion between these two was scorching. Their sex scenes 🤩🔥🔥.

A swoony, emotional, steamy, ultimately satisfying second chance romance that reminded me exactly why Bailey is a must-buy author for me. Dominic and Rosie have so much history between them (in a way that differed so much from Travis and Georgie) but it was really fulfilling to follow their journey in terms of understanding what the other person needed and how they could essentially fall in love with each other all over again. This might be my favorite Bailey series yet.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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.

Wonderful story. Loved the fact that this story was about an already married couple. Rosie and Dominic are great. There is definitely chemistry between them. They are just going through a rough patch and need to figure out how to get past it and hold onto the love and connection they have. Ms Bailey has written a wonderful story and I enjoyed the journey Rosie and Dominic take to keep the HEA they have always wanted with one another.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooks for the review copy of this romance. All opinions are my own.

Fix Her Up, the first book in the Hot & Hammered series, was my favorite steamy read last year. I could hardly wait for this sequel to come out. @tessabaileyisanauthor has created such a fun and realistic group of friends who all struggle with their own issues, but also show incredible support towards one another. I loved seeing Georgie, Travis, Bethany and Stephen appear in several scenes. Their interactions and endless banter always make me laugh out loud.

This story focused on the Vega family. It centers around Rosie and Dominic who are a married couple struggling to connect within their relationship. There’s no mistaking that they deeply love and are incredibly attracted to one another. The problem is they don’t communicate and have gotten stuck in an unhealthy routine of just going through the motions. They separate and seek out counseling to see if there is any chance of saving their marriage.

I love that this romance wasn’t about new love. I think readers in long relationships will easily be able to relate to their issues. With the help of their colorful counselor, they learn that love is more than just physical intimacy and each needs confirmations in totally different ways. They also learn a valuable lesson that communication and honesty is key. Trust me there are plenty of sexy scenes that leave nothing to the imagination. They somehow managed to out steam Travis and Georgie which is saying a lot!!

Growing up in South Texas, the descriptions of Rosie’s culinary creations were all to familiar. I look forward to seeing how her restaurant becomes a new hangout for my favorite locals. I’m super excited to see Bethany become the lead in book 3, which will come out later this year. Her match was introduced throughout this story and I’m all in for watching their sarcastic love story unfold.

Bailey made me care for Dominic and Rosie but she also left too much up in the air at the conclusion of this novel. I root for Rosie and Dominic, but I can't support their relationship. I believe the way Bailey portrays men does not work in this book's favor. Possessiveness is not an attractive quality and it is definitely a red flag.

I'll be honest, I'm always hesitant on stories where the couple is already married (person preference), but I love Tessa Bailey and I loved the first book in this series so I took a leap of faith. I'm so glad that I did! This book is so good. Not only is it a great story, but there are themes and lessons in it that are good for the soul. This book will just make you feel so many feels. It is funny, sweet, sexy and emotional. It's a beautiful story of love. Not only is it about how love is different for everyone but how we should learn to love ourselves and others. I felt so hopeful after reading this book. It is definitely worth checking out.

Rosie was known as a department store shoppers worst nightmare. She was a cosmetic consultant. But no one ever asked to be spritzed. She didn’t understand why customers wouldn;t let her make them smell good. Rosie was married to Dominic. They had grown up together and have been together for ten years. Rosie didn’t feel she knew Dominic anymore. They had got through so much He had went in the service but they stayed true to each other and managed the distance and emotional pain. But now it seemed they had lost their shared dream of HEA and forever. Rosie wasn’t happy anymore and didn’t feel like she loved Dominic anymore.So she left Dominic. But Dominic was determined to get the love of his life back.
I really liked this book. I loved Rosie and Dominic together. I loved that they were both willing to do what it took to try to save their marriage. I loved they grew up together. I times i chuckled and at other times I choked up while reading this book. I was happy Rosie was strong enough to leave when she wasn’t happy anymore. This was a sweet, funny , romantic, and emotional read. I do feel there could have been a litte less sex scenes. That was the problem as they had a hot chemistry still. I didn’t particularly like their therapist. Dominic’s letter to Rosie choked me up big time. I really enjoyed the” just us” club. I was also glad Rosie had that. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it. I wish I could have rated this book 4.5

Tessa Bailey does it again. This time, taking us through a marriage in jeopardy, while still giving us the sexy steamy goodness that the author does so good. This story is entertaining, flows well, and gives you thoughts to ponder along the way. This book is a little different, and I would recommend it if you love a HEA that's worked for.

I was so excited when I saw this book was coming out. I LOVED Fix Her Up so much, but unfortunately, Love Her or Lose Her disappointed me. I did not love it the same way.

Tessa Bailey quickly became a favorite author of mine and I love her writing, but Love Her or Lose Her is a totally different tone than what I've read from her before. It is well written and hits on strong emotions, but I felt this was a much more serious book than the cover shows or that I've read from her. Her steamy scenes are still hot and I totally loved them. The emotion was so raw and powerful throughout even if Dominic was a bit overbearing at times.

It is still an amazing read, I just didn't love it like some of her other works. I can't wait for what comes next!

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.

Well, this book was a surprise! I have read the previous Port Jefferson stories and enjoyed their romance, but this story was different from so many other romances. Rosie and Dominic were already married and had been for 10 years. However, their romance was gone and Rosie had had enough so she walks away. Thus begins this story about mending a marriage and all that had to happen for them to get their HEA!. They had the sexual chemistry still and that probably helped this marriage get back on track, but I enjoyed reading about the emotional growth they both needed to do. An interesting yet different kind of romance. I liked it!

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

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/HarperCollins for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

B&N as Rachel_Denise01 posted on 1/14/2020 below as well as Amazon

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!

Rosie and Dominic have been married for a few years, but are struggling with their failing marriage. The only time the two of them seem to be on the same page is if they are getting intimate with one another. Rosie finally has enough and decides that she needs time apart from Dominic.

This couple had so much history shared between them. They met in middle school and have been together ever since. Sometimes it feels like when you've been with a person so long, you don't know how to be "alone" anymore and I really felt for Rosie. She needs time and space alone to shine by herself and that was very hard for Dominic to give to her. I really appreciated the fact that this couple chose to go to marriage counseling. That's something that's not often discussed in romance books, and I liked that this couple had real struggles and had a professional help them through their troubles.

The part that this book lacked for me was the connection between Rosie and Dominic. I truly do love an alpha/grumpy male, but just could not connect with Dominic. I know that these two have known each other for years, and yet I felt a disconnect between them. Earlier last year I read Fix Her Up (book #1 in this series) and absolutely fell in love with Georgie and Travis. I wanted to love this book just as much, but sadly I could not appreciate the intimacy between Rosie and Dominic.

I did enjoy the girl gang between Bethany, Georgie and Rosie and the Just Us League! But at times I was more invested in their storyline than the one between Dominic and Rosie. The set up for the final book in the series is laid down in Love Her or Lose Her and I'm interested in what that storyline will be when it is released.

I received a complimentary advance title of this book from the publisher.

4.5 Language of Love Stars!
I absolutely loved this second chance at love romance! This second book in Bailey's Hot & Hammered series is so poignant, fun and sexy! This is Rosie and Dominic's story. They are a married couple who have been each other's firsts. Their relationship has become rocky and in serious need of a renovation. Their chemistry has never cooled but their communication is non existent. Rosie is ready to move on, but Dominic will do whatever it takes to prove to her that they are soul mates. As they go to extremes to find their way back to each other, they both discover the language of love isn't always what you think it is. I loved this exploration into the relationship of a married couple. They love each other so much, but had lost their ability to really see and appreciate each other. Their journey back to each other was so poignant, and heartfelt. I loved how their friends and co-workers were so supportive and essential in their story making it fun, quirky and authentic. I am loving this Hot & Hammered series! You definitely don't want to miss Rosie and Dominic's funny, heartfelt, and sweet & steamy romance!

I got an eARC version of this book from @netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book - the first one in the series wasn't really for me, but I liked that in this story the main characters in this story (Rosie & Dominic) were already married and this was a romance of them finding their way back to each other.

I appreciated that they not only went to couples therapy, but that the therapy itself - why they were going, what they discussed, how it was affecting both of them - was a central part of the storyline. The level of sharing Rosie and Dominic did as well as re-learning how to communicate with each other wasn't brushed aside - they really put in the work.

You get to see some of the characters from the first book, and you see the set up for book number three as well. And as always, Tessa Bailey knows how to bring the steam - in fact, you almost jump immediately into that right from the beginning of the story, so if you're reading this in a public place...you've been warned!

Overall I enjoyed this story - Rosie and Dominic definitely needed to communicate better, but I loved rooting for them along the way! (I’d give this three and a half stars!)