When Harriet is clearing the attic, she comes across her grandmothers trunk and when she opens it, she is shocked to find a photograph of three sisters - Harriet’s grandmother had only ever spoken of having one sibling, who had died young. Harriet becomes determined to uncover the secrets of her grandmother’s family. As Harriet searches for the truth , what will she learn? And how will it impact her own family?
The story is told in two timelines, and whilst part of me would like to have seen Harriet do more research into finding more about her grandmother, I liked hearing Emma, Ruby & Lily’s stories. The historical part of the story is based around the three sisters & also three sister ships: Olympic, Titanic & Britannic, each having a significant impact on the family. I appreciated that the author had done good research & equally that the “titanic story” was a relatively minor part, it’s so easy for the famous story to overshadow other things.
The three Higgins sisters sail on the Olympic, the Titanic, and the Britannic. Oldest sister Emma becomes a stewardess on the Olympic. Middle sister Ruby causes a scandal and joins Emma as a stewardess on the maiden voyage of Titanic. During WWI, Emma joins youngest sister Lily, a nurse serving on the Britannic. Two of the ships sink, lives are lost & others changed forever.
I was invested in both timelines – in the past I wanted to know more about the sisters, and find out how Harriet ended up in possession of a trunk when at least 2 were lost when ships sank! In the present I wanted Harriet to find out the truth, but also wanted to see her family reconciled.
Overall this is a lovely novel filled with tragedy, mistakes, lost opportunities and family rifts, yet also with love, loyalty and a passion for the sea. It will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, or has an interest in the White Star liners of the era. The writing is vivid and the storyline is woven together well. Not actually knowing until close to the end which of the Higgins sisters is “lost” and which sister is the grandmother actually made it more intriguing.
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#TheLostSister #NetGalley @HQStories #KathleenMcGurl

I really enjoyed this book. It took a chapter or two to get into the book, but once I did I didn't put it down. I am one of 4 girls so I really enjoy books about sisters. The trauma, the drama, the camaraderie, and the love. I liked the symmetry of each sister ship having a part in the book and even though I like books about the Titanic, I liked that it was part of the journey/story and not the focus. There was one little twist that I didn't see coming and I loved it.

The three Higgins sisters sail on the Olympic, the Titanic, and the Britannic. Oldest sister Emma becomes a stewardess on the Olympic. Middle sister Ruby causes a scandal and joins Emma as a stewardess on the maiden voyage of Titanic. During WWI, Emma joins youngest sister Lily, a nurse serving on the Britannic. Two of the ships sink.
Harriet, the granddaughter of one of the sisters, didn’t know her grandmother had two sisters. She’d only heard about one sister who saved Gran’s life.
Not until the end of the novel do we learn which sister is lost and which sister is Gran. I didn’t guess the outcome. In time-split fashion, we see how Harriet’s family problems mirrored those of her grandmother’s. Harriet’s family finds a happy ending.
A bit of bad language, but an enthralling tale. It focuses on relationships, not life aboard the ships. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Kathleen McGurl is on dazzling form yet again with a searingly emotional and highly mesmerizing tale of love, loyalty and secrets: The Lost Sister.

Having secured a job working as a stewardess on the ocean liner Olympic, Emma hopes to earn enough to give her two beloved sisters, Lily and Ruby, a better life. In 1911, life was tough and opportunities for women few and far between, so Emma is banking on this job to help give her sisters the future they deserve. As she packs her trunk and prepares to set sail on the high seas, Emma’s heart is full of hope. She hopes that Lily’s health will improve and that her wild sister Ruby will behave and not get up to any mischief. Life aboard the Olympic might be far removed from Emma’s life back home, but she quickly realises that things can change in a heartbeat when you least expect it – wherever you may be…

Many decades later, Harriet finds her grandmother’s trunk and when she opens it, she is shocked when she finds a photograph of three sisters. Harriet’s grandmother had only ever spoken of having one sibling, who had died tragically young. She never mentioned having another sister. Harriet becomes determined to uncover the secrets of her grandmother’s family and her search for the truth will lead her all the way to three infamous ships: Olympic, Britannic and Titanic and the heart-wrenching revelation that had torn three sisters asunder forever…

Kathleen McGurl’s The Lost Sister’s beguiling tale of mystery, drama and pathos that will hold readers in thrall from start to finish as they find themselves completely captivated by the elegant writing, vivid atmosphere, superb characters and shocking twists and turns.

