Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this!
This was a fun, adorable, laugh inducing sequel...but a sequel none the less.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Guncle: the characters were fun and lighthearted while still balancing grief. In this iteration I did enjoy the travel aspect: I've always wanted to travel. I don't do it nearly enough. So I loved seeing all the locations they visited (Yea sound of music reference!) through the eyes of these characters. But I think there was a little bit of that original spark missing? That thing that made the Guncle what it was. It might be a lesson that sometimes, less is more.

(Note: I did think the last maybe 20% was truly excellent. But the first 80% was just missing some magic for me).

I will be honest, I loved the Guncle, and I continued to love the sequel. However, sequels always fall short to me. Maybe my expectations are set too high when I adored the first book, maybe sequels are just an attempt to keep up the perfect story when in reality it ended when it was supposed to end. All that being said, this book brings the characters we loved from the first book - and more growth and change in their lives. Patrick is still amazing, struggling with turning 50, but also running to be there for his niece and nephew when they need him. The kids are struggling with their dad getting married - and need their Uncle for support and love. We walk away from this book knowing everyone will be okay, 5 years after the last book, after laughing, crying and shaking our heads. Do I think this book was necessary? Nope. Did I find it entertaining and enjoyable? Absolutely!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

THE GUNCLE ABROAD - STEVEN ROWLEY

4.5⭐

PLOT
Patrick O Hara is called back to his guncle duties for a big family wedding in Italy. He has broken things off with Emory but this time his family needs him esp Masie and Grant as their father Greg decides to remarry in Italy. Can Patrick save the day yet again? Will teaching the kids about love help him repair his own love life?

MY THOUGHTS
Once again you are transported to their lives where you laugh, cry, enjoy and feel as them.
For a sequel it continues with the trademark Patrick's witty oneliners, his humour and outlook to love and romance in this book. Also, Paulina 's character Launt to the kids was highly entertaining to read.
I just wish to see them all on screen and fall in love with them once more!

This book had a lot to live up to. I never expected to like it as much as the first one. With that being said it was still fun to relive the relationships between Patrick and the kids. And it had me laughing out loud a few times. Definitely will never turn down reading a book in this series.

It’s probably not fair that I read this at a time when I was struggling to focus on reading. I probably would have finished it in days if I had listened to it instead. I enjoyed revisiting these characters and the relationship between GUP and the kids is still so much fun and so endearing. The book seemed like it got a little too far into Patrick’s head this time and lost a little of the magic- but I think I would not have noticed that if it was read by the author like the first one. A worthy sequel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC that I did not finish before the release date!!

I adore Steven Rowley's writing.- The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021 and The Celebrants was also a 5 star read for me. I was so excited when Rowley announced the sequel The Guncle Abroad. I really adored this book and think it was just as charming and funny as The Guncle. I also think it can be read as a standalone, but. you will miss out on some of the backstory from The Guncle (and also you definitely should read The Guncle). Steven Rowley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC.

Oh how my heart rejoices.

If you need a little heart flutter and sweet little swoons, you will find it in the ever-joyful, The Guncle Abroad.

Yes, GUP is back! And he's just as swanky as ever, but make it Italian. I had such fun time exploring with one of the most lovable fictional crews around, Patrick, Grant, and Maisie. The Guncle Abroad takes places years after the first book where Patrick acts as a guardian for his niece and nephew after the loss of their mother. Their father is getting re-married which brings the entire family overseas for a destination wedding...with plenty of reserves. But this story delivers a heartfelt look at how grief develops over time and how life is still meant to be lived by those who are left behind. My heart was incredibly happy reading this story and it filled a few hours (yes, I read it in a few hours) with pure happiness. Rowley wrote a hug in a book.

How about we plan a GUP book 3? (A girl can dream)

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy.

GUP is back! The Guncle Abroad takes place 5 years after the first book, and this time, there’s a wedding involved. Patrick’s brother Greg is getting married, and his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant aren’t happy. They’re growing up, developing their own personalities, and missing their mom. The last thing they want is to have a new step-mother. When Greg asks Patrick to watch the kids before the wedding, Patrick is determined to teach them about love, while traveling through Europe. The kids have other ideas, and want Patrick to talk to their dad and get him to call off the wedding. Patrick is dealing with heartbreak himself, having just broken up with his boyfriend, so celebrating love is the last thing on his mind.

It was a joy to reunite with these characters and to see how they’ve been doing. Patrick is his usual hilarious self, and still has his over the top references that fly over the kids heads. While the first book was about grief and how it changes over time, this book focuses more on love, and the different types we can experience. Like the first book, the best scenes involve Patrick and the kids, and the love they share. I found myself laughing AND crying and would gladly read a 3rd in this series.

While I loved the first book in this series The Guncle this one just didn’t hit the same way for me. I still enjoyed the characters but now that the kids were older that original charm of the story was lost.

Our favorite Guncle is back and is spending time with his niece and nephew abroad as they deal with the upcoming nuptials of their father. Maise is having an exceptionally hard time and it’s up to Patrick to help her and Grant navigate their feelings.

I was pretty undecided about this book until about halfway through. The first one was laugh out loud funny, but this didn’t start that way. The kids are older and not things aren’t as humorous. By the end I had brought in fully. I laughed some, cried some and enjoyed this sequel!

I adored The Guncle. However The Guncle Abroad fell a little flat for me. It was missing the magic of the first book. The story still had its heartfelt moments and spots that made me laugh out loud. But I found myself putting the book down a lot and not really wanting to pick it back up again. Maybe it was me?

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦."



Drama follows Patrick around wherever he goes, and I. Am. Here. For it. 👏🏻👏🏻 And this time, the drama is following Patrick all through Europe!

