I loved this book. Not quite as much as the first but it was very close. I love the characters and watching them all grow (up) together through life and everything they've been through. This is one I will definitely be recommending to everyone I know just as I did The Guncle.

Sadly, the Guncle is no longer for me. This latest book seemed like a retread with none of the magic of the first book. Disappointed but grateful for the advance ecopy from Netgalley

Patrick’s brother is about to get married and the kids are less than enthused. Patrick steps in to try and teach them about love by touring some scenic European sites before the wedding in Italy. During the trip he keeps hearing about the new “launt” and so he’s having his own reservations about the new family. Will he be replaced?
I adored Guncle. The second installment feels so much less. Yes I laughed but the relationships all seemed shallow. The rivalry between Patrick and Palmina felt forced.
Glad to have read it. Sequels to amazing books are hard.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book as much as the original. Patrick, Maisie, and Grant are back in Rowley's new novel and traveling Europe to get to Italy for the wedding of the kids' dad. Unfortunately, the book spends more time with Patrick being irritated my the fiance's sister than on the travel portion with the kids, which is supposed to have been a couple weeks long and feels like three days, as he tries to teach them about love. I was so hoping that the story would make more of the line "Can grief and gratitude coexist?" throughout instead of on the short travel portion at the beginning and then at the end. I do hope that the ending is leading to a third book with more Emory, maybe a couple years later as the kids really face the prospect of love! Thank you to Penguin Group, G.P. Putnam;s Sons, and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars

If you loved "The Guncle" then I think you'll love this book too. I'd forgotten how much the book had made me smile, laugh and even cry. This book was no different.

Except that it's totally different. Patrick takes the kids for a few weeks leading up to their dad's wedding. They're not happy about the upcoming nuptials and Patrick decides to teach them about love.

His "lessons" may be wacky but his heart is in the right place, as always.

I would recommend this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tbh. I liked it. It was a solid read. But I loved the first much better and feel like it was missing the magic the first one had.

GUP is back! After The Guncle stole my heart in 2021, I figured that’s the last we would hear of Patrick’s story. So when I heard there was a sequel coming out, I was insanely excited!

The Guncle Abroad picks up 5 years after The Guncle ends. Patrick heads back to his hotel after a day of filming a new movie (opposite Jude Law??) to find a wedding invitation waiting for him. His brother Greg is remarrying and Greg’s kiddos, Maisie and Grant, are less than excited about it. Uncle Patrick sees an opportunity to teach the children about love and takes them on a journey through Europe, with Italy (and the upcoming wedding) as the final stop. With the memory of Sara still fresh on their minds, can Patrick, Maisie, and Grant let love back into their hearts?

The Guncle Abroad was a fun read. It’s been a while since I’ve read The Guncle, but there were multiple poignant moments that made me remember why I loved Steven Rowley’s writing so much. Rowley tackles grief so beautifully it always makes me weepy. Patrick can be annoying at times, but I feel like that makes him more authentic. No one is perfect! While this didn’t pack the punch that the first one did, I loved being able to revisit these characters. I’m hopeful this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them!

The Guncle Abroad is out May 21, 2024

Thanks to Penguin Group Putman and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was like a wonderful reunion with long lost friends. I loved The Guncle and was so disappointed when it was over. Imagine my delight that we get to visit with these characters again in a sequel! Greg is getting remarried and Maisie and Grant are struggling with their father's impending nuptials. GUP decides to take the kids on a vacation of a lifetime while trying to teach them about love languages while he tries to convince them to be happy for their dad. Since this is The Guncle, lots of hilarity ensues. Just like the first book there were laugh out loud moments and others that brought tears to my eyes. I sometimes felt like there was a lot of explanation about locations and wealth that slightly took away from my enjoyment of the story. But if you liked The Guncle, you will love this sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book.

I won't lie. I was paralyzed with indecision on opening this one up, only because The Guncle was utter perfection...how could Rowley write a sequel worthy of the first one, let alone somehow match its magic?

Well...jokes on me...because this was literally perfect.

