This was a spicy small-town romance that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on, thanks to the intriguing book blurb. There was an air of mystery surrounding what had happened to Wren—what could make her high-tail it out of town and never want to look back? And then there was the brooding mechanic, Hud. I needed to know what his deal was, too.

I loved the setting of the small town—it reminded me of a place near my home, the kind of town you’d miss in the blink of an eye. The characters felt true to that environment; they either knew everyone’s business or were somehow involved in it.

The story started at a great pace, but somewhere along the way, it began to feel rushed and somewhat pieced together. While I understand it’s a small town, it felt a little too convenient that the main characters always seemed to know exactly when the other was having a meltdown. It gave off slight stalker vibes I wasn’t expecting.

There wasn’t very strong character development. Wren and Hud had an intense attraction from the start, and off they went with little to no getting to know each other or growth in their relationship—it was mostly a string of public sexual rendezvous that brought them together.

Overall, Steady Now was a typical small-town romance with some unexpectedly spicy scenes, making it a fun read.

Thank you Liberty Stowe, RupertBossier, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Wren & Hud's story was so fun! The banter was on point as well as the writing style and the pace of the plot.

This was a super fun romance read!
Wren finds herself in Vogel Springs when her Maserati breaks down on the side of the road. This brings Wren into Hud’s orbit and his mechanic shop. Although there is definitely some sexual tension brewing between the two main characters, they do tend to butt heads a lot.
I did find some parts of the story pretty predictable but overall it was very enjoyable and entertaining!
Wren and Huds have an interesting dynamic but overall I found a lot of there conversations to be witty and also charming.

Small town romance
Mechanic romance
Slow burn 🔥

Make sure to check your trigger warnings!
Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC

Virgin River takes on small town Texas! When Wren’s Maserati broke down in middle of nowhere Vogel Springs, she had no idea love was in the air. Enters Hud, the town’s hunky mechanic.
This is a slow burn romance but boy oh boy does it get spicy! If you love a cozy romance with a little bit of drama, you will fall in love with charming Vogel Springs and its cast of tight knit characters. I’m rooting for part 2 of Wren and Hud’s story in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and RupertBossier for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars, rounded up)
Steady Now by Liberty Stowe is a slow-burn country romance that totally swept me up. From the very first chapter, I was hooked—Wren and Hud’s story is the kind of charming, small-town love that makes your heart ache in the best way.

The pacing is just right for a summer read: gentle, a little nostalgic, and full of quiet emotional moments that build into something beautiful. The tension simmers, and the chemistry feels earned.

If you love long drives, meaningful glances, and a romance that unfolds like golden hour on a back road—this one’s for you. A cozy, heartfelt escape. 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had the perfect Hallmark-y small town romance vibes and I loved it!!! Even the side characters were amazing!!
At times through the middle it started to feel a bit long/drawn out (but that also might just be because I'm a slow reader lol)
Seriously though such a perfect summer read!!!
Thank you to @netgalley and @authorlibertystowe for the ARC!!! 💕

Steady Now was my first book by Liberty Stowe. I enjoyed Wren and Hud's story. Once I got into it, it was a good read. I really enjoyed the relationship she had with her best friend.

This was a feel good small town romance that was a quick and enjoyable read. The story took off quick but I still felt connected to the main characters and was rooting for them throughout! The supporting characters stole the show at some points and made the story that much more heart warming. There were a few plot points/backstories that could have been developed a little more so the impact bigger, but overall it was a fun easy read! Would recommend!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Grumpy x sunshine
* Small town romance
* Single dad
* Found family

Thank you to NetGalley, Liberty Stowe, and RupertBossier for this eARC!

This small town romance is a great summer read, in such an idyllic setting of a place! Vogel Springs is exactly what Wren needed: found family, a place she belongs, and a man that would love her so unconditionally.

