i enjoyed this more than the first one even though the first one was just introducing the characters

*4.5
I like this boom more than the first (and I liked the first very much). I really enjoyed how the story continue and I loved how the characters are growing and changing. I’m really intrigued, can wait to have more!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Brief Summary

Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose, and Ruby are back. Ruby is engaged, but will her parents accept her relationship? Olivia has found her passion in fighting for the rights of her fellow Black brothers and sisters. But who will fight and win her heart? Helen's passion for her father's company hasn't wavered. But who will reignite the love in her broken heart? Amy-Rose is determined to make her dreams come true. How long can she ignore her broken heart? This story follows four young black women fighting for love and purpose.

My Review

I would like to formally thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to join the ARC team.

I highly anticipated his sequel. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The author did an outstanding job organizing the story plot and creating a movie-like experience in my mind as I read. I wasn't a fan of the length of the book. I felt the story was dragged out longer than it had to be. The consistent miscommunication among the characters was tiresome towards the middle to end of the book. The slow-building tension wasn't executed well. The story picked up a better pace towards the last ten chapters. I liked the ending of the book. I was hoping for an epilogue. Overall, the sequel is excellent if the author decides to continue the series or stop at book two.

The Davenports: More than This by Krystal Marquis receives a 3.5 out of 5 stars from me. Rounded up to 4 out of 5 stars.

The Davenports: More Than This picks up where the first book left off, and it does not disappoint! Set in the opulence of 1910s Chicago, this sequel takes the high-stakes drama, romance, and social challenges of the Davenport family to a new level, keeping readers hooked until the very last page.
Ruby Tremaine’s storyline is particularly gripping. Watching her navigate the heartbreak of a vicious rumor as she plans her wedding adds a level of tension and vulnerability that makes her journey so relatable. Olivia’s commitment to social justice is inspiring, but her romantic struggles—torn between her love for Washington and her parents’ expectations—kept me on edge, rooting for her to defy societal norms.
The real surprise, though, comes with Amy-Rose’s return to Freeport Manor. Her chemistry with John Davenport is electric, and the tension between them is one of the book’s most emotionally charged subplots. Helen, the bold and determined sister, also shines as she steps into a more assertive role, taking the reins of the family business and navigating her feelings for the thrilling, enigmatic racecar driver.
The author's writing continues to captivate with its rich descriptions, historical context, and heartfelt exploration of love, family, and self-determination. The sequel not only delves deeper into each character's personal growth but also beautifully reflects the social dynamics of the time—race, class, and gender.
Though a few plot points felt slightly rushed, the emotional arcs of each character are satisfying, and the drama feels fresh and invigorating. This is an ideal read for those who love historical fiction with a romantic twist and characters that truly come alive on the page. Can’t wait to see where the author takes the Davenports next!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoy this book so much! I love the character developments and the romance. I would highly recommend this book.

Genre: Historical YA Romance
Avail: Nov 12
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕
Spice: 🔥

Synopsis: Sequel to 2023’s The Davenports—inspired by the true story of Black families among 1910 Chicago’s elite—continues the story of Olivia, Helen, Ruby, & Amy-Rose, 4 empowered & passionate young women navigating a rapidly changing society.

Thoughts: I eagerly returned to the story of these young women, to see how they built on their triumphs & heartaches. I 💖 to see characters succeed through entrepreneurial spirit, & all 4 leads experience exciting vocational arcs. I found that of Amy-Rose, maid-turned-salon-owner, especially engaging as she specializes in products for Black woman, a traditionally under-served market. Book 1 evocatively captures the young ladies’ struggles—products of time period, gender, race, & class—& I wish book 2 had played more with this tension. The HEAs would have more oomph if the outcomes felt imperiled. Book 2 also leans heavily into the love-triangle trope, making the individual stories—while lovely—feel redundant. 2 stand-out qualities the original are its lush language & the author’s skill in setting a coming-of-age story within a broader historical context. Book 2 doubles down on these attributes, juxtaposing vivid images of 1910’s Chicago & NY (& swoon-worthy dresses) with the violence sparked by increasing rights for Blacks in the early days of the NAACP. As with book 1, I closed The Davenports: More Than This with a sense of having read an important book that left me thoroughly entertained.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced digital copy!!
I love these characters so much! The Davenports was one of the books I read almost 2 years ago that really got me back into reading. I fell in love with this story and I feel so lucky that I got to read the 2nd one early!
The pining, the drama, the glam, it's all still there and just as fun. Definitely read this series if you're into those things!