Kathleen McGurl is a wonderful storyteller who knows how to keep her readers riveted to the page and in The Lost Sister, she has once again penned a heartwarming, emotional and engaging tale that is impossible to put down.

This was such an interesting book to read, not only because I have a keen interest in RMS Titanic but it is also a dual-timeline book which I always enjoy.

The story starts in present day with Harriet who’s recently been widowed and is decluttering her attic as she prepares to move from her large family home to a smaller property. During the sort, she comes across her grandmothers sea trunk from when she worked on board ocean liners. Amongst the items is a photograph of three sisters. This discovery surprises Harriet as her grandmother only ever mentioned having one sister.

The other part of the story begins in 1911 where we meet Emma (Harriet’s grandmother), who has just landed a job as a stewardess on board RMS Olympic during her maiden voyage. Emma lives in Southampton with her mum (Ma) and younger sisters Ruby and Lily. She is aware of the impact her leaving will have on the family – Lily suffers for poor health and Ruby can be selfish and a bit wild – Emma is concerned she won’t take her responsibilities of helping in the house seriously enough. Emma settles in well to her new role but when family life suffers a painful blow, suddenly all three sisters find their lives changed.

As the story unfolds, Harriet learns more about her family and the three sisters, with some heartbreak and surprises along the way.

I enjoyed this book immensely, particularly the parts describing events onboard the liners. The fact that parts were taken from the memoirs of Titanic survivor Violet Jessop made this much more than just a story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the review copy.

I have not previously read any books by Kathleen McGurl but was drawn to this by the historical fiction element.

I found the way that the characters for both the modern and historical timeframe were developed as the story unfolds, was an enjoyable aspect of the novel.

This story is entertaining and has sufficient twists and turns to maintain my interest.

I wasn't sure about the more 'romantic fiction' elements but was pleasantly surprised by the way the novel went. Without wishing to spoil the story, I will just say that both of the time frames produce a satisfactory resolution. I found the book quite moving.

On the strength of this book I will certainly look out for future novels by Kathleen McGurl.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for this review.

Two interlinked emotion-packed stories, set more than a century apart, that really drew me in, although it was the historic one, for me, that drove the book. The detail, and clearly the research that went into creating it, was impressive and captivating, and the surprises were very well done. I learned a lot about those wonderful ships and the women who worked on them. Sad in places, but a lovely study of family ties and holding on to hope. I really enjoyed it.

Family drama involving three sisters and life on a cruise ship as a stewardess.
Tragedy and mystery and the Titanic. A good read with a big twist.

'The Lost Sister' by Kathleen McGurl is a historical dual timeline story which takes us back to 1911 from the present day. A compelling read that is expertly written. Kathleen Mcgurl just seems to understand the ways of families over the years. I have previously read books by her and have found myself whisked away to wherever she has based that particular book. The Lost Sister did just that to me yet again.
The story alternates between 1911 and present day. In 1911, Emma is getting ready to join the ocean liner Olympic as a stewardess. Leaving her two sisters, Lily who is always poorly and Ruby who can't find it in herself to behave. Emma just hopes all will be well until she can return. Life is never straight forward and all the sisters find their lives altered forever.
Now. When Harriet finds her late grandmother’s travelling trunk in the attic, she’s shocked to discover a photo of three sisters inside – her grandmother only ever mentioned one sister, who died tragically young. Who is the other sister, and what happened to her? Harriet’s questions lead her to the story of three sister ships, Olympic, Titanic and Britannic, and a shattering revelation about three sisters torn apart.
I loved the parallels between the characters from the past and Harriet in the present day as well as the family relationships being quite similar too. The mystery of the lost sister really swept me up and carried me along with both of them through the years as both the stories of Emma and Harriet are very skilfully woven together as we reach the end of the book.
A story of how complex family and the relationships we have with them can be. I was hooked immediately and enjoyed evey chapter of this book, past or present it was such an interesting story with a few twists along the way.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, HQ digital and NetGalley for my copy of the book.

