“You can’t change the past. But some people come into our lives to give us a second chance and set some wrong things right.”

This was as one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 it did not disappoint.

It was such a joy to be back with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant. They’re five years older, but the dynamic between them is still so endearing and hilarious. It’s also heartwarming and relatable. There is such an emotional depth to this book, just like in The Guncle, that just continues to resonate. There are difficult topics discussed again such as grief, guilt, and remarriage. Steven Rowley does all of this with such an incredible sense if humor.

With their dad’s impending marriage, both Maisie and Grant struggle in different ways and Patrick takes them on a small European tour before they end in Italy for the wedding. Patrick tries to impart romantic wisdom on them, especially Maisie, as she resents her father for getting married. Her feelings are valid and important, and while Patrick handles everything with his patented brand of nonchalance and whimsy, you can feel that he cares so deeply about this niblings.

Patrick himself also has a great arc as he's approaching fifty and still reeling from his breakup with Emory. He worries that their age gap will eventually be a problem and that it was better to beak up. It's clear that this has affected him deeply, even when he pretends that it doesn't. The kids have kept in touch with Emory, which is so sweet and they want to help their uncle regain his happiness. One thing that I have loved so much about this book, and The Guncle before it, is how it focuses on what we do when we lose someone or a relationship comes to an end. It's always going to be hard, but when you have a solid support system of people who care about you, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

“The truth is, there are a thousand ways that love ends, but there is only one way it begins and that’s by opening your heart to another.”

This book made me laugh and almost cry, and it’s so astonishing how Rowley can change gears like that so seamlessly. The humor never overshadows the serious subject matter, and always shows up in exactly the right place. I powered through the last 75% because I just could not put this down. I adore these characters so much, and it’s clear that so much care was put into crafting them. The journey they go on is beautiful and I had such a big smile by the end.

Sequels are just never as good as the original. That said, I still loved this book and it was close. Lovely to revisit this family and see how they have progressed five years later, introducing a new almost stepmom and her family. The settings in New York and throughout Europe were fun and the love lessons, while initially a bit confusing, ended up being a hoot and tied together towards the end. These books have such heart along with the witticisms that you can find laughter and tears throughout them both. How could you not love that?

GUP and the kids are back! Patrick, Maisie, and Grant are five years older and facing a new challenge – the kid’s dad is getting ready to remarry.

The children are not thrilled, so Patrick decides to wisk them on a European adventure to teach them the Languages of Love, Guncle Style.

As they parade around Europe and end up at the destination wedding site of Lake Como, we are treated to hysterical scenarios and GUP witticisms. Add in a rivalry between GUP and the soon-to-be Launt (Lesbian Aunt) and you have a story that will have you flying through the pages.

Why I Loved It: I adored the first Guncle book, so I was a tad nervous to read a sequel. Would it spoil the characters I love so much? Not. At. All.

If anything, I learned to appreciate Patrick, Grant, and Maisie even more on the revisit. The way that Rowley writes about living with grief as an adult and a child is touchingly hopeful. I laughed and cried in equal measure reading this story. Dare I say it might be better than the first?

Find this book in Best Fiction of 2024 / Lake Books

Everyone’s favorite guncle is back, approaching 50 with his love life in shambles while trying to help his niece and nephew come to terms with their soon-to-be new stepmother.

I wanted to like this one so much more than I did. 😕 The book is told in two parts, opening and closing in the ‘now’ and the bulk looking back four weeks prior. For me, I enjoyed the ‘now’ and found the other 80% to be a bit of a slog. The highlight of book one was the relationship between Patrick and the kids, and it felt like things took a backslide here in book two. Patrick himself read immature this time around and the travel scenes were really one dimensional. I would have much preferred a story more centered on Patrick and his struggle with his relationship with Emory. What we got instead felt fairly weak and lacked the charm, wit, and warmth that made book one enjoyable. For me, this was completely skippable. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 5/21/2024.

Just as laugh out loud and heartwarming as the first. I'll admit I did feel like Clara was just a throwaway participant, wish she had more like in the first book

A huge thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!!
This is the sequel to The Guncle by Steven Rowley. I loooved The Guncle. I remember laughing, crying, clutching at my chest in hopes to steady my heart, all while reading it. The Guncle Abroad did the same thing for me. I felt all of the emotions and loved it so much. In this sequel, you see Maisie and Grant grown up, but you also see growth in Patrick. I love their relationship and I just hold so much love for these characters. I’m so thankful for the chance to review this book and I’m glad I was able to read it.

So happy to be back with all these characters and I absolutely loved the setting all over Europe. I did enjoy the first book better but would read a whole series about GUP!

How exciting our Guncle is back! It’s been some years since we originally met him taking care of his niece Maisie and nephew Grant who were so young to when losing their Mom and unfortunately at that time their Dad Greg needed help too. So we were introduced to Guncle (gay uncle) Patrick! He picked up the family pieces and chipped in to help raise the kids while Greg needed him. Patrick is an actor who had been a bit lost too after a lost relationship and drops everything to take care of his brother’s kids in his time of need.
Now we fast forward years and now Patrick’s brother Greg is getting remarried the kids Maisie now 14 and Grant now 11 are not as thrilled as dad about him getting remarried abroad in Italy. They recruit Guncle Patrick to take them to the wedding and they hope he will be their rescue as well. We meet Guncle’s sister along the way aunt Clara who flirts with everyone possible. Also we meet a new possible aunt Palmina the sister of their possible new step mother. They make obvious trouble for Lavia before their dad can make it to the alter with her. When cold feet starts to set in and Greg and his soon to be bride are not sure anyone is ready for this wedding weekend they work very hard to salvage every part of the weekend and make it as special for everyone who made the wonderful trip.
A heart warming family story for all to enjoy. There is a lot of witty lines that make you giggle out loud which make this book so enjoyable. This family is loving, in so many ways, you laugh and cry and want to keep following Guncle and his story.
I love Guncle, I was so excited to know he was coming back and would love to read more about his untold stories. I am sure they are just as juicy. Thank you NetGallery for an advance copy of the book. #NetGallery

Another enjoyable read. His books are almost like a television show where you can see all the characters. I didn’t like this as well as his first guncle book, but it was very good.

