I wanted to love this book so much because I ADORED The Guncle. This seems more of a travel guide of sorts and I found myself getting bored. The kids were the best part for me and I loved the witty convos that reminded me of the first book! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝓐𝓾𝓭𝓲𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 🎧📙
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
@mrstevenrowley you made me fall in LOVE with this family all over again. Every child needs a GUNCLE Patrick 🥰.
If you haven’t read book one I highly recommend it before reading this one. It’s a continuation of the adventures of this family. Years later mazie and grant are still healing from the death of their mother. To add to things their father is in love and getting married in Italy to an heiress. I mean she has to be this woman got to the Prada flag ship store to open just for them. I wish!!!! I wasn’t sold on Olivia in the beginning but by the end I felt she truly loved the children. The story follows Patrick and the kids journey abroad as he tries to teach them about the love languages which is hilarious in itself. The goal is to abort their mission of sabotaging their dad’s wedding. There are plenty of interesting secondary characters. My favorite was aunt Clara. I didnt care for her in book one.
BUT honey divorced life looks great on her! Oh an we get a LAUNT in this book (Lesbian Aunt, aka Palmina) who is Patrick’s nemesis and fabulous. I really loved everything about this book. This family all healed in their own way.

Fᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ǫᴜᴏᴛᴇ:
“The only time it maybe works—and I mean the only time—is when there wasn’t an ending that was entirely happy, when not everything was tied up in a neat little bow. Otherwise you have to undo someone’s happy ending to create more drama for your characters, and no one likes a happy ending undone. And what stories these days don’t have happy endings?“

𝐅𝐘𝐈: A Reader couldnt ask for a better ending 🥰.

Thank you to @prhaudio and @netgalley @putnambooks for the free ALC & ARC.

#guncle #guncleabroad #stevenrowley #italy #love #lovelanguage #instagram #netgalley #prhaudioinfluencer #prhaudio

Pros: It was lots of fun to revisit the characters from The Guncle, five years after the events in that book. I loved the European settings in this book, which mostly takes place in Italy. However, my very favorite part was when they went on the Sound of Music tour in Austria! The puns and clever dialogue throughout keep this book feeling light even when it addresses deeper topics like grief.

Cons: I can’t think of any specific cons—this book does exactly what it sets out to do and will be enjoyed by readers who loved The Guncle. Three stars because I liked it but did not love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this book.

I love these characters so much and am so grateful to be pulled back into their world! Just like the first book, it has all of the signature quips and jokes blended perfectly with emotion. It was a beautifully written reminder to honor the people we have loved and lost by not moving on, but by moving forward.

Welcome back the Guncle!

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5 years after the first book Patrick is in London filming a movie and his brother Greg has finally met someone and is getting married. This doesn’t sit well with Maisie and Grant. Greg sends the kids to GUP while he finishes wedding planning and Patrick takes the kids all over Europe to teach them about love. This trip ends in Italy for their dad’s wedding. Patrick tries to get the kids on board and to know if he succeeds you’ll have to read the book.

I read the audio and adored that Steven Rowley narrated his own book. While this wouldn’t work for every author he did amazing and totally brought the characters to life.

Just like the first book this one is so funny, but also so deep. It deals a little with grief but so much more about love and how we can love anew while still loving someone we’ve lost. The travel element was also really well written. Anyone want to take a trip?

<b>My rating: </b> 3 out 5 --> The original Guncle is an almost impossible book to follow up. You still get the charm of the characters (except the kids have grown up and have a more of a typical teenage disgruntled attitude which is funny in a different way), but the whole time I was just wishing for the first book. The author even calls it out in the second chapter how hard it is to make sequels which I thought was funny.

<b> Novel's Intention/obstacle: </b> The brother is getting remarried in Italy and the uncle takes the kids on a trip beforehand.

<b> When did I get hooked? </b> I am hooked because of the characters established in the first book

<b> What I liked </b>
the characters and final message of the book

<b> What I didn't like </b>
If you recently read Guncle, there is a lot in the first 10% of the book that is just a summary of the first book. The middle drags a bit as you anticipate the wedding scenes

Probably could be a standalone, but would 100% recommend reading book 1 first! The Guncle Abroad is such a wonderful book. It constantly made me laugh out loud and as usual, it made me cry! Such a heartfelt family story. The conflict is a typical family one, but you love the character so much that the dialogue and relationships keep you engaged. From “lants” to “al dente”, The Guncle Abroad is a must read gem! Such a unique type of humor. Loved. Would buy, would recommend, would check out from the library — etc!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What’s not to love about GUP?! While I think readers could pick up the Guncle Abroad and still love the story, I absolutely recommend reading the Guncle first!

We pick up 5 years after the original Guncle has ended, and things have changed. Patrick is living abroad, and filming - he’s quite famous again. Brother Greg is GETTING MARRIED to an Italian marchesa (like royalty), and they’re having a very swanky Italian wedding. Patrick takes the kids for the weeks leading up to the ceremony, so Greg can handle pre-wedding stuff. The kids aren’t too convinced that this wedding should happen, and enlist Patrick’s help to put a stop to it.

