Gosh, I loved Ricki and Ezra so much by the end!!
••••••
Initially, I was drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover but the story sold me. Ricki Wilde is the daughter of a family that owns funeral homes. She has three sisters who all have their lives together but she feels inadequate and like the black sheep of the family. Ricki takes a major step and moves to Harlem to pursue her own business and there, things started to change in her life.

I think this is a book that is challenging to describe because of its layered and unique plot. It is very descriptive, informative, and whimsical. I appreciated the historical context, suspenseful moments, and the musical references. I adored Ricki’s character. Her development and bravery to start over in a new state to follow her dreams was admirable.

The story is a little slower paced but I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t until about 30% when things started to come together for me. The beginning was the foundation and background of the characters. However, once I made it to 50% I couldn’t put the book down. I was deeply invested in knowing about Ezra because he was such a mystery and really cautious about what information he would share. The breadcrumbs were present but not enough to tell the full story. I think the story formed well by the end. The love between Ezra and Ricki was evident. They were fated mates and Ezra tried to protect Ricki but she was a woman in love. It seemed that Ricki and all her newly formed family members were selfless beings who showed up for each other in the nick of time. Ugh, all the feels!

A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE
𝚃𝚒𝚊 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚖𝚜
February 6, 2024- Out TODAY!

🗽I read Seven Days in June when I joined Booksta last year and, as someone who suffers from chronic illnesses, was so moved by the disability rep in the book that I reached out to her to tell her thank you. So when this book was announced suffice it to say I shrieked. Did I order it on the B&N preorder sale last year? Yes. Read the ARC/ALC, yep. Order the Aardvark copy to get that velvety hardcover trophy for the shelf… YEP.
But, let me back up. Before I ordered it or read it, I didn’t even look at what it was about. I went in completely blind. Because I trust in Tia that much. And that’s what I suggest you do.
What I will tell you is this-
In leap year, something always seems a little special doesn’t it? (Aren’t we a little jealous of those leap year babies?) Well, 2024 is a leap year that finds Ricki Wilde unsatisfied in her life. She’s the youngest of four sisters from Atlanta (I legit lol’d at what she calls them- you will too) and she doesn’t want to go into the family business, so she moves to Harlem to start her own floral shop. Once she’s settled in, with a new grandma to boot, she’s on her way. Then, on a walk in a fab garden she meets a man and ✨✨…
The rest you need to read.

There is an interwoven story of the historical culture and life that is Harlem and the Renaissance. The found family is INCREDIBLE. The way Tia Williams writes about soulmates leaves me feeling SO many feels.

*Seven Days fans look for a visit from a couple of old friends.*

I did an immersive read and Mela Lee (who also narrated Seven Days) and Preston Butler did an outstanding job. The emotion, heartache, lust, love… it’s all there. Phenomenal audio experience. 

💜𝚁𝙸𝚈𝙻:
Soulmates
Black love
Musical expressions of love & pianos
NY settings
The magic of Leap year

🎼Thank you @grandcentralpub @hachetteaudio & @tiawilliamswrites for my review copies.
These thoughts are my own.

Another wonderful love story from Tia Williams!

I love all things Harlem Renaissance and appreciated the vibes this book gave me. Ezra and Ricki could be one of my new favs 💜💜

There was a clear attraction from the first time they met and their chemistry was amazing. They are both artsy nerds in their own way and it was so cute watching them build a relationship.

This a SLOW burn. While ultimately I didn't mind, I did wonder at what point Ezra and Ricki were going to come together. Readers should be advised to be patient with our characters and give it time for the relationship to come into play. Because when it does, they won't be disappointed.

I was also pleased with the slight found family element here as well. Ricki was an easy character to cheer for. And the way Ezra cares for her warmed my heart!

I would have loved to see an author's note about why Williams decided to include the magical realism element in this novel. I enjoyed it but was curious as to what inspired it. Regardless, I will absolutely be buying a physical copy of this book for my shelf!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Pub for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

AN EPIC LOVE STORY FOR ALL THE AGES FOR REAL!!!!!

I absolutely loved this book so much! Tia Williams just knows how to write a romance y'all! Ricki and Ezra quite literally invented soulmates and I just ate it up! Her writing is incredible, her attention to detail is incredible, the research she did on the Harlem Renaissance was so intricate, and I just loved everything about it.

Ezra and Ricki have a whirlwind romance but it felt like they knew each other for so much longer and that's just a testament to her writing! It was swoony and romantic and heartfelt and funny and just so magical (like actually).

The side characters were incredible too and added so much depth to the story (Ms. Della and Tuesday have my heart <3) and I just (you guessed it) loved it so much!

Also I am HERE for the paranormal/magical contemporary romances trend! I don't wanna say too much but this book was giving Addie Larue but make it HEA!

