Shiloh is invited to the wedding of her dear friend Mikey. Sitting alone with strangers her eyes meet those of Cary, the third member of her growing up gang of three best friends. She hasn’t seen Cary in 14 years but there is an immediate connection. Told in present day and in assorted flashbacks with no particular order, the reader gets the back story and current situation piecemeal. It all comes together. Can Shiloh and Cary ever be a romantic couple? Can they get past life’s obstacles? Shiloh is divorced with two very young children. Cary is a Naval officer with no permanence in his foreseeable future. Both have had very difficult and atypical childhoods. Moreover, they cannot now, nor have they ever been able to, communicate honestly about what they would like from each other. I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. They stole my heart

Slow Dance is a lovely, engrossing beach read type of romance. Rainbow Rowell does a great job of developing the characters and the settings. I felt like I knew them and was right there with them. They are well intentioned but flawed like every other human. And they simply don’t know how to speak the honest words that would express their feelings and move their relationship forward. Both seemed immature as adults, so afraid of being hurt ( again) that they just might let their love slip by.

As far as romance novels go, this one was good. The author writes simply so it’s a quick read. Its perfect for the times you want a book that doesn’t require deep thought. I liked it. I was troubled by various moments when Shiloh kicked, pinched, poked or otherwise physically hurt Cary. These parts were mentioned almost in passing and then dropped causing me to think there was an abusive edge being discounted. Then why bring it up? I also thought that some of the dialog between the two main characters became repetitive. So how to rate this? Three and a half stars rounded up to four for a book I enjoyed and would recommend, despite its imperfections . Romance book lovers will want to read it when it’s published on July 23,2023. My thanks to NetGalley and publisher, William Morrow, for an advance readers copy in exchange for my review.

I haven’t read any of Rainbow’s work in some years, and I think I have some backlog to catch up on! Slow Dance made me laugh, it made my cry, and made me smile. It was beautiful and broke me and then put me back together.

4.5 Stars

I never thought I’d see the day where Rainbow Rowell released a full-length contemporary romance again! I could cry, truly! I cannot overstate how highly anticipated this book is/was for me. And getting an ARC of it? Please cue What Dreams Are Made Of by Hilary Duff.

Slow Dance is about Cary and Shiloh— high-school best friends who everyone already assumed were secretly together or at the very least assumed they eventually would be. But would they be? The story is interwoven between present day 2006 and the 15+ years of history (& estrangement) between them.

I LOVED Slow Dance. I was invested & gripped right from the get go. It’s been so long since I’ve read anything by Rainbow Rowell so I can’t exactly say if it felt the same as before (I think a reread of my old faves— Fangirl, Landline & Attachments needs to happen ASAP?) but what it did feel like was nostalgic & like I was coming home.

Something I do remember about RR’s writing was that her characters always felt real and flawed, like I could see myself and relate to the characters. Slow Dance felt exactly that way for me. At times I felt frustrated with the characters and their true inability to communicate effectively, but that also made it feel like real life? Sometimes it was awkward and I can appreciate that.

I also loved that they were roughly my age and in the same-ish phase of life (I also have two small children like Shiloh.) This isn’t a fairytale story with lots of outlandish drama but it’s a story about real life people & problems like co-parenting, dating after divorce, dealing with childhood trauma, breaking generational cycles, dealing with family drama, etc.

I’m not really sure why the story was set in present day 2006. It didn’t seem like it had a purpose or drove the story per se, but I didn’t mind it at all. It was fun to be reminded at times of it when they’d pull out a razr flip phone or Shiloh would be wearing dresses on top of jeans lol.

Okay, begrudgingly I have one issue with Slow Dance and it’s what kept the story from being a 5 star read for me. There was at least one time I know for sure when a girl was referred to as “chubby” and another when a girl was called “pudgy.” This really gave me the nastiest taste in my mouth. I’m not sure if this was used to fit the times because in 2006 body shaming & language like this wasn’t irregular, but it felt so icky. I wouldn’t want my daughter to see this type of descriptions of women even if they once were normal, although never okay. There was a few other questionable things surrounding body image but these are what really stood out to me and what made me have to rate down the book.

