Book spotlight and review
The Davenports
Krystal Marquis
Published by: Penguin
Publication: January 31, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Special thank you to @penguinteen and @krystabelle_reads for my digital ARC and opportunity to review this new book!

Qotd: if money were no object, what would be your favorite place to go read?

(Check the comments for the synopsis)

I honestly didn't have too many expectations going into this book as I knew very little of the subject matter. Prior to reading this story, I wasn't aware of any extremely wealthy black families in the early 1900s. To hear this novel was based off a real family was very cool.
While a bit slow for me at first, it quickly picked up, and I couldn't wait to find out who was going to breaking what rule next. And while there are 4 storylines going throughout the book, I found myself invested in all of them. I especially loved the twist of them falling for the "wrong" gentlemen.
I really enjoyed that it was something different and fresh and exciting. This could easily be a book to spark conversations and perhaps promote exploring more not often talked of topics and stories. I definitely recommend grabbing a copy of this tomorrow when it drops. Be prepared, though, I think we will be waiting for a sequel...

#thedavenports #krystalmarquis #penguinteen #blackwealth #yareads #yahistoricalfiction #newbooks #readhistoricalfiction #bookstagrammer #bookreader #yellow #flowers #unique #different #conversationstarter #getthebook

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 2.5 stars
Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 2/5

Special thanks to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

Pitched as a YA Bridgerton* type novel inspired by the real life events of the Davenport family in 1910s Chicago, this book brings to light a period of African American History often overlooked.

The idea of this book is to dive into what the lives of affluential Black families in the North may have been like. A diverse, but real-life-inspired take on the beloved romantic, high society type of historical novel. This premise was so interesting to me, and this aspect of the book did come off as well researched and compelling. I am not typically a historical fiction girly, and yet the historical, political, and socioeconomic aspects of the book were by far my favorite part. In fact, I think they may have been the only aspect that I enjoyed. It was a significant part of the story, so I don’t necessarily wish there was more of it (though I wouldn’t have complained if there were), but all the other aspects of the book: the characters, the writing, the actual plot, were… subpar at best.
The Davenports follows 4 alternating POVs and storylines: Olivia, the elder Davenport sister; Helen, the younger Davenport sister; Amy-Rose the childhood friend/maid of the Davenport girls; and Ruby Tremaine, Olivia’s best friend and neighbor. Each girl follows both a sort of coming into herself/coming of age storyline, and a romantic storyline. Not a single one of the girls has a personality. Each girl had one, singular goal outside of their romance (except for Ruby, whose only goals were romance-oriented), and they had no substance as a character outside of their goals. They were cardboard cut out girls with no emotional impact.
Similarly, the romantic interests had no personalities, and the romances and couples themselves had no spark. I felt the slightest bit of a spark between Ruby and one of her romantic leads, but it was very minimal, and not enough to invest me in their relationship.

As for the plot… what plot? There was the premise of the Davenport family and co in their world, and there were storylines that existed for each girl, but there was no cohesive plot, no driving force behind the story. It led to the story feeling exceedingly slow and boring. If this wasn’t an ARC, I likely would have DNFed. Now, I don’t think this aspect is inherently a bad thing. I personally need the books I read to have a strong plot and driving force, I need faster paced books, and this is much more on the slow-paced, slice of life end of the spectrum. But I know people who don’t need or want that kind of book, who crave slice of life. It’s not for me, but it is for others.

I think this book has a much better premise than it does actual execution, however, I think that if it is something you’re interested in, you should definitely give it a shot.

*I really dislike the Bridgerton comp. The only similarity is that it follows high society… but Bridgerton is regency era london high society, and this is 1910s Chicago high society. Relatedly, the largest selling points of Bridgerton are the romance, drama, and smut. This book is YA, therefore there is no smut whatsoever—and there shouldn’t be. There is drama, I guess, but I was never convinced by it, nor was I swept up in it. And there are romances… but they’re one of the weakest aspects of the story in my opinion, and they do not have a guaranteed HEA. Some do, some don’t.

Okay, that cover! The cover of this book and the blurb first caught my attention. I am a sucker for any book that takes place in Chicago, especially the gilded era, and this book did not disappoint. This was easily one of the best YA historical fiction books that I’ve ever read.

