Although attempting to escape one's life and become someone else may be a tried-and-true plot device, this book gives the idea a new and exciting spin with its connection to the actual historical events of the sinking of the Titanic. It has a strong heroine who is easy to root for. Her driving motivation for everything she does is her overwhelming love for and devotion to her son, which makes her quite relatable. There are also plenty of warm and lovely found-family vibes between Elinor and the family that unknowingly take her in believing she is one of their actual family members. All in all, it's a beautiful touching story.

This was a well-written and descriptive novel about the elite class in Europe at the turn of the century. Similar to the movie Titanic and what Roses´ life would have turned out to be... the main character Elinor Coombs is swindled into marrying a man so he could keep his estate, and use her for her family´s money. It is no spoiler that the Titanic sunk, but Elinor then takes it upon herself to free herself and her son and make a new life in NYC. This historical fiction novel dives into what life was like for immigrants at the turn of the century and gives readers a glimpse of what Roses´ life possibly turned out to be after the movie.

Elinor appears to have a charmed life: the daughter of a self made cotton king who has been allowed education and input into her father's business. Her mother died when she was young, leaving Elinor and her father together. They appear to be devoted to each other and when Elinor receives a proposal from landed gentry, they both decide that this is what Elinor's future should be.

Elinor, who naively thought she married for love, soon finds that it was her fortune that her husband's family wanted. She tries to fit in and be who they want her to be but it is a struggle. She has her first child, Teddy, and finds out that how she wants to raise him is not how the Coombes family wants to raise him. Enter her father's gift of tickets on the Titanic: one for Elinor, her husband, Teddy and her father. Of course we all know how the Titanic ends.

While in the process of boarding the Titanic, Elinor's maid refuses to get on. Enter Molly, a maid who is heading to her extended family for a new life. Elinor and Teddy make it on a lifeboat but the rest do not. Elinor is confronted with the choice of taking on Molly's identity and disappearing in New York with her son Teddy. She finds herself a new family and makes a life for herself and Teddy that is more in keeping with what she desired.

I enjoyed Elinor and found her can-do attitude fit her story very well. It was an enjoyable story!

Frances Quinn’s latest historical fiction, The Lost Passenger, is set in the Edwardian Era. The story is told from the POV of the main character, Elinor Coombes. She marries minor royalty only to find that all her husband wanted was her dowry and her fertility.

I found myself immersed in the Elinor’s downtrodden life; she is a bit of prisoner in her in-laws manor. Her every move critiqued, and her access to her son limited. I completely empathized with Elinor’s disheartened state. It was completely understandable that she would jump at the chance to journey on the Titanic with her sone, Teddy. That would have been a big dose of freedom in addition to a grand adventure. It is no spoiler that the Titanic sank en route to the USA. Elinor takes advantage of the situation, assumes the identity of a maid/nanny who did not survive, and proceeds to make a life for herself in the lower east side of New York City.

Elinor is plucky character who shows grit and determination as she transitions from British upper class to a maid living in tenement housing in NYC. About 80 percent into the story, Elinor’s past comes back to haunt her, and Elinor must dig deep and be tough to weather the situation. Sometimes I questioned her street-savviness, but I enjoyed the character none-the-less.

The writing is highly descriptive, which does slow the plot pace. The author’s representation of immigrant life in the early 1900s felt authentic. Overall, a good read for fans of historical fiction.

This book made me think about the movie Titanic and what might have happened if the movie had gone on.
I liked Elinor/Molly more as the book goes on. She was strong and determined. It’s a good story for its time period. A good read for all historical fiction fans

Elinor is the daughter of a self made man who wants the best for her. She marries into an aristocratic family who is looking for money and an heir. She realizes this after she is married. She has a son who stays with the nanny and she only sees him 20 minutes a day. Elinor longs to escape. When an opportunity comes will she escape and will she be able to pull it off if she takes the opportunity.

It's nice to read historical fiction that is not about any war. This is story of a young woman who wants more out of life. However, a woman's role is to get married and have children. This is a story of striving for a better way. And maybe money isn't the answer to everything.

