Oh Steven Rowley - how I love thee - let me count the ways:
1) Your characters just jump off the page and come to life and I never want to leave them
2) Your wit and humor makes me literally laugh out loud throughout your novels
3) You always add so much heart into your stories and I find myself wiping tears from my eyes while also having a smile on my face
4) You make me want to live inside your books

The Guncle is one of my favorite books to recommend to anyone and everyone - so I was so excited to be with Team Guncle again and see what Peter, Maisie and Grant were up to. I was always slightly scared - what if it didn't live up to my expectations? Well it was silly to even think that because THIS IS STEVEN ROWLEY! I just can't say enough about this amazing writer and the way he writes these larger than life characters that are also so rooted in reality - I just want to wrap them up in my arms and hug them!

I was so happy to be back in this world and to be back with my favorite Guncle & see his adorable niece and nephew growing up - Grant's lisp is gone! Maisie is a sassy and sometimes sulky preteen! Peter is back with his witty banter and new version of Guncle Rules! - I was here for every minute of it.

I especially loved the European setting, the peek into Peter's revival of his career and subsequent lifestyle, and the introduction of some new characters - especially Peter's new archenemy, the kids villainous(?) soon-to-be LAUNT (Lesbian Aunt).

Rowley does a great job setting you up if you haven't read The Guncle - but my question is WHY HAVEN'T YOU! These books truly make me heart smile so much and I will forever read anything and everything that Rowley writes!

(Check out his awesome husband too - Byron Lane - and one of my most loved romcoms of last year Big Gay Wedding featuring one of my favorite animals of all-time, Elaine!)

Thank you to Netgalley & Penguin Random House/Putnam Books for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest & glowing opinion!

It’s been 5 years since the events in The Guncle solidified a relationship between Patrick and his niece and nephew. Now they are spending several weeks together traveling in multiple countries before ending up at a wedding. Just a few chapters cover the weeks of travel time, and most of the chapters happen over the few days around the wedding. I would have enjoyed it more if the balance had been flipped and we got to experience more of the travel time with the kids.

The funniest parts of the story are the interactions between Patrick and the kids. Most of this book is about Patrick’s internal thoughts/emotions/growth, so it’s not the humorous book I expected. Overall, I liked it but didn’t love it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I’m calling it now: The Guncle Abroad is THE book of the summer! Steven Rowley made readers fall in love with The Guncle two years ago, and now he’s back in the follow-up novel, The Guncle Abroad. And dare I say, I think I loved this one even more?!

Our favorite characters are back, as Gay Uncle Patrick is tasked with traveling with Maisie and Grant (his niece and nephew) to Europe for their father’s wedding in Italy. Patrick’s biggest task however, is helping the kids accept this big change to their family and help them understand the complexities of love. I really related and felt a connection with this book as my own kids are the same ages as Maisie and Grant. From the angst and attitudes to the innocence, Rowley captured these young characters so well! I also loved how Patrick found transformational growth for himself, and moved forward in his own grief and love.

This book will take you through a myriad of emotions, as Rowley does so well. My heart swelled and broke often and I can’t even begin to tell you how laugh out loud funny this book is!! We are graced with our favorite characters again, as well as some new ones who won my heart over and then some! From a musical number in the heart of The Sound of Music, to an off the wall reception dinner this book has it ALL!! This book comes out this week, and you are going to want to read this one. Trust me!!

Thank you netgalley for this novel when i saw this on the site i was shook because i didnt know a second novel was being written and so when i got it i had to dive in this book series is so wholesome and it touches down on alot of important topics regarding grief etc and how to live after losing people you care so much about and i also love how supportive of an uncle he is it makes my heart melt! These characters are so wholesome i love them and so after reading the first one a while back jumping into this one made me still remember how much i love the dynamic between these 3! This novel maisie was older so they talked more about her and her changes she goes through and stuff and also dealing with the loss of her mother as a teen. I loved all the detail of the writing regarding the fashion and movie references and the book takes place in europe and mostly italy what is not too love about those beautiful places. I will say this book had a little twist towards the end and i cant say why because its a major spoiler to the storyline but OMG. I loved it. Overall this was a great funny read with a handful of great characters. Is it bad to say i want book 3? 🤭

Cant post the synopsis because its too long but also dont wanna spoil much.

Rowley has written an engaging sequel to his very successful novel, The Guncle. It's been 5 years since Patrick (the Gay uncle) stepped in to help his niece and nephew grieve after their mom died. But now their Dad intends to remarry, and the kids fear that their memories of their mom will be erased. So Patrick takes them in a tour of Europe to teach them about the many facets of love. They finish the tour near Milan, where the wedding will take place, but the rehearsal dinner turns into a fiasco. Can Patrick encourage the kids to give their new stepmom a chance? And can he manage to follow his own advice about love and happiness?
Patrick is a delightfully irreverent and funny character. I love his cultural references that frequently fly over the heads of the kids!

