Title: Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
Publication Date- 07/23/24
Publisher- William Morrow
Overall Rating- 6 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I’m not sure I can do this book justice in this review. A few things before I say the things I’m able. 1) This might be my top book of the year and/or the best romance I read this year and 2) I did a video review of this as well you can check out on my channel linked above.

I don’t even know where to start, I didn’t expect this to be this good. We follow Shiloh and Cary from the ages of about 14 to 33. The story goes back and forth in time, giving us a lot of context along the way. We are uncovering the past while we try to understand the present.

I personally felt so much humanity within this story. There is a lot of miscommunication, however, it was done in a very realistic and mature way. We as humans, hardly ever, are able to say everything we want to in intense moments. Some things might be so clear to others watching us that are not so obvious when emotions are high. Rainbow Rowell, wrote two incredibly human and flawed characters trying to find their way to each other with complicated backgrounds and a tainted history.

I loved every second of this story. To write a review about a book that could be your favorite of the year is so hard because I just want you to read it so you can see for yourself. I cannot put into words, the way Rowell tells this story except to ask you to read it.

Rainbow Rowell is back, and this time with an emotional, thought-provoking, tear-jerking second-chance romance. I found both main characters equally captivating, and enjoying reading through both POVs. An excellent book from an excellent writer!

Ever since I listened to Katherine Center’s afterword from The Rom-Commers regarding her advocacy for the love story, I have been considering the romance genre. Unfortunately, in no way related to Katherine Center, I have begun decreasing the romances that I am willing to read, which is semi-amusing because I think most of the books I reviewed initially on this blog were YA and adult romances. Most romances no longer feel romantic and I refuse to call them love stories because that certain je ne sais quoi that is intrinsic to a love story is palpably missing. What makes a love story great? I think the answer can in part be obtained by reading Rainbow Rowell’s Slow Dance. Sometimes great love stories are small love stories.

Shiloh, Cary, and Mikey were inseparable best friends in high school. All their classmates and even Mikey presumed that Shiloh and Cary were a couple but no. At Mikey’s wedding, years after the three went their separate ways, Shiloh and Cary start opening a badly needed line of communication and begin sorting through their past and present and all of the baggage both contain.

So, if you expect hugeness, this isn’t the novel for you. As I was reading, it felt like everything was occurring on a cellular level. This is a story that mimics real life with its imperfections and especially its imperfect characters.

Shiloh is prickly, messy, impatient but the years have softened her edges, given her patience, kindness, empathy. Like most of us (if we’re lucky), she’s changed since high school. Except for her feelings for Cary that she has not admitted to anyone, not even herself. I take that back. She subconsciously knows that she is and always has been in love with Cary.

Strangely (because he’s a man and at this stage in my life it doesn’t feel like a stereotype or any other term you’d like to apply) Cary has always been a bit more in touch with his feelings than Shiloh, but he’s had a lot to deal with family-wise. His mother is really his grandmother; his sister is really his mother; his niece is really his sister; and all this equals a huge amount of messy, not to mention that he comes from the bad part of town. An even worse part of town than Shiloh. (I’ve just got to mention that one of the funniest observations was when his mother (grandmother really) says that Cary was the easiest birth out of all her kids. 🤣)

Throw all of this together with some communication that is off-the-walls bad and you have a relationship that in many ways reflects relationships you might have witnessed (or been a part of) in your own life. And maybe that’s part of what makes some bits of Slow Dance so achingly painful to read. Here are two people in love (whether they know it completely or not) who just can’t seem to get it together. Honestly I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall. For something bad to happen, the ultimate bad that would keep them apart because there have been so many books and movies made that have destroyed this kind of love. Thankfully we have the tears without the tearjerker.

But, what, in my opinion stops this from being one of those works is the gentleness with which Rainbow Rowell has written Slow Dance. It’s not that she doesn’t let bad things happen to these characters. It does, time and time again. Dreams aren’t entirely realized. Years are missed. The characters face infidelities and pain. But I felt as I read the very tangible love Rowell had for these two characters. And despite the big numbers of books I’ve read in the past ten years, I have seldom felt this all-encompassing author-embrace for her characters and the story she is telling. This is part of what makes this a great read.

Now, I’d be remiss (I always feel like a middle-aged professor when I use that word (haha)) if I didn’t mention that this book is also funny. So it’s pretty much got it all. I only wished I’d saved it for vacation.

