Oh my! This is the first book I've read by this author and I can't believe it's taken me so long to discover her. I love dual time line stories. Usually I read them for the past story as I love history but the present day story in this one was very good as well.
There are truly unlikeable characters in both time lines and I never really took to Harriet. She was a bit bland. I
liked Emma in the past even though I could see where her sister Ruby was coming from when she complained about her bossiness.
The parallels between the sisters in the past, the sisters in the present and the sister ships of Olympic, Titanic and Britannic was inspired. The Titanic piece could have overwhelmed the story but was well written and didn't and I learned more about the Britannic that I hadn't heard before.
The past story probably just shaded it for me but a wonderful read over all.

I always enjoy stories about the Titanic era and this one did not disappoint. A book that I could not put down as I became embroiled in the characters lives.
It is very well written encompassing the lives of two generations. Totally different but in actual fact the same .
A different perspective to a Titanic story .

I really enjoyed the start to this story. It really intrigued me to find out why Harriet had never been told about the third sister and kept me glued to the pages! I felt Emma’s excitement when she got the job on board the ship as she really wanted to better her and her families lives.
It was interesting to read the effect Ruby’s behaviour had on the family and other people’s perceptions of them at that time and my heart was beating hard when she got her job on the ship. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I liked how the author worked with feelings and although it was always on the cards you were almost there shouting at the book telling her to listen to her Ma and sister!
It was interesting to read how similar Harriets life was to that of her grandmothers family all those years ago with siblings arguing in both families and someone always stuck in the middle trying to do their best.
I couldn’t put this book down, the story was written well that you could almost imagine being there aswell. I found switching between past and present was a bit confusing at times and in a few places it would’ve flowed well to have two sections separate at times but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and would love to read more by this Author. This was the first I’ve read by her and I look forward to reading more!

I’d like to thank Kathleen McGurl, HQ Stories and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC copy to read and review.

The Lost Sister by Kathleen McGurl is a dual timeline historical fiction novel. The older timeline (from 1911 to 1920) tells the story of the three Higgins sisters - the oldest, Emma, is the responsible one, the middle child is Ruby, who is a wild child, and the youngest is Lily, who was very sickly. The second timeline is set in the current day and tells the story of Harriet, granddaughter of Lily, who has two children of her own, one of whom is estranged from the family. No spoilers, but it is a story of forgiveness as well as love, loss, and second chances. I enjoyed it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It doesn’t happen often, but I have to confess that the ending of this story literally brought tears to my eyes! It is another dual timeline family drama from the author I believe to be the uncrowned Queen of this genre and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Following the death of her much loved husband, Harriet has been encouraged by her eldest daughter to downsize to a smaller property. In preparation for such a move, the two are sorting the contents of her attic when they discover her late grandmother’s travelling trunk which has a photograph of her grandmother with her two sisters in it. Nothing strange about that, you may assume – but Harriet only ever heard about one sister. This sets her off endeavouring to discover more about her ancestors, especially the three sisters. It also rekindles her need to connect with both her brother and her youngest daughter.

This is a story of two lost sisters – one the daughter of Harriet and the other her grandmother’s sister, who Harriet had never heard about. It is a story of sisterhood – and an intriguing look at the three sister ships, the Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. It is a story of broken relationships, interspersed with illness, tragedy, sacrifice and survival in an enthralling read. It has great characters and gives a very different insight into the lives of crew on the iconic ocean liners. There are plenty of twists and surprises in this dramatic, engaging read and I have already warned you to have the tissues handy just in case that emotive ending affects you, too.

Thank you to HQ Digital and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

A beautiful atmospheric story set over a dual timeline. When done well, I love stories that go between the past and present and this one really works. Love the dynamics of the characters, and the setting out at sea. A great mystery.

I thought it was rather brave of the author to take on the story of the White Star liners – everyone is so very familiar with the story of the ill-fated Titanic’s maiden voyage, and I wondered how she could play it into a story and make it fresh and new. But she most certainly manages to do so, with a rather lovely dual time story focusing on two generations of women, tied together by the long hidden secrets of three sisters whose lives are changed by Emma’s decision to sign on as a stewardess on the Olympic. What makes this book fresh and different is its focus on individuals – mothers and daughters, sibling relationships – and a story with a strong central mystery and a series of secrets and connections to be uncovered.

