Oh the drama in this one. Each of these characters are strong young women who have dreams beyond the expectations of family and culture. They want to blaze their own trails and nothing is going to stop them. Parts of the story were slower than others, probably because I related more to some characters than others.

I alternated listening to this on audio and reading it. I think by listening, I lost some of the character stories due to the multiple POVs. Switching to reading helped me solidify who was who and overall enjoy the story more.

There was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, so I’m anticipating a second book in the series.

I loved this book so much! It scratched that itch that the Bridgerton TV series has created for historical romance with characters of color as the stars, but this had a little more historical reality without being dark or bleak. I also loved the ensemble cast. There were several love stories in one book that was done well. Highly recommend for teens and adults alike.

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis is such a unique addition to the young adult genre. First, it’s historical fiction which doesn’t seem to be as trendy at the moment. But wait! It’s historical fiction about Black people that isn’t set during the antebellum south or the civil rights era! That’s right, this book is set during the Gilded Age in Chicago. It centers around a family who made their fortunes after being freed from running a carriage company. And so, the book is about The Davenports, a Black family who are quite wealthy. There are four main characters – two Davenport sisters, one girl who essentially is a maid to the Davenports and one girl who is the best friend of one of the Davenport girls. There’s romance and stories of Black girls blazing their own trails.

Marquis’s The Davenports keeps getting compared to Bridgerton, which I kind of get on the one hand. But on the other, if we’re really going to compare to adult romance, why are we leaving out Beverly Jenkins? Like, this book is about Black people doing well for themselves during history having love stories — that absolutely screams a Jenkins comparison to me. And I LOVE IT. This book was captivating and I cannot wait for more from the series. My favorite was Helen Davenport who just wanted to fix cars but also had a thing for the boy who is intended for her sister. There’s drama and it’s juicy. Oh and I also listened to the audiobook which was well done. It’s narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt and is 12 hours and 2 minutes long. I would recommend if you want an absorbing story.

Slow paced. Important conversations on race and social responsibility. I can’t say it was for me though. I found the characters all really one dimensional, and there was no clear ending.

A YA historical fiction book that’s perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, American Royals and Bridgerton.
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Meet the four young women of The Davenports:
Olivia: As the eldest daughter of the wealthy Davenport family, she’s happy planning events and searching for her husband, as this is her second season after her debut and she’s been unsuccessful thus far. When she meets a charming British man she thinks her search is over…until she attends a civil rights rally and falls for a southern lawyer.
Helen: the youngest of the Davenport children, she’s better suited in the garage than in the drawing room, preferring to work with Model Ts than parade herself in front of suitors, but her sister’s prospective husband does make her look twice.
Amy-Rose: Raised in the household with the Davenport siblings, she feels like one of them, but is still considered the hired help. She dreams of opening her own hair salon for Black women’s hair, but when she starts a romance with the eldest Davenport, John, her future may alter.
Ruby: She’s always been the best friend of Olivia Davenport—a name that means something in this town, but when her father begins running to be the first Black mayor of Chicago, their family starts losing the wealth they’ve always had. Ruby’s parents want her marrying John Davenport—that’s always been the plan, but now another has turned her head.
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What an amazing book to finish off #blackhistorymonth with and start #womenshistorymonth This family had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the multiple POVs, the historically accurate storyline, the #romance and the cliffhanger ending that has me so happy this is just book 1! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about The Davenports since I finished it earlier today, especially the Author’s Note at the end. I wish we had learned about families like this in school. I can’t wait to moderate @krystabelle_reads romance panel tomorrow at @nttbfest! 5⭐️

CW: racism, alcohol, parental death (off page), grief

Olivia, and Helen Davenport are part of a wealthy Black family, who's father escaped slavery by founding a carriage company in Chicago. Olivia spends her days shopping and spending time with her good friend Ruby, while Helen would rather be in the garage fixing cars with her brother, John. They are each trying to navigate the changing world, and how they fit in to it.

I enjoyed this for the most part, but found the pacing to be a bit weird. I felt like it dragged at times, but skipped over other important things that could have been explored more. This was heavily romance based, which I would have loved for it to look deeper into the historical aspects of this time period, especially since this was loosely based on a real family. I liked our four main characters, with Amy-Rose, the girl's childhood friend, turned maid being my favourite. Her storyline was the most intriguing to me, and I was rooting for her to open her hair salon the whole time! Helen was my second favourite, I love how she wanted to follow her own path regardless of what society thought. I wasn't that invested in Ruby or Olivia's stories, but I still enjoyed them none-the-less. I thought that all four romances were very similar in the way they unfolded, so that was a let down as there wasn't really any variation. I was a tad disappointed in the end, just because there are SO MANY unanswered questions. I was unaware this wasn't a standalone, so I was a bit shook when I realized we were being left on massive cliffhangers!