Many thanks to William Morrow books for sending me a copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Rainbow Rowell, an August pick of Reese's Book Club! All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Shiloh and Cary were the best of friends in high school. Everyone thought they would get together as a couple, but they never crossed the friends line. Fourteen years later, Shiloh is divorced with two young kids, back living with her mom; Cary is still in the Navy. They meet again at a friend's wedding, but has too much changed between them?

This was a wonderful story of two kids who fell in love too young, before they knew enough to realize it. Now as adults, they both feel lost, but can they get back to where they started? I loved the banter here - you really felt part of this story. Shiloh's kids were the best and added needed light moments to the book. It's the story of just how important communication is between people, and second chances. Told in dual timelines between high school and now, we see how their story plays out. To me, the few more graphic sex scenes didn't fit with the rest of the story and could easily have been left out. But the rest was sparkly!

Rainbow Rowell’s Slow Dance is a beautifully crafted exploration of friendship, love, and the passage of time. The story centers around Shiloh and Cary, two childhood friends whose seemingly mismatched personalities—Shiloh, the free-spirited, anxious artist, and Cary, the disciplined and determined ROTC student—mask a deep, shared bond. As the novel unfolds in a non-linear narrative, we witness their journey from inseparable high school companions to estranged adults, and finally to a tentative reunion in their 30s. Rowell deftly captures the complexities of their relationship, showing how time and distance can strain even the strongest of connections, yet also how enduring love and friendship can be.

Rowell’s talent for sharp, engaging dialogue and vivid character development shines through in Slow Dance. Shiloh and Cary are both flawed, relatable, and endearing in their own ways. While the slow-burn nature of the story may test some readers’ patience, it ultimately pays off as both characters grow and mature. The emotional tension between them is palpable, and their journey toward reconciling their past and present selves is as heart-wrenching as it is heartwarming. The supporting characters, particularly Shiloh’s children, Junie and Gus, add a layer of warmth and realism to the narrative, making the story feel deeply lived-in and authentic.

For fans of friends-to-lovers stories and second-chance romances, Slow Dance is a must-read. Rowell’s signature blend of literary and commercial fiction elements creates a rich, character-driven narrative that resonates on multiple levels. This is a novel about missed opportunities, the challenges of communication, and the enduring power of love to heal old wounds. While it may take some time to fully immerse yourself in Shiloh and Cary’s world, the journey is well worth it, offering a poignant reminder that some connections are too strong to be broken, no matter how much time has passed.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Rainbow Rowell for an ARC of this book!**

"Last dance
Last chance, for love..." - "Last Dance", Donna Summer

When it comes to high school year book superlatives, if there were a category labeled "Most Likely to become Harry and Sally...but they have NO IDEA", you couldn't have picked better candidates than Shiloh and Cary. Close in a way that only friendships born in youth can be, the two discussed every tiny aspiration, struggle, and dream with one another...and had enough inside jokes to line the back page of the aforementioned yearbook to boot. Living in the 90s in Omaha, Shiloh's dreams were of the Great White Way, while Cary had his sights set on the Great Blue Sea: he was determined to join the Navy. Although neither knew if their friendship could withstand this sort of dramatic shakeup (especially when their shared hometown was no longer part of the equation) life took over, as it does, and both of them lives out some variation of the aspirations of their youth...while time and distance eventually dragged them a bit too far apart.

...Until fate beckons them back into the same room, 14 years later: their mutual friend, Mikey, is getting married. Shiloh is fresh off a divorce from hunky theater dad Ryan, and has two children...and they are all crashing at Shiloh's mom's house until she finds her new normal. Although she hopes to see Cary, her expectations are low and she's feeling more than a bit uncomfortable in her own skin, and watching old high school friends reunite around banquet tables and brag about their own happiness isn't exactly helping to boost her confidence. But when Shiloh DOES see Cary and they lock eyes, they both become transfixed by all that was, all that is...and all that could be. When Cary asks her to dance, the butterflies take over...and for the very first time, she wonders if maybe they have more than just memories between them. But once the pair begin to spend time together, Cary's job in the Navy, the aftermath of Shiloh's divorce and navigating dating as a single mom, family troubles, and some well-worn communication and relationship problems start to reemerge...and both begin to wonder if perhaps the past BELONGS in the past.

