Another amazing book from Steven Rowley. It was a bit of a slower start but then I loved it. The characters are all people you'd want to meet and know. I loved the pact and the end was just sobbbbbbs.

This was such a moving, poignant story filled with the perfect amount of humor and heart. I’ve come to expect nothing less from this author and was very touched by his latest novel. The Celebrants proves how important friendships are in your life and what an absolute blessing ‘found families’ can be during hardships.

A group of six friends are about to graduate together from UC Berkeley in the mid-nineties when one of them dies suddenly from a drug overdose. Mired in their grief, the remaining five friends vow to throw “living” funerals for each other throughout the coming years whenever one of them is at their lowest or simply feeling lost. The motive behind this pact is so none of them can ever question exactly what they meant to the others. ‘Leave nothing left unsaid’ becomes their motto.

Maybe I was too in my feelings on the day I read this part, but there was one particular quote that hit me hard and caused me to tearfully reflect on my own friendships:

"My point is, we were all figuring out this thing called life, and in truth we probably are still. But there is always someone a little further down the path, and if they have a kind heart, if they truly care about others, every so often they turn back and light the way.”

I can’t tell you how many kind, amazing friends I’ve met that have done just this—they saw me alone and struggling through some dilemma and they were generous enough to turn back, extend their hand, and guide me out of the darkness. There were many sections in this book that reminded me how fortunate I’ve been to have had such compassionate people in my life who support others and help their friends in need.

I know I shouldn’t compare the author’s works, but I do slightly prefer The Guncle over this one. There was something so irresistibly charming about his previous book and The Celebrants doesn’t have quite the same sparkle. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those of us 35+ years old who have experienced the numerous ups and downs that life loves to throw our way.

US Release Date: May 30th, 2023.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this title.

I absolutely loved The Guncle. Celebrants? Not so much! I even put off my reading of this determined to savour every word. Imagine my disappointment when I found I just wasn’t involved with the characters. They annoyed me. Seriously I found myself skimming over the text. Still, others obviously enjoyed Celebrants. Living funerals is an interesting idea and as I toddle off towards later times maybe something to consider even?
So food for thought even if the book didn’t quite grab me.

A Putnam invite ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

So this one is completely different from the author’s previous book Guncle. I loved that one so much, and the humor poured out in every conversation, every chapter in that book in-spite of the underlying theme of grief. The grief is the only common concept between these two books, and this one is based on experiencing their own funerals when alive, but during a low point in their lives. Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle form this unique pact where they can invoke their funerals at a time of their choice. I think this is just to remind the readers to live every moment of their lives, and constantly keep expressing things to their closed ones. The message was to not leave anything unsaid and it does deliver it but it took me a few sittings to get interested in this one. The first half was really slow and I didn’t experience that pull with the characters either but I pushed through it to find the author’s message. It is not a light read and it is supposed to make readers think about their lives as well!

THE CELEBRANTS is the latest novel by Steven Rowley, author of The Guncle, out May 30. After the unexpected death of one of their own at the end of college, a group of friends makes a pact to have their funerals before they die. Each friend can invoke the pact once and, without question, the others must come to celebrate the life of their friend. The novel flashes back to different points when the friends meet up in time while alternating chapters in the present follow one friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis.

When I first started this book and realized the concept, I thought it would be too heavy for me to read on vacation. The idea of a bunch of funerals didn’t sound like the happiest book. Leave it to Rowley to write a delightful, funny, charming, witty, heartwarming book that deals with serious issues like cancer and suicide and death. Though death is ever present in the novel it doesn’t take away from the really lovely story about a group of friends. The structure works well because the group meets up at several points for their “funerals” so we get these distinct episodes with a lot of humor. I really enjoyed the funny antics that the group gets up to, their friend dynamics, their connection. I love all of the pop culture references in the novel such as the “Courtney scale.” And I really loved how the chapters were titles with lyrics from Carpenters songs.

The end is bittersweet as you would expect and not surprising, but not too heavy either. I love stories about groups of adult friends and this one was a beautiful one. If you are looking to celebrate life and friendship and love, I suggest you check out THE CELEBRANTS as soon as it’s published.▪️

Steven Rowley has done it again! This incredibly story of friendship, love, loss and all the inbetween tugged at my heart. His characters always feel like friends. My takeaway from this book is that life is something that quickly passes us by, so, let's celebrate our people while we have them here on Earth.

Why do we wait to tell those we love what they mean to us until they are gone? This book was beautiful and unique look at death, but also life. Rowley gave us a very important reminder to tell our loved ones that we love them, that they matter, and WHY while we are still alive. I loved this book, and it will stick with me for a long, long time.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Fiction
Time: 1995, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023
Format: 📖.
Release Date: May 30, 2023
Length: 336 pages

The Guncle was such a great book so you can’t imagine how excited I was when I received an ARC for Steven Rowley soon to be released novel The Celebrants so .. warning this will not be a popular review.

