A disaster at sea opens the path to a new life

Elinor Hayward is the only child of a wealthy self-made businessman and widower. She has inherited her father's talent in business, often helping him make decisions about upcoming products, but in England in the early 1900's it wouldn't be accepted were she to inherit control of the business. Having lost her mother years earlier she is rather naive about many matters and, an avid reader, has a rather romantic outlook on matters of the heart. When she and her father receive an unexpected invitation to attend a ball at the home of a local aristocratic family she is thrilled, but even though she is dressed in clothing ever bit as expensive as the other attendees she doesn't feel that she fits in. There she meets the handsome and charming Frederick Coombes, son of Lord and Lady Storton, and falls quickly in love. It appears to be mutual and despite the difference in their social status (she is the daughter of a tradesman, his family has held a title for fifteen generations), Frederick proposes marriage and his family puts up no objections. It is only after the marriage that Elinor discovers it was the money she could bring to the family that was the main attraction she held. Worse still, although Frederick likes her well enough he admits that he doesn't love her. His family looks down at her, regularly criticizing her accent, her table manners, and more, and only producing a male heir will bring her a modicum of approval. But even that proves a dual edged sword...her in-laws believe that children are best raised by a nanny and sent off to boarding school by age 8, and Elinor's desire for a more active role in mothering is opposed. They even draw up legal documents to ensure that, should Frederick die while their son Teddy is young, it is his parents not Elinor who will be Teddy's guardians. Forced to adapt to a life in which she has no power, Elinor does her best to mold herself into the wife she is expected to be but is miserable. When her father honors a promise made when she still thought she was living a fairytale and sends tickets to the maiden voyage of the White Star Line's magnificent new ship for Frederick, Elinor, Teddy and two servants, to travel alongside him to New York and back, Elinor is thrilled at the opportunity to escape her rigid and disapproving in-laws, Frederick wants to refuse the tickets but Elinor uses emotional blackmail to get him to agree. At the docks the trip almost ends before it starts when Elinor's maid (who is to act as nanny during the trip) fearfully refuses to board. A young woman passenger with experience as a lady's maid named Molly is standing nearby and offers to step into the role, ridding Frederick of the objection he had attempted to wield. The luxury liner is the Titanic, however, so tragedy is only days away. When the ship hits the iceberg, only Elinor and Teddy will make it into a lifeboat. In the shock of the ensuing hours after their rescue, Elinor realizes that this might be her only opportunity to escape her unhappy life and retain custody of her son, by letting the world believe that she and Teddy perished alongside Frederick, her father....and Molly. She claims Molly's identity, and using information about the family members with whom the young woman had planned to live (who had never actually met Molly) sets out to start a new life for herself and Teddy.. Can a sheltered and pampered young woman survive in a tenement in NYC's hardscrabble Lower East Side, successfully pass herself off as someone who has been in service, and keep her identity a secret from the family in England who have lost not just their only son but the sole male heir to their title?
The Lost Passenger is a well-written historical novel featuring a naive young woman who finds herself trapped in an unhappy life with people whose values and way of life are incompatible with her own, She tries to buck the system but has no power and in fact is threatened with being deemed unstable and sent away to "rest" when she tries to fight for a more integral part in her son's rearing. Her husband isn't an evil person, but he is very much a product of his upbringing and the mores of his social circle (the parallels to now-King Charles and Diana Princess of Wales are hard to avoid). It isn't difficult to have sympathy for what her character goes through....she thought that she would be living the life of Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice, one of her favorite novels, but Frederick proves to be no Mr. Darcy, and her. lot seems more to be the mad woman in the attic of Jane Eyre...but I did find it odd that she kept her misery a secret from her father out of a desire to spare him embarrassment, Her evolution from the starry eyed romantic to a pragmatist who will do whatever must be done to provide a new life for herself and son makes for enjoyable reading, as do the vivid descriptions of the different settings in which she finds herself. The characters throughout are well-developed, but in the end I found the plot fairly formulaic. The similarities to the movie Titanic, which also featured a wealthy young woman trapped in a relationship with an overbearing and controlling man whom she doesn't love and lets the world assume she didn't survive the Titanic's sinking, are inescapable. The Lost Passenger does add more detail to the before and after of Elinor's life than the viewers of TItanic saw of Rose's, which made for interesting reading, but in the end the lack of originality detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. I had higher hopes for this one, but can only rate it at 3.5 stars, rounded up to a 4 given the quality of writing. Fans of Martha Hall Kelly, Marie Benedict and Shana Abé might enjoy this latest Titanic tale, My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine Books for allowing me access to a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Lost Passenger kept me riveted from the first page to the last as I was marooned in the freezing cold Dallas/Fort Worth overnight. Unable to get comfortable enough to fall asleep I was immersed in Elinor’s life. Frances Quinn combined the lure of the Titanic with Elinor’s thwarted love and marriage. Although many of the events were predictable, Quinn’s writing kept me engaged throughout Elinor’s recovery from the harrowing night, her decision to stay in America and her journey creating a new “family”. I kept asking myself what I would have done in Elinor’s place. By the end I had developed a new appreciation for her husband’s frustrating expectations and choices.
Elinor’s determination to forge a new life for Teddy was inspirational. The ending was very heartwarming.
Many many thanks to Frances Quinn, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of The Lost Passenger to be published on February 25th. I highly recommend this riveting book.

