A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was an incredible read. I loved the magical realism aspect and the idea of a soulmate who spans decades was an incredible concept. Ricki was a great MC and her and Ezra’s chemistry flew off the page. I also loved her found family in Tuesday and Mrs. Della.
There were some moments where the plot’s pacing fell off but the actual story was too good for me to honestly care. I loved the twists and turns the story took and it ended so beautifully.

An enjoyable, romantic, emotional read filled with wonderful larger-than-life characters, a hint of spice, and magical realism that will leave you breathless. Ezra and Ricky’s love story is a memorable one for the ages. While insta love is sometimes a bit unbelievable, it worked for the story given the magic of it. While I adored Ricky’s unique, quirky, strong-willed persona as a main character, I also fell in love with some of the other side characters, especially Tuesday and Ms. Della. Tuesday is a bestie that ever girl should have and Ms. Della is your warm, kind, grandmother with a dash of spunk. While there were a couple unexplained pieces to the puzzle I would have liked to fit a little better, I chalked it up to the magic of the story. Definitely a memorable beautiful love story that transcends time.

Thank you to Tia Williams, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

I'm classifying A Love Song for Ricki Wilde as a contemporary romance, which I'll be honest, I wasn't sure about when I initially read this book because I had no clue what to expect based on the blurb. So let me tell you what this book is actually about unless you want to go in confused. Ricki moves to Harlem after a chance encounter with this super sweet older woman who wants to support her dream of opening a flower shop. While in Harlem, she encounters this man who she feels this immediate connection to, but also, something about him and their encounters is weird. I'm not going to spoil the actual plot for you other than to explain that Ricki herself does not go back in time at any point in this book. But I will say that this book does have a bit of a speculative edge to it, similar-ish to the Kelley Armstrong series I really love, A Stitch in Time, but without exploring the timey-wimey ness of it all the way Armstrong's series does.

At its heart, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a love story and it is a romance. I know Seven Days in June was pretty literary for a romance and it focused quite a bit on the character's individual journeys, but A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is really about soulmates (my word) who have forces working against them trying to keep them from being together. It is also about Ricki trying to find herself and her success on her own two feet and separate herself from her family. And this time, my own personal qualm with this book is not the romance, which I enjoyed, but the fact that Ricki's personal journey provides the impetus for the ultimate meet cute but where I think the romance resolves itself beautifully, I'm not as satisfied with the jumps made in regards to her personal journey.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but my main takeaway would be that I wouldn't let a negative opinion of Seven Days in June sway you away from this book, but neither would I say that if you loved Seven Days in June that you'll definitely love this. Tia Williams has gorgeous writing and that was consistent across both books, but overall, I feel like these two books really stand apart as distinct and totally separate works. I like the way Williams is pushing the limits of the genre, but I think you have to be in a particular mood to want to have the bounds of the romance genre pushed so make sure you're in that mood before you pick this one up.

If you loved Seven Days in June as much as I did, you should know that this is its own unique and wonderful story.
Enter Ricki Wilde who is the black sheep of the family. She has the audacity to have her own dreams instead of joining the family funeral business.
Ms. Delta offers her lodging at her brownstone and she begins building her dream flower shop in Harlem. The history, art, and music of Harlem was intoxicating.
The story takes off when Ricki meets the handsome, sexy, and mysterious Ezra.
I was not ready for the mystical and “other worldly” turn their love story took. It did not take long for me to get totally lost in their beautiful,magical and sexy world. Just loved the aesthetics and beauty of this one. I received a free copy. All opinions are my own..

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing (Hachette) for an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed Seven Days in June and was excited to read another book by Tia Williams.

This story is about the magic of Leap years and follows Ricki, who is drawn to Harlem and opens a flower shop there, to the chagrin of her wealthy Atlanta based family. There she meets a mysterious man to whom she is drawn despite their efforts to avoid one another. Ezra has a secret for about 50% of the book which is kinda obvious but also unclear. For me, it was a little distracting from the story and would have liked an earlier reveal, but those readers who like mysteries and suspense will be fine.

Overall, I liked this book. The characters where interesting, funny and well rounded. The supporting characters were main characters in and of themselves. The book doesn't shy away from the history (and reality) of being Black in America, which may be difficult for some readers, but there's no graphic descriptions. I know I am reading an HEA romance, but I really didn't know how they would get there at several moments in this book. I feel like that's the mark of a really good writer -- even when you know the end, you don't.

I would encourage anyone who loves a good romance to pick this up. After reading this, I definitely spent a few days on my Oldies Spotify playlists.

