I had high hopes because I loved Seven Days in June, but this was just fine. Some of the story came across as flat, some of the characters felt like caricatures. I didn't dislike it by any stretch, but I'm not excited to get it into readers' hands either.

This book was such an incredibly happy surprise! After reading her previous novel, I was eager to read this one and I was not disappointed! I loved the plot and the love story. It was such a beautiful book to read and her writing is some of my favorite. This is one of my favorite romances of the year.

What a fun read! Tia Williams has created a compelling story with lovable, quirky characters all set against the backdrop of a bustling Harlem. It's an ode to Harlem's glorious past, while still being firmly rooted in the present. The dialogue sings and the romance is magic!

3.5 stars

I will preface this by saying I may be in a reading slump and have not been wowed by many books lately!

Tia Williams impressed me with Seven Days in June and I was so excited to pick up A Love Song for Ricki Wilde! I greatly enjoyed the premise and Ricki was a phenomenal lead. I loved her flower shop and desire to make it on her own, without the support of her well-to-do family. I almost put the book down at first...the first half of the book felt choppy and didn't flow well. It took too long to reveal Ezra's "secret" and the way Ricki processed it was slightly unbelievable. Though I liked the characters, some of the dialogue felt forced or too trendy. However, once I hit about 60%, I couldn't put it down. I did predict the big event towards the end, although the details were more creative than I imagined. The romance was very steamy but well done. Overall enjoyable, but I wish it had drawn me in faster!

I think I am in the minority on this one, as others seemed to adore it!

I'll forever read that everything Tia Williams writes. After reading Seven Days In June, I've been itching for a new release from her and A Love Song For Ricki Wilde didn't disappoint. While I found this one a little slow to start with the back and forth between present day and the past, once I got the gist of what was going on I was hooked. And the fact that we got a little cameo from my SDIJ faves? Icing on the cake. I already can't wait for Tia Williams' next project!

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Lovely romance, with some really cool magical realism added. Ricki and Ezra are wonderful fully-developed likable characters. You root for them through the whole novel. I would love to have Della as a grandmother and Tuesday as a best friend. It was really enjoyable to read about Harlem's history. Highly recommend t his unique and magical books.

I am such a fan of Tia Williams (as a person and an author!) but unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I really loved the Harlem setting and how it felt like a character in its own, and the strong female characters in the story. However, it just felt slow and the pacing was generally inconsistent, it was hard to want to pick this up for some reason. I think she took a big swing here and I commend her for it, I'll be interested to see what she does in the future!

This was a love story for the ages (literally!)

I was not expecting a genre bending romance when I began reading, but Tia Williams had me enthralled from the first page. Told through Williams’ beautiful prose, I enjoyed watching the beautiful love story between Ricki and Ezra unfold. Everything felt magical, which was fitting for this novel, and I could feel the undying chemistry between the two.

She also excels at bringing her characters to life and making them jump off the page. I enjoyed Ms. Della and Tuesday and the relationships that Ricki had with them.

This was a 5/5 and I can’t wait to see what Williams writes next.

If you love magical realism, great love story AND historical fiction -this book does it all so well!!

What I loved:
1. The beautiful, lush descriptions of Harlem - the music, the energy popped off the page.
2. The chemistry between the characters - humor, passion, secrets....and then there is Della - one of my favorite characters ever!!
3. So easy to read - and so sad to get to the end of the book. This is one to take to the pool or beach and lose yourself in the pages! 

Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy!

Ricki Wilde, against the expectations of her family, sets off to start up a floral shop of her own. Ms. Della befriends her and offers her the ability to rent the lower level of her Harlem brownstone. One night, she meets a handsome stranger who sets her world off kilter and the connection is instant. Although I was not expecting the magical realism presented in this romance, I adored it. I enjoyed following along with Ricki and Ezra's story and their lives in Harlem New York.

Oh my heart! I loved this story. Great character development. Great storyline. Overall a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Absolutely stunning! The writing is beautiful. It’s hilarious, heartbreaking, and joyful. I loved this story so very much. Tia Williams is brilliant.

This was just not my jam. I loved Seven Days in June so much - but this one just felt jilted and forced. I'll be sure to look for next one based on how much I enjoyed Seven Days but this one wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the magical realism. This is my first book by Tia Williams and I’m excited to read her back list !

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Grand Central and NetGalley for the eARC of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde! All opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely adored Seven Days in June so A Love Song for Ricki Wilde had a tough reputation to live up to. While it couldn't dethrone Seven Days in June as my favorite Tia Williams book, I still enjoyed it! I really like Ricki as a character and her relationship with Ezra, but I didn't love the chapters that flashed back into the past. I kept just wanting to read about Ricki and her flower shop! The last 100ish pages were my favorite because that's when the story really came together. Overall, Williams creates a loveable cast of characters in this magical book!

4.5 rounding up. After loving Seven Days in June, I was excited to pick this one up, and I am glad I did! A romance with some fun magical realisim thrown in - usually not my vibe at all, but I am glad I jumped in anyway. I love how she writes and how she infuses history into this story in such a beautiful way. I can't wait for her next book!

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

Tia Williams is such an excellent author. I stalled with this book and wasn't able to finish before publication day but I would highly highly recommend this book to my audience. The slow burn romance, the dual timeline, the Harlem elements, it all came together so beautifully and wonderfully. I cannot say enough kind and good words about Tia Williams as an author.

I absolutely loved this book! It is truly amazing and I highly recommend! Tia Williams is such and amazing writer

✨ PRINCEMAN REVIEW ✨

📝 Ricki has always been the 'odd' one in her family. While they are all destined to work with the father's funeral home chain, she craves for something different. What she really wants is to run her own flower shop. By chance, she meets Della, who offers her a place to stay in Harlem while she opens her own shop. Ricki is finally starting her own path, when she meets the mysterious Ezra. She can't help but be drawn to him, even though he is a mystery. Is this connection one she can forget?

What I 🤍:
🪄 Magical Realism
🕰️ Harlem Renaissance
🩷 Fated Mates
🌀 Duel Timelines
🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Found Family

TIa Williams once again writes a masterpiece. I thought Seven Days in June would be impossible to beat, but this is also up there. I couldn't get enough of Ricky and Ezra. The second half of the story was also so enchanting, that it was impossible to put down. I can't recommend this book enough!