When Elinor married into an aristocratic family, she is a naive 19 year old who believed in love. Once ensconced in Winterton Hall, she realizes the marriage was a sham, a way for the family to get money from her successful father, the owner of cotton mills. When the chance comes to sail on the Titanic, Elinor sees a way to escape for a few days, not realizing how her life will change radically. Well written, with appealing characters, particularly the family she meets in New York. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love historical fiction, it’s one of my favorite genres and this book was amazing! I won’t lie and say I loved every part of the book because there were parts that were a bit slow but I overall really enjoyed it.

Elinor was a young wealthy woman who loved to read Jane Austen books and dreamed of a loving marriage. She was tricked into a loveless marriage and longed for a better life for herself and her young son. When a trip of a lifetime on the brand new ship the Titanic offers her a chance of a lifetime. She "borrows" the identity and the life of a young woman who tragically drowned. This book offers drama, heartbreak and suffering but was an enjoyable read.
Thank you yo NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date is February 25, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and author Francis Quinn for allowing me to read this work in exchange for an honest review.
“ On the day, I stole another woman’s life, I saw New York for the first time…”
Eleanor Hayward was the daughter of the Cotton King, heir to her father’s mill and other holdings anyone would consider her a catch. The day that Eleanor and her father were invited to the New Year’s Eve ball at Chilverton Hall was the start of the end. At the ball, Eleanor and her father met Frederick Coombs next in line to be Lord Burnham. Much to her surprise Frederick became infatuated with her and eagerly pursued her to become his wife. A voracious reader Eleanor, compared the situation to the love stories she’d read about, but sadly, inexperienced in real life. She agreed to marry Frederick, but life in Chiverton Hall was not all she expected it to be and was disillusioned in her new role. By her father side, she was a young woman confident, but as a wife and soon, mother she was all but a pawn.
When Eleanor‘s father surprised them with tickets on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, she was very excited at the thought of being at sea, and then eventually in New York to see all that they both had to offer.
We all know what happened to the Titanic and this is her story before during and after.
This book was engaging and kept my attention. I rate it 4⭐️’s.

This historical fiction revolves around the tragic sinking of the Titanic. A young woman who has discovered the truth behind her marriage and about her husband's real love takes a chance for a new life when she and her son are among the survivors. Her life is nothing like it used to be, but she makes opportunities for herself and finds the acceptance she was lacking in her previous life.

I really loved this book. It was original and had me engaged from the first page. Elinor had her bad moments, but overall she was a likeable character and she really tried to do what she thought was best for her young son.

Thanks to Random House Pub/Ballantine and NetGalley for the ebook. All thoughts are my own.

I love stories about the Titanic and especially enjoyed this one about a young mother who sees the tragedy as her way to get out of a loveless and soul-crushing marriage. The twists and turns were surprising and the book warmed my heart with its focus on found family, forgiveness, and redemption. The details about early 20th century New York are also so interesting. Highly recommend!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this historical novel by Frances Quinn. “An immersive historical drama about a young mother who starts a new life with her son in New York after faking their deaths on the Titanic.”

The pages practically turned themselves. The flow was very good, and I found myself getting lost in the story. This is always a good sign for me that I’m reading something I should be.

