I am not big on historical fiction, but requested this one because of my fascination with the Titanic. I enjoyed this entire story way more than I expected! I absolutely loved the ending!!

The Lost Passenger
By Frances Quinn

This is an entertaining story on its face – but with a deeper message about what really matters in life. It is the story of Elinor Hayward, the only child of a self-made millionaire known as the cotton king. Elinor has been brought up by her father to know the ins and outs of his empire – which, under the societal more in England at the time, Elinor would never be able to inherit and run, being female.

As the story begins, Elinor is introduced to Frederick Coombes, the heir to a title and a mansion – but in need of an influx of cash to save his inheritance. Elinor is naïve and doesn't realize that the speedy courtship and marriage are only for Frederick to get his hands on her money, not for love.

It does not take long before the truth comes out. Elinor is devastated to realize that Frederick is in love with another woman, but she is pregnant and cannot escape the Coombes family, who look down on her and treat her badly. When Teddy is born, Frederick's mother shuts Elinor out of Teddy's life as much as possible. Elinor is desperately unhappy.

Elinor's father, fulfilling a promise, buys tickets for Elinor, Frederick, Teddy, and himself on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As we all know, the Titanic sinks – and only Elinor and Teddy survive.

As the survivors arrive in New York, Elinor makes a flash decision to assume the identity of a poor young woman (Molly) who has perished – not to return to her previous privileged life. When Molly's extended family meet her at the pier, they accept her and Teddy and take her in. Over time Elinor becomes the person that Molly would have been – but the spectre of discovery hangs over her.

Though poor, the family grows to love "Molly" and Teddy, and the love is reciprocated. But Elinor has never told them the truth about who she is. What happens when her new life is threatened brings about the climax of the story.

I enjoyed this book – watching both Elinor and Teddy grow into their new life. I especially liked the final chapter (1951) which tied the whole story together.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Elinor was tricked into a marriage of convenience. Her new family obtained her family's money, and her potential children would be given titles. A first born son would inherit centuries old family estate of her new husband.

Elinor's freedom is stifled while she learns to live under the rules of the old money wealthy. This is especially true after she gives birth to Edward ("Teddy"), the much anticipated heir her in-laws have been anticipating. She is allowed to see Edward for only 20 minutes each day. To make matters worse, Edward is to be shipped off to boarding school at age seven. If Edward's father were to die, his paternal grandparents rather than Elinor would be his legal guardians.

Elinor's father buys tickets for the Titanic's sailing for Elinor, her husband, and Edward. When Elinor's maid/nanny quit working at the dock, they almost didn't board the ship. A nearby woman, Molly, saves the day by stepping up and offering to work as a maid and nanny.

When the ship sank, Elinor and Edward were the only two survivors of their traveling party.

To avoid losing her son, Elinor took the identity of Molly who was to meet relatives she's never seen in New York. "Molly" and "Teddy" were embraced by Molly's family, and Elinor must keep up the lie that they are not who they say they are. She struggles with living this lie and lives in fear of being discovered. Is it best to come clean before she is outed? Trouble does strike!

Although Elinor did lie, I was rooting for her throughout the story.

I received a free copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

There's a huge amount of tension in the story and I found myself holding my breath wondering what was coming next! I can't recommend this book highly enough to anyone who likes historical romance.

4.5/5⭐️ A captivating historical fiction tale that is not to be missed. The prose is superb and immersive, I was effortlessly tugged into the early 20th century timeline. I admire how the author carefully crafted each scene and transition, sprinkled with clever literary references throughout. Elinor’s suffocation in the life she didn’t want followed by the freedom she longed for was palpable, and I felt uncomfortable alongside her as she made tough decisions and faced struggles and conflicts. At first glance some chapters may seem slow, but every detail contributes to the plot and was written with deep research and precision. This story serves as a reminder of how misogyny transcends generations and while Elinor lived more than 100 years ago, modern women facing modern misogyny can likely relate. There are many Frederick and George characters alive and well today, but more importantly, there are many women like Elinor who prevail. These men won’t linger in your mind like she will. The overarching theme of hope ties the plot and characters together in a beautiful bow. While the Titanic is central to the novel, the author does an amazing job of balancing the images of the ship and the tragic history that we all know with this unique storyline. America was and still is a land of opportunity for many looking for a better life, whatever that may be.