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC, it's out now!

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me this advanced audio copy!

Wow wow wow! This books!!!! Tia WIlliams has done it again. This book was nothing like I was expecting and way better than I could've ever. imagined. I think my favorite part, as someone living in NYC currently, was the ode to Harlem and the Harlem Renaissance that this story was. Because of Tia's descriptions, I could vividly picture everything that was happening, the club scene, the outfits, the streets. It was magical. I will be thinking about this book for a long long time.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was an absolute ride!

I don’t want to give too many details away about the plot because I definitely think this is one you should know very little about before going into it. That being said what I do think needs to be known is that this leans heavily on magical realism and it took me quite a while to figure out whether I was making that up or if it was actually an element of the story. Another thing to note is that this book follows a timeline in Harlem during the 20s, and I absolutely enjoyed its focus on history and music.

The relationships that Ricki builds in this new city were my absolute favorite part of the story. Ms. Della and Tuesday were quite literally so funny but also the definition of “ride or die.” I love the idea of a found family and the two women are exactly that for Ricki—I live for female friendships.

Although I enjoyed the romance aspect, since there wasn’t much development until 35-40% into the book, it didn’t have me hooked. That being said I still loved Ezra’s character and I was fighting back tears as we got to the end of the story.

My main issue, and really only issue, with this book was the pacing, I felt like so much was happening at the beginning that I was waiting for “the love story 100 years in the making” to finally kick off. However once the story took off, it really took off! We also get a cameo from a special couple and it had me smiling ear to ear.

Bravo, Applause! Tia Williams is back and better than ever with her with newest novel A Love Song For Ricki Wilde. This book, this book had me completely mesmerized, submerged and suspended turning page after page until the very end. A Love Song For Ricki Wilde is a highly engaging, irresistibly charming book. A huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Ricki Wilde is the polar opposite of her wealthy, affluent, socialite and often times judgmental family. Ricki is a talented, artistic and sometimes very impetuous young woman. All she longs for is something different, a more exciting life where she can just be her free, creative self. When she meets Ms. Della a regal, nonagenarian who offers her a chance to do just that up in her Harlem Brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance to follow her dream of opening up her own floral shop. So ensues her fresh start in a new neighborhood that’s filled with intriguing people, magical stories, and brilliancy.

And then on one cold February night Ricki comes across a mysterious, handsome man while visiting a city garden and her whole world is turned upside down. She finds herself caught up in an all encompassing, rapturous love story like no other.

Tia Williams is an incredible storyteller. With her latest novel she masterfully blends history, magical/realism, mystery and romance into a dual timeline story, which all plays out in the backdrop of modern day and renaissance Harlem, it is absolutely breathtaking. A Love Song For Ricki Wilde is an enchanting, poignant, spellbinding romance that is not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Tia Williams, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I love Tia Williams' writing!! I was so hooked on Seven Days in June last year and A Love Song for Ricki Wilde just confirmed that. This book is hilarious, tender, sexy, raw, and engrossing. I was sucked in and flew through this book wanting to know what happened next. Yes, it was a bit cheesy. Yes, it was predictable. I think the book could have benefitted from being a bit longer for sure. But I loved Ricki and Ezra lots, so it all worked out. Ricki as a character is just SO full of life, and the way Williams writes her interactions with her sisters, Della, and Tuesday is so entertaining. When she writes about Ricki and Ezra together, their connection is believable and feels real, even when the situation is magical. I will say I wasn't expecting this to have fantasy elements, so I think I would have personally enjoyed it more if it did not, but I loved the leap year element of magic, and I loved the few chapters written during the Harlem Renaissance. In fact, I would have loved even more of those! Regardless, I had a blast reading this, and I'm already excited to see what Williams writes next.

This being released during a leap year is perfect! Although the book starts off slow it is extremely important. You need to move low and slow through this one to understand and receive everything that you need through for this.
This is my first Tia Williams and I cannot wait to read more.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I thought I would dislike this book. People were saying it was weird, and I didn't care for the last Tia Williams book I read, but this one right here is DIFFERENT in every magical way possible.

We are first introduced to Ricki, who comes from a "perfect" family, but they all have baggage and constantly dump it on Ricki because she's the "imperfect" one. Readers will hate her family, especially the sisters. Ricki is a jack of trades. When I say that, I mean she does it all, then goes and does another thing to add to her resume. Ricki is a bomb ass creative florist; I mean, her mind is amazing, and she falls into her influencer era unexpectedly by just being herself, which rewards her well. I loved seeing this all happen throughout the book.