I really enjoyed this story – I love all books that have a feature on the Titanic in them even if it is only a smaller part as this one focused on all three sister ships – I thought that this one was great and I loved how the ships told the families stories. It is very well done and it was a lovely book to read!

I loved the setting and the way that the story was told was perfect, I loved the mix of telling the story through the dual timelines and the different characters getting to tell their stories

I must prepared the ones in the past and the characters there were definitely my favourites. It was a really story of tragedy and lost chances and regrets as well as the determination on others to succeed. A book to take you through a mix of emotions.

The snippets of the past really gave the book an added boost and it was really one that made you think and I loved how the author used what we know about the different ships to bring the story to life.

It is 4.5 stars from me for this one rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon!

This is a truly gripping and heart-wrenching story of sisterhood, love and forgiveness. I was transported back to the age of the giant steamships criss-crossing the Atlantic, and to the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic. The author has done an immense amount of research and really brings this event and era to life – I truly felt as though I was there in that moment with the heroine and I experienced her shock and grief as if it was my own.

This story was utterly fascinating, completely captivating, and downright amazing!

From the moment we meet Harriet in her golden years to the Emma from all those years ago, you just know you are holding something special. In the present time, Harriet is still reeling from the loss of a love so true and all the relationships that seem so very broken...and yet, she still keeps her arms open to the possibility of reconnecting once again. She's trying to move forward in her life, but it sometimes means also looking back, and what starts as a glance becomes a journey she never anticipated with an ending she never saw coming. Watching her relationships change with both her daughters, even the estranged one, was heartbreaking and joy filled all at once. Seeing connections being made, however tenous, was enough to give YOU hope. Realizing that so many things do in fact come full circle was truly heartwarming. However, as much as I loved the present times, I did so love the past...

Meeting Emma, and her sisters, mother, love interest, friends, and acquaintances, took you right back in time to when the three sister ships were a novelty rather than a maritime tragedy. You could feel the excitement of a new beginning, even as the potential for loss was so very real. The thing is...the loss experienced wasn't that which was anticipated; a fact that we as readers are equal parts grateful for and frightened of. I mean, the known potential for loss is something we can at least prepare for, but the unknown is something so out of our hands that it can feel like there's no coming back. Much like Harriet of today, Emma was no stranger to looking for the good, turning the cheek, and giving others chance after chance. She was a kind soul that had terrible hardships to survive both on land and sea, but her story was one you won't be able to put down.

All in all, a wonderful story filled with amazing characters that truly brought not only the novel but history to life. Honestly, I think everyone will have a different favorite among the characters, but for me, both Emma and Harriet hold my heart. If you're a fan of Historical Fiction, you NEED this one STAT!

This is an absolutely fantastic book for any historical fiction fans.
It is told from alternating timelines - Emma in the past and Harriet in the present day.
I was very quickly drawn into the lives of the characters, it has been beautifully written and cleverly crafted to weave seamlessly between the two stories which both have similar themes running through.
This is the second book I have read by Kathleen McGurl and she has certainly delivered top quality historical fiction again for me.
I think this one is my favourite so far.
This is a great page turner with very likeable characters and an excellently woven plot/storyline which I rated a strong 5⭐️ and would highly recommend.

It’s fair to say that I’m a bit of a Titanic geek, with nearly as great an interest in her sister ships, the Olympic and the lesser known Britannic. I’m also a great fan of timeslip fiction and have enjoyed previous Kathleen McGurl stories that I’ve read. So it was pretty much inevitable that I should grab this book as soon as it showed up on my NetGalley alerts. The story follows three sisters in the years immediately before and then after the First World War, and also the granddaughter of one of them, along with her two daughters, in the present day as they adapt to life changes following the death of our modern protagonist’s husband.

