Reviews with content warning for Infertility - A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

Eesh, Tia Williams can write romance! And with so many more elements that I loved: dramatic and classist family members that could’ve come out of an Austen novel, magical realism, pop culture references that aren’t cringey, and admirable women all over the place. I loved Ricki with all her passion and colourfulness (“Because she (a) found fashion calming and (b) was dramatic, Ricki had dressed carefully for this occasion”.); and Ezra being funny and attractive (“Ricki barely heard him, as she was mid-epiphany. Was Warm Weather Ezra the sexiest Ezra?”) and their entire art-drenched love story, in which their love itself is so wonderfully uncomplicated, despite the circumstances they’re facing together. Loved this!

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simplymodest's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

What can I say about A Love Song for Ricki Wilde? The book was written so beautifully. It takes you on a whimsical journey of two lovers destined to be together. On the backdrop of Harlem over the span of 100 plus years you will fall in love with all these characters and not want to put this book down. I loved everything about this book. The plot, the characters, and it is set in February in a LEAP YEAR!!!! I didn’t want to put it down and I will think about these characters for a long time. @tiawilliams did her thing with this book. Definitely recommend this book!!!!

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shanaepraystoo's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just finished A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. When I read the last words on the page of acknowledgements, I closed the book and held it to my chest.

What an incredible journey? What a magnificent story?

My little reader heart is so full.

Immediately Tia Williams pulls you into the story and you want nothing but the best for the FMC, Ricki Wilde. Then she takes you on a different journey and you're hopeful for the MMC Ezra. Through the pages, Williams unfurls a magical tale of love and loss that you just cannot put down.

About 40% into the story, readers learn that Ricki and Ezra have so much in common and one quote really sums it up:

"I'm afraid that I don't belong anywhere. Do you ever feel like that?"
"Every day," he admitted. "I look like something I'm not. And I never feel at home."

Ricki struggling to define herself outside of her family's daunting legacy. Ezra struggling to create a legacy for himself, despite losing his entire family. Two beautiful people looking for home.

Williams doesn't just rest on the fact that A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is just a fantastical story. No no no. She just has to make you feel it with every bit of your being with the most beautiful writing I've ever seen in a romance novel. Ezra is the ideal MMC:

Contemplatively, Ezra slowly ran his fingers along his jaw. "You live as long as I do, you think you've felt all the feelings, seen everything there is to see. It's hard to be surprised. But, Ricki, I've never experienced anything like you. You knock me senseless."

"For a long time, i thought I knew what my calling was. My grand purpose. But when I met Ricki, I knew I was wrong. I was a fool, thinking I was born to do anything grander than loving her."

I mean...what?!

But just when you think A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is all heavy feelings and flowery language, it gets really funny, too. Ezra's puns, Ricki's random facts, Ms. Della's sense of humor, and, even, Tuesday - they're all hoots.

The characters have so much depth, are so well written, and are incredibly diverse. For the entire 340 page ride, you find yourself rooting for everyone's success. And in the end, with the epilogue, which is just so perfect, you find that everything works out perfectly.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is beautiful, captivating, thought-provoking and emotionally charged. This might possibly be the best romance novel I've ever read and, somehow, it manages to top Seven Days In June, which I thought was spectacular. Tia Williams has become a must-read author for me. Her work is just getting better and better.

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sariereads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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belreadsbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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.

Content Warnings

haerlee's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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