Title: The Davenports
Series: The Davenports
Author: Krystal Marquis
Publisher: Penguin Random House Childrens
Genre: Romance, Teens, YA, Womens Fiction
Release Date: 2nd February 2023
The Davenports delivers a totally escapist, swoon-worthy romance while offering a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked.
The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now it's 1910, and the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they’re not supposed to.
There is Olivia, the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married . . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter, Helen, is more interested in fixing cars than falling in love—unless it’s with her sister’s suitor. Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid to the Davenport sisters, dreams of opening her own business—and marrying the one man she could never be with, Olivia and Helen’s brother, John. But Olivia’s best friend, Ruby, also has her sights set on John Davenport, though she can’t seem to keep his interest . . . until family pressure has her scheming to win his heart, just as someone else wins hers.
Inspired by the real-life story of the Patterson family, The Davenports is the tale of four determined and passionate young Black women discovering the courage to steer their own path in life—and love.
REVIEW
It was the bright sunshine yellow of the cover that first attracted me to the book, and it would certainly attract my attention in a bookstore and have me plucking it from the shelf to learn more. I was also lucky enough to read an excerpt/sample from the book that made me want to read the book even more! I found the pace a little slow to begin with, but once you knew who everyone was and a little more about what the parents expected of those characters 'coming of age' along with the slavery, and political influences it became addictive reading.
The book's main focus is about the girls/boys coming of age finding husbands. The parents having set ideas as to who their daughters should marry. This is the year that it is expected that Olivia-Elise Davenport will find her husband and settle down to start her own family. It's expected that William Davenport will finally propose to Ruby Tremaine, uniting the families through marriage. Then that will leave the Davenports to concentrate on finding a suitable match for Helen-Marie Davenport, though she is in no rush and the Davenports are aware she will need to calm down and work more on her etiquette to find a suitable match. Helen-Marie would rather put on overalls and as she & William put it tinker with the Davenport Carriages. Mr & Mrs Davenport go so far as hiring Mrs Milford a widowed Reverends wife to give Helen-Marie these much needed etiquette lessons. At first Helen-Marie hates these lessons they take away her garage time but as she gets to know Mrs Milford she confides in her and they become more friendly. Helen-Marie come to value Mrs Milfords teachings and advice.
To be honest Mr & Mrs Davenport have somewhat sheltered their children from the world they, themselves grew up in of slavery and racism. The Davenports have worked hard, become somewhat successful. Mr & Mrs Davenport try to help those in need around them as much as they can but refrain from being openly political or taking part in rallies and marches. They know how businesses and livelihoods can be ruined by being associated with the 'wrong people'
Theres lots of great characters in The Davenports but if I had to choose just one it would be Amy-Rose Shepherd, whose mother was given a job by the Davenports when many other families would not employ her as she had a young child. Amy-Rose grew up with William, Olivia-Elise and Helen-Marie Davenport, they played together and grew up together becoming good friends. Then when Amy-Rose is old enough she becomes Olivia and Helen's maid. Amy-Rose has a particular talent for dressing and caring for hair. In fact Amy-Rose's handiwork does not go unnoticed with other women. Amy-Rose doesn't know when but she has developed a crush on William. As she watches first Olivia-Elise, and even Helen-Marie look around at husband material she cannot help but dream of a different life. A life where she is a business woman, dressing hair and making lotions & potions for the hair in a salon. In her perfect dream she envisions William at her side but she believes and is shown on more than one occasion that though the Davenport family care for her, maybe even love her on some level she is still a lowly maid. I loved the 'servant' character's, Tommy who clearly cares deeply for Amy-Rose and is their to comfort her when she needs it but doesn't push things further, he supports her dream, when she first decides to leave the Davenports with him then changes her mind he doesn't question Amy-Rose but simply gives her contact details so she to can leave the Davenports if/when she is ready. Then theres Jessie who has seen Amy-Rose and the Davenport children grow up together as friends, she sees where the line between friends/servant could be blurred and tries to warn Amy-Rose but more importantly is just 'there' for her when needed. Be it a friendly word or advice or just a huge motherly hug.
Another female character in the book I immediately took a liking to was Ruby Tremaine, best friends with the Davenports girls, Olivia-Elise and Helen-Marie. Ruby also has a serious crush of William Davenport, heir to the Davenports carriage business. In fact, there is a kind of unsaid agreement that one day soon William & Ruby will marry, permanently joining the families. Ruby's family aren't as wealthy as the Davenports, but are more political, in fact Mr Tremaine is running for mayor. Unlike the Davenports, the Tremaines do not shelter Ruby from reality, in fact Mrs Tremaine can be quite cruel to Ruby, and isn't happy when Ruby decides to follow her own desited path, rather than the one her parents demand and expect her to follow.
I love how the 'adults' in the society are intent on their matchmaking choosing who they perceive to be the perfect match for their daughter or son. They of course have their own reasons for approving or disapproving of a possible match, from monetary stability to public standing. Things don't go to plan with younger generation falling in love with younger generation already promised to another or someone their family view as totally unsuitable and out of the question as marriage material.
I really enjoyed to 'good, dutiful' daughter discovering suffragettes and the political movement. I loved the way just because Amy-Rose wasn't born into money or destined to be 'a lady of a household's it didn't prevent her from dreaming of a different, better, more independent future especially during the era this book is set in.
I was also equally amused yet sad by the fact Ruby thought she needed to make William Davenport jealous to remind him she wouldn't wait forever for him to propose. Her blatant flirting with a different suitor was funny, yet it was sad she began measuring her worth on William proposing.
Really all the characters discover better stronger selves, they discovered alternative paths to follow, they just had to find the motivation and bravery within themselves to make that first step on an alternative route to the future.
I really enjoyed reading this book, there was constantly something happening or about to happen which kept you reading. Whether it was Rose flirting to make William jealous or William & Helen-Marie plotting improvements to the Davenports Carriage business whilst trying to hide the fact Helen-Marie was working in the garage or Amy-Rose planning her own future and business beyond working for the Davenports as when Olivia-Elise & Helen-Marie get married she will no longer be needed.
This book is a great start to a potentially amazing series. I can honestly visualise the scenes within the book. I think it could easily be made into a TV series!
Summing up if you're a fan of The Guilded Age and Bridgerton with a bit of Madame C J Walker thrown in then this is a perfect read for you! Though I watched all the afore mentioned shows I don't normally choose to read this era setting of book, it's a recent discovery that I enjoy them quite a lot. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the series!
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