Recently widowed Harriet is preparing to move from her family home into a smaller house that will be more suitable for her to live in alone as she ages. Estranged from her younger daughter, she is being helped to select which of her possessions she will take with her by her opinionated older daughter. While clearing out the attic, the pair find a travelling trunk that belonged to Harriet’s grandmother and, inside it, a photograph of three sisters, which intrigues Harriet since her grandmother only spoke about having one sibling. Harriet begins to investigate and slowly uncovers facts about her grandmother that never featured in the family stories she heard as a child.

In 1911, Emma Higgins is living in Southampton with her mother and two younger sisters. Although she has a good job at a local hotel, she has always been fascinated by the sea and by the ocean liners that regularly arrive at the docks. When the opportunity arises to work on a brand new liner, the Olympic, Emma is excited, but worries how her mother will cope with caring for willful middle sister Ruby and sickly youngest sister Lily alone. Following reassurances from her mother, Emma signs on with the Olympic and soon makes new friends amongst the other stewarding staff on the liner.

Returning home, however, Emma finds that Ruby has been causing scandal by her involvement with a married man, and the family decides it would be best if both sisters work together on Emma’s next voyage. Although Emma wants to rejoin the Olympic, Ruby is more taken with the Titanic, and so they set off on another maiden voyage, along with some of Emma’s other friends.

The book dealt sensitively with the fate of the Titanic and all those aboard, as it also did with the later sinking of the Britannic, which I have seen covered poorly in other novels. Meanwhile, I also enjoyed following Harriet’s story and discovering what was behind the rows she had with her younger daughter. I found some aspects of her older daughter’s story less sympathetic, and the resolution of the discord between the two sisters felt a little too contrived.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and its prompting me to pick up another of McGurl’s books that’s been languishing on my To Read shelf for far too long.

Historical is a genre I quite enjoy. I love that it allows me to under society back then and it's a journey through time that we can never make except via a book. Then I started reading dual timeline novels and it was the best of both worlds for me. I get to experience the historical genre with the added bonus of following contemporary characters as well.

In this book we follow a family during present times with Harriet and back in 1911 with three sisters, Emma, Lily and Ruby. The story of the three sister ships: Olympic, Titanic and Britannic; and the mystery of what happened to Harriet's grandmother's sisters.

Although most of us know the history of the three sister ships, I loved the connection that the author made between the family and that event. As we uncover the truth about the secrets of the family, and that made me very curious with each page I read.

It was a moving story, emotional and quite a journey. The characters were believable, and could connect with both Harriet and Emma easily. They were amazingly well written and as I followed the two timelines, the details and the realism, I loved it and it was perfect for the entire feel the story had.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and how the fiction connected well with the true history. I also loved the family and the ties between them all, past and present.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Kathleen McGurl and HQ for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

When you have knowledge of the period of history that a book is set in, it does not make it more predictable. Instead, I was more gripped, wanting to know how Emma and her sister’s fates would be decided in a tragic time of sea travel.

This dual time-line follows seventy year-old Harriet as she prepares to downsize to a smaller property. Living on her own, readers discover that not only does Harriet need to sort through her husband’s trinkets, but also those of her mother and grandmother. It leads to a discovery of a significant family photo featuring her grandmother and two other girls. Although Harriet was aware of one sister, the third girl is a complete mystery. As Harriet starts to make her investigations, it soon becomes clear that her own family is divided and through the present-day narrative, we learn why Harriet’s daughters, Sally and Davina, are estranged; how she and her brother Matthew have drifted apart; and that Harriet is isolated on more levels than we initially realised from losing her husband.

Moving to 1911 and this is where the story of Emma and her sisters unfolds. The excitement of transatlantic travel by luxury liners is central to Emma and her story. Living close to the Southampton docks, Emma firmly decides that cleaning hotels is not for her, but wishes to pursue her dream of being on the sea. Signing up as a stewardess on the ‘Octavia’ proves to Emma that this is the life she dreams of, even if it does mean she is leaving behind her two younger sisters – Ruby and Lily. Family circumstances change and when the opportunity arises of working on ‘Titanic’s’ maiden voyage, Ruby immediately signs up. Emma, promising her mother to protect her sister, follows in her sister’s footsteps. However, as we know, this will not be a successful trip.

