THE JILTED COUNTESS by Loretta Ellsworth - Spotlight

 


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.



I was born in Mason City, Iowa, and grew up in a large family of seven children, two parents, and one bathroom.

When I was young, I kept a diary (see below), but I never considered becoming a writer until I had my own four children.

My first book took me two years to write. I juggled writing with my work as a middle-school Spanish teacher, my kids’ soccer games, and lots of family get-togethers.

          other facts about me

  • When I was little, I loved cats.


  • I can’t swim (all those years of lessons wasted).


  • I’ve been in a writer’s group for many years.

  • I’ve never eaten sushi.

  • Favorite book? To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee


  • Favorite old movie? Harvey, with Jimmy Stewart. Favorite line from that movie: “In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years, I was smart. I recommend pleasant.”


  • My childhood diary was filled with boring details. An example: “Had Girl Scouts today and watched Bonanza.” (I watched a lot of Bonanza). But writing in my diary did get me into the habit of writing every day. (A discipline that comes in handy to most writers.) 



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