Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I thought it was well written and I would definitely read another book by this author.

I really enjoyed this read! I love Titanic history so I knew I wanted to read this. No major romantic scenes to spoil it either of which I am so thankful. I loved the pacing and the different timelines within the three characters: Charlotte, Esme and Anna. The author gave us background info on each woman thru 20 years after the tragic event. I think many of us who find themselves drawn to the Titanic always want to know more about what happened out there and what became of those who survived. This story gives us a realistic possibility to these questions. I will remember the scenes as presented by Elizabeth Blackwell and I feel like she did a great job putting us there in the event with those who experienced it. She seems to have researched this pretty extensively.

I love fiction set in real life events. Loved the movie Titanic and loved this story. It was enjoyable and entertaining.. Based on 3 women and their stories. Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Blackwell and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy. I always love any book I receive from Lake Union Publishing. I have discovered so many new authors through them. Elizabeth Blackwell is definitely a new favorite.

Overwritten Historical

Elizabeth Blackwell’s book is a historical novel featuring the sinking of the Titanic and three very different women who survived its sinking.

I wanted very badly to like this book, but in reality I didn’t care for it. I found it weighty and ponderous. The writing was overly done with too much telling and not enough showing. For instance, the lifeboat carrying one of the major characters has just been lowered into the cold dark sea and the author ends the chapter without telling us how the main character feels about being adrift on the ocean in a small lifeboat being rowed by two crewmen who have never been in a lifeboat before. The next chapter opens with Blackwell introducing us to a new character.
The writing would have been more powerful had there been less of it.

It didn’t get any better. It’s really too bad because there are so many people who are fascinated with the Titanic story.

Being a fan of the Titanic I was super excited to read this book. It is a fictional account of 3 women who all end up on the ship. I liked that all 3 had different backgrounds and different events that lead them to where they are now. The research done made the story seem very realistic which is nice when the Titanic is such a well known story already. Blackwell's writing is really enjoyable and overall I really liked this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy ; I really enjoyed this story as the book has a Varied take on the titanic tragedy ; that is what drew me to the book initially; I love stories set back in the period ; I would recommend this book to any one who loves a good historical book

I am a lover of historical fiction, While reading this book, I found it kept my attention I enjoyed it and would recommend. It. Netgalley thank you for the advanced readers copy

On a Cold Dark Sea is the story of three women who survived the Titanic, much of the first third of the book is devoted to telling the history of these women and I found that very interesting. It gave a great first impression, Charlotte, Esme and Anna were from different social classes on the ship (1st, 2nd and 3rd class passengers) and they meet on the lifeboat, I was anxious to see what happened and what lay ahead.

There was really nothing new to add to the Titanic story, I think we all know how and what happened here with the iceberg, under loaded lifeboats and mostly women and children first. Though these 3 women are fictional characters the book is based on the real event.

I won’t go into detail about what happens but 20 years later they are connected again where long kept secrets are finally revealed. In fact the majority of the story does not take place on the Titanic.

On a Cold Dark Sea is a story of survival, guilt and to be honest there were times I wondered if this was just a story of three women who survived the Titanic. I liked the book, it was well written but I felt something was missing and can't quite say what it was.

Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Netgalley thank you for the advanced readers copy of Elizabeth Blackwell’s novel, On a Cokd Dark Sea. I am a lover of historical fiction, and must confess this is the first book I have read on the sinking of the Titanic. I am always intrigued by class differences and how different classes are treated. While reading this book, I found it kept my attention but I must confess when I was finished I was a bit disappointed and can’t really figure out why I enjoyed it and if I would recommend. It. I found it to be more of a character study, portraying three different women Esme, Charlotte and Anna each from a different class in life. They are all on the same lifeboat and survive. The story is divided into parts, the first goes into an in depth description of each woman. The next part goes on about their time on the ship before the tragedy unfolds. Next is the time spent on the lifeboat and the final section is about their lives after they are rescued. The most interesting part for me was the section on the lifeboat and the conflict all the passengers had with each other in regards to saving the passengers that were in the water freezing to death. No one can know how they would react in a situation but to find that more than half the survivors on the lifeboat did not want to help rescue the drowning, freezing victims was hard to comprehend. I want to hope I would be someone who would have the compassion and determination to do whatever it would take to save as many lives as I could. I would give this book 3.5 stars. I loved the writing style and look forward t reading another book by Elizabeth Blackwell. it did keep my attention but for some reason the storyline felt a little week. Maybe I am just a romantic and was looking for more of a love story that began on the titanic and lasted to the end.

