Thank you so much to Netgalley and Quercus books for my ARC of this title.

Back in 2021, 'Seven Days in June' was easily one of my favourite reads of the year, so as soon as this book was announced I knew I had to get my hands on a copy as straight away it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024.

I want to start off by saying that normally I'm not a massive romance reader, and find it difficult normally to find romances that don't fall into that 'cliché' category which I typically don't enjoy. After how much I loved SDIJ I was hoping to be as blown away by this title also, and whilst there was aspects that I liked, I'm sad to say I wasn't as enamoured by this title. I don't want this review to be about SDIJ with them being separate reads, but with the chronic illness representation in that book that I could actually relate to, I found the characters felt so genuine and fleshed out, and that completely reeled me into the story having that kind of understanding. With 'A Love Song For Ricki Wilde', I sadly didn't feel as attached to these characters, and with the plot line of this one I also found myself not really believing in the romance or routing for it either, which sadly did take me out of the story a bit. I found myself not really enjoying Ezra as a character too much sadly, however, I did enjoy the representation of the early 1900's music scene in the earlier Ezra sections with this being a time period I'm very much interested in. I would have actually liked to see a bit more of this.

Also, at the start of the book, I was very intrigued by the complex and flawed family dynamic present within Ricki's family, and I actually would have liked to have seen more of this personally. What we got at the beginning with the strained family conversations and arguments was actually really enjoyable to read, and personally I would have liked a bit more of this to give us a bit more insight into Ricki as a person.

Towards the end, I did very much enjoy the plot twist, thinking it was cleverly done, and one of the most tender moments within the whole novel. Despite me sadly not connected with the 2 main characters in this one, I did love Ms Della as a character, and actually found her to be my favourite. I thought the way the plot unfolded at the end and became interwoven with past events was very cleverly executed, and I did really enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is such a unique romance novel. It blends magical realism, historical fiction and romance together in an amazing way!! It reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, which is one of my favourite books!

The book follows Ricki, a woman who decides to open up a flower shop in Harlem. She ends up opening her shop in an apartment with a lot of history from the Harlem Renaissance. Strange, impossibly magical things keep happening and eventually Ricki meets a mysterious charismatic stranger. They seem to recognize each other, even though they have never met...

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a unique, emotional romance novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique and beautiful story. It is very different to what I’ve previously read and it was also a lot different to what I thought it would be.

This is a story about being brave, open and vulnerable. It is about believing in yourself and creating a space where you feel seen. It is really hard to explain this book because I feel like it will be a spoil it. Tia Williams characters are so full of life and relatable, they are three dimensional characters that go through a journey throughout the book!!

The chemistry between the two main characters was PALPABLE!!! Reading it felt like a life altering experience!! They truly felt like SOULMATES!!

I had the best time!! Thank you Quercus Books and Netgalley for the proof!!

Another gorgeous story from Toa Williams, taking elements from her previous success in 7 Days in June and bringing it to a whole new, but equally as romantic story.

I have read Tia Williams before and really enjoyed so was looking forward to this. We meet Ricky living in New York where she keeps bumping into a hot guy in her neighbourhood. A love story unfolds but with a twist. I loved the mix of music, magic, love and 20's vibes with a bit of supernatural thrown in for measure. I loved Tia's writing style and storytelling. There were lovable characters such as Ms Della and I found the whole story to be very atmospheric, especially how she describes Harlem and the jazz scene as if I were there.

DNF @ 25%. Life is too short to read books that make you feel like you're crawling up a hill to get through them.

Like so many people, I really enjoyed 'Seven Days In June' - though, when I tried to pick up Tia Williams' other novel, I struggled with that. Was it a fluke? The evidence suggests yes. 'A Love Song for Ricki Wilde' feels like an interesting concept badly executed. I enjoyed the first 10% or so, but suddenly, we were in a whirlwind of stuff happening, jumping six months in the past with little reasoning. In fact, the first chapter just seemed to be exposition so we knew how shitty the main character's family was. The 1920s sections were kind of corny and when they weren't corny, they were desperately sad. I don't need two pages of poetic ramblings about New York chewing people up and spitting it out - I've heard all that before. Those sections lacked pacing and action - I just didn't want to read it.

