The Jilted Countess Book Review

Synopsis

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.

REVIEW

I really appreciated how real this story felt. Not just because The Jilted Countess is based on a true story, but because it feels as though it captures life as it actually could have been—during the war and particularly in its aftermath, in both Europe and the United States—without necessarily being overly detailed, and I liked the honesty.

Roza’s arc (and Finn’s as well) was really interesting to me. There were moments I deeply sympathized with her, and others where I was frustrated or disappointed by her choices. But that’s kind of the point, I think. She felt human. The characters struggle, sit in their feelings, make mistakes, and slowly figure things out, rather than magically becoming better people overnight.

Is it a perfect book? No. I do wish we’d gotten more time with the main relationship once things began to settle, just to see how it really took shape. Still, it was a compelling, engrossing read with an interesting cast of characters, and one I’m glad I picked up.

Thanks to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy for review!

Expected publication date is 13 January 2026.