GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is back! We are reunited with the gang 5 years later. Masie is a now pre-teen and Grant has outgrown his lisp. The family is in Italy for their father’s wedding (gasp!), but the kids are on a mission to put a stop to it, with a little help from Guncle of course. Patrick still makes me (equal parts) laugh and roll my eyes. We get some new characters, including a Launt (get it?!). There were some sweet moments, but sadly it didn’t have the same spark as the first book. I found it dragged on and the Euro trip with the kids in the first half was a bore. Read the original and Lily & the Octopus from Steven Rowley instead!

2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️

thanks net galley for my ARC!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for early access to this book on NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm not sure I can recommend a better vacation read! I gobbled this up on my first beach day in the Caribbean, giggling aloud at the movie references and Guncle Love Languages (instead of Guncle Rules) named with song lyrics. I revisited The Guncle via audiobook last month, allowing Patrick's voice to remain fresh in my mind while reading this one. I can imagine the author will do a great job narrating this book, too!
The Guncle Abroad picks up five years after The Guncle ended, hilariously referencing how sequels are too bloated or filled with things not good enough for the original 🤣 None of that here - this is everything I hoped for in a sequel, and then some!
Patrick is filming a movie in London and invites Maisie and Grant to join him on set (even as extras in the film) and then travel around Europe, ending in Italy for their dad’s wedding. The wedding is set to take place in Lake Como, and the descriptions made me want to book a trip there immediately! Maisie and Grant have matured since the last book, but they maintain a special relationship with GUP - and now they will gain a launt (lesbian aunt, duh) after the wedding.
While there is plenty of Rowley’s signature humor, the book is also extremely touching - I teared up throughout the last two chapters! My love for Patrick and his journey, as he continues to surprise himself, is immense. The book left me feeling full of hope, not only for its characters but for the general public, especially those who get the opportunity to read this book. My advice? Read this one as soon as it comes out. If not - “Big mistake. Big. Huge.”

Steven Rowley has done it again!

I was completely charmed by The Guncle when I read it a couple of years ago. In fact, it is one of my most recommended gifts. Steven has a real knack for writing about sadness and grief in a real and humorous way, and I was very impressed with how he balanced a child and an adult's differing perspectives.

Set five years after The Guncle, the kids are older, and their father is getting remarried. Once again, I felt that he really captured the difficult feelings that this will bring up in all family members after a family member has passed away. The kids, Maisie especially, are struggling to accept that letting another woman into their hearts does not mean erasing their mother. Naturally, they try to enlist their Guncle to help them!

I think this book is a bit lighter and fluffier than The Guncle, but it encompasses the same spirit of tackling difficult issues, and it was a joy to spend time with this family again.

Ultimately, this is a book about love, in all its forms. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. (And I agree with Patrick - launt is never going to catch on!)

GUP GUP and away with Gay Uncle Patrick and his niblings, Grant and Maisie, as they travel Europe and learn about love and family on their way to the wedding of Grant and Maisie’s father to his second wife.

Sequels, especially when they follow a brilliant and beloved first book, are often found wanting, and sometimes rightfully so. That’s not the case with “The Guncle Abroad.” While it’s just as good, it’s good in different ways. The charm of “The Guncle” was the fish out of water uncle taking care of his young niece and nephew after the death of their mother, while grieving her himself. It took a man who had pretty much turned his back on the world and gave him new purpose.

The premise in the sequel is that, five years after the events in the first, Grant and Maisie enlist Patrick to derail their father’s wedding. Patrick is turning 50 soon, has broken things off with his much-younger boyfriend, and doesn’t really want to take on the challenge.

But take on the challenge he does, and as the trio visits various European sites, Patrick guides them into thinking about what love means and how, just maybe, there’s room for another person in their lives. Each experience builds on the others, and by the time they reach their destination, Patrick hopes the family will be able to move forward.

There’s the same wit and banter as in the first book, but of course, since the children are older, it’s not as cutesy. There’s also a contender for top favorite relative in the form of a Launt (lesbian aunt), who becomes both nemesis and foil for Patrick.

Just as the children learn about love and what it means for individuals and families, so does Patrick. He’s grown, too, and it’s good to see an older and wiser guncle.

Why you should read this book: It has all the warmth and wit of the first book. The story is a natural progression of the lives of each of the characters. You’ll laugh and love and be clamoring for the next adventure.

Why you might not want to: If you’re looking for a book that’s exactly the same as the first, you may be disappointed. It’s just as good, but in slightly different ways. I’ll admit, there were a couple of times the sniping between Patrick and Palmina was a bit cliché, but it worked for the story.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from Penguin Group Putnam via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a great second novel to The Guncle! I think Steven Rowley's writing is so good. He makes us love and hate the character of Patrick at the same time- you want to cheer for his love story and yet get so annoyed with how self-centered he is, which is the definition of a well written character. I loved the setting of the Italian resort and the dilemma of the children's father getting remarried. We see such much growth in Maisie and Grant compared to the first book. I can only hope that we continue to get more of their story. While I didn't think the book was perfect, the end definitely had me in tears. 4.5 stars for sure! Thanks to netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the e-book arc!

