Now I knew I would love this book because the first one was SOOO good. The cliffhanger at the end of book one was seared into my brain stem! Thank you to Netgalley & Krystal Marquis for an eARC. The Davenports are a wealthy black family deserving its own show on tv! All the drama is just top tier!

It was really nice to see the Davenport women and her friends again, to watch their growth and how they found what they want from life. It was a bit slow at times for me, but if you're looking for a solid, character-driven story with strong and lovely heroines and sloooow-burn romance, you can't go wrong with this series!

I didn’t love this one like I was hoping I would! It was nice to be pulled back into the Davenport world with all the original characters and some new ones. It was good but didn’t wow me like the first one! 3.5 stars

I really loved the Davenports and was excited to read the sequel. It’s a great read for someone who likes strong female characters who are trying to live out their dreams without just being a debutante on the hunt for a husband. That being said we also get to see them be debutantes with suitors. Helen, Olivia, Amy-Rose and Ruby are all strong and well rounded characters. The recent past and slavery is mentioned and present in the story but it not something that the author overly focuses on. The focus is on these the success of these families and how they belong and are respected in Chicago society. They don’t all have completely charmed lives but they have wishes and dreams they are all working their hardest to achieve. From opening a salon and creating a hair care brand, working on cars and building a family business, designing dresses and fighting for and writing about social issues there is something that most girls today reading this will find some connection with despite it being a historical novel.

The Davenports: More Than This was indeed more than the first book, and I had so much fun! I think I really struggled with the rotating POVs in the first book, especially Ruby's chapters. But I loved Ruby so much more in this one, and I enjoyed the rotating POVs this time around a lot more—they seemed less weighed down by unnecessary detail and internal monologue. Now, these things are still very much present, but they are somehow executed in a much more different, more enjoyable way in book 2.

Marquis' appeal and charm is bringing her characters through multiple ebbs and flows of life, so even though this is a YA historical romance, it feels very relatable and true to life. However, something about this book read a lot slower than the first, but I felt submerged in this world more completely in the best of ways. The conflicts in this book were a bit stretched thin by the points of resolution, but I suppose that is to be expected from a book that pulls focus repeatedly to other characters.

I look forward to reading more books by Marquis!

4 ⭐️s

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP, Penguin Young Readers Group | Dial Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Did not know it was possible but the second is better than the first. Watching these lovable, deep characters evolve and come into themselves while discovering love is magical.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

More Than This by Krystal Marquis is a third person multi-POV YA romantic historical continuation of The Davenports. The Davenport siblings are continuing to struggle in love as their childhood friend Ruby and her fiance Harrison plan their wedding. Olivia has a chance at new love, Helen might achieve her dreams, and Amy-Rose really could have it all. But nothing is ever easy.

My favorite POV character this time around was Ruby, who might have been my least favorite POV in the first book. Ruby and Harrison have moved past Ruby’s schemes from the last book to make John jealous and are happily engaged with all of Chicago keeping an eye on them because of Ruby’s father’s campaign. I felt so bad for Ruby when her father lost the campaign early on and then he seemed to put all of his resentment onto her by just ignoring her existence. That plus Ruby working to create her own fashion company and her faith in her and Harrison’s love when someone else was trying to destroy made me like Ruby a lot more than I did in the first book. She’s grown and changed but she has retained many of her old interests and I was here for it.

Amy-Rose and John’s relationship got a lot of development when Amy-Rose returned to Chicago after the death of her friend and landlord, Mrs. Davis. John is not pushy and is quite understanding of why Amy-Rose needs time before discussing being with him again, but he’s also always present in some way in her POV chapters. For her part, Amy-Rose has a lot of things going on besides John, from Mrs. Davis’ death, to Mrs. Davis’ daugther’s resentment, to a member of her father’s family reaching out. She was really put through the ringer this time, but I loved watching her take it all on and continue to push for her hair care business.

Helen and Olivia are the two that have the most change in terms of their love lives with new potential love interests presenting themselves. Mr. and Mrs. Davenport want Olivia to consider their lawyer, Mr. Stone, after Olivia’s previous love interest left Chicago to continue his social justice work. On the flip side, Helen is trying to focus on expanding the Davenports’ carriage business into automobiles, finally getting what she has always wanted, but between a racer, Ransom Swift, and her previous flame, Jacob Lawrence coming back, she’s got just as many romantic troubles as her sister. Of the two, I liked Olivia’s more because seeing her find new love and deal with the complexities of moving on when Washington came back was very realistic and showed a very vulnerable side of her. Olivia has also found her own way to be part of the continuing abolitionist movement and is working towards women’s suffrage, which adds depth to her romantic arc as both men she is interested in are very passionate about politics.

