I enjoyed The Davenports: More Than This even though I found the beginning to be a bit shaky. I wasn't sure if I'd love it or not but I did. I loved stepping back into this world and watching these characters grow and come into their own. I loved the fact that they live in a conventional world but each heroine is unconventional in her own way. I enjoyed watching them navigate every obstacle that was placed in their path and watching them triumph. I'm truly loving their journeys and can't wait to see what happens. This was a cute and sweet read with not so fluffy undertones. I definitely recommend it.

Thanks Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the gifted DRC book.

Even though I read the first book of this series in January 2023, I had no problem jumping back into the Davenports’ world in MORE THAN THIS. Marquis once again delivers compelling characters in a great multi-POV story. Though a bit slower than the first book, I was still eagerly turning pages. Recommended for fans of YA historical romance that enjoy character-driven stories. I’m looking forward to the next book!

I enjoyed returning to the world and following our band of main female characters. At many times throughout the novel, I itched to get a bit more from the main point of view. There were pretty important plot devices that were resolved in the background that would have been very interesting to spend some time on instead of skipping forward. I do think the shining light of this sequel were the periods where we followed Amy Rose and Helen grow into their own. Amy Rose's luck at getting her business off the ground and determination at times to not get distracted were commendable however, I thought her love interest could have groveled a bit more...I understand that may have been a bit too modern. Helen never wavering on what she wants to do with her life and cars, was nice as well. I'm glad she wasn't pigeonholed into a role.

At times, because of my lack of interest in some of the other POVs due to their repetitive nature in comparison to the first book, the plot moved really slow.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ebook.

I was anxiously awaiting the sequel to The Davenports, and was thrilled to receive an ARC of "More Than This." I was so invested in Olivia, Ruby, and Helen (honestly, not so much for Ann-Marie). The novel did feel a bit lengthy at times, and I struggled to get through the middle. However, once I got closer to the 65-70% mark, I was able to fly through the remainder. It was bittersweet to read about Olivia's suffrage work to get black women the right to vote while reading this during the US Election, but also restored a sense of hope and optimism for the future. I do feel that Krystal Marquis's attempt to have Ruby, Olivia, Helen, and Ann-Marie "have it all" felt unrealistic -- I was honestly hoping that Helen would remain focused on the family business (or at least have a bit more fun with Mr. Swift!). But again, thinking about the time in which I read this book, I needed a happy ending! I'd give this a solid 3.75, I don't think it surpassed Book #1, but I can't wait to see where everyone goes in Book #3.

The Davenports: More Than This by Krystal Marquis is a fabulous addition to the first book.
Truly an enjoyable YA historical. Its exploration of Black history and success at the turn of the century is just amazing!
The characters are so entertaining. The writing is incredible and the story was engaging!
This was such a phenomenal story, and I loved all of the uniqueness that Marquis put in to this book.

Thank You NetGalley and Dial Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this sequel to the Davenports. I thought this was a fun and intriguing historical fiction read. I should note that I am probably a little older than the target audience for this book, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this read. This was a cute read. It proved more depth that was missing from the first book. It shows what they have been up to since the first book. It was a good read.

Picking up after The Davenports, Olivia, Helen, Ruby and Amy-Rose still contemplate what they want out of their lives and dealing with the expectations of the time. Oliva is still involved with the social justice movement trying to help women get the right to vote and better wages for working women. She misses Washington but a new beau might take her mind off of Washington. Helen gets a chance to build a car when her father leaves the country and a handsome racecar driver takes her mind off of Jacob (her sister's former suitor). Ruby is happily engaged but her flirtations in the past create a hurtful rumor. Amy-Rose finally makes her dream of selling hair products come true but it seems she and John can't be together.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for this eARC copy of The Davenports: More Than This in exchange for my honest review.

More than this is the sequel to the book The Davenports which follows the story of Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose and Ruby with their adventures in finding their own voice in Chicago during the 1910s. I was really looking forward to continuing their story in More Than This. I loved reading about romances old and new. Through out the book I was always just hoping for the best for each of the girls and rooting for them the whole way.

The way that Krystal Marquis writes made me feel so invested in each of the characters who were all connected to each other but had such unique stories all on their own. I definitely recommend this book to any historical fiction lovers out there.

This book was enjoyable, continuing right where the first one left off. All the main characters are in their preferred relationships and occupations; however, the story felt a bit jumbled. It might have been better if this book had focused on one couple, with a third book dedicated to the next set of characters. The storylines are quite complex, and I believe readers would have benefited from this approach.

I struggled to read the book, much like I did with the first one, as the pace felt really slow. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.

Thank you to Netgalley and Krystal Marquis for the e-ARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

I absolutely loved The Davenports book 1 and could not wait to see how the family and others made out with their hopes and dreams despite the expectations of them. Book 2 picks up from where we left off with Ruby, Helen, Olivia, Amy-Rose, and the other characters. This one seemed as though there were so many people to keep up with. I’m not sure why it felt that way? It may have been because this one felt slower paced than the first. My favorite out of the women was Amy-Rose. I felt more drawn to her and her outcome than anyone else and I think it’s because she had a more progressive journey. One thing I did love as with the initial book was seeing these Black women and their families in wealth and doing well. We still had a tad bit of drama, but it felt quite mild compared to book 1. All in all I enjoyed the wrap up of everyone I had anticipated.

