As a reader: I enjoyed this sequel but not as much as the initial text, The Davenports. The story was a bit slow and the approach to Olivia's activism, while a beautiful arc, could've been a bit more high stakes. I was also excited to follow all of the storylines, but some of the additional characters fell flat or seemed pointless. Specifically Mr. Swift, Maude's daughter, and the businessman from NY. Mr. Stone was a breath of fresh air, and I look forward to more of his character in a sequel(which I would absolutely read!) Amy Rose's sister wanting to have a relationship seemed to be unrealistic, but if it's based on a real account, I would be interested in that. Overall, the scenery and worldbuilding is beautiful and right out of a Gilded Age fantasy. It's always a treat to read about characters and spaces where Black people flourished to have a rounded view of our existence, and paths.

First of all, I loved the first book, The Davenports, so this next book was a high-priority read for me this fall. I went in with very high expectations, and I think that soured me a bit on the book. It is still a great read-- all of my favorite characters return! The storyline begins a few short weeks after the events of the first book. These female main characters are strong, independent women, and I think younger readers need to see that so much! There are many different subplots in this book, so it may be a bit confusing for some readers. I think this did slow down the plot progression somewhat. Nonetheless, I did enjoy seeing how some of the stories finished for each of the main characters.

Not going to lie I didn't like this one as much as I did the first one in the series. It seems like this one fell into second book syndrome. Don't get me wrong it was still a great read. Just not as good as the first one.

I am grateful for this continuation of The Davenports series. We need more historical fictions that give insight into Black communities that don’t revolve around trauma and instead are fun, insightful looks at young women coming of age.

I think I went into this not realizing that I probably should have read through the other Davenport books for this to make more sense. I am used to historicals being standalones, so my review is definitely clouded by that. There were just a lot of characters to keep track of and I wasn't really invested in them since I was meeting them for the first time.

This was good, and I felt it was a beautiful continuation of the relationship that began in the last book, as well as what each character desired out of life. I wonder whether this is the end of the Davenports because it was wrapped up so well. Despite her social standing, Amy Rose is still pursuing her goals of owning a prosperous company and dating John Davenport. A rumor threatens Ruby's marriage as she plans her wedding and her dad loses the mayoral election. While she waits to be reunited with Washington, Olivia continues to be active in social justice. While attempting to be a woman working at her father's carriage business, Helen gets into a fight with a race car driver.
There are numerous points of view, and my main gripe is that I would have like each book to concentrate on one or two of the fmcs in order to give us more time to spend with the characters and allow for greater character development. There was a lot of misunderstanding and the pacing suffered as a result of it not occurring. It was entertaining to watch these black characters deal with concerns of racism, social justice, riches, romance, and status in this wealthy 1920s society. I would suggest this book to anyone who like a variety of historical fiction and romance, even though I preferred some points of view over others.

Set in early 20th century Chicago, this continues the Davenports saga following four young Black women who are ambitious and determined to make change despite the limitations generally accorded to their sex and race. Great on audio narrated by Joniece Aboott-Pratt and perfect for fans of figures like Ida B. Wells. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much that I ended up buying a physical copy of the book so I could read it again!

It took me a while to find a steady pace with this story as it started out kind of slow. The first book took it's time in the beginning as well, which makes sense for character development, however, book 2's pace was much slower. After eventually getting into the story and connecting with the characters again, I really enjoyed reading this and found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading. I love reading about and imagining what "elite" Black life was like in the early 1900's. I enjoyed the romance, the lessons learned, and reading about each character's journey to finding their own paths. I certainly hope we get another Krystal Marquis novel soon!

Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it. Really loved it.

Krystal Marquis delivers a captivating continuation of The Davenports series with More Than This. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1910 Chicago, this sequel masterfully intertwines romance, ambition, and societal pressures through the perspectives of four dynamic young women.

Ruby’s journey from blissful engagement to facing scandal is both heart-wrenching and empowering, while Olivia's struggles between her ideals and her parents’ expectations highlight the tension between duty and desire. Amy-Rose’s dream of salon ownership and her complicated history with John bring heartfelt moments of self-discovery, and Helen’s determination to modernize the family business introduces a thrilling and unexpected romantic spark.

Marquis excels in crafting characters whose dreams and dilemmas feel both period-authentic and universally relatable. The intricate depictions of social class and racial dynamics further enrich the narrative. Though the multiple storylines occasionally vie for dominance, they come together in a satisfying and emotional conclusion.

Perfect for fans of historical romance and stories of resilience, More Than This shines as a powerful tale of love, ambition, and self-determination.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy to review!

While I enjoyed this book, I would have prefered that the author focus on 1-2 heroines instead of 4. This choice let to more telling instead of showing, and thus some disconnections. But the vibe is soooo goooooood!

More Than This is the second book in the Davenports series. The Davenport girls are preparing for the summer of 1910 in Chicago. Ruby is engaged and preparing for her wedding. Olivia is a budding activist. Amy-Rose is making her dreams of becoming a salon owner come true. Helen is attempting to mend her broken heart by making updates to the family business.

This is a series that I really want to love more than I do. I really wish each book was limited to focus on one of the Davenport girls. As is the book feels overstuffed with plots and povs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t able to read this as I wasn’t able to read book 1 it didn’t grasp my attention the way I hoped. I will be sure to come back and try them again because I love the aspect of the book I do.

I got a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I waited until the book released and grabbed the audiobook. The first book left me hanging so I was anxious for this sequel.

I was happy to be back with Olivia, Helen, Ruby, and Amy-Rose. Olivia was following her dreams of being an activist and started writing. Helen was trying to follow her dream of working for the family business and helping to develop a car for them to sell. Ruby was preparing for her wedding and starting to design clothes. Amy-Rose was starting her salon and hair care line with the help of a generous benefactor.

