A classic will they/won’t they romance, but with a twist. Cary and Shiloh didn’t see each other for 14 years after an intense friendship which ended when they went their separate ways after school. They meet again at the wedding of another close friend, Mikey, and the ups and downs of their relationship begins all over again. The story is told over two timelines which helps to really understand the characters and gives an insight into their personalities. These are two really complex and interesting characters, a bit frustrating at times, but extremely likeable and I found myself analysing their traits and peculiarities. A great read!

Thank you to Rainbow Rowell, the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this ebook in exchange for a review.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell is one of top ten all time favourite books. And that is a tough list to get into! I don’t really do ‘favourite’ books because who knows what could be great around the corner? So I’ve been longing for her to do another adult book for ages!

And what a treat this book turned out to be! A lovely, realistic, heartwarming romance between Shiloh and Cary, who’ve known each other since they were kids and despite it always being clear that they’re meant for each other, they’ve never quite managed it.

There’s so much I enjoyed about this book that I can’t decide where to start! The characters are fully rounded, realistic people who leap off the page. Shiloh, a woman afflicted by shyness, anxiety and awkwardness is so nuanced she feels real, whilst Cary who can’t express his feelings and doesn’t understand how people can misread him is as careful a construct. I have such a vivid picture of them both in my head.

We hear the story from both sides which really works - it starts with Shiloh and I was like, I want to know Cary’s thoughts! And of course, RR doesn’t let us down. It’s wonderful to see the relationship from his point of view. A man who is so in love with this woman but really has no idea how to communicate it to her.

The plot is structured so cleverly as well with both chapters set in the current time (2006) and the past (1991 mostly) that you really feel their relationship and how it develops and why they react the way they do.

Their love and the way it grows and changes was just so lovely and wonderful. A truly great love story, such a bittersweet nostalgia because who do you love more intensely than your teenage crush? And to finally have them is so amazing.

I just felt she really got to the heart of all these very intense and beautiful emotions and allowed us as readers to wallow in them. What a special talent.

The twist towards the end caught me by surprise but also in total delight! I literally would have hugged the book if I’d had a physical copy!

Another thing the author does so well is the setting. This is set in 2006 and she layers it with subtle hints that anyone who’s lived through that time would know. The dress over jeans trend that I adopted too, the different (unsmart) phones and just a nod to a world that felt less crazy than ours does now.

I just want to snuggle up in this book, want to wonder about my first love and enjoy the memories and dreams of adolescence. I will be recommending it to everyone I meet and oh, Ms Rowell, I’m hanging out for another of your adult romances…

A good story with a classic will they, won't they/ Following the journey of Cary and Shiloh from high school friends to adults with lives and baggage, this was a great book.

Describing this as a slow burn romance would imply that there was actually a burn. This was so frustrating to read, the characters were annoying (apart from Mickey, who was lovely) and the amount of miscommunication was ridiculous. I can’t see how the HEA would last longer than the last page, these two would definitely mess it up again.
I’ve loved previous books from this author but I really struggled with this.

A heartwarming story of finding lost friendship and love, and re-meeting people after time apart.
The characters were all so loveable and it was so satisfying seeing them all come back together.
A warm and cosy read.

An enjoyable slow paced, slow burn romance from a truly iconic author. Some definite plus points within a mixed bag of a story.

Two timelines, now and teenage years. Both are will they won't they with the same people. Shiloh and Cary and best friends along with Mickey. Through high school and on to the next steps. Cary joins the navy whilst college beckons for Shiloh.
Confidence, hidden feelings and life plans come between them until they reunite back in their home town for Mickey's wedding.
This time will they actually be a couple?
You will relate to the doubts, life issues and family conflicts.
Enjoy I did

Sorry I couldn't finish this book. Both the main characters really annoyed me and I found the story far too slow. Lots of readers seem to love it but it just wasn't for me.

