"A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" by Tia Williams is a delightful and enchanting love story set in Harlem and the lingering magic of the Harlem Renaissance. Ricki Wilde, the free-spirited and artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, embarks on a journey to discover her own path, leaving behind wealth and familial expectations. The story unfolds as Ricki opens a flower shop in the bottom floor of Ms. Della's Harlem brownstone, and the neighborhood's vibrant history comes alive.

The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Ricki encounters Ezra, a mysterious (and handsome) stranger. As their love story develops, it faces challenges rooted in an age-old curse, eventually revealing the strength of Ricki's character. She does not give up on herself easily and I loved this about her character! The youngest sister in an affluent Black family, Ricki's journey is heartwarming and relatable.

The audio format enhances the reading experience, capturing the diversity of characters' voices and inflections. The characters, especially the mentor-like figure Ms. Della, are well-developed and add depth to the narrative. The exploration of Harlem's history and the romance between Ricki and Ezra creates a charming and sexy narrative that keeps readers invested in every aspect of the story. Tia Williams weaves a tale of love, art, and opportunity, making "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" a swoon-worthy and engaging read. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read!

Ricki Wilde has grown up feeling stifled by her family and their funeral home business. During her last week working for the business Ricki meets and develops an instant bond with Ms. Della. She invites Ricki to use the bottom floor space in her Harlem brownstone to open a flower store. Soon Ricki has her dream business and a surrogate grandmother that understands her better than her actual family. Her life is thrown upside down when she meets Ezra.

I dropped everything when I was approved for this book. Tia Williams is such a beautiful writer. This love story hit on all fronts. It was funny, sweet and swoon worthy. Ricki and Ezra were both great characters. I especially loved Ms. Della. I don't want to say too much because I went in to this book not knowing a lot and feel that is the best way to go. Just trust that Tia will take care of you!

I adored the dual narration done by Mela Lee and Preston Butler.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Tia Williams beautifully writes a Love Song for Ricki Wilde. Spanning decades we find Ricki looking to make it all on her own, when she locks eyes with a stranger she feels she knows. With a mix of mystical realism, we find out exactly who this mystery man is. This read is a little out there but if you trust the process you will find out that it all boils down to love.

Thank you net galley for the free arc in exchange for a free review.

I consumed this book via audio book. The voice actors were great to listen to and I loved the dual perspectives. Their flow worked really well and as an Australian I loved listening to Ezra’s southern accent.

The books weaves African American history and folk lore throughout in a really interesting (and at times harrowing) way. The love story felt original and I did feel genuinely invested in their characters.

My reason for 3 stars is that I thought the smut at times was a bit over done, and I felt the romance was a little clichèd at times. However, a love song for Ricky Wilde, is a really enjoyable and fun read woven with African American (particularly New York) history.

4.5⭐️ This was a gorgeously written story. It felt lush and vibrant in a way that I wasn't entirely expecting. I didn't read the synopsis for this one - I went in blind (only knowing that I'd really enjoyed Seven Days in June by the same author). I absolutely loved the direction that this story went, while at the same time being a bit surprised as it went in directions I wasn't totally expecting.

The 'insta-love' aspect of this story, while not my favorite trope, worked really well in the context of these characters and everything surrounding them. There's a magical realism/fantasy element that is fascinating for a book that is set in a contemporary time period. The aspect of this being set in a leap year (which 2024 is) was a lot of fun and very timely to be reading as we get closer to Feb 2024. I'm glad I got the chance to read this one now, as compared to reading it later after publication.

A big factor of the story being so vibrant is due to the two MCs being so strong and such creative artists. I enjoyed their stories and the artistry that they each held expertise in. I really enjoyed the side-characters of Ms Della and Tuesday, while also being slightly distracted by them at times. Overall, I thought this was an excellent and fast-paced book. I listened to the audio which was very well done and definitely kept me engaged throughout the entire time. The narrators are very talented and I appreciated the dual narration to give life to each of the MC POVs.