If you enjoy historical fiction, you will most likely enjoy this book. If you don’t enjoy historical fiction, you will most likely still enjoy this book! The story takes the main character from a world of entitlement, wealth, and strict rules to a world of disadvantage and privation, but at the same time, unlimited opportunities to experience unconditional love and freedom. Basically, a chance to be the best version of herself and have unlimited success.

The Lost Passenger has a publication date of February 25, 2025. Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my ARC, Advance Reader’s Copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written, and I felt like I was living life right along with Elinor. At times it felt a touch long, but still a great read. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

When, out of the blue, Elinor Hayward and her father are invited to a New Year's gala at the home of their neighbors, Lord and Lady Burnham, she is unaware that shortly she will be a part of their family - and she won't see her father for a long time. When Frederick Coombes, their son and heir, "happens" upon her hiding behind a column at the ball, Elinor is enchanted. The idea of playing out the stories in her favorite romance novels leads her to accept Frederick's subsequent proposal, and the wedding is all she could have hoped for.

But then, she realizes that Frederick has married her simply to use her father's money to keep up their country estate, so he can continue to live as he always has lived, and carry on the traditions of 14 generations. When Elinor finds herself pregnant with the "heir", her circumstances improve some, but she soon realizes that this baby belongs to the family and not to her. She scarcely sees him and if she insists on spending time with him, she is threatened with being declared mentally ill and possibly hospitalized!

Before her marriage, Elinor and her father had closely followed the newspaper articles about the building of the Titanic, the largest, fastest, safest and most luxurious vessel ever built. And her father keeps his promise and gifts them with tickets for the maiden voyage to New York. Against the wishes of her in-laws, they set out and we all know what happened on that voyage.

But Elinor and her son, Teddy, are the only ones of their travelling party to survive and she realizes she has a chance to change their lives, if only she can get away with posing as the lady's maid/nanny she hired on the spot at the dock just before they sailed. Mollie was going to New York to start a new life with relatives she had never met, so Elinor gives Mollie's name when asked to identify herself and moves in with Mollie's relatives.

Although she is totally unprepared for the living conditions, she is able to adapt rather quickly and soon feels safe in her new life. But circumstances arise which put that life in danger and she has to face the fact that she is living a lie.

A little slow to get going, but a good read and I would not mind hearing more about this young woman and her son!

I love historical fiction and read a lot of it. The Lost Passenger called to me because of its pre-WWI Britain and USA settings, an era not typically covered by historical fiction. Overall, I enjoyed but didn't love, this novel. To me, it felt formulaic and predictable, which can be a good thing depending on what you are looking for - I consider it "historical fiction lite."
The lead character, Elinor, is a strong and capable woman, and I appreciate her growth and development throughout the book. However, her strong reaction toward upper-class child-rearing expectations felt forced. Even though Elinor is a "new rich" person, she spent her life in British society, so it fell flat that she was shocked there was a plan for her son to attend boarding school. Sometimes, it felt like modern sensibilities overlayed onto early 20th-century characters. From that perspective, the historical aspects of the book were not as interesting as people's stories told.

If you loved The Titanic movie, there is a lot you will probably enjoy in this book. It leans more towards Susan Meisner-esque, so if she is a favored author, I predict you'll enjoy The Lost Passenger.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ebook version of the novel in exchange for a review.

Elinor Coombes and Molly Mortimer, who are they? What are their secrets? What is their legacy?

This book “wowed” me from beginning to end. It’s highly engaging and I kept wanting to know more about the main female protagonist.

Titanic lore is fascinating to me so I was all too eager to dive into The Lost Passenger.
Will one woman’s act of bravery be her undoing? Will it help her to succeed in life after the sinking of Titanic? These are all questions I asked myself as I tore through this book.
A historical fiction about lost and found identities, starting over, and the sacrifices made along the way made this book thoroughly enjoyable for me as a reader. I feel confident others will think the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read The Lost Passenger.

The Lost Passenger was a wonderful tale of a women who thinks she has found a love match in her husband but finds out quickly hers was a marriage for her fathers wealth. Stuck in a house where she has no say, even when it comes time to raise her son she receives tickets from her father to take the maiden voyage of the Titanic. When the Titanic is no more Elinor sees an opportunity to start over to save both herself and herself from a life she never wanted.

