The Guncle

Although not coastal, this book’s Palm Springs setting is full of swimming pools and a feeling of escape to somewhere new. I laughed, I cried, and I adored the dynamic between Patrick and his adorable niece and nephew.

Secondary characters, such as the three neighbors and other family members, added depth and emotion to the story. I seriously read this book in 24 hours!

This book is a masterpiece of humor and humanity. I delighted in the sharp wit and perspective of the main character, Patrick O’Hara, a once-famous actor who has retired to Palm Springs to avoid, well, as much of life as possible.

The novel takes off when his young niece and nephew arrive in his life and home. The humor continues, but the humanity pulses to life. This book took me from laughing aloud to crying with joy, all while cheering on Patrick and his connection with the kids.

The book is masterful in its pacing, breezy wit, and delicate dance… show more.

The Guncle is one of those books that made me want to reread the book immediately after finishing it, just to spend more time with the characters. (It also made me immediately look up Palm Springs real estate on Zillow – a girl can dream!)

Steven Rowley’s is as hilarious as it is heartfelt about actor Patrick, or “GUP – Gay Uncle Patrick” and the summer he spends with his young niece and nephew when they come to visit him in the gorgeous and opulent Palm Springs.

At first, Patrick and his “niblings” seem to have little common ground, but… show more.

This book was just so much fun. Full of wit, heart, and laugh-out-loud jokes, The Guncle is about a middle-aged gay man who takes on caring responsibilities for his young niece and nephew. It was the sweet relationship that develops between the main character and these kids that made this book a standout for me – you will fall in love with the children and their innocence, but more importantly, your heart will melt as you start to see our protagonist learn from these children some important lessons about responsibility, family, and love.

I heard a lot of buzz shortly after this book was published and was eager to see what it was all about, and The Guncle surpassed the hype! This book tells the story of an uncle who goes from being unencumbered to being the guardian of his young niece and nephew when a family tragedy strikes. Although he adores his brother’s children, he is used to spending time with them in small, measured doses as the “fun uncle,” not for an extended period of time and certainly not in any role where he has to provide care and set boundaries.… show more.

With so much bad news in the world, Guncle, an upbeat, fun novel, was my favorite read of 2022. Gunkle is Gay Uncle Patrick, who is designated by his recently deceased sister-in-law to take in her kids, Maisie and Grant, while her husband checks into rehab. Patrick dutifully brings the children to live with him in Palm Springs. 

Previously, Patrick never dealt with children’s meltdowns, homesickness, or grief. But rocky days and nights are offset by moments of joy. Patrick sparks their happiness and as they mourn together, it allows Patrick to overcome grief for his deceased lover. Set… show more.

“Guncle” is what the Patrick’s six-year-old nephew and eight-year-old niece call Patrick, their gay uncle. He’d long dearly loved and been best friends with Sara, and admits he had a hard time with it (which she never understood) when she married his brother. And now she’s died of an aggressive cancer and his brother decides to spend a summer in drug rehab so that he’ll be able to do the job his kids deserve as a single parent. He needs Guncle Patrick to keep the kids for the summer, which hadn’t exactly been part of a fading gay actor’s plans.… show more.