Thank you to Grand Central pub and NetGalley for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 stars

I genuinely did not know what to expect going into A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. I loved Seven Days in June so I was so excited for this. This book was a mix of romance meets magical realism meets historical fiction and I loved it so much. I thought Ricki and Ezra were amazing leads, but Ms. Della stole the show for me. I didn’t expect this book to be so emotional either, but I definitely teared up a few times. The dual POV was really well done and I loved how much depth it brought the story. I gotta go wipe my eyes because I am sitting at my work desk crying.

Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The artistic, free spirit daughter from a wealthy family moves to Harlem to follow her dream of opening a flower shop. She meets and is instantly drawn to a mysterious musician who has a secret that could doom their relationship before it even starts. There’s a touch of magical realism, fantastic side characters (obsessed with her grandmother figure Ms. Della) and the romance is swoony and spicy without bringing the ick. I really loved this.

I LOVED Tia Williams' last novel Seven Days in June. 5 star read for me; so I had high hopes for her sophomore effort. And I'm having a hard time pinpointing a rating for this book. Let me explain.

I love crunchy dill pickles. I also love nacho chips and, since I'm from Maryland, I also love crabs. I do NOT love all of these things together. This is the best way I can describe my feelings about this book. I feel like it was trying to be too many things all at once and, although I loved each part separately, to me, they didn't really fit together as a whole.

The dual timeline worked for me a little. I loved learning about the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance. Williams clearly did some research into this time period and her descriptions were amazing. I could feel the jazz and hope and excitement in the community. I would have loved to have even more about this time period and the history of it.

I also enjoyed the background on the voodoo religion. We don't hear much about the practice beyond the negative portrayal of it in (often) white-washed books and movies. And although I don't usually go in for paranormal/magic, in this historical context it worked for me.

The romance angle was a bit too fated-mates/insta-love for my taste. I enjoyed the moments between the two characters and her love scenes were tastefully done. But it didn't have the build-up I was hoping for. The forced separation at the beginning that was supposed to part of the mystery dragged for me and was very repetitive. I was definitely rooting for the couple by the end and hoped they'd get together although nothing about the mystery or the way the book wrapped up was at all a surprise.

One thing that bothers me about book synopsis' is when the paranormal/magical aspects of the book are not mentioned. I like knowing going in that there is going to be some fantastical elements. Maybe I missed that in the promotion for this book or maybe I made assumptions based on the lack of magic/fantasy elements in Seven Days in June, but I wanted to roll my eyes when, at about 60% in, this took a DEEP DIVE into fantasy/magic. There was an imagined "species" for goodness sake... I don't like that. I think it took away from the entire story for me. If I had known going in or there were hints at the beginning this was where it was going (like Addie Larue), then maybe it wouldn't have bothered me so much. I mean, even the epilogue was from a ghost's POV.

So, is this a romance? A historical fiction? A fantasy/magical realism? A fated mates? I don't know and I don't think the book knows either. If you are looking for a similar book to Seven Days in June, this is not it. This is a completely different feel and even sort of genre from that book.

Beyond the vast array of genres, the book also has a washed up child TV actress (whom I love, but is given her own POV chapters when convenient), a grieving 96-year-old widow (also given POV chapters sporadically), and a typical one-dimensional family that doesn't support the "crazy" dreams of the youngest daughter (Ricki of titular fame) even though her crazy dream is to be a botanist and own a flower shop... Wild! (or should I say Wilde).

I listened to the audiobook and found the narrators (one female for Ricki and one male for Ezra) to be lovely. Their voices were soothing and consistent. They were both able to adjust the cadence of their voices to differentiate between characters without it becoming annoying or over the top. I really enjoyed their voices for these characters.

Overall, I really enjoy Williams' character development, her sense of time and place, the nods to black history and culture and ideas of representation. I just wish this book could have picked a lane and stayed there. I will give her next one a try as long as she doesn't stick with magical elements.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tia Williams, and the publisher for allowing me to review an advance reader copy of this audiobook.

This is a memorable love story with elements of magical realism and historical fiction. While readers should note that it doesn’t feel like a romance until about halfway through, it’s an intriguing, genre bending novel that is worth the read.

