When Elinor survives the Titanic, she takes advantage of the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her son. The author does a good job of showing what life is like for women during this time period -- whether in England or America -- and how traumatic the sinking was for survivors.

Overall it was a good story. I felt the ending was rushed and could have answered a few more questions that were left.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 stars, rounding up)

The Lost Passenger dives into an immersive historical world where fate, resilience, and reinvention collide in the wake of disaster. Frances Quinn brings Elinor Coombes' story to life with a unique twist: faking her death on the Titanic to escape an oppressive aristocratic marriage, she seizes the chance to start over in New York with her son. What follows is a dramatic journey from the ruins of wealth to survival in a brand-new world as Elinor adapts to life as someone completely new.

While the pacing at times felt slow in the second half, Quinn offers a richly developed New York setting that resonates with hope and hardship alike. I would’ve loved a token Jack/Rose romance, but Quinn makes up for it with a thoughtful exploration of personal freedom and maternal devotion. Elinor’s struggle to balance survival with her love for her son is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and while this isn’t a fairytale, it does offer a satisfying conclusion on its own terms.

For fans of historical fiction that blends high stakes with introspection, The Lost Passenger is a compelling read that captures the courage it takes to forge a new life from ashes.

I had never read
a book by this author. I was gifted this ebook by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I have always been fascinated by the Titanic. This book was very interesting in that a passenger took the identity of her maid in order not to have to return to her husband's family. It is a fast and entertaining novel if you like historical fiction.

The Lost Passenger is set in the early 1900's and involves the only child of a wealthy widowed cotton manufacturer. Elinor is the apple of her father's eye, but despite his wealth, they have been shunned by upperclass society until one day they receive an invitation in the mail from a neighbor inviting them to her ball. Elinor and her father excitedly accept and just when Elinor thinks she's going to have to hide in the shadows all evening, another guest named Frederick Coombes introduces himself and the two seem to hit it right off. Even Elinor's father is enamored of Frederick.

Frederick soon starts courting Elinor who, at 19, although intelligent, is very naive. Before long, the two are engaged and it is only upon overhearing a conversation at her wedding reception, that Elinor discovers she and her father have been completely manipulated and that Frederick only married her for her father's money which is needed to keep the Coombes family estate from crumbling. Elinor is too devastated to confide in her father and endures horrible criticism and coldness from her in-laws with whom she and Frederick live. Producing an heir does not improve matters as Elinor is not allowed to raise her own son and can only see him for an hour a day.

When a long-promised trip on the Titanic comes, courtesy of Elinor's father, Elinor eagerly looks forward to being apart from her in-laws and to spending time with her father and her son, Teddy.

Of course, we all know the fate of the Titanic, so you'll have to read the book to see what happens next.

I very much enjoyed this novel because I liked Elinor. She was kind of a Princess Diana-type character: very naive, initially, to the manipulations of others, but not unintelligent. And she was willing to do anything for the sake of her son.

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC ebook edition of this book.

Overall I enjoyed The Lost Passenger. I didn't learn anything about the Titanic or NY in the 19-teens, but it was a good story. My main negative was the anxiety of the main character. I'm sure if I'd been in her position, I'd have felt the same way, but reading it was annoying. I'd also have cut out some of the time in England prior to the Titanic. I didn't feel it was necessary to the story. I appreciated the main character's willingness to put her child first, learn new tasks, work hard, and sacrifice for his happiness. It was well written, grammatically correct, and I didn't find any plot holes. I recommend The Lost Passenger to anyone who enjoys Titanic fiction, American/British early 20th century historical fiction, fiction about class differences, and readers who just appreciate good fiction.

