Tia Williams knows how to write a love story! We follow Ricki as she blazes a path of her own. Her and Ezra are a love story that will leave you wanting more

I love love loved Seven Days in June, so I was very excited for Williams next book. However I found the love story here a bit hard to follow and fully invest in. Even so, the first half of the book does establish charming characters worth rooting for, while the second half fell a bit flat for me. I will continue to read Williams work in the future though!

Absoublty stunning story. I was in a slight reading slump after reading this. I enjoyed the way magic realism was used in this story. I enjoyed the timeline jumps and how the use of the magic of the leap year influenced the romance.

I love Seven Days in June, so I’ve been looking forward to reading this and wish I had read it sooner! This book was beautiful, poignant and whimsical! I love magical realism when it’s done well! Ricki and Ezra were the perfect couple and the side characters were a highlight- especially Della and Tuesday! Highly recommend! 5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for approving me for this book!

I’m choosing not to review this book at this time but will do so with the finished copy in the future.

" A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is an absolutely beautifully written novel of a love story 100 years in the making.... I fell in love with this novel!

I enjoyed the mixed settings of 2024 and the 1920s in Harlem, and the history of that area. The novel follows Ricki Wilde, the youngest daughter of a very successful Atlanta family, who is desperate to make her own life. She moves to NYC to start a new life and opens a flower shop. During a walk, she meets a mysterious, handsome stranger in the community garden. The rest is history.

This is my first novel I have read by Tia Williams, and will definitely not be the last!!

Thank you NetGalley, Tia Williams, and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
5 stars!!

This book is an easy 5 stars! It’s magical love story brings together an immortal gentleman from Harlem's glamorous heyday with a modern day black girl with an artistic passion from a family of wealth in all the right social circles. She leaves Atlanta for New York to feed her soul through her love for flowers. She meets an octogenarian who allows her to move into the bottom of her brownstone. She also meets her handsome mysterious stranger.
The writing is full of glamour, pain, humor, and MAGIC. Black magic. Black Love and Black Music. Black Icons. Black Art. Black History. Black Ass Harlem. The writing lyrical and the story captivating.
You know what you know about spells and magic and invincible and immortal but this book has you feeling you want this to happen to you. To find that man who has been searching for you for a century. Very well done!

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. i like that the author had this set in harlem, and you get to see a glimpse of everyday life in that area and the day to day of the people living there including the characters we follow. using magical realism was a perfect device to have everything connected. really liked these characters overall.

This was such a beautiful love story. Ricki and Ezra had undeniable chemistry from the start and I was drawn to them the same way they were drawn to each other. They have the “I’ve waited for you my whole life” type of love and Williams writes their story so beautifully. I never once questioned their love for each other. I just wish we’d gotten more of them falling in love with each other!!

I love how this was a love letter to Harlem in addition to being a love story. I really enjoyed the historical fiction element to this one and learned a lot about the Harlem Renaissance time period!

This is so different from the romances I usually read, but I think I found a new favorite sub genre in romance with magical realism?!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
Genre: Contemporary Romance l Black Romance I Magical Realism
Length: 12 hours I 352 pages
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Narrator: Mela Lee and Preston Butler
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I read Seven Days in June by Tia Williams in 2023 it set the bar what I expect for a romance novel, SDiJ is stil my favorite romance of all time. When I saw that Tia had another book coming out I dashed over to NetGalley to request it. And then it sat in my NetGalley queue for far too long. Here I am reviewing it, over a year after it's release (whoops).

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a contemporary romance with elements of magic realism and historical fiction, following Ricki Wilde, a free-spirited florist, and Ezra Walker, a mysterious musician, as they navigate a soulmate connection against the backdrop of Harlem's history and magic. Ricki has always been the blacksheep of her very wealthy family in that she wants to make a way for herself rather than falling in line and following the family business. Ricki's parents and sisters are doubtful at best, Ricki sets out to prove them all wrong. One day Ricki is walking through a garden when a strikingly handsome man, Ezra catches her eye and runs away. Ezra and Ricki's love story was so exactly what I needed.

I listened to A Love for Song for Ricki Wilde on audiobook through Libby and I really enjoyed the dual narrators for the the POVs of Ricki and Ezra. Their voices transported me directly in Tia's story and it was so gripping. Their voices were the perfect fit for the characters which made the story fly by. I loved the easter egg of Eva Mercy's book (character from Seven Days in June) being name dropped in this story. I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to read Audre & Bash are Just Friends from Tia too!

This book was beautiful! Tia Williams writes such beautiful, emotional love stories with characters who feel three-dimensional and A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was no different. This is a perfect book for when you want to lose yourself in a romance for a weekend!

Tia Williams delivers a mesmerizing love story in A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, blending romance, history, and a touch of magic. The novel follows Ricki, a dreamer who opens a flower shop in Harlem, where she meets Ezra, a mysterious jazz musician who feels like fate. Their love story unfolds with passion and poetic beauty, set against the rich backdrop of Harlem’s cultural history.

