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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Rainbow Rowell for the chance to read this book.

I loved this story. I loved the characters. I loved that it was told in alternating time lines. I loved watching the characters grow up together and learn together. Some parts felt slow, some parts felt rushed, but over all I loved the story so much.

I have loved everything else I have read by Rowell but this one just moved so slow, I struggled to care about the characters. I’m sure others will like it more than I did,

Rainbow’s writing is always high bar. Love this slow burn second chance romance. You will not be disappointed if you read this. Fans of her previous work will resonate with these characters and this style of writing. Worth your time and the read and appreciated the dual POV

I was so so excited to have the opportunity to read Rainbow Rowell's first novel in a while! I really enjoyed her other books, so I had high expectations going into this. Thank you for allowing me the chance to read this book.

We follow our MMC, Carey, and FMC, Shiloh, through a second-chance romance. We flit back and forth between past and present day, and primarily focus on Shiloh's internal sense of her own self and how she can (or if she should even try) relate to Carey as an adult.

This book is strongest when they're rehashing their different interpretations of the same event. Another thing Rowell does so well is present tough family situations with a massive element of compassion and realism. Granted, her past characters were experiencing emotional upheaval teens, and BIG EMOTIONS tend to fit well into teenagers. I think the back-and-forth between adults and teens plays to her strengths but allows her to venture into adult themes as well. I'm not entirely sure that the characters seem to be in their 30s, but perhaps that speaks to the immaturity they have to present in order to grow up with each other again.

I'm rating this book 3 stars because it's a close examination of a relationship story, not a plot heavy story where there are external challenges to overcome. They really do "slow dance" around their feelings for each other (slow=YEARS), and even when presented with opportunities for change, they're slow to accept. I enjoyed it, but won't be rereading.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

This feels like a timeless love story. The characters were about the same age as me so I think that resonated with me. The story alternates between the two main characters, Shiloh and Cary. I love being able to have both perspectives, you aren’t guessing around how the other is feeling. Both characters felt very genuine and relatable and you can’t help cheering for them,

I liked the back story and liked that you got the relevant history based on what was happening in the current timeline. It did throw off the pacing for me a little because “before” meant different parts of their timeline. It wasn’t hard to follow and gave critical pieces of information about their pasts.

Can we all agree that everyone should see an ocean?

Thank you to Rainbow Rowell, NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for the advanced reader copy of “Slow Dance”. Ever since I read “Eleanor & Park” years ago I have been a huge Rainbow Rowell fan. I was so excited to get the ARC to her latest novel.

“Slow Dance” is a story of Shiloh and Cary, best friends in their teen years, helping each other through poverty, unknown parentage, and typical teenage issues until Cary joins the Navy and Shiloh goes off to college. Fourteen years later, Shiloh is divorced and living back with her mom and her two kids and feels as stuck and lost as ever. Cary had been in the Navy, seen the world and grown up, too.

At their friend’s wedding they meet up again and their chemistry is there and Shiloh realizes how much she has missed her best friend and that she loves him. Carey had his own set of stressors and between his and hers and a lot of anxiety and misunderstandings, the back and forth timelines showing readers what happened before and what’s happening now, a moving, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story shines through.

I didn’t want this story to end. I loved Shiloh with all her “imperfections”. She is a flawed and injured character who has a hard time being around people. Cary, flawed in his own ways, lends credence and believability to the story.

This book will be available 7/23/24 and I urge you to buy it when it comes out. Rainbow Rowell books are to be treasured.

I squealed when I got this ARC. I am a huge Rowell fan, Eleanor & Park is one of my all time favorites, and I couldn’t wait to read her latest. Overall, it did not disappoint. This is a slow burn second chance romance that goes back in forth in time between the early 2000s and the early 1990s. We see Shiloh and Cary in high school with their all encompassing friendship and then later as they rekindle their relationship and make decisions on what that will look like. Through the “before” sections we learn what led to their falling out of touch and how Shiloh became a single mom.

No one writes real, fully realized, flawed and endearing characters like Rowell. Shiloh and Cary were both so easy to picture and hear their voices. Their story is definitely the main attraction, but Junie and Gloria are great secondary characters and have the funniest lines.

