Tag: Rainbow Rowell

What’s on my Nightstand

With everything going on in the world lately, I’ve found myself retreating into stories that offer both comfort and deep reflection. I truly believe that fiction allows us to experience the lives of the past and draw parallels to our present. Here is what has been keeping me company:

Healing with Simon Snow

I recently turned to Rainbow Rowell’s Simon Snow series. If you haven’t discovered her work yet, I recommend starting with Fangirl. It’s a delightful story about a protagonist finding herself through writing fan fiction for a series similar to Harry Potter.

The Simon Snow series is that fan fiction brought to life.

  • Book One (Carry On): The “Chosen One” meets his destiny and falls in love. Once the character Baz appears, the book is all heart.
  • Book Two (Wayward Son): This feels like the author’s fantasy come alive—she brings these characters to her home state of Nebraska! I completely relate to this; what is the point of being an author if you cannot write your fantasies on paper?
  • Book Three (Any Way the Wind Blows): This explores the real aftermath of the hero’s journey. How does one move on once the “evil” is destroyed? It was beautifully written and exactly what I needed to heal.

Slow Dance

I love reading Rainbow Rowell’s novels, and I’ve read every single one of them. So, you can imagine how excited I was to pick up her latest book, Slow Dance. That first chapter, introducing us to Shiloh and Cary, was everything I want from a book. Every time I read her stories, I fall in love with Nebraska—even though I’ve never been there. Who in North Omaha played golf?

One line that stood out to me was: “He was so familiar to Shiloh.” When she sees him after so many years, this single line encapsulates their entire relationship. Rainbow is a master at moments like this.

The side characters were also wonderful—Mikey, their mutual friend who brings them back together, both their moms, and Shiloh’s kids all had such depth. 

My only small nitpick is that, in contemporary novels, authors sometimes have to create contrived reasons to keep the leads apart, which can make them act irrationally when it comes to matters of the heart. 

“He always took Mikey home first, and then he’d take Shiloh home.”

Shiloh, my dear girl, that’s a big hint right there. How do you keep missing it?

In the historical romance novels I write, it’s easier to find reasons to keep my lovers apart because society had so many rules back then.

That aside, I absolutely loved the book. I highly recommend it to contemporary romance readers!

I was always heading your way, Cary.