A sweet easy read about life in a bank, a bank robbery and romance, plus a huge pet dog.
Reminiscent of Ealing comedies in good old black and white film, or a farce on stage

I know this is going to sound so silly, but this book was fun for me to read. Today I am reviewing “Don’t Bank On it Sweetheart” which is written by Michael N. Wilton and came to me thanks to the friendly people at BooksGoSocial. I get their emails from NetGalley, and this story caught my eye immediately.

My first impression, the idea of a bank robbery book blending slapstick comedy and socially awkward situations, pretty much has my attention. This book quickly could become a film (and should in my opinion), and I think that it’d be a hit. It’s funny, it’s somber at times, it’s gruesomely awkward at other times, and I love it.

Let me go into a critique here, and the first one I have falls in the “Story Structure, Foundation, and Presentation” portion of my scoring system. There were a few tiny grammatical errors I found. I am not talking about the accent dialog, just some basic stuff. The problem is they happen in specific spoiler area, and I do not want to give spoilers, so I’m not going to provide examples. That said, they are few and far between, but there are enough of them that I am noting it.

With that said, let me go into what I loved about “Don’t Bank On It Sweetheart,” and the first is under the “Whole Story” portion of my scoring system. I love how well done the story was and resolved the story elements in the book. “Don’t Bank on it Sweetheart” is a one and done stand-alone story, offering satisfaction in every piece is not only enjoyable to the reader, but it is a relaxing experience for someone who reads all the time. I just loved how there was considerable effort put in that every element had an answer. Even side character issues that should be throw-away moments had fulfilling story-arch progression.

Next, under “Story Structure, Foundation, and Presentation” on Kindle, this was wonderful. I did get my coffee from NetGalley, so your copy may be different, but it was perfect. The margins are crisp, the reading is easy, the default settings are well lined, and it was fantastic. Under “Story Structure,” precisely, the story was paced perfectly, and the tension elements were terrific. Character tension was so well balanced to the pacing, and the tension of the story on its own was fantastic. Where it’s light, there are light-hearted moments. The tension for the comedy is necessary at times for the story to progress, which I found wonderful to read. I love how the slapstick moments were plot-related, not just haphazardly placed.

Under the category of “Cliche Much,” I am so pleased to say the cliche of “big dog big problems” was unique and plot-important. I am impressed by how a character like Ben became incorporated into the plot so well. I found everything about his motives and the way he operates to be realistic and well set. Overall he was a wonderful character that I got to enjoy.

Score

So with a happy heart, I am pleased to report that “Don’t Bank On It Sweetheart” has a score of 87/100, which is a four-star review on Amazon and Goodreads. I think you would love this book if you love dogs, action-adventure, and slapstick moments in your crime stories!

This book made me laugh and I loved the humour. It's a fun read and engrossing book.
I appreciated the style of writing, the fleshed out characters and the plot.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Once you get accustomed to the writing, you cannot put the book down. The author is a great fan of P.G Woodhouse, and it shows , on the positive side. To make people laugh is the most difficult task, I hope at least the characters will bring a smile on most of readers' face. I am quite certain everyone of us will have a favorite character in this story. For me, my pet character is Ben. I surprised myself cheering when he finally became (almost) a hero.
I recommend the book.

This is my first book by Michael N. Wilton. This British author has a weird and quirky sense of humor. His stories are lighthearted and easy to read. In some ways his writing reminds me of Monty Python. My son would love them. Albert decides he can no longer live with his aunt. In order to get his own place he must get a good paying job. Alastair, his friend, helps him get a job at the bank. Little does Albert know his friend has an ulterior motive for him to work there.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.