I enjoyed reading The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I’ve read other fictionalized accounts of Titanic survivors, but this one is the first where there’s a focus on the PTSD and survivor guilt they endured following the unspeakable tragedy.

Elinor Coombes, believer in true love and happily-ever-afters thanks to the books of Austen and Brontë, was tricked into a loveless marriage with an heir to an earldom so they could get a huge dowry from her industrialist father. Shortly after giving birth to a son and heir, she learns that aristocratic women don’t raise their sons, whose upbringing is left it to a nanny and then boarding school by age 7. When she finds out that, in the event of her husband Frederick’s death, her disapproving and hard-hearted in-laws would gain custody, it is an abstract worry since he’s young and healthy; that is, until the Titanic sinks and the worst comes to pass. Desperate to save her son from the cold, callous path set out for him, she assumes a deceased woman’s identity to start a new life, but will she always be looking over her shoulder?

Quinn paints a clear picture of life in the Lower East Side tenements of NYC, putting a human and compassionate face on the squalor and seeming chaos of the poor neighborhood. Her story is a testament to the immigrants who came from Europe for a better life and the hard work they put in to make their dreams a reality and to the human spirit and the strength and courage of women who are underestimated by both men and other women who see them as weak. Finally, it’s a beautiful portrayal of chosen family and the capacity for forgiveness. Fans of Susan Meissner, Fiona Davis, and Beatriz Williams will love this. Highly recommended.

This really took me by surprise ! I enjoyed the FMC. It was a very interesting story. Anything about titanic … I’m here for it, but this was more then that and i really liked it!

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is one woman’s journey to start a new life with her son after they survive the Titanic disaster. Elinor Hayward couldn’t believe her luck when Frederick Coombes, the future heir of the Storton title, wanted her to be his wife. Swept away by the fairy tale, she quickly realizes that the family only wanted her father’s hard earned wealth. Trapped and feeling suffocated by the rigid social rules, she finds herself looking at a long and lonely future. However, when her father presents her with tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic, Elinor sees it as a welcome reprieve. When the ship goes down, Elinor takes the opportunity to change their names and start a new life. Penniless and using another woman’s name, she must learn to survive in the harsh new world of New York City and hope that her secret stays safely hidden.
The story of Titanic and its disastrous maiden voyage has been a fascination of mine since high school. When the opportunity to read The Lost Passenger came up, I jumped at the chance. By coincidence, I had finished watching the 1997 movie, Titanic, before starting this book, so the disaster was fresh in my mind. Elinor is a young woman who was raised by a widowed father to be independent and resourceful. Filled with the romantic notions from her favorite novels, she is unprepared for the cold and oppressive nature of the English aristocracy. When her trip on the Titanic presents an opportunity for freedom, she truly breathes for the first time. The Lost Passenger is filled with drama as Elinor fights to live a new life, a life on her own terms. It is a story of fighting against adversity and finding hope after a great loss. I highly recommend The Lost Passenger.

The Lost Passenger is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

I do not even know what to say. This book was absolute perfection. I think I held my breath the entire time I was in this timeline. I hated the way Elinor was treated by her husband and his family. I enjoyed her innocence at the beginning of the story and the way she evolved into a strong woman with her eyes open to what the world was. She dreamed of marrying for love like her favorite characters in her books. What she received, however, was a courting by a dishonest predator and his high-status family with money issues. She, being the daughter of a cotton mogul, made her prime pickings.

The mental abuse that she endured was difficult to read. You can feel her fear, loss, and pain throughout the book. She loved her father and son but was disappointed in the people around her who she thought would love and protect her and her child. He had to make tough decisions to ensure their safety, requiring her to do things that were outside of her character.

A gift from her father, Elinor, her philandering husband Frederick, her father, and her son Teddy were all on the Titanic's maiden voyage when tragedy struck and the ship sank. She befriended a pregnant ladies' maid who assisted her with Teddy while aboard the Titanic. Unfortunately, she did not make it into one of the liferafts and perished with the ship. Wishing to escape the life she married into, she assumed the identity of the ladies' maid and assumed her life.

This book grips you from the first chapter and doesn't let go. I finished it in 1 day!
I love that, ultimately, Elinor never loses who she is at her core; she holds her parents' memory and their teachings close.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Frances Quinn for the ARC of The Lost Passenger.

I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Wowwwww what a great book!! It’s been a while since I’ve read historical fiction but I devoured this in 2 days. I loved the Titanic aspect of it.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is out today 2/25! Everyone add this to your TBR!!

Thanks NetGalley for the arc and chance to read early.

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?

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.

I really enjoy stories surrounding the Titanic, and this did not disappoint. The contrast between English royalty and New York City poverty is stark and well written.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Elinor, a young woman in 1910 Manchester, is trapped in a marriage to a man who doesn’t love her and looked down upon by her husband’s aristocratic family. When she and her infant son survive the Titanic disaster, she makes a desperate decision— assuming her maid’s identity to protect her child from being taken back to England as his family’s heir.

