I really adored reading Steven Rowley's "Guncle" a couple years ago & am thrilled to get the sequel, "Guncle Abroad"!! Here's the MC Patrick taking his two charges, Grant & Maisie, on a European family wedding trip, but now he may have competition for their affections with a new "Launt" (lesbian aunt), Sweet, heartwarming & laugh-out-loud funny, I enjoyed it as much the the original & loved the settings! My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, my sincere pleasure to review it!!

This was the book I didn’t know I needed – and I’m so glad the Guncle has a second book!

I loved seeing all of the characters from the first book 5 years down the line and see what’s changed and what hasn’t.

Maisie and Grant join Patrick in London as he’s wrapping up filming a movie and he’s again in charge of taking them while their dad is getting ready to re-marry. The kids are very against the remarriage and the thought of replacing their mom, so Patrick tries to show them the meaning of love languages by taking them throughout Europe. I enjoyed the traveling aspect so much but it was only about half of the book.

There were so many life & love lessons addressed in this one!

I needed a cathartic group hug of a book and damn did Steven Rowley deliver. Yet again, the Guncle and his family is full of dramatic and comedic moments, but we find ourselves in a bit bleaker of a scenario than where we left him previously. Between Maisie and Grant wanting to stop the wedding and Patrick coming to terms with aging, there's quite a lot of strife in the O'Hara family. I loved the tour of Europe that we were given, complete with song and dance. While I didn't find myself enjoying it as much as The Guncle, I still devoured it and it was fun.

*Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I was SO ecstatic to see that there was a Guncle #2 and I could return to this amazingly written character. The first book has stayed with me ever since I read it, and this installment did not disappoint either. We reconvene with Patrick doing well in his career, but perhaps a bit lonely emotionally. He sets off to Italy to re-connect with Grant and Maisie during their dad's wedding. Patrick encounters a lot on this trip, including a lesbian aunt and an older Grant and Maisie. Lots of humor and that witty zip abound in this book, and I just loved it! But Steven Rowley is so talented as he can mix that fun with serious, emotional, heartfelt characters while exploring grief and family and our bonds.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnman/G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒇, 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕, 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓.

Patrick, or GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is back in this heartwarming second installment. It's five years after the passing of his best friend Sara, and his brother Greg breaks the news that he's going to marry his girlfriend Livia in Lake Como. Patrick is pretty sure that his niece and nephew have mixed feelings about the union, so he volunteers to escort them throughout Europe so the couple can have some time alone before the big day.

Maisie is now 14, glued to a book, and ready with a sarcastic comeback. Grant is 11 and has lost his lisp (mosthly) and is fixated on his gaming console. But one thing they have in common is this--they do not want their father to marry Livia.

With his signature snappy dialogue, GUP once again stole my heart as he sets out to teach his young charges about love. Now that he's 50, he's become much more aware of his own mortality and realizes that he's not following any of his lessons. GUP decides to take a huge leap of faith that will change the course of his life, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

I have come to love and adore this fictional family who was broken by grief in the first book. To see them well on their way to healing in this installment made me so hopeful to be able to recover from my own losses. I loved every word of this precious story, and I can't wait until it's out in the world. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the early read. This book will publish May 21, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I was so happy to receive this book because I enjoyed The Guncle so much.

I found this book just as enjoyable. It was a fun read and highly recommend it.

This book was beyond phenomenal. It took everything special from the first installation and somehow elevated it to a level that I didn’t expect at all!

I laughed, I cried, I laughed while I cried???? Like it really had it all. I love seeing these characters 5 years later and see how they have grown and changed. Steven Rowley has such a unique and wonderful gift that should be treasured forever.

Im so grateful for the opportunity to read this ahead of its’ release, because this book is going to take the world by storm!!!

“The distributions of loss is inequitable, and Patrick and his family had endured more than their fair share. But he was done being sad. It was time now to celebrate.”

And that’s exactly what this book felt like, a celebration. A celebration of family and love, and a really sweet, heartwarming discussion on the different ways we can honor grief and those we’ve loved and lost, while not letting ourselves get stuck in it.

