Slow Dance tells a story we've all heard before, friends to lovers. That's where convention ends however. Rainbow Rowell has written a realistic, unique, nostalgic take on the genre with characters who feel like people you might actually know. The pacing and slightly out of order retelling of Cary and Shiloh's youth kept me intrigued and reading late into the night. Somehow Rainbow Rowell consistently hits it out of the park!

Life is messy. Rainbow Rowell’s super power is being able to take every single ounce of mess and mold it into a story that hits home for the reader on so many different levels.
Cary and Shiloh have been revolving around each other for almost their entire lives. Between high school, college and life beyond, their friendship was the most important aspect of life for both of them. Never once have I felt a title of book was so well paired to a novel before. Sometimes, the slow dance of life is more important than the fast ones.
Rowell incorporates so much of life between Cary and Shiloh that everyone struggle with, but no one talks about. Familial issues, finding yourself (or more accurately, understanding yourself), balancing life work and love, and so on and so forth.. Rowell is a writer that I will ALWAYS pick up and I am never disappointed. I adored this book.

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

I love when two best friends realize they love each other and get together. I think Shiloh and Cary's journey back to each other was wonderful. Some parts of it just weren't my taste, but I did love the writing and I think the characters were well developed. I will recommend it to library patrons!

Rowell always creates such real characters, sometimes frustratingly real, but also describes falling in love or discovering love so well. Her books really hit you "in the feels", and this book is no exception.

I love Rainbow Rowell and I loved this book. Set in Rowell's Omaha, this is the story of Shiloh and Cary, two people so obviously meant to be together who just took the slow path getting there. I did get a little frustrated with the characters at times for constantly sabotaging themselves, but they did so in such a real and believeable way. Slow Dance is definitely not set in a Hallmark romance world - Shiloh is divorced with two kids and a messy house and really struggles to connect to people, and Cary is constantly on the move with the Navy and seems to be the Only Sane Man in his chaotic family who is trying to take care of his elderly mother. Like all Rowell's books, there is something so addictive about the experience of reading this, and it would be perfect for those who love romantic comedies that aren't about early-20s magazine writers in NYC.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Rainbow Rowell’s writing is always a nostalgia-wrapped punch to the throat and I absolutely eat it up every time. I just had so much FUN reading this book. The characters all felt relatable to me, even though are lives are not necessarily all that similar. Her portrayal of decade long friendships, in particular, really rang true to me. How you can go years without seeing someone and then just pick up right where you left off. This book had the vibes of an indie movie with a super great soundtrack that you see sometime in high school and then sticks with you for years afterward

Shiloh has grown up in Omaha and is now divorced living with her three kids as a single parent in her mother's house. It's not how she imagined her life. When one of her high school best friends sends her a wedding invitation she goes hoping to meet their other best friend, the one she can't stop thinking about. Cary and Shiloh were inseparable until he joined the military at graduation and has lived around the world. Both in their thirties now- is it too late to see what might have been?

I loved this slow burn of a romance. Full of humor and every day life, Rainbow Rowell has another winner. I highly recommend this gem.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me - I’m sorry, but it was WAY too slow of a slow burn. I’ve loved some of the author’s previous work, but this just didn’t do it for me. The dialogue was well done and the writing was good, but the plot dragged and I didn’t care about or like Shiloh. I got to a point where I thought the book must be almost over, then I checked and I wasn’t even halfway through, so I just stopped. Nothing really happened, which maybe was the point of the book, but again, just not my cup of tea. Two stars for good writing and dialogue.

So, as is typical when I finish a book by Rainbow Rowell, I needed a few days to process. I am always a bit crestfallen when her books end because they are ssssoooooooo remarkable. I must remark upon them! First and foremost, I am a fan of every character she has ever created...the real, flawed, imperfect, INTERESTING folks that populate this story in particular will have me recommending this one to my friends. Shiloh is so wonderfully weird and I love her. And Cary is not someone I would EVER be attracted to, with his quiet, stoic nature, but I love love love HOW Shiloh loves him and why and how he comes to realize how he feels. It was beyond gratifying, too, to learn to love certain other characters (Angie comes to mind) as Rowell revealed them in all of their quirkiness.

Also, can we talk about how the setting sounds so mundane (Omaha doesn't light my imagination on fire, sorry) but becomes sorta magical when she makes it the HOME of these folks I came to love??? How does she do this? I wish I had 1/100th of her talent...of her gift for description. I wish I knew how she makes me FEEL so much.

Sigh. Such a beautiful, lovely, special read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️📚

This was exactly what I needed. I've been reading too many not-very-fun books of literary fiction lately, and something light but witty with romance and likeable characters was just the thing.

