✨Book Review✨
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
.
Not only was this book beautifully written, but it had so much ambiance. Old time Harlem, a blossoming plant shop, the BEST characters (Dellaaaaaaa!), and all the magical realism. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone who loves magical realism like I do.
.
I mostly listened to the audio and it was SO well done. The pacing of the book was perfect. Now I can't wait to read Seven Days in June. I will be recommending A Love Song for Ricki Wilde for a long time.

I wished this had been more of a straightforward romance than what it ends up being. I like this author’s style and can see how she wants to fit into romance tropes but I’d rather the romance be more fleshed out than all the other things happening in this plot.

4.5 stars

Seven Days in June remains one of my favorite books, so I couldn't wait to read Tia Williams' newest. I knew it would be amazing, and I wasn't wrong. While it didn't knock Seven Days out of the top spot, it still made me laugh and cry. It was touching, magical, swoony, mysterious, heartbreaking, and sexy.

When Ricki Wilde leaves her wealthy family in Atlanta, the family who thinks little of her, less of her because she doesn't want to be part of their funeral home dynasty and because she's a free-spirit, different, she heads to Harlem to open her long dreamt of flower shop with the help of Miss Della, a much older Black lady she met and connected with--kindred spirits if you will. Once there, she keeps encountering a strange man, a very handsome man: no matter what, their paths keep crossing. It seems serendipitous the way they keep running into each other. Ricki has to know more about Ezra since she's sure there's more to him than meets the eye...

Not only does this book take place during modern times, but it also goes back in time to give glimpses of the Harlem Renaissance, which I thought was so interesting. And the book is set in February of this year, during the Leap Year--super important for the story since magic happens around Leap Day, or so they say! There's quite a bit of magical realism in the book, especially the last half which is really important to the plot, and I loved that. Some authors don't incorporate that well into their novels, but Williams did a great job.

The found family in this book was so wonderful! I loved Miss Della! She became a grandmother figure for Ricki, thank God since her family was unsupportive and just ugh...I can't find a word. The characters are wonderful, the story is fascinating although it dragged a bit in places and felt a bit confusing here and there, and the writing was lyrical and beautiful as always.

I loved this one and can't wait to read what Williams writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tia Williams writes pining and deep soulmate love like no other. The way she had me INVESTED in the love story, Harlem, the magic, the side characters, NYC… This was such a beautiful, magical story. I LOVED it!

This was a different read for me. I usually don’t care for sci-if or fantasy storylines. The way the book started off I didn’t realize the character Ezra had been under a voodoo curse from over decades ago. The connection between Ricki and Ezra was so strong that is what kept me reading the storyline until it ended.
There was some interesting plot twist and turns especially with the ending. I didn’t see that happening.
If you enjoy sci-fi and/or fantasy genre then this would be an enjoyable read for you.
I received an arc from NetGalley and this review is of my own honest opinion and thoughts.

Leap Years can be strange. February includes Valentine's Day and an extra day for love. Ricki and Ezra will fall in love this leap year but will fate allow them a happily ever after?

Tia Williams weaves a beautiful story. Her use of magical realism is well written and the dialogue is witty and sarcastic. I fell into this story and did not want it to end.

I highly recommend this book. Tia Williams, what's next? I can't wait to read it.

Mixing the nightlife and artistic creativity of the Harlem Renaissance with modern times, Tia Williams weaves a love story between 2 people who are ages apart. Ricki Wilde wants to get away from her family and their funeral business. She goes to NYC to follow her dream of opening a florist shop. She finds a benefactor, Ms. Della, who offers her space to open the shop. One night, Ricki meets a handsome man who intrigues her. Along with her friend, Tuesday, they search for him, and once found, he begs her to stay away. However, they are destined for each other. One problem, Ezra, a pianist, is 28, but can't age, as he has been cursed to be immortal. If Ricki and he fall in love, then Ricki will die on Feb 29, leap day. Weaving these 2 storylines together, along with the people that influence their lives led to an interesting and unique story.
You will find yourself rooting for Ricki and Ezra, and hoping they can find a way to live together in love.

I was completely enchanted by this leap year love story with magical realism woven throughout. I’m not one who can easily visualize stories in my head, but with this one I felt immersed in the music, people, and art of the Harlem Renaissance. It was as much a love letter to modern-day and 1920s Harlem as it was a love story between Ricki and Ezra. The ending and epilogue had me crying all the tears as Ezra and Ricki found their HEA. The writing was so gorgeous and lyrical.

If you get a chance, I suggest reading this one via audiobook. Mela Lee and Preston Butler beautifully narrated it. I could easily envision this brought to life on the big screen.

Ricki has always felt like an imposter in her wealthy family, especially compared to her three "perfect" older sisters. She wants nothing to do with the successful family funeral home business in Atlanta and aspires to open her own flower shop instead. When she meets an eccentric 96-year old named Ms. Della with an enticing offer, Ricki jumps at the chance to open the flower shop of her dreams in the ground floor of Ms. Della's Harlem brownstone. Soon after moving to New York, she meets a mysterious stranger who she can't seem to stay away from. Can she uncover the secrets he's hiding?

After reading and loving Tia Williams' last novel, Seven Days in June, I had extremely high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it fell a little short for me. I had so much trouble caring about the characters and feeling invested in their love story (possibly because I don't typically enjoy the soulmates trope). On top of that, the story felt much slower than I was expecting. I will continue to pick up Tia Williams' books in the future because I still think she is a very talented author with a beautiful writing style, but this was sadly a miss for me.

