I really enjoy Rainbow Rowell's novels and this one did not disappoint. The connection between Shiloh and Cary is the bread and butter of any good romance. There were many laugh out loud moments as well as times when I wanted to throttle the main characters and tell them to get their act together. The novel was told in a non linear fashion which helped the reader stay present with what the characters were experiencing but also gave great back story and insight into their motivations. I also loved the setting of this book. I don't often read books set in Nebraska and any time I read about characters who went to high school in the 1990s it always makes me nostalgic. The romance in this book was more of a slow burn but it was well worth it. I definitely recommend this novel and look forward to reading more covers by this author.

Thank you to William Morrow Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

I recently introduced my teenage daughter to the literary excellence of Rainbow Rowell. Many of her recent stories have been aimed at YA and so I was so grateful to receive an early copy of SLOW DANCE aimed at a little older audience (while accessible still by the YA crowd). I felt a lot while reading this book. I appreciated the relationship between Shiloh, Cary, and Mikey that started as teens and carried through to their thirties in the book. The only challenge I had was knowing when the “before” time was since sometimes it was high school and sometimes college. Besides that learning curve, the book was wonderful. Shiloh is one of the most complicated characters I’ve read – both from a sensory perspective and an emotional one. This book didn’t read fast but it was worth committing the time.

I received an advanced review copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'm a Rainbow Rowell-stan. A few years ago (when I was very much an adult) I stood in line with many (actually young) young adults when she came to Pittsburgh to do a Pittsburgh Arts and Lecture series talk on Eleanor and Park. (They gave us Capri Suns while we waited to have her sign our books, so I 10/10 recommend giving into your young at heart literary tendencies.) I've loved both her YA and adult romances - and I was so excited to see a new adult romance release dropping this year.

Shiloh's friend, Mikey, is getting married, and unlike his last marriage - it's right at home in Omaha, so she has no excuse to skip it. Her ex-husband is running late to pick up her kids which gives her more than enough time to question if she can wear a jean jacket and even more time to worry about running into Cary. Shiloh and Cary's history is vast and complicated. Inseparable in high school they've now spent more years a part than they have together, but a simple slow dance proves that something - a spark - is still there. Their lives are more complex than ever - is it possible for them to find a way back to each other?

Rainbow Rowell's characters are always real. They're not the shiny, happy people in many romances; they aren't the knockout popular people, they have real problems and complicated lives. They pull at your heart strings, because they're the people you know -- the people you love. Shiloh and Cary are no different. While I struggled with their miscommunication, I understood their insecurities. I rooted for their friends to lovers, second chance, happy ending. That being said, Slow Dance is a slow burn. While Rowell delicately bounces us between before and now - I yearned for more time in the happy. (Which is a credit to Rowell because I loved Shiloh and Cary so much that I just wanted the best for them, especially after all they went through.) Even so, Rowell remains an auto-buy author for me. Her books are as comforting to my soul as Shiloh's split pea soup and as delightful as her cherry dip cone.

#rainbowrowell #friendstolovers #secondchanceromance #SlowDance #slowburn #omaha

This was a cute, but serious romance story about how people you might’ve known years ago have changed, yet stayed the same. The main character was very relatable, funny and anxious, and just real.
Slow dance checked all the boxes for a good story and that does not surprise me as I’ve read. Most of this authors works and really enjoyed them.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange, for my honest opinion

Overall, I struggled to really like or relate to either of the main characters. Cary's bossy, pushy, and seems to hate the children of the single mom he's pursuing. Shiloh's judgey, grumpy, and for some inexplicable reason thinks it's cute to constantly poke and pinch people. Both are horrible at communicating and like to get mad at others for not reading their minds.

Nonetheless, this was a deeply fun and enjoyable read. Rowell's signature writing style had enough charm to pull the story along even when all I wanted was for both Cary and Shiloh to grow up and move on. I'd give it a 3.5 star rating, rounded up due to how entertaining it was.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shiloh and Cary, best friends since their teen years in Omaha, embark on a heart-wrenching exploration of their relationship as they navigate the challenges of adulthood. From their inseparable teenage years to their far-flung adulthoods, Rowell masterfully captures the essence of their bond—the laughter, the tears, and the unspoken longing that simmers beneath the surface.

