Most Popular Books by Loretta Ellsworth

Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis. 1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away. Pinned to her dress is a note with her aunt’s address in Paris, and in her arms, a bottle of wine she has been instructed to look after if something happened to her papa. When they are finally gone, the terrified young girl drops the bottle and runs to a neighbor, who puts her on a train to Paris. But when Martine arrives in the city, her aunt is nowhere to be found. Without a place to go, the girl wanders the streets and eventually falls asleep on the doorstep of Hotel Drouot, where Sister Ada finds her and takes her to the abbey, and watches over her. 1990. Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend Henri at Hotel Drouot, now the oldest auction house in Paris. Successfully bidding on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during the Second World War, Henri gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusual—and very valuable—bottle of wine, a quest that will take her back fifty years into the past. . . . A powerful tale of love, war, and family, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an emotionally resonant tale of two women whose fates are intertwined across time. Loretta Ellsworth’s evocative and poignant page-turner will linger in the heart, and make you think about luck, connection, and the meaning of loyalty.

"I remember everything. I can never forget."--Jacket.

A widow’s visit to a storied Iowa ballroom sparks memories of World War II and her fateful decision between true love and duty to her family. Lorraine Kindred’s most cherished memories are of the Surf Ballroom, the place where youth lost themselves to the brassy sounds and magnetic energy of the big band swing, where boys spent their last nights before shipping off to war—and where Lorraine herself was swept away by a star-crossed romance. Returning to the ballroom for the first time in decades, Lorraine enters a dazzling world she thought long vanished. But as the sparkling past comes to life, so does the fateful encounter that forced her to choose between her heart and her duty all those years ago—and Lorraine must face the secret she’s buried ever since. Along the way, she’ll rediscover herself, her passion, and her capacity for resilience. Set during the 1940s and the present and inspired by a real-life ballroom, Loretta Ellsworth’s Stars Over Clear Lake is a moving story of forbidden love, lost love, everlasting love—and self love.

When her Aunt Flo comes to help care for eleven-year-old Evie and her younger sister after their mother''s death, Evie wants nothing to do with her and she is especially uncomfortable with her aunt''s calling of helping prepare bodies for burial.

A runaway seeks Harper Lee for answers Sometimes the things that need to be discovered aren''t so easily found at home. Erin is certain that this is true in her case. A book is all that connects Erin to her mother, who died when she was a baby. But how much can Erin really learn about her mother from a tattered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird? On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Erin decides it''s finally time to find out. And so begins her bus journey from Minnesota to Alabama in search of Harper Lee, the reclusive author of To Kill a Mockingbird. In a novel full of quirky characters, strange coincidences, and on-the-road adventures, In Search of Mockingbirdby Loretta Ellsworth deftly traces a unique voyage of self-discovery, perfect for fans of To Kill a Mockingbirdand Go Set a Watchman. “Light, contemporary quest story . . . Suggest this as a follow-up to Lee''s classic novel.” —Booklist “Erin''s journey of self-discovery gives her the courage to confront her own failings and the maturity to accept her father''s plans to marry. . . . Readers will root for her while reaching for a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird.” —Publishers Weekly "Ellsworth makes Erin''s unlikely coming-of-age trip convincing. Designed to look like an old journal, the story''s searching-for-mother theme should make it especially appealing to older fans of Kate DiCamillo''s Because of Winn Dixie (2000) and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor''s Alice Books. An engaging road trip." -Kirkus Reviews

St. Martin’s Press has established the careers of countless bestselling authors over the years, such as Jonathan Tropper, Dan Brown, Augusten Burroughs, Louise Penny, Lev Grossman, and many more. Find out who is next . . . with St. Martin''s First! The Book of Summer by Michelle Gable, Some Bright Morning, I''ll Fly Away by Alice Anderson, The Atlas of Forgotten Places by Jenny D. Williams, The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson, The Idea of You by Robinne Lee, The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka, The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger, According to A Source by Abby Stern, Stars Over Clear Lake by Loretta Ellsworth.

Tangle-knot is not a word, but it is Fia’s hair. And Fia thinks it’s perfect, which is why she refuses to brush it, even though her mom always complains it’s a mess. In fact, it’s more than a mess—it’s a nest for a mother bird and her three colorful eggs! Fia takes excellent care of her birds and shows off her tangle-knot everywhere she goes, attracting lots of attention. As the spectacle grows, so does Mom’s disapproval. But Fia’s commitment to being herself just might be powerful enough to change her mother’s mind. This whimsical story shines with lighthearted relatability, reminding us that even when our parents just don’t get it, they always want us to be happy.

Uskotko kohtaloon? Kahden eri aikoina eläneen naisen tarinat kietoutuvat yhteen upeassa historiallisessa romaanissa, kun Charlotte alkaa selvittää vanhassa viinipullossa olevan merkinnän alkuperää. Juutalainen pikkutyttö, Martine, pakenee Pariisiin vuonna 1942. Hän saa taloudelliseksi turvakseen viinipullon isältään mutta hukkaa sen paetessaan. Pariisissa 1990 lentokapteeni Charlotte saa käsiinsä viinipullon, joka osoittautuu erittäin arvokkaaksi. Charlotte kiinnostuu pullon alkuperästä ja päättää selvittää, kenelle pullo oikeasti kuuluu. Dramaattiset käänteet pitävät lukijan otteessaan viinipullon johdattaessa vuosikymmenten jälkeen Charlotten yllättävään seikkailuun. Viininviljelijän tytär on kirja viineistä, natsien varkauksista, juutalaislapsen kohtalosta, vastarintaliikkeestä ja feminismistä 1990-luvulla. Se on nautinnollinen yhdistelmä jännitystä, romantiikkaa ja historiaa. Loretta Ellsworth on palkittu yhdysvaltalainen kirjailija, joka on kirjoittanut niin aikuisten kuin lasten- ja nuortenkirjojakin. Aiemmin espanjanopettajana työskennellyt Ellsworth asuu perheensä kanssa Lakevillen kaupungissa Minnesotassa.

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.

For fans of Gabrielle Zevin and Lurlene McDaniel, In a Heartbeat explores the ties of family and the weight of regret when a mistake costs Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition. Left in the afterlife, reflecting on what she could have done differently, Eagan''s still-beating heart is given to Amelia who has been waiting patiently for a transplant. When their thought, feelings, and dreams begin to mysteriously overlap, Amelia knows she must search for Eagan''s family and find a way to give them all the closure they need move on. Praise for In a Heartbeat: "[A] dramatic story of loss and second chances. . . a highly satisfying read." -Booklist "Readers will likely come away teary-eyed and inspired." -Publishers Weekly