LOVE HER OR LOSE HER
by Tessa Bailey
Publisher: Avon Books
Release Date: January 14, 2020
Reviewed by Hellie






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.
Hellie’s Heeds:
I am all about the 2nd
chance at love tropes, and this story ticks all my boxes for a Happily Ever
After. What’s even better, it’s not the kind of second chance at love where the
couple doesn’t have attraction anymore--oh, no, it’s more complicated. They
want each other. BADLY. It’s just they don’t communicate and the reality is,
you can’t fix everything in the bedroom, as much as our dear hero Dominic might
wish it were so.
This book about killed
me with the romantic gestures that Dominic would do (but no verbal
communication! Gah!) and the sizzlingly hot sex scenes...or near sex scenes.
(OHMYGOD, “the tip” scene will have you fanning yourself with the book itself.
Do not read that scene in public. People will KNOW what kind of scene you are
reading. Though that might not bother you--you might just give them the link to
Amazon so they can read it themselves, which I highly recommend.) Dominic’s
love language, acts of service, will undoubtedly resonate with many readers who
have similar mates who would rather have all their teeth pulled than say
“I love you” but will do a thousand little gestures that sound unromantic to teenagers
but those of us in the trenches recognize as “I Love You” actions. The heroine,
Rosie, is adorable and loveable and utterly relatable. She’s a heroine I don’t
see represented too often in romance--she’s biracial, and the social conflict
that can cause was a new element for me to watch this character navigate
something that undoubtedly results in microagressions multiple times a day. But
I rooted for her on every page. She’s my favorite Tessa Bailey heroine to
date.
However, it wouldn’t be
a Tessa Bailey book if there wasn’t an element of the absurd to have you
laughing inappropriately throughout your lunch hour when you sneak another
chapter. The “love guru” Rosie picks for their marriage counselor is
hysterical. If second chance at love couples aren’t enough for you to pick up
this book, do it for the Love Guru Marriage Counselor. And don’t eat or drink
anything while you’re reading any scene with him in it because it will come out
of your nose.
The best thing about a romance novel (IMHO) is how it makes the reader reconnect with the idea that
love conquers all, and some people are meant to be together if they just do
what it takes (within healthy limits, obviously). This couple felt completely
real and their happily ever after felt absolute. I highly recommend without
reservation. Well, only the reservation, make sure you’re in a safe space when
you get to one of the sex scenes… *fans self* Damn.
Need to read!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hellie! You make me want to toss my schedule out the window and read this book NOW!
ReplyDeleteI just requested this from the library.
ReplyDeleteLove Tessa. She writes a great story.
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds so good!! I need to read it now!! Awesome review Hellie!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the terrific review. You have made me laugh, so I can just imagine the book.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I’m definitely going to read this.
ReplyDeleteWell, look here...another new-to-me author. And after reading the blurb and the review, it sounds like one I need to add to my buy list. Thanks for this great review. Book sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDelete