[2]Upon its release, Cash Box considered "Love Is Like a Rock" to be a "pop/rock anthem" whose "accent is on harmony and melody".

[3] Record World noted, "Blistering guitars, raucous chorus cheers and a stark beat support Iris on this rocker, straight from the barroom to AOR-pop radio.

English rock band Slade recorded a version of the song for their fourteenth studio album You Boyz Make Big Noize, released in 1987.

The song was recorded at Wessex Studios and was one of two tracks from the album to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker.

"[9] In a review of You Boyz Make Big Noize, an American review from Guitar magazine highlighted "Love Is Like a Rock" as one of three of the album's 'hot spots' and stated "No one will ever mistake this for compositional brilliance, but Slade's consistent ability to suck you into their friendly carousing is impressive.

Doug Stone of AllMusic said in a retrospective review of the album: "The raging opener "Love Is Like a Rock," didn't fare any better commercially for the boyz than the tune did for awesome originators Donnie Iris and the Cruisers; this class cut remains an ace way to kick off the album because "Love" is, like, so Slade in the first place."

[10] In the album's 2007 Salvo remaster liner notes, writer Chris Ingham said: ""Love Is Like a Rock" is a telling observation about Slade's ongoing quest to style themselves to the times.

One of several more obvious candidates for a single than the tracks that were actually chosen, it nevertheless kicks off the record in great rambunctious style.