Title: A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
Author: Tia Williams
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: February 6, 2024

I received a complimentary ALC from Hachette Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Electric • Mystical • Intoxicating

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing.

Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn’t one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she’s the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they’re long-stemmed roses, she’s a dandelion: an adorable bloom that’s actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her.

When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers.

One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.

💭 T H O U G H T S

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases after I enjoyed Seven Days in June so much. For some undefined reason, it took me over a year to finally get to and I can only be left wondering why I waited so long? The only part of the synopsis I read was the first line 'And for some, even a single February can be life-changing' and should have been my first sign everything about this novel would work for me.

Told from various perspectives and spanning different timelines, this story is filled with so many individual elements I loved. Starting with the modern Harlem setting, which creates a vibrant and exciting backdrop for Rickie's story. Her black sheep personality and social anxiety instantly had me rooting for her as she sets out to forge her own path by opening up a flower shop. Erza's character has an air of mystery and guardedness from a traumatic past. Their love story is so unique as fates collide. And of course, the side characters of Ms. Della and Tuesday were welcome additions.

Tia's writing is so passionate and energetic bringing everything to life in a way only she can. She's able to combine historical, magical, romantic, and artistic elements into a well plotted and beautiful story. The Renaissance glamour, the insight into black culture, specifically aspects of voodoo, the unlikely friendship with Ms. Della, the musical inspiration of the times, and the found family trope all blend together to make this an unforgettable reading experience.

The audiobook, narrated by Mela Lee and Preston Butler, was absolutely FANTASTIC! It added an extra layer to the whole whimsical and enchanting atmosphere. Their voices were exactly what I imagined the characters to sound like and brought everything to another level. I could definitely hear the passion and emotion the story contains in their voices.

I went into A Love Song for Ricki Wilde expecting one thing and it delivered something entirely different - something so much better. All of the smaller elements came together in a way
that worked perfectly for me. This story and its characters will definitely stay with me. Tia's writing style is chef's kiss and I look forward to more from her. If you go in looking for solely romance, you may be disappointed, because this one is so much more.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Harlem Renaissance
• romance-lite
• flower shops and horticulture

⚠️ CW: sexual content, death, death of parent, death of partner, suicide, toxic relationship, alcohol, alcoholism, infidelity, mental illness, miscarriage, addiction, overdose, depression, cancer, terminal illness, cursing, racism, hate crime, fire/fire injury, abandonment, injury/injury detail

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"He was music I could listen to forever."

"'It isn't normal,' he conceded. 'But it is my life.'"

"Besides lie sits shoulder to shoulder with death. It's around us all the time." 

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was my first ever Tia Williams read, and wow, what a fantastic introduction to this author! I often struggle with books that lean heavily into historical fiction or magical realism, and this story had a healthy dose of both, but I was still able to get completely swept up in the narrative. While it took me a little while to settle in to the story and get used to the switching perspectives (as well as the switching timelines), all of the exposition really paid off once everything started coming together and clicking into place.

What I loved:
- The "fated mates" element of the story: I've been really loving this trope lately, and Tia Williams writes it so, so well.
- The supporting characters: Tuesday and Della add so much to the story, and I love the way their relationships with Ricki evolve over the course of the book.
- The setting: I loved reading about Harlem, both in present day, as well as during the Harlem Renaissance. It was the perfect setting for this story, particularly since the location played such an integral role in both of the protagonists' stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy!