This is a cute and cozy smalltown romance book.
We have Wren and Hud, our main characters, she is passing through town but her car breaksdown and he is the mechanic that helps with the car.
So we have the rich girl and the grumpy not so rich mechanic. There is some spark between them from the start, but they ignore it. Wren is trying to run away from her problems, meanwhile this cute town starts to grow on her.
Hud also has a lot on his mind plus that he has a son and his ex is back in town, plotting something bad.
The story goes smoothly with a lot happening though, that in my opinion it is to much for this story.
The side characters are also very involved in the story, and kind of interesting. Hope the author will write a book about them.
I think the story is a 3.5 ⭐️ and not that spicy.

Give it a try!

I choose this book for Camp Netgalley and this is my honest and only opinion.

I had such a good time reading. A sweet small-town romance with just the right amount of emotional depth and a cast of lovable characters.

⟡ Tropes and Rating ⟡
🏞️ Small Town
💗 Insta Attraction
🔥 Slow Burn
🧸 Single Dad
🚜 Tractor Appreciation (😉)

4/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

⟡ Review ⟡
Wren finds herself in a bit of a predicament when her Maserati breaks down outside of the small Texas town of Vogel Springs. Enter Hud, who runs the local car repair shop. He’s fighting a two-front battle to keep his family’s land from corporate takeover and another to gain custody of his son. Sparks fly fast between Wren and Hud but both hit the brakes (for a while) due to their by personal baggage.

This book has all the ingredients of a cute small town romance with quirky locals, cozy vibes, and meddling best friends but it actually dives deeper. Hud’s custody battle and land dispute bring bigger stakes to it.
He’s a solid, good guy, dependable, selfless, and devoted to his son and town. This makes it particularly heartbreaking when part of the community turns against him when he refuses to sell his land.
Wren is initially depicted as the typical “city girl stranded in the country” but is actually much more, kind, sweet and compassionate.
Their chemistry is instant, but their relationship takes time to develop which leaves us with some delicious push-and-pull tension.
The drama with Hud’s ex is handled well. It nicely moves the story along but it never crosses into the territory where Wren is unsure about where Hud stands with her or the ex.

I only with that there was more time spent on Wren and Hud truly getting to know each other. While Hud’s character was fleshed out well and Wren learned a lot about him because she lives in his town, her past, particularly her father and ex, is explained quite late. There was no talk between the main characters about Wren’s life outside of Vogel Springs and Hud had no idea about her backstory until the end, and even her POV chapters don’t give away much.

Thank you Liberty Stowe and NetGalley for the free ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Cute story with lovable characters, and the plot is perfect for a Hallmark-style story. That being said, the backstory of the characters took way too long to be explained, and even then, it left some questions. I like the way the book opened itself up to the possibility of a sequel where additional characters are developed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Solid 3.5 ✨

There was a lot I loved about this book. It was the perfect mix of romance and small town vibes,

I adored Hud and Wren, and how they found themselves throughout all of the hardships they faced. We really see Wren do a full 180, and become her best self. HUD was a dreamboats, and he fiercely fights for those he loves.

The friendship presented in this book were those that will be around a lifetime.

This book is not super spicy, but it definitely does not lack, and what is there is steamy, #tractor

Spice: 🌶️.5

Tropes:
✨ small town boy meets city girl
✨ friends to lovers

I want to start by saying that I loved the cover of the book, hence why I wanted to read and the description was really good! At the beginning the writing style took me by surprise but I got to 24% when I decided to DNF’ it. The main reason is that the FMC & MMC haven’t known each other for 48 hours and they are already making out. Too insta love for me! Another thing is that the FMC goes “exploring” the town but we are just told she took pictures, nothing else. I feel like we got a barely description of the town, and it’s told it’s a small one yet the FMC goes a whole day exploring it, and again we don’t go with her exploring.
I appreciate the ARC!

I thought that Steady Now was a super cute and fun read! I enjoyed the rich girl meets small town guy vibe. The author did a really great job adding more depth to the rich girl character beyond the typical stereotypes. I liked that the FMC’s backstory was a little vague in the beginning and unraveled over time. Dual POV is also a plus. I enjoyed seeing the MMC work through his own problems. He honestly had a lot going on in his life, but it was great to see him work through everything. While reading on the Kindle, it was a little tough seeing the emojis from the text messages sent between characters. Overall, it was a really good book, and I’m excited to see more from this author!

This was a great palate cleanser. I think I’ve found my new favorite author. I’m hoping a sequel is in the works! The spice was top notch and the will they won’t they was great! I enjoyed this book very much!

First off, thank you very much for this eARC that was generously provided by the publisher and author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It seemed like a really fun idea joining in on Camp Netgalley, but being a Kobo reader, my options for joining were very limited. I had high hopes either way, but sadly, I decided to DNF this one at 34%. I tried hanging on and pushing through and hoping it would get better, but just couldn’t do it. The idea of the story was one thing, but the execution was entirely another, and it was too much if a struggle to continue.

