As a long time reader of Rainbow Rowell's books, this was definitely ony my list. As per usual, her books never miss. Having read her books for over a decade, I've been able to see myself in her characters, both young and (forgive me, because 30s isn't old) older. Her writing has a way of immersing you in the story, where you can truly see others and even yourself within the story, making it a truly immersive read.

This was such a comfortable read. We are automatically placed into the context of the relationship between FMC, Shiloh and her one-that-got-away, Carey. The two start off as best friends - 2/3 of a trio with their friend Mikey, who's second wedding brings the crew back together 14 years after Carey and Shiloh had last seen each other. The story bounces between the past and the present so we aren't confused. There's no anxiety-inducing will they/won't they, it's more like a "when will they"... Shiloh and Carey give in to their feelings for one another before Carey gets into the throes of his Naval career and Shiloh embarks on her own path to adulthood and motherhood. This is a second-chance romance that doesn't dwell on what could have been had the choice been made sooner and clearer, but explores what it's like for first loves to use old feelings for a new start. Overall, and enjoyable read with very little "drama". I would recommend if you a need a fresh palate cleanser.!

I really used to love Rainbow’s YA books but I am sad this adult one didn’t work for me. I still like her writing style, but it felt a bit disjointed. I didn’t finish it.

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell has the heart and charm you’d expect from her writing, but it didn’t fully pull me in the way I’d hoped. The characters are likable, and there are some beautifully written moments, but the story itself felt a little slow (no pun intended) and didn’t have the emotional depth I was expecting.

That said, Rowell’s signature dialogue and warmth are still here, and there’s a cozy, nostalgic feel to the book that makes it an easy read. It’s enjoyable, but not as memorable as some of her other works. If you’re a fan of her writing style, you’ll probably still have a good time with it!

This was my first Rainbow Rowell and I was initially very captivated by her writing and character dynamics. I was all-in on the first third of this book and found myself very invested in the relationship between Shiloh and Cary, both past and present. Unfortunately, the timeline jumps really bogged down the latter part of this book for me. There were several times I had no idea where we were in Shiloh and Cary's lives and couldn't wrap my head around what info they knew, what had already happened, where they were in their relationship and with others in their lives. I also felt like Cary is a bit underdeveloped compared to Shiloh, who I honestly could have used a little bit less of (she's a complex and interesting character, but she is a LOT). Some of the passages were very moving and I'm overall impressed with Rowell's writing. I stand by what I've said before that second chance romance is one of the most difficult tropes to write, and this one gets a lot of the emotions right despite its logistical flaws.

I liked the last part of the book. The first part, when the characters were fumbling with their feelings for each other, was painful, but it was beautiful once they understood that they wanted to be together.

Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors so when I saw the opportunity to read one of her books early I jumped at the opportunity. Rowell is a master when it comes to intellectual romance. Her greatest gift is bringing the readers inside the minds of her characters and making you like them as a person even if the traits the characters have themselves is not ones you like. An enthralling read.

"I want the rest of your life to be a bright gold streak."

Re-found love seems to be a trend for me over the last year and I'm not upset about it! Though this book was not a favorite, it had a whole lot of love inside its pages. A whole lot to find to love about it as well. It's just two kids who fell in love before they knew what that meant, two friends who lose everything along the way and have no idea how to find it again. Two grown ups who just can't seem to grasp what the world is like without the other.

Two people who had to end up together, and somehow... don't?

I love going back to the source and figuring out, "Where do I go from here?" and this book really made that point. Sometimes, you go back. Sometimes, you change everything and go forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so sweet and felt so real! I loved how the story was laid out with chapters taking place in the past and alongside chapters in the present as it added so many layers to Shilo and Cary’s love story. I could not wait for them to become a couple and to realize their feeling a for each other. This was such a heartfelt and real romance.

DNF @ 34%

This breaks my heart, being such a huge fan of Rowell's, but I had so many issues with Slow Dance.

1. I could not stand the immaturity of the main character. Her high school POV and her adult POV read exactly the same. There is zero growth, honestly, I'm tempted to say she got worse.
2. Do these two even like each other? I mean seriously, we're supposed to be feeling terrible about all these "missed opportunities" as to why they never got together even though they love each other so much but I never saw it. It should've happened by 34%.
3. I just recently finished Scattered Showers: Stories and I realized within those stories (and now this one) that Rainbow's main characters all read so similar. Too similar.
4. I can't stand the miscommunication trope, and this was absolutely it with a heavy dose of self-sabotaging.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC of Slow Dance! Slow Dance was so incredibly sweet. I still think about Shiloh and Cary months later after reading it. The story was honestly a bit slow...but the sweetness prevailed for me.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Not my very favorite Rowell, but a really good one. I found Shiloh so relatable and the storyline was appealing and compelling. I’m glad she’s writing about older characters now.

I really enjoyed this second-chance friends-to-lovers romance. It was real and sweet and nostalgic and everything I want from a Rainbow Rowell book. One of my favorite reads of 2024.

Thanks to William Morrow for the copy to review.

4.5 stars Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for this E-ARC. I want to start off saying that the characters are annoying Shiloh more than Cary lol I feel better now. With that being said the story is sooo beautiful. It talks about them in the present and in the past high school and one year in college. The title is perfect because it was really like a slow dance watching Shiloh and Cary come together and then come apart and reunite once more. This is a book that you feel what the characters are going thru more than anything else and I love that when a book can make you feel its just the most beautiful thing ever.

Book 1 of 2025 - ✅! Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow & Rainbow Rowell for the ARC of “Slow Dance” in exchange for my honest review.

Having read some of Rowell’s YA work (I much preferred the Simon Snow/Fangirl universe to Eleanor & Park for a myriad of reasons, but I digress…) - I was looking forward to venture into Rowell’s adult work. Set in Nebraska and told from both present day and the past - we learn about our FMC, Shiloh & our MMC, Cary - 2 people who meet in their youth, as they both “live on the wrong side of the tracks.” The Second Chance/“it’s always been you” is well done here, and because the reader follows their stories for multiple decades, the pacing felt right to me. The book occasionally felt repetitive, but not so much so that it would bring the entire rating down.


2/5 🌶️- this is not a young adult book and has a few spicy scenes, and 4/5 ⭐️ overall. 💐🚢🎭 #NetGalley #slowdance

*2,75 stars* I’ve enjoyed several of Rainbow Rowell’s romance stories, but this one didn’t make my list of favorites. I appreciated the realistically flawed characters and some of the sweet moments between the two main characters, but much of the book felt slow and repetitive to me. In contrast, the end felt rushed and left me feeling unsatisfied.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This story is perfect for those who love: what ifs, friends to lovers, slow burn, second chances, missed opportunities, and “it’s always been you”. I really loved reading this. I enjoyed the time hopping too, I found it very helpful and important to get glimpses into Cary and Shiloh’s past. It felt a little rushed at the end, but that honestly didn’t take away from the story for me.

I mean this as a compliment: I love how simplistic Rowell's writing style is. There's something about the no fluff prose that is hooking. Like in her other works, Slow Dance is character driven. If you're the kind of reader who enjoys easy to consume books, this book's for you.

Unfortunately this was very boring for me and the dialogue was so monotonous. I didn’t feel a connection to the characters or the story, which I’m very disappointed by.