A quick summary of the plot: The Davenport sisters are complete opposites - Olivia is the perfect older daughter and Helen is as unladylike as it gets. They are also the only daughters of one of Chicago’s richest and most influential Black families. The book swaps POV with Olivia, Helen and two other narrators, the sisters’ childhood friend and maid Amy-Rose and Olivia’s best friend, Ruby, the daughter of a family with political ambitions.

Each girl is grappling with familial and societal expectations placed on them, while also trying to figure out what they want for their own lives. The plot largely centers around their differing experiences as young Black women searching (or avoiding) love, but I thought it was great that the plot also balanced topics like colorism, gender expectations and economic status. I thought that this book fills an important place in YA literature, by tackling serious subjects in a gentle, slice of life way.

The star of this book is the rich and interwoven relationships between all of the characters, including a cast of young men courting the girls and a whole host of supporting characters. At the beginning of the novel, as more characters were introduced, I was worried that some would be underdeveloped. As the book progressed I felt that even some of the smaller characters were great additions to the story. Take for example, Helen’s governess. She is introduced as a bit of a two-dimensional villain, but as Helen gets to know her, so does the audience and it was delightful to hear her backstory.

While I loved the cast of characters, the POVs did also create an interesting problem. It took longer than it normally would for me to be fully engaged with the book (30% through), because the beginning of the book really feels like such quick flashes with each character, which makes it hard to be fully immersed or invested in each girl’s story. Ultimately, I’m glad that I stuck it out.

*Slight Spoilers Below*

Trigger warnings: police brutality and white supremist violence. While this book discusses many serious topics and does not depict much violence on the page, there is a scene where Olivia attends a civil rights march and is non-seriously injured.

This book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger for several of the girls and it feels like it’s leading into a sequel, though I haven’t seen any mention of one. Some of the story lines wrapped up nicely, while others felt like they ended a bit suddenly. I don’t love cliff hangers but would absolutely read a sequel to this novel.

I think this is a book I would enjoy listening to, but since I only had the (poorly formatted PDF) eBook ARC, I went with what I had. This is billed as a YA romance so it's less steamy than I am used to... and can I admit I found it refreshing to not have to swim through pages of explicit intimacy?

I'm old. I like a hint but don't need all that, <i>personally</i>.

Anyway... the thing about historical romance based on a real person is that it makes me want to look up the real person it's based on. This title is based on a real person- CR Patterson & sons, a formerly enslaved man who became a wealthy and respected entrepreneur.

I have many thoughts about this book- most of them are pretty good. I got the sense though that there was so much happening- the three girls in this book all meet and fall for someone and we travel through their attempts at romance, at evading their parent's controlling arms and money. This could have been an intriguing trilogy but as it is, it skirts over three separate relationships and doesn't give me the satisfaction I'm seeking in a romance.

I have never watched nor read Bridgerton so I don't understand the references, but the depiction of life among upper crust Black people in society is a vibe! I wish I got more of a feel for the decadence but maybe I was just reading fast and the author didn't want to linger on their wealth.

Fave was Helen, the rough and tumble tomboy with no interest in love unless it involves a car. I love a lady mechanic and she's skilled, despite knowing her role is to be pretty and made up with great manners and attract a man.

Least fave was Amy Rose if only because I am not one for 'he could never love a poor girl like me, how dare I think I could belong with a man like him. Sis GET UP or get OVER. Whew.

ANYWHO. For a person that does not read YA this was a solid read. I am not likely to venture too far into YA but when I do, it has not been a disappointment!

Thank you thank to the publisher for this book!! One of my most anticipated releases and it didn’t disappoint! Set in Chicago in 1910, the Davenport family became wealthy when they founded a carriage company. Following the Davenport daughters as they come of marriage age, this book has so many interesting plot lines. Cannot wait for the next book as there are so many loose ends to tie up

In this Bridgerton-esque novel set in 1910 African American high society, we follow the Davenport children and those around them as they navigate the trials and tribulations of romance. Olivia Davenport is the perfect oldest daughter of a self-made, wildly successful businessman, determined to do her duty by marrying well. Helen is her wild younger sister, who prefers the garage to the ballroom as she makes her way as a mechanic out of her father's eye. John, their brother and the heir of the family, must contend with the pressures of inheriting the company as he faces a growing attraction to his childhood friend turned family maid, Amy-Rose. Ruby, Olivia's best friend, faces immense pressure to marry well amongst her family's financial hardship. Hearts break and mend as these young people find their way in the world.