Ezra Walker is then introduced, and he carries pain and music. His character has been struggling for decades; he has the most going on out of the two and is ultimately the reason the novel packs multiple genres into one novel. I loved how his character added nodes to notable people in each decade over time and brought the Harlem Renaissance era to life. This story gave historical fiction, magical realism, mystery/suspense, and romance in that order. Because of this, I'm not sure I really felt the romance heavily in this one, but for me, the historical fiction part carried this story, and for good reason, because the reader needed the past to explain the present, and without it, we'd all be lost.

Ricki and Ezra are destined to be together, but they have to figure out how to be together, if that makes sense. Their love is instant, but this time I wasn't necessarily mad at that; I just didn't feel enough chemistry between the two because of it. As I noted before, it seems like there are too many genres in one pot, and other genres overshadow the romance element constantly. It isn't an equal flow between all of them. So, if you're looking for something that gives you the feel of previous works by Williams or something that makes you kick your feet and giggle, this may not be the one.

That being said, I really loved this one by Tia. I liked that it was different, and I feel like it would translate well into an on-screen film. Please skip the bad wigs this time. I loved the supporting characters, Ms. Della, Tuesday, and even Mr. Bennett (men need to take some notes out of his book). Ms. Della added elderly wisdom, and Tuesday added humor, and it just all flowed so smoothly with the storyline.

Favorite Quotes:
- "Some people skip to their favorite songs and ignore the rest. Other people listen to the entire album over and over, until it's familiar and cherished and they know every note by heart. That's how Dr. Bennett and I loved each other. He was music I could listen to forever."

-"You can't cheat grief Ricki. You have to work with it. Accommodate it."

The voices of the narrators of this book (Mela Lee and Preston Butler) added to the magical feeling of everything for me. Their voices conveyed humor, love, and grief to the listener.

Thank you, Netgalley and Grand Central Pub, for the e-ARC and the ALC.

Ricki Wilde isn't like the rest of her family. I knew I was going to be rooting for her right from the first chapter. Her sisters are insufferable. I'm glad she packed up her things, her flowers, and her dreams and moved to New York. The characters are what made this book so good. Ricki's new friendship with Tuesday is what all platonic friendships should strive to be. I loved Tuesday's rough edges and how she 100% had Ricki's back. On to the love interest, the way the connection between Ricki and the mystery man played out was refreshing. It was like they were pulled to each other by forces other than just lust and romance. I loved the way Tia Williams incorporated the past black history of Harlem and intertwined it into the present-day narrative .. and when I say present- day, it legit is really set in present-day. February 2024. It was a bit surreal to read a book set in February 2024, especially with a heavy nod at it being leap year, a week before February 2024 was actually beginning. Um, also, that piano! 🔥🔥🔥

Tia williams did not disappoint with this book. The moment Ricki and Ezra were in the same atmosphere you could feel a shift. The way these two were magnetically drawn together was everything to swoon about. I love the Harlem theme, I loved how the past played an important role in the now, I loved the secondary characters Tuesday and Ms. Della. This book was magical and I absorbed it deep within. I’m definitely a fan of Ms. Williams and I can’t wait for what’s next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC copy

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘📕
🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for this ARC. Happy publication day to author @tiawilliamswrites.

I'll start by saying for some reason I struggle with time travel plots. However, I really enjoyed the backdrop of the Harlem renaissance era. I went to school in New York and loved Harlem. So it felt good to try to envision the different places talked about in the book. I mean Sylvias is a staple and made me miss Harlem. This book spanned many genres, and the plot was good. I did feel that it was so much going on that some parts were underdeveloped. I was hoping for more in certain areas of the plot.
𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮:
➡️slow burn
💓fated romance characters
🗽historical fiction (Harlem renaissance)
⏳dual time lines
🌍world building
The book is centered around Rickie Wilde the female lead. She is a Wild child that doesn’t fit in to her family's dynasty box. She beats to her own drum, and I loved it. Ezra the mysterious magical male lead was her soulmate. I really didn’t take to his character until midway through the book. His musical genius was fun to read. I kept envisioning his talent to be a modern day @jonbatiste or @pjmorton. Look we all know New Orleans jazz is where it’s at 🥰. It’s a wild ride with these two as they try to figure out how to break an immortality curse and save each other in the process. The secondary characters I loved. Mrs della is that grandmother everyone needs. She was literally Rickie’s saving grace 🙏🏽. Tuesday is that girlfriend that we all need. You need at least one Tuesday, the epitome of ride or die. The ending was sweet and heartwarming. I love a book that leaves the reader with a smile on their face.

❓what’s your favorite Tia Williams book? The perfect find.
#tiawilliams #alovesongforrickiwilde #pjmorton #jonbaptiste🎶 #jazz #harlem #sylvias #romance #historicalfiction #fantasy

The way this book so deeply hurt my feelings while also making me laugh out loud should be studied. Ricki Wilde is a girl after my own heart and this story is such a gift. The narrative was so beautifully and masterfully crafted. I had no idea how things were going to work out, but I had faith! I loved this book so much and don’t know how any romance can top it this year.

