The Guncle Abroad was like stepping back into a conversation with old friends. The whole book was like a warm hug. Full of zippy one liners, life lessons according to GUP, and so much heart.

Patrick, Maisie and Grant embark on a European adventure where Patrick teaches them his version of the love languages which are lyrics from songs. With the introduction of some new characters and some upcoming changes to all their futures, the kids are struggling and Patrick is determined to help them but also himself along the way.

Fans of The Guncle will love this one as I did I’m sure. 5⭐️. Thank you to NetGalley for my arc. All opinions are enthusiastically my own.

I loved reading the Guncle Abroad. Just like the original, the main character, Patrick, made me laugh, tear up, and roll my eyes - many times. What a gift Steven Rowley has to be able to generate all of those feelings in his readers. I enjoyed this sequel and the chance to check back in on Patrick and his family, especially his niece Maisie and nephew Grant. This time around, they all head to Europe for their dad’s wedding to a titled Italian heiress. - or if up to the kids- to break up the couple before the ceremony. On the way, the three of them traveled through, London, Paris, Austria and my favorite, Italy. It was fun to read about their adventures and the fun was mixed still with seeing them learn more about love and continue to heal from their grief. This story was delightful and I highly recommend! I hope there are more Guncle adventures in our future!

A much anticipated sequel - GUP is back! I enjoyed this even more than the first book. Maisie and Grant were more mature and their personalities were a delight. Patrick and the kids' travels throughout Europe were a joy to read about! I appreciated how thoughtfully the concept of grief is handled throughout the book as Greg is preparing to remarry.

There were a lot of laugh out loud moments in The Guncle Abroad and I've already recommended it to fellow readers who I know enjoyed the first book in the series. Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

The Guncle Abroad begins years after the events of The Guncle (which I absolutely loved and highly recommend). This book was a great sequel and I’m hoping there will be a third book!
Expected publication: May 21, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Let me start right off by saying that I TOTALLY disagree with other reviewers here who say that this sequel to The Guncle was a disappointment. I say... FAR FROM IT! Because I loved the first book so much, I trusted this author to take me on a journey and he did exactly that, and beautifully.

I really enjoyed seeing Maisie and Grant growing up and thought Patrick's relationship with them was also evolving and growing. I especially liked journeying through Europe with them, and the author's portrayal of the stepmother-adolescent stepdaughter relationship (or lack thereof) was spot on.

Several times I laughed out loud, as Patrick's (and also Grant's) witty comments were sparkling. Towards the end my eyes filled with tears several times-- I won't say why, you'll have to read the story and see for yourself what is so moving.

Even though the kids' mother has been dead for five years, there is still a very real element of grief that everyone is processing and the author handles this with tender sensitivity and wisdom.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is back! This was a sweet and fun read with punchy writing and some wholesome moments. Five years after the first novel took place, Patrick's niece Maisie and nephew Grant are now a teenager and pre-teen, respectively, and he takes them on a tour of Europe ahead of their father's upcoming wedding to their would-be stepmother Livia. As Patrick tries to impart advice on Maisie and Grant ahead of their father's big day, he too also has some realizations about his relationship with his younger boyfriend Emory. It was fun to reunite with Patrick and the rest of his family, and the book is a sweet reflection on what growing up and getting older can mean. The big plot twists were predictable, this is ultimately more about Patrick's introspection and reflection (as well as that of Maisie and Grant). An easy breezy, heartfelt spring read.

this is a sequel set five years later, Patrick takes the children to Italy to their father's wedding. Just as good as the first book.

I have been so excited for this book! It was so fun reentering the story of Patrick and seeing what antics would unfold. I think the first book was definitely better but this is worth the read. A scenic trip to Italy for more Guncle adventures? Yes please.

Rowley does it again with this hilarious look at the evolution of grief (I know, that sounds wonky—it is so very funny, but it is also so very tender).

We reconnect with GUP (gay uncle Patrick for those of you new to these characters), Maisie, and Grant 5 years later, but this time for an extravagant family wedding at Lake Como, Italy. The journey to get there, with adventures through Europe, was absolutely delightful—although be prepared to have your wanderlust and foodlust (I know, this is not a word, but I sure was lusting over some Parisian hot chocolate) fully stoked.

GUP continues to dish out fantastic cheeky advice to his niece and nephew—but this time about love languages. His advice had me smiling and tearing up—it was the perfect combination of blending heavy topics with thoughtful but often hysterical insights. I loved so much about this story, and was particularly fond of the Sound of Music tour. 🤣

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Guncle Abroad—a lovely followup to the first installment Thanks to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the digital ARC. The Guncle Abroad releases on May 21 and I cannot wait for you all to read it!

The sequel to Steven Rowley's The Guncle was much anticipated. This time Patrick and the children romp around Europe as they head to the wedding of their Dad to the "Baroness."
I loved the details in all the places that they toured and the many references to the Sound of Music.
In the first book I fell in love with Patrick. I didn't this time around. He seemed to whine and complain and make ill-fitted jokes. I didn't like the hostility he had for lesbians and the broad strokes by which the author painted both communities.
However, I'm still giving the book 4 stars because once I started I was excited to see what was coming next. I'd love another book in this series, but from the view point of the kuds.

*Rating: 4.2

"The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley is an incredibly enjoyable journey through the complexities of family, love, and self-discovery. I couldn't seem to get enough of Patrick, our witty and relatable protagonist, whose sassy quips and endearingly off-the-cuff ideas kept me eagerly turning the pages.