GUP and the kids are back and this time they take Europe. We catch up with them 5 years after the conclusion of The Guncle. Life has moved on, but the kids are having a hard time accepting their Dad moving on, planning a wedding and being in love with someone who isn't their Mom. We also have some pre-teen angst, a Guncle who has loved and lost again in that timeframe and a new Launt (?!) that GUP is not thrilled with.

Between the adventures through Europe, the banter between GUP and the kids, the food, the life lessons, the magic of their relationship and new characters that I now consider worthy of our trio...this was utter magic. This resonated so deeply with me in so many ways. I love the lessons GUP taught, while also learned. Life keeps moving forward for all of us. We can lament this and stay stuck, or we can grow and move with it and maybe its where I am in my life, but this really, truly, hit hard for me.

Steven Rowley is so incredibly talented. This series and book in particular really will be a top 5 favorite of all time. When someone asks me what to read, I can now say The Guncle and The Guncle Abroad, because anytime with GUP should be treasured.

I loved reading the first in this series so as you could imagine, I was elated for a second Guncle book. It certainly did not disappoint! Patrick is hilarious, heartwarming and never fails to make me chuckle. Loved it! Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored "The Guncle" when it first came out in 2021. Something about Patrick and his relationship with the kids was purely magical. I also loved this follow-up and how it touched on grief and love in the same ways the first book did. As a fan of Italy and France, loved the setting as well and the descriptions of Lake Como!

Thanks to NetGalley and J. P. Putnam and Sons for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 25, 2024.

This is the second book in the highly rated The Guncle series and it’s probably best to read them in order.

This book had some funny lines and endearing moments. My favorite new term is “launt” for lesbian aunt. Take that Guncle (Gay Uncle) 🤣

Let me start by saying I lovedddd THE GUNCLE when I read it a few years ago and became a big fan of the author, Steven Rowley, as a result. The screen adaptation (I hope!) is still in the works and I hope they cast the best actor to play Patrick.

Back to the sequel: this was a cute extension of the original, but it was missing a bit of the magic that made the first one so spectacular. The funny banter was still in the mix as was the fun side characters, but there were times where things felt forced 🤷🏼‍♀️

The ending felt like it got back on the right foot with the charm we were missing in the middle section, but not enough to dethrone its predecessor. Overall this was still a fun and delightful addition to the Guncle universe! And we now have a rival Launt (lesbian aunt) fighting for all the kids attention that should be fun to see transpire in possible books to come 😏

I loved the scenic journey we went through in the book. It made me want to book a European getaway pronto! 🛫

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for allowing me to read this story a few months early 🥰

5 shiny, full stars for this heartfelt, hilarious sequel to The Guncle! I’m both sad and thrilled to just now be discovering the talent that is Steven Rowley. He has a quick wit and beautiful way with language to make me laugh out loud (very loud), pause, and blubber within the same paragraph. I am so thankful to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an early copy of The Guncle Abroad. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll devour this and enjoy it even more!

The book begins five years after we left Patrick, Maisie, and Grant - and our other beloved secondary family, which we only grow to know and love more in this book. While the trio navigate their way through grief in the first book, this time Patrick navigates them (literally) through Europe, exploring different love languages and the kids’ trepidation to a new family dynamic: their father Greg plans to remarry. If you enjoy scenic escapes, you will revel in this first part, where you can almost taste the hot chocolate at Paris’ Angelina’s and devour the best pasta in Italy (without spoilers, I will confess I enjoyed the Austria visit best!). These adventures feel like The Guncle 2.0 - Palm Springs’s upgrade to Europe.

We spend the second half of the book in Italy with Greg, Clara, and other fun new family members in the days before the wedding. The hilarity escalates, as do the emotions as the kids process their dad remarrying. What surprised me in this second half is seeing a flawed, vulnerable, and imperfect Patrick realizing his own ways for self improvement. I love the representation of a gay protagonist, and I also love the authentic imperfections and judgments he makes about women, even the ones he loves most (Maisie and Clara). How important and wonderful to have this realization and surprising representation captured through Patrick.