This novel follows the Davenports - a wealthy Black family in 1910s Chicago - and their daughters Olivia and Helen, and the girls’ friends Ruby and Amy-Rose, as they navigate familial expectations, love, gender norms, classism, race, and more.⁣
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I absolutely ADORE this story. It is a stunning novel that does an incredible job exploring the Black community in Chicago and depicting how Black people started and contributed to so many entrepreneurial and political endeavors during the time period. The discussions between our main characters and their love interests about their identities as Black women and men from different walks of life was also very engaging.⁣
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This book is perfect for fans of Bridgerton and historical romances, and is just such an amazing debut. I cannot tell you just how captivating Krystal’s writing is, and how you just feel transported straight into the Davenport home, chasing behind Helen, Olivia, Ruby, and Amy-Rose.⁣
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I will warn you that this book does end on a cliffhanger but I promise you, it is so worth the read! I cannot wait to read the sequel.

Bridgerton meets America meets the young adult genre. I'm a fan.

While this book follows four different female protagonists, I didn't feel bogged down but the dual POVs and found they kept the book moving at a pretty good pace. I also enjoyed them all equally which is a hard feat to accomplish. I was really invested in each of their character journeys and their romances. In the beginning the romances were looking like they could be messyyyy and I was so curious about how they would turn out!

I liked the pieces of history sprinkled throughout. This book is very well thought out and I enjoyed learning things I didn't know before.

What's important to me when reading a book is that I have a good time. I definitely had a good time with this and am intrigued by what book 2 will bring.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A sweet and historical story, pulling in the energy of the successful tv series showcasing the time period from a new perspective.

While this was very romance-centred, the world was still absolutely amazing. The characters, the writing, the romances, I really liked it all.

We follow four different characters: Helen, Amy-Rose, Ruby and Olivia. The Davenports are a wealthy Black family in the 1910s. I was equally intrigued by each of the perspectives included in this book, perhaps the most by Helen, who was a very unconventional girl for this time.

I just hope the sequel comes out quick because I would like more from these characters!

3.5*

The author did a great job in the world building. Writing from four perspectives can’t be easy but it was smooth and not awkward in the slightest. The issue I have with this book is this romance. Like the book was so heavy on the romance but every relationship with essentially forbidden romance. I can’t get over the fact that everyone was in love with someone their parents wouldn’t approve of. Also the historical aspect of this book was lacking. I wish that Olivia’s work with Washington was mentioned more or the Davenports past, especially Mr. Davenport in having to rebuild his life. At the end of the book it was briefly touched on by Mrs. Davenport but I would’ve liked to know more about their past.

Author Krystal Marquis skillfully plays with the ideas of duty and desire,how they can be divergent, and how that affects one's choices. Set at the turn of the century (1910) and told using four different young women's perspectives, we see these main characters deal with societal, familial and financial obligations and expectations. The women are:

Olivia Davenport: Courting the son, Jacob Lawrence, of another wealthy family, it’s expected the two will marry. But Olivia is captured by the ideas of workers' and civil rights and wants to do more than donating money. She also becomes enamoured with a charismatic lawyer involved in these causes.

Helen Davenport: Olivia's younger sister, who chafes against the expectation that she will be decorative and make a good match, when all she wants to do is be the awesome mechanic she actually is and build the family's carriage business. Helen also develops feelings for her sister's intended, Jacob.

Ruby Tremaine: Her parents need Ruby to make a match with John, Olivia and Helen's brother, for financial reasons. Though initially working to the same end, Ruby's plans are derailed when she finds herself falling for Harrison Barton, an attractive, but less well-off man from Louisiana.

Amy Rose Shepherd: A former playmate of Olivia's, she now works as Olivia's maid, but dreams of opening her own hair salon and has scrimped to save every last dollar so she can purchase a location in town for her new business. She also develops feelings for John Davenport, which he reciprocates.

