Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

So…I think Steven Rowley’s books just aren’t for me. *ducks for cover* I was underwhelmed by The Guncle but I wanted to give the sequel a chance since so many loved it. Yet somehow I was even less impressed with The Guncle Abroad. 🙈

I don’t hate feel-good fiction. I’m all for the warm and fuzzies of families reuniting, overcoming grief and hard times, and the connection between an (G)uncle and his niece and nephew. I love heartwarming books and moments. But something about these books…just doesn’t work for me.

In The Guncle Abroad, there’s so much going on and the characters get lost. Every chance there’s an opportunity to go deeper, when a scene gets quieter, the situation stays at the surface level. The book is filled with advice and wisdom but it feels so forced to me; there’s no emotion or passion behind the interactions.

I could say more but I’ll leave it at: I just didn’t like it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And this may just be a me thing, because so many people loved this book (and The Guncle). So don’t let my meh feelings on the books keep you away!

Gay Uncle Patrick is back again, taking his much older niece and nephew on a trip around Europe before their father's wedding in Italy. To complicate matters, the kids are not quite on board with this wedding and attempt to recruit GUP to talk their father out of it.

At times, he doesn't seem to try very hard to understand or relate to them on their level. He continuously makes references that only adults in the entertainment industry would understand and seems baffled by their very typical adolescent behavior. Despite the disconnects, there are plenty of witty quips and hilarious adventures to be enjoyed.

As with the first installment, there were plenty of references that went way over my head, and I had to skim over those parts and not put too much stock into them. Nevertheless, the snark and charming narcissism of Patrick permeated the story in a similar vein to the first book. The characters are flawed but have plenty of heart.

I love the Guncle books! Steven Rowley is a fantastic author, and this book made me laugh out loud, just like the first installment. When Guncle travels to Europe for his brother's wedding, hilarity ensues with his niece and nephew. It warmed my heart and made me smile. I really hope we get more books about Guncle because I absolutely adore him!

Steven Rowley does an amazing job of bringing his characters to life. It’s hard not to love GUP and his antics.

I was a huge fan of The Guncle and had the highest hopes for this one. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I was bored by the snarkiness of the main character. I think we could have done without this addition to the Guncle-verse.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this. This was a cute sequel to the first one. I enjoyed it just as much. The characters are so likeable and easy to read. Love that this is a more modern day type story!

Reading this book felt like going home. I love this family so much and getting a peak into where their journey has taken them was wonderful! I loved the trip through Europe, the "launt" and all the adventures and lessons GUP takes us on. Well done!

Hooray for the return of the Guncle! I absolutely love when an author is able to capture a sassy, sarcastic character with great comedic timing and witty comebacks, WITHOUT bringing cringe-worthy second-hand embarrassment along with it. It doesn't happen often, but Steven Rowley perfectly encapsulates these characteristics while also showing us Patrick's vulnerability and growth.

Not nearly as moving and emotional as the first but I love these characters and it was still a good time.

This was such a fun follow up to The Guncle! I loved the travel across Europe and spending time with these characters again.

I just loved revisitng Patrick! Like the first book, this one was humorous and endearing. Patrick's acerbic wit and over-the-top approach to life is back in the spotlight as he is once again caring for Grant and Maisie in the time leading up to their father's wedding. They galavant around Europe, and he once again shows them how to approach life with style. Grant and Maisie have some reservations about their new stepmother and how their father's marriage will impact their family. In typical GUP fashion, Patrick teaches them about love in his signature unconventional way. They end their travels in Italy to prepare for the wedding. We meet the bride's family, who bring their own brand of humor and flair to the cast of characters, especially the kids' new Launt. She is the perfect person to match Guncle Patrick one-liner for one-liner. Love is in the air (Gustavo!). As the big day approaches, some difficult conversations, foot-in-mouth moments, and teenage drama all vie for the most heartfelt and funniest scenes in the book. This book is such a perfect blend of heart and hilarity - times when I LOLd and times when I teared up. I listened to the audiobook, which Rowley narrates himself. I'm not sure most authors could pull it off, but he did a phenomenal job. It was wonderful knowing that the sarcasm and pretentiousness were delivered just as they were intended.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I will always put a new Steven Rowley book at the top of my perpetual to be read pile. Every. Single. Time.
Patrick O’Hara once again finds himself as caretaker for his niece and nephew. As he navigates the children, now pre teens, through Europe where their father plans to get married, the journey is full of life lessons. Through many meaningful, heartwarming, and laugh out loud scenes, he also navigates them through the meaning of love.

Steven Rowley is a wonderful author, and he was also hilarious in person! I was delighted to see him as part of his book tour for “The Guncle Abroad” when he was in the area, and get my book signed. Gosh, I read this one back in May 2024 and this review is incredibly overdue! If you haven’t read “The Guncle” then you are certainly missing out. This is the sequel to it, taking main character Patrick to a grand wedding in Lake Como, Italy and reuniting him with his niece and nephew. This is almost just as funny and charming as the first one, with less sadness and heaviness. There is a great sense of place, the descriptions are divine! The book focuses on parenting and moving on after a loss, and finding love again. I would definitely recommend this one, it’s a delightful journey and an escape from the cold winter we’re experiencing. Thank you to Penguin / Putnam and Netgalley for the digital copy!

This was enjoyable, and I liked the abroad setting and seeing the kids a bit older, but it didn’t quite hold up to the first Guncle book for me. Just slightly less compelling and a bit more detached. Still a decent read and a cute theme, though.

I love this heart warming series while not as good as the original this one still melted my heart. In this book we follow Patrick and the kids as they travel through Europe before their father’s wedding, while the kids are plotting to stop the wedding Patrick is trying to teach the kids about love. This book is so witty and I could listen to Patrick doing anything. Hope this cute series continues. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

GUP makes a triumphant return, and Steven Rowley makes me sob once again. I cannot love these characters more. A heartfelt story that tackles so many of the emotions a family experiences in this life we take for granted.

I received a free advanced reading copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

At a moment when I needed to read a book that was funny and warm, The Guncle came through for me. The reading was easy and the story and characters felt authentic. I was so glad to see these characters again in The Guncle Abroad. Though the setup for the premise of book #2 is wholly unaccounted for (Dad is now marrying Italian nobility out of seemingly nowhere?), realism is easy enough to suspend for the joy of the story.

The Guncle Abroad is the heartwarming sequel to The Guncle, following Patrick O’Hara—affectionately known as GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick)—as he embarks on a European adventure with his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant. Five years after their initial summer together, Patrick, now approaching fifty, is navigating a revived acting career and the complexities of single life. When his brother announces a remarriage that unsettles the children, Patrick takes them on a journey across Europe, aiming to provide support and perhaps find personal clarity along the way.

Rowley blends humor and heart, exploring themes of family bonds, personal growth, and the challenges of midlife reinvention. The novel's vivid settings and witty dialogue make it an engaging read that balances lighthearted moments with deeper emotional insights.

This book is recommended for readers who enjoyed The Guncle and appreciate stories about unconventional family dynamics, travel adventures, and self-discovery with a blend of humor and poignancy.