A fairy tale love story with a bit of magic. Loved the characters and Ricki being the black sheep of the family. Wasn't a huge fan of the dual time line but you needed the back story.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Crossing time and space, A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE is a dazzling romance for the ages. We meet Ricki as she moves from the south to set up her own flower shop in present day Harlem. Her world is forever changed when she crosses paths with a mysterious stranger on leap year.

Not only is this a love song for Ricki Wilde, but a passionate ballad to the city of Harlem. The city jumps off the page with jazz music, the Harlem Renaissance and black joy. This whimsical book is rooted in reality but the magical realism element plays a big role. The story gets a bit woo woo at times but knowing this ahead of time may help your expectations.

Astute readers will catch the cameo from Eva and Shane Williams’ previous novel, SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE. Be on the lookout for this unconventional love story on February 6, 2024!

READ THIS IF:
-You enjoy unique love stories like THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP
-Armchair travel to Harlem sounds magnificent
-You prefer your romance scenes spicy & open-door

Many thanks to Grand Central Pub for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Ricki Wilde does not fit in with the rest of her family - she does not want to be part of her family’s funeral home dynasty, she is not a proper southern socialite and she doesn’t do what her parents expect. Her father has had it with her and then she meets Della, a sparky nonagenarian who owns a brownstone in Harlem. When Della offers, Ricki jumps at the chance to follow her dreams, own a flower shop and move away from her constrained Atlanta life. Once she’s in NYC she keeps running into a Ezra, who she is just drawn to and cannot stop thinking about - but there is something about him that she cannot put her finger on, he’s not like any other man she has met. Ricki and her new best friend, a ex-child star, work on figuring out Ezra’s secret while Ricki cannot stop herself from falling in love.

I really enjoyed this novel. While the ending is relatively predictable like most romances, I certainly enjoyed the journey. I loved the Jazz-age Harlem story in the background and the supporting characters were just fun and really kept the story going. There was twist or two that I hadn’t expected and I even had a tear at the end of this one. I haven’t read her earlier book yet and I fully intend to now! If you like a good love story with some magical realism I highly recommend.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC to review

Wow. What even just happened?

That book was not what I was expecting at all, and I loved it so much. And it was so great to see some old loves again (Eva is doing well). I can’t wait for Tuesday’s story.

Easily one of the best books I read all year.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde follows the family black sheep Ricki Wilde on her journey to build a life for herself outside of her family's name and expectations. Along the way, she builds a family of her choosing, finds herself, and most unexpectedly, love.

Let me start by saying that Tia Williams is a solid writer, but, with this story, I can see her growth from "The Accidental Diva" to now. Shucks, I can see the growth from "Seven Days in June" to this one. This story had multiple plot lines running concurrently, and she managed to weave them MASTERFULLY, into a coherent, and engaging plot. It was really *chef's kiss*.

Next, much like other novels by the same author, this one started slowly. Ms. WIlliams really seems to enjoy developing the plot through focusing a lot on exposition, and this one was no different. BUT, in A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, it seemed to pay off in a more satisfying way. Each of the details included seemed wholly necessary to the plot and everything made sense in the end.

Overall, this was a refreshing take on an age-old story. Well done. VERY well done!

I first read this author’s Seven Days in June and was over the moon with it. Now with A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, I was in love again! This author just draws you in with her descriptiveness and you feel like you’re part of the story, there with the characters. Being from the South, but not a WOC, I know about Southern society, especially in GA and MS! Tough world! But then Ricki makes a move to Harlem, another tough world and she’s right at home! Wow, just an awesome romance, but it’s way more than that too!

I love this one. I learned so much and laughed out loud. Tia Williams is an instant read author for me. She can do no wrong 😍

The love story of the century, literally! I loved this book and was all in on Ricki and Ezra’s romance. It was well-written, unique, and even had some unexpected plot twists! Heartwarming and memorable, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is the love story we all need.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

Book release date: February 6, 2024

Synopsis: Ricki Wilde has had the hopes and dreams of her rich and powerful family upon her since birth. The youngest of 4 girls and black sheep of her family, Ricki has always struggled to define her identity and her dreams. Tired of leading a shell of a life to please her family, she decides to strike out on her own, and relocate from Atlanta to Harlem to open a floral shop. She has selected her chosen family, a grandmother, Ms. Della, and best friend, former child TV star, Tuesday. But after keeps crossing paths with a mysterious and handsome gentleman with secrets in various parts of her neighborhood, things get real. The story lines feature multiple characters and take place during the 1920s and present day Harlem.

A Love Story for Ricki Wilde delivered such a powerful, intriguing, and beautiful message, gift wrapped in sentiment, vulnerability, and a gripping story of undying love. From the fascinating historical lessons (I took many breaks to conduct research) to the laugh-out-loud punchlines, I was drawn into this unique story from the very first page. I took my time with this novel. It was such an exhilarating experience, I didn’t want to rush through it. Williams is a brilliant author, who expertly weaves real-life issues into compelling stories featuring swoony love interests that are to die for (no pun intended). These larger than life characters will live on in my heart and mind for many years to come. Bravo!

Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and the author for providing an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thoughts

I know this book will not be for everybody. Some people do not like magical elements in their romances. But for me, I love it. I think they pair wonderfully.

