Elinor Hayward is the daughter of Robert Hayward, who is known in England as, “The Cotton King.” He built his cotton business from the ground up, and by the time Elinor was born, he was a millionaire. She has been waited on her whole life but has the love and adoration of her parents. However, her mom dies when she is still young.
One day, Elinor and her father are invited to a ball being thrown by Lord and Lady Burnham, who are at a higher station of society than the Haywards. It strikes Elinor as odd that they are invited, but she convinces her dad to take her so she can experience a ball like the ones she’s read about in her Jane Austen books. Once they arrive, Elinor meets Frederick Coombes, the son and future Earl of Winterton Estate. They hit it off, and Frederick starts calling on Elinor. Within weeks, Frederick has made a deal with Mr. Hayward to have Elinor’s hand in marriage. They are quickly married.
Right after their wedding ceremony ends, Elinor overhears a conversation between Frederick’s mother, Lady Stanton, and Lady Burnham. She finds out that Lady Burnham invited Elinor to the ball at Lady Stanton’s request so they could arrange for Elinor and Frederick to meet. The Stanton’s needed the Hayward’s money to keep Winterton Estate running, but Mrs. Stanton thinks Elinor is ghastly. Elinor confronts Frederick, who confirms that he did not marry her for love, but because the arrangement was beneficial to his family. However, he enjoys her company and hopes to have an amicable relationship with her. From this moment on, Elinor begins fighting the life in which she has found herself. She is revolted by the family and the expectations that have been placed on her. Her only friend in Winterton Hall is a woman by the name of Lissy. One night, when Lissy’s husband tries to seduce Elinor, he reveals that Lissy and Frederick are having an affair. They have been in love since they were children, but the marriage match was not beneficial to their families. Elinor is distraught. Kitty, Frederick’s sister, finds out that Elinor knows about the affair. She suggests that Elinor not confront Frederick right away, but instead waits until she wants something from him. Elinor eventually becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son. He is immediately taken away from her and given to a harsh nanny. Elinor is distraught and sneaks into the nursery that night. She is caught, and Lady Stanton and the family doctor threaten to keep her son away from her permanently. The boy is christened with the name Edward, but Elinor nicknames him Teddy. She is only allowed to see him 20 minutes per day. At the age of 7, he will be expected to go off to boarding school so that he can learn to be a proper gentleman. Elinor wants nothing more than to be a mother to her son, but she is prevented from doing so.
When Teddy is two, Elinor’s father writes and offers them first-class tickets to ride on the Titanic. Elinor desperately wants to go so she can have more time with her son. Frederick initially says no, but Elinor uses that opportunity to reveal that she knows about the affair. He agrees after that.
Right as they are about to board the ship, Elinor’s long-time servant, Rose, suddenly refuses to get on the ship. Frederick says they will need to cancel their trip when a woman with Molly interrupts their argument. She is an experienced lady-in-waiting and offers to serve Elinor during the voyage. The Coombes agree and board the ship. Molly talks to Elinor throughout the trip and reveals that she is going to America to live with an aunt whom she’s never met. She is pregnant and is not sure how she will be received by her relatives. Still, her bravery leaves an impression on Elinor.
Midway through their voyage, the Titanic hits an iceberg. Elinor and Teddy get loaded on a lifeboat. Molly is supposed to board with them, but she wants to go back to the cabin and fetch her life savings. Elinor and Teddy are lowered down into the sea, and only when they sail a little bit away from the Titanic do they realize that the ship is sinking. They watch in horror as the Titanic sinks, then listen to the screams as people in the water slowly die throughout the night.
Eventually, a ship rescues all of the survivors in lifeboats. It is on board this ship when Elinor realizes that Frederick, her father, and Molly are not among the survivors. When the crew of the ship begins an inventory of the survivors, Elinor realizes that she has a chance to start a new life. She steals Molly’s identity so that everyone will think that Elinor died in the accident.
When Elinor gets to America, Molly’s relatives are waiting with a sign. She goes over to them and meets Ruth, Molly’s aunt, her husband, Per, and her mother-in-law, Anna. Per and Anna are Swedish immigrants. They are surprised by Teddy, but agree to take Elinor (aka Molly) in with her son. Elinor is struck by how small the apartment is. She struggles with basic household tasks because she has never had to do them before. Eventually, though, she learns how to peel potatoes, wash clothes, and work the sewing machine so that she can earn a wage with Anna and Ruth. With the help of the business skills that her father taught her, Elinor has a new future ahead of her. Before long, however, her past catches up to her.
"The Lost Passenger" was an addicting read that linked together the awe and wonder of the sinking of the Titanic with the drama of high society, combining it with the grit that lays the foundation of the United States. Elinor was a beautifully written multi-dimensional character who was both entitled and hard-working, savvy and clueless, and selfish and selfless. Even after facing the adversity that was common among new immigrants to the United States, Elinor never once regretted her decision to put her son in front of her station. This was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

