Shiloh and Cary became friends in seventh grade. This book follows the ups and downs of their relationship. From being a trio of best friends with their friend Mikey. To fourteen years of not talking, to finally seeing each other again at Mikey's wedding. With past and present chapters, we follow the evolution of their relationship in discovering what the future will hold for them.

The alternating timelines between teenagers to adults was crafted quite brilliantly. The more I read, the more I ached for Shiloh and Carey to be together. There was something so special about them being best friends. A deep connection that felt like it was meant to last a lifetime. I absolutely loved their quick witted dialogue. There was a pull between them and I loved feeling it even back when they were in high school. Seeing each other all those years later gave me "the one who got away" vibes.

Both Shiloh and Cary had obstacles that had me constantly wondering if they would ever be together. They had to work past insecurities and miscommunication to finally be able to vocalize what they felt and wanted. I loved being on this journey with them.

4.5 stars

I’m usually a big fan of Rainbow Rowell and her writing, but while there was a lot I enjoyed here, this wasn’t my favorite from her.

I liked how the story was structured with various timelines (past and present) different POVs and some correspondence. I liked the 2000s setting, including references to the fashion and technology of that era. I spent a lot of my teenage years in Omaha during that time in many of the areas mentioned in the book so that was fun to read. Also, there was some heart-wrenching longing that I could really feel and that was done quite well.

On the downside, the military elements of the story were completely uninteresting to me, but that is just my opinion, others may thoroughly enjoy reading about being deployed in a romance. I also found Shiloh’s character exceedingly difficult to connect with for most of the story.

Overall, this is not a bad book, it’s just I’ve come to expect so much more from Rainbow Rowell. It’s partly my fault, as well, because I went into this expecting Eleanor & Park, Part 2. This was not that.


Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rainbow Rowell writes some of the best YA novels I've read. She did not miss the mark on the first adult novel of hers I've read. Her books, whether YA or adult, are written so deeply. The relationships are so real. I have never NOT loved an RR novel and this one was no exception.

It has been eleven years since Eleanor and Park rocketed onto the YA scene as the It Book. Rainbow Rowell has written several books since then, but this one is the same spirit animal as Eleanor and Park, and I am here for it.

Shiloh and Cary were two of a three best friend trio in Omaha. Fifteen years later they have all gone their own ways and lost touch. Cary and Shiloh reconnect at Mikey's wedding and slowly become important in each other's lives again. Shiloh is a single mom, trying to make ends meet and not talk bad about her ex-husband with whom she shares joint custody of her young children. Cary went off to the Navy and is often moved and deployed to sea for lengths of time. His family is still in Omaha, and he is trying to care for them from a distance.

This book felt like Eleanor and Park grown up. There was still the angst, but it was more adult and mature. This is a slow burn novel about two people who are important to each other and are constantly redefining that. The writing is excellent and even though it is a slower paced book, you just want to be with Shiloh and Cary along the way. This is more literary fiction than rom com but it's not so serious and is just a finely written book about people doing the best they can.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Thank you so much @harpercollinsca for the free book for an honest review.

I have loved Rainbow Rowell since I was a teenager and I was eager to read her new adult novel.

This book was phenomenal. I loved every second of it.

The dialogue was funny, unique and strongly heartbreaking.

I fell in love with Cary and Shiloh. Their love story was really like a slow dance. They fell in love when they were teenagers and best friends.

But life and timing weren't on their side.

I loved how the author played with time and flashback. It was so well done. We can see them grow in maturity and we fully understand each choice they make.

It was perfectly paced and I know I'll be reading this again and again.

If you love :

✨ Friends to Lovers ;
✨ Dual POV ;
✨ Flawed relatable characters ;
✨ Single Mother ;
✨ Navy MMC ;
✨ Romance.

