A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

This is not your average love story. Yes, it’s one of those (obviously, it’s in the title)—but the best part of this novel is that it’s a love letter to Harlem, to music, and the impossibility—and necessity—of letting go of your past. And Ricki Wilde, and the handsome quiet man whom she can’t seem to shake, are the epitome of two young twenty-somethings trying to figure it all out. That and the fact that for Ricki there’s something magical about living in Harlem amidst the history of the Harlem Renaissance—as she says, “imagine living through that time. The style! The music! The parties”—and discovering the small historical plaques that commemorate “when Black Brilliance captivated the world." As Ricki pursues her dream of opening a flower shop and continues to run into her mystery man, Tia Williams also introduces the story of Breeze, a 1920s jazz musician who played in the clubs that Ricki can only dream about. Moving back and forth between Ricki’s present day and Breeze’s life in the early 20th century, Williams crafts an unforgettable story of heartache and the lift of love. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor