Small-town contemporary romance - Dual POV - Slow burn - Single dad - He falls first - Found Family

This is one of those stories that catch you off guard—with tenderness and emotional intensity. I didn’t expect to like it this much! Or to feel this much. I really didn’t expect it to hit me this hard!


Told in dual POV, the story follows Wren, who is running from a messy breakup and from her controlling father, and Hud, a single dad, stubborn, stoic, and heartbreakingly loyal who seems has given up on love.



The story begins with Wren Baldwin arriving in Vogel Springs, a small Texas town, after her car (a pearl-white 444-horsepower Maserati, basically a UFO in a place like that) breaks down. It's clear from the very beginning that she’s running from something, though we only learn the truth near the end of the book. One thing is for sure: she never expected to meet Hud Bass, a sexy, silent, absolutely irresistible mechanic ready to turn her world upside down.



Hud is the kind of hero who wins you over quietly. One of those men who say little but show everything through their actions. Fixing her car, making sure she has a place to stay in the meantime, standing up for her even when she doesn’t ask. Every gesture makes Wren, and you, fall for him a little more. But yes: he is the one who falls first. Hard.



Their connection is a perfect slow burn: tension-filled silences, meaningful glances, sharp banter and vulnerability. It’s not just physical attraction, although believe me, it’s there (just one word: “tractor”… you’ll know when you get there) but it’s an emotional connection that feels rare and powerful. The kind you root for screaming YEAH!!


Hud is everything I love in a book boyfriend: protective but not possessive, loyal and honest, always quietly showing up for the people he loves. Wren is a heroine I instantly connected with: she’s been through hell, but she still fights for her happiness. She’s afraid but unbreakable. She’s fierce, brave, and she accepts some good challenges.



The town of Vogel Springs is your classic close-knit community where everyone knows your business but somehow it manages to be welcoming, warm, and real—like family. 

The side characters are everything! They step up to support each other, and show that you don’t need grand gestures to help, just the will to show up, with what you have and who you are. Gorgeous!

One of the most beautiful things in this book is the way friendship is portrayed: as a true lifeline. Anderson gives Wren a reason to stay (in the form of a historic infested-house to turn into a B&B). Cal helps Hud see the truth behind Rosalee’s manipulation and how to fight for custody of his son. And together—with Wren—they uncover a long-standing fraud that helps Hud save his land and business. No one is alone. They don’t save each other with superpowers—they save each other with love, loyalty, and grit.



And the title? "Steady Now" it’s not just a phrase, it’s a legacy. Hud’s father used to say it in hard times, Hud tattooed it on his back, and now he says it to Wren when she’s most vulnerable—and to himself, when he needs the strength to keep fighting for the people he loves. Poetry!



So, my only complaint? The cover. This book deserves an illustrated one—preferably featuring a real WHITE Maserati. PLEASE!



⚠️ CW: Custody battle, drug addiction (off-page), controlling parental relationship (off-page), emotional distress from a one-sided relationship (off-page).



Huge thanks to NetGalley and Rupert Bossier for the ARC of this emotional gem.

Not what I was expecting but was pleasantly surprised! This was a very fast paced small town romance. I loved that it went more in depth than some short small town romances I’ve read but I do feel like the ending needed more. I would love to see a sequel or even an epilogue of what they get up to in the future.

Overall I enjoyed the read and kept me interested all the way through.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Liberty Stowe for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wild read, with ups and downs, but overall a good, easy read. It had some strong elements that I loved such as the small town romance, which showed lovely sweet moments between Wren and Hud, which was great to read and we got a good chunk of their story. However, the romance did start very quickly into the book which I guess fast cars, fast romance?

It didn't impact the reading of the book, just wish we got to see the tension build a bit more between the two

Would highly recommend though!!

I loved this book from start to finish. It has so many elements of books that I love.

-Small Town
-Single Dad
-City Girl starting over
-Found Family

Wren and Hud are the ultimate City Girl/Small Town Guy story line. There is so much chemistry, tension, and intensity between these two. They will draw you in and frustrate the hell out of you in the best way.

The supporting characters and their storyline are just as great. Anderson and Cal... adorable. Connor, Hud's son is so sweet and loving. Martha the town mother is just the best.