Rowell's prose is as lyrical as it is honest, infusing each page with raw emotion and vivid imagery. As Shiloh grapples with the realities of her life—a failed marriage, single motherhood, and the ache of unfulfilled dreams—readers are drawn into her world with an intensity that is both captivating and deeply moving.

At its core, "Slow Dance" is a celebration of resilience, hope, and the enduring power of human connection. Rowell's nuanced exploration of friendship and romance is a testament to her storytelling prowess, leaving a lasting impression on readers of all ages.

In a world where love is often portrayed as effortless and perfect, "Slow Dance" offers a refreshing and heartfelt reminder that love is messy, complicated, and ultimately worth fighting for. This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever loved, lost, and found themselves along the way.

"Slow Dance" by Rainbow Rowell is a poignant and heartwarming novella that captures the essence of young love and the bittersweet nostalgia of high school reunions. Rowell creates characters that are both relatable and endearing

I’ve always been a fan of Rainbow Rowell and “Slow Dance” did not disappoint. It’s a poignant story about 2 high school friends who had a special connection, lost touch during college, and reconnected in their 30s. Shiloh and Cary’s friendship is warm and loving but also awkward, as many teenagers are. We first meet them as adults who haven’t seen each other in 14 years. There are “before” chapters that give us their backstory and which really anchor the present chapters. I love their journey.

4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for my arc.

I've read a lot of Rainbow Rowell's book, even some of the She-Hulk series, and have enjoyed everything. But I've always loved her YA stuff more. When I saw this book was coming out, I was definitely interested and excited to see something new from a favorite author, but figured it'd just be good and not Fangirl good. And halfway through I almost stopped reading, only because when someone breaks your heart twice, you should walk away. I'm not a crier, mostly not with books, I'm not a big fan of romance or love stories. I read this book in three sittings, tears running down my cheeks the majority of the time. I couldn't take it to work to read on my breaks because I couldn't go back with puffy eyes! It was so heartbreakingly wonderful!

I felt so connected to this story, specifically to Shiloh with all her flaws and overthinking and all the little neurodivergent things she was. I would've acted exactly as she had at so many points of the story. Not only is Shiloh a story, deep character but all the others are as well. There isn't just a friendship or romantic story, but there's a lot of family stuff happening too. I think many different people could relate to the way these characters grew up with single parents or outside the box situations in general.

I can't say enough about how enjoyable it was to read this book, even while crying and feeling the heartbreak. But I will say, dear Rainbow Rowell, why do you do this to my poor heart...I'll be back for the next book...

I loved this emotionally raw, comic and ultimately sweet love story. The writing is so well done that it feels precious. I didn't want to skim for fear of missing a word. Shiloh and Cary are best friends from high school who have harbored secret desires for more. They both hope they can be together as a couple but the timing never seems right. The reader comes to know and love the characters through a series of flashbacks to their teen years, as well as through alternating points of view, as they "slow dance" through life. It's a will they or won't they story that I was completely invested in. The author absolutely nails their teenage through adult angst. Her characters are messy, complicated and real. I'm giving this a very enthusiastic ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Available 07/23/24
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story was "meh" for me. I wanted so badly to connect with any of the characters and I just didn't. I wasn't really rooting for anyone to get together which sorta missed the point with a romance. I also did not enjoy the back and forth between time periods. Whenever the book went back to high school I found myself skimming the sections because I just did not enjoy the interactions that were happening.

It was a solid 2.5 stars for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book flips back and forth in time for Cary and Shiloh, two high school best friends who were never more than friends...or were they? Shiloh is now a divorcee with 2 kids who never really left Omaha. Cary comes back on leave from the Navy to celebrate their friend Mikey's wedding and return to Omaha with his second wife. Cary and Shiloh fall back into touch with the wedding. Or is is more than friendship?