Krystal Marquis has done it again! I felt in love with the Davenports and friends a year ago. That beautiful yellow color drew me in and this second one did not disappoint. Excellent read, highly recommend for teens and adults!

This book continues the stories of Olivia, Amy-Rose, Ruby, and Helen. It was nice to get back to the girls journey's in life and love after the first book. I enjoyed reading this, but I do feel like there was a lot left to be desired. I assume this will be address in the next book though so I will definitely reac the follow up. I enjoy this series and don't mind there 4 POVs but I wonder it this would have been better and less overwhelming if split up into 4 books for each girls story? It just felt overwhelming at times and I feel as though I cared about certain characters stories more than others. This is a personal preference though. Overall the story is still solid. I still enjoyed it. I would like to see this adapted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the e-ARC.

4.0 Stars

After finishing The Davenports, I was concerned about where Marquis would take More Than This. Out of the romance novels I've read, I'd place The Davenports directly in the middle of the rankings. There was a lot of potential in some areas, but I wasn't fond of how she used one trope across four storylines. This issue was fixed in More Than This and I am very pleased with how Marquis concluded the duology.

Plot: A common complaint for The Davenports was that there were four different storylines. While each protagonist still maintained a plotline in More Than This, I felt as if this second installment did a much better job at weaving the plots together. Therefore, I felt as if I was reading one cohesive story with many complex characters rather than reading four different stories with characters that interacted.

Romance: I loved Helen's romantic journey the most in The Davenports, but I will say that my favortism shifted during More Than Us. I felt as if The Davenports allowed there to be a greater depth to Ruby, Olivia and Helen's romantic endeavors while More Than This allowed for John and Amy Rose's love lives to to shine. This was a nice contrast to how in the first book John and Amy Rose were focused on their respective work duties/passions and in the second book, Ruby and Olivia had that same chance. I left out Helen because throughout the duology, she displayed a consistent level of dedication to her passion as she did to her suitors. Maybe I still do admire Helen the most... Along with Amy Rose, but for other reasons you'll have to discover by reading the book! She has come a long way and I'm glad we had a greater focus on her in this book.

I do wonder if Marquis will continue to write about these characters. There was a lot left to the imagination and there were so many interesting characters. I do know that in theory, you want to leave people wanting more, but I do see some potential in further books (not a series, but maybe one offs). Although, on the other hand, I think Marquis did an excellent job at resolving the duology and somethings you need to leave well enough alone.

I look forward to reading future books by this author and watching how she develops her craft even further.

Thank you to Krystal Marquis, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the first Davenport book. However because I haven't read the 1st book since it came out and the fact that we follow 4 main characters I had a hard time remembering who was who and what was going on for the first few chapters until I became reacquainted with what was going on in each of the girls lives. That said once I did remember each of girls as well as new and old characters I found the middle of the book a bit slow for awhile. It wasn't bad, just slow. There were a few plot points that I was a little frustrated with but thankfully they were resolved. The ending pace also picked up and I was satisfied for the most part with how things turned out. I'm not really sure what will happen in the next book, I assume there will be another book because I didn't read anywhere that this was only a dulology or that this was the conclusion. Overall I'd still recommend the series for anyone interested in it. And its refreshing to read a series where you don't have to worry about sex or strong language. There is still plenty of romance and sweet moments as well as mentions of violence in other areas but nothing is explicit.

Amy-Rose has her hair salon. Olivia is still uplifting her community through activism. Ruby is ready to be a wife. Helen is still trying to take over the family’s company.

I have to say, as I was reading, I wanted more. But I had to check myself to say it’s okay for Black women to just exist. Reframing this thinking helped me view this book as a catch up with my girls. I also wouldn’t mind many books about this quartet.

