This book is wonderful! I really don't think I've laughed out loud this often reading a book in a long time.

Ex-TV star and recluse Patrick O'Hara lives in Palm Springs, CA, and is perfectly happy wearing caftans, interacting with just his housekeeper Rosa and the throuple next door, using his washlets (aka fancy toilets), and staying as far away from his family and Hollywood as possible. Yet when his best friend/sister-in-law Sara dies and his brother enters rehab, someone has to take care of his niece Maisie and nephew Grant for the summer. At first Patrick is loathe to have the children invade his secluded enclave, but soon relents. GUP (or Gay Uncle Patrick) is on the case; let the fun begin!

While each interaction between GUP and the kids is adorable and funny (he's got a running list of Guncle Rules, he continually quotes movies lines to them that they don't get, the little guy thinks Patrick's Golden Globe is his reward from the Tooth Fairy), there's sweetness, humanity, and realness to the interactions that gives this book a lovely amount of emotional weight beneath the laughs. All three of the main characters are dealing with the grief of losing their mom/BFF, and how they navigate that while growing closer to each other is heartwarming to see. I especially loved the "small" moments that comment on larger issues—Maisie wanting to wear shorts and tees to swim instead of a typical girl's swimsuit, the throuple lamenting how they'll never be allowed to adopt kids, Patrick feeling guilt from the death of his partner, etc. With a ton of humor, heart, and depth, this book is an absolute delight. Highly recommend!