I really hope this won’t be the last contemporary romance we see from Rainbow Rowell as she has been so missed in this genre! Thank you to Net Galley & William Morris for the ARC of Slow Dance in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 ⭐️
The only time I actually, and willingly, listen to Taylor Swift is when I read romance books. But I like to try find the right album to go with each particular romance book. For this, I listened to The Torture Poet Department. It matched the book’s tones. It’s mature, slower, slightly melancholy, but there are sweet moments that bring you to tears.
To be perfectly honest, I was not certain about this book at first. The particular writing style was sort of tough for me. It took me a while to realize that it’s short, choppy, to the point way reminded me a lot of the journal I kept during my study abroad. But either it got better when we switched POV, or I got used to it. And I loved that we didn’t switch POV until 20%, after a big event happened. Steadily, I fell in love with this story. And the thing I loved best was how real it felt. They’re not young and shiny with superficial flaws. They’re lower middle class, mid-America, thirty-something year olds who are getting a second chance at their relationship. Neither of them are exactly easy characters, but it’s the fact only the other person gets and loves their sharp edges that made me melt. I literally cried at the most mundane things because this isn’t a grand romantic gesture kind of romance, it’s the small, subtle kind you’re more likely to come across and experience in real life.
I would definitely recommend this story to others. I would probably warn people that you get used to the writing. But I think it was really cute and provided a version of romantic love that we might see in real life, but not as often in media.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

I have been really hoping for another adult fiction book from Rainbow Rowell, and was so excited when this popped up on NetGalley and that I was provided with and ARC.

Slow Dance is a story about Shiloh and Cary, as well as a cast of friends, family and found family, and how hard growing up can be, and how timelines are hard to match. The plot is solid, in my opinion, but that's not honestly why I even read Rainbow's books. I know that the plots will be thoughtful, realistic and rooted in the sorts of scenarios many Americans can (unfortunately?) relate to. But her ability to capture details and build whole characters and relationships with small snippets of stories and personifying characteristics is truly amazing and will always have me interested in her books.

There are a few things that I'd change - I wanted both characters to be a little less stubborn/upfront/more capable of communication than they were at times, but I also got it. I definitely would recommend the book as well as any others by Rainbow.

This is my first Rainbow Rowell book and I and I absolutely loved her writing style. It’s so relaxed and informal like a friend with no filter. I love how real the characters felt. They are not rich, successful or beautiful. Instead the characters are failing at relationships, struggling financially, and have real bodies!!! It made me get lost in the story. I will say, much of the book feels depressing, but there are still many bright spots. Bonus points for me was that this book takes place in my hometown of Omaha, with really accurate depictions of a less flashy side of town. And Rainbow herself grew up there! I can’t wait to read more of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review.

I truly believe this is Rainbow Rowell's best romance since "Landline." The way she can make unlikeable characters utterly charming is an amazing talent.

The bounce between past and present, which can sometimes be confusing, was so well-done by Rowell. The fact that it took me back to the early aughts made it that much more enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

My first 5-star book of the year! This is no surprise to me, as someone who has read ALL of Rainbow Rowell’s books, but she did it again!
I would say that I read a lot of romance. I always want a happy ending for the characters! But so rarely do I read a book and want a happy ending for the characters because they DESERVE a happy ending. Shiloh and Cary worked, and grew, and lived for their happy ending to come together. I laughed and cried with them. Aa lot of crying, because Shiloh is a character I felt a strong kinship with. Rainbow always knows how to hit where it hurts for me.
I loved this book!!!

Slow Dance is a slow burn romance focused on Shiloh & Cary, childhood friends who fall out of contact and reunite at a mutual friend’s wedding. It’s a more real life story rather than over the top grand gestures that romances are sometimes known for. Both Shiloh & Cary come with baggage & complicated family dynamics. They struggle with each other as well as their families as the book progresses & we get glimpses into the past throughout.
There’s so many layers to the story. I enjoyed uncovering the co-parenting part of the story between Shiloh & her ex because it’s messy and real. You aren’t given all of the information at once. Carey’s family was probably the craziest part of the entire book. It’s… a lot. Mikey’s character reminds me so much of one of my own friends, but I can’t decide between him or Juniper as my favorite character. I recommend it to slow burn lovers. If fast paced is more your speed then you may not love it, but I’d still encourage you to give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored Attachments (5⭐️) and I was so excited to see Rainbow Rowell has a new book coming out. Unfortunately, Slow Dance was very underwhelming. The story moved slowly and often felt more like a summary, which made me feel disconnected from it and most of the characters. I loved Junie and Gus, though; they were the best parts of the story.

