Read in nearly one sitting, this book hit me in lots of ways. Not sure if it would have had the same impact if I, myself, were not coupled with my high school best friend, whom I did not date in high school. Rowell got a lot of things exactly right about the way those intense high school friendships do and don't transition after graduation. I appreciated the complexity of the two MCs, but I do wish I'd gotten to know Shiloh a little better. We're in her head for most of the book, but somehow I still felt at arm's length from her. Her narration is a bit glossier than a real life headspace. And some of the most intense moments for her - sex, for example - are narrated by Cary or at a remove. I think that's because Shiloh's dialogue and body language is more expressive than her internal narration, but it's a shame. I'd love to understand more of what was happening for her. Another shame is overuse of the word "hummed" - everyone was always humming in agreement, humming to indicate pleasure, humming in reply, etc. After the first few uses it really stood out to me.

I'm interested now in reading another of Rowell's adult books - in my TBR for years - to see what I think!

Rowell has always done a good job of focusing on realistic relationships without overly dramatic circumstances. This book is no exception, it highlights the love story between Shiloh and Cary from their awkward teenage years to reconnecting to their adulthood. It shows the bittersweet realities of growing up and the difficulties of adult relationships.

Rainbow Rowell has such a knack for writing characters that are so authentically flawed that even though you may not like them a whole lot in the beginning, you’re still demanding a happily-ever-after once the frustrations within your soul of paths taken/decisions made settle down. Because as we delve into the narrative and ponder on their lives for a bit, they really are just like the rest of us.

Expanding on her all-to-real character development, Rowell strengthens tropes like “miscommunication” and “second-chance romance” with surface deep analyzations of Shiloh and Cary’s flaws as individuals, friends, and lovers. Meaning, when reading this, thoughts like “this is so dumb, they could have totally avoided this” or “what a giant waste of time this has been, look at all the years that were missed out on” did not cross my mind—but instead I was reflecting on MYSELF and how I could have easily misinterpreted words, actions, feelings because of my own insecurities and vulnerability to love.

Basically, we all need to get off our high horses and confess that we are all kinda crappy people in our own special way but what makes us decent is our willingness to recognize, adapt, and work on those qualities for the ones we love.

I struggled with my rating for this one because I didn’t finish it and was like “omgosh, I am obsessed” but it did make me feel a lot and it made me think a lot. And it will probably stick with me forever…. and I also think it’s important to read, so sounds like a winner to me.

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC! Everyone, be sure to read this one when it comes out July 23rd of this year!

Oh, I'm so glad that Rainbow Rowell is back! It truly feels like ages since she's published something full-length contemporary, and especially adult so I was so anxious to get my hands on this one. It felt at once so different (I think this is Rowell's first single mom, post-divorce book and it really opens up this whole new level of plot for her) from her other work and so recognizable as Rowell (anxious, sarcastic, stressed out woman is in love with a man who is more well-adjusted than she could ever hope to be, lol) This isn't my favorite of her work and I can't see myself returning to it every year the way I do with Fangirl, but I it is 100% worth reading and I'm so glad I did.

I've read a couple of Rainbow Rowell's books before and really enjoyed them, which is why I was interested in Slow Dance. The title is highly accurate, and the slow dance theme is prevalent throughout the book, which nicely ties a lot of the major plot points together.

The characters have such common and relatable upbringings, family situations, and financial circumstances, but for some reason I failed to really connect with their personalities. I guess I felt like Shiloh and Cary were just a little boring. I found the relationship between the them to be confusing and frustrating. It was a lot of "will they-won't they", and "almost did" as the story rambles along. I also thought the ending was very anti-climactic, although everything gets nicely sorted out in the end.

I rated Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell 3/5 stars. I suspect my expectations were a little high coming into this book. The writing was very well done, but perhaps this just wasn't the story for me. Despite the average rating I gave this book, I would still be interested in reading other books by this author, based on her previous writings. I recommend this book for those who enjoy a lot angst with their love stories, and realistic characters who live in and through relatable circumstances.

Thank you to Netgalley, Rainbow Rowell and William Morrow for the opportunity to review and ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Growing up in the less affluent part of Omaha, Shiloh's primary ambition was to escape. In the midst of her struggles, she had Cary by her side—Cary who tolerated her quirks, Cary who brought laughter into her life. At sixteen, Cary was slender as a stick of gum, cruising around in his mom's worn-out station wagon. His circumstances were even tougher than Shiloh's, but their friendship saw them through high school. While Shiloh pursued college, Cary enlisted in the Navy.Fast forward fourteen years, and Shiloh, now thirty-three, feels trapped, as if she never truly escaped her past.Having not read Rainbow Rowell in quite some time, I found "Slow Dance" to be a delightful surprise.Shiloh experiences marriage, divorce, and becomes a mother of two. Meanwhile, Cary serves in the Navy on the West Coast. It isn't until a mutual friend's wedding that their paths cross again, leading them to realize they never want to lose each other. The narrative weaves through various timelines as Cary and Shiloh rediscover each other, confronting past wounds.Their journey is marked by moments of discomfort and vulnerability, but the palpable love between them makes it all worthwhile.The title "Slow Dance" aptly encapsulates their love story—a continuous, gentle dance as they orbit each other, drawing closer and retreating in turns.A big thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing this eARC!

I thought this was a nice take on a different type of couple. It also wove in the relationship between Mikey, Shiloh and Cary which added some interest to the book. I did think that the story didn’t flow quite as well as it could have as *spoiler*


…all of the sudden they were engaged. It seemed like it took a painfully long time to show their past and not enough time in their future. And I think an opportunity was missed to write in more detail about when they got married at the courthouse (which also didn’t really seem to match up with the two weeks after engagement with the amount of time they spent cleaning out the house.)

This review is my opinion only and I was graciously given an ARC by William Morrow Books.

This is my first not a YA novel by Rainbow Rowell. Being someone who is completely obsessed with Fangirl, I had high hopes for this book. To say my expectations were met is an understatement. The time jumps are seamless and really help progress the story. Cary and Shiloh are so real and relatable. This book just captures the reality of life as an adult and navigating a past right place wrong time.

I'd forgotten how much I love Rainbow Rowell's writing until I got this ARC. I can't believe this is her first contemporary adult novel in over ten years??? Her writing style is always so warm and familiar, and you can't help but love her characters even when they're in the wrong. I absolutely adored both Shiloh and Cary, and I was rooting for them the whole time. I loved seeing the flashbacks to when they were younger, and I loved the modern (well, 2006) plot, too---which is surprising for me because I usually don't enjoy books with child characters. I might even consider Shiloh and Cary one of my favorite fictional couples. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves pining and a good slow burn, or anyone who has missed Rowell's novels in general. I will definitely be picking up a copy when the final book is published!

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.