I really liked what Tia Williams did in this book with the touch of magic we got in the story. This is a dual POV and the part of the story that was set against the Harlem Renaissance was my favorite part of the two POVs. I enjoyed our main couple together and had a good time with the little found family that Ricki had carved out for herself in New York and I was definitely cheering for Ricki when she finally stood up to her sisters.

I did find her family to be written in a way that felt like a big caricature and since the book starts out with a scene of them the writing of them did almost turn me off from continuing, but definitely glad I didn't because they did not end up being a big part of the book and the writing in the rest of the book was not an issue.

I also didn't love how much time at the beginning of the book was spent with Ricki with someone else so wish that hadn't been as drawn out. I did not mind the pace of the actual relationship though as I do love a slow burn

WHAT I LOVED :
The first half of this book! The story was engaging, the dual pov was intriguing, the writing was beautiful and the chemistry between the mcs was starting out on point!! I really loved the ode to the Harlem Renaissance with the history of the music and culture. The descriptions were so beautiful and I loved the historical aspects brought to life with such rich imagery. I also really enjoyed the found family in this one.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE :
The second half of the book was where the story lost me. I don’t want to go into detail with the plot, but I will say there was an element of magical realism that came into play and it just felt off. What started out as a beautiful and important story to me developed into something that seemed silly and out of place in the second half. The second half also happened quickly and there was a lot going on. I felt like I didn’t get to feel the emotional impact that I was supposed to experience. There were so many topics that the author was touching on that there wasn’t enough time to flesh everything out and I felt like several parts of the story needed more development.

I really wanted to love this and I devoured the first half thinking it was going to be incredible so I am very conflicted with my thoughts on this one!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

Publication date 2/6/24

By Tia Williams-Read Seven Days in June, gave it 4 ⭐. I loved Shane and Eva's cameo

🏃🏾‍♀️ Run time: 11:42

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for the ALC and ARC💜 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

The narrators are Mela Lee and Preston Butler all characters read them. I believe the voices fit the characters with standouts of Ms. Della, Ricki, and Ezra. Their voices were the most distinct, but I could easily tell the difference between all characters. The reading style did bring the story to life and the pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly.

The audiobook's flow was great. The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio.

Ricki Wilde has never fit into her family and their business, the Wilde Funeral Dynasty in Atlanta. She's offered an apartment by Ms. Della(think fairy godmother) in Harlem where she opens her own flower shop "Wilde Things." She meets a stranger Ezra Walker who takes her breathe away, and they battle through a love curse that spans one hundred years.

Overall, the romance was breathtaking with the Harlem Renaissance and Harlem, New York as a character. Their love story was epically told in dual timelines- full of art, magic, and so many flower puns.

My recommendation is to read the audiobook with the eBook (if you can) because you can picture the characters more vividly.

Rating 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was unexpected. I went in anticipating a typical romance but got so much more. This book had magical realism and music history organically woven into the story in a way that surprisingly worked. Even being able to anticipate where the story would take me did not lessen the beauty of the journey. Tia Williams does an amazing job of writing flawed characters that are at the same time incredibly endearing.

My one complaint was the storyline with her family and sisters. It seemed unnecessary and added no value to the story. On the flip side, I loved that she found a home with Della.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde surprised me in all the best ways. Williams excels at writing romances with layers that push against the genres edges. I loved how Williams told this story with two Harlems, the Harlem that Ricki feels drawn to and the Harlem of the Harlem Renaissance that is now hidden by gentrification. I loved the characters in this novel, especially the women. All of them pushed against expectations of others in trying to build the life they wanted, which looked different generations apart. I flew through this book. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for access to the eARC!

February is #blackhistorymonth and I love supporting black writers even more profoundly this month (though I make it a goal to always support authors of color when I can).

I fell in love with @tiawilliamswrites when I read Seven Days in June - a book still on my mind after a long time away from it….and A Love Song for Ricki Wilde has done the same and left me wanting more and more from Tia! Her writing is truly exquisite.

This book has left me in my feelings - weeping for the ending that tied everything together creating a 5 star masterpiece! Not only is this a love letter to Harlem but the chemistry between the main characters, Ricki and Ezra, is something we should all want in our life - that cosmic pull from someone else’s heart preventing us from functioning unless they are near. I love that there is deep romance misted with magical realism and a little historical fiction too. The supporting characters, Ms Della, Tuesday and Rickis’ family are equally as memorable enhancing the story even further.

Ricki reminds me so much of myself, a little black sheep of the family and the one who succeeds despite what others believe she’s capable of. Thank you to @netgalley + @grandcentralpub for the ARC