Review - - Steady Now

Steady Now

by Liberty Stowe

Publisher: RupertBossier

Release Date: August 1, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

From the sound of bacon frying and sliding meringue to coveted tractor emoji invitations this sexy, sizzling small town romance will make you glad you did.

Wren Baldwin isn’t running for her life. She’s running from it. Until her Maserati stops running near Vogel Springs, Texas—home to Hudson Bass, the only man in a hundred miles who can fix it. She hits town just as his life is spinning out of control. But, dammit, if he can’t keep his eyes off her. The mechanic who can fix anything but himself may have found the fix that will break him.

WREN

My car broke down. I felt an attraction to a stranger, and I fell in love with a quaint town. That’s all that’s happened here. Once I get my car back, things will look differently. One last glance across the street at the Pit Stop that comes up empty-handed, and I can’t pop out of bed fast enough. I’m out of here.

HUD

I can’t allow myself to have her because she’ll leave in a matter of days. But watching her hurt, all I want to do is erase the pain I’ve caused. I’ve got a legal battle looming and too much baggage for a pack mule to carry. How can I pile it on top of this delicate creature? Even though her heart is breaking right now, she’ll leave and forget a country boy like me in a week. It is what it is.

PJ's Thoughts:

A small Texas town. A woman on the run...in a Maserati. A local mechanic with troubles of his own. A devious ex. A big-hearted cafe owner. Two best friends (his and hers) determined to steer our couple to a hard-earned happy ending. And just why is she running?  

I was immediately intrigued and eager to dive into this debut by Liberty Stowe. I'm happy to say that, for the most part, it lived up to my expectations. It's an instant-attraction, slow-burn, opposites-attract romance between Wren and Hud that reeled me in pretty much from the get-go. I liked that the author hit that attraction hard then backed off (for reasons), giving the characters more time to both establish feelings and address obstacles. While I would have enjoyed more depth and communication between Hud and Wren, I felt their chemistry and was still invested in them both as individuals and as a couple. 

The supporting cast adds a lot to the story in both positive and negative ways. I especially enjoyed Wren's best friend, Anderson and Hud's best friend, Cal. I have my fingers crossed that Steady Now will turn into a series because I'd sure like to see more of those two. Young Connor is a character who captured my heart. Stowe really brought him to life in an age appropriate way. Hud's ex is a piece of work who is brought to life so vividly that you do not want to know what I wanted to do to her. Needless to say, she elicits a lot of emotions. 

One aspect of the story that fell a bit short for me was the relationship between Wren and her father. For all that his actions played a part in the decisions that had her ending up in Vogel Springs, I would have liked seeing more development of their relationship. Also, the final pages seemed rushed. Considering all Wren and Hud had been through, the abrupt conclusion left me wanting. While they are definitely together, it felt more like a "to be continued" (we'll secure their happy ending in the next book) than a "wrapped up with a bow HEA" (this is a standalone-time to say goodbye to these characters). I haven't seen anything about this being a series starter but my fingers are crossed. 

All in all, Steady Now is a solid debut contemporary romance with a lot to recommend it. I'm definitely interested in seeing what Liberty Stowe brings readers next, especially if it takes us back to Vogel Springs.