A Love Song for Ricki Wilde and Chicken Wings
We are taking a trip to Harlem in upper Manhattan of NYC. There you will find two people who are drawn together by fate and yet there is something big that just might tear them apart. “A Love Song for Ricki Wilde” written by Tia Williams is a breath-taking and brilliant book filled with romance, humour, and everything in between. When you reach for this book, you cannot help but wonder, what kind of magic would you find in a hip, urban setting? Let’s find out together.
A magical book all about a florist and a musician.
The Story
This enchanting tale follows Ricki (Little Richard) Wilde, who is the artistic, free-spirited, youngest daughter of Richard (Big Richard) Wilde who owns a chain of super successful funeral homes. She is the outsider of her family as her three older sisters are the “perfect” women who never stop reminding her of her inadequacies. But suddenly a miracle happens when a vibrant older lady named Ms. Della gives her a chance to go to Harlem and start her own flower shop. This is Ricki’s dream come true and immediately takes the woman’s offer.
It takes some time but Ricki soon finds her footing in New York and makes the most beautiful floral pieces that people can’t stop talking about. Ricki loves her new life in Harlem with its culture, music, and stories. She finally feels like she belongs somewhere especially when she has Ms. Della as her new grandmother and Tuesday, the snarky, sarcastic former child actor looking for her own path as well.
However, things are turned upside-down when Ricki meets a smart, sexy mystery man named Ezra “Breeze” Walker. He is a passionate musician who can play the piano that could set a room on fire. She knows she cannot go for a man like him but her heart keeps saying otherwise along with some odd chance encounters. The two of them were made for each other but there is a deep dark secret that could destroy the two lovers. Can they find a way to be together despite what awaits for them after leap year?
My Review
Gorgeous! This book is just as it is promised: Romantic, magical, and guaranteed to make you smile. Ricki Wilde is a fabulous character. She is an independent young woman filled with dreams who works diligently to make them all come true despite the naysayers. She is a strong woman who fights for what she wants but she does not have good judgement when it comes to boyfriends. This is something I love to see because when a character is too perfect, they are not sympathetic. Luckily, she does have good taste in friends with Tuesday who despite having a bit of a past herself is a loving and loyal friend. And then there is her adoptive grandma Ms. Della who has been her cheerleader since the beginning.
Ricki’s luck with love does change when she meets Ezra who starts as an enigma but soon becomes an important part of her life. I don’t want to give too much away so *Spoiler Alert* but poor Ezra is cursed by a scorned ex who wants him to walk the earth forever (This isn’t the worst part). The worst part is that if he finds his true love, she will die on February 29; the day of the leap year. *End of Spoiler Alert* His challenge is horrible but Ezra himself stays true and kind even though he is faced with guaranteed heartbreak. This makes him a character that you can not help but root for.
The storyline of this book is undeniably delightful. I really enjoyed reading about how Ricki created her own success with her flowers, how Ezra feels when he listens to this song that he is writing specifically for Ricki, and the sensory descriptions of every event in this book. You feel like you are really there, side-by-side with the characters. When William’s described the night that Ezra and Ricki met, I swore that I could smell that night-blooming jasmine that brought them together in the community garden.
The words in this book are beautiful. My favourite (*possible spoiler alert*) is how Willliams’ describes Ezra’s condition as a “perennial” (yes like the flower). It is something that goes perfectly with the theme of flowers in the story and the symbolism alone will stick in your mind for a long time.
The only bad thing about this book is that there seems to be a lot of unnecessary characters in it. An example of this is Ricki’s perfect sisters. They are too alike that it made me think that this could just be one character. There didn’t seem to be any reason for there to be three of them in this story. I just found it quite annoying especially when I had to figure out that it was Rae that said this or Rashinda said that. But other than this I have no complaints.
The Pairings
The only thing I can think of to go with this fabulous book is the sassy chicken wings that are a favourite of our heroine’s. The ones I got are plant-based (sorry chicken lovers, I am a vegetarian) buffalo wings that come with a cool dill ranch dip. They were wonderfully spicy and saucy like Ricki herself and yet the dip is made with herbs which reminds me of what she does for a living. This snack is all about spicy passion and the coolest effect that love has on our hearts.
Speaking of which, to go with these chicken wings, you need a wine that will surely drive you “wilde.” This wine is called, “Wild Rosy” from Spirit Hills. Everything about this wine is all about Ricki. It is one-of-a-kind, has the subtle notes of wild roses, cherries, and herbs but the end taste is a lingering mystery which reminds us of how her love-interest has swept her away. I believe Ezra would dub this wine as, “the cat’s meow.” And he would be right.
Wanna sip? Click on the picture to pick up this wine
The Rating/Final Thoughts
9/10
A swoon worthy book that makes a person laugh, cry, and step into a charmed world like this one is not to be passed up. You get a good look into the Harlem culture both past and present, the characters are some “real cool cats,” and every emotion in it is genuine. Tia Williams made a wonderful novel that features magic, flowers, and the power of love. It is the perfect companion for when you have a hot bubble bath with floral notes, twinkling candlelight, and a bottle of wine. And yes, it would be the Wild Rosy wine. Good times!