I liked the sense of symmetry between the three sisters, three ships in the historical thread. Emma lives with her mother and two sisters – Lily is the youngest and ailing one, difficult for her to leave behind when she signs on for her big adventure, Ruby the one who’s rather going off the rails having become involved in a rather ill-judged relationship. Emma’s experiences in signing on as a stewardess in Second Class are quite fascinating – the whole signing on process, new friendships, a touch of romance, a very different “staff” perspective on the oceangoing experience, the many demands of the passengers she deals with, all feeling very real and well-researched. But family responsibilities loom large, and her promise to look after the errant Ruby has particularly life-changing impacts.

There is something of a saga feel to the historical story, which will delight many – I’ll admit it wasn’t entirely something I loved, but that’s really just a matter of personal taste and preference. And while the Titanic story might have been a familiar one, I knew very little about the story of the third liner, the Britannic – that was particularly fascinating to discover, as well as providing a few dramatic, nail-biting and emotional moments.

But I was entirely hooked by the contemporary thread – Harriet moving on after the loss of her husband, her decision to downsize, the support of her bossy daughter Sally (who also needs support through her own challenges), the sadness of her estrangement from daughter Davina, the neglect of her relationship with her brother. The clearing of the family home uncovers some surprises – the main one being that her grandmother was one of three sisters rather than the two she was aware of, discovered from a picture found in a forgotten travelling trunk in the attic. Harriet takes a cruise on the Queen Mary 2 with her flamboyant and fun friend Sheila, a nice bit of mirroring of Emma’s earlier voyages: and Sheila also introduces her to the Ancestry website, enabling her to dig a little further into the hidden lives of the three sisters.

The contemporary story isn’t stronger than the historical one, and maintaining the links and resonances between them is something the author manages particularly well, but there were times when I found it more engaging. Harriet was particularly easy to identify with – I empathised with the way she’d neglected her relationship with her brother, really liked the tentative steps towards a reconciliation, and there were aspects to her difficult relationship with her daughter Davina that worked particularly well at an emotional level. And there are quite a few surprises – connected with the story of her grandmother and her sisters, but also stemming from the twists and turns of the contemporary one.

This might not have been my favourite of the author’s books, but I still very much enjoyed it – the family relationships in both timelines, the weaving of present day and sometimes familiar historical background, the moments of emotional impact, the clever use of mirroring. And I read it in a single sitting – the author is always a superb storyteller, effortlessly balancing the contemporary and the historical, making you travel with and believe in her characters, her writing fluent and immensely engaging. A very enjoyable read – and one I’d certainly recommend.

The reader experiences a myriad of emotions reading this dual timeline story. Anger, frustration, heartbreak, and humour all colour the lives of Emma in 1911 and Harriet in 2019. The family relationship dynamics and the diverse personality of the sisters are convincingly written.

The historical aspect is well-researched and comes to life through vibrant characters and vivid use of sensory imagery. This is an absorbing story full of emotion. The two timelines are cleverly interwoven and equally compelling.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A beautifully written novel that had alternating timelines about three sisters and their journeys through life and their descendants lives. I felt it truly a special and thought provoking- life is too short to not renew family relationships.

This book is way more than just a book about the Titanic, which is what first drew me to this read. It was a part of the story, but two other ships from the White Star Line as well as the themes of independence, communication, and family play an important role in the plot as well!

This book also connected the present (2019) with the past (1911-1920) as it’s told beautifully in a dual timeline. It’s a wonderful read that deals with sibling connections and mother/daughter relationships.

Even though this is a women’s fiction/historical fiction book, I don’t want to give too many details away. There are places in the book that reveal some surprises in both the present and the past which made this a one sitting read for me.

An interesting story of the three RMS sisters and three sisters whose lives were based around these ships.
The story cleverly flits from the 1911 /1912 to the present day.
Families, secrets and family breakups is the crux of this book.
I enjoyed the main characters and the history elements that flowed through the book.
A great easy read.

A stunningly written novel of family history, fractured relationships and reconciliation.

Written in dual timeline, half of the story revolves around the present day, where Harriet is discovering her past as she prepares to downsize her house following the loss of her husband.

The second timeline follows the history of Harriet’s ancestors from 1911 and tells the tale of three sisters who each embark on a different life journey which centres around the launch of the Titanic.

The parallels between the timelines are expertly woven by author Kathleen McGurl, with history seemingly repeating itself in future generations for much of the story. The nuanced connection of the three sisters alongside the three White Star ships of the Olympic, the Titanic and the Britannic is a well-worked analogy.

