The Guncle * Steven Rowley

When an unexpected family tragedy leaves a once-famous gay sitcom star as the temporary guardian of his six-year-old niece and nine-year-old nephew for the summer, he must trade his quiet Palm Springs routine for pool days, bedtime stories, and honest conversations about loss.

The Story. Written by New York Times bestselling author Steven Rowley, this heartwarming story won the Thurber Prize for American Humor for its tender, witty portrait of found family. Patrick O'Hara - affectionately known to his niece Maisie and nephew Grant as GUP, short for Gay Uncle Patrick - has spent recent years nursing his own grief and a stalled television career in Palm Springs. When the children's mother passes away and Patrick's brother faces a sudden health crisis, Patrick steps in as primary caretaker for the summer. Armed with a playful list of "Guncle Rules," kaftans, and poolside treats, Patrick quickly discovers that helping two young children process real sorrow requires patience, presence, and opening his own heart again.

Perfect For. Book clubs and readers who love warm, witty stories about family, grief, and second chances alongside Steven Rowley's The Guncle Abroad and Lily and the Octopus, Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove, TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea, or Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians.

Thurber Prize for American Humor, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2021), RUSA CODES Reading List for Relationships (2022), CALIBA Golden Poppy Award Nominee for Fiction (2021).

First published 2021; this edition 2022 by G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Contemporary & Women's Fiction / Humorous & Heartwarming Fiction / Family & Grief Narratives / LGBTQ+ Contemporary Fiction / Palm Springs & California Fiction / Book Club Favorites