I love the way the book was broken into different parts and each part was told by the the different women. So different in every way. Different classes, different nationalities, different circumstances. I think most people have an idea of what happened with the Titanic. But it's lovely to hear possible scenarios of several fictional passengers and how their lives were changed by the tragedy. I totally recommend this book. Well written with interesting characters and settings.

*I'd like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the impurity to read the book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

On a Cold Dark Sea is a new historical fiction novel from Elizabeth Blackwell which follows the lives of three women before and after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

It was an easy, pleasant read which widened the usual scope of Titanic stories to the years leading up to the tragedy. The narrative then fast-forwarded to find out how our heroines had coped with the life-changing trauma in a time when post-traumatic stress syndrome and survivor counselling weren’t even a thing.

The variety in the interwoven stories was lovely – one was a first-class passenger, one a second-class passenger and one third-class. There are some great insights into the vastly different experiences of life in early 20th century America and Europe, depending on your wealth.

On a Cold Dark Sea won’t tell you anything new about the Titanic that you won’t already have learned from watching Kate Winslet and Leo Di Caprio in the 1997 blockbuster film (disclaimer: I watched it 3 times at the cinema and subsequently spent hours looking through microfiche of 1912 newspaper reports. Then I wrote a 4000 word essay for my History undergraduate degree. Don’t do that – it’ll destroy the film for you and you’ll realise how dreadful it really is…).

Lower class passengers were put on the boats last or not at all. The life boats were ill-provisioned and left the ship half empty. Some survivors took advantage of the anonymity of their rescue and arrival in New York.

Hundreds froze to death in the ocean that night. Just like Kate pushing a frosty Leo off that door (there was totally room for both of them. And no, I won’t just let it go).

I’m not sure we’ll ever get ‘enough’ stories of the sinking of the Titanic. Thousands of words have been written in the past 100 years or so trying to figure out why we’re so obsessed with it. And yet, there are so many individual stories that could be told. This book tells a few more. It won’t tug at the heart strings like the movie. But really, it’s a hard act to follow.

Most of the characters are fictional, though their stories are based on real events. Elizabeth Blackwell has said she wrote it because of a driving curiosity about what it was like to have been sitting in one of the lifeboats, listening to the screams of dying passengers as they slowly froze; watching the ship go down.

If you’re interested in reading primary sources, head to the full Titanic inquiry accounts – both British and American online. Otherwise, grab a copy of this book and start reading. Enjoy!

I loved this book! I loved the characters and if I hadn't known this was fiction, I would have believed that the main characters were actually on the Titanic. I love how Elizabeth Blackwell incorporated real people on the ship into the story with true accounts and recollections from real survivors.

This is a fascinating well crafted story of three women who survived the sinking of the Titanic. It is a fun book to read and accurate to the time period.
The book is a completely fictional tale of three women who boarded the ship. The first story introduces Charlotte, Esme and Anna and proceeds to tell their stories of what events led them to eventually boarding the ship. All three are from different backgrounds and economical statuses.

The second part of the book follows the ladies in their lives twenty years after they survived the sinking. The three had landed in the same lifeboat despite their different backgrounds and it’s hinted at what transpired that night but also shows what they did with their lives afterwards. The third section then takes a closer look at the night of the sinking with then part four wrapping the story all up for each women.
I loved the detail, the historic facts and the pace of the story. The flow of the story from each story is perfect. Each of these women has a fascinating story to tell. This was one of the best historical fiction books i have read this year. Very well done and highly recommended.
I received a ARC for my personal opinion of this book.

