Audio only
Length8h 24m
About this audiobook
“‘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
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.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.1 (641)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon
GenreRomance, General Fiction, Dystopia
Length8 hrs 24 mins
Narrated byCaroline Hewitt
FormatAudiobook
Publish dateJan 13, 2026
LanguageEnglish
More from Loretta Ellsworth
Wishes from the HeartSophie Mays4h 9m4.7 (344)$15 · $0.00
Blizzard ShowdownShirlee McCoy5h 16m4.6 (1.1K)$12 · $0.00
To Hold and ProtectSandra Owens7h 59m4.6 (1.1K)$8 · $0.00
Arctic WitnessHeather Woodhaven5h 46m4.6 (985)$12 · $0.00
Following the TrailLynette Eason6h 35m4.6 (2.3K)$12 · $0.00
Her Duty Bound DefenderSharee Stover6h 30m4.6 (559)$12 · $0.00
Defending from DangerJodie Bailey5h 46m4.6 (588)$24 · $0.00
White HotIlona Andrews13h 18m4.5 (136.9K)$5 · $0.00
Explosive RevengeMaggie K. Black6h 18m4.6 (545)$12 · $0.00
Her Brand of JusticeB.J. Daniels6h 48m4.6 (1.3K)$12 · $0.00
Search And DetectTerri Reed5h 51m4.6 (706)$24 · $0.00
Driving ForceElle James4h 58m4.6 (407)$20 · $0.00
Danger in the WildernessDarlene L. Turner6h 54m4.7 (299)$12 · $0.00
Yukon JusticeDana Mentink6h 15m4.6 (751)$12 · $0.00
The Rogue WarriorCindy Roland Anderson5h 44m4.6 (409)$17 · $0.00
Trail Of ThreatsJessica R. Patch5h 47m4.6 (425)$24 · $0.00
Ironwood, a Fae Universe SeriesAlessa Thorn26h 57m4.6 (835)$30 · $0.00
Ready to ProtectValerie Hansen5h 38m4.6 (981)$24 · $0.00
Searching For EvidenceCarol J. Post6h 21m4.6 (552)$24 · $0.00
New Beginnings at Lullbury BayGeorgia Hill6h 59m4.6 (423)$13 · $0.00
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Demon CopperheadBarbara Kingsolver21h 3m4.5 (949.4K)$46 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
Remarkably Bright CreaturesShelby Van Pelt11h 17m4.4 (1.7M)$29 · $0.00
Black History CollectionFrederick Douglass, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois27h 9m4.6 (2.6K)$18 · $0.00
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
White HotIlona Andrews13h 18m4.5 (136.9K)$5 · $0.00
The Ghost by the Billabong (The Matilda Saga, #5)Jackie French14h 58m4.6 (773)$33 · $0.00
Cast in BloodMichelle Sagara16h 35m4.6 (607)$33 · $0.00
The Captain Blood Trilogy (Annotated)Rafael Sabatini29h 20m4.6 (1K)$3 · $0.00
Ship of the Line (Annotated)Cecil Louis Troughton Smith11h 13m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The George Orwell CollectionGeorge Orwell24h 46m4.5 (14.4K)$12 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 38m4.5 (9.2K)$2 · $0.00
Driving ForceElle James4h 58m4.6 (407)$20 · $0.00
When God Calls the HeartBrian Bird, Michelle Cox3h 24m4.6 (439)$10 · $0.00
Five Little IndiansMichelle Good10h 34m4.5 (64.5K)$29 · $0.00
Lolth's WarriorR. A. Salvatore13h 20m4.6 (2.4K)$33 · $0.00
The Things We Cannot SayKelly Rimmer13h 48m4.5 (359.1K)$33 · $0.00
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisHonoree Fanonne Jeffers29h 49m4.5 (58K)$8 · $0.00
