Reviews

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

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darcys01's review against another edition

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5.0

Hit all the right notes for me.

melinda_and_her_books's review against another edition

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5.0

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book! It was a nice laugh out loud book that also dealt with some tough real life things. I loved Maisie the most because she was just so witty and smart. I loved all the Guncle Rules and laughed at some of them. I think my favorite scenes without giving it away too much are the toilet scene, the christmas in july scene and grant losing his tooth scene. I feel like Guncle Patrick was the perfect person to help the kids get through their grief. Aunt Clara made me mad but I understand she had a lot going on too and needed to feel like she was in control. I feel like this story was wrapped up nicely and that the kids ended up helping their Guncle Patrick with his grief as well.

maggie_kearns's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful

3.75

bookwormdanii's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

⭐️ 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ⭐️

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

sᥡᥒ᥆⍴sіs:

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, overwhelmed.

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 acting 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.

mᥡ rᥱ᥎іᥱᥕ:

This has become one of my favorite books! Patrick, Maisie and Grant are the best trio I’ve read about and exactly what I needed in my life. Watching Patrick take his niece and nephew in and really transform into the guardian they needed was so incredibly wholesome. The bond he formed with the kids is one of a kind and so special. Everyone needs a Patrick in their lives to give them advice and Guncle Rules!

Throughout the book the topics of loss and addiction arise. Although this is a fun and lighthearted book, these heavy topics were discussed so beautifully. Sometimes life comes at you fast but it’s the people around you that are there to lean on and help get you through. I also loved the normalization of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the book. Patrick teaches Maisie and Grant that love is different for everyone and that all love is accepted.

I’m super excited I was chosen to read the ARC for the sequel to this book, The Guncle Abroad. I jumped right into it!