On a Cold Dark Sea is a beautiful work of historical fiction! I loved getting lost in this book. I have always been enthralled with the story of the Titanic and I loved this authors take on it. On a Cold Dark Sea focused more on the characters- their stories leading them to the Titanic, short snippets of them on the boat and the sinking, then their lives after. Their actual time on the boat is short while focus is put on each lady and their subsequent stories after being saved. Charlotte, Esme, and Anna come from very different backgrounds but their lives are brought together on that fateful night and they are bonded together through tragedy. This book had twists, beautiful stories of these ladies lives, love stories, mystery, and horrifying stories of that fateful night. I was enthralled throughout and couldn't put this down. Thank you @amazonpublishing for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

This book, in my opinion, could have been a 3.5 Stars but I decided to go with 4 Stars. It’s about the sinking of the Titanic and some of the characters that could have been on board. It centers on 3 women and the people around them. For me, at times it was a little difficult to keep up with. The story starts before the Titanic hits the ice, after it hits, the people in lifeboat 21 and the last section is the aftermath- their lives after the ladies reach America. The first two-thirds of the book was fairly entertaining but the last third was a little difficult to follow at times and a little boring. When I finished this book, I found that I really didn’t care what happened to Anna, Esme or Charlotte. And worse, for me, I didn’t feel any connection or investment in them. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

Favorite Quotes:

…for the rest of his life, the pitiful tableau they formed was the first image that sprang to mind when he thought of the Titanic. The handsome young man in his evening dress, eyes haunted, one hand pressed protectively against his companion’s back. There was a girl hovering nervously behind them—a maid, by her cowed bearing and black dress. And then there was the lady, swathed in a fur coat over a shimmering green gown, a vision of ruined elegance.

Mr. Harper looked as if he hadn’t enjoyed himself since the last century. He offered Esme a wan smile, his cheek muscles straining with the effort.

She’d seen statues with more spirit than Mr. Harper.

Anna had never had new clothes of her own; she had always worn her sisters’ castoffs. Now, she would have a hand-me-down husband. Perhaps that was the best she could hope for.

There is a hypnotic quality to the ship’s leisurely descent. Esme imagines describing the scene to her friends, sometime in the future. The words “tragically magnificent ” come to mind, and she is swept up in the self-important gratification that comes from witnessing history.

…all those men who did their duty and went down with the ship. It sounds like a noble sort of death, but it isn’t: it’s loud and painful and terrifying.

One large picture window downstairs, two smaller windows on top, the sort of stolidly respectable dwelling the poor aspire to and the rich dismiss.


My Review:

I rarely read historical fiction and am undeniably choosy when I do. And I don’t mean to be self-aggrandizing or boastful when say I chose exceedingly well when I picked up this unexpected jewel. I quickly fell into Ms. Blackwell’s well-crafted vortex and effortlessly assimilated into the world of these fascinating and well-drawn characters. I was essentially held captive, willingly that is, as I was enthralled and entranced by Ms. Blackwell’s emotive and powerful word voodoo. Her writing was high evocative and vividly descriptive, I held strong visuals in my head and could almost feel the damp chill while the characters were in the lifeboat and bobbing in the frigid arctic waters. This was a heart squeezing and thoughtfully written story, this talented scribe has mad skills!

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

This story is told by three women. Con artist Charlotte Digby, wealthy American Esme Harper and Anna Halversson, a Swedish farm girl in search of a fresh start in America.

The research that was done came across as a very realistic portrayal of this well documented tragedy. And the background stories of the main characters made this an interesting and very readable story.

3.75 rounded up to 4☆

I loved this book. The tie to the Titanic drew me in initially and I enjoyed the prominent role it played throughout the book. The novel explores the impact that surviving the Titanic disaster played in the lives of three women and those within their acquaintance. Such an interesting topic to tackle!
The author obviously did her research and it's apparent that she is interested in presenting a respectful fictionalization of such a widely known event in our past.
I loved the entire story and will be reading more from this author.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I am always up for anything ‘Titanic’ related, some are good and some ... not so good. I am happy to say, that this is one of the good ones - a unique take on this infamous tale.

‘... men who did their duty and went down with the ship. It sounds like a noble sort of death, but it isn’t: it’s loud and painful and terrifying. No one surrenders to the water without a fight.’