Faced with a horrible choice: to return to a life she hated and essentially lose her son or assume the name and life of a dead acquaintance, Elinor’s choice will affect the rest of her life and that of her young son. The strength of character within her is shown as she struggles to be strong, to do right, to live with the nightmares accompanying the sinking of the Titanic, and to give her son Teddy the best chance at a happy, fulfilling life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for ARC to read and review.

Loved this. Solid plot. Strong character development. Wonderfully atmospheric. Pretty compulsive read.

At first glance it would seem that Elinor Hayward’s life is perfect. Her father owns a mill, and she lives an affluent lifestyle. She meets the “man of her dreams” in Frederick Coombes. However, after their marriage, things change. Frederick is not what he seems, her mother-in-law thinks she is beneath the family and, most importantly, she is not allowed access to her son. In The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn when Elinor sees an opportunity to change her life, she takes it. Once she makes this change, she must fight for this new life for herself and her son. A genuinely nice novel.

Elinor gets the fairy tale wedding and life of her dreams when she marries Frederick and moves into Winterton Hall. It is too late when she realizes that Frederick did not marry her for love, but for her money and the goal of keeping the family line alive with an heir. Elinor soon has a son, but instead of raising him herself, he is kept by a nanny and Elinor rarely sees him. Embarking on the Titanic, Elinor looks forward to spending more time with her young son. But disaster soon strikes, and when Elinor has the opportunity to break away from her stifling life and pretend to be someone else, she takes her chance.

Thank you Frances Quinn and Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions written here are mine and mine alone.

The idea and the thought behind this book were excellent. I loved learning more about the early 1900s and more history behind the Titanic. However, the execution in this book was not what I had hoped it would be. The author spent too much time telling the reader about what happened rather than showing the reader through character movement and dialogue, which took away from making the reader truly care about each character. I liked all the characters, but I did not feel like I got to know them well enough.

SPOILERS:

The ending also did not leave me feeling like the story was wrapped up nicely. It felt rushed and I was left unsure about how Anna, Ruth, and Per really felt about having Elinor and Teddy stay with them for the foreseeable future. I would have liked more depth there because it still seemed like Ruth was angry at Elinor.

A fantastic historical drama of a woman and son, who were believed to have drown on the Titanic. It tells about her struggles once she reaches America. It is a great story!

Elinor Coombes thought she was marrying for love. She was heartbroken to realize that her husband's old family only wanted her for her new money. When she gives birth to the required heir, Teddy, things only seem to get worse. Elinor feels more and more isolated and eagerly accepts her father's invitation to travel to New York on the Titanic. The night of the sinking, Elinor and Teddy get on a lifeboat, but her husband and father go down with the ship. Elinor makes the drastic decision to use the identity of a woman who was traveling on the Titanic with her in order to protect Teddy from her husband's domineering family. Elinor, now known as Molly, builds a life in New York where she finds that family is sometimes blood, but sometimes it is also a choice. A delightful read!