This book will not disappoint. I really can't wait to read more of Liberty's books.

ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Net Galley and Liberty Stowe.

This is a cute small town romance. Big city girl Wren is in the middle of running away from her problems when her very rare, expensive car breaks down and she is forced to stay in a “one horse town”. She ends up falling in love with the town and the people. She even falls in love with the mechanic that fixes her car who is also a single dad with a complicated ex. There is drama, angst, friendships old and new, and spice all rolled up in this book. He protected her before he even knew her (such a southern gentleman!). There’s so many cute and funny moments with this full cast of characters.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this story. I cannot give it a 5 because honestly the emoji texting and texts in general were so bad and all of the MFC’s “good night”s annoyed me immensely. But overall, worth a read!!

The premise was there—a woman running from her past, her Maserati breaking down in the middle of nowhere, and a small-town mechanic who just might be her fresh start. 🏎️➡️🚜

But unfortunately, it just missed the mark for me. The romance moved too quickly, going from “she’s hot” to “she’s rubbing my back, let’s kiss” without enough emotional connection to back it up. I was hoping for more tension and a deeper bond before the spice kicked in. 💨🔥

If you love small-town settings and emotional healing arcs, this might still be worth a read—but it didn’t fully land on the romantic front for me.

✨ Tropes:
🌍 Opposite worlds
🏡 Small town vibes
⚡ Insta lust
🌞😒 Grumpy sunshine
🚜 One tractor (yes, really)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute small town romance. It was fast paced and I finished it quick.
I love a good slow burn and this was definitely slow but it was worth it.
The only thing I didn't love was the classic miscommunication trope. Otherwise it was a good debut.
Thank you NetGalley & RupertBossier for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this story as an ARC. I really enjoyed the slow-burn pacing and the small-town charm that made both the setting and characters so easy to fall in love with. The emotional depth between Wren and Hud felt authentic, and even though the plot followed a fairly predictable arc, the strong character development and chemistry kept me engaged from start to finish. I gave it a solid 4 stars.

I did notice a few minor inconsistencies with character name spellings—specifically "Phillip" vs. "Philip" and "Marcos" vs. "Marcus"—which might be worth a final proofread pass before publication.

Overall, it’s a heartfelt and satisfying read, and I’m excited for others to discover it when it releases August 1st.

I didn't hate this book. I quite liked the ideas and the characters and some of the execution. But it really needed another round or two with a capable editor, just to clean up the rough edges and smooth out the messiness the can linger after the first draft stage.

Some of the transitions came out of left field, some didn't get wrapped up very well. Some of the plot points should have been more important, but they were shoved in the background and didn't come back at all. Or if they did, it was well after the narrative seemed to have forgotten about it. It was also hard to have a good sense of place and setting. Small town, sure. But I've been in plenty of small towns that sound like Vogel Springs and NONE of them could reliably support a B&B or a Dollar General (hard to imagine for city folks, but there are indeed run-down clumps of buildings trying to be a town that even DG wouldn't dream of going to).

I still like the premise and the characters. It just needed a little tightening up in the editing phase.

After a breakup Wren is on the road in her Maserati when it breaks down. She is towed to Hud’s repair shop and stuck there for a few days until parts come in. She falls in love with the small idyllic town and those who live there. This is a wonderful book about learning to trust and staying true to yourself. Hud is about to lose his son to a conniving woman, and his land to a company that wants to purchase it. Wren’s best friend and the townspeople band together to support Hud and Wren. Great love story with characters you learn to love and hate.

Who doesn't love a small-town romance? This read is so cute and such an easy fast paced read. I absolutely adored the characters and the town. The tropes were so well executed and the slow burn was so satisfying. I cant wait for the chance to visit this heart tugging town again.

I really enjoy a good debut and this one did not disappoint.
Was it a bit insta-lovey? Yes.

I am not normally a fan but this just flowed for me.

Both Wren and Hud have a lot going on in their lives and are probably not in the best place to pursue any kind of romantic situation. Their chemistry is undeniable. I loved the little twists and what Wren did to help Hud out? oh my heart.

Also, the title of the book and how it ties into the story is ❤️ 🥺

I'm really hoping for some certain side characters story, so I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley and author for the chance to read the ARC and share my thoughts.

