As someone who has been knee deep in grief recently, this story felt like the warm hug my heart needed. Rowley handles this hard subject in a lighthearted manner. Despite Patrick’s own pain, he is able to comfort the kids, and somehow that frees him to deal with emotions he’s kept buried deep. Learning to embrace it while also letting it go. Rowley’s extrapolation of grief is poignant and cathartic. Together, they experience the sorrows of grief and the joy of healing. Most importantly, he reminds them to live in the moment and be comfortable in themselves. They laugh together, and they cry together. He gives them the perfect mix of distraction (a pink Christmas tree, a Pegasus pool float, and plenty of cake!) and opportunity to process their feelings (getting them a dog, writing a last letter to Mom). The way Patrick learns to nurture the children and lean in to their needs and grief…it melted my heart. The most beautiful part of the book is the relationship the three of them build. But it turns out that his unorthodox ways were practically perfect in every way. He offers martinis to the 6 year old and regularly quotes Oscar Wilde and Grey Gardens. Roper from Three’s Company is his fashion icon!) He’s certainly not your typical parental role model.

But the star of the book is exactly who it says on the cover…Guncle. Maisie and Grant are utterly adorable, completely pinchable, and expertly written. Somehow though, it becomes the perfect dynamic for each of them to learn to overcome and thrive. This motley band of misfits…Patrick, Maisie, and Grant… are thrown together in less than ideal circumstances. But their mother just died, and their dad is heading to rehab. Grant and Maisie, Patrick’s nephew and niece, should be engaged in all the joys of childhood. He’s settling for a solitary, lonely existence. He claims to be retired from acting, but the truth is that he’s stopped living a full life. His witty comebacks and perfectly styled caftans might make him seem at the top of his game, but he’s not. It’s witty and endearing and heart melting.

It’s full of heart and whimsy and life lessons. Rowley has created the absolute perfect summer read. And when I turned the last page I was devastated it was over. “Guncle Rule #8: Live your life to the fullest every single day, because every day is a gift.”ĪLL the STARS.

The guncle book