I loved:

- Ricki’s spirit, her love for flowers, art and history and the way she romanticizes her life
- Ezra’s… everything
- the historical notes about New York & the Harlem Renaissance and how Tia Williams always mentions the names of classic Black authors and creatives
- Ms. Della, a grandmother type figure. Having lost all of my beloved grandparents, I really gravitate toward this type of character
- the side characters in general. Tia Williams crushes them every time.
- Seven Days in June cameo appearances
- the audio narration is gorgeous

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde- Tia Williams

Ricki Wilde was an awkward woman who definitely didn’t fit into her family. Her family were well off and were snobbish. I truly hate that they treated her the way that they did, but I am glad that she stuck with what she wanted and still operated in her own lane.

Ezra Walker was a captivating individual who is also an awkward person but so musically talented that I fell in love with him. He was raised well and his connection to Ricki was captivating.

I throughly enjoyed this one. I was shockingly impressed with the story and writing of this story. I love the Harlem Renaissance era that parts of the story represented. I have felt every emotion as I was listening to this book (thank you Netgally for the opportunity to do so). The plot twist really took me for a wild mental ride and I loved every minute of it.

I am not going to spoil this for anyone but I will say this- Read it!! I am a historical fiction person and I love reading fiction that is different. This story was down my alley and I loved the lyrical masterpiece that was this story. Every emotion that was evoked from me as I read this was a breath of fresh air. I laughed, I cried, and I sat in awe at these words. I loved this story.

That ending.. I had tears in my eyes. This was well done.

Since I listened to the audio I want to make mention of the narrators. I think they did an excellent job. I loved both and I could t have imagined anyone else performing this.

"I'll carry you with me forever."

Ricki Wilde is the artistic, impulsive daughter of a wealthy dynasty. Where her sisters and parents are focused and 'successful,' Ricki lives by the beat of her drums. Instead of going the funeral home route, she decides to do what she's always been passionate about - opening a flower shop.

Cue Ms. Della, a regal nonagenarian older woman who offers Ricki the opportunity to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone. One evening in February, she walks into a garden, smells the off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine, and meets a mysterious man.

Tia Williams the author that you are!
I read Seven Days in June back in February of 2022 (February will never be the same now that I read this book AND IT'S A LEAP YEAR OMG) and always think about Eva and Shane all the time. This book is written so beautifully it made me feel like I was inside the pages. I am not a fan of time jumping and didn't know that a little bit less of the first half of the book was time jumping but wow the way it was done in this book was fantastic. Returning to the MMC's POV (avoiding his name since it's not in the synopsis) was joyful and heartbreaking.

Every single character introduced (minus the Wilde family) was so fun and so alive I want to be friends with all of them. Ricki's friendship with Tuesday was loving to read about and their first interaction. This is a friendship that they both needed and didn't know they did. Ms. Della, from the moment she was introduced I was in love with her. Every time she referenced Ricki as her granddaughter it made me smile so hard because Ricki never experienced a familial love like that and Ms. Della truly did deserve that bond with Ricki.

The relationship between Ricki and the MMC was everything. It didn't start quickly and it made sense why they were drawn to each other. As solo characters, they stood strong and didn't need the help of supporting characters to make them loveable. Together they just made sense. It felt like reading about Shane and Eva all over again with how easy it was to love them. Also, speaking of Shane and Eva, when Ricki went to the book reading, Eva's name didn't register but the second she saw Shane is screamed. In the two days that it took for me to finish the audiobook I was home alone and would audibly scream and gasp because this book would just be everything at the moment.

I was at Barnes and Noble when a specific scene happened and I had to stop in my tracks with my jaw on the floor and just listening to one of the reveals. Also, the insertion of pop culture and certain name-dropping didn't make me cringe because it was important to the story and so well done.

As for the audiobook narrators: please narrate other's, thank you. Mela Lee and Preston Butler did such a beautiful job. It made the book feel so real as if they were telling me about their lives as if we were on FaceTime. I love the inclusion of music in certain scenes and I just can't recommend everyone enough to listen to the audiobook if they have the credit or the chance.

