As a recent fan of Tia Williams – since Seven Days in June last year – I have been obsessed. And A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is no exception. This is magical, swoony, and a story about love against the odds. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
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.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Ricki was immediately a character I loved. She has a family who doesn’t really believe in her, minimizes her achievements, and one she is determined to prove her worth to. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde begins with the trail markers of a fantastic romance: dual POV, a mysterious love interest, and two characters who are struggling to make a mark, to succeed. And then it morphs into a suspenseful story about love against time. With a speculative element, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde balances mystery and romance.
What you haven’t reckoned with you’re doomed to repeat
It’s a testament to the knowledge that the past is never truly gone. I loved being able to get to know Ricki and Breeze, to see the ways in which their lives and stories are echoes of another and so different from each other. The audiobook narration from Mela Lee and Preston Butler was swoony, emotional, and fantastic. You got such a distinct sense of not only who each character was, but also how they saw each other. I breezed through this audiobook because I adored the chemistry, but also the mystery of whether their love could survive.
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Will Ricki and Ezra be able to conquer time? To prove that their love is strong enough? And, if not, will whatever time they have be enough? If you loved Seven Days in June this is a must read – I loved the little Easter Eggs – but if you love a fantastic romance with detailed characters, this is for you. Williams examines the history, inter-generational trauma of racism, and the ways it impacts our approaches to life. Find A Love Song for Ricki Wilde on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, Libro.fm, and Google Play.