In the end, I struggled with some unanswered questions about Shiloh and some rushed aspects, but I laughed and cried, and settled on five stars. Rowell’s books are the only time I’ve ever thought to myself “Omaha sounds cool”.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Rainbow Rowell since Eleanor & Park, so it was very exciting to read and review!

The author has this way of creating characters that feel real, with real problems and fears and joy. I was cheering for Cary and Shiloh from the first page because I knew, through the writing and as a fan of Rainbow Rowell, they were good people with good intentions; I trusted that I wouldn't be disappointed.

My favorite quote: "If she emptied her head in his lap, all that would fall out was his name."

Slow Dance is a story about second chance romance and finding the right time for a relationship to work. As usual Rainbow Rowell’s writing and funny and full heart with bittersweet moments as we explore the relationship of Shiloh and Cary both past and present. As the title suggests this is a story that takes it’s time to unfold much like the story of these character’s romantic feelings and ebbs and flows in their lives.

Fans of her previous work will see some parallels to her past writing. Some of it worked for me but sometimes it felt like a little too close of a retread. There is some very Atrachments-esque banter that felt very charming and which I really enjoyed. But some moments from the teenage years felt just a little too close to a couple of stories from the recent Scattered Showers short story collection and a character dynamic that personally I’m not a fan of, but that’s just my personal preference. As someone unfamiliar with the Midwest I thought the setting was interesting and enjoyed reading about it and how it shaped these characters. Overall it was enjoyable and sweet with lovely dialogue and character moments but it’s not my favorite thing she’s written. It could definitely be a really nice comfort for someone I feel.

This is a book for someone looking for a sweet and funny romantic read with bittersweet and emotional moments. Someone who’s looking for a second chance romance with lovely banter that takes its time.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have been a fan of Rainbow Rowell for a while - absolutely adoring her YA books, like Fangirl and Eleanor & Park. I was so excited to see her release an adult romance - and was not at all disappointment. I loved this angsty, slow burn romance, which hooked me from the start. I seriously could not put this down!



The story follows Shiloh and Carey - childhood friends from Omaha through growing up, moving on, and finding their way back to each other. Told through a series of flashbacks to their high school and young adult days, they find themselves re-meeting at their mutual friend’s wedding while in their early 30s. Despite Shiloh’s best attempt at leaving Omaha behind, she finds herself back, living with her mom with her two young kids, and divorced. Carey has left Omaha behind - as best as he can - as he continues building his career in the navy. However, sparks fly when they see each other and they work through their past history and current challenges.



The characters were so well written and Rainbow Rowell does a lovely job developing them throughout the course of the novel. Their dreams, flaws, and fears were well lived in. They are so perfectly imperfect, but I was so invested in these characters and their lives. You want to root for them throughout. I absolutely adored Cary and couldn’t help but be concerned for him throughout his deployments. The dialogue was also witty and sharp, which added to the spice. Thoroughly enjoyed the slow burn, second chance contemporary romance - and hope you do, too!



Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell examines the long-term, meandering, relationship between Shiloh and one of her high school besties, Cary. The third member of their trio, Mikey, is a supporting character in a story that revolves around whether or not Shiloh and Cary can ever figure out their relationship, and whether it is romantic or platonic.

I loved Eleanor & Park, and I think I went into this book expecting to fall in love with the main characters like I did in that story. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time around. I found Shiloh impossible to like; I could not find anything about her character that redeemed her more annoying, childish qualities and behaviors. Cary was more likable than Shiloh was, but not by much, especially towards the end. The one character I enjoyed was Junie, Shiloh's six-year-old daughter. In an adult romance novel, a child should not be the best part of the story.

I was so distracted by Shiloh's quirks and insecurities that it was hard to get fully immersed in the story, and this continued to happen as the book moved along to its conclusion. Their backstories were sad, their adult lives were lonely, and the way they were unable to open up to each other time and time again was very frustrating. I still enjoy the author, and will give her future books a try for sure, but Slow Dance just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.