The premise of this novel is so interesting and creative, and in many ways it was executed really well. The exploration of African American wealth and success during the early 1900s, as well as civil rights, adds depth to the novel and adds new perspectives to the era in the historical romance genre. I liked the multi-person POV, and it felt like a TV show in book form in terms of narrative. I do think some of the romantic storylines felt a bit unoriginal if you've read a lot of historical romance though.

Overall, I think this was a fun, entertaining novel! Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Dial Books for an advanced copy to review.

This is a breathtaking historical fiction set in Chicago about a Black, wealthy family. Told in four point of views; the sisters, the house servant and best friend. The sisters have different goals in life; one wants to marry and the other wants to run her father's company into the future by focusing on automobiles. However, because of who they are and how society functions, they are expected to do certain duties to maintain their statuses. It's more romance than historical fiction but the period markers are appreciated.

It's refreshing to see and read post-Reconstruction era Black families and how they navigated society while living in the north.

A dramatic romance following the perspectives of four Black women as they try to fine love. This book highlights what Black success looked like in during a time that was still difficult in African American history. I love the passion and dedication each of the main characters have to finding their happy endings, and how in trying to find love they also discover themselves.

Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me this eARC! There was a lot I liked about this book, but there was also a lot I didn't like. I'll start with what I did like:

- Ruby and Harrison's romance. It was the only romance in this book that I genuinely liked the entire time.
- Ruby. I honestly don't know why I liked her so much, maybe because she was the least problematic of the main characters (in terms of their romances).
- The setting and the descriptions of said setting. The descriptions of the outfits and balls were wonderful and I rather enjoyed them.
- Until things started getting complicated, I really liked Helen's chapters. I liked how different she was from the other characters in that she knew what she wanted from the start and it *wasn't* love. She still had a love interest though, but it was nice that it wasn't the only thing she wanted in life.
- I suppose the same thing could be said for Amy-Rose, although she also wanted love from the beginning.
- The dance scenes. I love a good ballroom dance scene, and this book had an abundance of those. Unfortunately there were no murders, which I feel always spices up a ball, but I suppose this was not that kind of book. Alas.
- HARRISON WAS SO SWEET. That's all I have to say. I just loved him so much.

Now here's the things I didn't like so much:

- The Davenport siblings. I know, the book was named after them. That does not make them great characters. Good maybe, but not great. At first they (Olivia, Helen, and John) seemed likable enough, but their romances were honestly a bit boring and somehow they managed to all mess up in the last few chapters? Literally the only one who didn't mess up was Ruby smh
- This book was set in 1910, yet the characters seemed to be switching between then and a more modern setting, in terms of the romance. There was a surprising lack of a chaperone for most of Ruby's chapters, and several other instances that would be deemed improper.
- The kisses literally came out of nowhere, almost every single time. The characters would be having a pretty normal conversation and then they would just start kissing. There was no build up, no tension. At almost every single kissing scene, instead of being like "finally," I was like "um what." This is not very good for a book that is supposed to be, in part, a romance...
- I felt like Olivia's POV could have used a little more. And by this I mean that her chapters were by far the heaviest in terms of content, and it felt like she needed to be the main character instead of a main character.
- There were far too many characters, and the switch between using "Mr." and "Miss" and their first names was too much. With four POVs and four love interests, plus families, friends, and other random characters, there were too many people to keep track of. I pretty much only knew the main four plus their love interests and possibly their parents. Beyond that I just let myself be confused.
- There was too much filler. There were a lot of chapters were literally nothing happened, and that honestly should've been cut out. This book could have easily been 50 pages shorter without it, and I found myself skimming quite a bit.
- There was an incident regarding Amy-Rose and a barber shop near the end of the book that never got fully explained. Why did the owner of the shop sell it to someone else?? I kept waiting for there to be some big reveal, but there never was.
- Jacob Lawrence's mustache. I'm sorry. I just can't do facial hair and how old were they supposed to be??? I think Olivia was 18/19 and Helen was maybe 17?? The mustache just felt icky :(
- I think they had a dog but it only showed up once and then everyone forgot about it. Did it die?? Where did it go??


Overall this book was pretty good. I don't think I'll be reading the second book, but that's mostly because this one's not even out yet and I know I'll have forgotten all of the characters by the time book 2 shows up. However, it was a pretty enjoyable read for the most part and Ruby and Harrison made it worthwhile (I realize I've already said this like 802 times but I really did love them).