"The Lost Passenger" by Frances Quinn is a captivating read for fans of early 20th century historic fiction. Quinn delves deep into the characters' backstories, providing rich context and depth. However, that means it took quite a while to get to the Titanic—almost 45% of the book is spent setting the stage. While the extensive backstory adds layers to the narrative, the ending feels somewhat rushed in comparison. Despite this, the book is a compelling journey that keeps you engaged throughout. I definitely recommended!

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is like getting on a train expecting a thrilling ride, only to realize midway that you might have taken the scenic route by accident. The premise is solid—mystery, suspense, secrets—but some of the twists are easier to spot than a neon sign at a train station.

The atmosphere is eerie, and the tension builds nicely, but there are moments where the plot meanders like a lost tourist with a bad map. Still, if you enjoy a slow-burn mystery with psychological intrigue, this one might be worth the ride—just don’t expect express service to jaw-dropping revelations. I found myself kind of "meh" at times, but I would label this title as enjoyable.

Add me to the list of people who love anything and everything Titanic-related. This book was no exception. I loved the main character, Elinor Coombes, and her determination to make a better life for herself and her son, Teddy. Her story did remind me a little bit of Rose from the movie Titanic and how she called herself a 'poor little rich girl,' but the rest of the story felt fresh and original. I was cheering for her the whole time and loved how this book wrapped up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Reminiscent of Titanic the movie, this read intrigued me at first, but got old by the middle.
The tale of a young woman tricked into believing that her boy loves her. The family she marries into is even worse. Pretty quickly, she finds out he used her, then he drowns on the Titanic's maiden voyage. Him, along with her father and her maid/nanny, who were forced to stay behind on ship. So she takes that as an opportunity to try for a new life rather than return to the "family" back home. She steals her maid's identity to start anew in America. This is about where the book gets less interesting. We follow her journey as she figures out how to make ends meet, then improves her financial state through business knowledge she learned from her father. But alas, the past catches up to her and she must unravel all she's achieved to run from it.
I really wanted to love this one but it just didn't do it for me.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Elinor, the daughter of a wealthy self-made man, is lured into a “story book” romance. She is wooed by and marries the son of an aristocratic English family. She does not realize that the true purpose of the marriage is to provide the money to keep up the estate and for her to provide a male heir to inherit the title.

When her father offers Elinor and her husband and young son the chance to visit America aboard the maiden voyage of the Titanic, she looks forward to the vacation from her unhappy home and controlling in-laws. When the ship sinks, she bravely takes the opportunity to search for a new life.

I loved the book and its adventure. With the advances in modern technology, including communications and DNA testing, would she be able to do the same thing now?

This book is an example of how historical fiction should work. I absolutely devoured this book, in one seating! Elinor was such a refreshing of a character and her story was a delight to read. Not to mention reading about the Titanic! Will be recommending this book to everyone.

4 stars

At first I thought it was a total knock off of the titanic but it was sooo much more than just the story of the Titanic. This was about a woman starting over with a new identity and making a new life for herself. It is a story of bravery and found family. A great historical fiction read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
My typical genre to read is mystery but, at times, I like a good historical fiction...and am very picky about those then.
I absolutely loved this book! The storyline is not the typical Titanic storyline and it made me think how many people possibly took advantage of this horrible disaster to escape from the life they found miserable.
The protagonist is well developed and the storyline built up perfectly. The reader can easily identity with the protagonist's fear and excitement.
This author did an absolutely fantastic job writing this book and I enjoyed reading it immensely! A 5 🌟 read for sure!

The Lost Passenger is a beautifully written, fast-paced historical novel that had me hooked from the first page. Elinor is a strong, compelling character whose journey from English aristocracy to reinvention in America kept me fully engaged.

While the Titanic plays a dramatic role, the real heart of the story is Elinor’s resilience and the life she builds after. Full of tension, transformation, and heart, this is a must-read for fans of historical fiction. Solid 4 stars!

Do you love books about the Titanic? Do you love books with strong female characters? Do you love historical fiction? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then this is a book you will want to move to the top of your list.

Elinor thought she was marrying for love but her husband was marrying for money. His family had status but her family had money. Elinor quickly finds herself in a marriage that feels more like a prison sentence. Her mother-n-law rules the roost and even limits the time that Elinor gets to spend with her son, Teddy, to 20 minutes a day. When Elinor’s father surprises her with tickets for the Titanic's maiden voyage, she sees it as a welcome escape from the rigidness or her life and an opportunity to spend time with her son. When the Titanic goes down, Elinor and Teddy make it to a life raft and then to New York. She seized this opportunity to create a new life using another woman’s name but with nothing but the clothes on their backs, Elinor has to learn to survive on her own. But when another survivor recognizes her, the life she has created may be snatched away from her.