Wow, this book was amazing!
Yes, it’s a book about the tragedy of the ship Titanic. That’s only a short part of the book, albeit very detailed and heart-rending. The main focus of this novel was about a young woman who foresaw a loveless, miserable future for herself and her young son. When an opportunity to possibly escape that gloomy existence presented it itself, the woman took it, though frightened, out of pure love for her child.
A very thought provoking book, in a “what would I have done?” way. And, an absolute must-read for Titanic story lovers, and for those interested in life on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the early 1900s.

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Historical fiction is my jam, and Frances Quinn's new release The Lost Passenger fulfills all my expectations. Elinor Coombes, the privileged daughter of a wealthy English businessman, is swept into marriage to the heir to an English title thinking he is in such a hurry to wed because he is in love with her. In reality, he and his parents are in love with her large dowry that will save their estate. Strangled by English traditions and expectations for the titled class, Elinor only gets to spend 20 minutes per day with her infant son until her father gifts them tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic. When her father and husband go down with the ship, she jumps at the chance to assume her nanny's identity and disappear with her son into New York City. Penniless, she must learn to survive and provide for her infant son.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful book. I definitely want to read more from Frances Quinn.

I really enjoyed Elinor's journey. All is not as it seems, and I found her point of view refreshing and honest in a world where perception and pretense is everything. Elinor lives a life of luxury with her self-made father and is subsequently married off for her money to a noble family, unbeknownst to her father.

What seems like a charming life quickly turns to despair. Elinor finds herself on the Titanic with a potential way out, though into a life unknown. She has to determine if the risk is work the reward and if it really is a reward.

I only wish that Elinor's story was a bit longer, the first 2 parts of her life were told so well and in great detail, I would have loved to hear more of the 3rd part of her lift. All in all, a great story and one that I would recommend.

One of my favorite historical fictions that I have read all year! I did not want to put this book down and was fully immersed in Elinor's world. She was a character you couldn't help but root for, who demonstrated just how strong a mother's love is.

4.5/5

Elinor Coombes is dreadfully unhappy. As a romantic and naive 19 year old she entered into a marriage with a Lord’s heir but she didn’t know that he would never love her and he just wanted her large dowry from her father, the “cotton king” of early 20th century Britain. She’s also expected to produce an heir which she does but doesn’t understand that titled families do not see their children for more that 20 minutes a day when “nanny” brings them for a quick, supervised visit. Or that little boys are sent away to boarding school at 7 to toughen them up. When Elinor’s father gifts her first class tickets on a new, luxurious ship on its maiden voyage to New York, she’s thrilled to get away from the oppressive life at her husband’s estate. She’s threatens to tell everyone about his mistress unless her husband agrees that their son can accompany them and leave their dour nanny behind. On the ship, the Titanic, Elinor greatly enjoys her time with her Father and her son and dreads going back to the estate and her lonely, regimented life. When the Titanic sinks with Elinor’s father and husband aboard, she seizes the chance at a new life for herself and her son. When her lifeboat is rescued by the Carpathia, she gives her name as Molly, young woman who she knows died on the Titanic and who is to meet a cousin who already lives in New York. Molly and her cousin have never met, so it’s unlikely that she would realize Elinor’s identity switch. Going from a pampered, wealthy young woman to living in a crowded tenement with an outhouse for 20 families is a shock but Elinor’s/Molly is determined to make a better life for herself and her son. This is an entertaining, sad and, ultimately triumphant story.

The Lost Passenger has everything... a wonderful historical setting, a passenger on the Titanic, and suspense throughout. I was attracted to this book first because of the Titanic... I love everything related to the ship. Then as I started reading, this book has so much more! Well-rounded characters, suspense around every turn, and a satisfying ending. If you love historical novels and the Titanic, be sure to check this one out.

