Vivian Dalton is a switchboard operator who eavesdrops on her callers conversations on a regular basis. One of these eavesdropping sessions upends Vivian's life with a revelation about her family. At times, funny, I could not feel any sympathy for Vivian. She just was not very likable to me, There was a secondary story in this novel about a bank embezzlement in Vivian's town, that I found somewhat confusing, that did not make sense to me until the end of the story.

An enjoyable read that keeps your interest. Who knew Wooster, Ohio in the 50's was a little Peyton Place? A good read.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of The Operator. This is my honest review.

A charming, yet slightly-off read. Having grown up in a small town I could relate to the gossip. I loved the perspective of being an operator and getting the news first. I also enjoyed the wit and plucky traits in the characters. I loved most of all that Vivian and Betty were more alike than they realized and feel each woman who reads will be able to see part of themselves reflected also.

While I did enjoy it, I also felt like it was missing something. I kept reading to get to what Vivian overhears, thinking this was where the story would gain speed and intrigue, however, for me it seemed to fall a bit flat. It wasn’t as big a reveal as I expected, especially given the build-up. If that particular part wasn’t such a hook in the description, I have no doubt I would’ve loved it due to the charm and small town feel!

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.​

I will be honest. I ended up not finishing this one. I tried. It didn't capture my I interest like I was hoping.

This was a fun read.
Especially since I live in small town, where everyone knows everyone else's business.
I enjoyed the wit, humor, and all the different personalities.

The Operator by Gretchen Berg is a hilarious, snarky, quick-paced literary treat. This is a historical fiction novel set in the early 1950s in small-town Wooster, Ohio and involves, amongst many supporting characters within the small town, Vivian and Betty. Both women are not particularly likable characters, and it is totally ironic that while both are rivals and dislike each other, they are more alike then they will ever realize. Both Vivian and Betty are insecure, gossipers that look down on others for things they are at fault themselves. The competition that ensues between the two ladies raises a notch after Vivian, while inappropriately eavesdropping mind you, overhears a monumental secret, and the subsequent digging into finding out more, creates a cascading effect thereafter. The “golden rules” of doing unto others, and what happens when karma takes the reins, comes to mind for the reader and applies perfectly in this case.

I enjoyed the quick, witty, sarcastic, and hilarious dialogue that I felt was appropriately paced with an equally unique plot and ending makes this book an enjoyable and memorable read. I also liked that the main female characters were unlikeable, and therefore to me, more interesting and relatable. I also liked the secondary plot that followed along as well. It added another layer of interest and complexity to the novel. I have always loved the 50s vibe, and add that to the fact that I can relate due to also living in a small town, made me love this book even more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and enthusiastically recommend!

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins/William Morrow for this great ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting my review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I just could not maintain an interest in this one. I was sure this would be the perfect light read that I needed after reading a few heavy topics recently. My disinterest wasn’t related to the author’s writing style as I just couldn’t immerse myself into the topic.

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A truly enjoyable book for anyone who lives in a small town. Everybody knows everybody and if you have a secret - rest assured the whole town will eventually find out. This town is full of secrets and everyone just waits for the next shoe to fall on another neighbor.

Loved this book. Switchboard operator Vivian Dalton considers her listening in on the calls she connects harmless. That is until she hears a rumor about her whispered over the phone lines. While she knows who received the call, she doesn’t know who placed it. And therein lies part of the story. Vivian is determined to find out who is spreading the rumor, and why. But, as with most secrets, hers isn’t the only one she uncovers. Vivian reminded me of Olive Kitteridge, while you may not love her, but you do root for her.

I was totally charmed by this book which evokes a time of switchboards and operators eavesdropping. The roles of women during mid-century are very well described. The central character is Vivian, a socially ambitious switchboard operator who hears something which changes her marriage and her life.

She begins a quest to find out about the “secret” she heard. She is incredibly resourceful and manages to uncover many difficult truths. As she digs into the secrets, she uncovers much more than she had expected.

This novel is very well plotted and very engaging. The author does a wonderful job of leading the reader into conclusions and then surprising results. There is a very interesting subplot which also unfurls in a most unexpected way

I highly recommend this to reading groups. Women will find endless possibilities for discussion and debate. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the privilege of reading this debut novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous book about Vivian and her small town life. She’s not a likable character, what with her being an eavesdropper on conversations and her jealousy of others in her town, but I don’t think we have to actually like the protagonist in every book. No character was truly likable, except perhaps for Charlotte, who’s just an innocent daughter who has to suffer through the humiliation brought on her family.

The twists and turns in the story were well written and never was there any clue as to what would be revealed. I certainly will recommend this book.

In 1950s Wooster, Ohio, two rivals, Vivian and Betty, are engaging in a game of gossipy one-upmanship that begins when Vivian, a switchboard operator for Dell, eavesdrops on one of Betty's phone calls. While Vivian is poor and Betty is rich, these antagonists have more in common than they think: they were both raised by overbearing, critical mothers and both have deep insecurities. The gossip showdown upends the delicate social structure of the town.

Titanic shifts in small-town life ought to be intriguing. I was bored by these bored housewives, bored by the "shocking" revelations, and bemused by the abrupt insertions of recipes and snippets of nursery rhymes (which Vivian gets wrong). Betty is evil, and Vivian is a moron. Both are annoying. I had no sympathy with either of them, even though I assume that since Vivian is based on the author's grandmother, I was supposed to be rooting for her.

All of the rest of the characters are completely flat. Descriptions of people and places are either absent or ineffective; I got no particular small town, warm-and-fuzzy vibe even though it was Christmas. I have no idea why Vivian's boots reappear over and over, crunching in the snow, or why her purchase of a hat is so significant. In one story line, the scene changes from Ohio to Canada to meet another completely dull set of characters. No spoilers, but the Canadian group had every imaginable reason to be interesting and they were not. At the very least, they might have been used as comic relief.

The author seemed to be trying to decide whether she was writing a mystery, a cozy, chick lit, or literary fiction and managed to write none of the above.