The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Rating: 3 of 5 stars 

Duration: 11:24:00
Published: May 2021

I've had an audio copy on my Audible app of The Guncle by Steven Rowley for a couple of years now. The premise sounded intriguing, and I suspected I might enjoy it audibly. Guncle is a portmanteau of gay and uncle, and in this story, Patrick is the titular character. He is often referred to as guncle and also gup for Gay Uncle Patrick by his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant respectively. Sadly, we meet the children just after their mother, Sarah, has died from cancer, and their father is trying to overcome depression and drug addiction. Greg, the father, asks his brother, Patrick, to take care of the children over the summer in California while he is at a nearby recovery facility. So, Patrick reluctantly takes the children from the east coast to his home to help his brother and help the children during this dark time. 

Patrick has some sadness of his own he's trying to heal from and in the midst of helping Greg, he self-actualizes and fulfills a greater purpose for his extended family. Throughout the novel, he espouses his "guncle rules." I think the author intended these as comedic relief for heavier topics; however, I honestly do not remember many of them. They were a lot and difficult to keep up with on audio. I do remember chuckling at some of them and the scenarios that necessitated the rules. 

My main issue with this book is the religion bashing. I don't understand why religion and homosexuality always have to be pitted against one another and we can find a way to co-exist in real life and in fiction. The multiple religious mentions in a condescending manner were a put off and soured the book. 

Recommendation: I finally hit play on this audiobook in hopes to quickly move to the sequel - The Guncle Abroad. However, this one didn't meet my expectations, so I instead, moved to something else more appealing. I think this book is for a specific audience that I am not a member of. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.