Sadly this was a DNF for me.

When I saw Regency family set in New Orleans and lovers of Bridgerton need to read this I dived on it. I love Bridgerton and New Orleans and I love books set in the regency Era.

I just couldn't get into it at all. I think there were too many POV's. We had four POV from four of the women, two sisters, a friend and a serving lady. I just felt like as quick as I was getting into one story, I was jumped into the next.

Also I did not like that we had two main love interests entered into the mix at the beginning and they both seemed to flirt with two of our four women. But that could be just my preference. I don't like when there are multiple possibilities for who will end up with who. I like to get invested in the love story and watch it grow.

I loved Helen. She gave me Eloise vibes but her passion was for engineering and not books. I loved how she kept finding ways to defy what the world expected of her and do what she loved.

I think as this seems to be a family series, I would have preferred to focus on one or two of the four women for this book and then shift the spotlight in the next book.

All in all. It had great potential but it didn't flow well for me. And I loved Helen.

This story is told by four different women, each giving the story from their viewpoint. Two wealthy sisters, Olivia and Helen, their friend, Ruby and their maid, Amy Rose. It made for an interesting read, although the pace was slow at times. The story also tells some of the racial prejudice and how people sort to change this. It includes the difficulties a woman had in starting a business and working where women were thought not capable of being. There is a romance or two and although some things are resolved, not everything is and some things are set up for the next book in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of The Davenports was really fresh and exciting for me, and as a YA I thought it worked well. I could definitely see this being made into a hit tv series. The part of me that loves learning more about history from other countries, and researching at the same time as reading historical fiction would have loved a more even balance between the romance and the historical elements of the Jim Crow laws and the civil rights movement.

The story is divided into chapters from the two Davenport sister, Olivia and Helen, their friend Ruby, and their maid Amy-Rose. All of them have complicated romantic situations, and I thought their individual romances were all written well. I love the author's writing style, although I did feel unhappy at the end of the book. The most frustrating part of the story is that this is book one in a series, and although I know that the situations may be resolved in the next book, it just made this book feel unfinished. Usually with a series the first book ends in such a way that you can anticipate that there is further to go, with an ending of sorts, but instead, the individual stories ended unresolved.

This book was cute but I was expecting more. My favourite pov was definitely ruby's and I think it was the only one I actually cared for. The other characters felt flat and they had a lot of confusing moments. I really liked the idea and concept of an historical book centred around a black family but I didn't like the execution of it and I got really bored while reading. The idea was nice but it needed a lot more development for both the plot and characters. The way the various relationships were interconnected was a bit messy and I ended up skimming the book toward the end. I think having less povs would have been better as the story and romances would have been better developed. I think if the story had been dived into a book series of 4 books, each one around one of the girls, I would have loved it more.

A really great book!! Giving gossip girl and Bridgeton vibes! The writing was great and fast paced. I’d definitely reread and Reccomend

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.

The Davenports follows 4 young Black women in 1900s Chicago. Olivia and Helen Davenport are sisters who've grown apart as they've grown older, Olivia trying to live up to her family's expectations and make a good match, while Helen tries to follow her true passions. Their made Amy-Rose chases her dreams of running her own business and contends with her feelings for the eldest Davenport sibling, John. Finally, Olivia's friend, Ruby Tremaine tries to secure a proposal from John while finding herself falling for someone else.

I saw the book being compared to Bridgerton quite a bit but when I started reading it, it really reminded me of The Luxe series by Anna Godberson in the multiple viewpoint and group of female characters. Overall I really enjoyed this and felt like I got a good insight into 20th century Chicago from a Black POV. It was a refreshing and informative read and set up well for a sequel, which I would look forward to reading.

Set in 1900s, the Davenports are a wealthy, black family in Chicago. The father (a freed slave) has worked hard to make his carriage building business a success.
I was drawn to this story as it was billed as a 'black Bridgerton' and to this end, it partially succeeds. The Bridgerton books focus mainly on one sibling in each book but this book tries to tell all the siblings stories side by side. The problem is that each story is fairly superficial. I suspect that the author is planning g the next installment as none of the stories finishes.
Billed as a YA book, this story fits in well though and it was refreshing to see black history portrayed, but it could have been so much more than the superficial treatment given here.
Still, it's worth a read. Hopefully book 2 (if there is one)will be more rounded.