But Shiloh and Cary’s romance never felt believable, especially because of Shiloh. Can the miscommunication trope even work if one person spends the entire book not even knowing what they want? I don’t know, but it really didn’t work in this story.

Thankfully, the chapters were short, which made for a quick read. If it had taken me any longer to finish, I may have ended up DNFing.

You might like this story if you enjoy friends to lovers and massive miscommunication.

Slow Dance comes out July 23, 2024. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I was excited to see that Rainbow Rowell had a new adult fiction book coming out, because I loved her book "Attachments." When she started writing YA, I lost interest a bit. The premise for "Slow Dance" was very intriguing - best friends in high school who never dated, but should have. Second chances. There were parts of this book I really enjoyed. The beginning drew me into the story, but ultimately the story was very slow, and I didn't end up liking Shiloh as a main character. Neither of the main characters seemed to have a lot of depth, and I didn't feel like I really "got" why they felt so connected to each other. The highlight of the book for me was Shiloh's daughter. I found myself laughing at her witty quotes. It felt very realistic to the way kids can be really funny without intending to be. Books don't always represent kids very well or in an interesting way. Overall, I didn't end up enjoying this book as much as I thought I would.

Finished reading Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell. I was lucky enough to receive an arc of it in exchange for an honest review. Rowell is one of my favorite authors and I own most of her books in hardback. Her characters and how they talk are something I'll never get tired of reading. They seem real, but not too real. They still have the fictional glow, if you know what I mean. I reread Attachments every couple of years because I love the characters so much. I think Slow Dance could have been like that for me, but one of the main issues between the characters was lack of communication. The two characters had different communication techniques, but assumed they didn't, it was years of miscommunication, and that's one of my least favorite tropes. I really can't stand it and because of that Slow Dance was my least favorite Rowell book and I'm rating it 3.5 stars. Which is honestly not a bad rating it just stands out since every other book of hers I've read I've given five stars. Still very well written, great dialogue, interesting characters, just not always my cup of tea.

Slow Dance couldn’t have a more perfect title. The plot truly felt like a slow dance where the two MCs slowly (in the slowest of slow burns) danced around the idea of them as a couple.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the quirkiness/realness of the main characters, but in the end I think it worked for me. This was a very slow (notice the theme?) read for me, and it didn’t really pick up until about the last 25%. However, I enjoyed the ending and can appreciate all of the details (the chapters went back and forth between flashbacks and the present time) we got about the MC’s backgrounds and their relationship with one another. I gave it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

If you’re in the mood for a real/raw (not sugar coated), character driven, slow burn love story…I say give this one a shot!

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

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I love Rainbow Rowell. She creates just these perfect novels that are all of the emotions (but usually end happily) and tell stories of two imperfect people being perfect for each other in an imperfect world. Shiloh and Cary are so wonderful and I loved how Rowell used the back and forth in the chapters to give readers insight into their past relationship as a way of understanding their current relationship. The throwbacks jumped around a bit, but I didn't find them jarring or hard to follow, instead they were the perfect level of informative and lovely. At times I thought the two of them were a little hesitant with each other, but as the book went on I appreciated where the characters were coming from to get a sense of where they were going.

I honestly just wanted to hug Shiloh and Cary through most of this book. It was wonderful. I stayed up late to read it. Rowell is a must read for me, forever and always.

I'm just a simple gal with a deep love for Rainbow Rowell books. So when I saw her latest adult title, you better believe I added it to my TBR faster than you can say "fangirl."

I was excited to get my hands on a copy, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I devoured this book in two sittings, which is unusual for me.

Shiloh and Carey's relationship had me swooning and laughing out loud. Sure, there were some moments that made me want to shake them for not communicating properly, but hey, that's real life for you. And it only added to the charm of the story.