And thus begins Patrick’s quest to teach this kids about love, while on a grand European adventure. But Patrick is much better at giving advice than taking it.

He befriends an unlikely person, and makes some pretty big life decisions in The Guncle Abroad.

It was absolutely heartwarming, and while it seems like a perfectly happy ending, I’m hopeful for a third book!!

* I received an ARC via #NetGalley for review

The Guncle goes abroad! This book gave me the same warm, heartfelt feelings I had while reading the first book. I absolutely loved all the witty banter between all the characters and how they tackle some woes Maisie is experiencing as she continues to grow up (same with grant but on a lesser scale). It did take me a little to get into this one as the first half of the traveling felt a little long, but I appreciated all the Guncle love lessons and by the end I was in tears when everything came together. I just wish we had more Emory in this book! I think if you enjoyed the first book you will definitely enjoy this.

*thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc!

"The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley is a delightful, heartwarming follow-up to "The Guncle" that once again brings us the wonderful and witty Patrick O’Hara. It's been five years since Patrick's summer of guncle duties with his niece Maisie and nephew Grant after their mother's passing. Now, with Patrick having moved to New York to restart his acting career and the kids back in Connecticut with their dad, the family dynamics have shifted but the love and bond remain strong.

When Patrick's brother, Greg, announces his upcoming wedding in Italy, Maisie and Grant are less than thrilled. Sensing an opportunity to help the kids adjust and understand love, Patrick steps in to take them on a European adventure. As they travel, Patrick balances helping his brother with wedding jitters, dealing with his sister Clara's flirtations, and managing the kids' emotions—all while navigating his own midlife crisis.

Rowley’s writing shines with humor and heart, capturing the essence of complicated family bonds and the journey of self-discovery. Patrick's witty banter and life lessons are as engaging as ever, making you laugh out loud one moment and tear up the next. The European backdrop adds a layer of charm and adventure, making this a perfect escapist read.

The dynamics between Patrick, Maisie, and Grant have evolved, reflecting their growth over the years. Maisie, now a rebellious teenager, and Grant, glued to his game console, both challenge and enrich Patrick's life. The addition of the charming "launt" (lesbian aunt) Palmina brings a fun rivalry that adds to the story’s humor and heart.

"The Guncle Abroad" beautifully explores themes of love, grief, and the challenges of growing up at any age. Patrick’s journey to help his family understand love also becomes a path of self-discovery, showing that it's never too late to find happiness and embrace change.

This sequel not only lives up to its predecessor but also stands out on its own with a fresh, engaging story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Steven Rowley has crafted another gem that’s sure to delight fans and newcomers alike. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a touching, humorous, and heartwarming read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

First things first-while I loved the first book in this series more, this was a solid sequel. The dialogue is snappy and fun, the characters endearing, and the European setting is fun. There's a lot in here that tugs at your heartstrings, especially the last few chapters. I didn't love how he wrote some of the characters, but Patrick and the kids were still written well. This will be popular book this summer, I just know. You don't have t read the first one to enjoy this, but I think it will add to your understanding and enjoyment.

Cute story, but didn’t quite capture the same magic as compared to The Guncle. Loved the overseas setting and GUPs love languages, but sadly not as much sparkle and pizzazz this time around.

Such a fun read. I liked it better than the first actually. The banter and sweet lessons.
I would recommend this book
Thank you Netgalley for the arc and early opportunity
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As summer reads go, The Guncle Abroad offers lots of elements that many readers will love - the return of beloved characters, an amazing setting, humor, and heart. Unfortunately, this sequel didn’t have quite the charm as the original for my taste. Five years has passed, a new problem arises, and they fall back to the set up of the original but the necessity of Patrick caring for his niece and nephew as they prepare for their father’s wedding comes across as less organic. If the father is worried about the children accepting his soon to be wife, shipping them away seems to be the least likely solution to making them feel secure and accepting, The pacing at the start is a bit slow, reading as though it’s built for the screen and the gorgeous location shoots rather than for the story itself. The book settles in when they all reach Lake Como which made me wish this was in fact where the book started. I expected many readers who loved the Guncle will be thrilled with the nostalgia of this novel and the sweetness in its pages. The cynic in my just couldn’t quite get on board as I did with the original.

Is it too soon to beg for a third to this series? The Guncle Abroad is laugh out loud hysterical and I cannot stop recommending Steven Rowley to anyone with a sense of humor! TGA and picks up 5 years later after its predecessor, The Guncle, and we see Greg is getting remarried much to the kids’ chagrin. Don’t worry- GUP swoops in to save the day! This is the kind of book that makes you miss your siblings/ childhood. The banter is so realistic that it’s really a feel good vibe. This book should not be missed.

5 stars. Pub. date 5/21/24.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am rating this one 4⭐️ because I love Rowley’s other books and this book was a lot of fun. The knee-slapper puns had me laughing out loud the whole book.