This book was wonderfully written, with an interesting concept of a provided opportunity and the desperation it takes sometimes to make people do the unthinkable. I loved the characters, especially Molly’s family.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. The sinking of the Titanic always makes for an interesting topic. This book centers around a British aristocrat, Elinor Coombes, who is in the midst of an unhappy marriage and a titled family who bars her from raising her son. She is looking for a way out so when she boards the Titanic with her father, husband, and son, she looks forward to sixteen days of being away from her dominating in-laws. When the ship sinks, she escapes with her son and takes on the identity of someone who was lost. She forges a new life for herself and her boy in New York City. While it was a good read, some of the storyline seems contrived and a little hard to believe. She comes to America with nothing and embeds herself in a family that believes she belongs to them. Eventually, her lies are revealed, but all's well that ends well. Give it a try. You may like it more than I did.

I loved this historical fiction novel. Taking the story of the Titanic and putting the fictional Elinor on it with her child, Teddy, was fantastic. The research for this novel is obvious with every detail of the Titanic and the way people were acting as the ship was sinking. Providing the opportunity for her to escape her titled husband's family and make a way for her & her son in New York is entertaining. Seeing how she navigates being someone else with their family, which is believable because of the time period and living across the ocean from each other up to that point, keeps you on the edge of your seat because like Elinor you wonder if she will be found out. Highly recommend reading this to see how Elinor got to the Titanic and what happens to her in New York.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Elinor has arranged marriage to Frederick in London 1910. She is not accepted in the wealthy class so is unhappy. The family travel on Titanic ship to New York several years later. She and her son are saved and arrive in NY where she takes on a different identity. Excellent book.

4.5 ⭐️

This was the Titanic historical fiction of my dreams!!! I adored this book start to finish. I’ve always loved the story surrounding this ship, and the twist of Elinor and her son was engaging and interesting. It broke my heart at times seeing what women faced during this time period but I appreciate what this novel highlights. Elinor thinks she found her dream man in Frederick but that quickly turns into a nightmare after finding out he married her for money. She finds a way out and how to take control of her life after the ship sinks - leaving her vulnerable but hopeful. I loved the character development here and was engaged until the end! Such a beautiful story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Elinor is a young but intelligent 19-year old. She finds herself in a loveless and controlling marriage that she's desperate to escape, especially for the sake of her son. When Elinor's father gifts her and her husband tickets on the Titanic, Elinor's chance to start over comes in the midst of tragedy.

The reader is treated to the growth of Elinor throughout the story. I loved how she started out daring and young, lost herself a bit along the way, and ended up stronger and shrewder than she started. I found her experiences very relatable. The historical accuracy of the book was very well done as well. New York in the 1910s and the sinking of the Titanic was also well researched!

The Lost Passenger is a story of survival. And my need to find out whether main character Elinor Coombes survives all of her surprising ordeals -including sinking of the Titanic (poignantly described) - kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish! I absolutely could not put it down.

This is an excellent story that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and regency romance as it achieves a good balance not being too heavy on either genre.

Elinor is the only daughter of the Cotton King - her father owns cotton mills in Manchester, England She is new money and is only 19 when she and her father are invited to a ball. Their kind never gets invited to balls and Elinor is thrilled to go. There she is singled out by Frederick, son of Lord Storton as the Storton estate desperately needs money to continue on. Frederick pretends to love her and they quickly marry, but Frederick is keeping a secret from young Elinor.

This is not Downton Abbey, more like Downton Abbey gone wrong. The Stortons consider Elinor so far beneath her that they treat her like a stock animal and not a daughter-in-law. They talk over her and constantly put her down when she tries to make a suggestion.. She is lonely and has no real friends and is struggling to cope. The Stortons control everything in Elinor’s life including how to raise Elinor’s son, Teddy. Elinor is miserable and sees no way out of her captive life.

The only thing Elinor can look forward to is a surprise trip on the Titanic which is a gift from her beloved father. Elinor schemes to take her son along without a nanny, so she can have 16 days of peace and freedom with her son. When the ship sinks, Elinor’s life is changed forever.

Post the sinking of the Titanic we are transported to the tenements of New York city and Frances Quinn does an excellent job of describing life in the Gilded Age among the poor and recent immigrants.

I would be eager to read another book by this author and would also welcome a sequel to this book.. The Lost Passage has a great ending with a peak towards the future. The book is a page-turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. The description of the suffering and sinking of the Titanic was very moving. I am grateful to have received an ARC of this book.