I went into this book without really knowing anything about it. It was different than I thought it would be, but I still liked it. It was a little slow, but a ended up being a surprising, enjoyable book. Thank you to Net Galley, the publish and author for an advanced copy of this book.

A survivor of the Titanic finds his name on the list of lives lost at sea. Shortly after, he is invited into a secret society of other survivors who supposedly perished on the ship. Amid heated discussions and blooming romances, the secret group harbors their own secrets that come to light when a member unexpectedly dies for real.

Initially, I was disappointed that the book didn't focus on the ship itself, but I still found enjoyment in the story. Though it starts slowly, once Yorick joins the secret society, the narrative becomes more engaging. With an overall atmosphere of dark academia and secrets reminiscent of "Dead Poets Society," this book offers a blend of romance and elegance among avid readers in Paris.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I really love learning about the Titanic and all the history behind it. I definitely requested this one simply for that. However, this book doesn't really focus too much on the Titanic and I found that really disappointing.

Yorick is the narrator of this tale of the survivors of the Titantic drowning. These people actually never boarded the ship for various reasons. One man, the toymaker, send out invites to 50 people who had tickets to meet at a hotel in Paris. Where they learned that none of them had been on the boat. What happens with this group as time goes by is a tale.
Yorick develops relationships with Haze [photographer] and Zinnia [wealthy Japanese candy maker]. Their relationship is the whole of the story but WWI arrives as does death. What happens to these three and also to the group and the books they read and discuss. Read this literary novel to discover the answers.

This was definitely an interesting take on Titanic survivors and I really appreciated that. I give this a solid 3.5 because I also liked the LGBTQ+ representation, Great premise but not a full win for me.

Yorick was supposed to be a librarian on the Titanic's maiden voyage. His name was even listed among the dead. But Yorick never boarded the Titanic. He was fired. Now, he struggles to come to terms with the near-death experience he didn't really have. And he's not the only one. Yorick is one of a dozen ticket holders who didn't board the titanic, narrowly escaping death. Brought together by circumstance and a need to process their unique experience, the Titanic survivors start a book club led by Yorick. The group and the relationship Yorick builds with a candy heiress and a photography change his life forever.

This was a wrenching look at the heartbreak of unrequited love and the ways in which people can come into your life unexpectedly and change everything you thought you knew. It's sadder than I expected with a thoroughly unique premise that I found fascinating.

The premise of this book was extremely intriguing. The ticket holders who never boarded the Titanic, all connecting through a book club in Paris. However, the book itself fell a bit flat for me.

Goodreads review - Thank you #NetGalley for the ebook ARC. I enjoyed the premise but it seemed to fall flat toward the end.

This I really enjoyed, it was a fresh take on something most never think about. What happens when you narrowly escape a tragedy but still feel immense grief and guilt. I would definitely recommend this to the Titanic obsessors and those who are looking for a historical fiction with a love triangle and book recommendations within a book.

This book drew me in with the very beautiful cover, but I didn't feel like it represented the actual contents very well. It was an interesting storyline but didn't keep my interest. I skimmed through the second half of it, and probably wouldn't recommend it.

I was fooled by the description of this book and I couldn’t even finish it. The bits I got to about the actual book club (which were few and far between) were engaging and what I thought this book would be about.

I don’t even have any friends or family I would recommend this to.

But as always thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance to like this book.

I found this a clever book and I enjoyed the way he started this book club. Very different from what you would have first thought. Very fun

Overall nice historical fiction novel about three people who enter each others lives in extraordinary circumstances and form bonds. This book will please people who like an historical fiction novel with a little romance and very little to do with the actual Titanic.

I have to say that I only enjoyed about 20% of this book. The other 80% I found to be pretty unengaging and has put me in a massive slump. As someone who usually physically reads a book within a week, this took me over a month with no other physical books in between.
The three main characters felt flat the majority of the time and I wasn't very invested in their stories individually or as a unit. The structure of the story was well organized although I didn't expect the story to follow such a long timeline. This takes place over 3+ years and the only way I knew of that passage of time was because we jumped from the Titanic sinking and then to WW1.
Overall, I should have DNF-ed this book. It was not the historical romance for me, the love triangle between Yorick, Hans, and Zinnia felt awkward and I struggled through the story immensely.
I can see this story being for someone who is interested in queerness in the 1900's, historical romance, love triangles, and tragedy. It just happened to not be the story for me.

I wouldn't call a shared near-miss of going down with the Titanic a meet-cute, but it did bring together the right people to star in this tragic love story. One man who couldn't believe his luck--he had a ticket to travel on this most famous of ships, and didn't use it-- and gathered together the other people he could find who were meant to be on board but were instead still very much alive in Paris. One of these people, Yorick, happened to own a bookshop, and the Book Club was born. He selected the books they read and sent them out with themed candies made by one of the other survivors. Each survivor had a story to tell about why they didn't board the ship that fateful April day, but the most compelling stories involve the lives these people live afterwards, always thinking of how they avoided calamity.

Zinnia and Yorick each have a complicated relationship with a third member named Haze. The three of them orbit around each other in a complicated dance that never fully resolves itself. The book is suffused with Yorick's own book reviews--they are central to the plot-- and a longing each of the three feel for a life that is just out of reach. Schaffert paints a picture of pre-WWI Paris that is nostalgic and wistful, as though the characters somehow know it won't always be as it is. There is a melancholy dripping from every paragraph that makes the characters all seem a little haunted by their survival. I found myself hoping for answers to the questions they could not ask themselves, and longing for an ending that could not be. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the ride.

Going into this novel, I thought I knew what I was going to expect but I was off and I love that! Following Yorick, Zinnia, and Haze's relationship was such a trip, Also, the book element had to be one of my favorites! The Timothy writes and describes these books and what they mean really just reminds readers how important books are to our life's journey and reminds me personally as to why I LOVE reading.

This is one historical novel I will be handselling with my heart!

I wanted to love this, but it just wasn't the book for me. I wasn't a fan of the love triangle angle. As much as I love romance book stories, I was expecting this to be more a book about friendships.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

What if you survived the most famous maritime disaster of your time, but only because you didn’t get on the ship? Those who escaped disaster only because they didn’t use their tickets on the titanic form a club of sorts to share their luck and confusion. The story follow yorick, and her tumultuous relationship with haze and zinnia, as they navigate a love triangle.

3.75 stars.

Once you get past your initial disappointment that the book is about people who *almost* went on the Titanic... but didn't, it is quite an enjoyable read! (Also, as a reader, I'm also a sucker for books that are about books - I adored that part of the story!)

Overall an enjoyable, digestible and well-worth read!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!