GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is back again in The Guncle Abroad with his beloved niece and nephew five years after The Guncle took place.

Maisie is now 14 and Grant is 11, and so much has changed in their lives since their first trip with their Guncle. Their dad (and Patrick’s brother) Greg is getting remarried in Italy to Olivia in just a few weeks time, and the kids aren’t exactly on the stepmom bandwagon just yet.

Patrick asks Greg to take his niece and nephew around Europe for a few weeks before everyone travels to Italy for the nuptials. The three musketeers team up for another adventure, while Patrick tries to help them accept their Dad’s wedding and remember their mom they lost five years ago.

Steven Rowley asks and answers such an important question: Can grief and gratitude coexist? We don’t have to move on, but we do have to move forward, while honoring those that we’ve lost.

“Because if I could have one wish, I would live this life over, just so I could love them all again.”

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I absolutely loved reading this sequel and catching up with the cast of characters that I fell so in love with in the first book. The chemistry and banter between Patrick and the kids is so strong, you really feel like a part of the family reading their dialogue. Steven Rowley is a wizard, a genius, a master of his craft, and a big ole softie. His heart is so genuine and I’m so thankful for his stories. Any reader will be able to connect with this story and the message of hope, love, empathy, and acceptance.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and the author for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley is a delightful, heartfelt sequel that brings back all the charm, wit, and emotional depth of the original. This time, Patrick and his beloved niblings are off on a European adventure filled with laughs, grief, growth, and of course, glamour.

Rowley balances humor and heart so effortlessly. Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud moment or a quiet reflection on love and loss, every scene feels genuine. Patrick is still his fabulous, over-the-top self, but we also get to see new layers of vulnerability as he navigates family, identity, and change.

If you loved The Guncle, this sequel will hit all the right notes and might even tug at your heartstrings a little harder.

Steven Rowley is such a satisfying writer mostly because he gives you exactly what you want and you didn’t even know you wanted it. I didn’t think anything could top the perfection that was the Gunkle and the sequel comes pretty close. I think the very best part of the Gunkle abroad is we get more of the Gunkle and his darling niece and nephew I couldn’t put this down. I read it in one sitting and then of course I immediately had to get the audiobook and play it over and over again whenever I’m in the car run don’t walk to get this fantastic book God, Patrick I love him and I hate him and what a satisfying ending. Just perfection

The Guncle Abroad follows up The Guncle with similar witty humor and the same cast of characters, but I struggled to relate to them this time around. I know very little about Europe, so I couldn't appreciate the settings the way others likely would. I also had an extreme aversion to something Grant kept doing, and I really considered DNFing each time it was brought up. Despite not connecting with this installment, I would give a third book a chance in hopes that I would connect the way I did with Book 1.

I received an ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

GUP IS BACK!!!!!!! The Guncle is one of my favorite books I've ever read, and when I saw we were getting a sequel I was absolutely delighted to be reunited with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant. Eurpope!? Italy?! Oh, the chaos that is going to ensue! I dove into this book and absolutely tore it apart, but ultimately the sequel left me wanting a little bit more, and it didn't quite get me to a 5th star.



Without spoiling, the beginning of this book and the end of a relationship left me stunned. I was ready to watch Patrick romp through Europe with the love he had found and the several sentence write off was really annoying for me. It kept me in a bad mood through most of the book, and I think this entire sub-plot was a huge mistake.



I loved Europe. I loved Patrick's idea to take the kids through Europe to teach them about art, culture, and ultimately, their Mom. I think these parts of the books shined, and who doesn't love some new Guncle rules? Watching Maisie and Grant grow up was really sad, and reading this book after having two kids definitely hit different than when I read The Guncle and hadn't parented at all.



The new characters were wonderful. I think the new characters were quite great, and added something very new and fun to the book- especially the Gaunt who became Patrick's psuedo-arch nemesis. The banter was as funny as it always was, and Steven didn't lose a knack of Patrick's hilarity. The more somber moments also hit the way they should, and this book gets you a few times, especially if you've ever lost someone close to you. While this book isn't as great as The Guncle (and how could it be!?) I do highly recommend taking the trip, and if we were ever lucky enough to get another book I'd still be there with bells on.

The stories about the Guncle are books that I desperately want to love but that I just find okay.

In this sequel, Patrick reunites with Maisie and Grant five years after the events of the first book. Their father is getting remarried, and it’s up to GUP to try to help them either stop the wedding or make sense of it and let it happen. It has the same quirky humor as the first, and it expands in the heartwarming relationship between Patrick and the kids.

I don’t know what it is that makes these stories not work great for me, but I struggle with them. I like the idea and the relationship, but sometimes the humor doesn’t hit me quite right. I also look back and feel like not a lot has happened. There’s development and plot movement, but it is slower than what I typically enjoy.

That’s not to say this book is bad. It just isn’t a perfect fit for me. I liked it but didn’t love it.

