A realistic slow-burn romance, with complex characters that deals lightly and respectfully with some pretty serious topics. Occasionally frustrating in the miscommunications, but I was always on board for these characters, and really loved this book, and the friendships within.

This was the first Adult Novel of Rainbows that I have read, despite having read her entire YA catalogue.

Personally, I love complex characters. Cary and Shiloh were the definition of complex and frustrating (in the best way). Cary and Shiloh, high school best friends, reunite at a wedding, having drifted apart years prior. It becomes apparent to readers pretty quickly that the pair want the same thing, they are both just too nervous/undecided/insecure to communicate about it.
We follow the pair as they navigate their reconnection whilst also gaining an insight to their past and the roads that led to them drifting apart.

Despite having some of my least favourite tropes (miscommunication & dual timeline) I was brought on side and actually found myself enjoying these. I do feel that the pacing towards the end was a bit rushed after such a long build up, but the true appeal of this novel is that it is both romantic whilst maintaining realism and relatability.

Tropes include -

-Second Chance
-Miscommunication
-Dual Timeline
-Friends to Lovers
-Single Mom

Is anything more relatable in your 30's than questioning if you life is where you think it should be? Second chance romance can be hit or miss, but this one was perfect. It gave me all the feels without making me cringe. As usual Rowell has done it again!

Just didn’t set my heart-racing

I thought this sounded like a lovely story and was intrigued to read a story based in the US that was set somewhere other than the typical New York or LA setting.
Sadly I think that might have been a mistake on my part as there were a lot of references that I just didn’t get, to songs, food, the American school/college system, the military cadets that Cary was part of etc.

This is the story of Cary and Shiloh (probably another American reference in that name only means Angelina Jolie’s daughter to me) who were best friends at school - with a third gang member, Mikey at whose wedding they meet at again as 30somethings.

I so badly wanted to feel the passion and angst that went with first love but it just didn’t happen for me. The book was sooooooo long and I think because I was so desperate for Shiloh and Cary to fall in love all over again that it just made it feel even longer.

I thought the book was well written but overall, the exposition was just too long. Too much going back and forth on the timeline, too many near misses, barriers and mistakes and I never did feel that heart-stopping; stomach-flipping fizz of first love that I wanted.

If that’s what you’re looking for, read Paige Toon’s Five Years From Now or Jane Sanderson’s Mix Tape.

Also, I never really rooted for Shiloh. She just wasn’t particularly likeable. I think if I had been Cary I’d have told her to do one with all the tugging at his hair and his heart!

I really wanted to feel some of what other reviewers say they felt, the profound romance, the ‘power ballad’ emotional wallop… Slow Dance… yep, really, really slow.

It was pleasant enough but that isn’t a gut-punch of nostalgia and romance.

3.5 stars rounded up

This is my first Rainbow Rowell novel, so I came to it without any preconceptions. What I found was a slow burn, friends to lovers tale that gave no quirk, no giggles, no shmultz, just a gentle realism which was heartfelt and raw.

Where it fell down I think was by not easing the reader into Shilo’s mental health issues so that they understood her character / responses better. There was nothing mentioned in the book to suggest that Shilo had any mental health issues but a lot of the things she did resonated with me and I have ADHD. So maybe / maybe not.

Overall, an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely read and the characters were great. I loved how they were written, not entirely perfect, making them so much more relatable.
I loved the concept of it being from childhood friends to still holding the bond years after even though they hadn’t spoken in 14 years.
I loved the journey and getting to know the characters and their idiosyncrasies.
I highly recommend this book.

I loved this book! Sentimental and heart warming, without being mawkish or twee. A definite recommendation for romance lovers.

A fantastic friends to lovers second chance romance - Cary and Shiloh felt authentic with their vulnerabilities and their emotions.

More please! Specifically more gorgeous, romantic reads like this from Rainbow Rowell! The perfect will-they-won’t-they, believable but dreamy, touching but not sickly sweet. Flawless from page one. Loved it.

This is a cute second chance romance book by Rainbow Rowell. I have heard of the author before and read one of her previous works which seemed to be more for new adults and young adult reads, and just a little to juvenile for my tastes but when I saw she had written a book for adult Is decided to give it a go.

I enjoyed the booked and her writing style. Shiloh grew up being best friends with Cary and Mikey. Her and Cary always had a think for each other and hooked up briefly but life happened and they both went their separate ways, her to get married and start a family and Cary into the Navy. The pair are reunited 15 years later when Mikey gets re-married and invites them both. It is quite clear to see instantly that the spark between the pair is still there and they are just two people destined to be together.

