A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and religious discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did Williams’s blending of contemporary romance, historical fiction, and fantasy elements shape your overall reading experience of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde? Did you find this genre-blending approach effective?

2. The novel centers on a time-transcending love story between Ricki and Ezra. How does this compare to Williams’s previous work, Seven Days in June, which also features a reconnection between two people from different points in their lives? If you haven’t read her other work, how does this time-spanning romance compare to other love stories you’ve encountered?

3. Which aspects of Harlem—both historical and contemporary—did you find most vividly portrayed in the novel, and how did these portrayals influence your understanding of the setting’s importance to the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Ricki struggles with being the family outcast and feeling like her dreams and personality are too “weird” for her sisters and parents to accept. Have you ever felt pressure to conform to others’ expectations rather than pursuing your own path? How did you navigate this challenge?