I can’t wait for this book to be released, as I’m buying copies for all my friends. I can’t wait to continue exploring Rowley’s work, and I am waiting with bated breath for any announcements of a film/TV adaptation and/or a third book about the O’Haras!

Guncle Abroad is a delightful and heartwarming sequel that successfully captures the essence of its predecessor while delivering a fresh and entertaining storyline. As with the first book, when I finished the book, I missed the characters like they were old friends. The characters are charming and relatable, so much so the reader grows to love them!

The witty dialogue and hilarious situations will have you laughing out loud, while the tender moments tug at your heartstrings. This perfect balance creates an engaging narrative that keeps you invested from start to finish.

Guncle Abroad tackles important themes such as family, love, and self- acceptance. It explores the complexities of relationships and celebrates the power of chosen families.

This book will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment. Which I hope there is one!

Years ago, The Guncle found me when I was deep in grief and it was the exact book I needed at the time, making me cry and laugh in equal measure. Making me feel seen and understood while reminding me that healing isnt easy but we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to find a way forward. It’s sequel, The Guncle Abroad, has found me in a similar way. As Patrick debates the nuances of love and aging and reinvention, so am I. Steven Rowley’s writing always finds a direct route into my heart and burrows in deep. I was hesitant when I heard there was a follow up to one of my favorite books since it’s a rare thing to have a sequel that can hold it’s own against the original in both quality and heart but The Guncle Abroad truly does. There may have been less tears this time around, but there were just as many laughs and for that I am so thankful.

The Guncle is back and this time he's taking the kids to Europe. GUP is a bit downtrodden, freshly off a breakup but working again and in the best shape of his life. Greg has fallen in love with not-quite-Italian-royalty so they are all gathering for Greg's wedding... and this kiddos are not too pleased with this.

- GUP teaches the kids about love.
- GAP (Gay Aunt Palmina) teaches GUP to let loose.
- SAC (straight aunt Clara) brings an exciting new layer to the sibling dynamic (with Patrick and Greg)
- Fun and heart warming with a rich Italian flair
- Grant was great, Maisie was a mess

All in all, a sweet sequel - it was fun to explore Europe with GUP and the family; always jokes cracked and sentimental moments to coo about, but it didn't pack the same punch as the first book. However, I will go anywhere and everywhere with GUP and I love reading his stories.

Steven Rowley has joined my auto-buy author list; I've read each one of his novels and I know they will always make me laugh and cry and laugh some more. The Guncle Abroad did not disappoint. Was it quite as charming as the first? Maybe not. But it was a fun, emotional read nonetheless--one that made me want to rewatch The Sound of Music and stay in a fabulous hotel on the banks of Lake Como. I'm sure this won't be the last we see of Patrick O'Hara and Maisie and Grant.

The Guncle Abroad is as fabulous as the Guncle. It’s five years later and GUP and company are back this time heading to Lake Como Italy for his brother’s wedding. Before Italy, he flies Maisie and Grant to London where they start a tour of Europe. Oh, and Maisie wants GUP’s help in stopping her father’s wedding. Adventure, lessons, and some hijinks ensue. Guncle Abroad is funny and heartwarming where all characters are likable.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin Group for ARC.

Book 5 of 2024-#TheGuncleAbroad by @mrstevenrowley . I was extremely fortunate the get an ARC of this from @netgalley. “The Guncle” was my favorite book in 2021 and I was thrilled that there was more story to tell.
This book takes place five years later when Maisie and Grant’s dad is going to be remarried in Italy and GUP, “gay uncle Patrick”, is asked by the kids to stop the wedding. There is more to the story, but we get introduced to a “LAUNT” (lesbian aunt) and we see how Patrick is able to help the kids understand that even with a remarriage, their family will still be intact and make more memories. I fully enjoyed the book and was thinking 4 stars until the ending chapters which made me laugh and cry more than usual and it went straight to a 5 star read. These characters are so likeable and I want to know more of their stories. If there is another sequel to this, I’ll be first in line to read.