Reviews - Slow Dance | The StoryGraph

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4.58k reviews for:

Slow Dance

Rainbow Rowell

3.86 AVERAGE

amccartney's review against another edition

3.75

emotional hopeful 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: No

A romance novel, basically, about high school best friends who lose touch and then come back together in their 30s. Super sweet, I had a really good time hanging out with them. Is it innovative or creative? Not that much. But would recommend for a feel good read.

nelliecubed's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell is an adult romance book by the author who writes both young adult and adult fiction.

Shiloh, Cary, and Mikey are best friends in Omaha, Nebraska. They were inseparable in high school.

Mikey was an artist. Cary grabbed hold of ROTC as his ticket out of the mess of North Omaha. Shiloh went to Des Moines to college. They were bound by theater, journalism, yearbook, and the rough neighborhood of their childhood.

Shiloh and Cary had a special bond, and when he finished boot camp, he visited Shiloh at college.

They slept together and Shiloh declared her love for Cary. Cary gave her one of his dog tags. But life goes on, people misinterpret, and they went about their lives, separate and without talking.

Fourteen years after they last saw each other, Shiloh and Cary attend Mikey's wedding. At first it seems like they can forgive each other but their anger towards each other resurfaces. Shiloh has been married and divorced and has 2 small children. Cary has traveled the world with the Navy.

Shiloh makes another attempt at an apology and is swept up in the chaos of Cary's family life. He's trying to move his elderly mother to an assisted living facility, but his siblings refuse to vacate the family home.

Shiloh lives with her mother again, working in the only job she's had since leaving college. She's trying not to fight with her ex in front of her children. And she's dedicated to making the children's theater a success on a shoestring budget.

After 14 years, Shiloh and Cary realize life is too short to miss out on love. But how do they make a relationship work when their lives are so different?

If I've been in a reading slump, this book pulled me right out of it. Rowell is remarkable in creating characters and place. She understands how to construct a Midwest story as deftly as Curtis Sittenfeld. This novel is sweet and funny and realistic and messy.

Loved it.

jdcroft'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: Complicated

margomakesit's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

kelsey1970's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

tmcdonald22's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

haileybunde's review against another edition

3.75

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Really loved this one. First 20ish percent is slow but once you get in it is soooo worth it. Complicated real life adult relationship, but also moments that made me smile and giggle and gave me butterflies