Was this the second chance both friends and potential loves NEEDED to break them out of their indecision and put them in one another's arms for a lifetime? Or like the last dance at prom, will this final chance at romance fade along with the song's final notes...and send them each on their own unknown path?

There have been very few times in my life when I've nearly screamed when getting approved for an ARC...but getting approved for this title was one of those times. I have been a DIEHARD Rainbow fan for ages (aside from Simon Snow, which is perfectly lovable but just not my jam) and her adult books ESPECIALLY have left me a crying and laughing mess (particularly Attachments and Landline. STILL two of my favorite books I've read in the last 10 years!). There is something so real and so raw in all of these stories, with characters so lifelike you can't say for certain that they AREN'T real...just that you've never had the pleasure of meeting them in person. So when I heard Rainbow Rowell had a new adult romance coming out...I floated up past Cloud 9 and landed oh, let's say on Cloud 42 or so!

But as much as I adored the concept of this one, the fact that it was partially set in the 90's, and the trademark Rainbow Rowell charm of two flawed and REAL characters popping off the page and falling in love...this Slow Dance was more of a Slow Burn AND a Slow Read...and I QUICKLY came to the realization it would not be sitting alongside Attachments or Landline in my collection of Rainbow Rowell five star reads.

One of the main reasons I struggled so much with this book at times was our MC, Shiloh. While I liked her overall quirkiness and respected her as a mom (don't get me started on her two adorable kids - Rainbow NEVER disappoints in that area!), she seemed to be at least 70% of the reason why this relationship didn't take off in the first place. Her constant barrage of barriers would be enough to make anyone crazy...even someone as patient as Cary. It seemed like every time she seemingly got somewhere in her relationship, or even in reestablishing her friendship with Cary...up went the roadblock. While this did make her character very REAL (as Rowell always does), it did make her more and more frustrating as the book went on. I just kept wanting to tell her to stop overthinking and making things complicated at the WORST possible times for often no reason at all.

Cary, on the other hand, doesn't seem to contribute much to the couple's issues at all...to the point where at times, I almost wished he would just stand up for himself a bit more. I almost needed MORE conflict on this end to give his character some depth. I got the firm sense that he was steadfast and reliable, and also very loyal to Shiloh...but I guess I was just wanting more. We spent so long in Shiloh's head that it would have been nice to perhaps relive some memories etc. through Cary's lens, to figure out what really made him tick and get a little bit deeper insight into the sort of man he was vs. perhaps the teen he was in high school. It seemed like Cary was also the one making so many of the sacrifices and being so accepting of Shiloh's eccentricities and she didn't always necessarily have to make any concessions of her own...a bit frustrating in my mind, because EVERY good relationship should be a two way street.

But perhaps the biggest hurdle I faced in this particular read was the timeline...because it was TRULY all over the place. Essentially, our current day story takes place in 2006, but we are also treated (for about half the book or so at least) to flashbacks of various points during Shiloh and Cary's friendship/relationship. In theory, I have no problem with this and would even argue the book couldn't really exist without it. Where the difficulty came in, however, is that every section of the past that is discussed is labeled the SAME WAY: simply "before," no matter where it occurs in the narrative. This made it difficult not only to keep track of where we were and how old Shiloh and Cary were at any given time, but also to give the timeline a SOMEWHAT linear feel. I wouldn't have even minded the timeline hopping back and forth at all if it had just been denoted more clearly throughout...even a device as a simple as listing the year under "before" would have helped IMMENSELY.

The last aspect of this one that caused me to struggle so much more than I would have liked was simply PACING. I have never noticed this in another Rowell book prior to this one, but this was a 400 page book that definitely FELT 400 pages. While I think this a bit long in general for this kind of story, having it told in this back and forth fashion at times made it feel even longer. Luckily, Rowell uses plenty of short chapters or to be honest, there are times this would have felt interminable. I also just wanted more spice and more actual ROMANCE scenes between the characters...but again, this speaks to my desire to maybe have this feel a little LESS realistic and a little more 'flight of fancy' at times. There's nothing wrong with a slow burn....but once the flame is lit, it should IGNITE (especially after 14 years of waiting!)

