Very unhappy in her marriage to her overbearing and chauvinistic husband, Elinor sees an out as the Titanic is sinking and she and her young son are added to a lifeboat for the first class passengers. She thinks that her lady's maid Molly will also find herself in a lifeboat since she is also riding as a first class passenger. But when all the boats are unloaded on the Carpathia, Molly is no where to be found and neither are her husband or father who she realizes have gone down with the "unsinkable Titanic."
Having learned much about Molly's background and why she was herself leaving England and going to NYC on the massive ship, Elinor decides to assume Molly's name and story and shows up at the doorstep of Molly's relatives in the city who have never met her but offered to open their home to her so she could start a new life. The fortunate thing was that Molly and Elinor both lived in Manchester England and had a similar accent of the region. So Elinor as Molly reverts back to it even though her mother-in-law drummed that "unacceptable English" out of her with elocution lessons. Elinor is suddenly dropped into a world she never knew back in England. She must fit in by cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her own person, unlike anything she had to do in her upper crust lifestyle. The daughter of a self-made man in the cotton industry, she had learned so much about business and making decisions that would better the out come of her father's bottom line and they become quite wealthy. In a very fast paced courtship, Elinor is quickly married to Frederick and has believed theirs was a love made in heaven only to find out the truth... he married her for her father's money so they could keep their estate afloat. Her life then is miserable and after she delivers the family a son who will be the heir to all of this, she is disposable. She is miserable, unhappy, never sees her dear little Teddy except for 20 minutes a day, and is despised by her in-laws who barely tolerate her. But when her father offers to take Elinor, Frederick and Teddy on the maiden voyage of this famous ship, Elinor almost feels like it could be a new beginning for their relationship. Yeah, like that happens! Secrets come out and Elinor knows now she was used for her money and her body and when she leaves the ship, she knows what she must do.
After getting her feet under her in this new identity and with this found family, she's never been happier. She does feel guilty often for the lies she is selling these kind people but rationalizes that the real Molly would never had darkened their door so for a little while, they can believe she is with them. And, she uses her business acumen to build a thriving fashion concept in the hustle and bustle of NYC streets with a cart displaying bits and pieces of found fabrics to update a customer's clothing with not a lot of money. The family thrives with this extra income and all is well, well, until it's not and secrets are revealed. Can they accept her now that they have learned to love this "Molly"?? There is one very surprising twist to the story towards the end which added to the climactic finish and Elinor's found strength.
I liked this story a lot. While it has some similarities to the movie Titanic as well as Far and Away, it comes from a unique perspective and that's what makes it different. It also makes the reader wonder how many of the victims of the disaster actually use that moment to reinvent themselves on the streets of NYC when no one would have known who or where they came from. The reader feels for Elinor because we saw what she had to deal with in England and cheers for her to succeed in her ruse and find strength on her own.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the privilege of reaching this ARC and for my unbiased review. This book is now out for purchase!

5 stars! I absolutely adored everything about this novel and I was sad when I finished it. Those are the best reads! “The Lost Passenger” is a historical drama on the backdrop of the Titanic tragedy and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Elinor Coombes can’t believe that she has fallen in love and marrying the most wonderful man. Frederick and his family are extremely wealthy and while her father is proud of the aristocratic match, he just wants his only daughter to be happy.

Elinor quickly realizes that her marriage is a fraud, and her husband is a vile cheating man. Her dreams of love are just dreams. After she becomes a mother, Elinor realizes she is trapped in a loveless marriage with a controlling mother-in-law and all she has to live for is Frederick’s family duty and traditions. She could leave but her beloved child must stay.

A journey on the unsinkable Titanic provides Elinor with an opportunity to assume the identity of someone much below her station, but one that allows for a real chance of freedom. Can she pull it off or will Frederick learn that she and their son are alive and well?

I could not put this book down and I purchased multiple copies for friends and family.

I received an advance digital review copy of this book; all opinions are my own.

I have always loved the movie Titanic and have had a fascination with the early twentieth century when progress was snowballing and the idea that women can actually have thoughts, feelings, and god forbid a sense of personal autonomy was just beginning to take root.

The Lost Passenger is a quick, enjoyable example of historical fiction that highlights the fact that all that glitters is not gold. So many stories of wealthy women have been ignored because it is assumed that if you had money and a maid or nanny to care for your children, you had no right to complain,. Quinn, however highlights the caged nature of wealth and status, especially for women who had children taken from them at an early age and were forbidden from bonding with them. The coldness and sense of duty because of tradition ignores the need for love and the desire to have a family life in spite of ones coffers.

I loved the character of Elinor and her grit and determination once she is offered the chance at freedom. Her love for her son is so apparent and as a mother myself, I know that given the same circumstances, I would have done anything in my power to protect my children. Although the rest of the characters were rather two-dimensional (especially her father and her in-laws) and were somewhat cookie cutter, Elinor's growth and evolution as a woman were well worth the read.