Last thing because I've typed too much and my computer should be ripped from my hands, I've never cried at an epilogue. If you haven't read it, I think these get posted for others to read, **SPOILER WARNING** The epilogue being told by Ms. Della was everything to me. At first, I was upset that the book ended on Ms. Della's note to them and thought we weren't going to get a snapshot of their lives moving forward but we did! Ms. Della is recounting their lives about 20 years later in the afterlife and how she's been watching over them like a guardian angel. Everything gets wrapped up perfectly and it made me feel at peace knowing that Ms. Della is thriving with her doctor and still connected with her granddaughter (I get it, it's fiction but let me live).

Thank you to @HachetteAudio and NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All of thoughts are my own.

Mela Lee and Preston Butler did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. Tia Williams can write! She has such a fantastic voice that comes through her prose. There are lot of name dropping, information dropping about the Harlem Renaissance and those who were a part of it, including Langston Hughes and Josephine Baker (who was badass singer, dancer, and spy in WWII in Paris). She also named dropped Jamie Foxx, Doja Cat, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, and Ray Charles. All which I loved that she could connect the narrative to real life culture. Tia Williams did her historical homework! The idea of the story is so interesting and I really wanted to love this, but I couldn’t connect with Ricki and Ezra for the first 60% of the book. It wasn’t the characterization, because Ricki and Ezra were both interesting. For me, it was pacing in the story. I needed more between Ricki and Ezra earlier to feel their chemistry. Still, Tia Williams can write incredibly well and I would absolutely pick up another book from her. The strongest part of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde are the characters, including the side characters. The romance was the weakest part of the story for me.

Incredibly entertaining! I couldn't stop listening to this.

I typically struggle to get invested in instant/fated connections and paranormal elements and I do wish the paranormal bit revealed itself a bit earlier (rather than the long foreshadowing), but Tia Williams is such a beautiful writer and storyteller that I was hooked.

I really enjoyed the characters and setting. Ricki in particular was a character that you can't help but root for.

I'm glad I listened because the narrator and production were great.

Oh, I love Tia Williams' romances! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for this one.

This was unexpected in a very good way. It's genre-bending and a good mix of romance, magical realism, and found family. It follows Ricki Wilde, an entrepreneur breaking from the family business to make her own path. She opens an unconventional flower shop in Harlem and finds community. One day, she meets a mysterious stranger who rocks her world, but he's holding back a secret...

-

I liked all the characters and they really carry the story, especially Ms. Della, she really stood out to me. I loved her! Ricki is a good protagonist and I liked her journey, but I found Ezra a lot more interesting overall.

The romance was chef's kiss because they had great chemistry and the steamy scenes were top-notch. I feel it's important to say this is fated mates, so it's kind of insta-lovey. I'm not an insta-love girlie, but I didn't mind this because they do take their time. I mean, Tia Williams can write a good romance. Even if it's not a trope I like, I was swooning.

The plot itself was intriguing. It was a bit slow at first and I didn't know what to expect, but the twists were good and things came together nicely in the end, though it wasn't super surprising. I do feel like the pacing could've been better with the time jumps and stuff, but ultimately, it didn't take away from the story IMO.

Overall, this was so good! I was invested, it's narrated well, and it's a lovely story. Also, there's a little nod to Seven Days in June and it was a great treat. I love it when authors do that!

This book is so beautifully written, and every page is atmospheric. I fell in love with Ricki and every one of her people - Ezra, Tuesday, and Ms. Della. You definitely need to go in blind, so I won't say more. Highly highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a sweet and sexy love story.

MY HEART!!! This book is so incredible. I went in knowing 2 things: 1)There's romance. 2)The FMC is the black sheep of her family. As I started this book, it automatically caught my attention, but I wasn't sure where it was going. As I continued reading and things started coming together, I was simply hooked. The plot was beautiful and the characters were all unique and well-rounded. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to scream at characters, I wanted to hug some characters. I was fully invested and finished it in a day because I just could NOT stop listening.