With lush prose and deep emotional resonance, Williams crafts a romance that feels both timeless and fresh. A must-read for fans of love stories with a hint of the mystical.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams is pure magic. From the very first page, I was completely swept away by the lush, dreamy writing and the incredible atmosphere of Harlem. This book is more than just a love story—it’s a soulful, enchanting journey through time, music, and self-discovery.
Ricki is the kind of protagonist I adore—bold, creative, and determined to carve out her own path despite the expectations placed on her. And then there’s Ezra… oh, Ezra. The way Williams crafts his character is mesmerizing. He’s mysterious, romantic, and utterly swoon-worthy. Their chemistry crackles on the page, making their love story feel almost otherworldly.
One of the things I loved most about this book is how beautifully it weaves the past and present together. Harlem feels alive in these pages, from the jazz-soaked nights of the Renaissance era to the vibrant, ever-evolving present. The historical elements add so much richness to the story, making it feel timeless yet urgent.
This book gave me all the feels—heart-fluttering romance, deep emotional moments, and that perfect sense of longing that only the best love stories deliver. If you love romance with depth, stunning writing, and characters who stay with you long after you turn the last page, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is an absolute must-read.

Ricki is fierce in her own right, with just enough quirkiness and wild child in her that had me instantly connecting to her. Ms. Della is the woman we all want to be when we grow up. Someone who continues to enjoy life, right up until her last breath. And then there's Ezra. Whew. That man has been through it. Well, really each character has in their own right. And together, they make one beautiful story.

I loved the elements of historical fiction, romance, and magical realism Tia Williams blended together. I'm sad to say I don't know much about the Harlem Renaissance, but this book has really made me want to dive into that history. It starred as a big character in this book, both in the flashbacks and the present day, and I loved how Ricki incorporated the history of it with her business.

By the end of this book, a lot of pieces start coming together, and my goodness, Tia Williams really does know how to leave pieces throughout a story that come together just right at the end. Some you see coming, and some you don't. But even the ones you see coming will leave you sobbing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was such a beautiful story of love, of fate, and of family. Of following your dreams, believing in yourself and the twists of time. The writing and prose were just beautiful. My first Tia Williams, but certainly not my last.

✨Too Cute Tuesday 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ✨

• 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄•

✨Thank you @grandcentralpub @netgalley for my #gifted eARC!

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Tia Williams
@tiawilliamswrites
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: February 2024
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Romance • Magical Realism • HF
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: Physical & Audio
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: Mela Lee & Preston Butler
➤Swipe for synopsis

•𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬•
This book completely captivated me from the first chapter to the epilogue. It was the perfect February romance read as it takes place during the month of February on a leap year! I’ve come to realize that realistic magical realism in romances make for some of my very favorite stories and Tia Williams did a beautiful job on this one.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is enchanting. The fated lovers aspect was dreamy. A timeless love that spans 1920s Harlem to present day. Ricki our FMC is such a whimsical, ray of sunshine who romanizes the world around her! I was so proud of her for going after her dreams against her familial expectations and sharing her beauty and vision with her corner of the world while paying tribute to the culture and history around her. Ezra’s storyline brought the history of jazz music set during the 1920 Harlem renaissance to life. He was the perfect gentleman and together he and Ricki made for such an inspiring and charming couple.

The supporting characters of Della and Tuesday really rounded out this story. The found family Ricki found in Della and the best friend she made in Tuesday was heartwarming. Everyone should find themselves a no nonsense adopted grandmother and a bestie who will break the law for you! Those two had me laughing while simultaneously wishing I could give them a big hug. I also really enjoyed the historical timelines interwoven throughout. And I can’t forget the dreamy music and love song that Ezra spent his whole life creating just for Ricki. How utterly romantic! This book will go down as one of my favorite romances now. And do yourself a favor and immersive read this one! The audiobook was incredible with the narrators giving an A+ performance!

Thank you so much Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for my #gifted copy!

I really enjoyed this book. It was not an average romance and gave you a lot of things to think about. I would highly recommend this book.

5/5

I was hesitant to pick this book up because I am not into reading romance novels. The author, Tia Williams had me hooked after the chapters alternated from past to present, then back and forth between characters! This book is a wonderful blend of historical fiction, romance, SciFi, and coming of age. Although the ending was predictable you will be amazed at the unfolding. I will be thinking about the characters in this book for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #lovesongforrickiwilde

I absolutely loved this book. I've had the advanced e galley for a while and finally took the time to read and also listen to this book.
Ricki touched me from the beginning, her spunk, her drive, her desire to not just follow what her father has done, though she respected this business success.
Going to Harlem and opening a flower shop was her dream, meeting an elderly Miss Della gave her the push she needed. It wasn't always easy, she was almost broke every month, but then she had a chance encounter with a man, and the month of February brought so much more to her life.
A little bit of magic and a lot of love this book was just wonderful. Highly recommend and I have to now finish her other books, which I also own!

Omg my heart!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭💘💘💘💘💘💘 Tia girl! You really have some magic in that pen of yours! This book was beyond good! I was hooked from the first page and literally couldn’t put it down even if i wanted to.

I think this book is perfect for anyone looking for that timeless love; something that’s worth more than you could ever imagine.

This books was such a treat to experience . It had me smiling all hard and my heart beating so fast lol, which was exactly how I felt when i read Seven Days for the first time 🙃 Tia always seems to find a way to create the most intense earth shattering relationship dynamics that completely break my heart wide open every single time. 😅😭💘 Ricki and Ezra had something that was so electric and all consuming. They were just two lost souls that couldn’t help but be drawn to one another. And as the reader, I couldn’t help by fall for both of them and root for their love w everything I have. 😭

Tia dear, you have solidified yourself in my Mount Rushmore of authors. Anything you write is certified gold in my eyes. Pease keep doin what you’re doin 🙏🏽

-Alex