I went into this book fairly blind only knowing that I was a HUGE Tia Williams fan and was fairly confident this would be another win. TLDR: IT WAS!!

Full of a strong cast of main and side characters, this book was more than just a great star-crossed lovers romance, it also had lots of African American history, a mix of fantasy and magical realism, and yes, a swoony love story for the ages.

Great on audio too narrated by Mela Lee and Preston Butler. This book is perfect for fans of The invisible life of Addie LaRue and authors like Alice Hoffman or Ryan Kennedy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Steam level: open door

Ricki Wilde moves from the South to NYC to chase her dreams and open a flower shop in a historic Harlem neighborhood. One night she meets a mysterious stranger who turns her world upside down.

Tia William writes such beautiful prose and this was timeless love story that was equal parts heartwarming, funny, factual and steamy. Sadly, I always struggle a bit with fated mates and was not as invested in the story until about half way through when some plot points were revealed.

I loved this on audio. It was so easy to get swept away.

Read if you like:
-Fated mates
-The Harlem Renaissance
-Jazz music
-Open door romances
-Seven Year Slip