Liam Hemsworth's family has been urging him to propose to Gabriella Brooks for years

A source told PEOPLE: "His family loved her right away. She's very sweet and genuine. Their relationship is relaxed and incredibly special. His family has been telling him for a while that he should propose.

"Liam was coming out the marriage with Miley when he met Gabriella. They both grew up in Australia and were introduced by friends. He really liked her right away, but he was also hesitant to be in a relationship so soon after his separation."

Meanwhile, Gabriella previously described her relationship with Liam as "sacred" and said it was important to them both to keep things as private as possible.

Speaking to Australia's Daily Telegraph's Stellar magazine, she shared: "My personal relationship is very, very important and very sacred to me.

"I completely understand [the interest in her relationship]. But at the end of the day, I guess I just like having that for me.

"My personal relationship is very, very important and very sacred to me," she added, also expressing her love for Hemsworth's family.

"But he's great. They [the Hemsworths] are great.

"They are the most beautiful people and I'm very lucky to know them."

Miley, 32, and Liam first started dating after meeting on the set of 2010 movie The Last Song and she previously recalled the "undeniable" chemistry she had with her future husband.

She said in a series of TikTok videos: "In 2008, I needed to do another feature film for Disney, and I didn't want it to be a part of Hannah Montana.

"Once we had written the screenplay, it was time to audition all the guys who would play Will, my boyfriend in the movie. We had gotten it down from thousands to the final three, and Liam was a part of that final three.

"I think one of the elements that made that movie feel so special was it was watching two very young people fall in love with each other, which was happening in real time and in real life, so the chemistry was undeniable. And that was the beginning of a long, 10-year relationship."