Thank you @Penguinrandomhouse for an e-ARC of The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn.

This was not on my radar prior to the publisher reaching out, but I'm happy they did!

A fictional look at a woman whose life was forever changed by the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

Our main character Elinor, has a wonderful father who worked his way up from nothing and only wants the best for his daughter. Unlike others, he wants her to marry for love and lead a happy life. Elinor finds herself a suitable husband only to later discover that she has been played a fool and used for taking her father's money. She is trapped both physically and mentally until her father gives the gift of tickets on the highly sought after Titanic.

This story is less about the Titanic and more about the 'before the Titanic' and 'after the Titanic'. It's a story about resilience, problem solving, and reinventing oneself from scratch.

The 'before' was so painful and very hard to read. I felt every one of Elinor's emotions and I despise gaslighting of females. The 'after' was uplifting. I loved the found family element and the entrepreneurial spirit. I did feel like the after was almost too easy and unrealistic in parts compared to the 'before'.

The Lost Passenger was a great read. A book of self discovery, of resilience, of rising from difficult situations, and a story of a woman who made tough choices for the sake of protecting her child. I really loved this book. A great read!!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of the book. This is my honest review.

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Frances Quinn, and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Going into this, I was a little worried that it would feel too similar to the Titanic movie, and in many ways, I found the premise to be quite alike. The first half of the book was a bit frustrating for me, as I felt Elinor was quite whiny, making it difficult to connect with her at times.

However, what I did enjoy was Elinor’s growth in the second half. She learned how to work hard, found her inner strength, and built a wonderful support system with her chosen family. Watching her transformation made the read worthwhile.

I’d recommend The Lost Passenger to historical fiction lovers, especially those who enjoy Titanic-era stories and themes of survival, resilience, and found family.

Loved the twist on a titanic story. Heartwarming ending. I was worried that she was going to leave but loved the power of her building herself up.

The Lost Passenger is a historical drama about identity, family, and societal expectations.

Elinor has always believed in romance, but when she finds herself in a loveless marriage, her world crumbles. She accepts she has to change to be accepted by the aristocracy she's married into, but when she's told how her son will be raised--with minimal maternal contact, sent to boarding school at seven, then onto Eton--Elinor decides to push back. When her father buys Elinor and her immediate family tickets to sail on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, Elinor sees a chance to be with her son and get her husband to agree to her terms for his upbringing. But when the unsinkable ship sails, Elinor must make a decision: go back to England and spend the rest of her life in misery, or lie her way to America and make a new life for herself and her son?

The first word I'd use to describe this book is "depressing." Elinor starts off as a sweet albeit sheltered lead, but as the sham of her marriage is revealed, things go downhill quickly. Elinor is heartbroken and defeated, and Quinn does a good job of showing Elinor's depression. However, the first third of the book is one page after another of horribly sad things happening to Elinor. Yes, it gives a solid foundation for her decisions in the second half of the book, but it's too much. I really had to force myself to keep picking the book up to get to the Titanic, which happens around the halfway mark. At that point, I was skimming quite a bit, but I regained interest once Elinor got to NYC.

Once in NYC, Elinor assumes the identity of Molly, her maid on the ship, and goes to live with Molly's family, whom the maid had never met and who are thus unaware of Elinor's deception. The family is sweet, and they welcome "Molly" with open arms. I loved seeing Elinor learn to take care of herself and be part of a household after a lifetime of having servants. She's never underestimated the importance of hard work, but she's never experienced it herself, and again, Quinn's descriptions of Elinor's slow road to being able to perform most tasks reads very realistically. Likewise, the scenes of the work that Elinor and the family have to do to make money give a vivid picture of NYC in the early twentieth century. Elinor leans on the lessons taught to her by her father and shows how hard work and a bit of cleverness can lead to success, but Elinor is also clever when the truth of her identity is threatened. There weren't truly any surprises in this aspect, but I did like how things played out.

Overall, The Lost Passenger isn't a bad book, it's just pretty sad and the pacing is rough. Elinor becomes a strong lead as she finds herself, but it took too long to get to that point.

In 1910, Elinor Hayward is swept off her feet by the attentions of Frederick Coombes, heir to a large English estate. But immediately after the wedding, reality hits. Frederick doesn’t love her. She’s been snatched up for her family wealth, even though her industrialist father is sneered at by her mother-in-law, Lady Storton, who makes Elinor’s life thoroughly miserable. She soon reconciles with herself that she can’t fight the system, even after the birth of a son and heir, so she settles for meek compliance, all the while watching for an avenue of escape. This eventually arrives by way of tickets for the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The sinking of the luxurious liner is the narrative bridge Quinn employs to cross from Elinor’s miserable English life to her new venture, under a new name, in New York.

