The Davenports by Krystal Marquis is a novel filled with history, humor, and heart. In this volume, Marquis expertly maintains continuity and expands upon the characters' narratives, satisfying fans of the series. The breezy and fluid prose effortlessly supports the love-filled merry-go-round of will-they-won't-they storylines. The Davenports is an enjoyable sequel in a well-crafted coming-of-age series.

3.5 star review.
I loved the Davenports Book 1 and had a hard time waiting for the second book! There was considerable time between reading each book, which made it a little bit of a struggle to jump back in the plot with each character. However, once I was reminded of the details, I was hooked once again!
This is a period of time and place in American history I haven't had the chance to read a lot about, and enjoy the way the author brings it to life for me.
I was grateful book two gave me more resolution to what happens to each of the characters I had grown to care a lot about!

I loved THE DAVENPORTS when I read it and the follow up, MORE THAN THIS, didn't disappoint. Once again, we're following the lives of a few different narrators: Olivia and Helen Davenport, daughters of the wealthy Davenport family, known for their successful carriage company, Ruby Tremaine, friend to Olivia, and Amy-Rose Shepherd, former servant in the Davenport house and budding young businesswoman. Each young woman has her own triumphs and tragedies to navigate, and Krystal Marquis handles what could have become an overly-busy narrative deftly. We get ample time with each of the main characters and their stories all feel important and timely.

If pressed, I'm not sure I could choose a favorite! I loved Amy-Rose's determination to make her dreams come true and sympathized with the way she was drawn to John Davenport, but afraid to take a leap. I admired Helen's way of sticking to her convictions, believing she could find love AND play an important role in the family business. I despaired for Ruby as people spread rumors about her and her fiance, even though it was plain to see they were in love. And I cheered as Olivia found her voice as an activist, but I felt like she needed a hug and a chance to breathe as she found herself caught between two potential suitors.

MORE THAN THIS continues what THE DAVENPORTS began: a bold story of Black excellence in history. While this could be the end of the series, it's also clear these persistent, brave young woman have more stories to tell.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Please note: This is the 2nd book to "The Davenports". If you have not read "The Davenports", there will be spoilers below!

General Description: Following the 4 women of Chicago's upper crust, we have Helen, who, with the help of her brother and a race car driver, trying to usher her father's carriage company into the future by producing a car. Helen's older sister Olivia is exploring a new love interest and finding her voice in the suffragist and civil rights movements. Olivia and Helen's old friend Amy-Rose had gone to NYC to sell her hair care product, and that was successful! So successful, she was able to get her salon off the ground in Chicago! However, Amy-Rose must handle grief and navigate love while trying to keep her business afloat. Lastly, Ruby's awaiting marriage and trying to find her own footing in a society that is slowly turning against her.. How will the four women fair?

The goods:
- I definitely enjoyed this more than book 1. I liked how we got to see each story continue.
- Helen's storyline was so interesting to me and I loved the business side we get to see of her when creating the car.
- Ruby's and Olivia's perspectives on standing up for themselves was inspiring (and honestly I hope we see more of specifically Olivia's)
- Amy-Rose is my favorite character. Her pushing through so much grief to keep her dream alive just made my heart smile as i read it.

The loss of a star:
- It was a slower start overall and I wish I had a bit more back-pacing done, considering you had to remember the multiple perspectives from b00k 1. It also feels like we may get another book? I feel like it's open for that.

overall, if you liked book 1, definitely check this one out!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed The Davenports last year, so I was excited that there would be a second book, especially given how things ended in the first one. However, the title More Than This feels woefully ironic, as I did want “more than this” for these characters, who felt sadly underdeveloped this time around.
I continue to appreciate the intent of highlighting the experiences of a wealthy Black family in the early 20th century, and the varied experiences their daughters and friends faced due to the intersection of racism and sexism, and in the case of Amy-Rose, classism, and how it impacts their ability to follow their dreams in various capacities. This book, like its predecessor, does try to get that point across, and the stakes are decently high for all of them.
But while I mostly enjoyed the multi-POV approach in book one, it got very muddled this time around. Part of it was my fault, as I scrambled to try to recollect the circumstances of the first book I’d forgotten, and this one very much throws you in the thick of it. But I also felt like none of the girls really had much of the way of consequential development for them to all stand out, and for me to care for them, the way I recall I did in book one. And the multiple narrators also once again impacted pacing and flow, bogging things down for what is otherwise a relatively average length (384 pages according to NetGalley) book.
Krystal Marquis is a good writer, and I’m not opposed to reading something from her again, especially in a different narrative style. However, I do still endorse her intent with these books, and provided you don’t have similar qualms with multi-POV stories, I would recommend this series if you’re looking for a YA historical fiction/romance series centering Black people.

"The anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller featuring escapist romance and a wealthy Black family in 1910s Chicago.

Like the blazing Chicago sun, the drama is heating up for the Davenports and their social set. Before the summer of 1910 drops its last petal, the lives - and loves - of these four young women will change in ways they never could have imagined:

Newly engaged Ruby Tremaine is eagerly planning her wedding to the love of her life when a nasty rumor threatens her reputation and her marriage. Olivia Davenport has committed to the social justice cause and secretly hopes she'll be reunited with dashing lawyer Washington DeWight - until her parents decide she's to marry someone else. Amy-Rose Shepherd is making her lifelong wish of owning a salon come true, but when an incident forces her to return to Freeport Manor, she's back in the path of John Davenport, who still holds her heart. Helen Davenport is determined to get over her own heartbreak and bring the Davenport Carriage Company into the new century, even if it means teaming up with a thrill-seeking racecar driver who just loves to get under her skin.

Inspired by the real-life story of the Patterson family, More Than This is the second book in critically adored Davenports series, following four empowered and passionate young Black women as they navigate a rapidly changing society and discover the courage to steer their own paths in life - and love."

Oh yes, more OF this!

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!