The evolution of both the children, Maisie and Grant, and Patrick himself was captivating. Five years have passed since the original story, "The Guncle" where we followed Patrick's summer as the kids' caretaker after their mother, Sara, died and their father, Greg, goes to rehab. Now, as they navigate through Europe on the way to Greg's remarriage in Italy, I find the emotional journey of the kids and Patrick (Sara's best friend) very relatable. Rowley delicately explores the themes of grief, love, and growth as Patrick endeavors to impart his wisdom on the children, much as he once helped them cope with loss.

As the story unfolds, we are treated to a rollercoaster of emotions, from laugh-out-loud moments to heartwarming revelations. Patrick's journey to apply his own wisdom in his love life amidst the chaos of family dynamics is endearing, though at times a little frustrating, as you'll find that you so badly want him to see the value of his own words.

But it's not just Patrick's journey that resonates; the supporting cast, including his siblings and the badass soon-to-be-launt, adds depth and dimension to the story. Each character is flawed yet lovable, and their interactions provide moments of humor and reflection.

"The Guncle Abroad" is a fun and enjoyable story about of love, resilience, and the importance of embracing change, no matter your age. Steven Rowley has crafted a heartwarming tale that will leave readers with a renewed appreciation for the bonds that tie us together. I couldn't help but fall in love with this novel, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a touching and uplifting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest thoughts. #PutnamBooks #NetGalley #TheGuncleAbroad

How fun to be back with GUP and crew! As expected, this book was clever and funny while also being quite an emotional ride, as expected Rowley balances it all perfectly. I enjoyed following Patrick, Maisie and Grant on their European trip with Italy being their final stop for a wedding. I loved catching up with all the characters to see how they have grown since The Guncle. Another brilliant novel about acceptance, love and new beginnings.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

It is rare that a sequel is as good as the original but this is! It has all the heart, humor, and panache as the original without feeling recycled or like it didn’t need to be written. I loved the continuation of the characters’ stories and thought it was perfectly executed.

SR, we don't deserve you. Once again, as ever, your words make my heart sing. Your stories make our shelves better reflect readers of today, and tomorrow.

I enjoyed this sequel, which takes place five years after the original "The Guncle" novel. I think Steven Rowley showed such growth in the characters--all the characters--and that is awesome. While there are most certainly flaws and moments of "Oh, crap" throughout the story, I think this is a worthy sequel. I hope we can see some more growth in another five years in the story's timeline.

Absolutely loved this book. The writing was disengaging at times with the use of overcomplicated words but beautiful nonetheless. I found myself laughing out loud a lot and tearing up. I'm hoping there's a third book!
Wonderful sequel that exceed my expectations!

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC!

When I tell you I RAN to NetGalley to request this book — I couldn’t believe my luck when I was approved! I only read the Guncle last month, and was still riding high on Patrick, Maisie & Grant’s story when I realized it didn’t have to end yet! Enter The Guncle Abroad.

Steven Rowley, while being a new-to-me author, has quickly become a staple in my library! I am planning to read his entire backlog and frontlog (yikes, I don’t like how that sounds!) I fell in love with Rowley’s writing reading the first in the Guncle series.

Patrick, Maisie & Grant’s story continues 5 years after it left off, with the family heading to Europe for the kids’ father’s wedding. I loved getting back into the “Guncle rules”, now referred to as “Guncle Love Languages”, and Patrick’s (Rowley’s) signature humor was on full display. It was charming, heartfelt, warm-fuzzy read. I loved it and can’t wait to read more!

Thank you again for the ARC! <3

Thank you to Putnam Books for the gifted eARC of THE GUNCLE ABROAD by Steven Rowley!

THE GUNCLE ABROAD is the follow up novel to THE GUNCLE, following Patrick, a man known as Gay Uncle Patrick (affectionately shorted to GUP) by his niece Maisie and nephew Grant. In the first novel, Patrick stepped in after the children lost their mother and they formed a close and permanent bond. Five years later, the kids are back with their father and Patrick is back to acting, but when the family once again needs him, Patrick of course can’t say no.

Patrick’s brother Greg has announced his plans to get married in Italy. The children are distraught and determined to break up the wedding. Patrick is jealous of the kids’ new lesbian aunt (launt), and Patrick’s own love life is in a bit of a shambles. Still, Patrick has more to teach his niece and nephew about love and open hearts.

I really enjoyed THE GUNCLE when it came out, so I was excited to get ahold of this sequel! I figured there was no better time to pick this up than when I myself was traveling abroad! It wound up being a perfect poolside read and a great book to dip in and out of during my travels.

I really enjoyed the return to Patrick and I liked that we were getting back together with familiar characters a bit further down the line with the five year time jump. There are a lot of fun and silly situations that the characters get into, but a lot of heartfelt moments as well that pulled at the heartstrings! The travel in Italy brought out some great memories of my own travels as well!

If you enjoyed THE GUNCLE, I’m sure you’ll have a good time with this one as well. If you haven’t picked up the first book, I do think that this book would work on its own, but you’d be missing a lot of context!

THE GUNCLE ABROAD comes out on 5/21/2024!

I really enjoyed this one! Patrick is just so fun and I love his sense of humor. This was the perfect sequel to The Guncle. I loved getting to read more of their story.

This felt different, everyone was just a little unlikeable and that wasn't the case with the first book, which will go down as one of my all time faves. I felt so much reading the first book and I hung on every word. This one, took me days to get through. While I loved to be back with the Guncle, it was missing just something. Many thanks for the opportunity to read the book, I appreciate it.