Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell Published by William Morrow on July 2, 2024
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 496
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together . . . everybody but Shiloh and Cary.
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.
Slow Dance is the story of two kids who fell in love before they knew enough about love to recognize it. Two friends who lost everything. Two adults who just feel lost.
It’s the story of Shiloh and Cary, who everyone thought would end up together, trying to find their way back to the start.
It has been a few years since I’ve read a Rainbow Rowell book and man I have missed her. There is something about her characters and stories that just pulls me in. I read all the time and I caught myself sneak reading at work and staying up until 2am to finish this book, which is almost unheard of for me now. Her characters always feel like real people, full of imperfections and quirks that make them all the more interesting for them.
Cary and Shiloh almost happened in high school, sorta happened in college at least for a weekend but then it all fell apart. Cary was in the Navy while Shiloh was finishing school. Now it is over a decade later and they might have another shot at figuring this thing that is between them out. Shiloh is a divorced mom of two, living with her mom. Her life is messy and Cary is still in the Navy, only in town for a wedding, but there is something between them that has lasted through the years. All they need to do if figure out how to be the friends they once were and move into the lovers they should have been.
She’d spent more years missing Cary than knowing him. All those years burnishing his memory with nostalgia.
I pulled so hard for this couple. I was beyond invested in how they were going to work out the hurts of the past and fall in love all over again. The story unfolded letting us see the Shiloh and Cary of the past while we got to also know them in the present. It is all teased out how Cary, Mikey and Shiloh were like the three musketeers in high school. But everyone assumes Cary and Shiloh were or would be together. How they didn’t figure themselves out at nineteen and now at thirty three, maybe just maybe they will find a way.
“We were friends.”
“No.” He motioned between them with his fire stick. “we were friends. You and Cary were caught up in some sexually charged will-they, won’t-they fuckery.”
I adored that Shiloh and Cary are not prefect and absolutely pretty people. They are real with blemishes, freckles and moles. Shiloh is a little on the spectrum (in my opinion) and struggles a bit with intimacy. Cary likes to be in control and in charge. He is a natural at it but when his mom’s health takes a dive he needs to lean on Shiloh to help while he is away for the Navy. I enjoyed the struggles they overcame as they hashed out some of the past and figured out their now and their future. I thought that the parts with the kids were written by someone who definitely has kids and knows what it is like to try to date while also being a mom. The parts with how the kids reacted to a new person in their moms life seemed very true.
I’m not sure what it is about Rainbow Rowell’s writing but it just works for me. I get so drawn into all of the stories I’ve read by her and absolutely adore the characters that feel like real people. After getting to the end I was almost ready to start the journey all over again just to hang out with these characters a little longer. If you have enjoyed Rainbow before, this should fit right into the catalog. If you are new to Rainbow then this will be a good tester if you will enjoy that magic of her writing like I do.
“It’s just embarrassing. I kind of hate to tell you all this. I’d rather you remember me the way I was when we were young.”
“Manic and relentless?”
Shiloh kicked him in the ankle. She wasn’t wearing shoes. “Shiny and full of potential!”
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This sounds really, really good.
This is definitely my ‘cup-a’. I started writing the review and then decided to re-read sections of the book. 😛
I love this best friends in high school to adult lovers concept.
Love the sound of this one! 😀
Sometimes books just resonate with you. This one totally resonated with me
I’ve enjoyed the other books I’ve read by this author, so I need to read this one too. Great review!
If you have enjoyed her other works I think this one will work for you too 🙂