Thank you very much to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have since purchased my own copy of this book.
They were just friends. Best friends. Allies. They spent entire summers sitting on Shiloh’s porch steps, dreaming about the future. They were both going to get out of north Omaha—Shiloh would go to college and become an actress, and Cary would join the Navy. They promised each other that their friendship would never change.
Well, Shiloh did go to college, and Cary did join the Navy. And yet, somehow, everything changed.
Now Shiloh’s thirty-three, and it’s been fourteen years since she talked to Cary. She’s been married and divorced. She has two kids. And she’s back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned.
When she’s invited to an old friend’s wedding, all Shiloh can think about is whether Cary will be there—and whether she hopes he will be. Would Cary even want to talk to her? After everything?
The answer is yes. And yes. And yes.
I’ve been reading Rainbow Rowell’s books for years now. Her YA books were a staple in my teenage years and as I’ve gotten older so have her adult novels. So, of course I was excited to see that she was releasing another adult romance this year. I was even more excited when I found out it was a second chance, friends-to-lovers romance. It lived up to all my expectations and turned out to be such a captivating and beautiful story.
Back in high school, everyone though they Cary and Shiloh would end up together. Everyone except Cary and Shiloh. They were just best friends. The pair spent entire summers together, dreaming about the future. Shiloh was going to be an actress and Cary was going to join the navy. And, nothing was ever going to change between them.
Shiloh did go to college and Cary did join the navy. But, somehow everything changed. Now it is fourteen years since Shiloh has spoken to Cary. She’s been married and divorced has two kids and is back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned. When Shiloh gets invited to an old friend’s wedding, all she can think about is whether Cary will be there and what she would do if he is.
From the very first page of this book we are drawn into the world of Shiloh and Cary. I was worried this was going to be a book that took me some time to get into but that wasn’t the case. I read the first chapter and I was hooked. And, it kept me hooked the entire way through.
I loved that this book has flashbacks to Shiloh and Cary throughout their lives. I loved seeing how the pair are now, compared to how they were in the past. It shows readers how they’ve changed, the issues they’ve faced and how they got to how they are now, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Both of the main characters in Slow Dance are full of personality and authenticity. I liked that we saw the story told from both the perspectives of Cary and Shiloh as I feel like it gave us as readers a closer look at each of the characters.
I found Shiloh difficult to get along with at first, especially in the flashback chapters. But, as the story goes on you realise why she is the way she is and by the end of the book I loved her. She is a wonderful mother who cares so much for her children and those around her. I loved Cary from the moment we were introduced to him. He is dealing with so much but still manages to be one of the most caring characters I’ve ever read. I loved seeing his love for Shiloh and also how much he cares for her children.
I have to give a shoutout to Shiloh’s children Junie and Gus. They are both hilarious. Gus is a determined kid and then Junie knows exactly what she wants which I loved. Another special shoutout goes to Grandma Lois. It has been so long since I’ve seen a character with my name and it was a wonderful surprise.
Shiloh and Cary together were wonderful. They were awkward at first but throughout the book we see them both relax more around one another and get back to what they used to be. I loved watching the romance develop and the interactions between them both.
This book covers a lot of hard-hitting topics from loss, moving on, personal development and finding love again. These topics are all discussed excellently and honestly which I appreciated. Rainbow Rowell is still one of my favourite authors. Her writing is captivating, fun and heart-warming. I cannot wait for there to be another book from her hopefully in the near future.
Overall, Slow Dance is a heart-warming novel that explores love, loss and the joy of human connections. If you are looking for a book that will grip you whilst allowing you to slow down and appreciate the little things, then this is one for you. I would highly recommend giving it a read.
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