Of course, it doesn’t take long for Patrick to realise he need them just as much as they need him. And, together the kids unintentionally change Patrick’s views on life and love. Naturally Patrick is meant to be caring for them but it becomes apparent early on that they are caring for him too. It’s not hiding away, or isolating yourself but instead immersing yourself in life with your “nibling’s”. What follows is an upbeat approach to destiny realisation. Their mother has recently died and their father, unable to cope, has checked himself into rehab.

Soon he finds himself caring for his niece and nephew: Grant and Maisie, who are 6 and 9, respectively. Patrick doesn’t have much time to wallow in his grief. Hollywood star, Patrick or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP) escapes from the rat race from Hollywood, instead hiding away in Palm Springs to help get over a big loss in his love life. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for my copy of The Guncle.Steven Rowley’s The Guncle is a great read – funny, and with loads of quirky moments. Truly a great story with a lot of heart and depth. Overall, I really enjoyed The Guncle and I was thrilled to learn that it is already in development as a motion picture. And we also get to see Patrick show her some kindness, which gives the story some additional depth. Meanwhile, his older sister Clara, who is opposed to the kids staying in Palm Springs, makes for an interesting antagonist and I appreciated the way that the author handled her story arc, presenting her as a woman who is hurting and lashing out because of that hurt, rather than just portraying her as an evil aunt. But there are also some deeper twists in there-for example, the real reason why Patrick gave up on acting and became reclusive is utterly heartbreaking, and its touching to see the way he helps Maisie and Grant grieve for their mother, ultimately helps him as well. In some ways, the story reminded me a lot of Uncle Buck, one of my favourite movies from my childhood. Is he up to the task of looking after two kids who are grieving for their mother, and whose father is in rehab? There's only one way to find out. Patrick loves the kids, but up until now, time spent with them has always been in small doses. When a tragic turn of events occurs, Parick, or Gay Uncle Patrick as he is sometimes known, is tasked with looking after his niece Maisie, and his nephew Grant for a while. The rest of his family live on the other side of the country. Patrick is a former sitcom star living a quiet but luxurious life in Palm Springs.

Steven Rowley is back with The Guncle a novel that is funny, touching and has a whole lot of heart.

The guncle review