Thank you to #NetGalley, @franquinn, and #BallantineBooks
#TheLostPassenger

4 historical fiction stars

This one covers a lot of ground, from London socialites to the Titanic and then off to the Lower East Side of New York.

Elinor Coombes is the daughter of a self-made man who found success with mills in England. She’s got an excellent head for business, but the class rules of the day stated that she couldn’t inherit the business. (What garbage those rules were!)

As often happened in those days, she was courted by a handsome, titled man and quickly married. She thought it was for love but discovers that his family just really needed her money and a male heir. (Again, what garbage!)

Isolated and friendless in her new marriage and home with her in-laws, Elinor is miserable. She makes everyone happy with the birth of her son but is again stymied when a nanny is brought in for full-time care with her baby. She gets 20 minutes a day with him. When she protests, the doctor threatens to have her committed. This is just how it is done, she’s told. (Again, with the garbage!)

When her father surprises Elinor with tickets for the about-to-launch Titanic ship, she jumps at the chance. She convinces her husband to go and bring their young son aboard. The section aboard the Titanic isn’t that long, and we all know how it ends. What’s different about this story is that Elinor and her son survive while the rest of her party parish, including her beloved father.

Elinor knows that if she returns to England, she will have nothing, including her son. A trust was put into place that gives her in-laws guardianship if something happens to her husband. The mother has no rights whatsoever!

It's no surprise that Elinor sees a chance to start over as a new person with a new identity. However, she has to do it by lying to the family about the person’s identity she takes and with not a cent to her name. It's quite a different lifestyle from what she had in England. But she’s happier! And she gets her son. How long will this last, though? Can she keep up the ruse?

I really enjoyed this one by a new to me author, Frances Quinn. Can’t wait to read more from her.

To say this was a refreshing change to some of the historical fiction that has been out there recently sounds a bit odd, because historical fiction in itself isn't usually a "refreshing" story. But in the sense that it was so nice not to read something based around Nazi's and camps, I enjoyed having a historical fiction that was based on a different topic and focus. This is well developed and a rich story from beginning to end. Recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

This just wasn’t for me. I enjoy historical fiction very much so I may do another read when it’s traditionally published.

I never anticipated that I would be so immersed in this book! Just after reading only the first few sentences, I knew I would love this book. This unforgettable historical fiction novel is centered on Elinor Coombes, a wealthy English woman who survived the unsinkable Titanic and made a life for her son and herself under the guise of another passenger’s identity.

Elinor is the daughter of a self-made English businessman. She is an avid reader and a lover of Jane Austen. Determined to marry for love, she soon is swept off her feet by an Earl, but after a shocking revelation in her wedding day, she finds herself stuck in a loveless marriage. Living out her days in despair, she is gifted a ticket by her father to travel on the seas in the new unsinkable cruise ship, the Titanic. In a tragic turn of events, her entire world is upended but only through deception can she escape her woes and start afresh in America with her young son.

Elinor is such a resilient character. In the first half of the book she moves from one woe to another. Her marriage is a sham and is crumbling right at the beginning. She is discounted because she is a woman and is not named as an heir to her father’s business. She has a tough time dealing with the prejudices of the nouveau riche in the eyes of those with with a higher title (her in-laws). She is forced to watch her son from a distance as a nanny raises him. All of these issues were thrown at her before one of the most unfortunate disasters in history. This book was undoubtedly one of the best books written surrounding the Titanic’s history. The retelling of the events as the ship goes down is chilling.

Elinor does seem to rise from the ashes , but just when we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the rug is pulled from under the readers in a plot twist at the very ending. This was a stellar read!


If you are a fan of the sinking of the Titanic, you will love this book.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary and all thoughts are my own.

The only child of a self-made man, Elinor Coombes opts for a social climbing marriage. Her husband's titled family needs money and her own father needs the social position that she can acquire. While she hopes her husband will love her, she soon realizes that the marriage is merely financial and she is left with little that makes her happy. While crossing the ocean on the Titanic, the impending crash and rescue leaves her with an option--restart over in New York under a different name, just her and her young son. But while she is building her new life, her old life and its memories are still close at hand, threatening all she has worked for.

