This is a story about the Davenport family, a wealthy high-status black family in Chicago and their lives in the early 1900s.
There are the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Davenport, and their 3 children: John, Olivia, and Helen. John is supposed to work in the family business, the Davenport Carriage Company. He has been set up to marry Olivia's best friend, Ruby. Olivia, the oldest of the sisters, is set to marry Jacob Lawrence, who is from a wealthy and high status family as well. The youngest, Helen, who is into fixing horse-less carriages (aka. automobiles) and wants to branch the family business into fixing automobiles. This book also follows the story of Amy-Rose, who is a childhood friend who is now a maid for the Davenport sisters, but aspires to open up her own hair salon.
One day, Olivia brings food to a charity and meets Mr. Washington DeWight, who is a lawyer a passionate activist against Jim Crow and racism. She can't stop how she feels for Mr. DeWight, even though she is set to marry Jacob Lawrence. Jacob Lawrence is actually in love with Olivia's sister, Helen, John has feelings for Amy-Rose, and Ruby meets Mr. Barton. What happens with all of the siblings and their family friends?
While I really liked this book, I wish it had a lot more about Jim Crow, racism, and social injustices during that time. The book definitely had a good amount of information, but I guess I wanted it to be more intense, even though it is a YA book. The ending was not what I expect!
There are the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Davenport, and their 3 children: John, Olivia, and Helen. John is supposed to work in the family business, the Davenport Carriage Company. He has been set up to marry Olivia's best friend, Ruby. Olivia, the oldest of the sisters, is set to marry Jacob Lawrence, who is from a wealthy and high status family as well. The youngest, Helen, who is into fixing horse-less carriages (aka. automobiles) and wants to branch the family business into fixing automobiles. This book also follows the story of Amy-Rose, who is a childhood friend who is now a maid for the Davenport sisters, but aspires to open up her own hair salon.
One day, Olivia brings food to a charity and meets Mr. Washington DeWight, who is a lawyer a passionate activist against Jim Crow and racism. She can't stop how she feels for Mr. DeWight, even though she is set to marry Jacob Lawrence. Jacob Lawrence is actually in love with Olivia's sister, Helen, John has feelings for Amy-Rose, and Ruby meets Mr. Barton. What happens with all of the siblings and their family friends?
While I really liked this book, I wish it had a lot more about Jim Crow, racism, and social injustices during that time. The book definitely had a good amount of information, but I guess I wanted it to be more intense, even though it is a YA book. The ending was not what I expect!