I've been a fan of Rainbow Rowell for YEARS - ever since reading Eleanor & Park. Slow Dance not only reminded me of why I love her writing so much, but was also just what I needed right now. Shiloh and Cary are clearly meant to be together, but yet, they aren't. Since high school, they've been happy being friends. That's just who they are. However, after 14 years, a marriage (and divorce), and multiple deployments in the Navy, Shiloh and Cary have finally reconnected - and something is different. There's tension between the two and Shiloh does not know what to think about the situation. She is not ready to let someone be *that* close to her again. Even after all these years, the universe is still pushing them to be together. Will they try to mess with fate or will they finally realize the person they were truly in love with has been in front of them all along?

I LOVED this story. The only reason why it didn't get a 5 was because the ending felt rushed and left me wanting more. However, the story was SO cute and reminded me a lot of my husband and I. I instantly connected to Shiloh and was rooting for her happiness throughout the book - whether she ended up with Cary or not. Rainbow Rowell captured what its like to be an adult finding their way back to their true love - and how sometimes life has other plans. I highly recommend this to anyone who loved Rainbow Rowell's work as a teen/young adult or who has had similar experiences to Shiloh and Cary.

This was a veeerrryyy slow dance til the end, but I really enjoyed the flashbacks to the 90s and 2000s. Great characters, just wish the pacing was a little quicker.

Happy Pub Day to one of my favorites of the year!

I have been a long time @rainbowrowell fan. Fangril, Elanor & Park, and Attachments have always been on any list of books I tell others to read and now Slow Dance is definitely on that list!

Rowell can do no wrong in my eyes. Her characters are always so flushed out, her writing is always so descriptive of emotions and feelings that I often and so emotional (in a good way) when I am reading, and I always love her endings.

This story had short chapters that really worked for me. I also was so invested in Cary and Shiloh’s story and dynamic. Also Shiloh’s kids, especially Juniper, really had my heart. Love that name for a kid.

I did another immersive read with this one and really enjoyed the narration by Rebecca Lowman. She had more of a dry delivery which is exactly how I pictured Shiloh’s character.

If you’re a fan of slower moving character driven stories with heart and deeply vulnerable characters, grab this one

Jam-packed with nostalgia, thoughtful introspection, pitch-perfect comedy, and the raw, honest truth of life in your 30s — Slow Dance isn’t your typical romantic tale. In a shelf full of new-age romance books that feel like the literary embodiment of a TikTok filter, Slow Dance is the well-loved VHS tape you find buried in the attic when you go home to visit your parents. It’s the warm, sometimes awkward, but overall utterly fond feeling that unravels in your chest. This book revels in the grainy film, the dusty edges, and every perfectly imperfect take that makes Shiloh and Cary’s story feel uniquely honest and real.

This was one of those books that started slow but every moment hooked you into that next chapter. You just really wanted to see what was going to happen with Shiloh and Carey next. At the same time it was filled with two different timelines of flashbacks telling the story of what led to their not seeing each other for fourteen years. I usually hate flashbacks and I’ll admit that I was a little impatient with how many this book had, but those chapters were so useful in helping to create depth in these characters. These chapters showed how these young people held onto their hearts and secrets. How communication could have led these characters in a different direction earlier in their lives and maybe made them reflect upon some of their own decisions and the paths they themselves chose. Despite the help in character development it did make the story plod along a little slowly, but I’m a girl that appreciates a slow burn romance and Slow Dance was the penultimate slow burn.

When the time came for our characters to make the journey together in current time I felt so rewarded! I was brought along on this lengthy journey, saw their struggles and insecurities, and felt all the emotions they were each feeling. If my book had not been virtual I would probably have had little tears in the pages from my eagerly advancing the pages and my finger tracing the paths of the words that had meaning. This was a very well done novel, one I’ll re-read to find again those sentences that had meaning and to again feel the depth of emotion these two characters felt for each other.

This was my first Rainbow Rowell romance and I definitely recommend it.

I loved following Cary and Shiloh through multiple points in their relationship, starting when they’re best friends in high school, then moving on to college, and then years later when they’re meeting again at a friend’s wedding after years of separation. Their relationship definitely is a slow burn, but the journey getting there is 100% worth it.

I didn’t want to put this book down at all and I read it in 2 days!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars, rounded down.