In 1995 just a few days before graduation a group of college friends found their friend Alex had died. From that day forward the remaining five friends entered a pact that for whatever the reason when someone was in need they would gather and celebrate a living funeral, that way they would all know what they meant to one another.

I just loved Steven Rowley writing in The Guncle, his characters while flawed were fun, heartwarming even the ones with issues. But in this novel .. not one character did I like or enjoy .. they were flawed, cunning, snobs and they constantly bickered – they all acted like they were still college kids – who is interested in forty plus years old still doing drugs and mushrooms. Great concept but this story just fell flat to me, 336 pages felt like a 450 page read.

My biggest complain to any and all author, please don’t name you characters similar names .. for whatever reason .. Jordan and Jordy .. really!!

Steven Rowley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on May 30, 2023.

One of my most anticipated reads of 2033, and sadly, this felt like a miss. Usually, when it’s a Steven Rowley book, you just KNOW you’re in for an emotional gut punch, yet this, despite all the making of a book that would resonate deeply (found family and adult friendship, bonding over trauma, buried secrets, a cancer prognosis, and loss and death) I found this lacking..a spark. I just couldn’t find myself connecting with any of the characters. They felt very one note, in that over dramatic stereotype way of the show Friends.

I think the Jordans were also difficult because I often got them confused and the narration, usually stellar by the author, just didn’t do enough to distinguish each character. Instead, they ran together while reading via audio and when I went back to reading the arc, I found I just couldn’t imagine my own voices and personalities for each character.

Perhaps I’m just in a weird reading funk and being distracted while reading certainly didn’t help but this just wasn’t enough to help me escape into. These didn’t feel like friends I would have or would want in my life as an adult. Sadly, a big miss for me, but I hope others find joy in these pages and the idea of celebrating your funeral while alive does has its allures! I can see the inspiration, i just wish I fell in love with the group.

Rating: 2.75/5, rounding up to 3. Thank you Putnam for my galley and arc and Penguin Random house audio for my ALC!

The Guncle is one of my favorite books and my expectations were really high for this new novel by Steven Rowley. I was very disappointed.

Jordan, Jordy, Craig, Marielle and Naomi meet as students at Berkeley. They are supposed to be a tight knit group of friends mourning their friend Alec who dies suddenly near the end of their senior year.. I did not feel any connection or warmth in any of the friendships; the female characters, Marielle and Naomi were snarky, self centered and prone to temper tantrums. Even Jordan and Jordy, who were married, didn't seem that happy together. I can't say that I liked or enjoyed any of the characters. I udnerstand there is a BTS reason why there are two characters named Jordon but please.... save it for real life... not a book. It's confusing and annoying.

There wasn't much to laugh about in the this book either and that is a shame because I know Rowley is a genius with using humor to convey serious themes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book has been on pre-order since December, and I literally screamed when I was approved for the E-ARC.

The Celebrants follows a group of friends celebrating three decades of being in each other lives.. Every year they get together to remind them that life is worth a party. This tradition was started after they lost one of their closest friends in college, Alec.

Meet the cast:
The Jordan's - Jordan & Jordy with ones life on a final countdown.
Craig - An art dealer who's found himself in a world of trouble.
Naomi - Struggling with grief after the loss of her parents
Marielle - A single mother who hasn't been truly honest about the father of her 22 year-old daughter.

I absolutely loved the fact that this novel featured middle-aged characters. There were fun, silly, heartfelt moments as the reader read glimpses into each of their lives over the years. I adored these characters, and got emotional multiple points throughout the story. I'll take a GIANT deep breath after the ending.

I will always read Rowley, as he's two-for-two with 5-star reads with me.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary copy.

Completely adored and for sure my favorite Rowley book to date. I thought it was exquisitely well-written with a unique concept and characters you quickly fell in love with.

Wow. He did it again. He’s written a book that is witty, charming and will make you cry. Remember that line from Steel Magnolias? “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” That is this book, these stories of friendship.

I think everyone who reads this lovely book about the Jordans, Naomi, Marielle and Craig will find one, if not two, of the characters that they relate to as they navigate the good things and the hard things in life. Mr. Rowley’s wit and heartfelt stories of family, friendship and loss make this another exceptional read.

I was just so excited to read this book! I read The Guncle by Steven Rowley in 2022 and it was one of my top reads of the year. The Celebrants was just as heartfelt, funny, and thought-provoking for me. I enjoyed it so much!