This book is whimsical and free. It speaks to the dreamer in all of us. Ricki is such a great character. Her and Ezra's story is why people read books and go to the movies. To see this big fantastically fated love that makes all weak in the knees.

And there are some cameos in this book that made my heart so happy!

Oh and all the music and other pop culture!! It just sealed this book as a great in my opinion.

Excuse me while I go pretend to become an expert in flower arrangements for the next two weeks, since I take on the personality of all my favorite characters.

Hm what can I say abt this one LOVED IT (Oprah voice) different from what she normally writes, I was expecting a typical love story like boy meets girl girl falls in love with boy they break up get back together then live happily ever after lol but this one was different it was abt finding your soul mate and destiny with a little twist of fantasy. Backdrops was set in the Harlem renaissance two ppl who are drawn together by forces unknown...that's all i am going to say It is definitely worth the read!!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was a magical, comedic, heartwarming love story centering around florist Ricki and musician Ezra. While I loved their central love story the addition of the backstories of both of their families and the friends they both made along the way really added another level.

Wow. I went into this book blind. I read a couple of books from this author , but this one is different. It has romance, Harlem Renaissance, fashion,mystery, spice, and suspense.

Ricki is the black sheep out of her family. She mentions in the beginning that her family has a rigid idea of what success looks like which is fine, but she didn’t necessarily agree with it.

She decided to move to New York from Atlanta to start her own florist company. She was able to meet what she calls her chosen family and will prove to her family she can do this on her own.

She also falls in love with someone who is madly in love with her, but it’s not that simple of course.

A supernatural love that was decades in the making. But once found, are you willing to fight for it with all your might even if it is cursed? That’s what this tale is about. A story that’s told from the perspective of current day & the Harlem Renaissance it’s deeply entrenched in the unexplainable supernatural with a few moments of “spice” & bits of Black excellence history thrown in for good measure.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

I absolutely loved everything about this. The novel is centered in Harlem, pays deep homage to the Harlem Renaissance and is delightfully funny and romantic all at once. At one point the story takes a fantasy twist, that doesn’t distract but rather aids in the romance. Can’t recommend enough. Just gorgeous. Didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters.

In classic Tia Williams fashion, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde takes the reader on a long journey to discovering the various meanings of love. Love of art, of history, of family and friends; I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of passion each character brought to the story.

In many ways, this story is unlike anything else Williams has written.Ithoroughly enjoyed how the historical elements were weaved through the plot (please note, I am NOT a historical fiction reader, normally!) I must say, I selected this book on the merit of the author, and the intrigue created by the gorgeous cover. But, be not deceived, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is so much more than your everyday romance.

Buy it. Read it. Love it. Then do it again, but for all of your friends!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a love song for Black History, the Black Renaissance, Black entrepreneurship, and the Black family. This captivating and layered romance novel by Tia Williams narrates a spell bound love between Ricki Wilde and Ezra Walker during a mystical February leap year; their paths even cross with Tia’s beloved Eva Mercy and Shane Hall!

This ode to sacrifice is a five star read and is the epitome of true love.

This was a beautiful fairytale love story. Ricki was the black sheep of the family. She was creative and not inspired by the family business. She wanted to choose her own path and live life on her own terms. She was passionate about flowers and moved to Harlem to pursue her dream. Ms. Della was also a free spirit and became family to Ricki. Their relationship was so special. They were put into each others lives for a reason and a season. Ezra's background story was told very well. Ezra's and Ricki had awesome chemistry. He was so intrigued and gentle with Ricki. I was rooting for them to make it beyond all of the obstacles in their way. The addition of the history of Harlem was an added bonus to this story.

Now, I don’t cry much from books. But with this novel, tears were definitely shed. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde has turned me into a Tia Williams stan. No book is perfect by any means, but for me, this is quite close. I was literally in the middle of the airport in Washington D.C. when I finished the book, and I had to create a voice note of my thoughts because I was too overwhelmed to write them down. In the protagonist Ricki Wilde, a 28-year-old florist and firecracker of a woman, I saw so much of myself as I enter my late 20s— someone who’s actively trying to not spend their life vying for the approval of others and putting their own passions and wants to the side. Ricki’s creative spirit was palpable throughout the book, and I adored how descriptive Williams was in talking about Ricki’s quirks. You can tell how much respect Williams has for her characters in that each and everyone is multidimensional and each of their importance is clearly explained. Ricki is sort of the black sheep of her upper-crust family who take pride in their Black elite status. So she throws everyone for a loop when she decides to chart her own territory by moving to Harlem and opening up a flower shop. She’s spurred on by the free-spirited Ms. Della, a headstrong 96-year-old woman who offers Ricki a place to stay in her Harlem brownstone. While getting her business off the ground, Ricki has a sudden run-in with a mesmerizing, yet mysterious, man at a local community garden. It’s a moment that she just can’t seem to shake off, and the run-in serves as a catalyst for the rest of the story. Williams does a wonderful job of creating a literary mosaic of Black pop culture, history, mysticism, and steamy romance with depth. There’s much more I can say about the book, but I’ll leave you with this: It’s a romance classic in the making.