A review by beckyyreadss
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

emotional hopeful 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

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed Seven Days in June and wanted to read more of her work, this was a new release of Tia Williams, and I was intrigued by the title. This is one of the reasons I should always read the blurb and the genres before I start a book.  

This book is based on Ricki Wilde and she 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 an adorable bloom that’s actually 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 decision to realize her dream of opening a flower ship. And just beneath the surface of her new neighbourhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlam 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.  

I liked the characters within this book. Every single character was built and had their own background and trauma and it didn’t feel like they were 2D or needed to move the story along. I loved how strong and independent Ricki became and her character development was brilliant. Ezra took a while to grow on me because I thought he was a stalker and a creep at the beginning but once it was established that he was 106 or something, I could focus on his character. Though I kept thinking it was a black version of Edward Cullen. I loved Tuesday and that she was the only character with some sense of danger and being like this dude is a creep.  

I didn’t like the insta-love trope, it was just weird, this man is staring at Ricki, and she wants to know who it is because she feels so strong about him from him staring at her across the garden – that's weird. Like dude, run for the wind and ring the police don’t try and find out who he is. I also struggled with the storyline and didn’t expect to have a fantasy or magical aspect to it, and I struggled with the whole immortality side. It was a bit predictable with Della being the daughter of the girl from the 1930s and the building being the link.  

This had a lot of potential to be amazing and I would have loved Ezra to have been the benefactor and how Ezra maybe funded the shop.  
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