THE GUNCLE
STEVEN ROWLEY
© 2024 G.P. Putnam's Sons
368 pages
$9.99 / $12.99 Kindle
Steven Rowley's The Guncle is much more than a lighthearted summer read. While it starts with the lively wit and humor you’d expect from a fun, feel-good novel, it gradually reveals a deeper, more layered story about healing, connection, and the complexities of family.
The story centers around Patrick O'Hara, a once-famous sitcom star living a glamorous but guarded life in Palm Springs. Known to his young niece and nephew as GUP — Gay Uncle Patrick — he’s the charming, fun-loving relative who prefers cocktails and Hollywood stories to bedtime routines and grief. Everything shifts when a family tragedy suddenly makes him their guardian, transforming a summer he never expected into an unforeseen journey of growth and bonding.
What makes Rowley’s storytelling so compelling is his ability to blend humor with emotional depth. The dialogue is sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny, but the wittiness never masks the characters’ genuine feelings. Instead, it becomes a way for them to cope with loss and find resilience. Patrick, with all his theatricality and flaws, is a deeply human character, carrying quiet grief beneath his lively exterior. Watching him rediscover his capacity for love and vulnerability through his young niece and nephew is truly touching. Meanwhile, Maisie and Grant are portrayed as authentic children facing enormous challenges, never as cliched or superficial.
As an openly gay author living in Palm Springs, Rowley leads readers through a place that feels both vibrant and deeply human. His detailed descriptions capture the town’s glamorous atmosphere while also highlighting its underlying sense of solitude, adding an authentic depth to the story.
If you’re looking for a story that combines humor with heartfelt emotion, The Guncle is a must-read. Prepare for a delightful journey that will surprise you with its depth and remind you of the transformative power of love and connection.
Available wherever books are sold, including on Amazon.