The Guncle Abroad is the sequel to The Guncle so if you haven't read that yet I recommend you do before jumping into this one.

I was so happy to be back together again with Grant, Maisie, and Gup. You get to see what they are up to five years later and who doesn't wish for that with all our favorite characters?
This time they are traveling and it was so fun to tag along. I love Patrick’s jokes and I love how the kids are processing the changes in their lives.

Rowleys heartfelt writing will always be some of my favorite of all time and he never disappoints

“That was the thing about love; even its harshest critics were not immune, love finding its way into even the darkest spaces.”

Grab this one out 5/21

4.5 stars

I was so fond of the GUP's first story that I was eagerly awaiting this one. Five years have passed, and Patrick is pressed into guncle service again. This time, he's to entertain the kids in Europe before meeting his brother Greg and Greg's fiancee Livia for their wedding in Italy. Patrick's nephew Grant is eleven and not so easily amused. Maisie, fourteen, is livid about the wedding and implores Patrick to help her stop it. She is determined to be unimpressed with anything she sees in Europe.
Patrick decides it's time to teach the kids about the Guncle Love Languages instead of Guncle Rules. He hopes to show Maisie and Grant that their father's love for Livia is a cause for celebration, not rebellion. Sightseeing through London, Paris, Salzburg, and Venice, Patrick wonders if he's up to this particular challenge while wrestling with his own love regrets.
This follow-up to The Guncle is humorous and fun while tackling serious issues. The new character of Palmina, a "launt", as Patrick's nemesis is genius. I enjoy the tenderness Patrick shows the kids and how much he mines his own pain in order to assist the "niblings" with theirs, even when they push his patience. The glorious descriptions of the European cities they visit are a bonus to the novel. Fans of the original Guncle story will want to rush out and grab this next installment. You won't be disappointed!

I didn’t realize how much I needed to be reunited with these characters until I actually was, I missed them so much 🥹 If you somehow haven’t read The Guncle yet, first off what are you waiting for?! Secondly, these really do need to be read in order to get the full picture. Patrick just really speaks my language, he’s so witty and sarcastic and I can’t get enough of his humor. Maisie and Grant are five years older than they were in the first book so that was both delightful to see and also sad because they’re SO grown. Patrick having a rivalry with the kids new Launt was hysterical and it was Patrick at his petty best. The setting takes you on a journey as Patrick and the kids do their own jaunt before settling in Italy for Greg’s wedding and nothing says summer read louder than an idyllic setting. I was just as charmed with this one as I was with the previous book, the characters are entertaining and endearing, the plot was cute and the entire thing was a blast from start to finish.

I loved the sequel to this series!! There was the same amount of funny and I loved the interactions between Patrick and Palmina. It was an interesting dynamic to see how both kids have grown up and their struggles with growing up as well.

I could always have more Guncle! I absolutely love Patrick and his sweet sarcastic family. I was so happy to get an eARC to devour!

This is 5 years after the first book and Patrick’s brother Greg is getting married. The kids are not on board so Greg ships them to Patrick, who is filming in London, to help get them on board with this new family dynamic. GUP decides to take the kids around Europe to teach them Love Languages.

It was fully of quippy dialogue and hilarious snark. I ate this up. It feels written for the fans. Like not overly necessary but if you loved the Guncle you get to continue your love in this book.

Thanks to netgalley and PENGUIN group for an eARC.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

GUP is back and he's overseas in this hilarious and heartfelt sequel to "The Guncle." I LOVED the first book, and found this to be such a fun and enjoyable addition to the storyline. The whole family goes off to Italy so Greg can finally remarry and the kids have grown a little, but still have plenty of time for laugh and hi-jinks. I love how Rowley has written Patrick up to an age where we don't typically see many characters and still makes him incredibly relatable and funny. GUP feels like one of your family members and to me, that is such a testament to how strong these characters are. I found this sequel to be well-timed and thoughtful, and I truly enjoyed it.

I loved the first Guncle book so I was really excited about this one. It was really funny and heartwarming. I love Maisie and Grant's relationship with Patrick and was glad they had an adventure of their own for the first part of the book. The kids are 5 years older in this one, so it wasn't as much silly humor but it was still laugh out loud funny at parts. I liked the new characters that were introduced and I thought the ending was really sweet.

I really liked the first Guncle book and was very excited to read this one! The relationship between the kiddos and the uncle is adorable and I love how they learn from each other in the relationship. This book had be laughing out loud. Very good summer read!

What a feel good book! So fun to revisit these characters after reading The Guncle three years ago. I sure hope there is a third installment in the series coming in the future. Love love love.

The Guncle Abroad was a great read, and brought back a lot of the flair of the first book! GUP now contends with his growing niblings, especially a teenage girl, as they grapple with the big life change of their father getting remarried. Not only that, Patrick is finally seeing success in his career which makes him come to terms with his own path in life.

