Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Love Him or Leave Him (Small Town, Big Dreams #2) by Sara Daniel


Sometimes dreams are where you least expect them.

Connor O’Malley and Becca Sanders were once high school sweethearts, ripped apart by rumors in the small town of Kortville, Illinois. Connor left to join the military, and Becca stayed, waiting for her younger brother to graduate so she could live her dreams of traveling the world. But now that Connor's back as the town sheriff, Becca finds herself struggling to resist the too-handsome man who once broke her heart.

Connor loves Kortville—its quaintness keeps at bay the painful memories of Afghanistan he’s sure make him unworthy of any woman, particularly the beautiful brunette he’s always secretly dreamed of a future with. But when a scandal rocks the town, suddenly Connor and Becca must trust in each other if they want to weather this storm…and come out on the other side of it together.

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 1.5 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Love Him or Leave Him was one of those reads I just love. It's filled with characters that are passionate and complex, there's drama and unwavering heart and small town quirkiness--complete with hot chocolate contests. It's just a sweet romance that kept me smiling and entertained.

Becca and Connor. I don't know. They just made me smile and really touched my heart with what they'd been through. There's a lot of heat and fire between them. Lots of history that has to be overcome and well, not everyone is always quite on board with getting all romancy. But they're so good for each other you can't help but want to see them together in the end.
"You're response should include whether the smell and taste of each ingredient makes your partner feel more romantically inclined," Pauline added to the group. He nearly spewed his drink. He was supposed to not only admit, but rate the increase in his attraction to Becca?

"Good, you firmly established us as a zero on the romance scale." She smacked him on the back. "That's where I intend to stay. If you start moving up the scale, I will poison you." He pressed his lips closed to keep from smirking. It wouldn't do to let her know her murderous threats made him feel more romantically inclined.

"Here." She passed him a small jar. "Sniff this and see what you think."

He uncapped a lid, inhaled deeply, and then immediately turned his head aside and coughed into his elbow. "I have no idea what it is, but it's not meant to be snorted."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't snort cloves. Will you be offended if I don't quote you verbatim?"

"Are you kidding? You couldn't offend my cocoa skills if you tried. Write whatever you like."
Connor. Oh damn. He is my kind of hero. Yall, this man. He is dreamy. Sexy, sweet, dedicated and passionate about his town and being a good Sheriff. But what got me was how he took care of the little old ladies in town. He dotes on them and it is just so damn cute how he has a relationship with his little senior citizen neighbor who he realized was lonely years earlier and chats with every morning. It's a total *girly sigh* kinda thing. lol

Becca was great too even if she was a bit of a health nut and all about fitness and eating right. I know it's really, really bad but damn the girl had me wanting a donut something fierce. I so can't relate to the love of fitness but I loved that she cared so much. That she wanted to take care of everyone. She's had a hard few years and often I felt like just reaching in and hugging her. She so sparked the mama bear in me.

All in all, Daniel's created a wonderful small town romance. She had me falling for Becca and Connor and wanting to spend more time with them. I loved watching them deal with the past, with her dream of leaving town and discovering a new path, with his struggles over his time in the military. It all made them feel so real. The added mystery of who was causing havoc in the town added a nice element that kept things even more interesting. It was a great time and has me wanting to read more from Daniels in the near future.


Have you read Daniel's before?
Do you have a favorite character/book of hers?


I write what I loveirresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. On the personal side, I'm a frazzled maid, chauffeur, and slave to my children. I was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. (The children's book The Bravest Squirrel Ever by my alter-ego Sara Shafer is the squirrel's fictionalized version of that experience!) I'm crazy about country music and the drama of NASCAR. And I have my very own happily-ever-after romance with my hero husband.


Follow my blog, like me on Facebook or email me for the latest updates on my books and writing projects or to debate the best race car drivers!






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