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A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, by Tia Williams (2024)

Premise: Determined to make her own way in the world, the youngest and ‘disappointing‘ daughter of a prosperous Black family moves to Harlem to set up a flower shop. But as she establishes herself there, she becomes haunted by both the neighbourhood‘s disappearing history and a strange and beautiful man she can‘t stop bumping into. Cont.

Read in 2024. I‘m not much for magical realism but I did like this one. I like jazz and liked the intersecting world of current & the Harlem Renaissance. A swoon worthy romance

#12booksof2024 April favorite 🩷
@Andrew65

#12Booksof2024 April

I‘ve read too many great books this year and it‘s so hard to chose one from every month. But this has stuck with me

Honorable mentions:
Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan
Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy
Forgotten on a Sunday by Valerie Perrin

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This book has been on my shelf since basically the minute I finished Williams‘ Seven Days in June, so I hadn‘t read a summary of it in a long time, and that was actually a really fun way to go into it.
There‘s romance, Black history, Harlem Renaissance, and some magical realism thrown in to make it extra special. I listened to this one except the very end and I thought the two readers did a great job.
Tia Williams is a must read for me.

I loved this. I really appreciate this smart and funny author. Magical realism and romance aren't necessarily my thing but I'm here for it regardless.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I have really been looking forward to reading this because I loved Seven Days in June. This one didn't come near to living up for me. I'm not sure I can pinpoint why, but it felt less mature to me. Maybe it was because of the mc, who I found annoying. It didn't feel like the same author wrote this one. It's gotten lots of praise, though, so count me as an outlier 🤷‍♀️. I'm calling it a soft pick.

Starting a new book bestie....

#StorySettings #FlowerShop

This book was fun and sweet and sexy. I loved Ricki finding her own way, out of the shadow of her family. I'm super intrigued by the concept of Perennials. And I think Ezra may end up on my #litcrush list. 😍 My favorite parts were the brilliantly funny conversations Ricki had with Tuesday and Ms Della.
📷: James Van Der Zee

#TeaAndABook
Happy Sunday y'all

I didn‘t know much about this going in. I just new that the author of Seven Days in June had a new book out and I loved that book. But that prologue pulled me in. I loved Ricki and Ezra.

Ricki travels to Harlem to work for her dream to have her own flower shop. For the first time she makes friends, Tuesday and her chosen grandmother Ms Della.

This was another winner from this author.

And that cover - I love that too

Oh my! I just loved this book! It‘s sort of a Cinderella reimagining, that I didn‘t realize until just now. It‘s romantic and sexy and funny and heartbreaking all at once. Definitely recommend.

I‘d Rather Be Reading…A Love Song for Ricki Wilde has me feeling as if I‘m watching a movie waiting for the love connection happen. This slow burn has me curious just enough to push me through and has me wondering where these characters will land.

Tia Williams is so COOL. I would be intimidated by her shrewdness in person, but entering her clever, tender, sexy world feels spellbinding. Williams‘ voice is markedly modern with compelling notes of past times through which her old soul sings. A truly heartwarming and alluring experience. 4 ⭐️🎧

Another romance to remind me to STOP with the whole story "I don't enjoy romances." This one was rich with many delights. 20s fashion and music world in Harlem, going your own path, found family, and a sense of deep romantic love running through. The magic element was the cherry on top. Once the big surprise came out, I was able to predict the ending, but that was ok. It was a beautiful ending plus epilogue.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Prepare to be immersed in another striking, high-stakes romance from Tia Williams! Can you hear the 1920‘s jazz music playing from that beautiful antique piano? Can you smell the (strangely out of season) night-blooming jasmine? Can you visualize the glamour of Harlem, past and present? Can you feel the inevitable magic of the leap year? A modern day fairytale, it might just make you laugh, cry, blush, and swoon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This book has the perfect mix of romance and magic..right in time to read for leap year as well! I fell in love right along with Ricki and Ezra! Tia Williams did an amazing job mingling the two time periods and bringing them together perfectly!!❤️❤️

When your hubby always has to go to Home Depot, Lowes or Tractor Supply!! It‘s why I carry a book with me everywhere I go☺️🤓

What a swoon-worthy, irresistible, 🌶️🌶️🌶️ sexy 5🌟 read! With a little bit of jazz and the Harlem renaissance as well as modern day Harlem, mixed with a little bit of magical realism and a whole lot of romance.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde better be on your shelves if...

🎹 you‘ve been attracted to a piano (you read that right)
🎶 you might like jazz but you‘re not sure...
⏳ you've always felt like you were born in the wrong time
☂️ you won't walk under a ladder or open an umbrella inside
👴🏽 you are drawn to old souls (it's on your Hinge bio)
💐 as Miley says, you can buy yourself flowers
🪑 you prefer thrifting antiques over buying brand-new

📖𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲❄️

𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢 𝗪𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞 by 𝐓𝐢𝐚 𝗪𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐬, published 02/06, is next in the 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲. Williams wanted to read about “glamorous women with dazzling lives & loves,“ but grew to understand “the rocky times, hot-mess moments, & life hiccups ... are the most glamorous parts of a woman.“

Seriously, a romance that does not fall victim to typical romance tropes is just so entertaining. And this Harlem flower shop owner convinces me I need to reconsider my perennials 😘

#aardvark bookmail!

@AardvarkBookClub was on top of delivery this month…that was fast!!🙌🏼

Do I have a million unread physical books on my shelves? Obviously. Do I need to be paying money for more books right now, instead of chipping away at my neverending backlog? Obviously not.

Did I still find some things to order from both #Aardvark and #BOTM? OBVIOUSLY. Y'all know me better than that 😹

In this enchanting love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June, a free-spirited florist and an enigmatic musician are irreversibly linked through the history, art, and magic of Harlem. 💜💐🎶

#aardvarkbookclub #jointoday

I haven‘t gotten an #Aardvark box in a couple of months, so I‘m treating myself to three books! So excited for these!! #AardvarkBookClub