As the novel progresses, the narrative effortlessly switches between Emma and Harriet. I loved how seamless this was and, watching events unfold, could not believe how many parallels are made between the different generations of this family. Emma’s narrative was particularly gripping because of my history awareness but, at the same time, I loved being with Harriet on her journey of moving, learning about her grandmother and supporting her daughters. Her estranged relationship with Davina was very touching but, the storyline of her grandson was more harrowing. Therefore, I thought this novel encouraged a range of emotions as you really get to know this family to the core.

I found that I could not put this novel down! I was desperate for Harriet to learn more about the sisters in the photograph. At the same time, I wanted to see her family reconciled and that Harriet would not be as isolated (even if she did not necessarily feel it). Furthermore, I was enthusiastic to see how Emma’s travels would unfold and, throughout the story, was constantly picturing scenes from the 'Titanic' movie. (And, yes, a certain DiCaprio might have featured in those imaginings too!) When the story moved to the First World War, I was interested to see how Emma would participate in the war effort and found that I learnt even more as a result of McGurl’s research and writing.

McGurl’s writing is vivid and captures the excitement of sea travel in the early twentieth century. On the other hand, the writer carefully explores the importance of family connections and how we should not drift apart, despite the differences we may have. Whilst the novel does end on a note of optimism, I could not help but feel a little emotional about all the ties coming together. Perhaps, for me, the story was over too soon: I had felt so invested in the past and present stories that I wanted just that little bit more to read.

I really enjoyed this dual time-line story and felt completely connected to the characters. Laughing and smiling with them, I also felt their sadness and tragedies as well. I think this is a book that will stay with me for a while.

With thanks to HQ Digital, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A big thank you to Kathleen McGurl, HQ, and Net Galley for allowing me to read an ARC of “The Lost Sister”. What a wonderful piece of historical fiction! The author brilliantly weaves the tale between dual time-lines and very beautifully builds the stories of Emma and Harriet together. It was a fascinating story and heart-breaking as well...loved it very much!

This was a delightful and absorbing story, following a family backwards and forwards through four generations. Very emotional in parts, with lots of actions and historical moments. Great characters with normal family reactions leading to a rewarding conclusion.

Oh, I loved The Lost Sister. A fabulous read, unputdownable! I was obsessed with the sisters and their lives!

Told in a dual timeline – the past and now the present, each with sisters in turmoil decades apart. I preferred the story from the past of the 3 sisters, Emma, Ruby, and Lily. Emma is the oldest and looks after her siblings, but when an opportunity arises to become a stewardess on the Olympic it’s one she can’t afford to turn down. When Emma is away on the ship, Ruby gets into all sorts of trouble. When she turns 18 she follows her sister to become a stewardess, to get away from it all. But she signs onto the Titanic, leaving Emma distraught as she promised her mum she would look after her. Therefore she quickly changes ship. We all know this isn’t going to end well as the Titanic never reaches New York.

In the present day, Harriet is downsizing after her husband passed away. She discovers a trunk from her grandmother in the attic. It was her travelling trunk from her ship days. Inside is a picture of her with two other sisters. Yet Harriet only remembers her talking about having one sister. With the help of her friend Shelia, she discovers her family ancestry, which throws up lots of mystery and secrets!

I wasn’t a fan of the story of Harriet’s two daughters who are estranged. I guess the only relevance is that they are lost to each other just like the sisters back in 1911. But that hasn’t deterred me from giving The Lost Sister top marks!

Beautifully written, fantastic character development and of course it will leave you in tears. A highly recommended read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a captivating book, read it in two nights. Concentrating mainly on the Higgins family which consists of mum with three daughters. There is Emma, Ruby and Lily. We follow the path of Emma who decides to become a stewardess on the Olympic, where will it take her and who does she meet.?
In the current time frame we have Harriet and her two daughters. Harriet is cleaning out her attic after the death of her husband and finds a photograph of three sisters, one being her grand mother. Her aim is to find out who the other two are as she thought there were only two sisters.
The intrigue involved is amazing it keeps you reading. I will definitely recommend this book it was a treat to read. It