A really enjoyable read. I espescially adored the banter and the character work. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

I love that this young adult historical romance shows the voice of black people from many different walks/ starts of life.

This book gives us 4 points of view of women who are experiencing life and finding love. Oliva is the oldest and is expected to marry well - however, she is falling for the local social justice leader.
Helen is fighting against the expectations of a woman and wants to fix cars and be independent. Unfortunately for everyone, she is developing feelings for the man her parents want her sister, Oliva, with

Ruby has always loved John, and she plans for them to be together along with her parents. They are going through financial hardship with her father's campaign, and they could use the influence.

Amy Rose has plans to open her hair salon - the Davenports currently employ her. When feelings start to develop between John and her, she wants to trust him, but that's hard.

I love the thought behind this book. I wish each character got their book with a happy ending instead of intertwining the stories.

I wish John had a POV - it was clear that we were supposed to see the men through the eyes of the women.

This book left me on a cliffhanger; it would have been unnecessary had the format been different. Also, no one finds a happy ending, and I don't love that - it extends the storyline when it isn't needed.

I'll keep reading the next one, regardless.

This book is a YA historical fantasy that follows the Davenport’s, who are one of the few black families that actually have wealth and status. It is set in 1910 in the United States and this book discusses a lot about slavery, society, expectations, family, civil rights, and much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the important discussions that were happening throughout the story. It was interesting to see an experience what these characters felt in a society where they are not fully welcome and embrace, despite the work, their family put to meet society expectations and be wealthy and carve their own path.

This story is also multi POV, which is something I tend to enjoy. However, with this book I felt like I kept getting confused on which sister or person I was following I would almost argue there were too many POV‘s, but also I understand why each story needed to be told and heard.

I think the historical elements is very well done, and the individual characters experience all our wildly different but the pacing really makes it difficult to keep track of the characters and what they’re doing. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you too penguin teen Canada for providing me with a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

This escapist historical fiction takes place in 1910 Chicago and is inspired by the real daughters of automobile magnate C.R. Patterson. C.R. Patterson and Sons was a black owned American automotive company active from 1893 to 1939, primarily in Ohio. Like the Davenports, the Pattersons started as a carriage company.

The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth in a changing America. The patriarch of the family, William, was a former slave that used his freedom as a catalyst to build his company from the ground up. He still carries the scars from his youth as a slave. The Davenport children are still stared at grudgingly by the white Chicagoans, but their extreme wealth is a buffer for their children. The scene starts off in a department store, where older sister Olivia is being talked down to by a white salesgirl who balks at Olivia's taste in expensive items. In anger Olivia buys several items that probably cost more than the sales girl makes. One of the other saleswomen who recognizes Olivia as a Davenport quickly dismisses the sales girl and help Olivia. This is just the hin that although this is an escapist novel, the history of attitudes towards black families in America have not disappeared.

As a way to shield their young adult children, the Davenports have created a black culture that mirrors the elite white culture with balls, servants, coming out seasons for marital matches and escorted courtship dates. This is very much like Bridgerton where the parents are looking for equal social status matches and the young adults are looking for love.

The buzz worthy element of this first novel is definitely the romance, but I like the secrets. If you love Bridgerton, or even Jane Austen, you will love this. Besides the secrets, the complexity of a changing America set on creating laws and policies to continue to enslave black people (Jim Crow laws) create the kind of tension that contrasts with the parties, new dresses and picnics at the park. The next book will come out in November of 2024.

What I love about this book most, though, is that Ms. Marquis started this draft during a NaNoWriMo Challenge. If nothing else, find out about NaNoWriMo and see how you can incorporate this into your classroom.

From the Publisher:
In 1910, the Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they're not supposed to.

There is Olivia, the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married. . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter, Helen, is more interested in fixing cars than falling in love—unless it's with her sister's suitor. Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid to the Davenport sisters, dreams of opening her own business—and marrying the one man she could never be with, Olivia and Helen's brother, John. But Olivia's best friend, Ruby, also has her sights set on John Davenport, though she can't seem to keep his interest . . . until family pressure has her scheming to win his heart, just as someone else wins hers.

The first book in a breathless new series, The Davenports offers a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked, while delivering a totally escapist, swoon-worthy read. Inspired by the real-life story of C.R. Patterson and his family, it's the tale of four determined and passionate young Black women discovering the courage to steer their own path in life—and love

Publication Information:
Author: Krystal Marquis
Publisher: Dial Books (January 31, 2023)
Print length: 384 pages

I loved this book. It is interesting to read historical fiction centered around a wealthy black family and I love that this story was told. I liked the various romance happening throughout the story and that each of the siblings were unique yet still seemed like they were related.

This book was so beautifully done and it truly transported me to the time period. I cant wait to find out what happens with these characters because they all have so much potential!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this DRC.
A fun and romantic novel about a family making it 1910. Changing women’s roles and civil rights greatly effect this family in interesting and intense ways.


#TheDavenports #NetGalley

*Thank you Penguin Randomhouse for sending an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

The Davenports are one of the rare Black families that have made a very successful family car enterprise in horse carriages. Following the POVs of four young women in and around the family, we have a funny historical romance all while taking a look at the post slavery experience of Black Americans.

I loved this story even more than I thought I would. Krystal Marquis did a great job of showing varied perspectives of the Black identity within the historical time frame she placed the book. The romances were interesting and felt real, not just easy insta love connections. I loved reading the author's note that gave more detail on the real histories Marquis brought into the store of Black Americans who did find success in post slavery America.