This one started out pretty strong. Funny, new small town, romance, etc., but quickly went downhill from there. There was absolutely zero character development. One minute the FMC and MMC hated each other, the next they were literally emotionally in love with each other three days after meeting with almost zero interaction with each other. The pacing was absolutely horrible and I felt whipped around every other paragraph. Lots of sentences seem incomplete or to be missing words, and I very often had to go back and reread them to try and make sense of what was being said. Also, the drama and the problems with other characters seemed unrealistic and forced just to add to the story. Nothing about this book felt realistic or smoothly put together.

Unfortunately, I feel this one still has very major editing and rewriting to be done before publishing, because it absolutely had the potential to be a cute, romantic, small town, love story. But the pacing, the lack of character development, the lack of world building, the lack of coherent sentences, etc etc is really killing the potential.

Best place for a breakdown!🏘🌾🚜

This romance by a debut author would be a good pick for readers who look for small-town drama, steamy romance and main characters facing adversity from all sides who keep on fighting for what they want and believe is right.

Female lead Wren Baldwin's luxury sports car breakdown in the rural Texas Hill country gets her stuck in the middle of a land and custody war with a tall, dark piece of sin garage owner named Hud. The two get frisky in some odd places and gradually they let their passionate attraction mix with some more emotional bonding, including some major attempts at self sacrifice. She has to prove herself as more than a pampered rich girl on the run from her past, and she wins most, loses some with the denizens of the town. Her BFF Anderson definitely helps her by investing in a major town landmark and making her an active partner.

There's plenty goin' on here to make the plot lively, more than a few hot encounters, and some adept character building for Wren and Hud. The secondary characters are well constructed too, though not near as thoroughly, including a few villains and a group of upset townsfolk that made me think of those pitchfork-waving folks on the hunt for Frankenstein's monster!

My only niggle: I didn't find the late in the plot catch-up on Wren's past and relationship with her high-powered lawyer dad and Philip all that enlightening. That part of the plot could have been better with more detail and maybe explained through a flashback earlier in the story.

Thanks to RupertBossier and NetGalley for sharing an advance complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 7/21/25 on Goodreads and with Barnes & Noble and BAM.

I love this book so much!! It has everything from handsome and hunky mechanic, Hud, to sweet and feisty Wren, who arrived in Vogel Springs in a super fast, but broken down, Maserati!! Their chemistry is off the charts, so what could possibly keep them apart? Hud has a scheming baby mama who was back in town to cash in on a big deal that was never going to happen. His son, Connor, was his pride and joy and making the best life for him was of utmost importance. Falling in love with Wren was a bad idea because he knew she would leave his small town as soon as her chariot was fixed.

Vogel Springs has the best homespun diner that was the epicenter for the drama and gossip that kept swirling around the town. Wren’s best friend arrived to check up on her and ended up buying a historic house and falling in love. Maybe the small town life is the way to live because I certainly wanted to move right in and become best friends with everyone. The town fell in love with Wren from the minute she rolled her fancy pink suitcase down the sidewalk. Hud may have a lot on his plate but he vowed to win at all costs when it came to business, and matters of the heart!!

Overall it was a cute story with decent spice and endearing small town touches. The pacing was a bit off for me though. It seemed to speed up when I wanted more details and slow down unnecessarily. There were also a couple points where the characters knew more (which is ok) but I never felt fully resolved. The details to fill in Wren’s past are still a bit lacking for me and the catchphrase of the title was a bit overused. Otherwise it was a nice story to read if you like a small town romance with a grumpy/sunshine element.

Set in a charming Texas town just outside of Austin, *Steady Now* paints a vivid and cozy backdrop that feels like a character in itself. The small-town vibe and its little country café give the book a warm curb appeal that carries through from start to finish. At the heart of the story are Wren and Hud, classic opposites whose fiery push-and-pull dynamic brings both fun and chaos. While their chemistry is enjoyable, the setup—rich city girl meets gruff small-town guy—feels a little too familiar and predictable. Wren’s privileged background, at times, makes her difficult to fully root for, especially when her problems seem a bit too pampered to stir deep emotion.

Thankfully, the supporting cast brings charm and depth. Anderson, Wren’s queer best friend, is a standout—witty, stylish, and refreshingly grounded. And the adorable child character (no spoilers here!) might just be the soul of the book, radiating warmth and sincerity. The antagonists, unfortunately, fall flat, with the “rich daddy” and “big business” threads lacking complexity or intrigue, missing an opportunity to elevate the stakes. Wren’s personal journey toward self-discovery is satisfying, as she begins to carve out a life beyond the expectations handed to her. Hud's arc is more subtle but meaningful, as he slowly lets go of pride and learns to accept support.

Liberty Snow’s writing has some charming and humorous moments—especially in the banter between Wren and Anderson—but the prose occasionally feels unpolished and juvenile. Certain details, like repeated mentions of elite car brands and a confusing car repair subplot, detract from the narrative. Terms like “home place” also felt slightly off, making the setting feel less grounded. While the romance is steamy, it follows a familiar formula, leaving little room for surprise or slow-burn development.