While only a portion of the novel takes place on the Titanic, the heart of the story is in Elinor’s emotional journey in New York, where she navigates guilt, deception, and constantly looking over her shoulder. We get to know her new family as kind and supportive and she feels terrible for deceiving them—but her fear of losing her son prevents her from telling the truth. Her struggles feel real and compelling, especially as she adjusts to life in crowded, unsanitary conditions and having to work— far from her privileged upbringing. Quinn does a nice job at identifying Elinor’s state of mind as a survivor of a disaster but also burying those feelings. The novel moves at a quick pace while maintaining emotional depth, making Elinor’s predicament both gripping and sympathetic. Though I wished for more Titanic details to enrich the historical setting, the novel still delivers a satisfying blend of personal drama and suspense. I was fully immersed in Elinor’s story.

I love stories about survivors of the Titanic and this one was no exception. Right from the first page, Elinor/Molly's story grabbed my attention and did not let go. I loved how fiercly she loved her son and hard she worked to make a safe, loving world from him, even if meant taking huge risks and lying to people she cared about. Heartwarming and full of twists and turns.

Frances Quinn is new to me and since I love any story involving the Titanic (even fiction), I grabbed this one up right away. Elinor is a well-to-do woman who from the beginning has a strong mind of her own but a marriage to a Lord turns her into someone she doesn't recognize (and to be honest, I wasn't terribly fond of). When their trip across the ocean turns tragic, she sees a chance to live a new life with her son. It isn't the easiest and she begins to show her strength. It isn't a happy go lucky story, not at all until the very end, but it felt realistic enough for the time and I was engaged throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. Elinor is swept off her feet by a British nobleman. Elinor’s father is a very wealthy businessman, but she soon learns the aristocrats are a totally different breed. In fact, her new husband really only wanted her large dowry to save the estate. Elinor has a son and is shocked to learn she’ll have no part in raising the future Lord. There’s a nanny then private boarding schools, not to mention a pesky guardianship document cutting her out of his life in the rare possibility of her husband’s demise. Her father then surprises them with first class tickets aboard the RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage. We all know how trip that turned out. Elinor sees the disaster as a chance to forge a new path, so she assumes someone else’s identity when they dock in NY. Elinor soon learns how very different things are for poor immigrants in the city, but she proudly forges her own path. Will her secret past catch up with her? This book was a bit Harlequin romance-esque, but I really enjoyed it! Downton Abbey meets the Lower East Side! Thumbs up! #thetitanic #bookstagram #whatiread #reading #books #lowereastside #francesquinn #bookgram #bookworm #advancedreadercopy #goodreads #netgalley

*Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing|Ballantine, for providing me with ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

Since I saw the movie when I was younger, Titanic has captivated me. I even wrote a research paper on the subject in high school. One of the things that drew my attention was that part of the story would take place aboard Titanic. I had assumed that the story would take more place aboard than it did, which surprised me. However, this did not stop me from enjoying the novel. The Lost Passenger is one book that makes you ponder every time you put it down. I enjoyed how detailed the book was on Elinor's journey. Every page will leave you wondering what will happen to Elinor next and if she will be discovered. Most of the plot was fantastic, although the first part of the book moved more slowly than the second. Once Elinor was rescued from Titanic , the story picked up, and I had trouble putting the book down.

I enjoyed sections of the first half of the novel, but there wasn't as much action. Plus, I couldn’t seem to connect with some of the characters. In the second part of the novel, I was on the edge of my seat, unable to get enough of the story and the characters. I was concerned for Elinor when she decided to use another woman's name; I was scared that she would be discovered, and if she were, it would not end well for her. Once she created a bond with others, I knew it would be harder for her to tell others the truth. It made me worry about Elinor's future. I loved most of the characters and the setting; I felt the novel transformed me there.

My favorite aspect of the novel was the character development, particularly Elinor's. It was as if she turned into a completely different person. When I picked up the book, I expected more romance, but The Lost Passenger is a story about family, survival, courage, and redemption. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans!

THE LOST PASSENGER is the U.S. debut of acclaimed British novelist, Frances Quinn. It is an intriguing and engrossing historical novel about a young mother and the life she creates for her two-year-old son in New York after surviving the tragic sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. When the story begins, Elinor Hayward is the nineteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy Manchester mill owner known as “the cotton king” who has made his fortune by his hard work and business acumen. When father and daughter are unexpectedly invited to a ball at Winterton, the home of an aristocratic English family nearby, they have no idea that Lord and Lady Storton have an ulterior motive for introducing their son Frederick to Elinor. After a whirlwind engagement and wedding, Elinor learns that Frederick only married her for her father’s money. When she gives birth to her son and future heir, Teddy, Elinor is kept from her baby’s life while his grandparents mold him into a clone of their own son. Miserable, Elinor jumps at the chance to travel with her husband, son and father on the maiden voyage of Titanic. But when the ship goes down, Elinor makes a desperate choice for herself and her son – to assume the name of a woman who perished and make a new life for herself with that woman’s family in New York. What follows is the amazing story of everything Elinor must do to survive and keep her identity a secret. I really enjoyed this thought-provoking and emotional story of a mother’s love for her child and the bond of found family. Highly recommended! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Elinor Haywood, the daughter of Manchester, England's "cotton king," is a romantic. She thought she had discovered true love with Fredrick Coombes, a charming aristocrat. However, she learns too late that to her new husband and his family, she is merely a source of a large inheritance from her father's fortune as money is needed for their decaying castle and estate. Elinor's father secures tickets for the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic for himself, Elinor, Fredrick, and their young son Teddy, along with a valet and maid. Elinor finds a way to assume a new identity as the ship sinks. She goes to Manhattan's Lower East Side to start a new life. Can she and Teddy conceal their true identities forever?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 by Frances Quinn was an enjoyable book. It started as a Jane Austen-style tale, featuring a woman trapped under the scrutiny of a spiteful mother-in-law. Following the Titanic drama, the story becomes even more captivating as Elinor reinvents herself in New York City, striving to maintain her secret while learning to survive for the first time while living in close quarters. This is a fast-paced, engaging story about a resilient woman. 

