Review: The Dog Walker by Corwyn Alvarez

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

If there are guardian angels among us, surely Benny is one of them. Gently challenged and benignly observant, he lives with his long-suffering mother in the quirky and charming town of Mayfield. Benny is qualified for only one job: walking dogs. At that task, he is without peer. But Benny is more than a simple friend to the town’s canines; he brings the same guileless compassion to the people around him. Sweet and honest, offering poignant loyalty, he changes their lives.

MY TAKE:

This book's summary sounded interesting, which was why I grabbed it from NetGalley.

The Dog Walker is about Benny who is, obviously, a dog walker. He lives in a small town and the book tells of his adventures there and how he interacts with his neighbors.

Benny is a somewhat endearing guy. I liked how he interacts with the dogs. It's like watching The Dog Whisperer. The thing is, though, the dogs aren't as much of a focus. Yes, he's a dog walker, but his human friends are more prominent in the book. Another thing I found odd was the fact that at the beginning of the book, it was emphasized that Benny was a special needs kid. I didn't see that at all. The narrator's voice was simple, sure, but hardly what you would expect from a special needs kid. Although, to be fair, it wasn't specified to what degree his disability was.

Plot-wise, I wasn't too keen on the whole thing. It was well-written, but I didn't feel any connection with the other characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bell Bridge Books for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. Benny is endearing.
2. The plot and the characters' interactions are realistic.
3. The dogs are very sweet.

THE BAD:

1. It might be boring for some.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

He began to acquire a varied clientele of dogs and their equally interesting owners, some of whom bore a disturbing resemblance to their dogs.

READ IT IF:

1. You like dogs.
2. You like realistic plots.
3. You like straightforward storytelling.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?