The closeness of the relationship between Patrick and the kids still really drives the book. The author does a good job showcasing how the relationship changes as the kids grow — and in turn, how Patrick changes — but that the crux of their bond remains unchanged. Patrick’s siblings and their evolving relationship adds an extra dimension to the storyline while the new characters introduced, especially the new Launt, add spice to the story.

The story rambled on at times, especially in the middle part of the book where it seemed to slow way down before speeding up at the climax, but overall this was a great follow-up to the original Guncle! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley is the hilarious and insightful sequal to The Guncle.
We meet up with Patrick again, affectionately known as GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick), and his witty niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, as their world is once again turned upside down. Their dad, Patrick's brother, Greg, is getting remarried five years after the death of their beloved mother. This leaves the kids angry and with feelings of betrayal for their mom, Sarah.
Patrick offers to take the kids on a vacation through Europe before the wedding, so Greg and his fiancé can plan the wedding. Patrick uses the time to teach the kids about love, love languages, and life. Secretly, Patrick is struggling with his aging body and missing his ex-boyfriend, Emory.
Soon, it's wedding time and the kids are forced to face a new addition to the family...as is Patrick... is it too late for a second Chance?
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for early access to read The Guncle in exchange for an honest review. It was truly a delight, and Steven Rowley is a literary gem! When can we expect #3??

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication! My review will appear on my blog on (5/9/24). I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:

I first met Patrick, Grant, and Maisie (oh, and Greg and Clara) when I read "The Guncle" last spring. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I laughed, I cried, and when I turned the last page, I felt it was wrapped up nicely. I admit that when I saw that there was a sequel, I was a little torn. I loved the characters and definitely wanted to see what they had been up to, but I couldn't help but wonder if we really needed a sequel. After reading the book, I'm happy to say that, yes, we definitely needed it; it is every bit as funny and heartwarming as the original!

This time around, Rowley takes us on a whirlwind adventure across Europe to Lake Como, Italy, where Patrick finds himself navigating the sometimes choppy waters of family, love, and self-discovery. Five years have passed since we last saw our favorite characters, and a lot has changed. Patrick has found renewed success as an actor since leaving California and is overseas shooting a movie when his younger brother, Greg, calls in another favor. Greg is getting remarried, and Grant and Maisie (now 11 and 14, respectively) are having a tough time with it. Greg would love it if Patrick could take the kids for a couple of weeks so that they can finish planning the wedding and then meet Greg and his new fiancée in Italy for the nuptials.

When the kids show up in London, Patrick is ready to wrap his movie and then spend a few fun-filled days with his favorite kids, but the kids - especially Maisie - desperately want Patrick to help them stop the wedding. Patrick does his best to toss aside their worries, but the kids are insistent, and this is when Patrick decides an extension of the Guncle rules is in order. Over the next several days, Patrick and the kids spend time in London, Austria, and Vienna, and with each new adventure comes a new lesson - this time in the form of a love language lesson as he tries to help the kids understand how and why people fall in love. But he has his work cut out for him, and he can't help but wonder if maybe he could learn a lesson or two about love himself.

With his trademark blend of humor and heart, Rowley expands on this cast of characters readers loved so much in the first book. Patrick's witty observations and self-deprecating humor are in full effect as he grapples with a failed relationship and turning fifty. Through Patrick's journey of rediscovery and growth, Rowley reminds us that it's never too late to redefine ourselves and find happiness in unexpected places. I loved seeing Grant and Maisie move into their awkward teen years. The kids Patrick was able to mold and help heal in the first book have grown up, and his old tricks no longer work on them. I also loved the addition of Palmina - the lesbian sister of Greg's fiancée. The kids love her, and Patrick feels a little threatened by her presence - who needs a launt anyway?

While the novel is filled with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Rowley also tackles deeper themes such as aging (gracefully, of course), grief, loss, and moving on. Several passages had me tearing up, and others really hit a chord. As a gay man in my 50s, I related to several passages in this book - some hit especially close to home. Reading this was, in some ways, just as healing as it was entertaining.

In case you were wondering, yes, this is a sequel that we needed, and honestly, I think I may have loved it even more than the first book. It is as charming and heartwarming as you would expect. Whether you're a fan of the original novel or new to Rowley's work, "The Guncle Abroad" is a must-read that will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with Patrick O'Hara all over again.

I absolutely loved The Uncle when it came out, and was hesitant to pick up the arc for this sequel for fear it wouldn't live up to the original. Since I'm writing this with tears in my eyes, it's safe to say that fear was baseless. This was lovely.

If you loved The Guncle, you'll love this book too! I really liked that this book takes place 5 years later, so all of the characters have had a lot of changes in the time period since the last book.

I really enjoyed The Sound of Music part as a lifelong lover of that movie.

This book deals with grief and growth and has a lot of humor sprinkled in.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Witty and fun while also diving deep into what it means to love and be a family. The Guncle continues his teachings, this time about love. I love the relationship with the now teenager Maisie. I loved seeing Europe, especially Lake Cuomo through Patricks eyes!