The main character is Shiloh, a divorced woman with kids in her 30s, and when the novel opens, she meets her best friend from high school, Cary, at another friend's wedding reception. The present timeline unfolds from there. You also see scenes from their time in high school and soon after high school. The characters are vivid and the conversations are interesting and alive. I zipped right through this novel, and now I'm sad that I'm done.

I love Rainbow Rowell - I love her character development - I love the way she understands the complicated nature of long term relationships - I just love everything about her!

I loved this book! I literally did not want to put it down and finished it in two sittings. Shiloh and Carey have been best friends from HS and then life happened and they lost touch. But when the third member of their trio gets married and they see each other at his wedding, sparks fly. Shiloh was a lot of work, but Carey was up to the task. It just really made my heart sing. I loved the two of them, I loved what a good man Carey was and how patient and kind and willing to do whatever it took to make Shiloh feel good.

In the quiet corners of his heart, he harbored a love that danced in the shadows, unspoken and unrequited. She was a melody that played in the background of his days, a sweet sorrow that lingered in every stolen glance. His feelings, like petals unfurling in solitude, yearned for reciprocation, but fate dictated otherwise. Each unspoken word carried the weight of a thousand emotions, echoing through the corridors of his soul. In the bittersweet tapestry of unrequited love, he found solace in the beauty of the longing, even as it remained an unsung symphony in the recesses of his heart.

Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel via Netgalley.
Slow Dance tells the humorous and heartbreaking love story of best friends Shiloh and Cary from their inseparable teen years to their far-flung adulthoods as they try to figure out what their relationship is, where it went wrong, and how to finally make it right. It has been years since I read an Rainbow Rowell book, and she is still every bit as good of an author as I remembered. Her characters are quirky, flawed, and somehow very easy to root for. This was a fun read!

I have been waiting for a new book from Rainbow Rowell for years! This book is so sweet and so relatable. I loved Cary and Shiloh and especially Shiloh's kids. The timeline of the book was a nice way to slowly reveal the reasons for Shiloh's hesitations with Cary. Many of Rowell's books are set in Omaha and I love how the characters are often desperate to leave but then ultimately find their way back.

I was only 40 pages in, and already was into all of my feelings and holding back tears. No one can affect my emotions in quite the same way as Rainbow Rowell. Perfection!

I struggled to get through this one. I’ve loved other books by Rainbow Rowell, in particular her YA, but this one was underwhelming.

Liked:
Gus
Mikey

Didn’t like:
Chemistry - The chemistry between the love interests felt superficial, which is weird because they were childhood friends and were pretty vulnerable and affectionate with one another…but it fell flat for me.

Pacing - The first half of the book is so slow and I almost DNF. Actually, the first 10-15% I kept checking what page I was on and how much more I had to go. I rarely DNF books, but this was close. The last 20% or so (basically when Cary proposed and on) felt rushed. I get that the proposal wasn’t out of the blue in the context of their relationship, but also, it kinda was? It felt that way somehow. And they hadn’t had any talks about what their lives would look like, what they value, children, etc. And they had a history of bad communication to boot.

Characters - Cary as a man’s name should be reserved solely for Cary Elwes. It just doesn’t work otherwise and it irked me for some reason. And I just felt meh about both him and Shiloh.

Setting - It was set in the early 2000s, but all the references to that felt forced and superficial. I felt like I was being told, not shown. Also, Mikey says “Bet” at one point, which felt anachronistic…that’s something my high schoolers would say in 2024, not a 30-something guy roughly two decades earlier.

Spicy scenes - I like spice if it’s done well and matters to the story and/or character development. The spicy scenes in this book felt unnecessary to the story, even though they probably were necessary? But they felt like, spicy for the sake of fitting in or something. I don’t feel like they added value to the story and the way they were written was cringey and flat.

I was so excited to see a new book from Rowell, and maybe I set the bar too high in my mind, but this was such a disappointment. Maybe I need to stick to her YA books.

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

3.5

Shiloh, Cary and Mikey are all best friends in Omaha in the 1990s. Shiloh and Cary lose touch and reconnect in their mid-30s. Didn't grip me. Loved Shiloh's daughter.

This was a heartwarming story about second chances, old friends and re-connecting after years have passed. Of course, the friends have a history and have always loved each other. The dialogue is realistic and so are the challenges they face (including divorce for Shiloh, becoming a stepparent for Cary and handling an older parent and their finances). I thought the conflict was handled well and the characters were well rounded. I really enjoyed this story about a second chance at love.