This was another one of my favorites so far this year. While interesting, the Titanic subplot is just the vehicle for launching Elinor's new life, the true meat of the story so to speak. Her new beginnings in New York really show what a woman had to be capable of and what a person can do when faced with that adversity. Despite being hampered by her husband' and his family, Elinor takes control of her own life when presented the opportunity, deciding that her happiness is paramount for her and her son's future.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
JUST WOW! I couldn’t put down “The Lost Passenger” by Frances Quinn. Loved the amazing twist that I never anticipated or saw coming.
Elinor Coombes gets swept away and Marty’s a man who she thinks loves her. He only married her for her father’s money. Life as a privileged woman is not as grand one would think it would be. A trip on the Titanic changes everything for Elinor.
This amazing story is about a mother’s love for her child. Elinor showed her resilience time and time again. And she did it all for her son. Many thanks to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheLostPassenger #FrancesQuinn #NetGalley #BallantineBooks #BooksSetInNewYork #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksAboutTheTitanic

This is the story of Elinor Coombs, whose marriage to an aristocratic lord of the manor has become a fairy tale gone wrong. When Elinor gets a second chance at a meaningful life, she seizes it—and the risks that go along with it.

This gripping, well-written book is filled with incredible, lifelike detail. I absorbed it in just a few days.

I highly recommend this book and thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an early read in exchange for a fair review.

Elinor is a bright young lady who spends her days assisting her father in his thriving garment business. She comes from a wealthy family and has been raised with caretakers and servants. She reads a lot and believes in happily ever after book endings. She meets Fredrick Stornton and is smitten, she is immediately swept off her to feet. She quickly marries. After her wedding day, she over hears a conversation where she learns that Fredrick married her out of family obligation for her wealth. Her families wealth will sure up his families lack of resources.

Devastated that her new husband doesn’t love her and trying to hide the truth from her father, she sticks it out and tries to make the best of it. She soon has a son and he is the light of her life. Her life is controlled by the strict family upbringing of her husband and his controlling family. She is only allowed to see her son 20 minutes a day and is not aloud to spend any quality time with him.

She is desperately unhappy. Then after two years of which she has not been able to see her father, he buys her a wedding gift for a first class trip on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. Thrilled to be getting away and with the luxury of spending quality time with him, she accepts his gift. When the titanic sinks, she has an option to never return to her previous life and begin a new life in NYC under false identities for both her and her son.

Around every corner there seems to be a threat that will surely disclose her location in exchange for reward money offered by Fredrick’s family.

This is a must read. Fantastic detail along with great story telling. I really enjoyed it.

Many thanks to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

Elinor Coombes finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage with no voice regarding how her son will be raised. When her father treats the family to a trip on the Titanic, she sees the voyage as a momentary escape from the constraints of her life. Then the ship hits the famed iceberg, and suddenly what was a pleasure trip becomes an opportunity to escape with her son and start anew.

I found the plot of THE LOST PASSENGER to be very predicatable with plot twists that could be seen a mile away. However, Elinor is such a plucky, likeable heroine that I was able to become invested in her story anyway. Especially during the first half of the book when she's trapped at the family estate with an overbearing, controlling mother and a disinterested husband. The book dragged a bit once she arrived in New York. She spent a little too much time handwringing over her actions, IMO. However, the book picked up speed again in the last quarter and delivered a satisfying and sweet ending.

I will also say that Quinn does a great job of capturing the atmosphere and energy of the Lower East Side. I could see it quite vividly in my imagination.

Overall THE LOST PASSENGER is a pleasant read - the kind of book to be read on a winter's afternoon while curled up with a cup of tea and a blanket. Three and a half stars.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced read in exchange for this honest review.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

This historical fiction has a young woman, whose father is a successful but "common" businessman, marrying the son of English aristocrats. The family is wealthy but they need more to keep the bloodline going and possessions in the family. They need a son, a male heir! Elinor's inheritance, when her father dies, and the children Elinor will have, will all belong to her new husband and his family. When Elinor has a son, he is basically taken from her to be raised by a nanny. Elinor has no rights, no say in anything, she is heartbroken to realize what she has gotten herself and her son into.