I had missed Rowell's writing, and this book was like a warm hug. Do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP. You won't regret it.

Big thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for giving me the chance to read this gem of a book early!

Normally, I struggle if the MC is an odd/quirky character. I’m not sure why since I love when they’re supporting characters so once I realized Shiloh fell into that category, I kept my fingers crossed for a story I would enjoy. Shiloh wasn’t always likeable and she did drive me a bit crazy, but I loved her honesty about herself and what she needed.

Miscommunication is my least favorite trope, but this one worked for me. I enjoyed learning about Shiloh & Cary from the alternating perspective of past and present.

The book felt a little long. I reached one point where I thought surely we’re getting near the end and could I stay up and finish it? Checked my kindle and no, I wasn’t that close to the end. I do like how it ended, but it definitely could’ve been shorter.

3.75 stars

I could not put this book down. I have always loved Rainbow Rowell's characters, they have so much uniqueness and dimension. Slow Dance was did not disappoint. I love the dual timelines and POVs. Shiloh and Cary were everything, but I loved the supporting characters too.
While it was not outright said, there did feel like an underlying neurodivergence in both main characters. I could relate to Shiloh and the way she often felt left out, different or too loud. Honestly, even with her choice of husband and getting married. She never saw herself in the best light, rather just the way those around her thoughts and judgements.
Cary too was a little different, quiet and fighting his own battles. Dedicated and responsible because of his upbringing and fighting for the family he did love.
The friends to lover theme was so well done, so much more than other romance books I have read. It felt real and messy, but perfect. There was the perfect amount of spice and drama. Loved it so much.

Tells the story of Cary and Shiloh follows them through high school when they were best friends to in their 30s trying to figure out life, family and love

3.5

Slow Dance is a slow burn. Shiloh and Cary were best friends in high school, but haven't spoken in 14 years. This book explores their relationship in dual timelines, going back and forth between the past and present. It goes through their friendship in high school and the beginnings of college, and shows what happened and why they haven't spoken in so long. The present starts with them reuniting at a friend's wedding, and goes through the beginning stages of a relationship everyone thought they should have been in years ago.

While the setting and story are great, the characters can be so damn frustrating at times. I get that teenagers can be irrational and incapable of having a real conversation, but you'd think after 14 years people would have done some growing up in that department. But even after all that time, Shiloh and Cary are still incapable of having a conversation. There's lots of them getting upset with each other, but neither of them can use their words as to why they're upset. I get that some adults are also incapable in this area, but my god it gets so annoying, especially because Shiloh just assumes everything is terrible and won't work and half the time is actively trying to sabotage things. Even when Cary is attempting to talk to her, she just doesn't comprehend stuff, which made it hard to like her at times.

Though the miscommunication between Shiloh and Cary is extra frustrating, I did like the second chance at romance they got. There are also a lot of good side characters to be had, and I enjoyed the times they were featured, especially because it gave a nice break from Shiloh and Cary and their epic failures at talking. I think people who enjoy slow burn romances will enjoy this; just be prepared that it can feel beyond slow at times.

Thanks to @williammorrowbooks for an advance copy of Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell, out July 24th! I was so excited to hear she was coming out with another novel and couldn’t wait to pick it up.

It’s been almost a decade since I last read Rainbow Rowell— Landline! Attachments!!! — and it felt like catching up with an old friend. I fell into this story from the first pages and didn’t want it to end.

Brought together for the first time in fourteen years by their best friend’s wedding, Cary and Shiloh are finally forced to confront the feelings they’ve been running from. Cary and Shiloh are the epitome of “It’s always been you,” and their story is told in dual timeline as they revisit the past and determine where they go from here. I STAN AN EPISTOLARY NOVEL and this one delivers (with baked goods!).

I did find it jarring that the novel is very clearly set in the 90s/00s because the references made my millennial brain short circuit, but that’s an issue for another time. In a lot of ways, this book felt like a love letter to Rowell’s home of Omaha, and to the idea that in spite of what they say, you can go home again. Rowell continues to write stories that feel real and messy and romantic all at once, and while I thought that she was exclusively focusing on YA these days, this novel signals that she’s still got adult stories to tell, and I for one couldn’t be more pumped.