Mrs. Wallenberg

by J. Michael Dolan

In his latest Holocaust novel, Dolan heats up one of the great adventure tales of all time by unearthing a scorching love affair long hidden. History and sex... in its pages he promises you'll learn things about both you never knew.

The year is 1944, the place Budapest during the Nazi slaughter of Hungary's Jews. Stockholm rushes the thirty-two-year-old Swedish envoy Raoul Wallenberg to the city on a desperate mission to try and slow the carnage.

His compassionate courage lights a fire in a young interpreter at his country's embassy, the as feisty as she is gorgeous Berber Smit. Fifty years after events, it's she who narrates the book.

Soon both are as in love and lust as an NC-17 Romeo and Juliet, but their idyll is tarnished by the mounting danger Raoul faces from the SS murderers. Berber can only pray the liberating Russians fight their way to Budapest before the lovers' dream of a future together is shattered.

Ironically, when it does show, the Red Army hatches a calamity the pair have failed to foresee, propelling her on a life-threatening mission of her own...

If you're the kind of reader who likes a rousing historical thriller intelligently told; a romance peppered with sex as sex could be, should be; a scrappy heroine boasting the brains to match her beauty---don't walk to get your copy of Mrs. Wallenberg, run! As Berber herself says in its opening sentence, "Here's a story you won't soon be forgetting."

***

"A tasty brew of uncensored love, deepest emotion, white-knuckle suspense, characters as alive as you and I, Mrs. Wallenberg is historical-fiction tea steeped to perfection. After but a few pages you'll be wanting it never to end." ---- The Book Commentary

300 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2025

About the author

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Amazon author page: https://author.amazon.com/home?locale...
Amazon sales page: https://a.co/d/f0eEPYS

I've led an unorthodox life, you might even say a strange one. So prepare yourself for an unorthodox author bio...
(To read the rest, scroll to the bottom of my Amazon sales page).


"A tasty brew of uncensored romance, deepest emotion, white-knuckle suspense, characters as alive as you and I, Mrs. Wallenberg is historical-fiction tea steeped to perfection."
---The Book Commentary

"As moving as Schindler's List, horrific as Son of Saul, heroic as The Grey Zone... The Trumpets of Jericho is an adventure destined itself for the silver screen." ---Raja-Rao Literary Endowment

Reviews

[Ruffina Os · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. Michael Dolan’s Mrs. Wallenberg is a thrilling Holocaust romance that vividly reconstructs Budapest’s painful experience during the Holocaust, 1943-44. The story follows Berber Smit, a talented interpreter caught between the brutality of war and her burgeoning relationship with the enigmatic Raoul Wallenberg, a diplomat who rescued thousands of Jews. Dolan explores themes of moral courage, love, and the human capacity for hope in the face of unimaginable circumstances. The characters are vividly drawn—Berber’s vivacity and strength contrast sharply with the darkness surrounding her, while Wallenberg emerges as a complex hero driven by compassion and moral conviction. The novel’s historical setting is meticulously detailed, capturing Budapest’s shifting political landscape, Nazi atrocities, and the intricate web of espionage and diplomacy. Dolan writes about sacrifice, loyalty, and redemption in a narrative that is both emotionally intense and intellectually compelling. The novel challenges readers to reflect on the moral choices individuals face during times of crisis, emphasizing that even in the darkest moments, love and heroism can shine through.

[Christian Sia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Wallenberg by J. Michael Dolan is a richly textured novel that combines the brutality of the Holocaust with a heartfelt romance set in wartime Budapest. The narrative follows Berber Smit, a multilingual Dutch woman, as she becomes entangled in the clandestine efforts to save Hungarian Jews, intersecting with the legendary diplomat Raoul Wallenberg. Dolan explores themes of moral integrity, love, and sacrifice, set against a vividly depicted historical backdrop of Nazi occupation, anti-Semitic laws, and espionage. The characters are intricately developed—Berber’s resilience and wit underpin her journey, while Wallenberg’s moral strength and complexity shine through. The novel’s historical setting is brought to life through detailed descriptions of Budapest’s streets, political upheavals, and the harrowing realities faced by Jews and resistance fighters alike. Dolan examines themes of redemption, moral courage, and the human capacity to choose love in the face of evil. His nuanced storytelling prompts reflection on the ethical complexities of wartime, illustrating that heroism often coexists with great personal sacrifice.