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by Loretta Ellsworth
In the aftermath of World War II, a young Hungarian émigré jilted by a G.I. persuades a Midwestern newspaper editor to help her find an American husband in this poignant novel, based on a true story, from the author of The French Winemaker's Daughter.
The war stole Roza Meszaros's dreams of becoming a ballerina and her aristocratic family's fortune. But the penniless Hungarian countess's fate takes a hopeful turn when she meets an American soldier named Joe, who promises to marry her and take her to the States. After two years of waiting to obtain the necessary money and paperwork to emigrate, Roza finally arrives in Minnesota—and discovers Joe has married someone else.
Determined to stay in America, Roza turns to popular newspaper columnist Cedric Adams to help her find a suitable husband. Sharing Roza's story and her picture, Adams makes a special plea to his military readers. The response is overwhelming—nearly 1,800 World War II veterans bombard the paper's offices with telegrams, flowers, candy, and cash, "a world-record" for marriage proposals, Adams tells Roza.
Like a 1948 version of The Bachelorette, Roza ultimately chooses Finn Erickson, a former soldier and railroad locomotive engineer. Putting aside her romantic ideals, she and her new husband settle into the small riverside town of Red Wing, Minnesota. But when Roza unexpectedly runs into her former fiancé, things quickly become complicated.
A captivating and unusual tale of love, loss, finding yourself, and creating your destiny, The Jilted Countess examines the meaning of marriage, the American dream, and what it takes to face our demons while searching for happiness.
"Inspired by a true story, the engrossing latest from Ellsworth centers a Hungarian émigré left in the lurch by her American soldier fiancé in post-WWII Minnesota...The author enriches the drama with frequent contrasts between war-torn Europe and the idyllic Midwest. Readers will find it easy to root for Ellsworth's strong-willed protagonist." —Publishers Weekly
"This is a curious tale of love, loss, and resilience in the face of heartbreak." —Booklist
"'But who are we, if we forget everything that came before?' Roza wonders in The Jilted Countess. This moving story of one woman finding a new life and new love in the aftermath of WWII answers this question, in the process taking on themes of PTSD, communism, and the plight of being an immigrant in postwar America." —Meg Waite Clayton, internationally bestselling author of Typewriter Beach
"The Jilted Countess is a fascinating and tender tale of new beginnings, finding love in unexpected places, and the path to healing in the aftermath of war. A lovely and immersive read!" —Heather Webb, USA Today and international bestselling author of The Hope Keeper
This information about The Jilted Countess was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Loretta Ellsworth is the author of the historical novels The French Winemaker's Daughter and Stars Over Clear Lake, and five novels for younger readers—Shrouding Woman, In Search of Mockingbird, In a Heartbeat, Unforgettable, and Tangle-Knot. Her books have received many accolades, including Teen's Top Ten, the Midwest Bookseller's Choice Award, Kirkus Critic's Pick, IRA Notable, BBCB Choice, the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award, and the Charlotte Award.
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