A 1950's Heartland Saga

Ok, so I chose this title and listened as a stress reducer hoping to get my mind off all the panic in the news about the global pandemic, school closures, grocery store issues and worldwide upheaval. I thought a visit to the 1950's might be an antidote to current day stress. In many ways it did present life in the slow lane--not free from stress but in the end an upbeat message about coping, growth and moving forward. Overall I enjoyed the writing and the narration and thought they were both good. For me it worked as a distractor and helped to keep my attention away from the constant news updates. No, maybe not super fantastic historic fiction, but a solid story which was good and kept me engaged. Be aware, some swearing ahead so if that bothers you this might not be the book for you. Also, I agree with another reviewer that based on the write up about the book I had expected there to be some madcap humor and silliness. I was a little disappointed because this isn't the case so don't expect a laugh. Still, all in all I enjoyed the book.

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14 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Disappointing

Well, I should have been more attentive to other reviewers. This one was really disappointing, especially for a story that had a lot of potential. The characters were all unsympathetic. The author tried for some humorous bits, but these fell flat. Partly the fault of the narration, which was delivered in a flat, serious tone. Overall, not very good.

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3 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Very Well Written

Typically, I listen to murder mysteries. This was a mystery of another sort. It was written very well with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Had me on my feel the whole time. Well done!

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Just OK

This story could have been told in half the words. It was a good story, just too long in the telling.

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Jealousy....

....seems to be the main thread running through this story . Many of the main players are jealous of those that look better, are wealthier , etc.
The author writes about an area I know well , but the book takes place about a decade before I came into the world.
I liked the story, although a few times when the author flips back and forth in time, sometimes switching characters, it was a bit hard to follow .
None of the characters were likable to me , but it was good enough that i wanted to finish the book to see what happens.
Being from this general area, I found the places and streets familiar, plus the “ news” stories were of quite an interest.
I found one to be true, but couldn’t find verification that the other happened, although it may have and I just can’t locate it. Those parts were probably my favorite.
My only issue with the book is that it’s called small town . The town this took place in is our county seat and the population is probably near 30,000 .. To me, that’s not a small enough town for everyone to know everyone else’s business.

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2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Small Town Gossip

Mildly entertaining sometimes, somewhat repetitious. I felt the recipes, poetry, and nursery rhymes were unnecessary fillers. There was a good hook early on that kept me listening in spite of all that.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

You Can't Judge a Book by its Description

The positive stuff first. Gretchen Berg is a fine writer with a strong dedication to character development. and setting. I clearly felt each character as someone I knew as the events in this story unfolded. It's a cute tale; she has captured the feel of small town Ohio (small town anywhere for those of us from big cities) in the 1950's. I give the author four stars alone for setting and characterization. Sadly, I wanted more from the story. Based on the description, I had been expecting something more madcap and out of control hilarious. What I got in return was something whimsical enough to crack a smile here or there but not much more. Ultimately, the experience was something akin to seeing a movie trailer that reveals the most memorable moments, but leaves the remainder a little dry. Kudos to the folks who write the abbreviated book descriptions, however. The teasers are (were) enough for me to give this one a chance. The end result while less than I had envisioned was not a complete disappointment by any means. Unfortunately, I simply wanted more.,

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Entertaining

I listened to this boo on my daily walks while recovering from surgery. It was well written, nostalgic and has a good storyline. I read all sort of novels so as a work for pure entertainment, this one is easy to enjoy.

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An interesting read

Not a bad read and I’m a little surprised at the so-so reviews. Many interesting characters and their interaction hits on many levels. Vivian is an operator who works for Ohio Bell. Working a switchboard in a small Ohio town she and her fellow operators will on more than one occasion listen in on the telephone calls they are processing. During one of these “ease drop“ calls Vivian hears something that will turn her world upside down. Not want to take bad news lying down, Vivian decides she is going to get around, over and under the situation.
The reason for the vendetta that Betty, one of the towns upper crust, has against Vivian will floor you.
I enjoy this read and like the interaction with all of the characters. Vivian felt as though she never really measured up because she did not finish high school due to the depression. Her natural intellect comes to the IV as she “researches“ the situation.
I listen to the audio version of this book and was very impressed with the performance.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

It hooked me!

She sounded a little bit like the AI voice-over in YouTube shorts to me sometimes, but I ended up binging this in a couple days on a Midwest road trip and it made the miles tick by and paired perfectly with my IRL situation. The twists were doled out with just the right cadence and had me thinking about the characters when I wasn’t listening. Some nice use of historical events as seen through the eyes of the characters and the jumping back and forth in time was on point.

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