Elinor’s experiences after her marriage are disturbing. She is repeatedly silenced and kept from her son, nastiness meant to ensure the family traditions are upheld as they have been for hundreds of years. But a fortuitous encounter aboard ship gives her an opportunity to escape and become a real mother to her son. Taking on a dead woman’s persona isn’t a decision Elinor, now Molly, takes lightly. Guilt haunts her, and her feelings are heartfelt as she surmounts many hurdles to avoid being discovered. New York’s Lower East Side’s cacophony is one of the joys of this novel. The clamour of the street markets, raucously competing languages, crowds bantering and bartering. It all creates a marvellous din that really grabs the reader’s senses. Elinor before, and Molly after, are both characters we’re willing to root for. Some necessary subterfuge aids plot tension as Molly finds her way in a life nothing like Elinor ever experienced. Quinn’s focused lens on an immigrant-centred early 20th-century New York explores the sincere value of true family and lasting friendships.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn was a beautifully written novel that made me think. I really enjoyed it.

Frances Quinn’s latest offering has a fascinating opening line that drew me in immediately. Of course, I knew from the title that much of this novel was going to focus on the sinking of the Titanic. Quinn is an excellent writer and her descriptions of the rigidity of English upper-crust life are as compelling as the description of the sinking of the Titanic. I think it helped that Quinn brought her British sensibility to the descriptions.

Even though the book blurb reveals the centrality of the Titanic, I had no idea what was going to happen. I'm not going to tell you much more than that the main character starts a new life in New York with a new identity. But I will tell you that my heart was in my throat at least six times, as I worried how Elinor, now Molly, was going to get herself out of the variety of scrapes that were engendered by that identity switch.

The story will keep you reading, maybe into the wee hours. It's truly a worthwhile read. Kudos to Frances Quinn for a compelling story.

I highly recommend Frances Quinn’s debut US novel! She is a wonderful storyteller. Her historical novel, The Lost Passenger, reads like a memoir, told in the first person. We know from the first page that the protagonist is going to end up in New York, having sailed on the Titanic, but we do not know why she will take on another’s identity.
The first part of the novel takes place in England among the wealthy, living a lifestyle that appears enviable. The Lost Passenger evoked many emotions as I read about the life that Elinor experienced there. I was reminded that things are not always as they seem.
I could understand the excitement generated by the maiden voyage of a new, “unsinkable” ship that was to set sail to New York. As I read the pages, I felt the excitement that passengers experienced, but it was tempered with their naivety, not knowing what was to come.
The second part of the book takes place in New York as Elinor makes a new life for herself and her young son, always on guard lest her secret be exposed. Quinn’s descriptive writing evoked the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. I really felt that I was there!
Thank you to the publisher for the arc through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for this early digital copy of the Lost Passenger.

Elinor is the daughter of the cotton king. She has grown up in a life of moderate luxury at the side of her businessman father. Growing up in the mills taught Elinor many wonderful things making her a spirited and intelligent young woman- a true prize bride for a lucky man. After meeting a man from a legacy manor family, Elinor finds out that not all marriages have the happy endings she read about in her books. By the time Elinor, her husband, son Teddy and her father embark on the Titanic’s maiden voyage, she has lost site of the girl she used to be, living a limited life. After the Titanic disappears into the sea, and she is safely aboard the Carpathia, Elinor finds an opportunity that might be just what she needs to escape the overbearing weight of the Combe’s legacy. Will a new life in a new city bring her the happiness she so desperately desires?

Wow this was one of the better historical fiction novels I’ve read in a long time. For some reason the cover image made me think this would be a bit of a bore but I was wrong. I was drawn into Elinor’s story and rooted for her in every turn of her journey. I felt her sadness and outrage when she was worn down to a shell of herself in her marriage. I felt the fear and horror of the titanic’s demise her lucky escape, and I desperately wanted her to find happiness in her new life. There were some moments that the pacing was inconsistent which is why it’s 4/5 stars for me but overall a lovely historical fiction read that I didn’t want to stop reading.

A powerful and feminine novel about a woman's journey to unexpected freedom.

Our female lead, Elinor, went through things I can’t possibly imagine and through it all she does what is needed to give her son a happy life. She grows and expands her knowledge where it is needed to start fresh and her character development is inspiring!

We met many insufferable characters and many of those who we grew to love as they helped Elinor on her path. I loved the multiple settings we had including wealthy England, on board the Titanic, and amid the streets of New York during the early 1900s.

Overall a very powerful, well done, and emotional read!

Thank you to the publisher for the arc through NetGalley! All opinions are my own honest opinions.

This novel did have its ups and downs, but all in all, it was a gripping read. Add to that the very last page, which I never would have expected, and I'd have to say WOW. I would actually love another book that builds on Elinor and her sons lives.

What starts as a romantic novel quickly turns in a direction I never expected. Then, of course, we have the sinking of the Titanic and how Elinor and Teddy's life changes from that moment on.

It was fascinating to read about the time period, especially about New York in the 1910s; you get a good lesson in PTSD, excellent writing, and a lovely little backstab, or shall I say, Elinor gets to 'thumb her nose' at one of the objects of her early misery!