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Absouetly! I have never gone into a book as blind as I did this one, and I am so glad I did. I had zero idea what kind of world awaited me and it turns out Tia Williams has spun a majestic one. This book is a bit like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but full of Harlem’s rich cultural history. The story is told in multiple perspectives but it is mostly from the perspective of Ricki and the mysterious man she meets in a garden one night Ezra. Ricki has never fit in with her family and has given up on trying since nothing she does seems to work. In a surprising move she decides to leave the family business and strike out to follow her dream of owning a flower shop. A chance meeting connects her to someone with an apartment with what could be a storefront in Harlem and Rickie leaves Atlanta, her family, and all expectations behind. It's the kind of book that lights you up from the inside. It's warm, rich, and soulful, blending historical fiction, magical realism, with an epic romance in the vein of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

I wanted to like this one so much but I don’t know why I couldn’t get through it. Maybe it’s just me. But I usually love Tia Williams writing

suspend disbelief -- the harlem renaissance is here to stay. if you loved seven days in june, trust that tia williams will deliver the sweetest and most romantic prose and heartfelt relationship development possible yet again.

Tia Williams became an autobuy author for me after Seven Days in June, and Love Song for Ricki Wilde did not disappoint.
Williams paints such a vivid picture of a place I have yet to explore that I could picture it so clearly in the past and present.
I loved her foray into magical realism and the callbacks to Seven Days in June.
Williams continues to be a favorite author of mine and I cannot wait to read what she writes next.

Two things pulled me into the story right away:
1- The chaotic protagonist dealing with a dysfunctional family who looked perfect on the outside.
2- The sarcastic humor in the narrator’s voice.
My favorite part in the humor department was definitely the conversation about vampires. Ezra’s indignation at that comparison was perfect. But that said, the explanation about who Ezra and people like him were a little convoluted. The way the flashbacks chapters were set up gave the first impression of a time-travel story.
The resolution involving Mrs. Della worked well since the moment she showed up, it was clear she would play an important role in Ricky’s life. Although how the curse was eventually broken could be perceived as too convenient in the overall narrative.
All in all, it was a romantic and fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK. Ya’ll I loved this so much. Seriously, I have no notes and I usually have notes.

I was not expecting the twist, though I was trying to guess what it was the whole time. I loved all the characters, there was romance and humor. The pacing was great, writing was flawless. The narrators did a wonderful job for the audiobook.

And the ending?! Omg the epilogue had me tearing up.

This was such a good book, I highly recommend picking this one up. ❤️📚

Thank you @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

It took me longer than I would have liked to truly become immersed in this love story. I received an ARC copy, courtesy of NetGalley several months ago, but I just could not seem to get into the story. I tried several times. I think it was just too many details for me, at a time I needed more action. I will say, once I was able to get I to Ricki and Ezra's actual story, I absolutely felt and enjoyed their chemistry. Once I got into their connection, I realized why all the background was necessary.
If you like slow burns, with connections to past, present, and future, you'll enjoy this latest Tia Williams story.

I absolutely loved this one! My first by Tia Williams and I went in blind at the recommendation of trusted bookish friends. I highly recommend doing the same. The vibrant characters and story will suck you right in, you won't regret it!

4.5 stars

This is a story that will be a love song for readers' hearts.

Hits:
- I absolutely loved the writing and storytelling. Tia Williams has a unique way of bringing a love story to life.

- I enjoyed the added element of magical realism. At first, I was apprehensive of how it would work in a love story, but it actually took it to the next level.

- I loved the characters and character banter. Ms. Della with her wisdom, Ricki with her awkwardness and unapologetic eccentricity, and Ezra with his old soul.

- I appreciated the amount of reflection this story provided. The message wasn’t one that hit you right away and instead, was one that was so much deeper than the surface. The second half made me feel SO many things, especially the last two chapters. I loved the layers in this story. Through its storytelling and message, it touched on many important things.

- There’s some type of sorcery in Tia Williams’ writing. The amount of prolonged mysteriousness did become annoying however, surprisingly, it didn’t make me want to DNF. Instead, it actually made me want to continue reading.

Misses:
- My “miss” is mainly based on personal preference and the fact that I'm impatient. The slow pacing during the first half of the book really lost me, and the prolonged amount of mysteriousness became agonizing. After reaching the second half, I understood why the first half moved at the speed it did but I was just impatient.

Other notes:
- This was definitely a “gots to see it through” read. It lost me in the first half, but the second half wholeheartedly redeemed it for me. I stayed up late to finish this book, and ended up sobbing at 4 am. Nothing could’ve prepared my heart for that conclusion.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It’s a love story that will break you in the best way.

Probably one of the most undercooked fantasy/magical realism-based plots I've encountered in awhile. From the chain of funeral homes, pant-less dinner date, painfully predictable plot twists, and the weirdest piano sex scene I had the misfortune of witnessing, I was over it all. *exasperated sigh* 🤦🏾‍♀️ When it got to the meat of Ezra's backstory, I went into hysterics at the foolishness the further I read. It was pure clownery. By the end of it, I also wanted to take a leap out of the story. iykyk 😂

The writing is also quite confusing. It's as if the past and present chapters were by different people. A lot of the dialogue came across in a very try-hard "Look at me, I'm a cool mom" way. Stunted and childish side characters read as if they were handpicked from Ed, Edd n Eddy. Both main characters were so lame and boring. The romance is goofy and unserious. Every sex scene would make my eyes glaze over because I never felt their chemistry at any point of the story. If it was just a platonic relationship then it would've cut back the overall cringe of the novel.

The wildest thing about this novel is that, even with its terrible puns and lazy mental health mentions, I still liked it 10x better than Seven Days in June.


Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy for an honest review.

This book was absolutely breathtaking. I enjoyed the dual timeline and the magical nature of the love story. The history lessons on the Harlem Renaissance was like icing on the cake. I wanted to be able to see the floral arrangements and the buildings described. My heart broke for Ricki and then swelled when love wins in the end.