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!

"A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" by Tia Williams is an enchanting and epic love story that spans a century, filled with passion, artistry, and the allure of Harlem. This novel captures the essence of leap years, those rare moments in time when anything can happen, and a single February can change lives forever.

The story revolves around Ricki Wilde, the unconventional daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty. Unlike her glamorous socialite sisters, Ricki is an adorable dandelion, seemingly a weed but with the potential to bloom wherever the wind takes her. Fueled by dreams of a different, more exciting life, Ricki seizes an opportunity to rent the bottom floor of Ms. Della's Harlem brownstone and fulfill her dream of opening a flower shop.

As Ricki embarks on this new journey, she discovers that the rich cultural history of the Harlem Renaissance still permeates the neighborhood. The novel beautifully weaves together the vibrancy of modern Harlem with the glamour and magic of the Renaissance era.

The heart of the story lies in a chance encounter in February, when Ricki meets a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns her world upside down in unexpected ways. Their connection is palpable, and their love story unfolds against the backdrop of art, music, and the irresistible allure of New York City.

Tia Williams's prose is lyrical and evocative, painting a vivid picture of Harlem's atmosphere and its enduring influence. The characters are richly drawn, and Ricki, in particular, stands out as a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her journey of self-discovery and pursuit of her dreams is inspiring and relatable to readers.

"A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is a swoon-worthy romance that celebrates the power of love, art, and the magic of Harlem. It's a beautifully crafted tale of two passionate artists drawn together by fate, and their lives become intricately intertwined. This novel is a testament to the enduring spirit of love and the timeless allure of New York City.

An engaging, enchanted read. There were moments when I put the book down to gather my thoughts on what was happening. While the plot was engaging there were moments when I asked myself-is this happening
This book will woo many readers and they’ll immortalize Ricki and Ezra for years to come.

This wrecked me. WRECKED me. It was magical, fantastical, so beautiful, and somehow also laugh out loud funny. Absolutely loved it.

I would like to thank you for an advanced copy of this book. I loved The Perfect Find and I couldn’t wait to dive into this book, When I first started reading about Ricki’s family, I thought it was going to be all about her being the ‘black sheep” of the family. The book took me by surprised when Ezra was character was introduced, I began to lose interest and could not focus. Once I got to the plot of the story it took me by surprised, because I didn’t see the plot coming. I am not into the super natural , and I think that is one reason I lost focus .

This was such a different read then I'm used to from Tia Williams. I had to sit with it a while, but I ultimately think I liked it! I loved the back and forth and the twist was well done.

I loved each MC, both together and on their own!

The only thing I would change would be having a bit more of the book take place in the 1920's, since those chapters were so fun to read!

A fan of the author, I read the book without reading any summary before starting. I had no idea the journey this book would take me on. Definitely was not expecting the twist. It ended up being a cute story and I enjoyed the ride! Cameos from favorite characters from the past was a nice surprise as well.

Thanks to @GrandCentralPublishing and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #ALoveSongforRickiWilde. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I don't consider myself a "romance" reader, but I enjoyed Seven Days in June so I jumped at the chance to read Williams' newest book. And I wasn't disappointed. Williams creates fun female characters who are relatably real. And while the plot was a little far-fetched and the ending was predictable, I still really enjoyed this book.

Ricki Wilde is the youngest daughter of a prominent Atlanta family, but she doesn't "fit" or want the life that is expected of her. So she escapes to New York where she opens her "dream" flower shop in basement of the Harlem brownstone of her surrogate grandmother Ms Della. Things get interesting when she meets the mysterious Ezra in the community garden.

Like Seven Days, this book takes place over a short period of time and that keeps things moving along. Add well developed secondary characters and flashbacks to the Harlem Renaissance, and you've got a good read that will make you laugh and smile.

Wow.

This story has a magic to it that can only be experienced one time. At first, I was confused as to where the novel was going, but when it picked up, it really picked up.

The plot is so unique that you can’t help but to constantly read more until you have all the answers you need. The exploration between romantic and platonic love as well as found family is so beautiful.

Tia Williams did it again, y’all.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about a young woman named Ricki Wilde, who comes from a wealthy Atlanta family. The Wilde family runs a chain of funeral homes. Wanting to escape her shallow family traditions and create her own business, Ricki moves to Harlem. She makes new friends and family. She also meets Ezra (a beautiful man with a huge secret).

Time traveling back and forth from the early 1900s to present, this cute and modern book is centered around Leap Years and the magic they bring. She falls in love with the city and a man who is just as creative minded as she is. They connect with each other with an electricity like no other. (The sex is incredible too!)