I cannot let this post go by without mentioning the audiobook, narrated by none other than Joneice Abbot-Pratt. She always brings more to a story in my opinion and I love hearing her voice within a story. She did an amazing job with these characters at no surprise. I would suggest listening to this one for sure!

Did I immediately read this book as soon as I was approved for the arc? Yes, I did. I needed to know what's going to happen with all of them. So much happened toward the end of the first book, The Davenports, that I was more than ready to read what's going to happen next. 

Before you read any further, be warned that there may be spoilers along my review. I won't go into full details because I don't want to spoil the story. There just may be some details that can be spoilers. Just saying.

Let's briefly talk about my feelings regarding More than This. Did I fall in love with it? Yes, I did. Did I wish that I had more? Yes, I needed more! Did I feel heartbroken about the ending? Unfortunately, yes. I am sad to say good-bye to them. However, each of the ladies contributes something more than they started before. 

-Ruby: I love your character development so much. You have grown up so much more than what your parents expected you to be. And I absolutely love your determination and admiration in protecting yourself and your relationship. It's always hard when there are nasty rumors that can damage someone's reputation or relationship. Thankfully, Ruby was able to handle it. 

-Olivia: I can't believe how messy your life is, but I admire your wiliness in being yourself no matter what. You definitely had the opportunity to be your parent mold, but you resist and maintain yourself. I also love your choice with your love life. I feel you, Olivia.

-Amy-Rose: You definitely had a lot of drama returning. Thankfully, you were able to pull through and maintain yourself. You have your ambitions and dreams that you won't fall through. You are going to keep on trying, no matter what. 

Helen: You have the greatest strength. You know that it's going to be a challenge in the man world, but you are willing to prove to everyone, especially your father, that you can do it and better. And I love it so much.

This book was a sweet continuation of the first Davenports book. I was immediately swept right back into the story and enjoyed the love affairs and exploits of each character. The story was a bit predictable (though I honestly had no idea who Olivia would choose) but it was still a lovely story. This book explores a really interesting time in history and would be appropriate for any YA reader.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dial Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A much anticipated book for me, I was so happy to return to the world of the Davenports in this wrap up finale to their story. Following the lives of Olivia, Helen, Ruby, and Amy-Rose, the book continues to center these four women as they navigate their lives in Chicago society and forge their own paths: Olivia navigating the best way to be politically engaged, Helen trying to figure out how to get to follow her ambitions of working with cars, Ruby handling the complicated balance between love and family, and Amy-Rose striking out on her own as a new businesswoman.

This book had all of the ease of reading and joyful and engaging storylines of the first book, but it didn't quite grab me in the same way. I think having 3/4 main women in basically love triangles at one point or another made them feel repetitive, and I think especially Helen's romantic storyline could have been completely left behind. I would have been more interested in what the development of a true friendship between her and Swift would have looked like had it been the center of her story, especially as she seeks to work in a male dominated field the establishment of male/female friendships would have been nice. I did however like the way the love triangle worked for Olivia.

Overall I think the world needs more books like this one, with it's optimism even in the face of challenges (both on personal as well as larger political levels). I also liked that some conflicts were left not entirely resolved at the end, it felt like the book pointed to how not everything can be neatly tied up, and sometimes having those complicated relationships that need a journey to heal exist.

An absolute must read for historical romance folks!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc! As always, loved it! The story was so good and just like the first book I was immersed into the lives of these women. While the stories of these women were great, there were times the pacing was a little slow and I felt there was dialogue that didn't fit the story. Overall, it was a good time! I would recommend this book and definitely would read more from this author!

A great follow up to the first book. We pick up right where we left off at the end of The Davenports, and we get a bit more depth to each of our very lovable, relatable characters. I would love to see this come to life on screen like Bridgerton.

"It's been frustrating to show up every day and not have a voice."

Olivia, Helen, Ruby and Amy-Rose have returned, ready to explore new challenges, and for some, their 🖤's in a tangled mess, but that's what makes this follow up a fascinating read!!!

If you're a fan of Bridgerton, Little Women and Pride & Prejudice, then this is for you. The story is relatable, heart-warming and timely, reflecting the struggles women continue to face even in our own reality. A woman's fight to be seen, equal and respected in this world is never ending, especially for a Black woman. 

#TheDavenports series is a must add to your collection!!! 🖤🖤🖤 @krystabelle_reads @netgalley #TheDavenportsMoreThanThis #NetGalley #NetGalleyReads #YARomance #YASeries #BlackRomance #RomanceSeries #RomanceNovel #RomanceSequel #RomanceBook #RomanceBookSeries #BlackRomanceSeries

great continuation to the first davenports book, but it has the flaw of having too many characters. with how it's written, it's hard to keep the povs tracked. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I really enjoyed the first The Davenports book so I was really excited to see a sequel coming out! This one was good too. It does get to be a little bit much with so many POVs at times but all the characters are good and interesting that it’s worth it in my opinion. Definitely would recommend reading them!

This was an okay continuation of the first book. I read one right after the other over two days on vacation and my sentiments for this one are very similar to the first. I just wanted more! The transitions between each character's POV were choppy, storylines didn't feel resolved (unsure if there's to be another book in the series but the end was very abrupt), and there was a lack of depth to each gal's quest for love. This book was a hard one to rate because I would absolutely pick up another one in the series, I'm invested in the characters and what happens next for them and I'm still holding out hope that the author will go deeper with the story and her characters.


Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Dial Books for the ARC in exchange for my review!