Amazing story. I loved it. What a beautiful story of survival, mother's love and courage. So so good, emotional - so well written. So much detail, so vivid - I dont normally binge a historical fiction book but I found myself so sucked in I wanted to know what would happen to Elinor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first book from Frances Quinn and I enjoyed it! I look forward to reading more books from Frances.

Oh wow! I loved this book! The story had a new slant on lots of things, the Titanic, the upper-class Titled English, the rich self-made people, the immigrants, the lower east side of New York, and carts, the living conditions, and a very determined strong woman! Loved it all. I very highly recommend this to anyone and everyone! Great book!

3.5 stars. Historical fiction about a strong woman who forges a new life for herself and her toddler son when they survive the sinking of the Titanic. This was well-written, and I liked the character of Elinor, flaws and all. Elinor, the daughter of a wealthy self-made man, is trapped in a constricting marriage to an aristocrat who tricked her into marrying him so that her father's funds could prop up his family's estate. Worse, when Elinor gives birth to the male heir of the family, her time with her son is severely limited and she has to toe the family line to get any time with him at all. When her father treats Elinor, her husband, and their son to the inaugural sailing of the Titanic, Elinor jumps at the chance to have time with her father and son. After the tragic accident, Elinor and her son are among the survivors, and she decides to escape her life in England by taking on the identity of her maid, who has drowned. This means that Elinor lies to a family of very nice people (who had never met said maid in person) and lives with them, but she works hard and suffers a lot of angst over the lies, so I guess that's okay? There was a Chekhov's gun that was never used, which was frustrating, and everything worked out a little too neatly, but this was still enjoyable historical fiction with richly drawn characters and setting. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a digital review copy.

Elinor Coombes is tricked into a marriage with an aristocratic man who is in love with another woman. Elinor has a son, Teddy, with her husband but has no chance to raise him due to an overbearing mother-in-law and Nanny. She has the opportunity to travel on the Titanic and jumps at the chance to get away and spend quality time with Teddy and her father. We all know what happens to the Titanic, but Elinor and Teddy survive the sinking and arrive in America. Elinor assumes the identity of a lost passenger and starts a new life in America, but her old life catches up with her and she is afraid she will have to return her son to her in-laws.

This was a really interesting read! I was drawn in immediately and couldn't put the book down when Elinor went on the Titanic. I will admit that the second half of the book went in a totally different direction than I was expecting and wasn't as engaging as the first half of the book. When Elinor's past comes back to haunt her around 80% into the book I was fully engaged again and I was satisfied with the ending. This is the first historical fiction that I have read in a while and my overall rating is 5 stars and I added this book to my wishlist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the advanced copy. The Lost Passenger is available on February 25, 2025.

3.75 stars

Nicely done historical fiction. Main character Elinor is the daughter of a wealthy English tradesman. She is scooped up by an aristocrat seeking a fortune to shore up the family estate. Elinor is young and naive, although with a sharp head for business. She thinks she is making a love match and is disillusioned when she learns the truth. She is miserable in her marriage and her inlaws make it clear their son has married beneath him. When they have a son, he is whisked away by a nanny and she is told he will be sent off to school at an early age to be molded into the stiff upper lip stereotype.

Elinor, her father, her husband and son journey to America on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. When the unthinkable happens, Elinor and her baby make it into a lifeboat but the men perish. Through the long perilous night, she realizes this is her chance to start over and escape the isolation and boredom of British upper class life. She assumes the identity of a maid and moves in to their NY City tenement.

The book becomes more interesting when Elinor the pampered becomes a wage earner. Her very different life is challenging but she discovers how resilient and tough she really is.

An enjoyable read with a main character that you want to see succeed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was slow to get into this book, but in the end I was glad I stuck with it. Great story about reinventing yourself (or finding it again) and taking change of your life. Elinor proved that you can be brave for yourself and those you love!

As an elder millennial I am and always will be obsessed with all things Titanic. The first half of this book was so interesting… the FMC’s life as a well-to-do wife in England and how little power she had over her own future. Her time on the Titanic was interesting to read about but I wish the actual sinking had been more descriptive. Her life in NYC was a little slow for me but overall it was a good representation of the immigrant experience in the early 1900/.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

There are lots of books around the Titanic, but Quinn makes this one come alive in a very different way.

Elinor marries well, or so everyone thought. Her life becomes so unbearable - until she boards the Titanic with her husband, son and her wealthy father. We all know what happens to the Titanic - it's what happens after that that creates the plot of the book. I don't want to give anything away - but this was an easy read that kept my interest throughout until the very end. It is all about the twists and turns of the story. The characters are so well written that I felt like I could be sitting in the kitchen having a cup of tea with them. I highly recommend this book for a good read that you can escape into.

I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.0 stars
DEFINITE recommend

I liked this book, but I didn't love it.

I disliked the titled or rich characters including the main character, Elinor. The main character just bothered me by lying, not telling the truth before getting caught, and then having people standing by her after her duplicity was revealed. I think that her sins were too great.

The sinking of the Titanic was well-done, but horrific to read. It was worse than watching the movie because my mind was graphic!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6902669470 - posted 1/29/2025

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/fadece19-31be-4118-8c7a-d3be86b140e9?redirect=true - posted 1/29/2025

Books by Dorothea blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/01/review-lost-passenger-earcebook.html - posted 1/29/2025

I DNF’d this book. I really didn’t like the direction this book was taking. I will let other reviewers who enjoy this book promote it. I will not be posting on social media or reviewing on retail sites. That way, this book gets much deserved attention from those reviewers who loved it!

2.75 ⭐

If I could describe this book in one word, the word would be “disappointing.” I’m a sucker for historical fiction, and I haven’t read novels that involve the Titanic, so I was so stoked to read this book. But it was nothing like I expected it to be.

The book's first half is about Elinor suffering from her loveless marriage and how she wishes she could’ve done things differently. I can understand that because, heck, don’t we all have regrets? But spending 50% of the book going over that is kind of ridiculous. I skimmed through so many pages to get to the part involving the Titanic, and that’s when the story started to get interesting.

I think a lot of the background story and tragedy of how Elinor ended up in such a predicament could have been done differently. It could have gradually been introduced to add some mystery to Elinor and her situation, slowly revealing why she was miserable so I could root for her even more when she gets a second chance in New York when the ship sinks. I’m not hating on the author’s writing. She did a great job, and I genuinely wanted Elinor to succeed. But dumping all the particulars at once and the plot slowly making its way to Interesting Town was confusing and unnecessary. Even the sinking of the Titanic felt underwhelming. There you go! That’s another good word to describe this book! 😭

Look. I usually love reading descriptions, thoughts, and ruminations from the character, but there was too much of it. I wanted more dialogue to give the characters some…character. Just adding that to the book would’ve made it so much better! You can leave the descriptions and ruminations for all I care! Just give me something to connect with the characters, whether it’s the way they talk or the way they act and react. And the ending! It felt abrupt and unfulfilling. I get it, leaving the ending open-ended gives me the chance to use my imagination to guess what happened to the characters, but not this way, hun. I was baffled by how I was shoved into the ending without warning or a heads-up.

Gosh, I wish I could’ve loved this, but I didn’t. On a positive note, I didn’t like Elinor’s husband. I don’t know how that’s a positive, but there you have it. I liked the family Elinor lied to and stayed with, pretending to be Molly Mortimer to spare herself and her son a constricting life of old-fashioned nobility. And the imagery of the bustling streets of New York was 👍. I’m so sad I didn’t like this book, and I apologize to those who loved it because I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy it.

I received an arc from Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.

#TheLostPassenger #NetGalley

This book surpassed my expectations. I loved reading about Elinor’s struggle to have those around her to see her as being a loving and caring mother, who is valid and capable of making choices best for herself and her child. This book truly puts into perspective how little advocacy woman had in marriages in the early 1900’s. Elinor to readers today comes off as a saine strong woman who only wants what is best for herself and her child. And I am proud of her that she is willing to leave everything behind to make sure he has the life that she wants for him. This story is beautiful, and poignant and a testament to a woman willing to do anything to protect her child, even start over with nothing in her pocket.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Ballantine and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I was intrigued by this book because it is centered around the titanic, plus all my instagram friends who have been using netgalley for years have been giving it high praise. I trust these friends to know what is a good read because we generally have the same tastes. I am so thrilled to say I was not dissapointed! Elinor was the perfect example of a woman who would go to the ends of the earth to protect her child. My heart broke for her over the way her husbands family treated her. She just wanted to see her kid! She found the courage to leave everything behind to start over. She went from riches to rags and made the most of it. When her secret was threatened to be revealed, she got the best revenge!
I will definitely be buying a copy to put on my shelf when it comes out. I will be thinking back on this story for a long time... It was such an amazing read!

I am always slightly anxious when I start to read historical fiction, because it's not my typical genre and I think it won't be an enjoyable read for me. If you are like me, you need not be concerned about that with The Lost Passenger. It had me hooked from the very first page and I enjoyed every second!

Elinor Coombes is a young girl who is tricked into a marriage with a man from an aristocratic family. He is in love with someone else, but his family needs Elinor for her father's (self-made) money. She has a mother-in-law from hell who won't even let her raise her own son! So, when her father offers Elinor and her husband and her son Teddy a trip on the Titanic with him, she seizes the opportunity to spend time with her beloved son and father. When the ship sinks and her husband and father don't survive, she has to make the choice between going back to an unhappy life where she will have to give up guardianship of Teddy to her in-laws or starting a new life in New York where she will have to live as an imposter. It's actually an easy decision, because above all else Elinor wants the best life for her son.

I don't want to give away too much more, but I do want to say that I absolutely LOVED the relationships that Elinor makes when she arrives in New York and the way she adapts to her new life. I couldn't help but root for Elinor as she found strength and confidence in herself and builds a happy life for her and her son.

Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The expected publication date is February 25, 2025.

Elinor comes from new money and enters into what she thinks is a fairy tale marriage, but her dream is shattered when she finds her husband and his family are only after her money. I must admit this part of the book was not particularly enjoyable. It felt more like a template romance than a historical novel. However, I persevered and was glad I did because once Elinor was on the Titanic and her "escape" plan started to form things got interesting. The details of the Titanic voyage were riveting and once she arrives in New York I became fully engaged by her deception and need to adapt to a new identity. All was wrapped up tidily with a happy ending.

4.5*
How far would you go to keep your child safe? Is lying and hiding the truth justified?
These are some of the questions you will be left with at the end of The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction story surrounding the time of the sinking of the Titanic!! It was the most engaging book on the topic I have read.

I was initially disappointed when I began to read and discovered that the story spends more time on character's lives before and after the sinking of the Titanic instead of the actual event but I became invested in the characters and how their lives would change and evolve. There is also an air of mystery and suspense that kept me reading as I did not know how the author would resolve things.

👍If you like:

⚓ historical fiction
⚓character growth
⚓lots of classic literature references, especially Jane Austen
⚓Titanic stories
⚓the resilience of a mother
⚓found family
⚓forgiveness

give this one a go!

This has just a couple occurrences of 🤬and 🌶️.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this one!

As horrible as the tragedy of the Titanic is, it provides Elinor an opportunity for a new life. When she married above her social class she naively assumed it was a love match. But when the realities of aristocratic English life become her reality, she realizes how powerless she is, even when it comes to raising her son. She is excited when given the opportunity to ride on the Titanic to have a few weeks to spend more time with her son. But when the ship sinks, and she loses her husband and father, she realizes she has an opportunity to create a new life in New York! But that opportunity comes at a cost. And will she be able to get away with it? Will her in-laws find out their heir is still alive?
This was an interesting story of resilience, ingenuity, perseverance, and found family. Although the Titanic is obviously a major plot point, it doesn't focus heavily on the trip and sinking, but more so on Elinor's life afterwards and how she survives and thrives. There are some heartfelt plot points about grief and loss and overcoming trauma as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and stories of strong women characters!
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the free advanced copy in exchange for my review!
#NetGalley #TheLostPassenger

The strict social tiers of early 20th century England prevent Elinor from realizing her dream of running her father’s successful business. Instead, she must marry an engaging aristocrat who sweeps her off her feet. It isn’t until after the wedding g that she discovers his true nature and the fact that his interest is only her father’s money.
A strange wedding present from her father, tickets on the luxury liner Titanic, offers her a respite. When the ship goes down and Elinor survives, she grabs at a chance to change her fortune by adopting another woman’s identity. She and her son learn to survive in an unfamiliar and rugged environment. That is, until a chance encounter with someone from her past forces her to do whatever it takes to keep herself and her son safe.
There was a passing similarity to the movie Titanic, especially in the shipboard environment, and, of course, Elinor’s appropriation of an other’s identity.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it for it’s story and historical content.

Elinor Coombes, daughter of a self-made millionaire in England is thrilled to be swept off her feet by a real English lord. After a whirlwind courtship and wedding, she quickly becomes pregnant. Elinor is initially thrilled, but soon concludes that she was only desirable because of the magnificent dowry she brought to repair the castle and prop up the family fortunes. Her husband admits he is, and always was in love with another woman. Elinor realizes the woman is the only who has befriended her. She sinks into a depressed state, especially when she is told that she will only see her son twenty minutes a day and he will be sent to boarding school at age seven. Even if something happens to her husband, it is his parents, not Elinor, who will have custody and make decisions for their son.

The only thing Elinor is looking forward to is a trip with her own father. Her husband and son, as well as a servant to help care for Teddy are all scheduled to sail to America on the Titanic. As they are boarding the ship, their servant refuses to go, Another passenger, a young woman in steerage class, overhears the attempts to get her to stay and volunteers to care for Teddy. Elinor and Molly Mortimer hit it off quickly and confide in one another. Molly is to live with distant relatives that she has never met. Elinor is greatly enjoying the voyage, taking the opportunity to spend time with her son and father as well as making a friend of Molly. Until the evening of April 14th. The unsinkable ship has hit an iceberg and is going down quickly. Elinor's father and husband get her and Teddy on a lifeboat while Molly returns to her cabin for her savings. When the lifeboat is cut free, Molly hasn't returned. Molly and her fellow passengers watch the boat sink and spend the long, dark, cold night listening to the cries of those in the water dwindle away. After being rescued by the Carpathia, Elinor realizes her father, husband, and Molly are all gone.

Knowing she will be required to turn her son over to his grandparents and that her father has left his company to his employees, Elinor decides to assume Molly's identity. She learns quickly and is able to convince most of the family that she is their cousin. But her secret is threatened by another survivor who recognizes her.

Similar to other stories about people assuming someone else's identity after a disaster, the author still provides a fascinating story of what people can and will do when faced with horrible circumstances and decisions.