Magical Realism, Time Travel, and the History of Harlem
Romance readers know that Tia Williams delivers on a good love story. But in her most recent novel, she weaves in threads from magical realism, literary fiction, time travel, and the history of Harlem. The result is a book that is truly hard to put down. And even harder to stop thinking about once you finish.
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Ricki Wilde doesn’t fit in to her snooty, high-society Atlanta family or their plans for her. They want her to run one of the funeral homes in their family’s consortium and marry someone appropriate and respectable. She wants to follow her creativity and open a flower shop — ideally somewhere far away from them.
A chance meeting with 96-year-old Della Bennett gives her the means and motivation to act on her dreams and start turning them into a reality. Della has recently lost her husband, and offers Ricki the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone to open her flower business and live in. Della also becomes part mentor, part grandmother, part fairy godmother, and part muse for Ricki all rolled into one.
Ricki has always flitted from thing to thing, and man to man. But in Harlem she finds a purpose, deep friendships, and a commitment to learning the history of the neighborhood. And after a few months, she finds Ezra. By chance (or perhaps by fate), they are both wandering through the same night-blooming jasmine-filled community garden at the same time. Ezra is mysterious and the connection between them is both instant and electric. But he is insistent that they can’t see each other again.
However, the universe keeps pulling them together. Every day, no matter how much they try to avoid each other, another seemingly coincidental meeting occurs. Eventually, the pair gives into temptation. But Ezra has a tragic past and an unbelievable secret, that put both their future and Ricki’s life in jeopardy. A secondary storyline, set in the Jazz Age Harlem Renaissance, augments this modern-day romance and adds more flavor to the setting.
I’m staying a little coy in my description, because I don’t want to spoil the more speculative aspects of this story. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a love story. But it’s also a story about growing up, following your dreams, found family, Black history, and so much more. There is even a cameo from Eva Mercy for fans of Seven Days in June. The chemistry and sizzle are there for romance readers. But character development and lyrical, atmospheric writing make me want to recommend it to friends who don’t read a lot of romance.
Like Walt Whitman, this book contains multitudes.
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