This book had a lot of potential and all of the pieces were there to make it a huge success but I think the execution was a bit off.

Wren and Hudson's attraction to each other was immediately undeniable. It seemed like the emotional connection wasn't quite there though. It seemed like a lot of surface level interactions combined with avoidance. I had a difficult time being invested in the relationship because it never seemed to build past the initial spark

The last portion of the book was packed with a lot of backstory and explanations that felt rushed. The potential for slow burn and tension was there, but a lot of the key moments were either breezed through or delivered quickly. The parts that could've been very captivating just didn't have a big impact.

There was an abruptness to the ending that lacked emotional payoff to me. It seemed more like a pause than an ending, but it was underdeveloped and underwhelming for me. I truly believe with some plot adjustments and stronger character development this could be a promising favorite.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
Sweet story from this debut author. When Wren’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, she ends up in this quaint town of Vogel Springs, Texas. She meets Hud, the mechanic, and is taken by his small town charm and ‘rustic’ appearance. She stays in Vogel Springs for a few days while her car is getting fixed and falls in love with the town and its’ people. I thought the story line kind of dragged on for awhile, especially since Wren & Hud got together very early on in the book; but it was a sweet story with a little bit of spice. Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC. This book releases early August 2025. #booksbyashleynicole

Steady Now is Liberty Stowe’s debut novel set in a quant Texas town called Vogel Springs. Rich socialite Wren finds herself stranded when her Maserati breaks down and the only mechanic in town is broody Hud. Serious sparks fly from these two right off the bat and continue on as they wait for her part to come in. Though they are from very separate worlds, and they are each battling some family issues, they gravitate towards each other. Yes, the sparks flew early, but it’s still a slow burn for the declarations of love to set in. I’m a sucker for slow burning romances and quaint, small towns so I was hooked once all the townspeople were introduced. Wren’s BFF comes to her rescue and he’s real comedy gold. There was a subplot with some land grabbing corporation, and ex drama happening pushing the pace along nicely. I hope this author stays with this location for any further books. So much potential for a series!
Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC and a chance to share my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and Publisher for this ARC of Steady Now!! Such a good book and I could not put it down. I absolutely loved the story of Wren and Hudson. I adored everyone in this group that were involved in Wren and Hudson's life. I really hope that this author writes another book about some of the characters in this book I would read a whole series about these people. 5 star read!!

What a wonderful surprise. I so enjoyed reading Steady Now and what a terrific debut novel. Small town mechanic meets city gal whose fancy car breaks down. Perfect small town romance and beach read! Looking forward to more books by this author. Thank you Net Galley for this review copy.

Her car breaking down in the middle of nowhere in hellish temperatures was not in the plans for Wren Baldwin, but that’s what happened and how she ended up in Vogel Springs, TX at the shop of the closest mechanic.
Hud Bass was expecting a lady with a Mazda, not the platform sandal wearing bombshell with the attitude and the Italian sports car. Now they have to work together while the car part arrives and she makes their small town their temporary home.
This is a wonderful story with great characters and amazing potential and I liked it alright. I was completely taken by the family feel of the small town crowd, how they rallied for Hud even when a lot of other people were ready to stone him out of town for the wrong reasons, his relationship with his son as well as Wren and her BFF Anderson and how they fit in the small town life as soon as they arrive. Of course, Wren and Hud have the makes of a great couple and their push and pull is nice enough.
That said, it’s a debut story and my main problem with it was the writing. The book has an amazing design from beginning to end, truly, the last page is everything, and the chapter starts are really something, but the delivery was sometimes hard to follow and could be a lot better IMO

Steady Now is a standalone title written by Liberty Stowe.

What to expect:
*Single dad
*FMC on the run
*Small town drama

This book is full of instalust, miscommunication, and small town drama. Wren is fleeing her cheating ex-boyfriend and neglectful family when her car breaks down leaving her stranded in Hudson’s small town.

Hudson has his own problems like fighting for custody of his son and trying to save his family’s land from being sold off. His small town is slowly turning against him.

There is a lot of OW/OM drama from the ex-girlfriend of Hudson and the ex-boyfriend of Wren, both make several attempts at causing problems. No cheating or third act breakup.

Thank you to NetGalley and RupertBossier for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Wren (FMC) & Hudson “Hud” (MMC)