I had such high hopes for The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley but this sequel just did not live up to the original. It was a fun, quirky story but it lacked substance.

Oh, I loved this book! I was excited to catch up with GUP and the kids. Their travel itinerary was incredible. I loved how Steven Rowley had Maise and Grant grow and develop their personalities. I finished this book sitting in the stands at Luke’s soccer practice and I cried a bit. Steven Rowley does such a great job of entertaining while hitting the emotions just right. I sure hope there is a third Guncle book!

This book was wonderful. I haven’t read a book by him I haven’t loved. I laughed, I cried and it suppressed my high expectations!

This is the second book in the series following the lovable Patrick, aka Guncle (Gay Uncle), this sequel takes us on an emotional and hilarious journey through personal growth, family bonds, and navigating life's complexities. Patrick’s relationship with his niece and nephew continues to be the heart of the story, reminding readers of the profound impact family—whether by blood or by choice—can have on personal healing. If you loved The Guncle, this sequel is a must-read!

I just love being back with Patrick and the kids. I love Steven's story telling, seeing how the kids and their issues have changed and evolved since we last saw them, and just spend time with them again. I loved Patrick's growth and seeing his relationship develop more as well. Was this sequel 100% necessary? No, but it was definitely fun!

Steven Rowley is one of my new favorite authors. How can you not love Patrick. He is hilarious. I also love all the other characters in his books. There were a couple in Abroad that I didn’t feel as much for as I did with the characters carried over from book one but I hope to hear about the next chapter with Maisie, Grant and GUP. Great read.

I wanted to love this book because I so adored The Guncle but it fell flat for me. I'm wary when sequels come out since I do feel like a lot of them are pointless, but I gave this one a shot because I was hoping I was wrong. I wasn't.

I loved the Guncle by Rowley, so I was very excited to read the follow up, the Guncle Abroad. taking place five years after the events of the first book, Patrick, or GUP, as he's called by his niece and nephew, is filming a movie in England when his brother asks him to take his niece and nephew to Italy, where he's getting married to an Italian marchesa. The kids are not happy with this turn of events, so they're trying to get Patrick to spoil the wedding with them. As they travel to Italy, Patrick tries to explain love languages and accept the new step mom.
Rowley has such a lovely character in Patrick, he's a bit spoiled, a bit selfish, but still a sweetheart, and he loves his niece and nephew so much it's charming. While teaching his niblings how to grow and accept the new step mom, we see Patrick grow as well. Overall I loved this book and would love to see more of GUP and his niblings.

Loved the first one and enjoyed getting to be with the characters again, perfect pool/summer read! Lots of funny with heart!

I LOVED The Guncle so much, and The Guncle Abroad almost as much. It may not have had quite the same charm (the kids were older and a little annoying) but still a very good read.

I adored The Guncle, and my worry was that the sequel would be a let down. Not so, however it is a very different novel than the original. The first book was really an emotional story about grief disguised as a comic novel, and this sequel takes a more straightforwardly comic tone throughout. It was great to connect with these characters again years later, there are plenty of laughs all around, and the heartwarming vibe from the original permeates here as well. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed.

*The Guncle Abroad* by Steven Rowley is a charming premise that unfortunately doesn’t quite hit the mark. While the novel offers humor and heartfelt moments, it feels more like a rehash of its predecessor, *The Guncle*. The witty banter and quirky characters are still present, but the storyline lacks the depth and emotional impact that made the first book memorable. The protagonist, Patrick, is still lovable but often comes across as one-dimensional, and the plot, while enjoyable at times, often drags.

There are moments of real heart in the book, especially dealing with family dynamics, but they feel overshadowed by repetitive jokes and situations that don’t quite land. The setting, though beautiful, isn’t enough to elevate the story. It’s a light, easy read, but ultimately, it falls flat compared to the potential it had. If you’re looking for more substance, you might be disappointed.

The Guncle Abroad is such a lovely follow up to The Guncle. Steven Rowley takes us on a much needed European vacation with his niece and nephew. Patrick's brother is ready to remarry which is bringing up so many emotions and changes for his children. Patrick is back working and struggling with his own love life. What we have is a messy but loving whirlwind of finding family and life after loss. Fans of The Guncle will love the follow up!

A followup novel featuring the lovable Gup, Patrick, as this time he helps his niece and nephew navigate the upcoming marriage of their father to a new wife after the loss of their mother. I enjoyed most of this one but definitely not as much as the first installment of this series. The Gunlce entinced me to book a trip to Palm Springs shortly after reading it and I loved the humor and the connections that were formed between Patrick, Maisie and Grant. This time, they traveled around Europe and although the same humor was still there and was enjoyable, I for sure wasn't encouraged to travel after reading the traveling parts of the story. It was still a heartwarming, funny story full of loveable characters and I would still recommend it, perhaps just not as much as the first one.