I would recommend this to fans of the first Davenports book, readers looking for a YA historical focused on Black communities in the northeast in the early twentieth century with strong romance arcs, and those who wanted a romantic historical but not a historical romance

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, and Krystal Marquis for the eARC.
The Davenports More Than This(Uncorrected Proof), the sequel to The Davenports.

Initially it took me a very long time to really get into the book. Like the first book it was a slow start but maybe a little slower than I had liked. I enjoyed reading this book. A continuation from the previous book telling the story of each of the 4 different young women: Amy-Rose, Olivia, Helen and Ruby. My favorite of them all was Amy-Rose. Everyone had a win in the end. Whether small or big. I connected with these characters more in this book than the first. The romance. The drama(not a lot lol). The business ventures and aspirations. Definitely would recommend.

As a lover of historical fiction and stories about the Black bourgeoisie, I was drawn to 'The Davenports: More Than This'. The author's exploration of this specific time period and social group was fascinating, offering a glimpse into the complexities and nuances of Black life in the 1910s The author's ability to capture the characters' struggles and triumphs was both compelling and thought-provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books for the ARC.

It’s with a heavy heart that I must say I wasn’t able to finish this book. Loved the first book of the series and was so excited for the second book, but I just couldn’t get pulled into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Books for Young Readers for permission to read this work prior to its publication date.

Ruby Tremaine is planning her wedding when some rumors thwart her plans and her father's political endeavors. Helen Davenport is trying to gain control of her father's company when everyone just wants her to be a debutante. Her sister Olivia is still writing political pieces in secret and pining for the love that got away. Amy-Rose Shepard is finally achieving her own dream of owning a beauty salon, but not without some tribulations. I love how varied these young women are- and I soooo love a story about bougie Black women! As much as I enjoyed the plot, I felt there was a continuity issue from the first to the second novel and it changed the experience for me. That said, this is a lovely read!

Great follow up to the first Davenports novel and a wonderful, compelling continuation of the story. Love that it is rooted in history. I can imagine this doing well in both teenage and new adult audiences.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Krystal Marquis for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Davenports: More Than This coming out November 12, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own..

I enjoyed the first book, so I was excited to check this book out. I love this book even more! I thought the characters were more fleshed out and it was fun seeing where they were in their journey. I couldn’t remember a few things from the first book, but I loved the story. The women forged their paths and were on their way to get what they wanted from life. I enjoyed that they were strong and smart characters. I would’ve liked a little more from the men. It felt like a couple of them were just secondary characters. I just wanted more. I think with four main female characters, it left less time for the men. I would’ve liked it if there was a book featuring each of the women individually. I would check out more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys diverse historical fiction!

This series gives Bridgerton and American Royals vibes (because it's YA). I enjoyed book #2 more than the first one. Like the first book, I think it could have been shorter, but I liked all four main characters and the storyline in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Great follow up. I'm really enjoying this series and hope they will continue.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

I was so excited for this book. I devoured the first book, so I thought this was going to be the same way. I must admit it did take me a bit to get into but I still had a blast reading it. I love finding out about each of the ladies as we see where their story goes. The thing that appears to shake up some of their lives, that really added to the story and caused me to see how it was going to play out. I have to say, I think my favorite character is Amy-Rose. I love seeing them grow from the first book to this. Such a great series.

I loved this one just as much as the first one. You can tell the author knows her history and I connected with the characters and their love stories right away. Good conclusion to an entertaining read.

Lovely book that everyone should read. The cover pulls you in immediately. I had heard about this author from tiktok. So glad to have received an ARC of this.

I read this book through an advanced reader copy on NetGalley. It has the feel of Bridgerton with its romance, history and charm. It is set in 1910 in Black aristocratic Chicago. It is a coming of age story of four Black women, who are making a way for themselves in a rapidly changing society.

This series gives off all the Bridgerton vibes! The perfect sequel, filled with romance, betrayal, secrets, and lots of pretty dresses!

This book, as well as the first in the series, gives insight into what the lives of African Americans was like in the early 20th century. A wonderful portrayal of both those who lived in elite society, and those who did not, this book has substance in addition to its romantic fluff.

If you need any more convincing to read this book, take my word for it, you won't regret reading it. And the cover is gorgeous ;)

--Thank you to Netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--