It’s not always straightforward—finding your happy ending.
(But don’t give up.)
Rainbow Rowell’s latest book is almost here. Slow Dance follows the story of Shiloh and Cary, two childhood best friends who grew up and grew apart. Now in their thirties, the pair hasn’t talked for fourteen years. Cary’s in the Navy, and Shiloh’s divorced with two kids. An old friend’s hometown wedding brings the two of them back together as they retrace the steps of the past and find something else along the way.
Jam-packed with nostalgia, thoughtful introspection, pitch-perfect comedy, and the raw, honest truth of life in your 30s — Slow Dance isn’t your typical romantic tale. In a shelf full of new-age romance books that feel like the literary embodiment of a TikTok filter, Slow Dance is the well-loved VHS tape you find buried in the attic when you go home to visit your parents. It’s the warm, sometimes awkward, but overall utterly fond feeling that unravels in your chest. This book revels in the grainy film, the dusty edges, and every perfectly imperfect take that makes Shiloh and Cary’s story feel uniquely honest and real.
Shiloh and Cary are unapologetically flawed (and boy is that refreshing). They’re not kids who grew up and suddenly knew all of the answers — they’re two adults still trying to figure out where they’re going now that they’re wading into the deep end. Rowell cuts out distinct, defined silhouettes for her leads as the story fluidly takes readers between their teenage years and the current day. This concept works well to balance the book’s quick pacing while still providing ample backstory and character development.
Slow Dance is, without a doubt, a quintessential best friends-to-lovers story, one that spans decades of time, misunderstandings, mistakes, relationships, heartbreaks, and second chances. Shiloh and Cary’s tale isn’t easy, and it’s certainly not simple. Even as they find their way back into one another’s lives, Rowell takes care not to let them forget the reality of where they both are in life, the real obstacles that they must face in order to move forward. Finally, it bears mentioning that fans of Rowell’s work will relish the author’s trademark witty way with words throughout — a writing voice that truly thrives in this setting.
Slow Dance hits shelves on July 30.
