*Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing|Ballantine, for providing me with ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

Since I saw the movie when I was younger, Titanic has captivated me. I even wrote a research paper on the subject in high school. One of the things that drew my attention was that part of the story would take place aboard Titanic. I had assumed that the story would take more place aboard than it did, which surprised me. However, this did not stop me from enjoying the novel. The Lost Passenger is one book that makes you ponder every time you put it down. I enjoyed how detailed the book was on Elinor's journey. Every page will leave you wondering what will happen to Elinor next and if she will be discovered. Most of the plot was fantastic, although the first part of the book moved more slowly than the second. Once Elinor was rescued from Titanic , the story picked up, and I had trouble putting the book down.

I enjoyed sections of the first half of the novel, but there wasn't as much action. Plus, I couldn’t seem to connect with some of the characters. In the second part of the novel, I was on the edge of my seat, unable to get enough of the story and the characters. I was concerned for Elinor when she decided to use another woman's name; I was scared that she would be discovered, and if she were, it would not end well for her. Once she created a bond with others, I knew it would be harder for her to tell others the truth. It made me worry about Elinor's future. I loved most of the characters and the setting; I felt the novel transformed me there.

My favorite aspect of the novel was the character development, particularly Elinor's. It was as if she turned into a completely different person. When I picked up the book, I expected more romance, but The Lost Passenger is a story about family, survival, courage, and redemption. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans!

THE LOST PASSENGER is the U.S. debut of acclaimed British novelist, Frances Quinn. It is an intriguing and engrossing historical novel about a young mother and the life she creates for her two-year-old son in New York after surviving the tragic sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. When the story begins, Elinor Hayward is the nineteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy Manchester mill owner known as “the cotton king” who has made his fortune by his hard work and business acumen. When father and daughter are unexpectedly invited to a ball at Winterton, the home of an aristocratic English family nearby, they have no idea that Lord and Lady Storton have an ulterior motive for introducing their son Frederick to Elinor. After a whirlwind engagement and wedding, Elinor learns that Frederick only married her for her father’s money. When she gives birth to her son and future heir, Teddy, Elinor is kept from her baby’s life while his grandparents mold him into a clone of their own son. Miserable, Elinor jumps at the chance to travel with her husband, son and father on the maiden voyage of Titanic. But when the ship goes down, Elinor makes a desperate choice for herself and her son – to assume the name of a woman who perished and make a new life for herself with that woman’s family in New York. What follows is the amazing story of everything Elinor must do to survive and keep her identity a secret. I really enjoyed this thought-provoking and emotional story of a mother’s love for her child and the bond of found family. Highly recommended! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Elinor Haywood, the daughter of Manchester, England's "cotton king," is a romantic. She thought she had discovered true love with Fredrick Coombes, a charming aristocrat. However, she learns too late that to her new husband and his family, she is merely a source of a large inheritance from her father's fortune as money is needed for their decaying castle and estate. Elinor's father secures tickets for the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic for himself, Elinor, Fredrick, and their young son Teddy, along with a valet and maid. Elinor finds a way to assume a new identity as the ship sinks. She goes to Manhattan's Lower East Side to start a new life. Can she and Teddy conceal their true identities forever?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 by Frances Quinn was an enjoyable book. It started as a Jane Austen-style tale, featuring a woman trapped under the scrutiny of a spiteful mother-in-law. Following the Titanic drama, the story becomes even more captivating as Elinor reinvents herself in New York City, striving to maintain her secret while learning to survive for the first time while living in close quarters. This is a fast-paced, engaging story about a resilient woman. 

4,25 stars.

Elinor Coombes, daughter to England’s cotton king, finds herself marrying into one of England’s titled families. It’s not until after the wedding that she discovers this was not a love match and but rather she was chosen for her father’s wealth. She must quickly fall in line with many rigid social rules including limiting her time with her newborn son to only moments per day. It’s not until a fateful maiden voyage on the Titanic what disaster strikes that she is able to change her life.

This is a beautifully written novel that immerses you into the years before and after the fateful night of April 15, 1912 when the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic. Quinn’s descriptive prose and thorough research creates an amazing sense of time and place. This coming of age story from riches to rags was both unique and thought provoking. I loved the strong female story line that this book became in the end. Overall a great historical fiction novel.

I wasn't sure where this book was headed, but I went along for the ride. It turned out to be an interesting ride. Elinor is a naive, very rich woman, her father being in trade. When a young handsome aristocrat courts her, she is quite overwhelmed. She quickly learns he married her for her money and loves someone else.
She produces the requisite heir and soon learns she is not expected to raise him, but is allowed to spend a few minutes a day with him, and he will be shipped off to school at age 7.
She is appalled at this, and by how her mother in law treats her.
When her father invites the couple and their son on a trip to America, she is excited, her husband is not but knows he must pretend to be happy so agrees. We find out they are to sale on the Titanic.
Quinn does an excellent job of describing the lifestyle Elinor is expected to lead, as well as life aboard the Titanic.
It is not a spoiler to say Elinor and her son Teddy survive, and the rest of the book is a wonderful depiction of their life in New York. There is a character who also discusses what it is like to be a survivor and how the nightmares plague him. Elinor also has nightmares and is afraid of the sea. There are a couple of scenes of suspense, which highlight how Elinor has come into her own. There is a lovely epilogue.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. These are my honest opinions.