The author hits topics from Racial issues to LGBTQ and social media influence today. Ms. Williams creates a child actress, a open-minded 96 year old woman, a voodoo loving Louisianan and more. I would love to read more from this author!



Publish Date: February 6, 2024

Grateful to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for sharing this with me.

Magical

This book took me on an unexpected journey. It was whimsical and mythical. At times it was downright silly. Somehow, Williams made it work. She delivered two incredibly lovable lead characters. It was impossible not to root for them. She blessed Ricki with a beautiful surrogate family. It was all so touching and sweet. Ezra’s story felt like a fairytale. He was the perfect prince. Their love story was electric. The rich history of the Harlem Renaissance was woven in like its own character. I absolutely loved that. This unexpected read turned out to be so satisfying.

This was a fresh take on an ode to Black love. I gave it four stars. I would highly recommend reading this upon its release. Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Tia Williams for this advanced copy to review. #ALoveSongforRickiWilde #NetGalley.

3/5 stars

I really enjoyed Tia Williams writing style; however, I really do not understand why this plot was chosen. I was conflicted the entire time between loving the main characters and hating the plot. This is my first Tia Williams' book so I am curious to read more from her.

Thank you NetGalley and Williams for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows the main character's journey to live a different life than the one that was planned for her. It includes all the experiences that one will encounter when taking such a journey including letting go, meeting new people, developing new relationships including love interests, creativity, resourcefulness, success, and failures with paranormal elements sprinkled throughout. I felt all the range of human emotions while reading this book. The characters were so well developed and I enjoyed meeting them all. I was not only fully vested in the main characters but also the supporting characters. It was like reading a really good movie because the settings and time periods were so vividly described in the writing. I also appreciated the flashbacks to the historical setting of the Harlem Renaissance. The deep cuts that were mentioned introduced me to authors & artists that I was not familiar with despite having studied the era.

There is an unexpected depiction of racial violence. However, this incident was written with care without being too graphic. I also feel this depiction was integral to building the character's back story and helped in explaining the characters behavior.

Overall I recommend this to anyone who is looking for an interesting, feel-good, atypical, modern-day love story.

Not my favorite Tia Williams read. This was a DNF for me. I completed 40% of the book. I recently lost my 96 year old grandmother and reading the decline of Ms. Della was triggering for me. Not sure how the story ends, but I do hope Ricki gets a happy ending.

5 stars!!!

Although the author previous books is strictly romance, this book is different from the others as involves layers of immorality and witchcraft too.The immersion of immorality and witchcraft is ideal for readers who are not avid fantasy readers. Although, upon completing the book readers may have found a new genre of interest.The plot holds readers attention as readers are eager to witness the individually development of Ricki and Breeze. In addition to the historical references of Black history, culture, and music is definitely a pager turner. I also enjoyed the appearance of characters from Seven Days in June.

Tia Williams, you are an insta-read for me, but after "Seven Days in June," I was NOT PREPARED for "A Love Song for Ricki Wild."

This gem begins like some unpleasant relatives of the Brown Sisters, our charming quirky heroine reminded me a bit of Eve (IYKYK), but without the family who adores her. No, these family members are *respectable* Georgia republicans who have zero patience for Ricki's creativity and dreams. Ricki is determined to follow her own path, however, and meets Della, who has the perfect location in Harlem for her to open her long dreamed of flower shop. Reading about Ricki building her dream and meeting people who truly *get* her is a delight. But hold onto your hats, now we are in the 20s reading about a man named Breeze during the Harlem Renaissance. He seems like he's going to be the love interest? Maybe he'll be his grandfather? I was so confused!

Well, it turns out, as the story unfolds, it metamorphoses into a sumptuous blend of historical fantasy and modern magical realism and if you are willing to just GO WITH IT, you will love this book. If you can't suspend your disbelief? This isn't the novel for you.

Read this if you love an author who can balance snappy, hilarious dialogue with soul wrenching poetic prose. Read if you love a slow burn that culminates in an impossibly sexy but not particularly spicy romance.

Do not read if you dislike fantasy or magic, some level of predictability, fated mates.

I devoured this book in a single night, and I can say it was a night well spent. Plus, there is a DEEPLY sweet Eva and Shane cameo and I squealed and kicked my legs like a CHILD. If you're craving a book that seamlessly weaves Black history, fantasy, and modern romance into one hilarious, poetic, sweet, and delightful tapestry, "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is your ticket to a literary experience that you won't want to end. Happy reading! 💫📚✨