ARC Review

I will recommend this book to anyone who asks. There were so many layers to this story that it was almost impossible to put down. Seven Days In June put Ms. Williams in the auto-buy category for me. If you are already a fan of Tia Williams’ work, you will 1000% not be disappointed by this one.

Really loved the weaving of the love story and historical aspects of the writing. I would definitely recommend to reader friends and book clubs.

I loved this book from beginning to end. Ricki draws you in to her hectic life but you come to love her independence and interdependence. She’s very relatable in all her complexities and the historical fiction aspects were equally intriguing. It was a beautiful love story with some surprises and some predictability but all aspects were wonderfully woven together. This would make for a great movie and I hope there’s a spin-off book about Tuesday.

<b>“I’ve seen beautiful things and terrible things. Until you, I didn’t know that they’re two sides of the same feeling. I want you, Ricki. Actually, it’s not a want. It’s an uncompromising, inconvenient need. But it’ll ruin us both.”</b>

My first Tia William book and it did not disappoint. This was unique and different from the romances I normally read. The characters were compelling, the descriptions and prose were relatable and still nicely written. I loved the parts about the Harlem Renaissance and the music world it was so rich and full of culture. I was not expecting the time traveling and magical aspects of this book but overall I think it worked.

Ricki and Ezra the mmc’s have this instant, soulmate type love and their whole lives they’ve been waiting for each other. There also a ticking time on their love and time together which plays a big part in the last half of this book. My only little things is third person pov which I wasn’t really into but overall this was a really good book. I would recommend this to everyone but especially if you are okay with romances with contemporary and some historical magical realism.

Thank you GSP and Netgalley for this arc for an honest review.

Hancock meets Cinderella, mixed with curses and Harlem’s history, and although I enjoyed A Love Song for Rickie Wilde, it was too long.

“It’s nasty work, tricking folks into thinking you’re normal...for a week, two weeks. Because you start to believe it, too. Then you wake up and realize you’re standing in a life half-lived. Just going through the motions in the dark.”

In this story, we meet the protagonist, Ricki, who is the odd girl out in her family, and although she does not appease the Black social class or her family's standards, she’s full of love, tenderness, and compassion. With a need to feel the earth and follow her own path, she uproots her life, leaves Atlanta, and moves to Harlem, where she opens up her own plant shop and continues to explore the highs and lows of adult life. This is how we are introduced to her biggest support systems, Tueaday and Ms. Della.

What seems like a simple story of a young woman finding her way is met with twists and turns, and for Ezra, a handsome man from the early 1900s who is surrounded by tragedy and a gift for the piano, a curse turns not only his world upside down but Ricki’s as well. We learn of love, more loss, the truth starts unraveling itself, and even though the ending was predictable and the story seemed to drag on a bit, wanting a happy ending was the only solution.

Note: For such a long book, it seems like so much went unanswered. Plus, learning about Ezra and his past was the best part of the story for me, and Tuesday was a damn good best friend!

Tia Williams has done it again! As a 27 y/o woman I found Ricki so relatable and fun. The depictions of black beauty both past and present are just what we need in our current political climate. This book is very accessible to all readers and will be the perfect read to ring in Spring 2024! Lastly, round of applause for the GORGEOUS cover!

Thank you to NetGalley, publishers, and author Tia Williams for this ARC!

I have absolutely no words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. It pulled at my heart strings while also teaching me so much about black history, especially the Harlem Renaissance.
As I read this book, I highlighted people and songs that I want to look further into and learn more about, it was amazing!
Author, Tia Williams, did an excellent job intertwining life lessons throughout this story as well. For example, the protagonist had to believe in herself when no one else did and she did THAT👏🏾
I could say so much more about this book, but I don’t want to spoil it! You must read this book so you don’t miss out on the magic, the romance, the unlikely friendship, found family and MORE.
I cannot explain to you the feelings and emotions I felt. It was just that good.

Definitely one of my top reads of 2023!

What an amazing and all around lovely story. I adored Seven Days in June and while this one had a completely different vibe, I loved it. Also, the cover is absolutely STUNNING. Can't wait to add it to my physical collection.

It is hard to review this book without spoilers, so just let me say it was wonderful. This is one of those books where you savor the words. I loved Ms. Della. She had so many good lines! Loved the epilogue.

This was my first Tia Williams but it won't be my last. Another author added to my TBR list.

5 stars

This was a good book! I am truly a “pick a book by the cover” person. I wouldn’t have picked this book, but I have to say I am do glad I read it!! I couldn’t put it down! I would definitely recommend this book!

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't my favorite from Tia Williams. I loved the time-traveling/historical fiction aspects she brought to this love story based in Harlem, but ultimately it felt like this book was maybe 50 pages too long? The storyline felt redundant and I ultimately lost interest about 2/3rds of the way through.