This was a really good book about a woman creating a new life for herself and her child. As a mom of one year old twins, her descriptions of her postpartum experience truly disturbed me on an emotional level and it was really well written. I found myself rooting for the main character and really enjoyed her development throughout the book. This book felt a little slow-going at times, but I went along for the ride since it isn’t a thriller. It was an enjoyable read and I’m thankful for the opportunity to have been given this book in exchange for my review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance copy of “The Lost Passenger” by Frances Quinn.
Elinor Coombes finds the man of her dreams an English aristocrat and they soon marry. Unfortunately, she realizes too late this isn’t the marriage she had imagined. She is tied to a family that doesn’t care for her and she doesn’t care for them. A trip on the Titanic with her husband, young son, and father offers her the opportunity to escape her miserable life for a short time. The sinking of the Titanic changes her life in ways she never imagined. Frances Quinn captures you from the start and carries you through this wonderfully written story. I recommend this book as it is one of my favorite books of the year. I will definitely check out more of her books.

I was given access to this book through NetGalley and was not paid for it. I was able to read the entire book. I found it s breezy and entertaining read. Even though I could not quite relate to the overall weakness and the motivations of the main character, the author was able to paint a vivid picture of the settings where the action takes place, as well as the limitations of another time and society.

This book follows a lady that married into a fancy rich family and is miserable until she gets a chance to make a new life and take it but the past never stays in the past. It was well written, engaging, and the characters were good. There was good depth to the story and you could picture New York in those days.

This was excellent! I really enjoyed the entire premise behind this book. Elinor comes from a wealthy family with self made money. She thinks she finds her dream man in Frederick Storton the future lord of Winterton Hall. However things are not what they seem and her life quickly turns into a nightmare. When a chance to go on the Titanic comes, she thinks it will be a nice diversion and a way to spend time with her son and father. What she did not expect was that the ship would sink and she would have a terrible choice to make, go back to Winterton Hall and lose her son or try to start a new life in New York City. What follows is an incredible tale of a strong woman who will do whatever it takes to take control of her life.

This novel was filled with incredible detail. Set in England and New York City in the early 1900s, I really felt like I was there with Elinor. I enjoyed reading about everything she went through and her triumphs. What more was I thought I knew how things were going to go but I was wrong in a good way. This was excellent historical fiction and I look forward to reading more by Frances Quinn. The writing was excellent and I enjoyed every moment reading this novel.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Elinor Coombes has a problem. She married a rich man she was chosen for because of her father's money. Believing he loved her, she was happy at first. Then she learned he was in love with someone else, a woman pretending to be her friend. The worst part was they had a son who would inherit the family fortune and title. Because of this, she was hardly allowed to spend any time with him and was informed that he would be sent away to boarding school at the age of seven.

As Elinor rebels against her husband and the life that no longer brings her joy, she is treated by her father to a voyage on the new ship, the Titanic. She convinces her husband to take their son along and leave his nanny behind. On the ship, she meets a woman who has experience with children and offers to help her with her boy. The woman is headed for New York and a family she hasn't seen in many years. As Elinor befriends her, she learns more about the people that the woman plans to meet and how she intends to start a new life.

When the ship sinks, Elinor and her son escape, but the rest of her family and the woman who was with them perish.

Dreading returning to the life she had and the constraints that would be put upon her son, Elinor decides to take the identity of the other woman. The rest of the book relates Elinor's experience trying to fit into a lower-class existence, her struggles pretending to be part of another family, and how she deals with protecting her and her son from discovery.

For fans of fictional tales about the Titanic, this book would be a perfect read. It would also appeal to other historical fiction readers.

Tricked into a marriage that was only for the benefit of the groom because his family needed money even though they were aristocrats, Elinor finds herself looked down upon and not even allowed to raise her own son.

Elinor was very unhappy, but when her father wrote and said he had tickets on the Titanic, Elinor had some hope that the voyage would get her away from this oppressive family and its rules for a few weeks.

We all know what happened on the Titanic, but what did the voyage mean for Elinor?

She was now free but sadly her father and her husband perished, and she and her son Teddy survived.

Could this be the break she needed?

Could it free her from the family she married into?

See what Elinor does in this well-written, pull-you-in read that proves tragedy can bring joy at times.

You will love Elinor for her bravery, for starting over, for her ambition, and especially for moving on after a tragedy.

Do not miss this one if you love historical fiction and a strong female character. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.