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.

Tia gives us a dash of magical realism with this one. I will say that piano scene had me looking sideways LOL but it was a great book overall about self discovery, love and life... admist a harlem renaissance backstory/flashback

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

*SPOILERS*

I was not expecting what sort of turned out to be a gender- and race-bent ADDIE LARUE, but I LOVED Ricki’s voice.

I appreciate netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC for the opportunity.

This was my first Tia Williams book and I like her writing style! The characters and the plot were not something I expected but I loved! I can't wait to engulf myself in more of her stories!

The hold this book had on me from the first chapter.

This book had so many small moments of genius. It’s a romance but I also felt like I learned so much! I swooned, but I also laughed so much! Even the fact that it’s about leap years and it’s coming out in February of a leap year just feels like a moment of genius to me.

Ok, so here’s what I loved:
- all the info about the Harlem Renaissance as well as influential Black musicians and artists
- Ricki: I loved her journey and bravery to strike out on her own
- Ms. 👏🏼 Della 👏🏼
- Tuesday
- so many little LOL moments— the writing here really is *chef’s kiss*
- the Seven Days In June Easter egg
- the magical realism elements made this feel very whimsical

What I didn’t love…
- there was almost too much foreshadowing— at some point it became clear where this was going and I wanted to get there and see things develop rather than so much build up
- I don’t know that the love story jumped off the page as much as I would have liked. I didn’t feel the feels like I was hoping once we got there.
- while this absolutely gripped me in the first few chapters that momentum didn’t last through the whole book

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it— especially if you’ve loved Tia Williams’ work in the past. I think this will be a hit come February!