Going PostalTerry Pratchett11h 23m4.5 (189.9K)$29 · $0.00
The Rose CodeKate Quinn16h 2m4.4 (493.7K)$33 · $0.00
My Dear HamiltonStephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie23h 7m4.4 (63.6K)$46 · $0.00
Philip K. Dick: SF Boxed SetPhilip K. Dick29h 38m4.5 (608)$1 · $0.00
The Act of DisappearingNathan Gower12h 23m4.4 (3.4K)$8 · $0.00
The Consequences of FearJacqueline Winspear10h 28m4.4 (26.1K)$29 · $0.00
At the Foot of the Cherry Tree: The bestselling, heart-warming novel based on a true story of forbidden love & heartbreak SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYMOCKS 2023 BOOK OF THE YEARAlli Parker10h 8m4.4 (5.6K)$29 · $0.00
Counting Lost StarsKim van Alkemade13h 55m4.4 (22.7K)$33 · $0.00
The German WifeKelly Rimmer13h 49m4.3 (70.3K)$33 · $0.00
The Tattooist of AuschwitzHeather Morris7h 26m4.3 (1.4M)$24 · $0.00
1984Eric Arthur Blair12h 41m4.3 (6.1M)$1 · $0.00
The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva DenaroViola Ardone8h 57m4.3 (14.7K)$29 · $0.00
The Pearl That Broke Its ShellNadia Hashimi13h 47m4.3 (125.6K)$8 · $0.00
Lord of the SilentElizabeth Peters6h 7m4.3 (14.9K)$24 · $0.00
The Little LiarMitch Albom7h 41m4.3 (122.5K)$26 · $0.00
The Benevolent Society Of Ill-Mannered LadiesAlison Goodman15h 33m4.3 (25.5K)$33 · $0.00
The Flight GirlsNoelle Salazar10h 21m4.3 (49.9K)$29 · $0.00
Scandalous WomenGill Paul10h 46m4.4 (1.5K)$29 · $0.00
Daughters of the OccupationShelly Sanders10h 59m4.3 (5.3K)$29 · $0.00
The Woman in the White KimonoAna Johns11h 55m4.3 (47.1K)$29 · $0.00
The Keeper of Hidden BooksMadeline Martin10h 53m4.3 (42.9K)$29 · $0.00
You may also like
Texas GloryLorraine Heath10h 27m4.2 (6.8K)$29 · $0.00
An Unexpected FamilyZoe Matthews2h 6m4.2 (2.5K) Only with Ultra
A Chance at LoveBeverly Jenkins11h 21m4.4 (2.2K)$29 · $0.00
Yours Truly, the DukeAmelia Grey10h 12m3.7 (1.1K)$20 · $0.00
Sarah, Plain and Tall CollectionPatricia MacLachlan4h 23m4.3 (1.8K)$20 · $0.00
Prize WomenCaroline Lea11h 27m4.0 (1.9K)$29 · $0.00
Highland TreasureLynsay Sands9h 23m4.2 (8.6K)$29 · $0.00
Iowa DestinyZoe Matthews1h 55m4.3 (260) Only with Ultra
TempestBeverly Jenkins9h 17m4.3 (6.1K)$29 · $0.00
The Master Butchers Singing ClubLouise Erdrich16h 44m4.2 (31.6K)$40 · $0.00
Where The Murray River Runs: A 19th century story of greed and love, riveting historical adventure fiction from a bestselling Australian author.Darry Fraser12h 1m4.0 (954)$29 · $0.00
Hardly a GentlemanEloisa James9h 20m4.0 (3.3K)$29 · $0.00
Unbridled Cowboy/Once Upon a CowboyMaisey Yates12h 23m4.0 (2K)$29 · $0.00
Counting on a CountessEva Leigh10h 26m3.7 (1.6K)$29 · $0.00
The PromiseWeisgarber, Ann9h4.0 (14K)Free
Beautiful RuinsJess Walter12h 53m3.8 (528.8K)$33 · $0.00
AmorelleGrace Livingston Hill8h 48m4.2 (574)$1.20 · $0.00
To Marry an HeiressLorraine Heath10h 12m4.0 (2.3K)$29 · $0.00
RestorationRose Tremain12h 59m4.0 (9.6K)$23
The Resettlement of Vesta BlonikDenise Smith Cline11h 3m4.6 (76)$25