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Sweethearts & Jazz Nights #1
Dialing Dreams
Get swept into a bygone era filled with fedoras and stilettos, sleek jazz and polished manners, in San Francisco, 1946, where dreams sound like jazz. Belinda Thompson, a telephone operator, longs to sing in the spotlight. But when Nick Hart, a broken-hearted jazz crooner, changes both of their lives when he makes a fateful midnight call, will fear or love prevail in the City by the Bay?
Includes 4 full-color, full-size photos! 33 pages.
Includes 4 full-color, full-size photos! 33 pages.
41 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2014
27 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Eissfeldt
17 books8 followersMy friend Maren calls me a romantic. What can I say? After all, I love true love and happily ever after...
I enjoy curling up with a cup of tea and a purring cat or three... I also love vintage dresses, libraries, and of course, reading!
If you love sweet romance, visit jessicaeissfeldt.com/yourfreegift to get a free sweet romance from me!
I enjoy curling up with a cup of tea and a purring cat or three... I also love vintage dresses, libraries, and of course, reading!
If you love sweet romance, visit jessicaeissfeldt.com/yourfreegift to get a free sweet romance from me!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 22, 2018
Belinda Thompson has always wanted to be a singer and trained to do so, but when her mom died she left the care of Belinda's ailing father to Belinda. So Belinda does her duty and tends to her father and works as a telephone operator for a hotel at night. Nick Hart, a crooner who is making a name for himself in the jazz genre, calls the hotel one night and "meets" Belinda. Belinda hates her job and is no mood for drunk prank calls. Nick calls again, this time sober and they began courting over the phone. Nick and Belinda meet and he thinks she has what it takes to be on stage and in the studio.
Nick was a fine hero, but Belinda sucked. She got on my last nerve with her passive-aggressiveness. Thankfully this was a short story. The pictures did not need to be in there - yes, the author had pictures showing what happened in the story...that I just read. Such unnecessary padding. I won't continue with the series.
Nick was a fine hero, but Belinda sucked. She got on my last nerve with her passive-aggressiveness. Thankfully this was a short story. The pictures did not need to be in there - yes, the author had pictures showing what happened in the story...that I just read. Such unnecessary padding. I won't continue with the series.
August 30, 2016
I enjoyed this short read, which I completed in a single session. The action ebbs and flows. Probably more than that, it advances and recedes like waves on the beach. The same goes for the moods and thoughts of the two main protagonists, Belinda and Nick. This sweeps the reader along.
Through much will-she, won't she, I always felt that the ending was rather predictable but that didn't stops the smile that appeared on my face as I read the final words.
I could almost hear the song in my head. Almost, but not quite. I'd love to hear it.
My thoughts are that this story would make very good material for radio, with a relevant mellow jazz playing in the background and closing with the full length version of the duet.
Recommended for those with a 44-page interlude in their life to fill with a nice little story.
Through much will-she, won't she, I always felt that the ending was rather predictable but that didn't stops the smile that appeared on my face as I read the final words.
I could almost hear the song in my head. Almost, but not quite. I'd love to hear it.
My thoughts are that this story would make very good material for radio, with a relevant mellow jazz playing in the background and closing with the full length version of the duet.
Recommended for those with a 44-page interlude in their life to fill with a nice little story.
Read
March 20, 2018DNF
August 31, 2017
Lovely heartwarming story of family worries, hope and love. Nick and Belinda share a love of music which brings them together. The story was so well written that I could really feel Belinda’s indecision. I would recommend this book.
September 10, 2018
Old fashion
Reading this book was kind of like watching an old Humphrey Bogart movie. It is interesting to read something from that era. I had forgotten how sweet and sappy they could be. I'm glad it was a very short read.
Reading this book was kind of like watching an old Humphrey Bogart movie. It is interesting to read something from that era. I had forgotten how sweet and sappy they could be. I'm glad it was a very short read.
July 10, 2021
A love for music and a chance phone call could lead to dreams coming true in Jessica Eissfeldt’s Dialing Dreams.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
During her shift as a telephone operator, the responsible Belinda receives a call from a drunken man who doesn’t seem to want to be connected to anyone but merely wants to talk; as she’s near the end of her shift she is firm in adhering to the rules of her job to connect him or ask him to clear the line. Undeterred, the caller, a broken-hearted jazz singer Nick Hart, calls back again, sober, and talks with her. The pair begin to talk more and those discussions reveal Belinda’s desire to sing and Nick seems happy to offer her a chance to pursue that dream. As Belinda has obligations that have prevented her from seriously pursuing singing thus far, she needs to decide what she’ll do with this opportunity.
