Laura Trentham's debut novel, Slow and Steady Rush, is a fresh and engaging romance that I absolutely LOVED. The characters are superbly developed and likable, the plot is unique and the small town setting is realistic and homey. This first installment in the Falcon Football series is quite captivating and will leave readers very impatient for the release of book two, Caught Up in the Touch.

Darcy Wilde could not wait to leave the small town of Falcon, Alabama behind and she has made a wonderful life for herself in Atlanta. But when the grandmother who raised her needs her help, Darcy puts her career and life on hold and returns to Falcon where she immediately crosses paths with newcomer Robbie Dalton. Robbie served with Darcy's cousin Logan in the army and Logan was instrumental in getting Robbie hired as the football coach/math teacher at the local high school. Robbie and Darcy are attracted to one another, but since Darcy plans to leave as soon her grandmother is back on her feet, they have no intention of acting on their mutual desire. That is until a minor misunderstanding leads to gossip that jeopardizes Robbie's career and Logan proposes a zany plan to squash those crazy rumors circulating about Robbie...

Darcy spent her childhood trying to live down her absentee mother's wild reputation and she found solace at the local library where her grandmother was the head librarian. Now working as research librarian at a university, Darcy is in line for a big promotion but her family's needs trump her career aspirations for the foreseeable future. Darcy is pleasantly surprised by her new perception of her small hometown, but is she willing to make her return permanent?

Robbie is a sweet, caring man, but he is haunted by his past. His childhood was very traumatic and he never forgets just how close to the edge he once walked. Robbie is very closemouthed about his accomplishments and he is very eager to begin a new life in Falcon. His past experiences make him an excellent coach who pushes his players to do well athletically and academically. Robbie is willing to ride out the rumors swirling around him, but when Logan comes up with an idea that could put an end to the gossip about him, he finds himself in a faux relationship with Darcy that begins to feel a little too real.

An exceptionally well-written novel with an appealing cast of characters, Slow and Steady Rush is a fun and flirty romance that is also poignant and thought-provoking. Darcy and Robbie are three dimensional characters who spring vibrantly to life and it is very easy to root for them both individually and as a couple. Laura Trentham accurately portrays both the good and bad of small town life and despite a few negative experiences, the overall atmosphere is warm and inviting. All in all, it is an excellent beginning to the Falcon Football series that fans of contemporary romances are going to love. ( )

I have never read a book by Laura Trentham before. Had never even heard of any previous books by this author. That all changed when I was invited to read a copy of her book Slow and Steady Rush. I was quite impressed. Ms. Trentham wove a story of two outsiders -each with emotional scars searching for a place they belong. I enjoyed the story and would most definitely recommend this book. ( )

2.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Darcy couldn't wait to escape her hometown and all the small town gossip about her mother after high school. When her grandmother breaks both hips, Darcy suddenly finds herself thrust back into that world. There is one new addition, though, Robbie the new high school boy’s football coach. He served overseas with her cousin Logan and is not leaving Darcy alone in the feeling the attraction department. They're both wary individuals with their own insecurities but are still drawn to one another. If Robbie can open his heart and Darcy can decide on where home truly is for her, they both might get more than they ever bargained for out of this small town.

Slow and Steady is a debut book for Laura Trentham and while I highly praise the solid technical aspect of the writing, the story and characters fall a bit flat. The story reads as if it is an outline for a small town romance; it’s pretty dry with no spark. The heroine Darcy had an absent mother who the townspeople loved to gossip about behind and to Darcy forcing her to leave behind her loving grandmother and escape off to the big city. Darcy does her best to live a nice normal boring life as to not end up like her wild mother. Our hero Robbie went through the foster care system and guards his feelings, always too scared to hope for the best after being disappointed so much as a child. He was an Army Ranger who has a PTSD nightmare episode in the beginning, which is never really addressed again, and a dog bestfriend who shielded and saved him from a blast. Robbie is, of course, handsome as all get out and hounded by the townswomen but after reading Darcy's letters to her cousin while overseas and now seeing her in person is completely drawn to her.

As you can see, Darcy and Robbie have some past issues but they are never delved into or fleshed out enough to become truly interesting. These story lines have been done before so to become engaging or feel fresh the characters have to bring a spark to the table and I never felt that here. I know Darcy likes how Robbie's biceps look in his shirt sleeves and Robbie likes Darcy's, well, I'm not quite sure, her cooking and very general personality, maybe? Even their sex scenes had a bit of ho hum to them.

The setting of the small town and people was more interesting and showed the author's strength with world building; it felt true to the feeling and concept of herd mentality, importance of high school football, and living in a fish bowl the author was trying to create. The story line of rumors going around of Robbie being gay and the extra characters that brought along got a bit unwieldy at times but gave more depth. The villain of this piece (ok with murder because she was shunned?!) was way over the top and didn't feel natural, I felt like the author was going for shock value.

The story is a slower read but not slow paced, if that makes sense. Overall, our leads were ok but no real emotion between them, the secondary characters rounded out the story well, and the technical writing was solid. It's all very been there done that with an "ok" vibe but if you like this formula and want a calmer read with a good small town setting, then this could be a viable option.
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What a great read! This is my first from this author and I can't wait for more from her. The story had a nice steady pace and I loved the characters! Robbie is a man of integrity and values and Darcy is a woman who is just a little lost. She left Falcon years ago to get away from the gossip and pity but she quickly discovers the little town is really the only place she has ever felt loved. It's a great small town romance and I will be looking for the next one. I highly recommend this one. ( )