The narrators did an absolutely phenomenal job with the different characters and bleeding emotions into their words where it was needed. I love the title and I love that the leap year is a huge part of the book and it's releasing in a leap year, Tia Williams really thought that part through! I don't even know what else to say because I obviously am not going to spoil it. but READ THIS BOOK PLEASE. You won't regret it.

Ricki is a young black woman who moves to Harlem to follow her dreams of owning a flower shop. She specializes in exotic flowers and designing and is trying to make her mark on the world outside of her family's status. She runs into a young man named Ezra who is very mysterious and flips her world off its axis.

I will read anything and everything written by Tia Williams. This book was beautiful in so many ways. The writing, the characters, the storyline, the love story... I am in awe. Tia's writing creates a wonderful experience for me as a reader because I am able to visualize everything. It feels like I am watching a movie, or able to follow along with my own pictures in my mind. We are immersed into a story that highlights the Harlem Renaissance and old New York that has pieces of romance, mystery, suspense, and magic. I do not want to give too much away, because this is definitely a book that you want to go into with nothing being spoiled. I highly recommend you read this book! Especially the audiobook, the narrators are fantastic.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ARC/ALC via NetGalley. (Audiobook elements reviewed at the bottom of this review.)

STORY REVIEW

You will likely enjoy this story if:
- you like magical realism romances
- you like historical fiction
- you have interest in the black renaissance in New York in the 1920s
- you like dual timelines
- you like found family / found grandparents
- you don’t mind not knowing what’s going on for a majority of the book
- you like love stories where you get to know both people apart from one another

I loved the historical parts of this story, both the American South in the 1920s & the black renaissance in New York. I liked getting to know both of the love interests apart from one another. Ms. Della was my favorite character; a wealthy widowed, cultured, sassy woman who has decided to be a lesbian for the rest of her time on Earth (yes, please). She would be my choice for a found grandmother.

You might not like this story if these things bother you:
- it takes awhile (passed the 25% mark) for the love interests to have a significant interaction
- you hate being confused; you won’t really know what’s going on (the main plot line of the book) until after the 50% mark
- Insta-love / drawn to one another couples are not your thing

My main issue with this book is that it feels like it tries to hide the fact that this is a magical realism romance. It’s the last listed genre for the book on GoodReads, and you don’t really know what’s going on in the book until after the 50% mark. I liked the plot as an idea, once I knew what it was, but I would have liked the execution more and would have been more invested in the story if it had been introduced earlier. It would have given more weight/significance to the events as they unfolded.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
I listen to around 10 audiobooks every month for context.
- 9/10 Production. Very clean with great sound quality. It wasn’t grainy. You couldn’t hear the breathing or other oral noises made by the narrators. There weren’t any background noises. All audiobooks should have this level of production quality.
- 10/10 Female Voice Narrator (Mela Lee). Loved her voices for all the characters. One of my favorite female narrators.
- 8/10 Male Voice Narrator (Preston Butler). I like this male narrator’s voice, it’s smooth and clear. I liked the voices he gave each character. His cadence was a bit too punchy / staccato than what I prefer.

I went into this book blind only knowing I enjoyed the authors previous works and that was a great way to approach this book. It was a beautiful story with many important and meaningful themes from an own voices perspective. While there is absolutely a fantastic romance in this story, it is also a story of self-discovery, learning to love yourself and allowing yourself to love and be loved by the family you choose. This story also gave me Addie LaRue vibes but stands out as its own story as well. The audio narration was absolutely perfection! The cast, the production and the story itself made for such an enjoyable journey. I will absolutely be on the look out for what Tia Willams does next. #ALoveSongforRickiWilde #netgalley

Rounding up to 4 stars.

The book is good. The narrators were amazing. I really enjoyed them.

I felt it was too long.

I finished this book in its entirety but I want to read it again because I feel like maybe I didn't catch everything that was happening.

I'm not going to post this to Goodreads because I've already reviewed it there.