【 THE GUNCLE 】

book #1 in the Guncle series

This book had all the feels and all the wisdom.

Genre: Contemporary fiction (LGBT+)
Author: Steven Rowley
Published: May 2021
Publisher: GP Putnam’s & Sons
Pages: 326 (hardback)

I listened to the audiobook version of this and I can’t recommend it enough – the author himself narrates it and does a fabulous job. So please go pick up the audio version!

I wasn’t sure what expect exactly with this book, but there was something about it that had me convinced there was something that was going to be good about this book. So I saved it up for aggggeees and oh my god, I was right.

There is something wonderfully profound about the raw feelings present in this book as Patrick goes about trying to do his best looking after his niblings while his brother is in rehab. It’s a beautiful story that is hilarious and tragic all at once.

Not to mention the beautiful diverse representation in this book – Djed (I’m imagining that’s how it’s spelt – audiobook, remember) was my absolute favourite.

I could fangirl about this book for much longer, but simply put, this is a new favourite that I’ll be giving as a gift to everyone I know. And it’s going to stay with me for a long time to come.

You may also like . . .

Title: The Guncle
Series title: The Guncle
Author: Steven Rowley
Add it on Goodreads

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.