Still, *Steady Now* will likely appeal to fans of fanfiction-style romances, spicy reads, and anyone looking for a light afternoon escape. It’s not a book for readers seeking eloquent prose or deep, layered plots—but for a quick, slightly messy love story in a sweet small-town setting, it delivers. I gave it three stars for its heart, humor, and potential, even if it didn’t quite rev its engine all the way to the finish line.

I adored this book! Steady Now follows Wren, a Maserati driving woman obviously trying to escape her past who breaks down in the small town of Vogel Springs. There, Wren meets Hudson Bass - the surly owner of the local garage who is going to fix her car. With Hudson having to import parts from Italy, Wren has to stick around until it's fixed and she starts to fall in love with the town.

I loved the dual POV - it was so nice to be in both of their heads and I just love mutual pining. It was delightful. Anderson and Cal were a lovely pair of side characters who are best friends of Wren and Hudson respectively. In fact, all the side characters were well fleshed out and entirely lovable, really adding to that small town feeling.

The fight against the corporation really tied the storyline together with an external conflict that felt authentic and real. I loved seeing that play out. Wren is a boss!!

I would love to read a book about Cal and Anderson!! Thank you to the RupertBossier and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.

Totally enjoyed the storyline and the characters. Just when things seem to be going right.......they don't. Two totally different worlds collide and make for an awesome story. Laught out loud moments keep the characters real, Glad I snagged this read in #CampNetGalley

Right from the very beginning this book winds you in and keeps you interested until the very last word. The characters are so endearing that I want to live in Vogel Springs just to see them walking down the road. I adored the slow burn relationship between Wren and Hudson and their wonderful friends who champion them in every aspect of their relationship.

Hudson is such a caring Father and Wren is just so open that I am sure you could read every emotion from her just looking at her face. This is a small town romance with a whole bunch of interesting and faithful people who cheer Hudson and Wren all the way to a happy ending relationship.

The writing is so vivid I can imagine what Vogel House will become and what Hud's garage Bass Pitt Stop actually looks like. And don't get me started on Hud's son Connor, his character is the result of a Father who adores him and parents him with a firm but loving hand in the face of a difficult shared relationship with his Mother Rosalee.

Liberty Stowe writes a wonderful tale that I didn't want to end. Hopefully there will be more books in the future coming from this Author as they will definitely be on my reading list. 5* recommendation from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Liberty Stowe for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A nice story that has a woman, Wren, breaking down outside of a small town in Texas. Having her car towed to a garage owned by Hudson, who says he can fix it, but it ends up taking longer because of parts. She meets different people and is slowly brought into Hudson’s life with his son and a company that wants to buy his land, which he wants to fight against. Wren and Hudson have a bond, but there is more to each of their stories, and Hudson won’t let her into his life; he is always thinking that she will just leave instead of giving her a chance. An excellent story with wonderful characters

This was my first read by this author and it will not be my last. This book had everything a reader can ask for: beautifully written characters in Wren and Hud, just the right amount of angst, a storyline that I could not put down and then Ms. Stowe added in secondary characters that made me smile. This book should not be missed.

Steady Now, by Liberty Stowe, is a small-town romance with heavy, grumpy sunshine vibes. In this dual POV contemporary romance, Wren and Hud are brought together when Wren’s Maserati breaks down as she attempts to flee her high-pressure life near the small town of Vogel Springs. Hud’s shop is the only one for miles, and parts for high-end sports cars take time to order.
As Wren warms to the charms of Vogel Springs and its kind residents, she knows this is a temporary stay, which means staying away from the handsome mechanic, Hud, and his adorable son, Connor. Hud, who is in a heap of trouble of his own and stands to lose all that he holds dear, can’t seem to help himself when it comes to Wren. But all the willpower in Texas can’t keep this pair apart.
Stowe writes a quick and sweet read with a happily ever after. The discerning reader will notice themes of corporate overreach and the inequities it can cause, as well as a delightful twist in which the heroine saves the day. The book could be a bit more cohesive by losing some of the subplots that overly complicate the story and by nailing down the geographical details of Vogel Springs a bit better for the sake of continuity, but there is a lot to like here!
Three and a half stars!

Loved this book! It’s a quick, easy, and sweet story. Hudson is sweet but gets in his own way. Wren is fierce and learning her value. I really enjoyed the found family aspect of this one. The supporting characters were entertaining and I laughed quite a bit while reading. Definitely recommend for summer reading!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Personally, when I came across with this book it immediately caught my attention for its cover and description but I will be completely honest.

Although there were nice and cute moments between the characters and the story in general was interesting, I felt the connection between Hud and Wren very rushed and thanks to that I couldn't connect much with their love story.

Sometimes I felt that the story skipped several periods of time and that also confused me in terms of story line.

As for the writing and final edition of the book, I think some details needed to be improved since at times the way of writing confused me or I did not understand 100% the idea that wanted to communicate.

The spicy scenes between the characters were well developed and I enjoyed them.

Overall, toward the end of the book I really enjoyed how it finished and that's why I give it 3.75⭐️

Thank you again NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.