I will definitely be picking up the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. I was excited to read this book, but unfortunately, for me at this time, it was a book I started, but did not finish. I do not typically give feedback on books I have not read in their entirety, but in this case, I feel like I read enough to know how my teen students would react to the book.

In the case of The Davenports, the premise is awesome, but the start is so slow that I do not think many teen readers will stick with it. I read about the first 1/3 and was bored and not really interested enough to keep going. I may go back to it later, but for now this is not a book I will be purchasing for my classroom.

OMG, this was such an enjoyable and amazing read. I could not and did not want to put it down. The historicals have been hitting and this one was no exception. And of course being a romance girlie, the romance was very enjoyable. I could see this as a tv series. I absolutely loved the characters (most of them that is), as well as their growth from beginning to end. I finished this book in one sitting. Although I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, I really didn't mind it in this one, assuming that there will be a book 2. I am so excited for the next book and I can't wait.

I don’t usually read historical romance but I figured I could start with YA.

This book is set during the Gilded Age in Chicago which is honestly not talked about enough.
We follow The Davenports, a wealthy Black family. The are four main characters in this story. Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose and Ruby.

I actually really enjoyed it! I loved all the characters and the various relationships.
I listened to the audiobook and I never once got confused.
I absolutely loved the book and I need the second one!

If you enjoy historical romance and shows like Bridgerton then I recommend this.

This was a fun historical romance! I enjoyed the characters and the various relationships. This was a romance, but there were similar issues with all the romances. Overall a solid read.

The plot was hard to get into and I wasn't particularly invested in any of the relationships. Overall, I'd recommend to fans of historical romance or people looking for diverse historical fiction, but it won't be a go-to recommendation.

First of all, it was so exciting to read a historical fiction book on a wealthy black family with as much drama as a white family, but the black family’s drama, was of course, worse, with Jim Crow, the great migration and post reconstruction. It is an important part of the book, but the relationships between the children and their romance partners, some show passion, some need to marry because he is broke, and some are used. Either way the plot makes way for a book 2 and I cannot wait to see what happens after all of the drama in the romance department and maybe a little bit of civil rights added to the mix

Krystal Marquis’ The Davenports reads like The Haves and the Have Nots meet Bridgerton
Genre: Historical Fiction

The Davenports are the wealthiest and most influential black family in the early 1910s Chicago. The plot revolves around the Davenport children, Olivia, John, and Helen who are all “out” in society and are ripe for the marrying. It is no surprise that the matches and career paths that are the most beneficial to the adults are out of sync with what Olivia, John, and Helen desire. Olivia’s best friend Ruby also finds herself being used as a pawn for her family’s social and economic gain, to near disastrous results. Will the young Davenports and Ruby follow their hearts or the money? Find out, literally in the next book because this one ends with a hell of a cliffhanger. 😫
Krystal, I know you lying with this ending. Please tell me there’s already a sequel in the works.

This book tackles class, race, and sexism while also acknowledging the painful legacy of slavery and its consequences. Marquis doesn’t, however, spend much page space lamenting the dehumanizing institution. Rather, the book showcases the black experience from a variety of angles during this time period. Whether you are wealthy and well-connected, well-connected and broke, poor with a dream, or an activist willing to risk it all, there’s a diverse casting of blackness across social and economic divides. One of the things this book does well is allow the women to grow and evolve in ways that are refreshing, even if it happens slowly.

One of the most frustrating parts of this book is that none of the Davenports get a resolution to their problems. A supporting character kind of gets some resolution, but not much. Another frustrating aspect of the book is seeing the black parents become the “oppressive” element. Parents care about their children but sometimes do them a disservice by being overly controlling, even if they have good intentions. I’d love to read a sequel where the children continue to work through these tensions as they find a life for themselves. Very good book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

This was gorgeous. I don't really know how else to describe it. I absolutely adored every single character. So many of them had the chance to be one dimensional, but because it was formatted to give every woman their own space and time, I never felt like one character was given more attention or care than another. Some of the transitions between chapters were a little abrupt but not enough to take away from each individual. I love love love how much historical nuance there was in this. In the author's note at the end, Krystal emphasizes how little of this was taught in schools and that the only literature that we often get exposed to is a cycle of the same. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience Black high society during a time that we often were taught didn't exist or just blatantly ignored in favor of other "more important" events. I look forward to exploring this more in the sequels.

Speaking of sequels, I am very very glad I went into this knowing it was a series because I would have felt so betrayed by the end if it was. Speaking of, that ending hurt so much. So much tension for the last hour but I am soothed knowing there is more to happen. I am genuinely looking forward to the next one!

Thank you Penguin Teen for my advanced eCopy.

I need the next book asap!!! This was so great and I loved every single character and their struggles. I found it really interesting to read about about this time period from a different perspective, one we don’t normally see. It was very interesting to learn how the different classes acted and intersected when you add race into the mix.

Also: this book ended with everything going to hell and I need to know what happens next for all of them! Helen was a surprise favourite character and she needs to get a happily ever after!

If you like The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey, this is the book for you! While I enjoyed reading about a wealthy Black family navigating Chicago society, I did feel like it could have gone a bit deeper into that aspect and not quite as much on the various romances. But this is definitely about the romances. Four couples meet, fall in love, face challenges, and decide whether they can stand up for what they want. This issue is, they all do these things at the same time. So it feels very repetitive.

This is going to be a series, and ends unresolved. I think a better way to write the series would have been to focus on a different couple in each book, resolving their story and thereby leaving room for deeper exploration into the societal and racial challenges faced by the Davenport and Tremaine families.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the advanced ebook.

I loved The Davenports!! It’s perfect for fans of Bridgerton and way more entertaining than the Bridgerton series.