I really enjoyed this book. Each girl got to follow their dreams and also find love. It wasn’t easy but they tackled every hurdle that was put in their path. The ending wasn’t exactly what I expected but I am confident that each woman found their happily ever after.

This was a five star read ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

This was everything I hoped it would be. The character arcs coming to fruition in all the ways I hoped they would. I definitely could have used something more definitive between Olivia and her choice. The win for Amy-Rose was so sweet. Helen was again the most entertaining character. But it was Ruby’s character growth that I enjoyed most of all, seeing her fully step in the shelf assured young women she had the potential to be and living for herself was incredibly satisfying. The pacing in this book was much better and even the slower moments were engaging and entertaining. I enjoyed this read from start to finish!

More Than This is the second book in The Davenports series, following a group of young Black society women in 1910 Chicago.

Olivia, Ruby, Amy-Rose, and Helen are back, each trying to live life on her own terms, pursue dreams, and find love.

Olivia continues her work in social justice by supporting local causes and writing anonymously for the newspaper. Her romance with Washington DeWight has been on hiatus since he left for Washington, D.C., to continue his civil rights work. His absence, however, has led to a new friendship with lawyer Everett Stone, opening new possibilities.

Ruby is planning her wedding to Harrison Barton, but the stress of her father’s mayoral campaign, along with the financial strain it’s placed on her family, is weighing on her. She also faces town gossip, but the loss of her family’s fortune propels her to chase her own ambitions.

Amy-Rose’s salon and beauty business is flourishing under her mentor Mrs. Davis, and her future is looking bright. However, her relationship with John Davenport remains complicated after his father made it clear that he doesn’t think the “daughter of a slave-owner” is suitable for his son.

Helen is reluctantly preparing for her debut, but her true passion lies in the family carriage business and her dream of creating an automobile. She hopes that the publicity from recruiting race car driver Ransom Swift to showcase their prototype will convince her father and his board to take her seriously.

More Than This is a historical young adult novel with drama, romance, and a vivid depiction of early 20th-century Chicago. My favorite character is Amy-Rose, who is hardworking, kind, and true to herself. While the stakes aren’t particularly high and the romances are sweet and chaste, it’s a comforting read for those who want to revisit characters they love.

Rating: 3.75 stars

An enjoyable second installment of the Davenport siblings. This time around they're all on their individual paths trying to build the next chapter of their lives while navigating friendships, love, and the prying eyes of family. A good story to dive into if you're ready to reconnect with the characters and continue the journey.

The first book in this series was one of my favorite books of 2023. I'm leaving this review with the assumption that this is a duology, because I have no idea where it would go from here. If it's going to be a trilogy, then I'm very confused.

The first 20% or so of this book is dedicated largely to reminding us what happened in book one. IMO, book 1 was so tightly plotted and so... not quite campy, but high drama for sure. Book 2 is much less focused, and things seem to happen with minimal agency on the part of the characters. Now, if that's because we're getting closure on book 1, I'm glad I stuck around. The end of this book felt very final. But compared to the previous installment, the stakes were much lower, and there were few real obstacles faced by any of the characters. A lot of the story seemed to take place off-page in between chapters. Admittedly, I read this book as an ARC (thank you, NetGalley, for the review copy) and I'm sure some things changed between my version and the final, but the changes would have had to be pretty significant to adjust what felt to me like pacing issues.

That said, I still liked the characters, and I was glad to see them find various versions of happiness. I'm just thinking about what happened in each character's storyline, and there wasn't much substance.

💜 The Davenports: More Than This Book #2

✍🏾 By: Krystal Marquis- read The Davenports and it gave 5⭐

📅 Publication: 11-12-24, Read 11-12-24

🌎 Setting: Chicago 1910

📄Page Count: 384

Genre/Tropes:
♡ Historical Romance
♡ African American/Women's Fic
♡ coming of age
♡ Young Adult
♡ wealthy
♡ based on real people- C.R. Patterson + family

In Book one, Olivia defied her parents by not entering into an arranged marriage. Helen told her father that she was serious about The Carriage Company and enjoyed being a mechanic. Ruby's plan with John backfired, but she ended falling for Harrison Barton instead. And Amy-Rose followed her dream of opening a hair care business moving to New York, leaving John Davenport.

This book was a great follow-up to see where everyone ended up after their decisions. Olivia became more active in the civil rights movement waiting for Mr. DeWight to return. She made a connection with her father's business lawyer Mr. Everett Stone-someone her parents actually approved of. Helen made her debut in society reluctantly, still working with her brother John at their family's company. She even recruited stock car driver Ransom Swift to be the face of their motorcar creation, but past suitor Jacob Lawrence returned and swept her off her feet. Ruby Tremaine was planning her wedding to Mr. Harrison Barton, but the arrival of gossip from people she thought were friends tried to ruin her. She discovered her passion for dress design and made it a reality regardless of her parents' disapproval. Amy-Rose thought a lot about her mother Clara and recently deceased mentor Mrs. Davis. She received letters from family she never knew and confronted her true feelings for John Davenport after a lot of pining. The patriarch Mr. Davenport transformed the most after his trip to London. He was more accepting of Helen joining the business, and he reconciled with Amy-Rose. I can't wait to see everyone's weddings and HEAs!

⚠️: racism/classism, slavery mentioned, misogyny

🌶️Steam level: 1/5 kissing only

⭐Rating: 4/5

Thanks for the e-ARC provided by NetGalley, Penguin Group/ Penguin Young Readers Group | Dial Books, and Krystal Marquis. I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own!