A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

This was such a vibrant, beautiful story, I could not put it down! Steeped in culture and history, it was absolutely beautifully written, I want to read more books like this. That ending broke my heart then mended it again😩

I read Seven Days in June by Tia Williams at the beginning of this year and fell in love with her writing style, so since then I decided to keep an eye on her other work. I'm so glad that I stumbled upon A Love Song for Ricki Wilde in NetGalley, because it proved me once again, that Williams knows exactly what she's doing when she's crafting these sweet, but also heart-wrenching stories, that make you feel all sorts of emotions while reading them.

Ricki Wilde is considered an underdog in her family, a black sheep, who doesn't want to be compliant like her sisters and wants to find her own way instead of following the rules that her father set for his children. She is actually wild(e) and her choices seem nonsensical to her family, but her perseverance and support from the people she encounters once she moves to Harlem, are the things that keep her moving forward despite the difficulties she meets along the way. Enter Ezra, a mysterious stranger, who wants Ricki to stay away from him, but also has a sort of longing in his eyes when he looks at her, which suggests the complete opposite. Their story is one that is complicated, full of twists and turns, but nevertheless, beautiful and one of a kind.

It's hard to describe how much I loved reading about Ricki and Ezra, as well as Ms. Della and Tuesday, who accompanied them along the way and were important part of their journey towards love. Ricki was such a vibrant character and I adored her right from the start. Her wittiness and positive nature were refreshing, which made it impossible not to root for her when it came to her flower shop succeeding and her proving her family once and for all, that she is able to sustain herself even without their help. Ezra was also an amazing male lead with his long and captivating background, which continues to be revealed bit by bit throughout the book. I also have to mention the setting of Harlem and all the locations as well as historical figures that author mentioned in the book, which made this story even richer and more engrossing. In my opinion, Williams is great at expressing her characters' emotions and feelings, which is the main reason why I adore her writing so much. I was a bit sceptical about the whole leap day concept at first and wasn't sure if I liked it, but as it unfolded, I was completely immersed in it and enjoyed putting all the pieces together. I had an inkling how the main dilemma will be resolved in the end, so I wasn't surprised when all was revealed, but I wasn't disappointed, since I thought it was fitting to end it this way. And that epilogue actually made me shed a few tears; which doesn't happen often! Oh, and I also have to mentioned Seven Days of June references. I was very happy with Eva's, Shane's and Audre's cameos, that was such a treat! Overall, this was a great reading experience and I'm really glad I had a chance to read it early.

Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a magical, atmospheric, and glamourous love story decades in the making, combining modern Harlem with the Renaissance to create an achingly beautiful and romantic tale about florist Ricki Wilde and the mysterious man who appears to turn her world upside down.

I loved reading this book, it pulled me in right away and didn’t let go until that final word. I guessed a few things that were going to happen while reading but that didn’t make the story any less magical or potent.

‘A Love Song for Ricki Wilde’ is an incredible book. Tia Williams has created a breathtakingly brilliant read - a magical, aesthetic, lyrical, sublime, timeless love story.

I don’t want to give too much away about the plot as I’d love every reader to have the wonderful experience I did, but sharing some of my favourite things about the book that made it a solid and unequivocal five star read for me:
- Ricki and Ezra were everything
- Learning about the history of Harlem was extremely interesting, and I adored picturing Ricki’s floral arrangements adorning the district
- Found family (or as one character calls it “framily - friends who become family”) was an important theme throughout the book and one I really connected to! I loved the characters of Tuesday and Della and how they empowered Ricki
- Everything was so beautifully romantic - Williams has a unique and poetic style of writing and emotions sung from the page, making the intimate scenes intense and gorgeous

Overall, I 100% recommend this book - it’s a must read and will stay with you long after you finish reading!

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy from the publisher but the above is my honest and personal feedback. Thank you NetGalley and Quercus.