The characters are really likeable and I found myself routing for Shiloh from the beginning, she deserved so much more that she ended up with. However she did irritate a bit towards the end of the book with her almost immature behaviour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I've enjoyed Rowell's fantasy and YA novels, so was curious to see how she approached an adult romance novel. But I wasn't disappointed. This falls very much into the realistic romance category, so no Bridgerton-esque steamy scenes round each corner, but the story of Shiloh and Cary develops so naturally that you are carried along in the narrative. There were a couple of points where I just wanted to yell at them to get on with it, but that's perhaps down to the realism rather than Rowell's writing! I found it very touching and will be intrigued to see if she writes more in this vein.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and am grateful for the opportunity to read it. Shiloh and Cary best friends through high school meet again at the wedding of the third member of their school trio. The narrative flows from then to now and back again looking at tthe missed opportunities for romance between the pair. Their lives are complicated Shiloh is post Divorce and Cary has an elderly parent who is ill. It is a pleasant read but I found that it didn't really draw me in. i wasn't in love with any of the characters and the outcome was inevitably predictable.

One of my favourite books I've read this year - I adored the story, all the characters and the structure, which jumps around in time and serves the story beautifully. Funny, wise, tender, moving and grown-up - this is a book with a lot to say about love and friendship and I couldn't recommend it more highly. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I requested this for the nostalgia hit. Eleanor and Park was a favourite of mine years ago and a book I’ve urged my teenagers to read , more recently.

Slow Dance was a lovely read. Two best friends during their school days reconnect now in their thirties, life hasn’t panned out as they thought it would. Their connection is still there and this a slow believable will they/ won’t they.

I liked these characters, they were believable and written with care and this was a gorgeous comforting read.

It was possibly a smidgen on the long side for me, for this type of book but a very enjoyable read . Long time fans of Rainbow Rowell will rejoice in this book and readers new to her writing will also rejoice when they discover her back catalogue.

Lovely lovely 4 stars

I’ve read lots of Rainbow Rowell’s books over the years, having been first introduced to ‘Fan girl’ by my sister and I’m always eager to read her latest.
It’s the first book in a while which I found myself reading late into the night- Rowell’s writing just draws you right into the lives of the characters, their relationships and the problems they face. I loved the format of ‘before’ (up till they parted) and ‘after’ (when they were reunited) as it slowly teases out the full story and I just wanted to know how it would end!
Living in the UK I find American based fiction fascinating - things which are part of daily life over there are foreign concepts or unusual for us here which for me makes the book all the more enjoyable and escapist and I love reading about it! An addictive summer romance to add to your list!

The "slow burn" romance depicted in this book shows an example of how resilience in the face of life choices can be articulated amidst romance that is not driven by the prototypical approach to romance novels seen on booktok or other platforms.
Ultimately this novel is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel that explores the complexities of love, loss, and the passage of time. With her signature blend of lyrical prose and relatable characters, Rowell delves into the lives of two people brought together by chance and circumstance. The narrative unfolds with a delicate touch, capturing the subtle yet profound moments that define a relationship. Rowell's ability to evoke deep emotions through her storytelling makes "Slow Dance" a compelling read that lingers long after the final page, offering readers both a heartfelt journey and a reminder of the beauty found in life's progression.

I liked it, the story flowed well and I wanted to know how it ended. But I didn't love it, I didn't connect with any of the characters, there didn't seem much depth to them even though there was potential. I wanted to understand Shiloh so much but there wasn't a chance too. Not much background to her. I will continue to read Rainbows books as it's enjoyable.

No-one writes a love story like Rainbow Rowell. This is definitely a will-they won’t they romance even though everyone they knew thought they should have been together since they were teenagers. Growing up, Shiloh, Carey and Mikey were inseparable but after school life sent them in different directions and they weren’t reunited until Mikey’s wedding. That evening reignited a spark for Shiloh and Carey but having secretly loved each other for so long, could they ever work it out?

Beautifully and realistically written.

Slow Dance is a lovely rekindled romance which covers the length of Shiloh and Cary's teenage years through to their meeting again in their 30s after a long time apart. It's hard to see - and is pointed out by many others throughout - why they were never together when they were younger, but the miscommunications and will-they, won't-they elements are all part of the second chance at romance fun. Rainbow Rowell's ability to create powerful leads is unmatched - Shiloh and Cary are beautifully written characters & I thoroughly loved this one.

Lovely story that had me hooked, nice different timelines that kept you guessing what was going to happen next. Thank you for the ARC.