Solid women's fiction/historical fiction that is perfect for a vacation read. Spice level is zero and this would be a safe read for younger teens (12+) wanting to read adult historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Frances Quinn for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 | This book is a wild exercise in what would you do? If your agency had been taken away, and you had the chance to fake your death and start fresh- could you do it? Elinor gets that exact chance as she and her young child survive the sinking of the Titanic and the book unfolds as she wrestles with the consequences of that decision. A big repetitive down the stretch but I enjoyed this book, especially the tragic scenes from the Titanic. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about the Titanic. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction!

This book was an absolute gem! It was interesting and inspiring! I loved every minute of it, plus everyone loves a good Titanic story!

I loved this book. Extremely well written and interesting characters and plot. Could not put it down. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest. I went into this book with lower expectations since this is not usually the type of book that I would enjoy but I have dabbled into the historical fiction genre before, and actually did like some of the books. I was not familiar with this author, or anything else that they have written either, so I didn't know what to expect. I have to say though, this was one of my favorite reads of the year.

The pacing was really well done and in the beginning, we got to see a lot of Elinor's background and what happened that led to the events that occurred. Even in the events before the Titanic, we got to see a lot of how Elinor found herself in the marriage to Frederick, gave birth to her son, and went through so much mental turmoil involving how she could be a mother to her son when every one was against her. At first, I thought that this part was really long, but looking back, it really did need to be that long, with that much detail to really show what she had gone through. And the gaslighting that occurred was just crazy, and really made me feel so mad on Elinor's behalf.

Then, we reach the middle of the book, where we get to see a major turning point in her life, that leads her to where she is able to attempt to make a better life for her and her son, and truly escape. Afterwords, Elinor goes through her new life, sometimes with regret, but knowing that she needs to remain strong for herself and for her son, in order to do what she believes is best for them. Through all of the hard times, she does her absolute best considering she was so young and inexperienced with everything she had to deal with.

The entire book was so emotional and I really was rooting for Elinor and hoping she would finally be able to sever all ties and be truly free.

Thank you to Frances Quinn, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Elinor has led a comfortable life with her father as he has done well in the cotton business. When she meets the aristocratic Fredrick Coombes, she falls for him and is quickly married. Unbeknownst to Elinor, the Coombes family has very rigid expectations and the life she had hoped for is far different from the lonely restricted life she is stuck in.

When her father gifts tickets to travel on the famous Titanic ship to New York, Elinor is ecstatic to have a few months of freedom from her life. On the ship, she enjoys time with her young son, Teddy, and with her father as she befriends a young pregnant girl Molly who is off to the U.S. in hopes of a better life. But when the Titanic sinks, Frances is left alone with Teddy as her husband and father perish. She sees a fresh start for her life and assumes a new identity in NY. Once her fear of being found out subsides, Elinor finds she enjoys her new life despite how hard she has to work. Just as she lets her guard down, someone from her past recognizes her and she fears the new life she has created will be destroyed forever.

It’s hard to empathize with the challenges of wealthy people, but Elinor’s story highlights the self-imposed restrictions of the aristocracy. I felt so sad for how she was treated as a new mother when all she wanted was to be with her son. Her willingness to adapt to a life so different from her own and her desire to work hard and reach for her dreams is at the heart of this historical novel set in the years leading up to and after the infamous Titanic disaster.

Thank you @ballantinebooks @randomhouse @netgalley for a #gifted early digital copy of this novel.

This was a pick up and put down book. I started it half a dozen times and put it down in favor of something else or some other book. It was slow going. It never reeled me in. There was no hook. In places the writing was a brilliant, in other mediocre and repetitive. I am unsure why I kept revisiting this book. It did make me wonder how many people have recreated themselves in the wake of a spectacular tragedy.

If you are interested in a period piece with some information on the sinking of the Titanic, a women’s lack of place and rights in British aristocracy, an immigrant’s life on the lower east side of Manhattan and multiple relationships, this might be a book to put on your TBR list.

Thanks to DEll and NetGalley for a copy.

In this fascinating new novel about the Titanic, readers follow Elinor Coombes as she realizes that her fairy-tale marriage with the son of an English aristocrat is not the happy ending and loving marriage she had expected -- her husband and his family like her father’s money more than Elinor herself. Trapped by her in-laws, Elinor is desperately lonely. When her father’s gift of Titanic tickets seems to offer the escape she wants, Elinor seizes the chance to start her life over by stealing another woman’s identity after the ship sinks. Fighting to survive in 1912 New York City, Elinor must take on this new world and keep her secrets and her son safe at all costs. Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey or The Gilded Age, readers will love Elinor’s cleverness and inner strength as she handles challenges and moves on with her life in this brilliant new novel. The characters are definitely the stars of the book, and Elinor’s growth over the course of the novel really pulls readers into this fantastic and detailed historical setting. Entertaining, emotional, and triumphant, readers will love the fascinating historical world that Quinn brings to life in this exciting and inspiring novel about hard work and independence paying off.