While on the Titanic, Elinor meets someone who will allow her to slide into another existence once the ship sinks. Doing so comes with great fear of getting caught, guilt for the lies she tells a family that only wants to love and protect her and her son, and a world that could not be farther from the world she comes from.

The horrors of women, despite being in a wealthy environment, who have absolutely no rights, children who belong to the husband's family, and being shelved as a nonperson after all that is needed is gotten from the woman, was shocking. Seeing just how badly the Titanic was prepared for a disaster and how, with proper planning and different reactions by others, many more people could have survived the wreck, is heartbreaking. And then to see the vast difference of where Elinor came from to the new life she choses to live, are very eye opening.

This is such an inspiring story and I'm glad I got to buddy read it with DeAnn. I look forward to reading more books by this author. I love historical fiction that both teaches and entertains.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Elinor Coombes is swept up into a whirlwind romance with Frederick Storton of Winterton Hall. It isn't until after she is married that she discovers he only married her out of necessity:; the estate was cash-poor and desperately in need of repairs, and Elinor's father was a millionaire who owned a cotton mill. His family went out of their way to let her know she was lower class, and could do nothing right in their eyes. When she gave birth to a son, her joy was short lived. He was named without consulting her and whisked away and she was locked in her room for weeks with no contact with the baby. Once she was finally released, she was only allowed a few minutes a day with him - the rest of the day he was cared for by the nanny. When Elinor discovered that Frederick had papers drawn up giving guardianship to his parents in the event something were to happen to him, she knew she was boxed into a corner. They were determined to send Teddy to prep school when he turned seven and then on to Eton. Elinor's father arranged for Frederick, Elinor and Teddy to set sail on the Titanic with him, so he could meet his grandson and spend time with his daughter. Frederick didn't want to go - in fact he was livid that the money wasn't being put to better use, like a new roof for their home, but Elinor put her foot down. The trip started out like something from a dream. She met a woman named Molly, who was headed to America to live with relatives she had never met before, hoping to have a better life. She agreed to hire Molly for the duration of the trip to help tend to Teddy, and the two women became quite close. When the Titanic hit the iceberg and sank, Elinor and Teddy made it onto one of the lifeboats. Molly went back to the room to get her life's savings....and never made it onto a boat. So when Elinor discovers that Molly is dead as well as the rest of Elinor's family, she makes a rash decision to take Molly's identity and let Elinor be the one who died that fateful night.

This book reminded me so much of the movie Titanic, even down to the end where Rose changed her identity to hide from her fiancé" , so she could escape him and change the path she was on. This book was captivating, and I was so immersed in it, I felt like I was actually there watching it all unfold. I really liked Elinor. She had so much grit and determination, and the things that she had to put up with when she was married to him, made me cheer her on when she decided to become Molly. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then this needs to be at the top of your TBR pile. You are going to love it!

What a fantastic book! I absolutely loved this book and read it within a few days. I loved Elinor's journey into becoming an independent woman. I liked the mention of the Titanic and it was a glimpse into what other survivors may have faced afterwards. I enjoyed the family in New York and I'm so glad that Elinor found happiness. I laughed, I cried, and felt all the the emotions. I would highly recommend this!

Tale of a woman tricked into a loveless marriage and looked down on by all of her new family and their friends. Her in-laws won't even let her raise her own son, so when the opportunity arises she fakes her (and his) identity and creates a new and better life for them. Who would think the sinking of the Titanic would be the catalyst? I enjoyed reading about this strong, hardworking, and resourceful woman.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction will love this book. Elinor finds herself in an untenable predicament when she realizes her aristocratic husband married her for her money and heir. When the Titanic sinks with both her husband and father, Elinor has a choice to make; go back to England with her son Teddy or disappear in New York. A Downton Abbey flair with more in-depth life. Realistic life of immigrants. Loved the relationships Molly made. Highly recommended!