During an icebreaker at yet another “educational” training, the presenter asked us to share the title of a book we recommend that other participants should read. Many of us selected more serious titles that were work or personal growth-related. Those who know me were not surprised that my recommendation was Atomic Habits, written by James Clear. One participant, however, was much braver than the rest of us and recommended a book that she said took her on an emotional roller coaster. She stated that she could not remember the last book that she enjoyed more.She excitedly recommended that we read “The Guncle,” and I could not ignore the excitement in her voice for this book. Based on her gushing recommendation, I immediately grabbed a copy for myself.

The book’s cover can lead you to believe it is an entirely light-hearted, humorous story, but it is not. It deals with death, grieving, fear, addiction, relationship dynamics, and all the messiness that is part of family interactions during and after a crisis, but the author’s story is magnificent. It reminds us of the power of human connections, personal failings, and triumphs. The combination of genuine vulnerability and humor made me laugh on one page and cry on the next. It is a true carnival ride of the genuine human condition.

This was my first experience with a Steven Rowley book, and it did not disappoint. I tend to read more historical fiction books, and this book is not in that genre. This book reminded me of the power that a well-written book has to make us laugh out loud and smile while reading. I listened to the audio version of this book that the author read himself, and he did a fantastic job of bringing Uncle Patrick, GUP ( Gay Uncle Patrick), or Guncle, as he prefers to be called, and the other characters to life. The different voices and personalities he curated for each character were perfect, especially his version of Grant (nephew) with his lisp.

The death of his best friend Sarah, who happens to be married to his brother, brings many sudden and drastic changes to Patrick’s life. For one, he has to stop living like a hermit in Palm Springs and participate in the daily tasks of living. The most significant and jarring change is that his niece Maisie and nephew Grant must spend the next three months with him. Unfortunately, for various reasons, he has not seen the children since they were much younger, so they are virtually strangers to each other. Additionally, Patrick knows nothing about taking care of children. To maintain some semblance of normalcy, Patrick invents several Guncle rules that the children initially find very strange, but they soon learn that they are just part of GUP’s uniqueness.

A few of the Guncle Rules:

“Guncle Rule Number One: Brunch is Splendid.”

“Guncle Rule Number Eight: Live your life to the fullest every single day because every day is a gift. That’s why people die. To teach us the importance of living.”

During their three months together, Patrick, Maisie, and Grant form a special relationship that allows them to all deal with their grief and fears in their own way. Grief and an uncle who knows nothing about children can lead to funny and heartwarming moments throughout the book.

There is so much more that I would dearly love to include in my humble review, but frankly, I worry that doing so would provide too many spoilers to the story. Suffice it to say that would add more, wouldn’t it?

This book tugs at your heartstrings and is guaranteed to make you cry one chapter and laugh out loud the next. This is a beautifully written book, and I recommend you read it as soon as possible or, even better, listen to the audio version.