This was such a unique beautiful story. It’s got an unbelievable twist that’s leaves you wondering how things will work out.

I loved Ricki. I loved Ezra. I loved the friendships made and the way things connected. It was amazing!

Ezra and Ricki just had this magnetic chemistry. They were just drawn to each other. I couldn’t get enough of them!

I was seriously hanging out to get answers to my questions and then I had to know how it ended! It was hard to put down! Definitely recommend if you are looking for something a little different!

It's a love story a century in the making.

Ricki Wilde, with myriad talents, finds herself longing for a life beyond the confines of her influential Atlanta family. The impulsive, artistic daughter leaps when offered the chance to rent a Harlem brownstone’s bottom floor, leaving behind wealth and tumultuous romances. Her dream of opening a flower shop unfolds amid the rich tapestry of the Harlem Renaissance.

Amid modern Harlem’s vibrancy and Renaissance glamour, Ricki’s world takes a thrilling turn one February evening, scented with night-blooming jasmine, when she encounters a captivating stranger. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde weaves a swoon-worthy tale of love, passion, and artistic allure in the enchanting backdrop of New York.
If you love Tia Williams and if you loved “Seven Days in June” prepare the tissue box and hold on to your heart!

Tia Williams has a way with words that I cannot describe. Her storytelling is immaculate and the love stories…what can I say, they will make you feel different.

“A Love Song for Ricki Wilde” was a wild ride, pun intended. The passion between Ricki and Ezra, the beautiful and heartwrenching love story, is a page-turner. The connection between Ricki and Ms. Della, how everything, 100 years in the making, comes full circle I was left crying, shocked, in awe, and wanting more. Plus, read the shout-out Eva Mercy gets in this book…No Spoilers!

“He was music I could listen to forever.”

Rating: 4.25/5

- Magical realism
- Florist x pianist
- Soulmates
- Mental health rep
- Found family
- Triple POV (first and third person)

“An epic love story 100 years in the making.” If this isn’t the perfect tagline for A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, I don't know what is. I’m going to keep my review spoiler-free because I think this is one of those books that it’s best to go into blind for the most impact.

But here’s what I loved:
- It’s both a love story and a love letter to Harlem. You’re guaranteed to want to book a trip to NYC to walk in their footsteps and soak up the same magic.
- The connection between Ezra and Ricki, two artists drawn to NYC at different times but for similar reasons. You’ll swoon, giggle at their banter, and be heartbroken about their future.
- Ricki is such a unique character. I loved how she romanticised her life and led with her heart.
- Ezra is also a unique MMC (in more ways than one). But he had literally been waiting his whole life for her 🥺. “I was a fool, thinking that I was born to do anything grander than loving her.”
- The supporting characters, especially Ms. Della and how she immediately welcomed Ricki into her life and called her her granddaughter.
- Tia’s writing is completely captivating. I will read anything she writes. This line hit me the hardest: “Identity changes all the time, I’ve found. There’s a few more ‘you’s’ you haven’t met yet.”
- The Seven Days in June crossover, of course!

Extremely likeable Ricki is leaving behind Atlanta and the expectations of her wealthy family to go it alone and follow her dream of opening a florist in Harlem. One evening in February so meets a handsome and enigmatic strange who is going to change her life in a very unexpected way.

I don’t want to give too much away but this really is a beautiful love story with a twist. I loved learning about the history of the Harlan Renaissance and all the musical references, and the chemistry between Ricki and Ezra was 🔥

Seven Days In June by the author was a great read and this is just as good, highly recommend to those looking for a dreamy romance with some great supporting characters bringing humour and heart.

Ricki and Ezra's love story is intense. But will it last? I wasn't expecting the magical realism element of this story so when it came up, it threw me for a bit but how can one resist Kennedy Ryan's amazing writing? Really enjoyed this story and the epilogue at the end had me in tears - such a beautiful story!

Ricki Wilde is actually Richard Wilde the Second - the name picked for her when her parents hoped for a boy. But hey! It still works! Ricki’s the youngest and from a family of funeral home owners, so when she wants to branch out into floristry it’s a a huge shock to her family. But it’s worth every moment of moving to Harlem, a suburb and town that pulls at Ricki’s heart that don’t become clear till the end of this story.

OMG! Tia Williams knocked this one out of the park!!!!!!!! I loved Williams Seven Days In June and this is its own completely different romance that I am obsessed with!! And if you’ve read it please hit my DM’s desperately whenever you read it so we can share spoilers tea!! 🫖🫖🫖 but this is easily a new favourite and if you’re not sure - just give this bad boy a go! 😍😍

My deepest thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC!

I really wanted to like this book as I loved seven days in June, but I was 25% in and bored. I think cause my copy was badly formatted it really hurt my head to read this book but also I couldn't care about Ricki and what happened to her. TBH for a character that is meant to be eccentric and colourful she is extremely dull, boring and like any other girl (although I feel she was written to be like not your typical girl)

A brilliant new love story from Tia Williams. Mixing romance, magical realism and history together in this enchanting novel spanning 100 years.
A well-paced story keeps you engaged as a reader, and speculating on how the story will unfold.
Tia Williams is definitely a must read author.
Thank you NetGalley.