Okay - I loved the Simon snow Trilogy, so I knew I had to jump on this when I saw it. It is a delightful little story. The story does a slow burn, missed connections romance thing, and it jumps from teenage friends to adults in the plot as it sets up the story.

It took me a while to get into this book. To be honest, Shiloh annoyed me, and her character was difficult to place or connect with. There were a lot of things SAID about her personality that I didn't feel like were shown through her actions or development over the course of the plot. That being said, I slowly grew to like her a lot more, and eventually I was really sucked into the story and the romance and the way the plot unfolded. It felt really real, and it felt really tangible and well developed with the conflicts that came up, and I struggled to put it down from about 45%.

The end did seem pretty abrupt, though. This slow burn builds throughout the book and then it felt like the book just suddenly ended. I don't feel like I got the closure I wanted (needed?) and that is what is keeping me from rating this as a full five stars.

But! The book is fun. It's charming. It's light. It's weirdly emotional. It's gripping. I couldn't quite put it down and I thought the plot was nuanced and well done.

Slow Dance is a character-driven second chance romance about high school friends who run in to each other again in their 30's. I liked that it was a realistic romance, with adult characters who are flawed, carried family baggage, and had professional obligations. It started a little slow for me, but picked up as I got to know the characters. The author does a great job at weaving the storylines (present day and flashbacks to high school and other adulthood milestones), slowly revealing the history, and giving perspective to the characters' actions. Read this is if you are fan of second chance romances, slice of life fiction, and/or gritty family dynamics!

About a quarter of the way through this story, I began to wonder why I was feeling so uneasy. The sadness was hitting me like a truck and I kept asking myself why I was so upset, and yet the answer was so obvious. This book felt like being forced to look into a mirror. The more Shiloh talked about her life and how she’s changed (and hasn’t), the more I questioned how I’ve grown and changed. I questioned how 18 year old me would see myself and the way my life has turned out. I thought of the lost childhood friendships and wondered how they were doing. The thoughts were endless.

As teens, we know it all. We have a plan! We know who we think we are without really knowing who we actually are. Would any of us really have anticipated the paths we are currently on? Our main characters in this story are facing those questions while trying to grow and build a new life with the ones who were, at one point, the most important people around them.

Shiloh and Cary were flawed. They felt so real and authentic and. truly, stressed me the hell out. With every mistake they made, my frustration grew. However each of those mistakes felt real! None of what happened in this story seemed far fetched, and for that I really applaud the author. This is an interesting read that will have you questioning every moment.

~special thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an arc of this story

It's been years since high school best friends Shiloh and Cary have seen each other. Now, at their friend's wedding, all of the questions of what if come creeping back up.

Loved this one! Here's what I loved:

Rowell's writing: There is something about Rowell's writing that feels like an old friend. There is a nostalgia to it. I adore her use of dialogue. That shinned in this one. Shiloh and Cary's dialogue is snappy and truly funny. It helps you get into their lives and relationship.

Cary: Loved this man. He had so many challenges to overcome but he is one of those guys that just keeps pushing through no matter what. He's so devoted to those he loves.

Old friends and new lovers: The relationship between Shiloh and Cary was amazing. I loved seeing them together just as much as seeing them as friends. While neither was very open with feelings all the time, you can feel their love.

All in all, this was a really good second chance romance with some past and present chapters that keep you hooked.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Back in high school Shiloh, Cary and Mikey were like the Three Musketeers. Yet things were always a little bit different when it was just Shiloh and Cary, the pair constantly dancing around their true feelings for one another. But each had different plans for their future-Cary headed to a life in the military and Shiloh off to pursue a college degree. Little did they know life had plans of its own for each of them.

Now over a decade later the trio is reuniting for Mikey’s wedding. While Cary’s dreams of joining the Navy came true, Shiloh’s now divorced with two kids, living back at home. Admittedly embarrassed, she also can’t deny the part of her that wonders what it will be like to see Cary after all this time. Will he still be single or is his dance card officially full?

