Scan barcode
liamliayaum's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexual content
Minor: Violence
shanaetheflyest's review against another edition
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:
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Chronic illness, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
agrandromance's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
5.0
I’m still wiping the tears away after that beautiful ending. Wow. Other people will write beautiful tributes to this book. I’m just so happy with this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
One of my favourites of the year.sariereads's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Suicide, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual content
bookishkellyn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- 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
4.0
After Ricki moves to Harlem, she literally keeps running into a mysterious gentleman (Ezra) everywhere–almost like they’re pulled to one another. Is he a stalker or is it fate? The magical realism elements are sprinkled throughout the book, but the big reveal isn’t until the last ⅓ of the book. This had all the quirkiness of Seven Days in June without the slow start. I guessed quite a few of the plot points early on, but it was still an easy read with cinematic potential.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Racism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
belreadsbooks's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Infertility, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Deeply romantic, whimsical, and a celebration of Black history, Black love, and Black art. I loved the magical realism aspects - it felt like reading a modern fairy tale! Also, I squealed when we got a "Seven Days on June" character cameo!!!
I read almost entirely via audio and loved that format! Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!
I read almost entirely via audio and loved that format! Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicide
30something_reads's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Happy Pub Day!
"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."
This is the story of Ricki Wilde and Ezra Walker - two creative souls brought together by fate at the beginning of February in Harlem, NY.
Ricki Wilde is the free-spirited, youngest daughter of the Wilde Funeral Empire. Expected to dutifully carry on with the family business, Ricki makes the choice to leave her home in GA and follow her dreams of opening a flower shop in NY. It’s there that she meets the mysterious Ezra Walker. They are instantly drawn to one another, but Ezra tells her it would be best if they never see one another again. But fate has other plans in store for Ricki Wilde.
This book is such a refreshing blend of romance, history, music, & friendship with the perfect magical twist. I think that if you’re a fan of Ashley Poston’s romances, this is definitely a book you need to pick up.
Not only is this a beautiful love story between two remarkable people, but it is also a love letter to Black creatives and the Harlem Renaissance.
I absolutely adored all these characters and the way their stories were woven together. This is a story that made me feel everything- I laughed along with all the funny circumstances they found themselves in. I was so angry at Ricki’s family & how they treated her. My heart swelled for the family Ricki built for herself in NY. I swooned right along with Ricki and Ezra as they fell in love. And I WEPT happy tears during the epilogue. (Which is my favorite thing to do while reading romance.)
*Thank you so much to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette for the early review copy*
"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."
This is the story of Ricki Wilde and Ezra Walker - two creative souls brought together by fate at the beginning of February in Harlem, NY.
Ricki Wilde is the free-spirited, youngest daughter of the Wilde Funeral Empire. Expected to dutifully carry on with the family business, Ricki makes the choice to leave her home in GA and follow her dreams of opening a flower shop in NY. It’s there that she meets the mysterious Ezra Walker. They are instantly drawn to one another, but Ezra tells her it would be best if they never see one another again. But fate has other plans in store for Ricki Wilde.
This book is such a refreshing blend of romance, history, music, & friendship with the perfect magical twist. I think that if you’re a fan of Ashley Poston’s romances, this is definitely a book you need to pick up.
Not only is this a beautiful love story between two remarkable people, but it is also a love letter to Black creatives and the Harlem Renaissance.
I absolutely adored all these characters and the way their stories were woven together. This is a story that made me feel everything- I laughed along with all the funny circumstances they found themselves in. I was so angry at Ricki’s family & how they treated her. My heart swelled for the family Ricki built for herself in NY. I swooned right along with Ricki and Ezra as they fell in love. And I WEPT happy tears during the epilogue. (Which is my favorite thing to do while reading romance.)
*Thank you so much to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette for the early review copy*
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
purplepenning's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"An intriguing genre-bending story" is what I blandly started to write, which is true but bloodlessly inadequate. This story is stacked and packed with creativity and vitality, with sparkling historical fiction, steamy contemporary romance, time-addling magical realism, dark drama, and characters who are hilarious, powerful, misplaced, wise, awkward, desperate, passionate, generous, and nuanced. It celebrates Black history, Black resilience, Black art, Black joy, and timeless Black love in a tale spun of music, voodoo, lush flowers, fashion, Harlem, leap years, found family, wry commentary, and fated love. Like its protagonist, it may be a bit much for some, but dang — I'm going to be over here thinking and rethinking on it for days and weeks to come, wondering what voodoo allowed Tia Williams to get *gestures expansively* all that into one impressively coherent love story.
I just talked myself into 5 stars. I'm tired of being stingy with minute measures of approval when people are pouring this kind of love, energy, and complexity into their work.
I just talked myself into 5 stars. I'm tired of being stingy with minute measures of approval when people are pouring this kind of love, energy, and complexity into their work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, and Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
thisreadingcorner's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Ricki has always been the black sheep of the family, starting with not being the son her parents expected when they preemptively named their baby Richard Jr. and refused to change it. She loves hard, she takes big swings, and she’s made her peace with being on the sidelines so long as she’s living by her rules.
Ezra escaped the tragedy of his hometown to make a name for himself as a musician in Harlem, and it just about worked, until it didn’t. Between survivor’s guilt and waiting for the other show to drop on his destiny, he’s strung tight and closed entirely off.
This love story begins on a rooftop. It’s sparked by a late night breeze carrying the scent of jasmine. It’s honed in frantic days packing lifetimes of longing into storytelling and bouquet making. It is earnest, it is heartwarming, it is a little surprising (but in an obvious way), and it is everything.
Recommended for: certified lover girls (gender inclusive), the wounded inner child with abandonment issues, the perpetual black sheep, the restless thinker always moving their fingers to a silent soundtrack, fans of the new André 3000 album and everything Solange, fans of found family, anyone looking to break free of the box they spent their whole life being defined by.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death
Minor: Racism and Suicide