With that being said, give me more. I need to know is Ruby going to end up having kids? Who is going to truly win Olivia’s heart? What’s next for Amy Rose’s business? How is Helen going to take the Davenport automobile company to even higher heights?

If you like the first one, you’ll like this one as well.

I absolutely LOVED this story. As a second in the series, this continues the storylines of four African American women in the early 1900's as they deal with heartbreak and the attempt to find their place in society. There is Olivia, who is happy to pursue a traditional lifestyle but moonlights as a writer of opinion pieces that advocate for women's suffrage, her headstrong younger sister Helen who would rather work as a mechanic for their family's carriage company than find a spouse, Amy=Rose, who opens her own salon and line of haircare products despite her humble beginnings, and Ruby who is willing to fight for her happy ending. All four girls lead such inspiring lives, and readers will be swept away to another time. The reading experience is immersive, and I would definitely recommend to all fans of historical fiction!

I really enjoyed this continuation of Olivia, Ruby, Amy-Rose, and Helen's stories. This installment shows the girls recovering from heartbreak, giving second chances, making tough choices, and standing their ground. The author has done a great job of developing these characters, and their growth is apparent throughout their story arcs. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this lovely series.

Being that this was the second book from the series, it was familiar to me. It took a while to get back into the groove since I read the first one months ago, but once I did, I enjoyed every second of it. It was nice to see everyone get their happy endings.

This sequel was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I absolutely loved reading about the lives and aspirations of each character. I appreciate the fact that I was never confused about the plot since the author adds short recaps so you don’t have to reread the first book to enjoy this one. My only critique is that I wish we’d gotten to read more from each character’s perspective. However, it’s hard to strike that balance when you have so many characters and timelines.

At points, I thought the pacing was slower than the first, but the experience reading about the small moments these characters have as a group and also the historical events referenced makes it a great historical fiction read. I’d still recommend it if you enjoyed the first and want to know where these characters stories end (unless there’s another sequel). Don’t go into it expecting anything because there are a few characters introduced who shake things up.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin for sharing the ARC with me!

Historical fiction set in the 1920’s, main character Ruby is readying to marry the love of her life when gossip and rumors threaten her lively hood. This was a well written and quick read, with many relatable characters. Fun, quick read that was well written!

I rated this book 3 stars. While I recognize it is the sequel to The Davenports, I felt like the 80% of the book was repeating the main characters issues over and over and over again. There were a few surprises, but those were close to the end. The storylines were pretty good, but they could have gone a little farther. For example, why did the group of ladies start the rumors about Ruby? In the end, I am glad that it worked out for everyone, but honestly, I’m not interested in reading any additional books about The Davenports.

Charming, elegant, and signifies lost stories that are slowly returning to public knowledge. That's the importance of 'The Davenports' and the ongoing series continues to grow with each instalment. With a fictional world baked in with real historical touches Krystal's sequel is just as intriguing. It's lovely to see a cast of black characters thrive, celebrate love, achieve dreams, and chase their ambitions.

But there's also something that I really loved: political action and mobilizing a community for change. Themes relevant in the current climate of the world. For me it's really hard to pick a favourite character then each are well rounded and pursuing their own character arc but it has to be Olivia. I'm bumping my rating down to a 4 because I think the series would have benefitted with a book per each character. While I appreciate the multiple character pov chapters I was always eager to just return to a favourite. A testament to Krystal's writing.

My favourite quote: "People forget, delicate flowers have thorns...and roses can draw blood".

Thank you so much Penguin Teen Canada for providing an ARC!

The Davenports, is a vibrant and engaging historical fiction set in the roaring 1920s. Centered around the Davenport family—one of Chicago’s wealthiest Black families—the novel delves into themes of ambition, love, and social change with both depth and flair. I could not put it down. Just like the first book it was perfect from beginng to end. I personally loved all the POVs, I felt like I was immersed into the time period and each storyline. I would recommend to this anyone doesn’t matter the age, I think the translates very well for any age.