DNF at 25% this takes place immediately after the last one and is just so hard to follow I forgot all of the characters from the first. It’s a real bummer but I couldn’t get into it without a proper reread of the first

BEYOND THRILLED to spend time with Gay Uncle Patrick O’Hara again!!

Patrick is on the cusp of his 50th birthday, and single, again. He's in Lake Como, Italy, for his brother, Greg's wedding. But Maisie and Grant aren't too keen on their dad remarrying. So, GUP is called on to work his magic, be there for his niece and nephew, and to help them understand that it's okay if their dad moves on. A trip around Europe, a possible addition of a Launt (Lesbian Aunt) to the family who absolutely CANNOT replace him in the kids' hearts, along with Patrick's signature humour and wisdom make this book as funny, and heartfelt as the first.

It's official, I'll read anything this man writes.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“‘Do you remember Guncle Rule sweet sixteen?’ He hoped that was the right one—it had been such a long time. ‘I want you to really live. And change is the biggest part of living.’”

I have never requested/downloaded a book/audiobook so fast in my life! Patrick, aka the guncle, is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. And the authors narration of his own audiobooks is *chefs kiss*. Grazie!!

4.5 stars! Italy and GUP, aka Gay Uncle Patrick? Yesss please! I loved seeing my favorite country through GUP’s eyes, with his telltale humor and spunk. Was this one as good as The Guncle? No. Did I still love it? You bet!

It was missing just a bit of that heart and humor that had me falling in love with Patrick in The Guncle. But make no mistake.. I will continue to read any book that he appears in.

Thank you for the free audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner and to Netgalley, Putnam Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley--this delightful sequel to The Guncle releases May 21. Guncle Patrick is back 5 years after the previous book to again help his brother's kids deal with changes in their lives. Their dad is getting remarried to a rich Italian lady and the kids want Patrick to help them stop the wedding. Patrick takes them on a tour across Europe before the wedding to try to teach them about love, grief, and new beginnings in hopes of softening their feelings about the soon-to-be stepmom. Along the way Patrick learns some of these same lessons for himself. The book is charming, heartwarming, snarky, funny, and has a sweet happy ending. Highly recommend picking up this book!

This book was so wonderful. I loved the Guncle so I was delighted another story about this crew was forthcoming. I love the realness of these characters and their evolution. The story kept me guessing and I just loved it

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Guncle Abroad, especially because The Guncle was a 5-star read in 2021. I think I loved that book so much that I was expecting similar hilarious antics in this book, as well. While there were laugh-out-loud moments, the tone of the book felt more serious and morose. The traveling descriptions lost me a little bit in the middle and I felt myself dragging through those chapters. The ending of the book was wonderful. If the rest of the book felt that way, it would've been another 5-star read for me. I think I will just stick to re-reading the masterpiece that is The Guncle and skip any future sequels.

Maisie, Grant, and Patrick their GUP are back together after five years apart because the kids' dad Greg is going to marry Livia, a marchesa and well, Maisie, in particular isn't happy about it. This sequel will be just fine as a standalone (Rowley gives you the key points from the first book). It's a tour through high end European hotels and sites but it's really about family. Maisie wants Patrick to convince her father not to remarry but even she falls a little under the spell of Livia and the wedding preparations (a private night at the Prada headquarters store, blonde streaks in her hair) and Palmina, the LAUNT. Maisie and Grant ring true, Palmina is terrific, and Patrick, as always is quick with a quip (big mistake! huge!). This made me smile more than once (the Sound of Music tour is priceless), even before the surprise- and no spoilers on that one. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A fun, funny, heartfelt read.

This was a fun book to read since I like traveling. I know kids are angsty and mean, but sometimes they would really ruffle my feathers with how they treated Patrick. I also wish there was more of an explanation from Maisie as to why she didn’t want the wedding to happen. Aside from being an angsty teen who doesn’t want her mom replaced, she was very vague when talking to Patrick about him stopping the wedding. It was brought up but very surface level. Why didn’t he ever talk to her about it more in depth rather than just “it’s love!”

I know Patrick is the center of attention / main character energy, but I also couldn’t handle the ending and what transpired there. On brand but also would think it would be too tacky for him?

It was so wonderful to be back with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant. I love them. While this one was not quite as good as the first book, I didn't really care. I loved the setting. I liked the new characters. And the ending was sweet.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of The Guncle Abroad. I loved The Guncle and enjoyed this follow up as much as I did the original! I felt like I was on the trip with Patrick and his niece and nephew. Steven Rowley's descriptions made me feel as if I was in Lake Como. I loved the witty banter and catchy dialogues . I am very excited to hear that The Guncle is being made into a movie. I'll buy a ticket! Thank you to Steven Rowley for bringing back one of my favorite fictional characters.
I feel I connected to this story because my sons have a guncle. My book club loved both books and I feel like some members may have become a little more accepting and understanding. Thank you again and I have and will suggest this book to others!
Leslie Ponder

Guncle Love Languages. Were they as practical as his Guncle Rules? Maybe not in the short run. But his mission was clear nonetheless. He would teach these kids about love, how to love others, and how to be loved in return.