The author has clearly researched the subject matter in considerable depth and the inclusion of Violet Jessop, a well-known survivor from both the Titanic and the Britannic sinkings, adds an additional layer of realism to the plot.

Harrowing in places and heartwarming in others, this is an engrossing read and one not to be missed!

Another excellent Kathleen McGurl book. The dual timeliness was clearly written and never muddled. The story follows the lives of sisters from the same family, separated by 2 generations. The family issues are similar, but circumstances very different, one set in 1912 with the sinking of the Titanic and the White Star ships, the other in 2019.
I will not tell more as I do not want to spoil it for new readers. However I highly recommend the book to loves of women's fiction & historical fiction. I didn't want to finish the story. I'm looking forward to the next book by Kathleen McGurl.

The Lost Sister is another compelling read from author Kathleen McGurl. This is a dual-timeline novel that is so expertly written. I think this author knows how to explore the dynamics of family through many years.

The Lost Sister alternates between 1911 and 3019. I really enjoy the fact that the characters are dealing with similar issues in both timelines. This story explores the struggles of finding purpose and experiencing love, and I love how the two characters connected.

The Lost Sister is powerful. The writing was captivating and the characters were realistic. I enjoyed this so much. I really enjoy Kathleen McGurl’s writing and I look forward to the next novel she writes!

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources For allowing me to join this blog tour. I recieved a free copy of this book to review honestly. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

The Lost Sister is a detailed medium paced story that is easy to follow and well written. The plot is a powerful and emotional rollercoaster and quickly sweeps you along in the compelling and enjoyable journey of The Lost Sister...
I like how McGurl has created an interesting plot by similar dynamics between both timelines. McGurl has researched the subject matter well, especially when it comes to the events that took place on RMS Titanic. McGurl explains in the author's notes how she used the memoir of Violet Jessop, a known survivor of the Titanic and also sailed on the sister ships, RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic, just like Emma...
The character development of The Lost Sister is very good. The characters are likeable, relatable and very realistic. I really enjoyed reading about Emma's experiences. I also enjoyed reading Harriet's point of view, where she looks into her family past and I have a deep sense of empathy towards Harriet's grandson, 6 year old Jerome who is combating Leukemia...
I would recommend reading The Lost Sister to lovers of Historical and Women's Fiction, as it is a captivating and engaging story of coming together on a time of need. The story is moving with sadness and joy...You won't want to put it down!
I look forward to reading more novels by Kathleen McGurl and will be keeping my eyes open for any future books....

What a story! Wow! Highly recommended for the dual-timeline aspect, not to mention the "reality" of interpersonal relationships and just how hard they are and how much time they can sometimes take to repair. Without giving away too much of the story, this is a must-read for anyone who has had strained relationships and longs to see them repaired. The representation of the three ships (Olympic, Titanic, Britannic) alongside the three sisters was moving, heartbreaking, and redeeming all at once. I loved this story - and I went through a number of tissues while reading it. Very well-written and relatable.


Thank you to HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of the story.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

Three sisters. Three sister ships. One heartbreaking story.

Oh my word! THE LOST SISTER is a compelling dual timeline tale with one family at its heart tragically torn apart both in the past and present. Spanning more than 100 years, family dynamics are explored between sisters and the yearning for independence fraying the bonds that hold them all together. Tension is rife within each household plagued by children leaving home, those left behind, duty, obligations, a wealth of misunderstandings, health issues and decidedly strong personalities. And despite the passage of time, while some things change some things remain the same.

Southampton 1911: Ever since she was 4 years old and experienced the ferry crossing to the Isle of Wight, Emma Higgins has had a love for the sea. So when the White Star Line introduces its new liner Olympic and is looking for new staff, Emma leaves her mundane job at a local hotel and signs up as a second class stewardess for the liner's maiden voyage. Excited at the prospect of taking to the sea, she cannot wait to share her news with her mother and two sisters.

