Love Him or Leave Him is a wonderfully fun, sweet story about second chances and finding home.  Connor and Becca were high school sweethearts but their romance was destroyed by rumors.  Years later, Connor is now back serving as sheriff and Becca finds herself once again attracted to him.  But she’s close to being able to enjoy the life she’s always dreamed about and a relationship with the man who broke her heart isn’t in her plans.

I really liked Becca.  Although I didn’t have a brother I had to take responsibility for, I did grow up in a small town.  Because I left for college and didn’t go back, I understand her yearning to see more of the world, but I also know how wonderful living in a small town can be.  It can be limiting but it can also be nice to know the people you see every day.  That’s the comfort that Connor finds in the town after having been to less than pleasant parts of the world.  He’s still suffering from those things he’s experienced and those ghosts are dragging him down.  Thought it is a long and hard road, I really enjoyed the journey these two made getting back together and realizing how they can fit their hopes and dreams into a shared life.  There’s a little bit of a mystery over some pranks that are happening in the town, but it’s mainly a catalyst to get these two to straighten out their futures.

Love Him or Leave Him is the second story in Daniel’s “Small Town, Big Dreams” series but other than seeing more of the quirky, and thoroughly enjoyable, townsfolk it really doesn’t make a difference.  But if you haven’t read its predecessor Construction Beauty Queen I highly recommend it.  It is just as cute and funny with that right amount of romantic angst.  I love this town, it reminds me of Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold, and I can’t wait to see more of it.  Hopefully Daniel has plans to bring us more from Kortville, Illinois soon.