4,25 stars.

Elinor Coombes, daughter to England’s cotton king, finds herself marrying into one of England’s titled families. It’s not until after the wedding that she discovers this was not a love match and but rather she was chosen for her father’s wealth. She must quickly fall in line with many rigid social rules including limiting her time with her newborn son to only moments per day. It’s not until a fateful maiden voyage on the Titanic what disaster strikes that she is able to change her life.

This is a beautifully written novel that immerses you into the years before and after the fateful night of April 15, 1912 when the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic. Quinn’s descriptive prose and thorough research creates an amazing sense of time and place. This coming of age story from riches to rags was both unique and thought provoking. I loved the strong female story line that this book became in the end. Overall a great historical fiction novel.

I wasn't sure where this book was headed, but I went along for the ride. It turned out to be an interesting ride. Elinor is a naive, very rich woman, her father being in trade. When a young handsome aristocrat courts her, she is quite overwhelmed. She quickly learns he married her for her money and loves someone else.
She produces the requisite heir and soon learns she is not expected to raise him, but is allowed to spend a few minutes a day with him, and he will be shipped off to school at age 7.
She is appalled at this, and by how her mother in law treats her.
When her father invites the couple and their son on a trip to America, she is excited, her husband is not but knows he must pretend to be happy so agrees. We find out they are to sale on the Titanic.
Quinn does an excellent job of describing the lifestyle Elinor is expected to lead, as well as life aboard the Titanic.
It is not a spoiler to say Elinor and her son Teddy survive, and the rest of the book is a wonderful depiction of their life in New York. There is a character who also discusses what it is like to be a survivor and how the nightmares plague him. Elinor also has nightmares and is afraid of the sea. There are a couple of scenes of suspense, which highlight how Elinor has come into her own. There is a lovely epilogue.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. These are my honest opinions.

HE LOST PASSENGER by Frances Quinn is a work of historical fiction set primarily from 1910 to 1916 and features a young woman named Elinor Hayward whose father, a self-made man, is known in the Manchester area of England as the "cotton king." After a brief courtship, Elinor marries a local aristocrat, Frederick Coombes. She learns too late that the Coombes family wanted her money for their estate and the only way she can stay in their good graces and have time with their heir, her young son Teddy, is to submit to disheartening efforts to mold her in their image. Thus, she is excited for the brief respite of a trip with her father, Frederick, and Teddy on the Titanic's maiden voyage. That disaster, confusion, and huge loss of life give Elinor and Teddy a chance to disappear in New York and "find" a new family amongst the diverse immigrants there as Elinor assumes a new identity and learns new survival skills. [Swedish proverb: "You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can stop them from nesting in your hair."] THE LOST PASSENGER, billed as "the U.S. debut of an acclaimed British novelist," made me think about another British author, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and her Harte family saga which began with the publication of A Woman of Substance over 45 years ago in 1979. That title is also a captivating story of a young, resilient woman who takes advantages of opportunities and makes a new life for herself.

I enjoyed this book even more than I expected to! I'm not sure why I don't read more historical fiction, because I always enjoy it when I pick it up and learn something new along the way. This one gave me a deeper understanding of the events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic (which I don't think I've read about in a fiction book before). It is important to note that this book is about so much more than the sinking of the Titanic though - that is only a small part of the book. Quinn did a great job of developing her characters and her plot, and I love how the characters changed as their life circumstances changed. The author also did an excellent job of creating the backdrops and scenes throughout the book. Definitely recommend if you are in the market for a solid historical fiction read!

I enjoyed this story that takes place with the Titanic in the forefront. A tale of a woman who married into British aristocracy but finds herself in a loveless marriage. Subjected to overbearing in-laws who try to mold her into acceptable ton material and take charge over her life. To the tune of taking custody of her young son should her husband succumb to an untimely death. Threatened with this future, as a survivor of the Titanic, Elinor chooses to take on the identity of her maid Molly to hide in America and embrace a new life. Elinor would do anything to protect her son, Teddy. But she is still in danger of discovery. Interesting historical fiction story. Many thanks to #netgalley, #thelostpassenger for the opportunity to read and review this book.