Great historical fiction!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Penguin Random House/ Ballantine Books, the author, and NetGalley.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a historical fiction novel that blew me away, and this one definitely did! Its unique story set in the Titanic setting, drew me in quickly. I loved the mild suspense element, and that really kept me turning the pages until the very end. Highly recommend this book!

I am always intrigued by stories about the Titanic!This novel is a good one!Elinor is a passenger on the Titanic with her young son Teddy.She had married a man whose family only wanted her father’s money and a male heir.When the Titanic sank she and Teddy were rescued and she had to decide if she would go back and be forced to have her. little son raised by his grandparents or if she would make a new life in New York City.I really liked hearing about Elinor and the twists and turns in this novel,I hope more of this authors works will be printed in the US!Thank You Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books for allowing me to enjoy this ARC!

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

This story is divided into two parts: a pre-Titanic life for the main character and a post Titanic life. Young Elinor is a romantic and reads a lot of Jane Austen books. She thinks she has found the right man to marry. His family is a problem.

Elinor’s father has given the couple, their son Teddy and himself a trip to New York City on the ill-fated cruise liner. No surprises there, but what follows is part two of the story. On arriving in NYC, Elinor must leave her privileged life behind to start over incognito. Luckily she is a hard worker with lots of ideas.

I enjoyed the story though there were parts which didn’t hold my interest or move the story forward. It would pick up again, however, so I would rate it 3.5 stars,and bump it up to four stars for its surprisingly good ending.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is a captivating exploration of the sacrifices made for dreams, the illusions of love, and the enduring connection between a mother and her child. I found myself unable to set this book aside, so engrossed was I in its poignant narrative.

Elinor is the beloved daughter of the highly successful King of the Cotton Mills in England, and she often spends her days with classic Austen novels, or helping her father with his business. Then she meets an Earl who sweeps her off her feet, and quickly marries her. Only after the wedding does she realize that the life of an aristocrat includes none of the things that are important to her.
Then her father surprises her and her new husband and their son with tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic! Another fairy tale for Elinor, but this one ends with heartache. How she and her young son survive not only the icy waters, but their arrival in New York with nothing, and how she decides not even to keep their names is a wonderful story of survival and the things that made New York in the early 1900s wonderful. I won’t spoil the book for you, but there is ample history and plot to keep even the most critical reader engaged!
The Lost Passenger will be released on February 25, 2025. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the review copy.

I am a big Titanic buff so I just loved this book! Elinor Hayward was swept off her feet by aristocrat Frederick Coombs thinking that he really loved her. After a short courtship and a fancy wedding, she realized that she was looked down on by his family and basically Frederick had married her because her father had money and they needed a male heir to carry on the family name. Elinor had a baby boy, Edward, which she nicknamed Teddy. She was very unhappy in her marriage and living in the family castle. Her father presented her with tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic and he was going to go with them. After the ship struck an iceberg, Elinor and Teddy were put in a lifeboat and eventually rescued. Her father and Frederick did not make it. When she arrived in New York, Elinor thought about her unhappy life and the life that was destined for her son, Teddy. She decided to take the name of a passenger she knew did not survive. I really enjoyed this book and all the struggles Elinor went through to give her son a better life.

Thank you Random House/Ballentine for the ARC of this wonderful book that kept me up reading way to long at night.

I was excited to receive this as an ARC! Initially, I was attracted by the Titanic story line; however, this book was about so much more.

This book, to me, had a delightfully surprising amount of feminine rage. The author did an excellent job of making the husband suspicious and somewhat unlikable, even before the other shoe dropped. It is wild to think that wanting to spend time with your newborn was an indication that you were mentally insane in this time frame (or maybe even just in this tax bracket).

Again, while the Titanic is part of the storyline, it served as more of a backdrop for other cool parts of the narrative. Elinor, our FMC, was in constant fear of being discovered in lies, motivated by her desire to remain a part of her son's life. Elinor showed herself to be resourceful and a fantastic mother.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend!

2.5 stars

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is a historical fiction novel about a mother who, after surviving the Titanic, decides to fake her death to escape the confines of English noble life for herself and her son.

The premise of the book is fascinating and unique. However, the delivery is so slow paced, which makes the book feel too long. There is a lot of setup of the FMC's life pre-Titanic, which makes the story feel like it's dragging. I think the book would've really benefited from alternating timelines, where it starts with the Titanic, and flashes back to the FMC's past to build suspense.

Something else that makes it difficult to stay hooked to the story is the inconsistency in the writing style. The intent appears to be that the writing be done in the style of how it would've been during the time of the Titanic, but it doesn't quite get there. It feels like modern writing but with random outdated phrases thrown in. It's not a dealbreaker but it can be distracting.

With that being said, the book handles the subject of post traumatic stress very well. The story of the Titanic has been widely covered in pop culture to the point where that's all it feels like: a story. But this book humanizes the event and makes us realize that real people survived this tragedy and had to carry it for the rest of their lives.

Though I have my gripes with the story, I do think it would work well as a period drama.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Lost Passenger will be available February 25, 2025.