Their attraction was so immediate, and I really liked having the dual POV to see how much they both can’t deny each other. I like that it’s a slow burn, as their chemistry was fiery and steamy once they give in to their desire. It took a while to get there, but all that angst and tension builds up to make worth the wait! 🔥

I also really liked the pacing of this story. It took its time to explain both their pasts and how it affects them, and their relationship. It kept me invested in them as characters and as a couple. And all the other friends and family added to the enjoyment of reading this and the tension between Wren and Hud. Especially how they all pull through to support Hud and Wren. This made their HEA so satisfying by the end!!

Overall I enjoyed this book; however, there were some aspects that felt a little bit lost. The concept was novel and the premises quite cute. I like the way that the relationship relationships developed through the book but for me it felt like there were too many plots intertwined. This book would’ve been better if they’ve been less plot points to delve into enter.

I would definitely recommend this book, but I can’t call it a masterpiece.

The spice was definitely well seasoned and added to the book nicely.

Steady Now is the book to read this summer for lovers of small town romance! I loved Hud and Wren individually and together in this! The characters jump off the page and as we got to learn more about them I couldn’t put the book down. Set in a small town in Texas, Steady Now gives us all the cozy small town vibes shows like Gilmore Girls and Hart of Dixie give me. Everyone knows everyone and is always there to lend a helping hand. The romance was a slow burn and the pay off was so worth it! There was sexual tension, comfortability, and love between Hud and Wren that was so apparent in every interaction they had. I would love to see more from this small town and its charming characters!!

Steady Now is a small town romance that takes place in Vogel Springs. The story is engaging and the characters are so well crafted and written. Wren stumbles upon the small town when her car breaks down and only place that has a mechanic close enough to her location is Vogel Springs. Hud has lived in Vogel Springs his whole life and under the gruff no nonsense exterior is the man who people love and care about. What was supposed to be a quick(ish) repair takes longer and soon Wren is finding more about the town of Vogel Springs and Hud.

It’s rare for me to not get irritated by small town romances despite enjoying them but this one definitely hits the spot. I loved this because regardless of how small Vogel Springs is and how tight-knit the community is, everyone still just does their thing. No one is unnecessarily pushy or nosy and the care the community has for one another is evident. Wren and Hud’s evolution is so beautiful and fun to read. The presence and influence they have in each other’s lives is just what the other needs.

If you want a sweet small town romance with the most wonderful group of found family then I highly recommend this one. I didn’t think I’d be adding to the book boyfriend list but…here we are.

Thank you to NetGalley and Liberty Stowe for the gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.

If you ever thought, 'You know what, the Pixar movie Cars should have humans and also sex in it', then this is the book for you!
In all seriousness - this was a really good Contemporary Romance read, featuring a lovely couple plus a fantastic ensemble of supporting characters.

Smoking Hot FMC Wren's Smoking Hot car breaks down in bumfuck-nowhere Texas (seriously, there's not even a motel in town). Of course, there's only 1 mechanic - local Hud Bass - around, and of course he's also Smoking Hot.
Wren's got a past she's running from, and Hud's fighting The Man trying to take his land plus his Ex trying to take his kid.

On the face of it, this could have been a very one-dimensional and cliche book, but Liberty Stowe has given it heart!

* Hud is absolutely the kind of MMC all other MMCs should be jealous of - he's such a Fixer even when things are going poorly for him, it's great.
* Wren's backstory is hinted at throughout, and I confess that I did find it quite a letdown when her history was revealed.
* And the spotify playlist at the beginning of this book? Do yourself a favour and pop it on in the background while you read! I did, and it helped me sink deep into the country roots of this romance tale.

In terms of categorising the story: I personally wouldn't call this a slow burn (medium burn, maybe?), but it's definitely something along the lines of enemies-to-lovers. There's miscommunication as a plot point, which I'm not a fan of, but in the end Healthy Adult Communication is achieved.

Many thanks to NetGalley, RupertBossier, and the Camp NetGalley event for the opportunity to read something a little outside of my usual sphere; it was a real treat! That said, I'm not ever going to be able to look at a tractor in the same way again...

Steady Now is a sweet small-town romance with a touch of spice. The cozy setting of Vogel Springs and strong character chemistry made it an enjoyable read from start to finish.

Cal & Anderson were my favorite part of the story! I’m really hoping they get a book of their own!