"I'm an intentional wallflower. I chose this adventure".
I absolutely adored Shiloh, her story and her deep connection with Cary. Rainbow Rowell knows how to write loveable, flawed but deeply human characters. The use of flashbacks is such a clever way of filling the gaps and I don't think I have rooted more for two characters. Absolutely beautiful. I tried to make it last but I gobbled it up.

Unlikeable people, unrealistic situations and conversations. A lot of the scene setting is an insight into middle America. Overall the story dragged, with nothing that wasn’t expected. Got to the end but where was the reward?

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.

Sorry but this book wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the characters and the story was just too slow.

It's hard to say why I loved this book so much. I think it must be down to the warmth and depth of the two main characters (both very relatable despite their quirks) and the strength of their bond over all those years, coupled with great writing and a real feel-good factor. The minor characters were fabulous too, particularly Juniper and Cary's mom, and I started recommending this book to people as soon as I finished it, despite being at a bit of a loss to explain why it was so good!

This book blew me away (as, to be honest, do all Rainbow Rowell books!). I grew up reading her YA stuff and now, as an adult, I can love her adult romances. I am not normally a romance reader but this one has made me rethink that stance.

I loved the build-up of the characters, how their histories are slowly drip-fed to you, not so much that you feel you don't know who they are but so that you're always ravenous for more. Especially in terms of the two main characters, how their personal history is continually developed through the time-jumps, giving you insight that links up to their present-day (2006!) behaviour. I loved how their relationships with one another, with Mikey, with their families were each different and normal. This book was filled with normal people and that was part of what made it so great - it felt realistic. It didn't feel fantasist and untrue. It felt like it could, it would happen to someone down the street from you. They were normal and flawed and recognised that in one another and still it all worked out. This is exactly what I want from a romance book.

The writing flowed, was humorous and honest, and that helped immerse me in the story. There were a few references I didn't get, but given I wasn't sentient during either of the time periods the book was set, that's to be expected. To be honest, I'm not totally sure why the 'now' section had to be set in 2006 other than so they could send mail + slow emails rather than rely on the instant connections of wifi while falling in love?

I struggled with the kindle formatting, especially the section where they are emailing one another - it all appeared out of order. Hopefully this will be fixed in time for the actual kindle edition publication.

All in all, this book had me laughing and crying and gleeful to read more - I finished it in about 28 hours!

This is a really sweet, slice of life contemporary romance, I appreciated that the characters were in their thirties, that people had kids and failed marriages and normal jobs and that all the relationships seemed believable. It’s a fun read for a couple of hours. Would recommend.

I love when an author can write well rounded characters with flaws and imperfections and still make them undeniably loveable which Rowell absolutely does with this book.

It took me a little while to get with the pacing of the book but once I did I adored everything about it!

Relationships show fragility and change over time. This is,a story about two people learning how to adapt to life. A compelling look at a new couple. It's an interesting and surprising tale.

This book made me heart so happy.

FANGIRL was the story that Teen Me needed and I think SLOW DANCE could be the story that Grown Up Me needed too.

This is an exploration of what a friends-to-lovers romance novel would look like when cast into reality: with all the complicated families and messy feelings included. Everything felt considered and considerate.

Cary and Shiloh are magnificently well-drawn characters - not always making the best decisions, not always expressing themselves in the best ways, not always likeable - and as a result they felt like people I'd known for a very long time. Starting a new chapter felt like catching up with old friends. At times, I forgot I was reading.

SLOW DANCE is one of the most accurately described slow burn romances I've read in a very long time and I am so glad to be reading Rainbow Rowell again. Big big love for this one.

A classic “will they/won’t they” romance. While I enjoyed the flashbacks and changing timelines across Cary & Shiloh’s lives, I never really warmed up to either character. It’s a fast and easy read but not one I’d say I loved. A nice option for the beach where I read it in a day.

I really enjoyed this, it was a sweet read, I liked the past and present changes between chapters, the emotional depth, realistic problems that Cary and Shiloh had to deal with the only thing I’d say, is the two leads lack of communication when they were (both) suddenly upset confused me at times.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, in exchange for an honest review.