And while we had to wait 10 FULL years for a new full length adult romance novel from Rainbow Rowell, I still hope that Shiloh and Cary's long overdue courtship hasn't inspired Rowell to wait 14 years before putting out another relatable and nuanced adult romance book:

...I'm just not sure my heart can wait that long.

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5

I feel incredibly privileged to have been granted an advance copy of Slow Dance through NetGalley. Rainbow Rowell is a stunning writer who has won my heart over again and again, and I couldn’t believe it when I had a chance to read this book early!

I always know Rainbow will take me on a worthy and impactful journey, but Slow Dance was on another level. This book is the perfect cocktail of nostalgia and yearning. It has a jumpy timeline that builds on itself and illuminates Shiloh’s and Cary’s experiences with context, heart, and complexity.

These two characters….I feel every year they lost and so full of hope and love for them that they get to build a future together. And as always, the side characters are compelling and have depth. (I want Mikey to be my friend, too.)

I have no notes on this book. My heart is full and I’m kind of bewildered that a writer who I love and whom I have read so much from already can still write a book that surprises me. But this did exactly that, gripping me and not letting me go until I finished it.

Thank you, Rainbow, for writing this book. I love it.

Rainbow Rowell's books are always a treat, and Slow Dance is no exception. Main characters Shiloh and Cary absolutely shine in this story of lasting love, missed chances, and reconnection. Highly recommended.

This was not for me. I’m sure many will consider it a great book, but I just can’t. I so badly wanted to jive with everyone, I wanted to love this book. The characters are unlikeable and lack any form of depth.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 rounded down. This one is a hard one to review. I actually didn't like it at all, but I can see the bones of a good book. Rainbow Rowell continues to deliver very real characters living in very real places, but I just personally found them all strange and annoying. I also think this romance is doomed, which doesn't help. But I can definitely see others liking this book a lot, so take this with a grain of salt.

Unfortunately I had to dnf this. This book was one of my most anticipated reads and I was over the mood excited to get the ARC but it didn't keep my attention and I ultimately decided not to pick it back up. Got maybe 20% in.

3.5 ⭐️
Slow Dance is a sweet, second chance book. I have read a few other Rainbow Rowell books and enjoyed them. She writes 'normal' characters that aren't perfect but are perfect for the story.

~~What I liked~~
-The characters are well written and are easy to relate to because they are average. If you enjoy your characters to be hot and sexy, you might not like this book.
-The writing was easy to read and I was able to finish this book in one afternoon. The book jumps back and forth to tell the history between Shiloh and Cary. The plot, much like the characters, is very 'average' and follows Shiloh's life which happens to be pretty uneventful.
-The other characters are good and add to the book. I especially liked Juniper, she had some good lines.

~~What I didn't like~~
-The pacing was slow. I think part of it is the nature of the book, which is to tell the story of two average characters who do normal things, like take care of their kids or deal with their frustrating family members.
-The plot was overall pretty boring. It was a well-told story and I didn't mind reading it, but I felt like I spent a lot of time 'meandering' through the story.
-I wish we could have seen the very beginning of Shiloh and Cary's story AND I wish we had more of an epilogue. There was a happy ending, but I wanted more and I don't feel like everything was fully addressed by the end of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm on the fence about if it goes in my 'recommend' pile, only because while it was sweet, it was also pretty uneventful.

This is a beautifully written story about Shiloh and Cary, best friends who everyone thought would end up together. Life took them on separate paths—Shiloh to college and Cary to the Navy. Fourteen years later, Shiloh returns to her childhood home after a divorce, now a single mother of two. When invited to a friend’s wedding, she can't stop thinking about Cary. This novel explores their past, missed opportunities, and the possibility of rekindling their bond. Rainbow Rowell captures the complexities of love, friendship, and second chances with relatable characters and witty, genuine dialogue. It’s a heartfelt read that reminds us of the enduring power of connection.

Shiloh and Cary are the best of friends, with the line blurring between friendship and romance more and more. Some of their peers already assumed they had been dating.

After an explosive fight during Shiloh's freshman year of college, fast-forward many years to a mutual friend's wedding. Shiloh and Cary have a chance to reconnect after not speaking, and catch up right where they left off.