#ALoveSongforRickiWilde
#NetGalley

4.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed Seven Days in June so I grabbed this book without much information about the plot. I was delightfully surprised by the magical elements in the story and liked this novel better than Seven Days in June. In a similar vain of Ashley Poston and Rebecca Serle books, you just have to accept that the hint of magic is what it is and suspend disbelief. The first half of the book is a slow build set up but once the main characters meet at about 50% in I was hooked and devoured the rest of the book quickly. As much as this book was a romantic love story, it was also a beautiful story about friendship. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a beautiful and unique romantic story. Both of the main characters showed depth and the way Williams writes about their romance and their individual growth was intriguing and engaging. I listened to the audio and read a digital copy and I loved re-experiencing it a 2nd time.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC

I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing for making an eARC of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams available on NetGalley!

Ms. Williams how dare you make me feel BiG Feelings! And I mean that as a compliment of course 💕 I did not expect to get the ultimate high stakes star crossed lovers romance based on the blurb, but with Tia Williams I knew I could trust the process.

Structurally, the story did start a bit slow for me. However, the character development was so. On. Point. Ricki is truly worth rooting for, and I don’t just say that as a fellow ADHD disaster who can relate to some of the impulsive decisions she made in the past. She is so community-minded and purposeful in her art and relationships, and Ezra proved worthy as her match. Of course, I’m also a sucker for well-drawn side characters, and Tuesday and Ms. Della are simply the best!

I’m so glad as well that I got to learn more about the history of the Harlem Renaissance because of this book. I commend Tia Williams for balancing the scenes in the past with the contemporary story, which is not easy to do based on my experiences with clunkier dual timelines in other books.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde proved that Tia Williams is at the top of her game. I love this book so much, and hopefully we get Tuesday’s book next 💜

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ever been the odd-one out in your family? The one dancing to the beat of your own drum? You may enjoy meeting Richard Wilde, Jr. - better known as Ricki - the free-spirited youngest daughter in the Wilde family - the “dandelion” to her sisters’ “roses”, as she’s described.

She wants to be a florist! Her dream is to own her own shop and bring beauty to the world with her floral designs.
When fate introduces her to feisty and fashionable nonagenarian Della Bennett, who just lost her beloved husband and offers Ricki a space in her Harlem brownstone to live and open a flower shop, she jumps at the opportunity! Her family may not believe she’ll succeed, but she does … and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

Flowers may not be the only thing in Ricki’s future, though, when she encounters a mysterious man in a garden while out walking one night. It’s as if she’s always known him and his reaction to her is equally strange, but there’s no denying their connection. Who is this handsome stranger?

Here’s where the story really gets interesting! There’s more to this man, Ezra Walker, than meets the eye. Ricki’s hilarious no-holds barred friend, Tuesday, isn’t so sure about him, but Ricki? She can’t seem to avoid him even if she wants to!

What will the future hold for her? Let’s just say that she never could imagine in her “Wilde-est” dreams (sorry - I couldn't resist) where the next few weeks will take her and how Della, Ezra and Tuesday will fit into her story! They’re all wonderful characters who were a joy to spend time with.

This is my first read by Tia Williams, who also wrote Seven Days in June, and I’m impressed! Her prose is lovely and peppered with warmth and humor throughout. She’s able to balance the melancholic aspects of the story, evoking just the right mood, without dragging the story into the overly emotional sap that some stories suffer from. There are some spicy open-door scenes, but not too many and nothing you can’t easily skip past!

This does have a strong thread of magical realism - especially in the second half, so if that’s not your thing, you may not enjoy this as much. That IS my thing, so I loved it! It also has chapters that occasionally skip between past and present, showing the reader both modern Harlem and looking back to its Renaissance days, offering a look at important figures and places in Black history - especially major contributors to the music we still enjoy today!

At its heart, this is a charming contemporary romance with two fascinating characters who you can’t help but root for. The only ding to my rating was because I thought the ending wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, so it lost just a touch of the emotional impact I'd hoped for. It certainly didn’t ruin anything, though. The story is wonderful, and the epilogue was so clever!

This book is a magical masterpiece! I can confidently say that this will be one of my favorites of the year and quite possibly one of my favorite love stories EVER! It’s that good that I won’t shut up about it. I’ve recruited so many of my friends to read it and it’s only been published for a week. I fell in love with every character except those dreadful Wildes (not including Ricki of course.) I was definitely rooting for Ricki and Wilde Things as am I’m totally a flower girlie (if you haven’t noticed yet. I arrange most of my florals and I’m still learning new techniques.) I loved how she dared to follow her dreams. Ricki and Ezra’s palpable chemistry.... Whew! Ms. Della’s sweet feisty soul, Tuesday’s anecdotes, and all of the random shenanigans had me actually laughing out loud several times. I didn’t want to stop reading! I was mad when work got in the way and when NetGalley closed for maintenance when I was trying to listen to the last hour of the audiobook I almost lost it! (Thank goodness for the option to download to Kindle!) I love to combine formats but the narration was top tier. Shout out to Mela Lee and Preston Butler III! The story was already amazing but you added that extra ✨! I had to go looking for their other work! When I finally finished it, I was in tears. Well not only tears, I was sobbing. I didn’t want this enchanted experience to end. It’s one of those books that will sweep you up so fast that you have to voraciously devour it but at the same time you want to savor every single minute! I wanna tell more but I don’t want to ruin it. Just read it now. What are you waiting for?!


Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the eArc and audiobook for my honest review. I definitely went out to purchase a physical copy for myself and two friends!

A little bit of history mixed in with magical realism is the backdrop for Williams’ latest book.
I liked Ricki and her need to get away from her older stifling sisters and the family business.
I loved the location of a Harlem brownstone and Ricki’s determination to succeed.
Ezra’s story and how he fit in was a bit bumpy at first until I sorted through the mechanics to it.
The ending was sweet. Miss Della’s presence permeated throughout the book.

Absolutely enchanting! Ricki Wilde is from a prominent southern family and has always been the outcast. With the help of Ms Della, Ricki moves to Harlem to pursue her dream of owning her own flower shop. It all starts from there…This book is all about self discovery, found family, romance, and a little bit of magic. This story is such a treasure. A must read for 2024!

I don't know what exactly I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't this - and I'm so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Definitely don't expect the same type of book as Seven Days in June - but don't write it off immediately because it's different, either. The first half of this book reminded me a lot of Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb, which is one of my all-time favorite books. I loved the inclusion of musical elements and the historical Harlem setting and learning about the male MC's past, and I also had a good time rooting for the female MC and her new business venture launching her flower shop, Wilde things. The second half of the book took a sharp turn towards the magical, which is not always my favorite thing to read, but since I was already invested in the main characters and rooting for their romance, I had a lot of fun sticking with where their story went. I know this story and these characters will stick with me for a long time, which is always a testament to a good book in my mind, and I'm glad I took the chance to read a book with elements out of my comfort zone. Highly recommend and can't wait to see/hear/read other readers' thoughts on it!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a magical romance set in Harlem between two free-spirited soul mates. On a whim, Ricki moves from Atlanta to Harlem to live our her dream of owning a decadent floral shop. She is in her late 20s and has always been the black sheep of her wealthy, conservative family. Ricki's new landlord, Della, is a nonagenarian who takes on a grandmotherly role in her life.

Early on in Harlem, Ricki meets Ezra, a mysterious man she is inexplicably drawn to. Interspersed in the novel are depictions of 1920s Harlem, during the Harlem Renaissance. Tia Williams' does such a wonderful job creating likeable characters and fascinating story lines. I absolutely loved Ricki, Ezra, and Della. There are such sumptuous descriptions of flowers, music, and fashion throughout the novel. It was such a treat for the senses. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated perfectly by Mela Lee and Preston Butler. They breathed so much life into this wonderful novel. This will likely be one of my top reads of 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

YESSSSSS, TIA WILLIAMS I will read anything she writes. She gives us romance that isn't cheesy spice that isn't cringey
female friendship
magical realism
dual timeline
historical fiction
beautiful writing
humor
imagery rich
NYC backdrop
and more. I loved it!! I’ll be thinking about Ricki and Ezra’s romance for a long time. And this book made me want to run out and buy some flowers. And maybe book a trip to NYC 🤩

2.5/5 This was a let down for me. I heard the whisper of time travel so I was immediately intrigued because I love anything that messes with time but this is not sci-fi, it's paranormal. This was more of a book that wants to introduce the reader to history, music and landmarks not really a fully invested story. When Ms. Della's health diagnosis was revealed you knew where the story was going to go from a mile away. I wish I was invested in Ricki and Ezra's love story but I wasn't.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a beautiful romance with a hint of mystery, a touch of magic, a slice of history, and a pinch of spice. Ezra has music in his bones, Ricki marches to the beat of her own drum, and together they make a love song for the ages. Both timely and timeless, I loved this book. A perfect read for this leap year- or really any chance you get.

Thank you Tia Williams, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t know what to expect when I went into this, and I can say this was far superior than I expected!!

The entire premise was executed so well, and the intimacy and sensuality of the story just flowed so well.

I will be reading more by this author because her words are something out of this world!!

A love story that I fell in love with. This will be one that I will reread year after year. The story was beautifully written and believable. The characters were relatable. I loved everything about this book!!

Tia Williams pulls off the ultimate genre mash-up with magical realism, mystery, romance, and historical fiction in this dreamy celebration of the Harlem Renaissance. When Ricki Wilde moves into Ms. Della’s NYC brownstone basement to open a flower shop, she finds inspiration in the forgotten corners of her new city. While strolling through a local garden, she bumps into a mysterious man—both familiar and completely strange to her—and she can’t forget his face. Ezra “Breeze” Walker can’t forget about Ricki, either, but he has a secret too dangerous to share. Both the narrative structure and the excellent narrators of this book make it a perfect leap year listen.