.A pseudo-mystery about a woman who takes a chance at a new life after the sinking of the Titanic. Historical fiction.
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Elinor, who’s in a loveless marriage and managed my her heartless and remote aristocratic in-laws, embarks on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, with her father, husband, young son, Teddy, and Rose, her maid. Her maid has reservations and opts not to board the boat. Molly, a maid in 3rd class, overhears and takes Rose’s place. Only Elinor and Teddy survive and in order to avoid her in-laws taking guardianship of Teddy, she decides to assume Molly’s identity and live in New York.

There were some glaring aspects that were totally inauthentic. Like Elinor’s total lack of knowledge about the aristocracy when she had grown up in a wealthy family. It brought me out of the story. There were others as well.

Not bad, not great. Some parts were good.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House For giving me the opportunity to read this unpublished novel.

Wonderful multilayered story. The storytelling in this book really captured my interest. The descriptions of life on the Titanic as well as the minute to minute details of the sinking were very captivating. Above that the character development was rich and it was easy to feel connected to the characters both in England and in the US. I will certainly be on the lookout for future books by Frances Quinn.

I generally don’t read historical fiction from this time period, but I’m so glad I did. This immersive, captivating story revolves around Elinor, a young mother trapped in a loveless marriage to a shallow man with a lofty pedigree. When her father presents her with the opportunity to sail on the infamous Titanic’s maiden voyage, she jumps at the chance to spend a few precious weeks with her son away from the prying eyes of her new aristocratic family. Elinor and her 2-year-old son miraculously survive the ship’s sinking, and she seizes the opportunity to fake their deaths and start a new life in New York City.

I was glued to this story from the first page to the last! I had been expecting a lot more focus on the Titanic, but found that really wasn’t a big part of this book. The heart of the story is in Elinor’s emotional and riveting journey starting over in NYC. The medium-quick pacing is perfect to maintain tension while also allowing for wonderful character development. There is a strong theme of found family in this novel that was especially moving to me! I do wish there were more details from Elinor’s time on the Titanic, even just to enrich the historical context and setting. Nonetheless, The Lost Passenger was very well done, and I am looking forward to reading more from Frances Quinn!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the gifted eARC!

The Lost Passenger, by Francis Quinn, is a story set in the early 1900s after the Titanic tragedy. Elinor Coombes married into a wealthy English family and was aboard the Titanic with her son, Teddy. Unhappy with the constraints of living within an elite social class, Elinor decides to assume someone else’s identity as the Titanic is sinking. And so begins their new life in New York City. Living in tenements and struggling to survive becomes Eleanor and Teddy‘s new life. This is a story about resilience and overcoming a difficult situation in order to do what’s best for your child.

I expected this to be a solid read. I expected it to be well written. What I want expecting was just how good this book was. I was hooked from the beginning, and it really showed the sinking of the Titanic in a way that was fresh, which is a hard thing to do.

Wealthy heiress Elinor Coombes finds herself married into an aristocratic family. She soon finds out that her husband didn’t marry her for love, but for her money, as a way to keep the estate solvent. After a trip aboard the Titanic ends in tragedy, she sees it as a way to escape, and raise her son on her own terms.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC.

THIS is a masterpiece! absolutely worth the read. i appreciate it when authors do their research to really build the story. definitely well written. i've recommended this several times for people looking for historical fictions, and they enjoyed it. highly recommend!

thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. i received this book as an ARC. all thoughts and opinions of this book are my own, and i leave this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book, as the sinking of the Titanic is one of those historical events that I have always found fascinating, especially what could have happened to all of the people on board, and how the survivors lived their lives as survivors of the Titanic, and if they ever admitted to the fact they were on board. I found the description of Elinor's life in NYC to be very realistic feeling, and it felt as though I could see her on the streets, selling fabrics and making a life for her and her son beyond her past life in England that she left behind. I really appreciated her character, and how she chose the best life she could for herself and her son after living through the trauma of the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This was a very interesting book.And title says it all. The Woman called ELINO.R.Mary's into a family who needed her father's money. Edward.
Was not a very good husband for her.She realized she did not love her. It was very hard for her because her mother in law was very mean to her. She longed to be back in her family because her family really respected her. She had a son but she could not be with me only twenty minutes a day. She also. Found out.
Her husband was seeing another woman he really loved. This woman became friends with her but she did not realize Until edward's sister told her all About it. Her father Got ticket. For the family On the T I t a n I c. But another woman named Molly came with Family but not the HERM AI. D. When When a ship starts to go down she made it out with her baby.. She made it to.
New York under a different name.She wondered her freedom. She moved into her family who was supposed to have molly. This was really hard for her because she always had everything done for her. And realized right away.This woman never did anything in her life. This part of the book gets really good. Because this woman became really strong and she wanted her son to have the freedom to be who we wanted to be. She started sewing and then she had her own push cart. 2 people recognized her but she found ways to get around this.And this remained her a few more stronger. She helped.
Somebody who was the waiter. And this gets really interesting at the end of the book. The woman who was sleeping with her husband got what she deserved. This is why it's called the lost passenger because his person took on a whole new didn't do. The family who took her in really embraced her. Great book