I really enjoyed this second-chance romance from Rainbow Rowell. I enjoyed the realness of their complicated adult lives, and even though sometimes they could be frustrating, both Shiloh and Cary were good main characters. I enjoyed how the timelines would flip back and forth between present day and the past to get more background on our characters and their stories. Overall, I would recommend this if you're looking for a slower paced adult romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited to get this ARC, as Eleanor and Park is one of my favorite books. This was such an honest and real look at two people who loved each other and somehow kept missing each other. I sometimes loved this book and sometimes found myself hating it. The inner workings of Shiloh was such an interesting read and I found myself wanting her to snap out of it. Her actions toward Cary were at times unnecessary and cruel. The incessant pinching and poking was hard to read. I wondered if we would ever get answer to that question. Why was she so unattached? Why did they stop speaking? I was waiting for a climax and there really wasn't one. A big fight they had, but it was a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication. I wanted to know more about Cary. Why couldn't these two people just SEE each other?

However, I found the story to be beautiful in its rawness and honesty. It wasn't a fantasy. It was everyday life. Even still, it was beautiful.

4.5/5 stars

This was my first experience with a Rowell book but definitely won’t be my last.

This is a very slow friends-to-lovers story centering around two mains (Shiloh and Cary) who are such a pleasure to meet. They have been friends since middle school, but they both have different dreams of escaping Omaha (and their troubled home lives) following high school. Shiloh takes a traditional college route while Cary joins the Navy, and other than one momentous meet-up at Shiloh’s dorm room, they do not see each other for the next 14 years.

Shiloh has married, divorced and had two kids, and Cary has risen through the ranks in the Navy. They meet back up at a friend’s wedding and feel the pull of that old friendship wanting to re-establish itself. As they begin to maneuver their way back to each other, they wonder if they really want more considering all of the aspects of their lives now (children, long-distance locations, military commitments, etc.).

This is a sweet/bittersweet story about two best friends who don’t see their connection as others do (more like soul mates than friends), or maybe they do, but don’t know yet how to navigate it at that time in their young lives. As time goes by, and their lives move on, they are left with the memories of their time together and thoughts of “what if…”.

Very well done. Loved the characters, the storyline (both the past and present) and the gradual move from hesitant and apprehensive to confident and joyful.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and William Morrow for providing the free early arc of Slow Dance for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I hate to say it, but this book was a letdown for me. Rainbow Rowell has been one of my automatic must read authors for years and will continue to be so, but this book fell a bit flat for me.

I didn't think it was a total dud. There were a lot of emotions (both good and bad) here and some humor. The book as a whole just felt kind of generic to me. I felt like I'd heard this story before - multiple times. Childhood best friends, second chance romance, lots of miscommunication. I think it would've worked better if I'd liked the characters more.

The book does go by quickly though and it was well-written, naturally. It just didn't live up to my expectations.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Pure nostalgia and so much sweetness, mixed with pure frustration that there were so many wasted years that Shiloh and Cary could have been together if they just COMMUNICATED! Ugh. I know we need angst, or we wouldn't have a book if we jumped straight to the happily ever after, but...lol Slow dance was the perfect title! Because talk about slow...

The friendship between Shiloh, Cary, and Mikey was just so lovely! I know the focus was on our main couple, but kudos to Mikey for being the best third wheel!!

I enjoyed the flashbacks to the "then", but it was kind of random and not in any sort of order. Once I realized that, I kind of just rolled with it. I adored the past friendship and the reestablishment of the friendship. It hurt my heart to feel that lost connection of all those regretful years. Cary was a great book boyfriend, and the author made an interesting choice in his outward appearance constantly mentioning different moles and such. Which made a bigger impact with the beauty that Shiloh saw in him.

I could have done without the open-door romance scenes and some of the romantic moments (biting?) at the end. Overall, I had a huge grin on my face when the two finally were on the same page to be together! I would love to see a short story (or long one!) showcasing their lives after the wedding...:)

4.5 stars

LOVED! LOVED! LOVED!

I’m not at all surprised that this was a 5 star book for me. I’ve loved every single one of Rainbow Rowell’s books and this one did not disappoint at all. I might even venture to say this is my new favorite of hers.

I loved the dual timelines and the characters were so complex and relatable and real. Their relationship had so many layers and the author did such a wonderful job of making us really understand each of their points of view.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book. I loved every second of it and I didn’t want to put it down.

I received a a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and statements are my own.

Gosh it's good to read Rainbow Rowell again. She writes her characters in a way that just really resonates with me!