I imagine, as the five star goodreads reviews will show, this book will have plenty of people who love it. Sadly, I won't be one of them.

Wow, what a beautiful story!
The plot centres around our main character Ricki as she moves to Harlem to follow her dream to become a florist, and once she bumps into Ezra it becomes clear that they were fated to meet.

The writing is so lyrical and I absolutely love the magical realism. It has a slightly slow start but it really pays off in the end however I did guess where the story was going and was absolutely heart broken to be correct 💔

You will enjoy this if you love intense, all-consuming love stories, found family and magical elements.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. I can’t wait for future releases by Tia Williams.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to be in the minority, but unfortunately, I did not love this book. I liked the idea of the plot, and I loved the Harlem history and the flashbacks to the jazz era, as well as the references to my fave Stevie Wonder. I liked the characters, particularly Tuesday, but I didn't feel a strong connection with the two main characters and their relationship. I feel that there wasn't enough dialogue or time given to develop the relationship between them. They only had brief interactions until the end of the book, which worked logically in terms of the plot, but for me resulted in a lack of chemistry and authenticity. The plot was an interesting concept, but was a bit too predictable and lacking in tension.

Overall, still an easy, enjoyable read, but not a favourite. As I said at the beginning, I seem to be in the minority and this is just my personal opinion, so please give it a read if you are interested!

Such a lovely story! Loved the nod to music industry, just like Seven Days in June was to the writing industry. Like how it followed a different path. Romance didn’t feel forced and it was lovely progression throughput.

Will be reading more by Tia in the future!

Another brilliant read from Tia Williams.

I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were relatable and likeable (especially Ms Della. What a powerhouse!) The relationship between Ricky and Ezra was spicy 🌶️ and I loved the dual timeline aspect.

Some of the twists were a little predictable, but not all and I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend.

This book was a delight to read. The story was cute, well crafted, and the dual timeline was just enough.

I also loved the cameo from the protagonist of Seven Days in June, it made so much sense.

Somewhere, around the middle of the book, I almost dreaded what was coming next, and if it would all make sense in the end, but the story came through very well, and it was very enjoyable.

I have to say I became a fan of Tia Williams, and I will continue to read her books in the future.

What a book! The love story was absolutely magical, the writing style was so beautiful it made me tear up so many times and flower motif throughout was absolutely perfect!

'But where her sisters were long-stemmed roses, Ricki, younger than Rae by fifteen years, was a dandelion. A bloom that looked like flower but was really a weed: born to erupt into fluff, floating wherever the wind blew.'

Also, it was so interesting to learn a little bit about history of Harlem. This story kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't wait to find out WHAT IS GOING ON!
Perfect book for people who love love itself, who believe in faith, soulmates, extraordinary friendships, dreams which come true and a happy ending.

'To me love is like listening to an album. Some people skip to their favorite songs and ignore the rest. Other people listen to the entire album over and over, until it's familiar and cherished and they know every note by heart.'

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

This was dreamy! I loved Seven Days in June and this was the perfect follow up. It follows Ricki Wilde, a florist who's just opened shop in Harlem and a mysterious stranger who keeps popping up.

There are magical realism elements here which weren't surprising but done really well. It's a perfect balance of emotional and sensual, haunted by the headiness of the Harlem Renaissance. The pace is fast but enjoyable and I really just loved our two leads. A rich, vibrant story that's perfect for the winter blues.

It's official. Tia Williams can do no wrong.

In A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, she has weaved together the musical history of Harlem with an endgame kinda love and I was here for all of it. Listen to me when I tell you that I. Did. Not. Want. This. Book. To. End. This book is perfect for those, who like me, need their romance novels to have depth and other things going on as it is a gorgeous story about connection, personal growth and friendship.

After reading The Perfect Find and Ricki Wilde, I will now read everything that Tia Williams ever writes.

Read this one if you are into:
· Music
· Magic
· Authenticity
· Found family
· Going against the grain

✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the advance reader copy.