Another Titanic novel set in that time period. Rich socialite, spoiled daughter of the "Cotton King' and neglected but tortured wife of Frederick Coombs--who married her for her wealth and to father a son to carry on tradition of Lord of the Manor. Two years into a loveless marriage Elinor's father has booked passage to America with Elinor, Frederick & Teddy & Elinors maid Rose. Rose, at the last minute has a dreadful premonition and refuses to board thus leaving way for a 3rd class passenger Molly to take Rose's place. Well, history tells the rest of the story and with Elinor & Teddy surviving, she takes the deceased maid Mollys name to excape her dreadful marriage and begin anew in New York. A nicely written story with a lot of trusting people and a few "hard to believe" run-ins cause Molly (Elinor) to question her truth.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

“The Lost Passenger” by Frances Quinn was a pleasant surprise. Elinor is the daughter of a wealthy cotton manufacturer and gets married into a pedigreed, yet poor and unfeeling family. Elinor believes the marriage is for love but soon comes to realize it was only for her father’s money to maintain the lifestyle.

Trapped in a loveless marriage they soon have a son Teddy who will become the eventual heir and the Earl of Winterton.

Elinor’s father then gifts her tickets on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Only Elinor and her son survive and she takes this as an opportunity to keep her son and raise him without the grandparents interfering by faking their deaths too.

Overall, it was an interesting and thought-provoking novel that captivates from start to finish.

This is a book that follows Elinor as she marries Fredrick and realizes that her life she thought she would have is much different. The "arranged" marriage was more for Fredrick's benefit and Elinor soon discovers that she has no say or control over anything in her life. When her father buys them tickets for the Titanic, she is excited to get away from her husband's controlling family. When the Titanic sinks and she and her young son are the only survivors of her family, she makes the decision to start a new life in New York away from her husband's controlling family.

I liked this book. It had a lot of promise and I thought it would be a 5 star book, but here are my reasons that kept it from being a 5 star:
1. Time jumps seemed unnecessary. I would have liked to see what happened in the jumps instead of being briefly told.
2. More time on the Titanic would have been nice. It seemed they boarded and then suddenly it sank.
3. The ending was very rushed with the discovery of her true identity.
4. I would have liked to see more relationship with Elinor and another character (would be a spoiler if I said who)

But this is still a very good book that I would recommend for those that like historical fiction.
4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy of The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

The surprising thing about this story is the resilience of its lead character Elinor Coomes. Even after she’s thrust into a world where duty trumps emotion. The duty her titled husband undertakes to seduce, and marry just to maintain the title that has survived seven generations through the male line only. Learning her fathered money made everything possible for this family to endure never kept her from trying to fit in and do as she was expected. The birth of her son was the true reveal for Elinor. Learning of the expectations of one so young was like a seed that rubs up against the tree refusing to die. A fateful trip on the Titanic gives Elinor the push to do the boldest most exquisite thing a character has done in a lot of reads. The last few pages are with the price of purchase.Happy reading

I just love reading books about The Titanic. I was given the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy from Random House
It was a joy to read, a real page turner. This is the story of Elinor Coombes who had everything except a happy marriage. Elinor’s father always planned to embark on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. He presented Elinor with tickets for her family and her maid. She was thrilled on the idea of traveling on this ship with her husband and young son. As they approached the pier, Elinor’s maid had second thoughts about going on the voyage and cancelled. A young girl named Molly overheard the conversation and inquired to Elinor about taking the place of her maid. Elinor accepted. Molly was going to New York to stay with family that she never met. She hoped for a better life in New York.
As the Titanic goes down, Molly never makes it to the lifeboat that Elinor and her son Teddy are on. Elinor never sees her husband or father again. Elinor realizes that she has an opportunity to be become some else and stay in New York, never to return to England. She finds Molly’s family and claims that she is Molly.
This is a compelling story about a young woman who tries to turn her life around for a better life for her son, but she must live a lie.
A very well written engaging story. Will not disappoint.
Thank you to Megan Whalen and Random House and NetGalley for the invitation to read this advanced readers copy.