I never particularly like books flashing back to high school and college but Rowell is a master at writing for those age groups so it works here. The will they/won't they in this adult love story with impossible logistics and a lot of confusing feelings is irresistible and Rowell's writing really makes it work.

I think I've adored every single Rainbow Rowell book I've read but this one was just ok. The main characters are stubbornly not sharing their true feelings which is frustrating when they are children which is understandable but as adults... it just was so frustrating to read about. By the end, the main female character (I already forgot her name) is being so stubbornly obtuse I didn't even want them to end up together.

I love Rainbow Rowell's ability to write real, raw, complicated characters and how they interact in relationships. This book had me smiling ear-to-ear several times! I'm not usually a fan of second-chance romance, but this was so tender and raw. The intimacy jumped in explicitness in the last 25% of the book, which was unexpected and a bit jarring.

I absolutely loved this book. From the beginning you learn that “Slow Dance” is not only the name of the book, but a metaphor for the MCs relationship. They slow dance at weddings. They slow dance around each other and their feelings. Their romance is a slow dance, or slow burn. The short chapters themselves feel like a slow dance going back and forth between the now and before. It's really cleverly done.

Tropes-wise this is friends-to-lovers, long distance romance, hometown romance and fated mates. Cary is in the Navy and comes home to go to his friend Mikey’s wedding. Shiloh is divorced with 2 kids and drags herself out of the house to go to Mikey’s wedding. Cary, Shiloh & Mikey were a trio of besties in high school, did everything together and then lost touch. A slow dance occurs. Sparks get reignited. And Cary & Shiloh realize they are never in the right place at the right time, and are like ships passing in the night. Like any good romance novel they have a bunch of life hurdles to overcome which feel very true and real. It’s also VERY romantic. All the heart eye emojis.

Rainbow’s writing and structure are very creative and I loved how each chapter was a memory vignette that by the end gave you a full understanding of these characters. I think this book is special and if you’re a fan of her other adult novels, or even the Simon Snow series, you’ll love this one.

Thanks so much to NetGalley & William Morrow for the ARC !!!

This book moved very slowly for me, and I wasn’t able to quite attached to either of the main characters emotionally. I did enjoy the premise, and was rooting for the main characters to get together, but I won’t spoil the ending!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read some of Rowell’s young adult books, and enjoyed them. I saw this on Netgalley and requested it, and can honestly say it’s been a while since I enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed this one. Not quite young adult, but not quite a romance either. You will read it wondering if there will be a happy ending. Shiloh and Cary are such real characters that it’s not ever a sure thing that everything will work out in the end.

But you will root for them. Hard.

They’ve loved each other since they were teenagers, but they are each difficult enough people that they never quite managed to work out how to be together. This book didn’t make me cry, but more than once my heart hurt for these two, for their struggles with their own feelings and their difficulties in navigating their relationship with each other.

This was a book that I didn’t want to finish because I didn’t want it to be over.

Not my favorite Rainbow Rowell book, but a solid read. Three stars!

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sometimes a book comes into your life at exactly the right time. I needed an escape, but something with a bit more reality than the normal romance. This book held my attention from the first pages, and I appreciated the twisty timeline and dual POV. Told in present day and flashbacks to their childhood and college days, there was plenty of nostalgia in this second chance romance. I appreciated the natural growth from teenage years to adulthood, where the characters developed but still retained human flaws and imperfections. Although this book sucked me in, it is a slow burn and the arc is a bit softer here.

Thank you to Rainbow Rowell, NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for providing access to a digital ARC of “Slow Dance” in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Rainbow Rowell’s YA novels, but this turn at contemporary adult fiction held me from the start and didn’t let go. When divorced mom Shiloh and her former best friend Cary are reunited at a wedding, all of the old romantic feelings that they never spoke about as teens come bubbling up. The story unfolds itself in both 2006 (the present) and through flashbacks from their school days in the 80s and 90s. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️