“Leap years are strange, nothing is what it seems. An enchanted time when the veil between this world and the other is gossamer thin”
Ricki Wilde is 28 but is terrible at being part of the Wilde dynasty.
Her socialite sisters were “long stemmed roses and she was a dandelion. A bloom that looked like a flower but was really a weed - born to erupt into fluff and float wherever the wind blew”
Ricki moves to Harlem to pursue her dream of opening a flower shop
One evening in late February she encounters a handsome stranger, Ezra who rocks her world.
His POV is told in alternating chapters from another time - past and present come together in an unexpected way.
Go on a journey with Ricki & Ezra and watch their love blossom - it’s an incredible twisty emotional journey - beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
The characters were rounded and well-developed and loved the author’s way with words, her descriptions were amazing.
“What you haven’t reckoned with your doomed to repeat”
“Too look your best don’t lead with your breasts”
Loved learning about black history, Harlem and the golden age of jazz.
The perfect read this month of Feb with it’s 29 days - “nothing is what it seems”
Thanks @tiawilliamswrites @quercus & @netgalley for the magical read

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is an enchanting, captivating and magical tale of all the things that only a leap year can bring. It is also the love story of Ricki and Ezra, two beautiful souls, whose paths cross in Harlem for a very special reason. I fell head over heals in love with this book - and wish I could hear the love song for real!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the advance copy; I adore the cover!

REVIEW
cw: racism, mention of lynchings, grief, anxiety, BPD, miscarriage, addiction, cancer, suicide
Ricki has always been a mystery to her rich and powerful Atlanta family. When a patron at the family's funeral company offers her the dream of opening a flower shop in Harlem, she leaps at the chance. There she meets enigmatic Ezra, who knocks her world off balance.
There's so much I want to say about this gorgeous story, but I'm mindful of spoilers, so here's what I can say. It's a book about fated soulmates, and is one of those stories with several twists and turns. Though I guessed a few early on, it was so beautifully written that I didn't care. I loved Ricki immediately. She was so vibrant, kind, and absolutely hilarious. Alongside her POV, there are several others interspersed. My heart absolutely broke for all of the characters at one point or another, but especially Ezra, Ricki and Breeze. Breeze's story was so bittersweet, but his empathy always shone through. Alongside the evocative descriptions of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, my favourite parts were those where real-life musical icons were interwoven throughout Breeze's life. Chapter 19's title was perfect because it was EXACTLY what came to my mind reading about all of his encounters. I also appreciated the commentary on the repetitive nature of style as well as 'causes', and sadly the lack of actual progress.
Della’s storyline was woven perfectly, and though bittersweet, offered many memorable moments. There was also so much warmth and humour. I cackled at the Bottomless Brunch, and I loved the way Tuesday and Nikki met. Tuesday's investigative shenanigans and corresponding outfits were also hilarious. But this was ultimately a story about Nikki and Ezra. Their connection was palpable throughout the story, and I loved their gentle teasing, as well as their genuine love for each other. And that epilogue? Perfection.
An evocative story of love against all odds. Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥.5

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own*


Favourite Quotes:

"What I’m good at, what I love, has no value here.” She sighed miserably. “I’m a horticulturist.”
Ms. Della’s mouth dropped open. “A whore‑to‑what, now?”
“No, I’m a HORTICULTURIST,” she pronounced carefully.

What they heard as frenzied abandonment was the sound of his rage.

“Look at all these unchallenging pastels,” she said with a sigh. “The Megyn Kelly of flower assortments.”

I don’t know this woman’s middle name, he thought. I don’t know her favorite book or her most embarrassing middle school memory. But it doesn’t matter, because I’m already lost.

“I’ve lived through so much pointless suffering. I’ve lost so many people. It takes a toll.”

“I’ve seen beautiful things and terrible things. Until you, I didn’t know that they’re two sides of the same feeling."


"It’s hard to be surprised. But, Ricki, I’ve never experienced anything like you. You knock me senseless.”

“I’ll carry you with me forever.”

4.5⭐️
A Love Song For Ricki Wilde is a heart wrenching romance spanning 100 years with a focus on found family, curses, soulmates, and a little history too.

I found the story to be quite slow to start. Also, I wasn’t surprised at all by anything in this story? I felt like everything was very easy to predict, but surprisingly that didn’t affect my enjoyment. I went into this story knowing nothing (outside of the title and the stunning cover), and I wasn’t disappointed. Overall, A Love Song For Ricki Wilde was a sweet, heartwarming tale that had me rooting for everyone in the story. If you’ve read from Williams before, or simply crave or want to try reading a magical realism romance, this is for you!