For this particular tale, we have three women who survived the sinking of the Titanic and found themselves together on a lifeboat on ‘a cold, dark sea’. The story is told from their alternating viewpoints, as we gradually learn a bit about each woman's past, her interpretation of the tragedy and what occurred in the years to follow. All up, ‘On A Cold Dark Sea’ is a captivating tale of survival and how one tries to start over after witnessing and being part of such a tragedy.

‘I hate to think where I’d have ended up if the Titanic hadn’t sunk.’

The book is divided into four parts: life before then life after the tragedy, what occurred on Lifeboat 21 and finally, many years later. I really enjoyed the different stories from all three women who came from such contrasting backgrounds, yet together experienced a tragedy that would link them for a lifetime. This is a very well written tale with the pacing being just right. All characters, not just the three main women, are strong and engaging, highlighting three very different lifestyles in the early years of the twentieth century.

Two points that make this book a standout for me: one, although a work of fiction, the necessary research has been done and it came across as a most realistic portrayal of this well documented tragedy. Everything from how passengers were evacuated, to the crew and the implications of them of not having enough training or necessary equipment. Secondly, the background stories really made this tale. It was definitely not just about the sinking, it was more about these three women and how they came to be on the ship in the first place and how they handled what occured in both the short and long term. How could three women from such varying socioeconomic backgrounds forever be linked together? My only slight disappointment was the ending, it did not really tidy things up enough for my liking.

‘The moment she’d pulled Charlie into the lifeboat—without even thinking, simply reaching out in need—was the moment she’d lost him.’

Reading this book you get a first hand account of how lives were before and after being part of such a tragedy. And how, some twenty years on, they were still very much dealing with haunting memories and critical decisions made on that fateful lifeboat.

‘On that night, it was impossible to imagine that each small decision might later be magnified beyond reason, or that one spontaneous gesture could be held up as evidence in the court of public opinion.’


This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

THE TITANIC HAS SUNK!

These words reverberated around the world, and tore countless families apart. But for the people who were on the Titanic and survived it created a bond. Regardless of station in life, they had to pull together to save themselves, and then learn to cope with the guilt of surviving in the aftermath.

The story follows three passengers, Esme, Charlotte and Anna. Each one of these ladies have goals, dreams and secrets. Esme is cheating on her husband. Charlotte is pretending to be a married woman. Anna is secretly in love with Josef who is going to marry another.

Esme covers her affair by eventually marrying the man whom she pulled into the boat, leaving her husband to his fate aboard the sinking vessel. Time has not been kind her to her, and the excitement that she felt with the clandestine relationship quickly soured after a few years of marriage. Seeing the marriage through to the end, she discovers a secret strength within her, and of course, a friend who has always been there. While Sabine may have only started as her maid, she has been the one constant in the headstrong Esme's life.

Charlotte is a thief. She has fallen in love with the roguish Reg Evers, and is willing to follow him anywhere. But he has been hiding several secrets from her, and while she goes along with his plans, she is deeply hurt by his rejection of her affections. Styling herself Mrs. Evers aboard the vessel, she and Reg are travelling with a young English aristocrat who has been disowned by his family. The secrets that she carries from the Titanic that night will push her to new heights in creating her new identity, but they also eat away at her as the years go by. After she is contacted by a family looking for their son, she begins a search that will take her from England to America in search of answers, resolution and peace.

Anna survives, but has to live with the guilt of being separated from her two companions. She wants to search for them, but the rest of the people in the boat cannot understand her Swedish tongue. As she makes her way to Josef, she worries about what the future will hold, and what she will say to him when she arrives. He lost his brother and fiance in the sinking. But as they grow their lives together, she has one secret that she never shared with him....

As we watch the story of these three ladies unfold, and how the Titanic sinking affects them in the future, we see more than just people. We see their stories, their pain, and the growth that they must learn to accept as time moves forward.

Fantastic book! I loved the twists and turns, and the many layers that each person seemed to possess. Anna's story really struck me harder than the rest, and of course, the massive loss of life that was incurred during the sinking. Strength and determination are some of the major themes through this book, and I enjoyed watching many of the secrets play out and unfold upon the pages of this book!