I loved the plot of this story. I wish we had spent a little more time on the Titanic but it served its purpose in the storyline. Although the book has a strong plot, it was very character driven. Character depth and development were excellent. Elinor is such a strong female main character. She is stubborn and opinionated and proud and independent. She has the grit that I love in a female character. I thought the storyline slowed a little in the last half but it still kept my interest. I loved the friendship that developed between Elinor and Ruth. I appreciated the closure I got at the end of the book. I would definitely recommend it to my historical fiction lovers.

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT Frances Quinn!!! It's been a minute since I've read a 5-star novel, but this book earned every one of those stars! What a unique perspective of the sinking of the Titanic Ms. Quinn has presented. The most fascinating part of it all is that I honestly would not even bill this novel as just another "Titanic story." There was SO MUCH more to this novel.

I ran the gamut of emotion as I read this exquisite tale of Elinor Coombes, the daughter of the self-made "Cotton King," who worked for every penny of the wealth he was not born into. We learn that her father's wealth is enough for her new aristocratic husband's elitist family, but not Elinor's less-than-acceptable upbringing and mannerisms. She finds herself in a loveless marriage, in a life where every part of who she is seems to be dictated by her heartless mother-in-law, right down to the infant son she bore that they manage to tear away from her care.

Enter a gift from her father for first-class tickets on the maiden voyage of the Titanic... she is elated to escape the clutch of her in-laws and get some well-deserved time alone with her son. Though you well know the fate of the giant ship, you'll just have to read the novel to find out what happens to Elinor in the aftermath of this tragedy. It's a doozy that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end! I will share that Elinor is full of grit and determination, and each character along the way is so well fleshed out!

And to think I won this novel in a Goodreads giveaway! I hadn't won one in quite a while, so it was really fun to be chosen as a winner! Many thanks to Goodreads and Random House for this remarkable novel! And thank you, NetGalley, for also allowing me to read the gifted e-copy late into the night!

“The Lost Passenger” by Frances Quinn was interesting. I enjoyed the historical detail and research that went into this novel. I love the history around the Titanic and I encourage anyone else who is interested in the Titanic to give this book a try. However, modern sensibilities applied to characters in a historical setting is not my favorite type of fiction. The main character was very naïve for a woman of her social standing during that time period in England. She was shocked and surprised at finding herself in circumstances that she should have seen coming – especially since she was supposed to be an intelligent and savvy businesswoman. The main female character's modern perspective clashed too much with the traditional Edwardian emotions and actions of the other characters, making it difficult for me to finish the story.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Elinor who comes from self made money marries to a man who she believes she finds love and happiness with turns to a nightmare she has to risk
Losing her son or running. So she runs with her son and boards the famous titanic and her life becomes even worse. Surviving and making it to new York her life is nothing it use to be poor and alone she wonders what she did and if she did it right. The ending was super fast and didn’t like what she did.

I love historical fiction love the way she told this story. Good read

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of the The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn.
I love a good Titanic story, and the Lost Passenger didn't disappoint. A tragic story of Elinor, forced to marry and leave behind the world that she loved. Marriage brings abuse and heartache, but also the hope of a child. Elinor steals an identity in the sinking of Titanic, hoping to salvage a future with her child. Frances Quinn creates characters that you want to see overcome obstacles. The premise of the Titanic adds a historical element that grabs the reader.

Elinor is new money but marries into a titled family in the British countryside. When she finds out that her husband married her just for the money to keep his family's estate afloat, she begins to see how constricting and judgmental his family is to her. They constantly remind her that she has no real worth, but when she is kept away from her newborn son, she is desperate to find a way to return to any freedom in her life and spend time with her son. Her businessman father offers to take Elinor, her husband, and their son on the maiden voyage of the Titantic and Elinor jumps at the chance. Fate intervenes and Elinor sees an opportunity to start over with her son away from her husband's family's control, even if it means having no money for the first time in her life and in a new country.

I thought this book would be more tragic and dwell on the Titantic parts, and although it was a major plot point, I thought the author did a great job of using it but not making the entire book sad and desperate. This is a great story with lots of themes- old versus new money, generational power and its scrutiny, truth, hard work, secrets, and loyalty. I switched to audio after struggling to get into this book at first and it was really good that way and I loved where this story went. This one would be a great fit for historical fiction lovers who are tired of reading the same times and places repeatedly.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.