Plus, as mentioned when I read the first book... Patrick is pretty much my real-life best friend @disneyrunner13 😅😅 so it's SUPER easy to hear and imagine Patrick's words and corresponding facial expressions.

I also truly loved seeing the kids grow into actual people!

🧳 Travel Through Europe
💖 Gay Uncle & Lesbian Aunt
🧳 Understanding Grief and Loss
💖 Remarriage/Stepmothers
🧳 Second Chances
💖 Teenage Angst

Thank you so much @putnambooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this review!
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#bookstagram #booksta #books #booksbooksbooks #avidreader #ilovereading #thetwistedlibrarian #professionalbookworm #theguncleabroad #stevenrowley #book42of2024 #whatsnikkireading #europeantravel #guncle #launt #lgbtqiap #griefandloss #remarriage #stepmothers #secondchances #putnambooks #netgalley #advancedreadercopy

I’m going to be totally honest and say that I struggled a bit with this one.

Last year, Lily and the Octopus was one of my favorite books I read. It found me at just the right time when I needed it the most.

Back in 2021, I read The Guncle and laughed out loud SO many times.

I was really excited for this sequel, but as I was reading it, I kept thinking, did we need it? This novel takes place five years later, the kids are older, and their dad is about to be remarried.

This book felt like it had too many things going on. We have new characters mingling with the characters we know and love, which is fine, but the first half of the novel Patrick takes the kids on a trip and it all just felt so rushed, to which we then get to Italy for the wedding and it’s like a whole different book in the second half.

There were some really wonderful, funny, heartwarming sections, which you expect from this author and they are well done and welcome. But I got the feeling that maybe there wasn’t a clear vision on where this should go? I would have loved the whole novel to be about Patrick and the kids just going on the trip, tackling them growing up, how they’re still managing their grief, tie in his relationship with Emory. I think that would have been enough for one book? Maybe a third book for the wedding. Just keep the series going 😂.

Overall, I felt like this was fine, but I personally didn’t love it as much as the first book or some of the other’s written by this author. This is a good beach read with some feel good moments.

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Another five star read for me from Steven Rowley. Truly, I love every single word he writes. I've been in a bit of a slow reading cycle, work is just busy, I'm exhausted, and just not able to devote time to reading like I normally do.

This book would almost not let me put it down. The O'Hara family is just a lovely group of people and I would be honored to be one of them. Honestly, I might even bribe my way into the family if that was a thing. Is it? A thing? Can I do that?

If you've read The Guncle, read The Guncle Abroad. If you've not read The Guncle, WHY NOT? It's so good. It's extraordinary. And you will be a better person for reading it.

Thank you to Steven Rowley for gracing us with his books. We are better people for having read your words. I promise.

The sequel to The Guncle picked up 5 years after the first book. Maisie (14) and Grant (11) go on a trip to Europe with their Guncle Patrick. There they try to convince him to help them interfere with the wedding.

This one is funny, while also emotional. If you loved The Guncle you’re sure to love this one too.

I hate, hate, HATE the review I'm about to leave. BUT. I have to start by saying I went into The Guncle (book 1) because I'd heard people saying it was good. And it absolutely was, I loved it! It had brains and laughs and so much heart. So obviously when book two was announced I was overjoyed, because yay - more GUP and the niblings!

That being said. I DNFed around the 44% mark, and NO ONE is more devastated by that than I am. You know how when TV shows go flat, they "jumped the shark"? This is that, in book form. It was just awful. I'm not going to give details - but these are not the same characters, especially Patrick, from the last book. I miss THEM, not....this. Two very, very sad stars.

I read this book and the first one back to back! The story was so cute and funny, but then there were some really good moments of depth and emotional conversations I didn't expect. This book had the advantage of taking place in Italy which gave way to some great descriptions.

This is such a good sequel to The Guncle. I loved seeing Mandie and Grant grow up! Did I kind of hate Patrick and Emory’s break up? Yes yes I did. But it lead to a beautiful ending and that’s what matters.

I can’t say enough amazing things about this book. I had high expectations coming from reading the Guncle earlier this year and it being one of my favorite reads this year and this book lived up to all my needs and wants in a sequel. I loved it. Steven Rowley makes me feel like these characters are a part of my life and it is as if I know them. I adore every character, the development of them, and the storyline. This is charming, heat felt, loving, and has multiple messages that I will cherish throughout my life raising my girls to be exactly who they are meant to be. Steven Rowley has become one of my absolute favorite authors.

I loved the Guncle and was really excited to jump back into GUPs world! And while I still liked it, it fell short of my admittedly very high expectations this time around.

It’s been 5 years and while Maisie has definitely aged into a surly teenager, Grant is 11 and it kinda felt like he was still written to be much younger. Him asking why they spoke French in France didn’t feel like something a kid his age would ask, nor him asking about GUP and LAUNT getting married because they are both gay. Cute and funny jokes, but more fitting for a younger kid to ask.

I think what I struggled with most was that the issues in this that the family had to overcome just felt a bit forced. In the first book, there were serious problems being addressed and it had more of an impact on me. In this, there were some selfish issues, like Patrick’s instant jealousy and dislike of Palmina which was shallow and petty. I wanted it to tug on my heartstrings and I just wasn’t as invested in this one.

The pacing was off for me - the early and middle sections dragged a bit. Once they all arrive for the wedding things pick back up and the last 25% was fantastic. I still enjoyed it and love the characters, it just was missing something. It’s good and I’d definitely recommend it, but start with the Guncle first which has my entire heart still. It’s a 3.5⭐️ for me, rounded up on NetGalley.

Thanks @putnum and @prhaudio for the DRC/ALC.