Book Review: A Love Song for Ricki Wilde & Meeting Tia Williams

Featuring a mental breakdown on the interstate

One of my goals this year, is to attend more writing/reader events. So, when I saw that Steamy Lit (one of the cutest bookstores ever) was hosting Tia Williams for the paperback version of her latest book, I bought tickets immediately.

The first Tia Williams book I read was Seven Days in June when I was still dipping my toes into the romance waters. I loved it so much, that last year when A Love Song for Ricki Wilde came out, I bought it on release day. HOWEVER, it sat on my bookshelf for a year without being touched. I’m not sure why I never got around to reading it. Last year in general was a weird reading year for me.

I left work at 6 pm on the dot so I could make the 45-minute trek up to Deerfield Beach from Miami. With rush hour traffic, I would get there just a few minutes before show time. I was doing great on time until I missed my chance to exit the I95 express lane. Then I missed the exit again. And again. I watched the time go from 5 minutes to 25 and felt like I would never be able to leave the express lane. It was dark, cars were wizzing by (people in South Florida literally drive like life is a race track) and I had a little mental breakdown on the highway.

I called my husband to vent about what an hellish drive I was having and even contemplated turning back to Miami—yes, I know I’m dramatic. After carefully watching the GPS, I finally got OUT of the express lane and oriented in the right direction. I parked and sped to the door of the bookstore almost a full hour late.

But I was met with a pleasant surprise—they were having technical difficulties so the event hadn’t even started. I was in the back and I couldn’t see very well, but I was there and didn’t miss a single gem that Tia dropped about her writing career, where she finds inspiration, and the advice she has for budding authors. And I found out that she’s also a Game of Thrones fan!

With the book being out for a year, I was afraid of any spoilers during her talk and honestly, was ashamed that I hadn’t read it yet. Thankfully the only somewhat spoiler she gave, that I will now give to you, is that this book is heavy on the magical realism.

Now to get into the book review. If I could describe A Love Song for Ricki Wilde in one word, it would be dreamy.

The story follows Ricki Wilde, a free-spirited Southern girl who’s determined to carve out a life of her own. Instead of joining the family business like her older sisters, she moves to Harlem to pursue her dream of becoming a florist. She’s drawn to the city’s creative energy, hoping to finally build something that feels true to her and prove the naysayers, namely her family, wrong.

Then she meets, or rather keeps running into, Ezra—a mysterious, incredibly talented musician who seems almost unreal. From the moment they speak, their connection is instant. It feels like fate is pulling them together in a way neither of them can explain.

This book is romantic, yes, but it’s not just about love—it’s about breaking free from expectations and creating a life that feels right. With callbacks to the Harlem Renaissance, Tia Williams does an amazing job bringing Harlem to life in both the past and present. If you love romance with a surreal twist, this one is worth picking up.

If you’ve read A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did!