This was so unexpected romantic and rich story. It took me on an unexpected journey for a love story. I like this diversionary tale of mystery with the time jumps. I feel the suspense of illusion Ezra’s past. Rikki was the quirky heroine that you rooted for all the way through. I would have like to understand deeper the dynamic of the mother and need to self medicate. This is a quick read that gave romance and steamy sex scenes.. All the loose ends were accounted for the couple. It hung with a decent cliffhanger and you hope love for win in the end.

I love Tia Williams, so anything that is written by Tia Williams, COUNT ME IN! I truly enjoyed this book. It was a perfect balance of emotions and also the characters developed beautifully! I love a book that MAKES me feel and Tia Williams does just that! There was a part in the beginning that I felt skipped or went from one moment to the next within the same page, so I found myself rereading that specific part about 3x before getting it. Other than that, it was GREAT!

This was my first Tia Williams book. I know I know don’t stone me. I consider myself a born again reader.

I truly loved this book. I characters were diverse, intriguing and kept me hooked. O felt so close to Ricki, like a kindred spirit… minus coming from a rich family.

This book was a perfect balance between romance, historical fiction and coming of age.

This book was beautifully written! My first read from this author! I will definitely be purchasing the hard copy upon its release!

Loved it! Tia Williams never disappoints. I got so attached to Ricky and Ezra. This book was so magical I. So many ways!

The plot unfolds unexpectedly, weaving a story that is both refreshing and enthralling. The chemistry between Ricki and Ezra is nothing short of mesmerizing, and their individual journeys throughout the novel evoke a profound sense of awe. "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is a tapestry of emotions, seamlessly blending humor, heartwarming moments, and heartbreaking twists, creating an overall experience that can only be described as truly awe inspiring. "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is a beautifully written masterpiece that transcends expectations, offering a reading experience that is as enchanting as it is unforgettable. Tia Williams has once again proven she is a master storyteller, creating a reading experience that resonates with laughter, love, and a touch of magic.

There are big fat ugly tears rolling down my face 😭 This book was so magical. I loved the dual timelines and how the two narratives of Ricki and Ezra joined together as one as the story progressed. This book celebrates Black artists in all forms and it was just such a beautiful story spanning multiple generations. There are also so many hilarious comedic moments from the 3rd-person POV storytelling that had me laughing out loud. And the Eva and Shane reference had me bawling! Tia Williams truly is the greatest! Everything she writes is liquid gold, and I can't wait to read her future works.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book! I’ve willingly read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

I was a huge fan of Tia Williams’s SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE (one of my few five star reads in 2021!) and have been patiently waiting for her next novel. A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE met my high expectations and even exceeded many of them.

Ricki Wilde is the black sheep in a family of successful overachievers. Despite the Wildes putting decades into the funeral business, with all three of her sisters opening up and running their own franchises to grow their family empire. Ricki strikes out on her own to attempt to make a career with her passion for floral design in Harlem, a city she’s admired for its rich history and distance from her “perfect” family.

Once there, Ricki realizes just how difficult it is to build a business from the ground up, even with a successful social media following. But a chance encounter with a handsome man named Ezra who she can’t seem to shake, mentally or physically, changes her life in more ways than she can imagine.

A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE is beautifully written, with a twist of magic I certainly wasn’t expecting but was absolutely fascinated by (and won’t tell you about here 😉) that links the two protagonists over decades. I loved how despite Ricki and Ezra being the two main characters who readers will desperately root to find their happy ending together, Williams allows other characters to have their voices heard, like Miss Della, Ricki’s surrogate grandmother, and Tuesday, Ricki’s former child-star best friend to add moments of mystery, levity, and even frustration. The mix of modern Harlem with that of the 1920s also held its own bit of magic and truly brings the story to life in a way I could see translating well to a future TV series or movie.

Though I wish I could have spent more time with Ricki and Ezra, A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE resolves in a way that just seems perfect for all involved.

TW: racially motivated murder, death of family members, suicide, mention of miscarriages

As much as I loved Seven Days in June, I was SO excited to see a new Tia Williams coming up soon! I may need to give this an additional read closer to publication, but unfortunately it really didn't work for me on this round. I was so entranced by the nuanced backstories and the depth of character in SDIJ, but I couldn't find any of that same skill here. The characters felt like caricatures more than anything, and everything about Ricki's family and early character development just felt overblown. The sheer ridiculousness of her family business, rife with puns, really downgraded the quality of the narrative from the get go, and it seemed like that author was leaning way too hard into classic romance novel stereotypes from the first introduction of the love interest. That being said, I think a lot of people will really enjoy the glamour of the Harlem Renaissance and the light magical elements that kept the story interesting. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.