However, there was drinking in almost every single scene up until the 80% mark, day or night. He drinks at every stress, anxiety, upset, or negative emotion, which even leads him to accidentally chug olive oil that he thinks is white wine.

The irony of his brother Greg being “sober” because he has a “problem,” while Patrick seemed to think his nonstop drinking was totally fine, was not lost on me.

What happens at 80%? That’s when we enter the “Now” section of the story where Patrick starts to be his more authentic self and practice what he’s preaching. He’s actually working towards happiness and giving himself what he really wants/needs. And for that last 20%, there’s barely a drop mentioned.

I drank 2 glasses a night to deal with anxiety and emotions for years, and when I quit, I learned the alcohol was spiking my cortisol and making my anxiety worse. It was also preventing me from actually *dealing* with my emotions.

I kept hoping for an AHA! moment where Patrick realized the drinking at feelings wasn’t doing him any favors. Not sure if he ever fully got there. But I did appreciate the shift away from a booze fest for that last 20%.

So yeah I was triggered by this book. But I also laughed a ton. Kind of a mixed bag. I still stan for Rowley and love his writing 🫶.

Thank the gay literary gods for Steven Rowley and his poignant, hilarious books!

Though I had heard of The Guncle, Rowley's breakout third novel (published in 2021), the first book of his that I read was The Celebrants (2023), which was chosen as a Read With Jenna book last year. I immediately fell in love with the witty way that Rowley weaves stories, capturing both the bittersweet humanity of situations and the awkward hilarity that can crop up at the most inconvenient times. As soon as I finished The Celebrants, I caught up with The Guncle and loved it just as much.

The Guncle followed Patrick O'Hara, an erstwhile sitcom star living in Palm Springs, who finds himself in the unlikely role of 'gay uncle' (guncle) to his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, following the death of their mother Sara. Sara was Patrick's best friend and also his sister-in-law (she married his brother Greg).

Of course, if you're reading this review, chances are you've read The Guncle and are interested in its sequel, The Guncle Abroad, so I will skip an in-depth recap of the first book and dive into Abroad. When The Guncle Abroad starts, five years have passed in the lives of the characters. Grant is getting ready to start middle school and Maisie high school, and their father Greg (Patrick's brother) is on the verge of getting remarried. Greg has asked Patrick to take care of the kids in the run-up to the wedding, so they share an adventure across London, Paris, and, finally, Italy, where the wedding will be taking place.

No longer little kids anymore, the characters of Maisie and Grant are allowed more development in this second novel than in the first. Patrick, who had found love with a younger actor named Emory at the end of the first novel, is newly single, which means that all three travelers are in a kind of mourning -- Patrick for love lost, and Maisie and Grant for their mother, and also for their family unit, which they fear may be broken forever with the arrival of their new prospective stepmother, a rich Italian woman named Livia. Patrick and Greg's sister (the kids' "SAC" -- "straight aunt Clara") is back as well, and there's a fun new semi-nemesis, Livia's sister and the kids' new prospective lesbian aunt (or "launt"), Palmina, who threatens the delicate ecosystem of Patrick's relationship with Grant and Maisie.

The bon mots and 'Guncle Rules' (Patrick's "wise" tidbits) are as omnipresent as ever. Patrick's strength as a character is the way his vanity and headstrong nature butt up against the fact that, deep down, he's really a sensitive softie with a real way with words when it really counts.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot of the book, because its character-building and surprising comic moments make up much of its charm. As I was finishing The Guncle Abroad, I couldn't help but think of another favorite author of mine, Armistead Maupin, whose Tales of the City series has been running for decades now and has recently concluded with a tenth novel. With a talent for balancing humor and pathos, any time you pick up a Maupin novel you know you are in *safe hands*, and that no matter what travails the characters may face along the way, there will be a way forward. I feel the same sense of safety within Rowley's pages, and with the characters of these Guncle books.

Without giving any assurances of further installments, it feels like there is still room for more storytelling in the Gunclesphere following Abroad, and I'm very much hoping that Rowley will grant readers the treat of further installments in this series. But, even if not, I'll be looking forward to whatever he writes next.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early eBook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.*

I love these characters so so much! This wasn’t as life changing for me as the first book, but it was still so funny and so sweet. I loved the check in on how grief changes years later, and I found the call backs to be incredibly fun!

Thank you again to the publisher and author for the advanced copy. I’ll love anything Steven Rowley writes and I feel so lucky to read it early!

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary fiction 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first one!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Witty banter
Guncle rules
European travels
Feel good stories
Heartwarming yet funny reads
Pop culture references
Launts (lesbian aunt lol)

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
I love a good HEA
All the traveling- I thought it was a fun aspect

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I feel like the kids are always just pawned off to Patrick - I wish the dad was more involved

Five years later and everyone's favorite GUP is back!

Just like book 1, I loved the witty back and forth banter and had several laugh out loud moments. While the original didn't necessarily need a sequel I'm glad we got one.