This is the kind of love story that stays with you. Ricki is an amazing FMC who struggles in the rich pretentious world she’s been born into and wants to just be. Ezra is confused and misunderstood; but actively wants to make the world beautiful for Ricki.

There’s so much to say about this book and the story but mainly there’s a joy to the story that feels real and good.

I’m excited to read more of the authors work.

seven days in june was one of my favorite books in 2022 so i was so excited when i found out tia williams is going to release new book.
if i could summarize this book into two main themes it would be soulmates & found family.

the main love story between ezra and ricki was everything especially that first meeting scene i love it when writers manage to convey two characters and their connection without it being corny.

ms dalla and Tuesday are side characters that i also loved that were important to the book and to ricki, they were the supportive family members that ricki never had i loved that for her.
i think a book about tuesday would be so fun to read!

overall this book gave me nostalgic feel in the best way possible, it felt like im watching my favorite 2000s movies!
also that evashane cameo 🫶🏼😭

I think this book has such a unique story to it, maybe there are other stories like, I don't know, to me it was totally unique. Ricki and Ezra's relationship is lovely and I am happy to see that they were not scared by the end but they actually made the most of it. All book was beautifully written and the cameo totally welcomed.

I loved Seven Days in June so was thrilled to see that there was another book available by the same author!
When Ricki is invited by Ms. Della, to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, she leaves behind her family, wealth, and complicated romantic decisions to pursue her dream of opening a flower shop. Then one evening Ricki encounters a handsome stranger -Ezra.
This was truly a beautiful love story, in fact, the book should come with its own supply of tissues!!!!

The books I tend to read normally follow a pretty predictable formula, and you are comfortable in the dips and swings of the familiar. With this book I had no idea what was happening or what was going to happen next. I had forgotten the synopsis by the time I started reading and purposely chose not to reread, preferring to just dive on in and see where we ended up. Was this a time travel book? Are they ghosts? Are they descendants of the characters we meet from the past? Is it magic? Voodoo?Vampires? WHAT IS GOING ON!!

The world was masterfully crafted with scenes that were poetically written and immediately made me feel smarter as I read the words. I was out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed being there. It was full of music, joy and life, while also reminding you of the pain.

I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I felt hopeless and heartbroken, all for Williams to put me back together again.

“Anything less than the truth is a lie”

Genre: Romance
Format: Digital
POV: Multiple
Spice: 🌶️ /5
Age suggestion: 18+

“[…] It's a warning. A threat. Did my father thug you into doing this? To scare me into leaving town?”
He raised a brow, interested. “Who's your dad? He sounds menacing.”
“Richard Wilde. He owns a national chain of funeral homes.”
“Where he buries his enemies?”

About 60 pages in, I was convinced it would be a 5-star read for me.
This book is funny, witty, interesting, exhilarating, heart-breaking, brilliant, … I could go on and on.
I love the way Tia Williams tells a story, and makes the characters seem alive and vibrant in the best possible way. They each have their unique quirks and behaviours that are just perfectly them. It was a joy to get to know them and I got attached so fast, I felt everything with them.
I adore how the author weaves history into the book—educates—and I don't mind and even want to know more.

“Your brain,” he said, “must be a fascinating place to visit.”
“Actually, it's a bottomless well of useless trivia.”

A lot of lines resonated with me and I underlined so many, I will need my own copy as soon as the book is published.

Ricky and Ezra, Tuesday, Ms. Della—they are absolute gems, and I'd give anything to meet them. The romance between Ricky and Ezra developed in a beautiful way, the friendships are just *chef kiss*. Also, I'm a sucker for a found-family story, sooo...
And Tuesday, I adore you. You're just as amazing as you think you are.

“It's funny, I'm used to being the protagonist in every situation. For the first time, I'm a supporting character. I like it here.”

After about 70% of the book, I knew for sure how it would end and already started to tear up.
I was right, and I finished the book sobbing (so guessing the ending didn't diminish the impact of it).
One of my favourite books, hands down.
Please give it a try!