As the oldest, Emma has always felt responsible for helping support her family since their father died when she was 14 and they ultimately had to leave the Isle of Wight and return to Southampton. Ma was a seamstress who took in laundry and sewing jobs to keep them going but as her eyesight began to fail, Emma's wages were needed more and more. The middle sister Ruby also worked at the same hotel and when Emma shared her news, instead of being happy for her, she became resentful that she was to be left behind to do Emma's chores as well as her own while her sister lived it up on the high seas. One of the chores was to help their mother with her younger sickly sister Lily who, after a bout of tuberculosis as a young child, has never fully recovered taking ill at oftentimes. Ma and Lily are, of course, thrilled at Emma's new adventure wishing her well and looking forward to her return and all the stories she'll be able to tell. Ruby instead rebelled, staying out most of the night and even taking up with local married man Harry Paine giving her a reputation...as well as her family by association. She refused to be held back by the mundane existence she was living, looking for excitement wherever she could find it.

Emma thoroughly enjoys the maiden voyage to New York on Olympic, making new friends Violet and Mary as well as a potential love interest in Martin. The work was hard but rewarding as she took in the sights and enjoyed the feeling of freedom on the seas. Upon returning home, she was full of stories of her experiences sharing them with her family, although Ruby remained consistent in her absence. Quickly signing on for the next voyage with her new friends, Emma enjoyed life as a stewardess on Olympic. There was even news that two more sister ships were to follow - Titanic and Britannic. Each voyage was about three weeks in duration afterwhich she would be home for another week or two before sailing again.

The following year 1912, Ruby turned 18. So when her relationship with Harry had fallen apart, she was understandably devastated, but decided to follow in her older sister's footsteps and sign on to become a stewardess. Emma made a promise to her Ma that she would look out for her sister so when they went to sign on they were to do so on Olympic. But then Emma spied Martin and while her back was turned, Ruby went and signed on to Titanic. Inevitably, Emma had to change her sign on to Titanic in an attempt to keep her word, much to Ruby's annoyance who was fiercely independent and wanted to go alone.

But as history goes, Titanic never made it to New York...and as fate would have it, neither would Ruby it seemed. Emma was devastated with the downing of Titanic and the loss of so many people. An image that would remain with her forever. She vowed then never to take to the seas again.

2019: Seventy year old Harriet Wilson is clearing out her attic when she comes across an old sea trunk that had been her grandmother's when she worked as a stewardess on Olympic. Believing it to be locked, she is surprised when her daughter Sally unlatches and opens it, revealing a hundred year old memories buried deep within. In the trunk amidst the moth-eaten uniform and her grandparents' wedding photo was another photo she had never seen before. One of three young girls on the cusp of womanhood. Harriet recognises a younger version of her grandmother but the remaining two are strangers. And yet they all look so alike there could be no denying that they are sisters. But her grandmother spoke of only one sister - surely she didn't have another?

Despite the fact that she should be clearing out boxes so she could downsize, Harriet couldn't help but investigate further. With the help of her friend Sheila, the two women check the 1911 census records to establish whether or not there were indeed three sisters. This in turn leads her to sign up to Ancestry.com and begin researching and building her family tree. And when Sheila informs her of an exhibition in Southampton on Titanic, the two women attend and are shocked to discover names they now recognise on both the survivors and the deceased lists. Who'd have thought that Harriet's family was linked to Titanic?

In the midst of Harriet's new interest in genealogy, is her grandson's battle with leukemia and her fifteen year estrangement with younger daughter Davina. Harriet wishes nothing more than to be reunited with her independent wayward daughter and her two granddaughters whom she has never met. But Davina only contacts Harriet on her terms, blocking her number and never revealing where they are. Desperate for just a bit of her daughter, Harriet is resigned to just accepting the snippets that Davina offers. It is all incredibly one-sided and unfair to keep the blame going on for fifteen years...with Harriet's husband going to his grave without ever seeing their youngest daughter again or meeting his two granddaughters.

And then, Sally's son Jerome takes a turn for the worse when the chemotherapy he'd been on didn't work and all that's left now is a bone marrow transplant. So in the midst of all this, Harriet must juggle Sally, Jerome, Davina's sporadic calls, packing up her house, moving to a new one and continuing the journey of her family's past. But will she find all that she is looking for? And can the sins of the past repair those of the present?

An engrossing story from beginning to end, THE LOST SISTER sweeps you away to another time and into the history of Titanic and her two lesser known sisters, Olympic and Britannic. Kathleen McGurl has meticulously researched the history of these liners interspersing them with a fictional tale of three other sisters around the same time. The journey she takes us on is as emotional as it is heartbreaking through her wonderful cast of characters. Her depiction of Titanic's demise was breathtaking as well as poignant as one of the most famous events in history is interwoven with this book's own tragic tale.