The Celebrants follows a group of friends who met as transfer students at Berkeley. After the untimely death of one of the friends, Alec, the rest of the group gathers in Big Sur to mourn his loss. Naomi, Marielle, Craig, and the Jordans enter into a pact together - they vow to throw each person in their group a living funeral when they need it most. They’ll get back together whenever a funeral is called and make sure the friend knows they’re loved and leave absolutely nothing unsaid.

I thought the friendships portrayed in this book were so beautiful. The thought that these 5 friends could make it over 30 years loving each other, through so many of life’s challenges, is inspiring! I loved all the snarky banter (especially from Naomi), all the hilarious pop-culture references (like the Courteney scale), and the way that the friends kept coming back to each other over the years. I really enjoyed the way this book was written - it jumped between the characters’ storylines and through time, but in a way that added to the story and helped me understand each of the friends better. I thought the pacing of the book was wonderful. While it was definitely more character driven, I never found myself bored with the plot or wishing that elements of the story would move faster. This book really made me think deeply about a lot of life’s biggest ideas - grief, loss, love, friendship, time. Don’t mind me if I spontaneously burst into tears thinking about these characters over the next few weeks. (Months? Years?!) This one is going to stick with me for a long time!

Thank you so much to @netgalley and publisher PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an eARC of the Celebrants in exchange for an honest review.

Leave nothing unsaid. After an unexpected death of a beloved member of their group and in the midst of their grief, four college friends make a pact to reunite for a living funeral so that when one needs it the others can remind them what their lives mean to each of them. Say it while they're alive, not when only when they're gone. It takes twenty-five years before anyone invokes the pact. At forty, Marielle is the first to reluctantly call on her old friends when she's at a crossroads in her life and feeling alone and empty. And so it goes. Until Jordan calls for his living funeral, but he has something important to share.
I absolutely loved The Gruncle by Steven Rowley but this is a very different read. And while it had its heartwarming moments and the message is important, I wasn't pulled into the story as I can be. It's not only that it has a very different vibe than his other books, but I also didn't feel the connection that you want these friends to have and as a result I didn't feel connected to them.
I'm thinking this is just a one off for me as I know others loved this and I already look forward to Rowley's next novel!

This was another heartwarming and heartbreaking story from Steven Rowley. After the loss of a close friend in college, five friends make a pact that whenever they hit a low point in life, they will come together and have living funerals for each other. Their friend died without knowing or understanding how important he was in each of their lives and they don’t want that for themselves. Why save kind words for a funeral when the person that passed away never gets to hear the impact they had on us?

This book really makes you think and I’m so glad I picked it up. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC- available 5/30/23.

Loved this book! Great character building and pulls at your heartstrings.

I was drawn to each individuals story and also how they connected as a group.

Will definitely recommend this to friends!

Hi - I love Steven Rowley, and to be honest he can do no wrong in my book. I absolutely loved The Guncle when I read it last year, and I was so so excited to get my hands on The Celebrants.

I adored this imperfectly perfect group of friends. The intricate relationships and discussions around love, friendship and grief were so well done.

I will read anything and everything Steven Rowley writes.

Big CW for cancer and death here. Wow this was a heavier one than I expected. I loved the themes of friendship and always finding your way back to one another throughout the years. I also loved the idea of celebrating someone’s funeral while they’re alive. My only complaints were it was hard to get to know the characters at first because for the first 20% ish besides the Jordan’s, the only things we really learn about the others (Craig, Naomi and marielle) are about their relationship to Alec. I also was expecting something a little more fun compared to The Guncle but that’s maybe on me for not expecting the author to switch things up a little. I did really enjoy this big hearted novel and would recommend but overall preferred the vibes and tone of The Guncle more.

After the death of one friend right before college graduation, the other five friends vow to leave nothing unsaid. They form a pact that each one can have one living funeral at a time in their life when they need it most. As decades pass and the group falls out of touch, the living funeral pact is invoked when someone needs their oldest friends the most.

It's Steven Rowley, so I was going to like it, it was just a matter of how much. Well, I liked it but didn't absolutely love it. It just didn't sparkle for me the way The Guncle and even The Editor did. However, those shoes are impossible to fill and if this was by another author, I would have probably liked it a lot with much lower expectations. This book is more somber and sentimental and less snarky than previous Rowley books- I know dying isn't funny but the tone of this book is more serious and less- well, fun.

I did love the characters, especially the gay couple Jordan and Jordy (named after my favorite bookstagrammer and his husband!) and the structure of each friend having a section where they were the focus, but not the storyteller, with short Jordan chapters to transition. I felt like it did a great job of easing back in time and to the present. This is hard to do but Rowley made it look easy. The characters, structure, storyline, and writing are all great. Is it my favorite of his books, no. Is it worth reading? Absolutely.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.