found this historical novel set right before, during, and after, the Titanic's maiden voyage a gripping read. Elinor, only child of a wealthy cotton manufacterer, is skillfully conned into marriage by a pedigreed-but-poor upper class family. Without physical violence, but searingly done emotional abuse, Elinor's new family does their best to constrain her into a semblance of their lifestyle. Elinor's mother-in-law utterly despises her, her husband--without being a monster--is totally indifferent to her, and her sister-in-law is bitter about women's place in that life.

Elinor watches with defeated horror as her little son is being inexorably molded toward a copy of his father, when
Ellie's dear of a father gives her tickets aboard the new ship launching on its maiden voyage...

Quinn's first person Elinor does a great job with period language. I loved Elinor's voice. The experience of the Titanic's crash and sinking was vividly evoked, but where Quinn really shines, I thought, was in the emotional aftermath.

Elinor takes the place of her chance-met maid, who never turned up to join her in the lifeboat; she finds herself in a dirt-poor part of New York, amid a welter of different cultures all trying to establish a better life for themselves than the one they left behind. She shares a minute apartment with a family headed by a Swedith matriarch who believes in the virtue of hard work, and Ellie, in her new guise, learns and begins to excel, determined to keep her true identity, and her son's, from being discovered. How that pans out was really well handled, I thought--and how Quinn writes women, in particular, just shines with complexity. And compassion.

This is a lovely story. Sometimes in order to become who. You truly Are; a strong woman and a mom ~ you
might have to make some horribly difficult choices. The motto: Hard work will always make life bearable and
the lies and deceptions might seem to help, but in the end……

I was invited to review this book by the publisher. Elinor is part of the aristocracy in Edwardian England, married into a union she does not want to a man who does not want her. She receives a gift from her father - tickets on the Titanic for her and her young son. Elinor is very excited for this trip as it will allow her to get away from her husband. Except, as fate would have it, the Titanic sinks - but Elinor and her son survive, and she sees that as an opening to start a new life by leaving their old ones behind after "dying" on the Titanic. Now with nothing and another person's identity, Elinor must learn to survive in a world she knows nothing about. This was an interesting book; the setting was enjoyable and was depicted well within the writing (both the ship and the time in New York City), but Elinor was written as a strong character who really does learn to live a new life, or rather a new way of life. Her growth and determination were found within the pages, as well as her motivations both for herself and for her child. Another strength of the book was that it moved very quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story. It is a really good Titanic story without being too focused on the actual sinking of the ship. I felt like the story as more about how Elinor overcomes the obstacles of her former life once she gets to New York. There were a couple parts of the story that felt weirdly similar to the Titanic movie but the story quickly goes away from the sinking and moves on to an interesting look at life in New York City in the early 1900's. I loved reading about a time in our country when hard work and ingenuity were celebrated and rewarded at all social levels. It was a refreshing difference from the social elites you often read about from this time period. I was given a free copy of this book from Net Galley.

The Lost Passenger delivers so much tension and suspense that it feels like one being on a sinking ship with nowhere to go and hide from a doomed life of high-society into a world of poverty. Molly is constantly looking over her shoulder trying to eke out a living while protecting Teddy and all her deceptions from revealing her past. This is a great novel emphasizing the differences of the affluent and the poor and their relationships in regard to the importance of family.

This was a really great book! This book was filled with lots of emotion, and multi dynamic stories. You could really feel the emotions that the main character was feeling, which is not always easy to do. I like the way that this author writes. There was a little bit of historical information, and it wasn’t boring. It was actually entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

The Lost Passenger was incredible. Elinor is such a captivating character, and the author did an amazing job bringing her to life. You feel her emotions and struggles as if you’re right there with her through every challenge. The way it’s written pulls you in so deeply that it’s hard to put the book down. This book has all the makings of an International Bestseller. I highly recommend.

In Frances Quinn’s Edwardian-era novel, “The Lost Passenger,” the daughter of a wealthy cotton mill magnate finds herself in a deceptive marriage to a broke British aristocrat who’s been in love with someone else for years and whose tyrannical parents take pleasure in making every minute of her married life miserable.

Living in a loveless marriage, Elinor despised even living on a posh estate. She was constantly ridiculed for her less-than-elegant accent and manners by her husband’s family. The in-laws were also very dictatorial about everything related to her little boy, Teddy, the heir to the estate. As a result, Elinor hardly knew her own toddler because she was only allowed short daily visits.

Consequently, Elinor was completely heartbroken, frustrated, and miserable. However, that was before she made a decision that changed the course of their lives forever. She stole another woman’s identity.

The Lost Passenger is a multi-layered story about strength and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds—like escaping a sinking ship in freezing water adrift with icebergs.

It's a story of an independent woman willing to endure tremendous losses and misfortunes to make a fresh start for herself and her child.

JoyReaderGirl1 submitted this objective review, and I offer my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley, Author Frances Quinn, and Random House PublishingGroup—Ballantine | Dell for providing this Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) for my review.

THE LOST PASSENGER is a wonderful historical fiction that turns a classic romance trope inside out and makes a better story for the effort. The classic trope, girl from hard-working family marries up into an aristocratic British family, should have a classic happily ever after once their first child is born. Not so fast. The child, a son, is quickly removed from her ‘lower class’ care and delivered into the hands of a nanny as his life is charted out, clearly away from hers, by his first week alive. A trip on the Titanic results in an awkward opportunity: take someone else’s name and pretend to have died along with her husband and father. The book then traces the ups and downs of our heroine’s path to a new life. This story was fun to read and moves quickly. I received my copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

"The Lost Passenger" by Frances Quinn is an enthralling historical novel that sweeps you into early 20th century England with its vivid storytelling and rich detail. The plot kicks off with a mysterious disappearance, leading to a gripping search that unravels deep secrets and hidden truths. Quinn's masterful writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, with twists and turns that make it impossible to put the book down. Each character is intricately crafted, making their emotional journeys feel incredibly real and compelling. This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction peppered with mystery and drama. Trust me, you won't be able to stop turning the pages!

I breezed through this novel and enjoyed it immensely. Not great literary fiction but a well crafted story based on real events. The sinking of the Titanic was an epic moment in history and the author weaves a tale around a survivor. Elinor is a privileged wife and mother who must make crucial decisions after she is saved from drowning. Thank you for offering me the chance to read this novel. I recommend it highly.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. I stayed up way to late reading this one as it hooked me right from the start. The author did a fantastic job with the characters and the storyline. I loved how vested I was in would-be Molly's life! I just wish there would have been an authors note at the end about the real history and this story. Well done!

This is a fast read that I believe many will fully enjoy. For me though the story just didn’t completely hold my attention. I haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why. I liked many of the characters. Perhaps it was just a bit predictable. I would definitely read this author again. I did enjoy her writing.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this historical fiction novel. It's a part of history that is not overdone, and I feel as though this is an interesting take on the Titanic.