I liked how Marquis gave us women at different economic levels of Black society in Chicago and the opportunities available to them. Though two are in the upper echelons of wealthy Black residents, the pressures, restrictions and bigotry from white residents, are never far from their lives. But that doesn't mean this is a book of pain and suffering, except the pain of romantic love, discovering one's identity, and wrestling with one's duty versus what one's heart wants. I enjoyed this story a lot, and look forward to reading what's next for these vibrant young women.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Keeping this short. Overall, this book was okay. I did appreciate the historical fiction aspects of this book, mainly seeing rich Black families like the Davenports and Tremaines interacting in a world that we're predominantly told is white and privileged. It's a part of history we're not taught about at all, so it was nice to see how successful and influential Black families could be. We also get to see the difference in Olivia and her siblings' upbringing, versus those members of her household and community who didn't grow up as privileged. We get to see the stark contrast with how Amy-Rose and Mr. Branson are treated for being part-white, and the increasing pressures Helen and Ruby experience in navigating their social lives and marriages.

That being said, this book is primarily a historical romance, and while I have not watched Bridgerton, everything I've heard about the show, sort of gave me similar vibes with this book–except of course, this book is written by an actual Black author so imo it is superior even if I didn't love the romance. Some of this book was kind of predictable. And I was not a fan of Helen's romance mainly because everything about her spoke to her not being interested in romance at all. I would have rather appreciated if she didn't end up having to fall in love like all the other characters. The ending leaves things sort of open, which explains why this is probably going to be a series of books. We don't exactly get happy endings for all the characters, and even the ones we do, it is sort of bittersweet.

I did like the inclusion of the Jim Crow laws and Olivia's activism. I think I would have liked to see more of that overall, but I think that's just because I prefer historical fiction to historical romance. Though, I did thoroughly enjoy the balls and dresses and dancing, because who doesn't enjoy that. This book really kind of read like a movie/Netflix show, and I think I would probably enjoy it more in that format.

Overall, 3/5 stars.

I haven't been this interested in a historical romance since Bridgerton S.2! I'm not usually one for multiple POVs just because I prefer to focus on one character's perspective and experience the world through them, but Marquis' use of it as a storytelling tool was definitely the right choice for the book.

I love a Chicago setting and The Davenports, a historical romance set in 1910, was such an enjoyable read.

We follow four young women as they navigate life and love in alternating POV. There are family expectations to uphold and “suitable gentlemen” to marry.

Helen was one of my favorites from going against the path her parents have laid out to her lessons to refine her manners. She was such a load of fun.

The lives and loves of Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose and Ruby left us wanting so much more and I can’t wait for book 2. I think this would make such a great TV series too!

I absolutely adored The Davenports and shame on all the history classes I ever took for not discussing this lost part of history!

I keep describing this one as Bridgerton with an all black cast, but place it into turn of the century Chicago.

I loved it, I loved the various nods to different levels of “society” and the real depiction of all the problems with society as a whole.

I loved each girl/siblings slow uncovering of the very different life they want for themselves and the courage to do it.

There is room for a sequel and I am anxiously hoping for one!

Set in 1910, The Davenports tells the story of one wealthy Black family in Chicago. The oldest daughter Olivia struggles with balancing her family’s expectations that she will marry a wealthy Black man with her desire to become involved in civil rights. The youngest daughter, Helen, would rather be working in a garage than courting suitors. Olivia and Helen’s childhood friend and maid, Amy-Rose, has grand ambitions to open her own haircare business. She also has always been in love with the girl's brother, John. Olivia’s best friend, Ruby is under immense pressure from her family to secure an engagement from John, even though someone else has caught her eye.

Inspired by the real-life story of the Patterson family, The Davenports is a thoroughly unique story shedding light on an often forgotten part of history. It carefully balances a soapy story about wealthy women navigating romantic relationships and social issues of the time. It reminded me so much of the American Royals series. Both reimagine U.S. history and follow four young women from various walks of life. If you were a fan of that series, check out The Davenports!

I listened to the audiobook version and would highly recommend it! I loved the narrator, but I wish the various perspectives were narrated by different voices because it became challenging to figure out which character’s perspective the section was told from.

Thank you to @penguinteen and @prhaudio for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book is a young adult Bridgerton like. But written better. I had really high expectations going in but it was just all right. I think it suffered from too many points of view and the (not) ending was just frustrating.

Such a cute and fun book. You don’t get to read a lot about rich black people in the past so it was a nice treat.

This one is for the Bridgerton fans but make it Black!

I want more historical romances like this!

Here we see rich, Black families thriving in Chicago while navigating love and following one’s dreams during the Jim Crow era.

This book doesn’t shy away from the horrors that Black folks faced especially being so close to enslavement, but we also get to see Black success celebrated and young Black folks allowed to fall in love and make foolish choices along the way.

While I loved all of the characters, Helen and Amy-Rose were my faves, and they both had angsty and swoon worthy romances full of banter!

This book truly is a breath of fresh air when it comes to historical romance!