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with heart and heat, this one is worth checking out.

Really enjoyed this visit into the world of Vogel Springs 🤍
This book was an easy read, enjoyable, and it was quite impressive for a debut novel.
Loved the romance, and the way the story all played out.
I also enjoyed the small town hard working dad aspect (Hud) and Wren the FMC was adorable.
Def had some 🌶️ after around the 50% mark (that tractor scene 🔥) but it didn’t saturate the book too much which I appreciate.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this early. Would def read more from this author in the future 🤍

4.5 ⭐️
ARC Review!!
Thank you NetGalley and Liberty Stowe for giving me the opportunity to receive this eARC!
This was the perfect slow burn romance!! But also a little insta-lovey, which I loved! Right from the start, I was obsessed with Wren! And following through on her growth was just so captivating! I wish we got a little bit more from Hud, but I still enjoyed his character too!
I really enjoyed the writing style of this author and would love to read more when she releases more!!!

2.5 ⭐️
Steady Now follows Wren, a city girl on the run, looking to start over, and Hud, a single dad in a small town fighting to keep his land and son. After some unfortunate car trouble, Wren ends up in Vogel Springs with a gruff mechanic and an eccentric cast of characters. Will she keep running or find what she has been unknowingly looking for?

This was unfortunately hard for me to get through. I went into this thinking I'd love this small town, but I wasn't as invested as I have been with small town romances. The tropes in this book are usually some of my favorite:

✨ small town
✨ single dad
✨ girl on the run/starting over
✨ found family

However, I felt the sequence of events and formation of Wren and Hud's relationship to be oddly paced. Their relationship felt very instantaneous, making the tension that followed feel somewhat unnecessary and frustrating. Hud was a bit difficult to find likable at times, especially with the casual misogyny. Moreover, Wren's best friend, Anderson, was extremely unlikeable and his problematic comments were just brushed off. This left a poor impression, using problematic ideas for comedy or to get a reaction. The characters that I found myself most curious and attached to were apart of the supporting cast, and they provided much needed levity and comedy to the storyline. There were definitely moments I enjoyed, especially the way everyone supported Hud's son, Connor, but these typically came in between the major plot points. I wish I was able to connect with this small town, but it just wasn't for me.

Steady Now is a cute and fun summer romance book!
I enjoyed how simple the romance of the story was. The small town component allowed believability to the tropes that were written in.

I liked that they were multiple sub plots added in and that we were not just following one major sub plot. Yet some of the sub plots never get developed fully and we are left with questions.

Some of the character development was a little lackluster. From the romance angle, Wren and Hud have a very shallow connection outside of being super physically attracted to each other. It felt very friends with benefits up to when Hud asks her to move in.
Hud wasn’t my favorite male main character. He has the tendency to be quite misogynistic, and at times, that was a bit of a turn off for me. I also think the word sashayed could have been replaced for a different adjective sometimes. I did really like Wren, Cal, and Andersons characters. I think the friendship dynamic was really beautiful throughout the entire book.

My last bit of feedback is around the intimate scenes- these started off being written clearly, but it felt like as the book progressed, the scenes became harder to see as realistic/not be taken out of the story by. For example, I was reading a scene and I was so confused as to how this was occurring because the descriptive language wasn’t written clearly for me to fully grasp the intention and description. These scenes were choppy, and because of that, they took me out of the story at times.

Overall, I thought Steady Now is a cute small town romance! I think anyone who enjoys summer romances, reading stories with friendship and found family, this would be a great choice!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-copy of the book!

I liked it. It wasn't fancy or something you'd maybe read over and over again but when you're looking for something light and easy to read, this is a good pick. Slightly rushed in the romance section but otherwise pretty fun read overall.

Small town, single dad, mechanic MMC.

The idea of a mechanic shop meet cute was sweet and I didn’t mind the setting of the story.

The characters however lacked communication skills in my opinion. This story was very wordy and went around in circles a lot while also leaving the readers to guess about the characters’ backgrounds.

I kept waiting for a moment to hook me in but it never came.