Inspired by the true account of the family behind the first and only Black owned carriage turned automobile company, The Davenports tells the story of Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose, and Ruby, set against the backdrop of 1910 Chicago. Their lives are filled with galas, jewelry, and servants as well as racism, societal expectations, and forbidden romance across social classes. While I did have to pause at first to keep the multiple points of view straight, this soon faded as the young women’s distinctive personalities and unique struggles pulled me right in to their stories. This first in a series left me with so many questions! These women have difficult choices ahead and I will definitely be following along.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This YA historical romance follows 4 different black women living in Chicago in the early 1900s. Marquis set out to highlight Black success across the midwestern cities during that time despite the immense inequality. What an absolute joy to read about Black love in a genre that typically leaves them out.

Following 4 love stories that were all kind of wrapped up in each other was at times repetitive, (especially 3rd act breakups) but I was always engaged due to the main characters unique personalities and personal storylines.

There was so much to love about this story and I need the next book immediately.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC and physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Davenports is a YA Historical Romance that follows the two Davenport daughters Olivia and Helen, their childhood friend turned maid Amy-Rose and Olivia’s best friend, Ruby as they make their own way in life and love. Based on the real life story of the Patterson family. Set in 1910, The Davenports will transport you to the past full of riches, balls and debuts. Perfect for Bridgerton fans!

When I finished this one I immediately had to look it back up and confirm it was a first in series because I have questions. And it is in fact the start of a new series. I’m not sure how many books there will be but I’m super excited for whatever will come next.

I really enjoyed these four young girls navigating growing up. Helen was definitely my favorite. Her interests and how her gender restricts her is something that was heavily relatable and I really want to see her succeed. Helen also struck me as possibly autistic, but I don't know if I'm right or if it was intentional. Ultimately I’m cheering for all four of these girls and I can’t wait to see how their stories will progress. Highly recommend this fantastic debut 🥰.

RATING: 4 out of 5 Enchanted Roses

ONE-WORD REVIEW: Swoon-worthy

TAG LINE: Fortune favors the bold.

OPENING LINE: "Olivia Elise Davenport pulled a bolt of vibrant yellow silk from the display and held it to her dark complexion."

REVIEW:

Huge thank you to James over at Penguin Teen for sending me an advanced Reader Copy of THE DAVENPORTS in exchange for a review!

THE DAVENPORTS  is a dynamic story that follows four young Black women—three sisters and their good friend, Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose, and Ruby—as they navigate following their hearts in high society. Think Pride & Prejudice but with color *see what I did there*. This was the story I didn’t know I needed. It was very refreshing to read a YA book about wealthy Black families during the 20th century. We get a wonderful peek into a period of African American history often overlooked. Refreshing and innovative.

The pacing of THE DAVENPORTS  was perfect for the story. The prose was lyrical as the plot was everything I could have hoped for. The characters were real, the romance was swoon, and the banter was delightful. The angst! I was fully engaged throughout the entire read.

All in all, I highly recommend this read to anyone who is interested in a swoon-worthy era piece starring African American protagonists. THE DAVENPORTS is like Bridgerton with all Black main characters. Superb job with your debut novel, Krystal! 

Happy Reading!
Ashley
www.TheTatteredPage.com

I really wanted to like this book... Or at least I thought after hearing the premise that I would enjoy it. In the end though it just felt a little like we were going in circles.

What it boiled down to for me was all four of our perspectives were having the exact same issue in their romantic life, every one of them was interested in a person that wasn't the person that was "right for them" according to society, or their parents, or whatever other external factor, and all four of them were moving through the narrative hitting expected romance beats at the exact same time... Which made for a rather lackluster reading experience.

It certainly didn't help that there didn't seem to be any other plot going on. I don't go into YA books for the romance, even when the YA protagonists are very clearly in that grey space of actual early adulthood and not 17 year olds doing things that children do. In the YA books that I do pick up there is usually something other than the romance that is equally as compelling to read about, but here there was nothing. The four perspectives while vaguely distinct, didn't really seem to matter because there wasn't much a plot for them to maneuver their way through. Even the unique setting of 1900s Chicago with these wealthy Black families still trying to navigate a world that wasn't fully ready to accept them felt dull and flat. Daddy Davenport literally escaped slavery and worked his way to founding a successful business and yet I was supposed to believe he was this person that was so set in his ways that he wouldn't see that horseless carriages were here to stay? It just wasn't clicking for me.

If the sequel is shorter than this book I might be willing to pick this up, but honestly as I was reading this book I was more invested in it being over than the narrative that I was supposed to be experiencing. For all the potential this book had at every opportunity it seemed to stray down the road that was the least compelling to read about.

This was a really cool book composed up of multiple stories through the views of the different family members/their help. It was very insightful into how people of color were treated back in time and was very educational and inspiring. I loved each characters plot like and the seamless way they were all interwoven

I loved how this book showed a wealthy black family during the gilded age. And how they were just trying to fit into society. I don’t seem many books giving this perspective. BUT with all this said I thought this book was kind of boring. I’m not really a fan of books set during the gilded age. This book is told through four different characters perspectives. It was very hard to keep up with the characters and what they were doing. This one just wasn’t my favorite.

I absolutely ADORED this book! This surpassed all of my expectations.

This follows four young Black women in the early 1900s in Chicago. The Davenports are one of the few wealthy Black families in the area. Daughters Olivia and Helen couldn’t be more different from one another. Helen just wants to fix cars but her father will not hear a word of it, and Olivia is the golden daughter, ready to make their parents proud. Ruby, Olivia’s best friend is dealing with the pressure from her parents and it’s making her crazy. While Amy-Rose, a girl who grew up playing with the Davenport kids, is now a servant in their home with dreams of opening a salon of her own.

Each of these young women are fantastic characters and the obstacles they face will shape them into the women they will become. Love blooms in the air all around, but most of it is forbidden to them. The cost of doing what each of their individual hearts tell them to do will be weighed against the paths set before them by their parents or their status or rank.

This was such a wonderfully juicy story about Black lives in the time after slavery, in the Jim Crow era that was fun and vibrant while still being very, very serious about important topics. Author Krystal Marquis loosely based this on a real family, the Pattersons, wondering what life for the Patterson girls may have been like.

I highly recommend this one and I CANNOT wait for the next book to come out.

This book reminded me so much of reading Little Women and the slower paced drama and social restrictions placed on people because of their sexuality and/or skin color. I enjoyed the multiple view points so I was able to see this historical world from different economic points of view.

The setting and characters all felt so real and I could easily picture the scenes unfolding in front of me and the writing was freshly modern. I enjoyed the family pressures, the friendships, and the romance.

At the beginning, even though I expected the story lines of these characters to drastically change, I felt as if each person was pursuing the natural path for their lives. Then, around midpoint, the life decisions which brought drastic changes to their lives, felt authentic and slowly changed my mind to thinking each character had made realistic choices for themselves.

I had no idea this was not a stand alone novel; the ending, although excellent for a first in series book, left mostly unanswered questions.

Reviews Posted: January 13, 2023
Goodreads
Stroygraph


OMG, this book is absolutely fantastic in every imaginable way! Each character has a unique and rich back story that captivates from the first page.

When I say I was getting emotional 10 or 15 pages in, I mean that. Amy-Rose was the first character I connected to in the story, and she remained my favorite throughout. I felt like I got a really good sense of each girl and loved seeing them grow and learn new things about themselves and the people around them. Also, I can’t lie I am a sucker for some good romantic drama.

I felt the love and chemistry of every single couple in this book. The moment each couple interacts, there are fireworks coming off the page.

Also, the ending absolutely wrecked me, and I will not be getting over that cliffhanger for a long time. I was whole hearty and emotionally lined by the author.

Overall this is a captivating story about 4 strong young women trying to figure out their way in the world when the world and people around them expect something different.

3.5 stars rounded up

Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey, but with an all-Black cast in Gilded Age Chicago! Loosely based on the real history of a wealthy Black family at the time, this follows young people coming of age and learning to differentiate what they want from what their parents might want for them. It's chock full of romantic drama, secrets, longing, angst, and fighting for civil rights.

I think this is a strong debut and I look forward to seeing more like this from Marquis in the future. I think if you go in with the right expectations, you could have a fun time with this YA novel. I will say the pacing is rather slow for this sort of effervescent story filled with social drama. And I think the pacing made the character twists feel more staid than they are supposed to. That said, overall I found this to be fun and a very accessible entry-point for teens seeking historical flair and diverse representation alongside their romantic drama. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review, all opinions are my own.