A review by hobbithopeful
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Set in the 1910s in Chicago, The Davenports follows the affluent Davenport family's daughters Oliva, and Helen, as well as best friend Ruby and maid Amy-Rose. The Davenports are one of the wealthiest families in town, thanks to their thriving carriage business. But it's not easy navigating the primarily white social scene of the time, especially when parental expectations and the complicated emotion that is love is involved. This book follows strong themes of parental expectations, and learning to take a chance and be bold for what you love. (And who!) I waited over a month on the library hold list for this, and it was so worth it!! This book helped to tide me over until the next season of Bridgerton comes out, I seriously cannot wait for the sequel. I saw myself in all of the girls the book followed. Olivia, pressured to be perfect and please her parents, yet finds love in a civil rights activist who opens her eyes to the struggles of her community. Helen, stifled by gender roles, unable to follow her dream of being a mechanic, and her Father doesn't listen to her ideas. Ruby, carrying the load of her parents future on her shoulders, being forced and expected to marry the Davenport heir, yet her heart tugs her the other way. And perhaps my favorite character, Amy-Rose, she has worked for everything she has, and dreams of opening a salon to do hair, a difficult task when single women (especially black women) are not thought to be capable of running their own business. While this book is primarily a romance novel, it doesn't shy away from the hard truths and facts of the time period. Krystal Marquis shows the effects of the spreading Jim Crow laws,  rising racial tensions and the harsh reality of what it was like to be alive and not white during that time period. It is so incredibly important to read books like this, especially considering our education is being stripped away and so many state officials want to gloss over the ugly parts of history.
The romance of this book drew me in, and the historical events and tension kept me enraptured till the very last page. While it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger for some of the characters, and their love interests,  I know their strong family ties that bind them to each other will help them get through anything. In the meantime I will eagerly anticipate the sequel!

The Cover
I adore this bold and bright cover. In the first chapter of the book Olivia is treated horribly at a shop, the store employee assumes she can't afford any of the items. In response she goes on a little spending spree (as she should) and purchases several items including bright yellow fabric. The symbolism of using that same yellow hue  on the cover that Oliva purchased in response to the racist worker is just *chefs kiss*. I love how Olivia is directly looking at the viewer, a small smile on her face that reads almost as smirk. Her male suitor next to her can't take her eyes off of her, and is more focused on her face then anything else. The other three female leads are in the background huddled together, a tight knit group that looks to be gossiping. The title font works perfectly with the cover and the theme of the book, and I love how there is a little blurb on the front that reads "Fortune favors the bold". The Chicago skyline looms in the background adding depth to the overall composition. 
Cover Illustration: Deanna Halsall
Cover Design: Theresa Evangelista 
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