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!

I really, REALLY, tried to like those book. Rainbow Rowell write all ages of characters and writes them well, but Shiloh and Cary are 33 year old characters who behave and speak like 60 year olds.

The mundane love story and oddly old language made this book very boring to read. There's no chemistry between the leads, just uncomfortable fumbling and constant misunderstandings. And while I like imperfect love stories, SLOW DANCE was a bit too awkward to engage me.

DNF at 21%

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell is a second change romance between Shiloh (F) and Cary (M), told in a past/present timeline. The before starts in 1991 when they are high school seniors. The now is 2006. In the now, Shiloh is invited to a High School friend's wedding, where she sees Cary again after years of not speaking. They were almost together in HS, sort of together for a weekend in college, and now they may have a shot at making it work again, but now, Shiloh is a single mom and Cary is still in the Navy and only in town for the wedding. Still, something is between them that has lasted through the years, and all they need to do is figure out if they are meant to be together or meant to remain friends. These characters are real and flawed and hopeless, which is what makes a Rainbow Rowell book so great, in my opinion. RR does so well with authentic characters and pithy dialogue. The miscommunication trope is strong in this one. Just have a conversation! But who wants to have the hard talks? I have loved Rainbow Rowell since Eleanor and Park, and this one brings back all the vibes of that book, only more adult. Fans of RR will not be disappointed!

Slow Dance is a near perfect love story in my opinion. Three high school friends stay friends for life and readers get to follow them through the years. All the characters and situations were so well written they felt real. Highly recommended!

3.5 stars, rounded up

Rainbow Rowell continues to deliver amazing, sweet, realistic romance. This one focuses on Shiloh and Cary, high school best friends who never got their “Some Kind of Wonderful” moment, had a brief affair and severe miscommunication in college, and have continued to pine ever since. They meet again in their mid-thirties, at a mutual friend’s wedding reception. The sparks are still there, but is it too late?

The romance is believable and lovely. The last 20% of the book felt like filler/epilogue, though? It worked, it cleanly wrapped everything up, it just felt off in terms of pacing, particularly in comparison to everything that had gone before.

It’s decent, but not Rowell’s best.

I enjoyed this one so, so much. Shiloh and Cary's love for one another felt like a separate character in the book – this big thing that the two of them carried around and nurtured throughout their lives. It's that first big love, first true connection feeling that is unforgettable. At times, it felt hard to breathe while I was reading this. That's how much you feel the connection between them as the story progresses. Their high school hesitations and college miscommunications felt typical of that time in their lives, so while agonizing to read, their decisions made sense because of how similar Shiloh and Cary were. Watching them navigate their choices as they grew up, constantly pushing forward toward one another, had me rooting for them. I'll be thinking about this book for a while and will likely reread it soon.

Thank you to author Rainbow Rowell, publisher William Morrow, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Slow Dance in exchange for my review.

This was really cute and I enjoyed it a lot! Especially the first half. I do think it drags a bit at the end but I think that this is a fresh approach to the friends to lovers/something happens where they don't talk for a while trope.

This is the first book by Rainbow Rowell that I have read, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Believe me when I say that I was blown away - this book gave me ALL the feels! I loved it so much that I devoured it in a day and then immediately regretted that I finished it so fast. Shiloh and Cary are now one of my favorite all time literary couples. The nostalgia, the romance, the drama...I loved every bit of it. This is one that I will be recommending to anyone who will listen!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell. How can you not love books by Rowell? This is about two best friends, Cary and Shiloh who go there separate ways after high school Cary joins the Navy and Shiloh gets the acting bug after college. Even though they went in different directions, they vowed they wouldn’t lose touch. Now it’s been fourteen years. Shiloh is divorced with kids and has moved back to the house she grew up in. An upcoming wedding has Shiloh wondering if Cary will be there and if he would still want to talk to her after all this time and everything that’s happened. I read an article where Rowell discussed this book and described it like adults going to a prom, meaning it’s this big event that a lot of people look forward too. I thought that was a neat comparison. I definitely recommend this book.

3.5 stars:
After a slow start I became invested in knowing the ending of this story. These characters were flawed, messy, and real, and their relationship was the same. This wasn’t a sparkly, idealistic romance, it was gritty and realistic. Read if you’re tired of tropes and looking for something that feels like real life.

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical going into this. I've loved some of Rainbow Rowell's books in the past, and while I've enjoyed her adult books, I didn't LOVE them.

However, this book completely swept me off my feet. (Pun not intended)

I couldn't get enough of this story. I was totally invested in Shiloh and Cary in a way I didn't see coming, and honestly loved the tropes used here. So many romance books move along quickly, which is TOTALLY fine, but it was kind of nice to see such a slow burn. Admittedly, I'm also a sucker for friends to lovers and back-and-forth timelines. I only wish that we had more of Cary's POV, but this didn't bother me enough to take away from my rating.

Something I also really appreciated was Shiloh's thoughts about her sexuality. Being divorced, Shiloh was considering whether she was also attracted to women. While she felt that she was, she wasn't really sure what that meant for her or her sexuality. She discussed with Cary exploring the label bisexual, but didn't really settle on it completely. On the one hand, this seemed very random, as it didn't have really anything to do with the plot and was just kind of there, and I worry that some might find this almost like a "checkbox for representation" sort of moment. However, Shiloh's thoughts honestly reminded me a lot of the beginning of my sexuality journey. I mean, sometimes figuring out your sexuality IS random, and when you have other things going on, it's not necessarily the main "plot" of your life at the moment and that's okay! This personally felt very realistic to me. I'm not sure what Rainbow's intentions were with this, but I personally appreciated this take. As much as I love books focused more on queer themes, sometimes it's nice to have queer themes more in the background, as oftentimes that how it plays out in real life too.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox here. In summary, if slow-burn romances, friends to lovers, multiple timelines and POV's, romances where at least one person is divorced and/or has kids, or stories that include family drama interest you, I say you give this book a try!

TW: absent parents, ailing parent, divorce

Rainbow Rowell’s "Slow Dance" tells the story of Shiloh and Cary, childhood best friends who dreamed of escaping North Omaha and never losing touch. While Shiloh went to college and Cary joined the Navy, life took unexpected turns. Now, at 33, Shiloh is a divorced mother of two, living back in her childhood home. After 14 years of silence, she reconnects with Cary at a friend’s wedding.

This poignant tale explores themes of lost opportunities, rekindled connections, and second chances. Rowell captures the complexity of friendship and love, making the story both nostalgic and fresh. "Slow Dance" is a compelling read for anyone who has ever wondered about the one who got away.

I gave "Slow Dance" 4 stars for its engaging and emotionally resonant storytelling, showcasing Rowell’s talent for touching the heart and leaving a lasting impression.

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

I love Rainbow Rowell and this is her highly anticipated first adult romance in years, featuring Shiloh and Cary who were best friends in high school. They haven't spoken in years, but they've always probably maybe have been in love with each other. Now they're adults, meeting again at their mutual friend's wedding and the story takes us through how they can eventually learn to allow each other into their lives again.

The characters, as I expected, were so real. I cared about Cary and Shiloh very much, but also they were super imperfect and they really irritated me sometimes. Their romance is incredibly complicated and this often made me feel impatient with them and the plot. This is one of those sad romances vs. rom-com (and I'm not talking about the ending here- it's still a romance!) and it made me feel things and reminded me a lot of high school. It had some really wonderful moments and sometimes I felt like it plodded by. Overall I enjoyed it and I think 3.5 stars is underselling it, so I'm keeping it at 4.

If you've enjoyed RR's work before, I encourage you to pick this one up!