I am a long-time adorer of Rainbow Rowell. Her YA novel Fangirl remains as one of my all-time favorites, and is one of the few times I have truly felt like I could just read a book for forever. So I did not hesitate to pick up her most recent book, Slow Dance, a contemporary novel written for adults.
The Situation: Shiloh is a single mother of two, now living with her own mother, and doing her best to co-parent with her ex-husband, Ryan. Once a self-assured teenager who was great at making decisions, Shiloh now feels like every decision she has made has led her wrong. But today she is deciding to attend the wedding of one of her best friends from high school, Mikey, even though that means making small talk with strangers and former high school classmates. But the chance of running into her other best friend from high school, Cary, is something she must take advantage of. Sure, it has been 14 years since they have seen each other, and Shiloh is not sure what will come of this meeting. It could be great, but it could also be a disaster.
The Problem: Attending Mikey's wedding turns out to indeed try Shiloh's patience, as well as threaten to completely drain her social battery. But Cary is there, just as she both hoped and feared, and the two manage to reconnect. But has it been too long? Back in high school, everyone thought they were together, but they never were. And now Shiloh feels like their moment may have passed. When she went off to college, and Cary enlisted in the Navy, they promised each other that nothing would change, that they would each stay in touch. But a combination of miscommunication, lack of communication, and of simply not recognizing what was happening has allowed the two of them to lose track of each other. And now it feels like they are starting all over.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a contemporary fiction novel set mostly in modern-day Omaha, Nebraska, but also moves back and forth through time between Mike's wedding and the months after, and when the three friends were in high school just trying to survive adolescence. It seemed clear to nearly everyone back in high school that Shiloh and Cary were interested in each other, but Cary has always been hard to read, and the most Shiloh can manage is to awkwardly poke him, punch him, kick him, pinch him, basically touch him just enough to be annoying. The novel gives the long and full history of Shiloh and Cary's relationship, and how two kids who were clearly in love in their teens, are now attempting to reconnect in their 30s.
My Verdict: Shiloh and Cary's story is interesting enough, and the 'will they won't they' of it all is enough to keep the story engaging while it moves along, reaching back in time while also moving forward at a steady pace. However, the much more interesting story of Cary's family steals the show for me. It is as if the opening band at a concert put on a better show than they headlining act (which does indeed happen), and left the crowd wanting more. More details regarding Cary's family history are given, but I found myself wishing that the book was only about that. Cary's family is given so much background that I would have loved a 500-page saga about them, John Steinbeck East of Eden style. The story of Shiloh and Cary is endearing; the story of Cary's family seems utterly captivating.
Favorite Moment: Shiloh's mother may not have always been the best parental figure, but there is a moment when she breaks into a disturbance between Cary and his family and proves she is no one to mess with.
Favorite Character: Junie (short for Juniper) is Shiloh's oldest child, and while she may be five years old when the novel starts, I enjoyed her overly dramatic reactions to everything, as well as her wild-eyed observations and declarative statements.
Recommended Reading: I will always recommend Fangirl for those interested in YA, as well as Attachments for the adults.
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