This is a very good read. Based, loosely, on a real black family that made it big in America in the early nineteen hundreds, the book tells the story of the Davenport family. They own a carriage company and consist of both parents, one son and two daughters. There is also a maid who grew up with the children and now looks after the sisters.
Ruby is Olivia's best friend and they've all known each other since childhood. Her life is bound up with the Davenports as she's in love with John, Olivia's brother.
The book starts with Olivia, each chapter starts with a different person in the book, and I thought she was going to be the main character but the whole family is really the main focus. They're wealthy and live in the better part of town but even then they are not completely accepted by the wealthy white people in the area. The father is a former slave and he and his wife try to protect their children from life as they see it but it doesn't do them any favours. They have expectations for them that are in complete contrast to what the children themselves want.
I loved all the history and I learned a lot about the lives of black people at that time. Reading it from a families point of view was so much more interesting than reading from a history book. It did fade a bit towards the end. It became all about the romances and seemed to forget about the history. The story was vital and exciting up to a point but then became quite mundane.
Ruby's story was like swings and roundabouts and I'm still not convinced her ending here is the final outcome.
The story is open ended and I will definitely read the next one to see what happens to them all but I hope it provides more of the history and controversy that was in the first half of this book. I would recommend it though as a very interesting read.

Thanks to Penguin Random House Children’s UK and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Just finished reading this and it lived up to my expectations!!! What a fab book.

Immediately I got Bridgerton vibes but it has more context and grit to it than pompous entitled people flaunting their wealth. Each sibling has there own story, each as intriguing as the other. I couldn't tell you who I loved more, to be honest they were all great.

There are 2 other characters, a friend and a maid whom also has really good storyline. The writing is easy to get into, nice medium pace, and has the right amount of humour and love.

I also love a good book about family, so it definitely delivered. I hope we get more books!!!

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!

I picked this book up because it was marketed as a black Bridgerton. Even though it wasn't really the case; I really enjoyed the Davenports.
Before going too deep into this review, I wanted to explain why I didn't liked this book as much as I thought: the multiple POV lost me sometimes. I also regreted that the different stories and the different characters faced the same issues, I would've loved the Davenports even more if the story weren't the same or if there was only one or two main romances.


Otherwise, I really enjoy how this book celebrates black joy and success! I always wanted to read a historical romance with black main characters so I was really happy! The story is set in Chicago in the 1900s so historically, there was a lot of potential with all the civil rights movement and Jim Crow laws. We have glimpse of history and all the scars it left on our characters and their surroundings. I liked the fact that even though the historical period was quite heavy, the characters still had love issues, etc!

Overall, it was a nice read but unfortunatelly, I don't know if I will read the other books because of the multiple POV that are done in a way that can be confusing.

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this book and it lived up to ALL my expectations.

The rich descriptive detail of Chicago in 1910 was just sublime, I could imagine myself right in the midst of it all, I particularly enjoyed the historical factual elements.

This is perfect for YA fans of Bridgerton or anyone who loves the opulent style of The Gilded Age or Downton Abbey.

The Romantic dalliances of The Davenports will have you Swooning.

This book gave me all the Bridgerton vibes, but with a sprinkling of historical context/impact to change the dynamics faced by the central family. A fun, enjoyable read.

This was a very interesting story where a wealthy black family try cementing their place in thier local society. Their impositions and expectations on their children are soprising as they had fought so hard to achieve what they wanted. Great cast of characters and a fascinating storyline.

The Davenport

This story cover 4 different characters and these are interwoven with each other.
Helen, Olivia, Amy-Rose and Ruby all have thier own unquie goings on in the 1910s vern the up and coming black of the soictey. I have enjoyed following each women through their own discovers of themselves and finding romance.

The Davenports is a historical romance, exploring the demands placed on our key characters by their families and wider society. It examines attitudes to race and developing social agitation while offering a somewhat light-hearted look at relationships.
Our key focus is the Davenport family. Wealthy, and black, the Davenport children - Olivia, John and Helen - are accustomed to living a relatively charmed life. Their race is not often an issue as their wealth protects them from some of the more common experiences many faced at this time. However,as the family try to secure a match for Olivia and maintain their business fortune, eyes are opened and the children start to develop their own understanding of the world around them.
From start to finish this was both entertaining and informative. As you might expect, the characters often behaved foolishly but there was a sense of them growing as characters. I found the ending a little frustrating, but it reads as if there might be more to come.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication (3.5 stars)

Review for Netgalley:
This novel introduces us to the Davenport family in Chicago, 1910. Told from various points of view we follow Olivia and Helen Davenport, Ruby Tremaine and Amy-Rose Shepherd and via these characters we explore themes of love, class and racial equality.
The author successfully manages a large cast of characters, each with very distinct aims and ambitions. I really enjoyed the accessible writing style and was quickly invested in characters like Washington DeWight.
It’s a bit strange that this is being likened to Bridgerton as it’s YA and not set in Regency England. If you’re after a steamy historical romance, this isn’t really for you - the romance is all quite sweet with one possible fade to black scene.
I’m keen to see where book two takes these characters.

