One Of Emily Henry's Favorite Romance Books Is Totally Swoonworthy

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Emily Henry is one of the biggest names in the contemporary romance genre, with her stories being known for their chemistry-filled banter and bookish characters. The midwestern author got her start writing YA novels like "When The Sky Fell on Splendor" and the co-written "Hello Girls," but pivoted genres with the publication of "Beach Read" in 2020. Henry has released several iconic rom-coms since then, but she also takes time to shout out and recommend other authors, both inside and outside of her genre. 

In addition to hyping up releases on her Instagram, she also spoke with Amazon Book Review in April 2024 to highlight some of her favorites. "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" by Tia Williams earned the first spot on the list after its release in February 2024. "I, like countless others, have been eagerly awaiting Tia Williams' new book, and every second was worth it," the "Funny Story" writer said. So, if you've been on the hunt for authors to try if you love Emily Henry's books, look no further than the swoonworthy romance that comes EmHen-approved.

While Tia Williams's "Seven Days in June" landed among our favorite second chance romances, her release "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" was spotlighted by Emily Henry as a standout read of 2024. The magical realism tale centers around the titular Ricki Wilde, an Atlanta-born socialite who moves into the basement of a Harlem brownstone to escape her family and start her own flower shop. In addition to her elderly benefactor Della and newly-found friend Tuesday, Ricki meets a mysterious, magnetic gentleman named Ezra who ends up unexpectedly changing everything.

"It's romantic, sweeping, atmospheric, and magical — a genre-bending romance that made me want to read, and watch, absolutely everything I could find related to the Harlem Renaissance," Henry told Amazon about the history-infused novel. "It's epic (in the true sense of the word) and sexy, and for days after I finished reading it, I kept wishing I could go back in time and read it for the first time again." For fans of magic-infused romances and the glamour of 1920s Harlem, "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" is an Emily Henry-recommended romance that you won't want to miss.