Guncle Love Language number one.” Patrick decided in the moment to name all of his love languages after songs, starting with one from Tori Amos. “Silent All These Years.”

“Guncle Love Language number one. ‘The Finer Things.’ I believe it was the great philosopher Steve Winwood who said that finer things keep shining through. But don’t be a snob about it, not everyone can come to Paris. I’m saying if you have good dishes, use the good dishes for a meal with someone you care about. If you have nice shoes, but you’re afraid to get them dirty, wear the good shoes and complete your outfit. Finer things. Don’t save them for a day that may never come, enjoy them with someone you love now. And if you’re going to have simple things like a hot beverage, you might as well have the world’s best.” “I thought number one was silence,” Maisie challenged. “Oh, blessed silence, that’s right. Let’s observe that as we wait on Love Language deux.”

“Guncle Love Language number three: ‘Don’t need no credit card to ride this train.’”

“Guncle Love Language number four: ‘Simply remember your favorite things.’”

“Guncle Love Language number five: ‘Together forever with you.’ That’s it. That’s mostly what marriage is. Spending time together. And wanting to move heaven and earth to make that happen. With the right person, time flies. Forever goes by in a blink. But the good news is, you’re the pilot. And when you have a good copilot, it makes the journey all the more bearable.”

My favorite apart about the first book was the conversations Patrick had with Grant and Masie. I thoroughly enjoyed this first half of the book when Patrick is teaching Grant and Masie about the Guncle Love Languages but I could have done without the vacation abroad for his brothers wedding. I can’t wait for the third book and hopefully Grant and Masie come and spend time with Patrick and Emory.

This was a cute story and I enjoyed being back with these characters. I loved the setting and the descriptions of all the European places. I also thought it was impactful how the characters continue to grapple with grief.

My main problem was I kept comparing this to the first book and it just didn’t have the same impact on me. It almost made me feel like a sequel wasn’t totally necessary. I also felt that the characters were a lot more selfish in this book what made them less endearing.

Overall, this was still a cute story, but the first book is way better!

Picking up five years after the end of The Guncle, Patrick and the kids are once again confronting some major life changes. The book begins in beautiful Lake Como on the eve of Greg’s marriage to an Italian noblewoman, Livia, and then quickly jumps to the month prior when Patrick is tasked with once again watching Maisie and Grant. As they tour Europe, Patrick attempts to teach them life lessons about love and moving forward, and - surprise, surprise - learns his own lessons in the process.

Much like The Guncle, this book was funny and light and heartwarming, with some serious life lessons tossed in. And much like many sequels, it sparkled just a little less brightly than the original. I would make an enjoyable move, though! The writing itself often read like a screenplay, and the setting of European cities (and of Lake Como in particular) would look amazing on the big screen. Fans of The Guncle will enjoy reading about Patrick, Greg, Maisie, Grant, and Clara once again. And while this book could be read as a standalone novel (there is plenty of recapping that happens in the beginning) I would strongly encourage readers to start with The Guncle.

I finished The Guncle Abroad at 1am last night and am now attempting to review it. I apologize in advance for this stream-of-consciousness mess but I have a lot of thoughts:

The humor in this is outstanding. I laughed legitimately out loud so many damn times. I especially found the pointed mentions of sequel tropes hilarious. Also, for a book with so many Grease references, it contains some extremely profound writing. The life lessons explored in this story are things we could always use a refresher on sometimes. And, much like what drew me to the first book, Rowley’s writing on grief is heartbreakingly bittersweet.

However, unlike the first novel, the stakes didn’t seem so high in this one. Yes, it’s nice to have a book dealing with how to cope with grief when it isn’t quite so fresh, and selfishly I don’t want anything bad to happen to these characters because I care about them, but the plot here didn’t resonate with me as much.

The structure of this is also a bit wonky. I don’t think the many cities they jump through at the beginning were needed (or they should have spent more time in each) because I felt like I had whiplash every time the setting changed. I much preferred the sections after they were at Lake Como.

While the ending was kind of cheesy, my romcom loving heart was here for it (not saying I cried but we all know I did). This book definitely had some wonderful moments and I think it’s an admirable follow up to the much beloved first novel!

Thank you to Putnam Books and Netgalley for this ARC. The Guncle Abroad comes out 5/21!

4.5/5

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sequels are hard, and while I felt The Guncle wrapped up nicely, I was so glad to be back with this family. Behind the charm, wit, and humor, this was a story about grief and moving on. I do recommend reading The Guncle first before picking up this one.

On a deeper level, I found this to be a realistic (yet glamorous - rich uncle taking niblings places abroad) continuation of grief and what moving on looks like. Sure, it might’ve been a little cliche with the descriptions of the travel locations, but the heart of this story was the important part. It was complex with sprinklings of wisdom throughout.

These were characters that I loved spending time with and learning about their development as five (story) years had passed since the original. I found Clara much more likable and Palmina was a stand-out. By the end, the reader knew everyone was going to be ok.

Fans of the Guncle, witty, charming books, and books about family relationships will highly enjoy this one.