This is an inspiring read of African American family in Chicago in the early part of the 20th century.
The father who was originally a slave has through his own volition become a wealthy businessman and strives to protect his wife and three children from the racist attitudes of society at that time.
It is in part both a history lesson and love story.
Although it is a stand alone story it is the first in a series and I personally can’t wait for the next.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and I honestly screamed when I got the email saying I'd recieved an ARC copy! When I saw that this was a book with Bridgerton vibes but set in America and with an all Black main cast I knew I was going to enjoy it, and I did! This is an extremely strong debut novel and I loved so many aspects of it. There are only a few things that stopped this from being a 5 star review and I'll go more in depth into them later in the review.

The Davenports follows 4 young Black women in 1910 Chicago as they come of age, fall in love and learn more about the world they live in. Olivia Davenport is the oldest daughter in the reputable Davenport family, and she's expected to make a good match to help her family's continued rise in status. But when Olivia stumbles on a meeting full of Black activists, she starts to wonder how much her parents have sheltered her from. All Helen Davenport wants is to work on automobiles with her older brother John but, now that she's 17, her parents are expecting her to grow up and start acting like a lady. Then there's the added problem that she's starting to fall for her sister's intended. Olivia's best friend, Ruby Tremaine, is under a lot of pressure while her father runs for mayor. Her parents expect her to have a proposal soon and she has her heart set on Olivia's older brother, John. What better way to secure his affections than to make him jealous by entering into a courtship with another man? And, finally, Amy-Rose has been working for the Davenports for almost as long as she can remember but she has bigger ambitions. She needs to figure out how to juggle her growing feelings for John Davenport with her goals of opening her very own salon.

With four plotlines to follow in this book, there was certainly no shortage of swoony romance. The characters were well written and I also felt like I learnt quite a bit about a period of Black history that I didn't previously know much about. This is a YA book, one which I feel like will appeal to the younger bracket of YA readers, so there wasn't too much graphic depiction of the appalling treatment that Black people recieved in the early 1900s. There was, however, enough to make me want to learn more! Olivia's story resonated with me the most, personally, as I can relate to having a deep thirst for knowledge about your own history. I also really loved that there was some conversations in there about being mixed-race. Both Amy-Rose and Harrison Barton, one of the love interests, are mixed-race and have frank conversations with the other characters about the unique challenges that they face due to their identity. I do feel that I would've liked there to be more focus on the political and social aspects of the story but that's not at all a criticism of the book itself; it's simply a personal preference since I do like political novels.

One thing I will say is that I think the author tried to squeeze quite a lot into a relatively short book (less than 400 pages). There are 4 romance plotlines to follow and, on top of that, the social activism and political aspects are also there. Part of me finished the book hungering for more! I wouldn't have complained at all if the author had decided to write 4 interconnected standalones, as is so popular in the romance genre at the moment. I think this would have allowed much more space for the romances to develop as well as the side plots. As it was, some of the romances felt slightly rushed in places and a couple of the side plots (Helen working on the automobile business with John, for example) got a little bit lost.

Despite a couple of slight disappointments, The Davenports is a very fun read! The romances are definitely super sweet and each of the characters are likeable and well developed. The political and social side of the story was maybe less developed than I would have liked but it definitely made me want to go out and do more research for myself on the real people that this story was inspired by. I am really looking forward to reading the second book when it's released and seeing how the elements I loved from the first book are continued and expanded on. The cliffhanger at the end definitely left me wanting more and I'm excited to be able to dive into the world of The Davenports again! Hopefully I won't have to wait too long!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an advanced review.

Described as a with colour version of Downton Abbey - with a splash of Brigerton. A really good read. The only thing that spoils it is that its not a stand alone-so I have to wait for the next book now. Recommended.