I am so grateful I got to read this early. This is available now - out today, Feb 6!!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

This is a beautiful story, and really well told, but the formatting of the Netgalley copy took me out of the story to an incredible extent. It really impacted my enjoyment of the book, as the flow is completely off for me.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
by Tia Williams

I am not a big reader of romance novels, the big old cynic that I am, but I loved this author's previous work, and not having found anything else that comes close to interesting me in this genre, I was thrilled to receive a copy of this, her newest release.

It was okay. I found it to be a bit ho-hum for the very reason that many people adore the romance genre, the sweetness, the obligatory tension, the predictability, the neat and tidy ending. What elevated Six Days in June for me was missing in this one, and the slight fantasy element just put me off.

However I think that this will be received very well by readers of this genre.

Publication date: 6th February 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #quercus for the ARC

4⭐️

"Leap years are strange. And because February 29 exists only every four years, it is a rare, charged day. In the old days, back home, folks whispered that it was an enchanted time. When the veil between this world and the other was gossamer thin.

it's February of the leap year!

This book is really hard to review. Since the 50% mark it was so good, but at the beginning I wasn't really interested into the story. Took me 40% to get hooked, BUT SINCE THAT 50% MARK??? I was feeling everything, so many emotions, confusion, sadness, happiness, everything. The last chapter had me ugly crying.

I absolutely loved that the plot was happening literally the day I was reading it, the book takes place through whole month of February 2024.

Ricki was so good and relatable, I loved her chapters so much and felt all her emotions.

Ezra was so cute (he literally knows Klingon and High valyrian so sjsjjsjsjsjjsj, I was screaming at that). It's the little things.

The romance was so good and the tension was so palpable I was kicking my feet with their every interaction.

THE TWIST I WAS SHOOK, I didn't expect it at all, omggg, it was so unreal and since 60% I was listening with bated breath.

This book had that ✨️something✨️, that makes it really special, it's so magical, almost like fever dream.
"Seven days in june" is still superior tho.

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

A decent book focusing on the very passionate romance between Ezra and Ricki. Some loveable characters and I enjoyed the plot although some aspects were predictable. I love when authors include characters from their other works and it's piqued my interest enough that I will look into reading these. The main reason I put it down as 3 was because I struggled to get through it from a pace point of view. For me it felt much longer than it was and it took me awhile to get through it as I didn't have that pull to pick it up to find out what happened next.

I am such a Tia Williams fan. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde hooked me right from the start, showing off the stories of both Ricki and Ezra. At first, I wasn't quite sure how they would intertwine, and the magical realism element added such a fun boost to the story as a whole. As always, Tia's writing of the romantic relationship we so genuine and beautiful to read. As the story continued to be unraveled, I wanted to read as much as I could before having to put it down. I am looking forward to hearing how much others love this book when it's released on Tuesday!

This was a beautifully written, whimsical romance. It read like a fairytale due to its elegant writing style and all the many miracles and coincidences it weaved in.

I almost immediately endeared myself to the tender-hearted and socially insecure Ricki. I really wanted her to make a friend and form solid connections. Luckily she quickly did – maybe a little too unrealistically fast – when she met the vivacious former child actress Tuesday Rowe and the regal nonagenarian landlady Ms Della. I appreciated the unconditional support they gave Ricki when she needed it the most.

The novel’s magical reveal wasn’t too obvious but it didn’t take me by surprise either, thanks to the many clues the author peppered in. The romance that bloomed was very ‘insta-lovey’, but still very sweet. I was glad that two such compassionate and creative people found each other. The couple had an intense kind of love – both passionate and adoring – but I felt like they didn’t have enough time to build a proper foundation. Regardless, it was easy to root for them.

This was a beautifully written, whimsical romance that swept me off my feet. It wove in elements of mystery and history that made the novel all the more captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc :) I really enjoyed this book, Tia is an incredible writer and her main characters are always so relatable and funny. I didn’t expect that plot at all which was a nice surprise for me. Loved the book, a beautiful love story!

📖 A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

4.5⭐️

{ARC review - huge thanks to @quercusbooks for this early copy}

This book was a lush, beautiful experience that has convinced me that I would read Tia Williams’ grocery list if she published it. This book had elements that I was not expecting at all (which I won’t go into here because I don’t want to spoil it, I think it’s best to go into this one blind!), but I ADORED the journey I went on throughout it.

Tia Williams sets a scene SO beautifully and her writing is descriptive without being unnecessarily flowery (pardon the pun). I felt like I was walking through the streets of Harlem alongside Ricki. This book also features quite possibly my favourite side character ever in Ms Della. I fell in love with her instantly and ate up every single scene she was in. And for the Seven Days in June fans, there’s an Eva Mercy/Shane Hall cameo!

I literally didn’t know anything about the history of New York and the Harlem Renaissance going into this, but this story inspired me to read up about it and it is such a rich, interesting piece of history.

And can we talk about this COVER for a hot sec?! I was firmly anti-real people on covers until recently, and thank god I’ve changed my mind so I can fully appreciate this absolute BEAUTY of a cover. The vibes match the story so perfectly, I cannot.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is out on February 6 and I highly recommend picking it up if you’re after an immersive, gorgeous romance.