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THE DISOWNED DAUGHTER: A Cypriot girl's plight to marry for love by breaking tradition

In contrast to her five older sisters, who all entered into arranged marriages to Greek or Cypriot men, Dora Loizou dreamt of falling in love and marrying the man of her dreams. She wanted the chance to choose her own future, but she was born and raised in a strict Cypriot household, where her lot in life was to marry a Greek man she didn't know, settle down and have children.

What would happen if Dora fell in love with a non-Greek man and opted to marry outside her culture? The shock to her parents, the shame this would bring to their untainted family name. The constraints of her upbringing clashed with her newfound independence, igniting a struggle within her.

Dora's journey was not without challenges, drama, and heartache, yet she blazed a trail for future generations within her family, proving that cultural traditions need not dictate one's path to happiness and fulfilment.

155 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 14, 2023

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Dora De Laat

2 books

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Profile Image for Nik I.
13 reviews
July 20, 2026
A heart wrenching story of Dora, the sixth daughter, born into a Cypriot family and raised where she was to marry a Greek man chosen by her family.

This true story follows Dora throughout her upbringing, the differences between her and her school friends, her sisters, her culture, the shame anything else would bring to her family despite her own sense of self. She didn’t want to marry someone she didn’t know, have his children, she wanted to forge her own lot in life.

She had a job she loved, friends she enjoyed, and met a man she couldn’t be without. A lot of drama and heartache was ahead of Dora as she pursued her own beliefs and loves, hoping her family could accept her beliefs in her quest for a lifetime of happiness.

Now 40 plus years married to Tony, the love of her life, she writes about her devastation and hopelessness in her desire to have everlasting love and happiness.

A heartbreaking book but so worthy of 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review