Slow Dance is a sweet second chance romance from the acclaimed author, Rainbow Rowell. Full of angst both past and present, it’s also a relatable relationship that creates a believable one step forward, two steps back sort of footwork between the two. Although this is a serious story, there are many light moments sprinkled throughout that help add levity, thus making Slow Dance a book that makes all the right moves.

Have you ever felt like it took you a long time to get to where you were meant to be? Like you didn’t mean to take the scenic route, but you did and now you know you were meant to take that route the whole time? Like you would have missed something vital if you hadn’t?

That feeling, combined with an oversaturation of Gen X nostalgia, makes up the majority of the sentiment, story, and romance of Slow Dance.

(Yeah, I can say that because I’m Gen X and I not only had friends just like these characters but I could’ve lived lives similar to theirs if I didn’t grow up in a town smaller than even Omaha (though I don’t live in Nebraska)).

I’m normally a huge fan of Rainbow Rowell. I’ve read almost everything else she’s written and I own most of it, too. Her strengths tend to be dialogue, character building, character arcs, and emotions. These are all things I have always loved and admired about her writing. Everyone in her books is messy, vulnerable, and terribly human. No one looks perfect and no one’s okay. I love how Rowell isn’t afraid to write incredibly mundane people falling in love in the most haphazard, dazzling ways. The issue I had with Slow Dance was that I really disliked Shiloh and Cary read much like her other male characters from her contemporary novels.

So while the dialogue was sharp and witty and the emotional messiness was alive and well, I just wasn’t invested in the romantic relationship between Shiloh and Cary. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed and left a few loose ends flapping.

What I do think is that this book might be a lot better in audiobook format. This seems like the type of book that would read well that way. I don’t listen to audiobooks, but for some reason I kept coming back to that thought. I also think if I had liked Shiloh more I would’ve rated this book higher.

I was provided a copy of this title by Netgalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. A rating of three stars or lower means this review will not be appearing on my social media. Thank you.

File Under: Coming of Age/Contemporary Romance/Spice Level 1/Women’s Fiction

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

At first glance, I was into this novel. I had never read anything by Rowell before and I’ve heard good things, so when I liked the first chapter I was optimistic I’d love the book. But I really didn’t enjoy the writing style. It was all short sentences, one after another after another. It got so monotonous so fast. I think, stylistically, this book just wasn’t for me.

Ugh, I LOVED this book! In high school, Shiloh and Cary were best friends. When school ended, he went off to the Navy, and she wanted out of Omaha for college. They made a promise that their friendship wouldn’t change. But it’s been 14 years since they have spoken and everything has changed. They meet again at their friend Mikey’s second wedding, but they are both at different points in their lives. Shiloh is a divorced single mom of two, and Cary is still in the Navy. With 14 years of not talking, they aren’t even sure they can be friends. But there’s so much history between them.

My first 5 star read of July! It’s so hard for me to put into words how much I loved this book. The story is told from both past and present points of view. The past gives you insight into their friendship and their connection. It is a story of both friendship and romance. I absolutely loved that these characters were in their early 30s. It makes it more relatable for me (even though I am a bit older than that).

I really enjoyed that while Shiloh and Cary were maybe trying to find their way back to each other, it wasn’t a typical miscommunication issue that was keeping them from finding each other. They were real life situations – him being in the Navy, her living in Omaha, her having 2 kids and an ex husband. It was so much different to have these be the main focus and not a typical trope. And none of these topics were shied away from, they were at the forefront AND discussed between Shiloh and Cary. It just felt very mature.

I was hoping these two would find their way back to each other because it was so clear that they were made for each other. Rowell’s writing flows nicely and is easy to read, even with the past and present chapters.

This is a must read for any romance book reader!

I adore Rainbow Rowell. She has written some of my absolute favorites. Unfortunately, Slow Dance is not one of them. This book just fell so flat, so different from how her books usually suck me in. I didn't feel connected to either Shiloh or Cary. The only thing I really felt for them was frustration. There was no chemistry, no banter, just no fun in the book.

While I know this sounds harsh, I am definitely not giving up on Rainbow Rowell. She will remain a favorite and I will eagerly devour whatever comes next!