HE LOST PASSENGER by Frances Quinn is a work of historical fiction set primarily from 1910 to 1916 and features a young woman named Elinor Hayward whose father, a self-made man, is known in the Manchester area of England as the "cotton king." After a brief courtship, Elinor marries a local aristocrat, Frederick Coombes. She learns too late that the Coombes family wanted her money for their estate and the only way she can stay in their good graces and have time with their heir, her young son Teddy, is to submit to disheartening efforts to mold her in their image. Thus, she is excited for the brief respite of a trip with her father, Frederick, and Teddy on the Titanic's maiden voyage. That disaster, confusion, and huge loss of life give Elinor and Teddy a chance to disappear in New York and "find" a new family amongst the diverse immigrants there as Elinor assumes a new identity and learns new survival skills. [Swedish proverb: "You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can stop them from nesting in your hair."] THE LOST PASSENGER, billed as "the U.S. debut of an acclaimed British novelist," made me think about another British author, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and her Harte family saga which began with the publication of A Woman of Substance over 45 years ago in 1979. That title is also a captivating story of a young, resilient woman who takes advantages of opportunities and makes a new life for herself.

I enjoyed this book even more than I expected to! I'm not sure why I don't read more historical fiction, because I always enjoy it when I pick it up and learn something new along the way. This one gave me a deeper understanding of the events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic (which I don't think I've read about in a fiction book before). It is important to note that this book is about so much more than the sinking of the Titanic though - that is only a small part of the book. Quinn did a great job of developing her characters and her plot, and I love how the characters changed as their life circumstances changed. The author also did an excellent job of creating the backdrops and scenes throughout the book. Definitely recommend if you are in the market for a solid historical fiction read!

I enjoyed this story that takes place with the Titanic in the forefront. A tale of a woman who married into British aristocracy but finds herself in a loveless marriage. Subjected to overbearing in-laws who try to mold her into acceptable ton material and take charge over her life. To the tune of taking custody of her young son should her husband succumb to an untimely death. Threatened with this future, as a survivor of the Titanic, Elinor chooses to take on the identity of her maid Molly to hide in America and embrace a new life. Elinor would do anything to protect her son, Teddy. But she is still in danger of discovery. Interesting historical fiction story. Many thanks to #netgalley, #thelostpassenger for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC of The Lost Passenger. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first historical fiction novel based on the Titanic.
I have never seen the movie. I think I am the only one.

Life as an "upperclass" lady is not all it's cracked up to be. Poor Elinor finds out the hard way when she is tricked into marriage and faces the horrible reality of what her husband really thinks of her.
Fast forward to that fateful Titanic crossing and Elinor is given an impossible choice.
Return home to her husband's family or start fresh with a "borrowed" name.

This is a heartbreaking story of the consequences of making bad choices when put into an unthinkable situation. I commend Elinor for all she does to make the right choices for her and her son.

It will make you angry and sad at the same time regarding the treatment of women in the early 1900s

This book started very slowly and I almost didn't continue, but I am SOOO glad I pushed through. Elinor's the daughter of the cotton king. She discovered after getting married, that her marriage to an aristocratic English family was all for money, not for love. She is forced to follow her new family's social rules, unable to spend more than a limited amount of time a day with her son and lives a very lonely existence. When her father sends her tickets for the Titanic, she jumps at the opportunity to have a break from her husband's family. When Elinor and her son, Teddy, are the only survivors from her family, she jumps at the opportunity to start a new life in New York City. She struggles to find her footing in this new country and figure out a way to keep her secret (and her son) safe. The research was incredibly well done. The characters were well developed, interesting and dynamic. I truly enjoyed this book, despite the first 25% moving too slowly. The pace picks up and moves along perfectly. A great read for anyone.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This was a beautiful historical fiction novel. I loved the characters and the setting. We follow young Elinor as she is somewhat "tricked" into a marriage to an aristocrat, forever changing what she thought would be her future. She boards the titanic with her son, father, and husband, and is faced with a choice after the ship sinks. I loved this book!

Thank you to Random House Publishing/ Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn is a historical fiction based on, yes, the Titanic. The premise is a mother, Elinor, uses the sinking of the Titanic as the impetus to completely change her life and that of her son. With sweeping descriptions of the English aristocracy set against the trauma of the Titanic’s sinking as well as the bright swell of opportunity that New York City brings, this novel grasps hard to the moral that only you can set the course for your own successes.
4 stars, excellent writing!

They had me at "Titanic." That particular ship continues to fascinate and entice me to read books I might not have noticed otherwise. This was an engaging historical drama.

Here are four things I liked:
🤩Elinor is star-struck about romance. Her marriage is a disappointment and the trip on the Titanic will give her more time with her son and her dear father.
🚢The Titanic and its sinking is a significant piece of the plot. I found Elinor's description of her lifeboat experience to be a haunting piece of the narrative.
🍎Starting over in the Big Apple is not easy. I loved the slice-of-life view of the Lower East side that we get through Elinor/Molly's eyes.
👗Elinor grows up as the daughter of the King of Cotton. How will the skills she honed at the mill fuel her pursuit of the American Dream?

While this was not what I expected, I did enjoy this read very much. Elinor's commitment to caring for Teddy was a constant motivation to do hard things. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good book! The sinking of the Titanic was a horrific night that leaves Elinor with nightmares. But she soon learns that she'll do anything to protect her child, and that you don't have to be related to people to create a family.

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.