In addition, a character featured in this story Violet Jessop was actually a real person who, as a stewardess and later a nurse, did in fact survive the disastrous Titanic and Britannic sinkings, her memoirs posthumously published and influencing McGurl in that which was to become THE LOST SISTER. It brings an essence of reality to the story that some of which that took place within these pages really did happen.

Of the alternating timelines, it is Emma's story I was more captivated with rather than Harriet's although that indeed became interesting the deeper she delved into the past. I found the similarities between Ruby and Davina as frustrating as each other. Both women were strong-willed and fiercely independent refusing to be held back by duty or obligation. I found Ruby's view of Emma to be similar to that of Davina's of Sally - bossy, being the main aspect. Is it because Emma and Sally were the eldest and therefore felt more responsible while Ruby and Davina were the second children and rebelled against conforming to anyone's idea of how they should behave?

Whilst THE LOST SISTER is a powerful tale of tragedy, loss and regrets it also one of reconciliation, hope and forgiveness. Ensure you have a box of tissues handy when reading this because you will need them. And while I did guess a couple of the hidden surprises in this story it didn't alter my opinion of it. My ratings and opinions are based on my overall enjoyment and those that tug at my heartstrings generally win favour without a doubt.

THE LOST SISTER is a beautiful tale that is an enjoyable and easy read with dual timelines that parallel nicely. It is one of those stories that will remain with you long after you have turned the last page.

Recommended for those who love dual timelines. For fans of Lorna Cook, Fiona Valpy, Suzanne Kelman and Suzanne Goldring.

I would like to thank #KathleenMcGurl and #RachelsRandomResources and #HQStories for an ARC of #TheLostSister in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was so interesting and dealt with the Titanic disaster as the First World War. I love Kathleen McGurl’s books they always are a lovely read. I am definitely going to read more of hers especially if they like this one. This had such a happy ending and made me feel very warm inside and slightly tearful. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is a dual timeline novel, telling the story of different generations of the same family in 1911 and the present day. Harriet has just lost her husband and, as she clears out her home in preparation for downsizing, she comes across a trunk that used to belong to her grandmother who worked on cruise ships at the turn of the century. As she goes through the trunk, Harriet finds a photo of her grandmother and her sisters, which leads her to start investigating her family history and uncovering some long buried secrets.

At the same time as looking at her family tree, Harriet is compelled to revaluate her current family relationships. Things are strained with her younger daughter after a terrible mistake years before, and she has lost touch with her brother. There are also concerns with her elder daughter and grandson. As we go through the story, it is clear to see parallels between the story of the three sisters at the turn of the century, and Harriet’s fractured family in the present and Harriet’s growing understanding of her family’s past can help heal wounds going forward.

This is a really beautiful and moving book to read. The author has created some sympathetic and engaging characters in both timelines and I was completely drawn into their lives and fates from the beginning of the book. The narrative switches from chapter to chapter between Harriet in the present day and Emma back in 1911, and it is done effortlessly and seamlessly, whilst still giving each of the women a very clear and distinct voice.

It is clear that Kathleen has done a lot of research for this book. She managed to bring life in 1911 to life and include a lot of small, authentic detail that made me feel like I was really living through those experiences along with Emma. I am a tiny bit obsessed with the story of the Titanic, so I loved reading about it here and Kathleen has done an amazing job of bringing the horror of its sinking to the fore from the perspective of someone who was there. I felt that she had captured what Emma would have been feeling brilliantly, it was really upsetting to read, which is wholly appropriate for the story. It immersed me completely in the era, which is exactly what I am looking for in a historical novel.

Similarly, in the modern day, what Harriet is going through is totally believable and made me very emotional. I shed a few tears as I was going through the book, all too able to relate to her feelings. This is a really great story of love, family and the ties that bind us together in life. It will make you want to gather round everyone you love and give them a massive hug (not until Monday, mind you!) and tell them exactly how you feel because life is short and precarious and family means everything.

A fantastic dual timeline novel with real heart, I highly recommend it.

One of my favourite novels by Kath Mcgurl. Lovely attention to detail and the perfect symetry of the three sisters and the three sister ships. The quest to find out what happened to the mysterious third sister is cleverly done and kept me turning the pages. All in all a delightful story full of mystery and intrigue. Can thoroughly recommend.