Reviews

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

alltoowellread's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Some of my favorite lines were actually about parenthood. I knew even before I looked it up that Rainbow Rowell is a mother, because her characterization of motherhood was spot on. The actual love story was pretty swoon-worthy too. 😂

I’ve read Rainbow Rowell before but it was a long time ago. So I forgot that her writing style is a LOT of dialogue and not much non-dialogue. It took me a while to get used to.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC.

blushinurcheeks's review against another edition

funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

abookishmagpie's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have a digital ARC of this book. 


*deep breath* I sadly did not have a good time with this book. I had the highest of hopes for it as Rainbow is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to have an adult romance from her again. Sadly though I just didn't get into this one and actually had many times where I considered DNF'ing the book because I was just feeling so frustrated with the character and their actions and choices. 

Shiloh and Cary were a part of a trio of best friends in high school and after a brief romantic moment while they were 19 they haven't spoken to each other in 14 years. At their friend Mikey's wedding they reconnect and try to build back their friendship and maybe more, however they both are still just as stubborn and bad at communication as they were 14 years ago and now, they have to add on all their new baggage and life complications to their list of issues. Writing wise this book is fine, Rainbow continues to be really good at writing complicated, messy adults who are trying to make their way to each other. However, for me, in this one her main characters are just so much harder to like and to cheer for. I found them both exceedingly frustrating and couldn't understand why I was supposed to want them to be together. I know this will work well for some people, they will eat it up and I am so happy for them. I am just really sad to say I didn't like it and that a Rainbow book let me down like this. 

alyngh's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

blurrypetals's review against another edition

5.0

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Man, what a wonderful book to read just before I get married!

I have been very hit or miss with Rowell's work in the past. I remember loving Eleanor & Park but I'm not sure how well I'd love it now, and the rest of her work is 4 stars or less...apart from Landline, my beloved. When I requested Slow Dance on NetGalley, I really hoped this would be a lot like Landline...

...and in spirit, it is! It even has the same non-chronological structure that carefully doles out information to you at exactly the right moments, no sooner, no later, and it gives the book a nice stream of consciousness as you feel the characters reminiscing about the past before you're then reading about the past, in the moment with them.

This is simply a beautiful, honest, relatable treat of a book. Rowell's prose here is frank yet sweet, and by the time I was about a quarter of the way into the book, she had me melting over these childhood friends turned lovers turned estranged ones who got away.

This book is very simple. Its prose is simple, its story is simple and straightforward and it probably goes exactly where you think it might go, but that doesn't make the warm blanket of nostalgia Rainbow wraps around you any less cozy or heartwarming.

Cary and Shiloh are truly a couple you root for, and the obstacles they face never feel melodramatic, contrived, or frustrating like many will-they-won't-they romances do, while simultaneously feeling interesting and gripping, really proving that a couple doesn't need to fight all the time to have interesting drama and misunderstandings.

All in all, I just loved my time with this book and I'm over the moon to be able to give it the title of best Rainbow Rowell book after Landline. I can only Rainbow gives me number three!

cxrriemc's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 *ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TLDR: Another fab book by Rowell that I believe both fans of hers and those new to her work will love! Slow Dance is an imperfect romance between two older adults with heaps of baggage and makes you feel all the feels - the good, bad and ugly!

The way that Rainbow Rowell writes will (at least so far) always get me. I’ve been a fan since reading “Fangirl” many years ago and she has only gotten better at creating complex characters that get you so invested in their lives even when they’re going through the everyday and mundane things in life

Even if you’re not a fan of contemporary romance I think Slow Dance is worth a look at as it’s a genre that I have no love of either and only read Slow Dance as Rowell has yet to let me down with her books.

My only gripe is that Cary gets a bit strange near the end and the dialogue takes a turn that doesn’t seem to align with his character - I’m talking about the “teeth” bit. I was thrown out of the story so quickly and had to check if it was Cary speaking. It would have been weird coming from Shiloh too, but equally could imagine it coming from her.

Overall, Slow Dance is another hit from Rainbow Rowell showing the lives of two people whose friendships have gone off track over the years and how they find their way back to each other many years later - but with some broken bits and lots of baggage. They aren’t perfect characters, living amazing lives and finding a picture book romance but that realness is what makes Slow Dance as great as it is. 

kmagers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

kels_pd's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book depicts a kind of love that everyone wants and so few people get. 

I loved so many aspects of this novel. Getting to see the main characters grow from their childish selves into full flung adults with the problems and hardships to match. Getting to be a part of their reconnection. Getting to see those around them change and grow too. I loved being able to watch the changes and similarities over the years because it just felt so relatable and like I was reading about friends and not characters. It’s kind of impossible to not see aspects of them in yourself. 

That being said I felt like there was something lacking in the book but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I read another review that mentioned pacing issues and I do think that’s probably the best way to describe it. So often you hear about books with mushy middles but I think, if anything, the middle was my favourite part. The end seemed to drag. I’m glad it ended the way it did but it almost felt like there should’ve been more happening in the third act. 

While I would make some tweaks I absolutely would not fault the first 2/3rds of the book. It was wonderful and warm and I just loved sinking into that relationship and the could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. I think anyone looking for a slice of life love story with some lightness and great characters would love this book. 

bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition

4.25

4.25 stars (publishes July 23, 2024)

I enjoy Rainbow Rowell's realistic fiction because I think she gets that hazy space of teenage friendship on the cusp of a relationship so well. This one has a 90s wedding song list in the early part of the novel that will take you back as a younger GenXer or an elderly millennial to those quintessential songs that defined your teen years, and you'll always remember the lyrics.  

Shiloh and Cary (male) were part of a friendship triad with Mikey in high school. Many years later, Mikey is getting remarried, and both Shiloh and Cary come to the wedding. There they reconnect after not seeing each other in many years. 

The author creates vibrant vignettes with Shiloh and Cary in high school, college, and present day. We learn about both Shiloh and Cary's family dynamics. I loved learning about these characters as both high schoolers and adults. While I expected the high school scenes to have a YA feel, they really didn't, which I appreciated.  

This second chance romance definitely has an appeal. I will give three cautions: 1. It is a long book (but reads fast). 2. This will appeal more to character-driven readers.  3. It has a quieter third act than I expected. 

I won't forget the characters of Shiloh and Cary for a long time. 

kristenlcoates's review

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0