A relatively cute and quick story, there’s a familiar, predictable arc to the narrative that makes it easy to read. Though the characters of Belinda and Nick are described to a reasonable degree, there’s not much in the way of shown development to make them complex characters to become invested in; in this shorter story of a lighter, romantic read the extent of their character could work if you’re looking for a simpler escape into a historical setting. The incorporation of pictures along with the brief text was an odd choice as they served only to visually depict what was adequately described in the text, making them feel unnecessary.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
During her shift as a telephone operator, the responsible Belinda receives a call from a drunken man who doesn’t seem to want to be connected to anyone but merely wants to talk; as she’s near the end of her shift she is firm in adhering to the rules of her job to connect him or ask him to clear the line. Undeterred, the caller, a broken-hearted jazz singer Nick Hart, calls back again, sober, and talks with her. The pair begin to talk more and those discussions reveal Belinda’s desire to sing and Nick seems happy to offer her a chance to pursue that dream. As Belinda has obligations that have prevented her from seriously pursuing singing thus far, she needs to decide what she’ll do with this opportunity.
A relatively cute and quick story, there’s a familiar, predictable arc to the narrative that makes it easy to read. Though the characters of Belinda and Nick are described to a reasonable degree, there’s not much in the way of shown development to make them complex characters to become invested in; in this shorter story of a lighter, romantic read the extent of their character could work if you’re looking for a simpler escape into a historical setting. The incorporation of pictures along with the brief text was an odd choice as they served only to visually depict what was adequately described in the text, making them feel unnecessary.
August 18, 2016
Dialing Dreams is a novelette by Jessica Eissfieldt. It is book one of the Vintage Jazz series of sweet historical romance. As a novelette, it is quick and easy to read. However, it does leave you wanting more and it could easily have been expanded into a full novel. However, for fast summer reading, it is great.
Belinda Thompson is a switchboard operator. She looks after her ill father during the day and works at night. She has put aside her dream of being a singer to care for her father. She loves to listen to jazz especially. One evening, she gets a call from a man who just wants someone to talk to about his girlfriend, Claire. Belinda tells him she can’t talk and hangs up. He ends up calling her again and they begin talking. They can talk freely about everything.
Nick Hart is a singer who has lost his girlfriend and he can’t seem to get over it. While drunk, he calls her hotel and begins talking to Belinda. She manages to get him to forget Claire and pay attention to his own life. As a singer, he has his own shows and asks Belinda to sing with him.
Will Belinda take him up on this or has she come too far away from her dream?
August 1, 2016
I enjoyed reading this story set in Eissfeldt’s 1940’s San Francisco. She was able to paint a great picture of what it may have been like at that time, along with incorporating the jazz scene into the atmosphere of the story. When I think jazz, I normally think the 1920s, Fitzgerald, all that. It was a nice change to move up a few decades. The country changed a lot in that time and you can feel it here.
The story was a quick one, and while the two main characters’ relationship developed at a similar pace, I liked the way in which it happened. At first I couldn’t see how even a spark would fly, but it didn’t take long for me to get caught up in their story.
Eissfeldt has me throwing on some old jazz and wanting to read more about her version of this time in history. And I don’t mind that at all.
The story was a quick one, and while the two main characters’ relationship developed at a similar pace, I liked the way in which it happened. At first I couldn’t see how even a spark would fly, but it didn’t take long for me to get caught up in their story.
Eissfeldt has me throwing on some old jazz and wanting to read more about her version of this time in history. And I don’t mind that at all.
April 24, 2014
The author states that this story was inspired by the song "Operator, Please" by Matt Dusk.
The author has a keen eye for the time just after WWII. The main character Belinda Thompson was doing what most people had to do, she was working at a job she felt stifled. There wasn't any room for her passion, the song in her heart until a chance call to her as an operator.
From there Belinda has to decide between the main rhythm of her days and probable future and the ability to improvise and add room for her dreams.
The author shows the two main characters' tension and progression as they improvised toward a different future in a new time time.
The photographs throughout the book add a unique flavor to the reading experience.
The author has a keen eye for the time just after WWII. The main character Belinda Thompson was doing what most people had to do, she was working at a job she felt stifled. There wasn't any room for her passion, the song in her heart until a chance call to her as an operator.
From there Belinda has to decide between the main rhythm of her days and probable future and the ability to improvise and add room for her dreams.
The author shows the two main characters' tension and progression as they improvised toward a different future in a new time time.
The photographs throughout the book add a unique flavor to the reading experience.
May 6, 2016
What a Gift This Story is for the Soul, It's Heartfelt Simplicity is Endearing and Sweet.
Who in the world hasn't had a beautiful dream or passion, to be the best at something that you feel strongly about? Such strong desires and feelings are revealed in this story, of an operator who wants to be a jazz singer more than anything else in the world, and a chance phone call, that sets her on the pathway to fulfilling her dreams, and finding true love. It's a beautiful story, with a picture perfect ending.
Who in the world hasn't had a beautiful dream or passion, to be the best at something that you feel strongly about? Such strong desires and feelings are revealed in this story, of an operator who wants to be a jazz singer more than anything else in the world, and a chance phone call, that sets her on the pathway to fulfilling her dreams, and finding true love. It's a beautiful story, with a picture perfect ending.
May 8, 2016
short and sweet. if you're looking for a quick read this is it!
November 1, 2016
A dazzling story
Dialing Dreams is a wonderful dream-come-true story of discovery. One is left with the sense of wanting more! A delightful read.
Dialing Dreams is a wonderful dream-come-true story of discovery. One is left with the sense of wanting more! A delightful read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews