Love Her or Lose Her is the second book in Tessa Bailey’s Hot and Hammered series and while it didn’t completely match the magic of the first book for me, it still delivered an engaging story. I genuinely enjoyed reading it, even if I didn’t connect with the characters quite as deeply. Rosie and Dominic’s personalities were a bit harder to love, but they’re flawed in a very raw and human way, which sometimes made it difficult to support them, but also made their journey feel more real.
The story follows Rosie and Dominic Vega, a seemingly perfect couple who’ve lost their spark over the years. Once high school sweethearts, best friends and completely obsessed with each other, they’ve now fallen into a routine that feels more like strangers sharing a space than partners in love. Dominic, a former soldier, has retreated emotionally, giving Rosie little more than grunts and blank stares, even though he’s still a loyal husband and a reliable provider. But Rosie wants more. More passion, more communication, more connection and she’s finally ready to stop settling.
Encouraged by her fiercely supportive group of girlfriends, Rosie makes two big decisions: she’s going to chase her lifelong dream of opening a restaurant and she’s going to fight for her marriage, starting with marriage boot camp. And not just any marriage boot camp, this one’s led by a laid-back, eccentric therapist who’s all about feelings, incense and emotional vulnerability. But just when it seems like everything is finally falling into place, Rosie uncovers a secret Dominic’s been keeping.
Overall, Love Her or Lose Her is a heartfelt second-chance romance that explores what happens after the honeymoon phase ends. While I personally didn’t adore the characters as much as in the first book, I appreciated their growth and the emotional weight of their story. I enjoyed how Tessa Bailey wrote a story based on real-life problems that aren't typically read about or talked about overall. Rosie and Dom’s journey isn’t perfect, but it’s honest, messy and ultimately hopeful.
Stars: 3/5
Spice: 4/5
This sounds like an amazing book that really could grab ones attention. Personally, I love books that tranform certain realities into a fantasy world. Meaning that every relationship at a given point looses its spark and it new phase. To see what two people do when they loose that spark interests me and the title of the book really suits that.
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