The family is back, complete with conflict and humor! After his wife died 5 years ago, Greg has found love again and is getting married. His children, however, have a different idea of where they’d like their lives to lead them. They stay with their uncle before the wedding, and try to encourage him to intervene in the wedding plans. This was a fun story at times and ultimately shows how a family sticks together!

All the stars to this heartwarming tale! I truly experienced ALL. THE. FEELS. while reading The Guncle Abroad.

Guncle Patrick is back along with his niece Maisie and his nephew Grant, but this time it’s five years later. Patrick has relaunched his acting career and is on top of the world and living in New York.

Maisie and Grant live with their dad in Connecticut and are not happy about their dad marrying again. Guncle decides to take them on a whirlwind trip through Europe along with trying to help them understand about love. So we get another entire list of Guncle’isms.

This book was such a hoot throughout. I giggled like a fiend through much of it. I got chills all over at other parts. I’m pretty sure The Guncle Abroad will end up being in my top 3 books of 2024, maybe even #1.

My favorite parts were the exploring Europe bits. I almost want to take a Guncle inspired trip just to follow in their footsteps! So fun!

*Thanks so much to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and to NetGalley for the gifted eARC!*

Greg is getting remarried and Patrick agrees to take the kids on a trip through Europe for a few weeks before the big day. Maisie isn't thrilled about the idea of a stepmom and wants Patrick to convince Greg to call things off. He says he'll talk to his brother after their trip where he tries to teach them about love and its many facets, all while trying to heal from his break-up with Emory. Can the wonders of new places be enough to bring healing and a happily-ever-after?

An enjoyable sequel with the heart I loved from the first one.

Oh GUP. I really enjoyed The Guncle and found it really fresh so a sequel? I went in with doubts. I give Rowley props for recognizing sequels often reek of a money grab but also this didn’t charm quite the way book 1 did. I was out off by a few things including: the dad, why is he always skipping town and not dealing with his kids? GUP Is a bit too quippy. I don’t know that it read like a sequel as much as a Dan Levy spin off coke to life. Entertaining but won’t be a fave.
3.5 stars rounded

I loved this follow-up to the Guncle! Five years later, Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP) takes his niece and nephew on a European adventure leading up to their father's wedding to a wealthy Italian woman, whom the kids despise.
Patrick is his usual witty self, steering them through the finer things in western Europe.
Some of the book read more like a guidebook, and could have been less detailed while still capturing the ambiance.
I loved the interactions between the characters. I highly recommend!

Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP) is back again with life lessons for his niece & nephew. It's been 5 years since losing their mom in The Guncle, & they are preparing for their Dad's new marriage. GUP takes them on a European trip and teaches them all about love languages. This book has all of the hilarious banter & humor that we got in The Guncle. My husband commented that I smiled a lot while reading this, but l also had one really emotional moment near the end.

You will want to read The Guncle first for the full experience, & l've heard it is a great audiobook.

read if you like:
witty banter • quirky comments from kids • european travel • 80s pop culture references • tweens & teens

Just an all around delightful follow up to The Guncle. Patrick, Maisie and Grant are back and more endearing than ever. The humor, banter and quick wit of each of the characters makes the pages of this book fly by. Add in a European vacation capped off with a Lake Como wedding & you have the recipe for the pretty perfect book. I loved every second!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Reading this made me happy to be back in GUP’s world for a little while! I realized early on that I listened to the first book and I missed the narrator’s ability to deliver Patrick’s jokes better than I read them, but soon I was immersed in their travels and wondering what advice would be doled out next. It was nice to see that the kids had grown up a few years and to see where everyone else’s lives had taken them. If you enjoyed The Guncle, then definitely add this sequel to your TBR!

A satisfying sequel to The Guncle, and a joy to travel throughout Europe with Uncle Patrick and the family. Highly recommend!

Such a heartwarming story. I loved all of the movie references, especially The Sound of Music. I only wish I had listened to the audio version. 4.5 stars

2SLGBTQIA+ Literary Fiction following an actor, who may have “un-stalled” his career, finds at fifty he's single and lonely travels to Italy to reconnect with family, rediscovers himself and love.

4/5 stars: This is the second entry in Rowley's Guncle series, which is a 2SLGBTQIA+ Literary Fiction novel that features an actor, who may have “un-stalled” his career, but finds that as he's about the turn fifty he's single and lonely after breaking up with his longtime boyfriend. When his brother announces he's remarrying and that his niblings are having a hard time accepting the idea of a step-mom and are still grieving their deceased mother, he agrees to take care of them for a couple weeks before the event. Traveling across Europe, hitting England, Paris, Austria and Venice, along the way, he tries to teach them his version of the languages of love and that those we've lost may be gone but are always with us and reconnects with his family, rediscovers himself and love along the way. Rowley's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain incredibly likable. Patrick is a gem and shows that even at almost fifty we're all still growing and learning. It's great to see Grant and Maisie again and how much they've grown up after five years and yet how much they remain the same. Rowley's humor is sparkling and cutting and hits me in just the right spot. So good! Rowley tackles some sensitive subjects, so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, I wouldn't suggest it as you'll gain so much more by reading book one, The Guncle, first.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.