Publisher: Penguin Random House
Released: 2nd of 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.
What I Have to Say
I love this period of history, when the rules are starting to lapse and things are starting to become a bit freer. I really liked this opportunity to learn about the history of black society in this time. It's something I'll admit, I hadn't thought much about, but I will definitely be doing more research into it going onward.
The characters were this book's greatest strength. The four girls are strong, intelligent and tell the story beautifully. Though I liked some characters more than others, the story wouldn't be the same if even one of these girls was missing. It showed different ways to be a woman and different ways to be black, whether striving out to set up your own business, skilfully evading your etiquette tutor, setting out into a world of activism and protests or simply trying to secure a husband so that she cans survive on in a world that is so cruel to women, each girl brought a different story to the mix and I loved every one.
I liked how there was the suggestion of lives without husbands in the mix. It's clear that each girl is on a journey of power for themselves, not just a journey to get with the dashing man that each of them finds along the way. I have no doubt that each girl will end up in a life that she has built for herself with no need of a husband but oh look there's the perfect man by her side anyway.
I didn't know this was a duology at first, so be warned it doesn't all wrap up at the end! I can't wait to read the conclusion though!
4 stars
My thanks go to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review.
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