England - Elinor, the daughter of a rich working class father, married into a landed family. Then, a dream voyage on the Titanic. So why does Elinor choose to make a new life in New York City as a penniless immigrant? Read this wonderful book to learn all.

I DEVOURED this book!! I wasn't really sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this! I love a good historical fiction and this is one of the best ones I've read in a while! Just sooooooo good! Make sure to read this when it's published February 25th!! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!!

I've read quite a few fiction books that were themed around The Titanic, so I was naturally drawn to this book. I hadn't read anything by Frances Quinn before, but I will be searching the back catalog after thoroughly enjoying this read.

Elinor was a likeable main character, and although I worked out what she was planning to do after Titanic sunk, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the storyline. Lots of strong characters alongside the historical details make this an engaging read. 5 stars ! I received an advance copy via NetGalley but this didn't influence my rating.

I love novels about the Titanic, I read them all! I especially enjoyed this one with a very different perspective. It’s the story of Elinore, a daughter of wealth who had been duped into a loveless marriage by a family seeking her father’s fortune. Her life was one of daily torture by her husband and his cruel family. Their threats, both implicit and explicit had separated her from her own child.

Her father takes the family on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. During the chaos of the Titanic sinking, Elinore seizes the tragedy to escape her life. She leaves her status behind and becomes a new person, using the identity of her own drowned maid. She is sheltered by Molly’s unknowing family.

This new life is in Manhattan’s teeming Lower Eastside. Elinore, for all her past privilege, adapts to this life as Molly Mortimer. She manages to pull herself and her son into a totally different world. As a reader, I enjoyed the way the author pulled the reader into life in the pre-WWI world.

So, within this novel is the story of the sinking of the Titanic coupled with the social history of the immigrant filled Lower Eastside. I can recommend this book to those of us who enjoy historical fiction, especially about this iconic journey.


Thank you Netgalley for this charming little novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn. This historical fiction is based during the time of the Titanic, before, during and after. Elinor Coombes finds herself in a situation that encourages her to take on another identity after surviving the sinking of the Titanic. I never really thought how that faithful night had changed the lives of the survivors. This book really helps a person to understand this aspect of the sinking of this great ship. Elinor learned a lot about her life with wealth and without. Family is not always who is related to you. A very enjoyable read.

Great read! Nicely paced and packed with plot. Quinn is great at world building, knowing when greater detail was needed, but not over loading details just to fill the page. Loved when the story moved to New York; I could see the crowded apartments, busy market street, Coney Island, etc. All the characters were well built, easily evoking my emotions for them all. I respect that the author didn’t shy away from the survivors long term trauma of the sinking Titanic, but also encouraging their second chance at life.
Just overall, a very enjoyable book! I was new to Francis Quinn, but I will definitely be reading her other books.
Thanks for the book and the new author!

I am a sucker for anything Titanic related, and this did not disappoint. I loved the beginning of the book, it really set the stage for Elinor's actions. I felt i got to know the characters well and was rooting for her the entire book

Anything Titanic-themed? Count me in, and this novel exceeded my expectations! This beautifully crafted historical fiction brought to life the resilience and courage of its main character, whose journey to independence was both inspiring and heart-wrenching. Set against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster, it vividly portrays the challenges faced by women of the era, reminding readers that wealth doesn’t equate to happiness or freedom. The tension, survival, and unwavering will to persevere kept me gripped to the very end. A must-read for any historical fiction fan looking for a fresh perspective on this iconic tragedy.

I have read several books based on the sinking of the Titanic but this is definitely one of the best. The main character starts out as a young naive girl but grows into a strong self sufficient woman. Due to a confining situation after marriage to an Earl's son she decided to take on a different identity after the sinking of the Titanic and stay in NewYork and make a life for herself and her son instead of returning to England. Her husband went down with the ship so had she went back to England her son would've been brought up by her in-laws in a way she didn't approve of. Her life in New York was difficult but turned out for the best.
Thanks to the author and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this really good book.