It’s one of the things I love most about @mrstevenrowley ‘s books. His ability to cover these big, painful and potentially very dark topics with a levity that keeps them from dragging you down. More than once I realized halfway through a chapter that I was crying happy tears.

It’s such an absolute pleasure getting to live in Patrick’s world again, and to see the growth of the characters we all came to love in the first novel. Plus some fun new ones! Palmina being my very favorite. Her verbal sparring with Patrick is absolutely perfect and hilarious.

Anytime Steven Rowley wants to return us to this world and these characters, I’m in!

Steven Rowley never disappoints. This was one of my most-anticipated books for 2024 since it was announced and I was so lucky to have gotten an ARC. I can’t wait to add the physical book to my shelf next year. Steven’s writing is incredibly witty and heartfelt, not to mention important. In the words of Gwyneth Paltrow: I laughed, I cried a number of times, I sweat, I danced, I got a shot, I ate, and I had many epiphanies. I loved being back in the company of Patrick, Maisie and Grant, and joining their adventure through Europe. This was the same caliber as the first (meaning if you loved The Guncle, you’ll love this one just as much if not more) and honestly I hope it’s not the last story we get with this family. An easy five stars!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Patrick aka Guncle is back again. This time we get familiar with his brother and sister. Patrick's brother, Greg is getting married to his fiancé, Livia. It will be a family affair with his sister, Clara coming for the wedding. This means that it is up to Patrick to do is uncle duties again and watch Grant and Maisie.

I did not realize just how much I missed Patrick, Grant, and Maisie until this book. Maisie and Grant are more grown up, so they are not as easily charmed by Patrick's words of wisdom, which are a lot from movie/tv show references. Yet, these three share a special bond with each other.

It was nice getting to know Maisie and Grant's father. He is a good father. Clara is a hoot. She and Patrick share their sense of humor. So, you can imagine the fun times they shared and then you add into the mix, Livia's lesbian sister, Palmina. Fun all around. I absolutely loved every moment of this book.

The Guncle was such a memorable book and I hoped this story of the family in Italy would be the same. It came close. Everyone is a little older and the situations complicated. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Rowley is an automatic author I will always read!

3.5 🌟 I loved The Guncle. This one, not so much. While Patrick was endearing in the first book, he was borderline annoying and somewhat unlikeable for much of this one. It wasn’t until the last 15% or so that I enjoyed him. And the trip with the kids felt rushed and uneventful. Meanwhile, I wouldn’t mind a book about Palimonia. 😁

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley, is the second Guncle book written by this author, and I was very excited to be able to read it! This book tells the story of adult siblings Clara, Greg, and Patrick, as well as Greg’s children Maisy and Grant. In the first book, after the death of Greg’s wife and mother of the two children, Greg needs some time to recover so his children go to spend time with Patrick. Patrick comes to the rescue again in this book, while Greg prepares for his marriage to Lydia, which the children are struggling with. Patrick tries to help them prepare for the upcoming nuptials, doing some traveling, sight seeing, and learning about the different love languages. I really enjoyed this humorous and loving book, and feel like I learned about different places I have never been which I appreciated. I look forward to reading more books by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Fun to see what our favorite characters from the Guncle have been up to and get a glimpse into what the future holds for them!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book early. The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021, so I was thrilled to be able to read The Guncle Abroad early. Sequels can be tricky and sometimes aren’t my favorite. The Guncle Abroad is an exception. This book is just as delightful as the first book. We fast forward 5 years and meet up with the characters we are familiar with. Patrick’s relationship with his niece and nephew is still going strong and is everything. I think that every kid (and adult) would love to have a GUP in their life.
I love Steven Rowley’s writing style and sense of humor. I cannot recommend this book enough. I’ve read 130 books this year, and this is easily in my top 5. Read this book! You won’t be disappointed!!

In "The Gruncle Abroad," author Steven Rowley reunites readers with the lovable protagonist, Patrick O'Hara, five years after his summer as caretaker to his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. With the kids now living with their father in Connecticut, Patrick finds himself in New York, determined to revive his acting career. As his second successful sitcom concludes, Patrick's professional life is thriving, but his personal life takes a backseat. Approaching fifty and single once again after ending his relationship with Emory, Patrick finds solace in his family support. However, when his brother Greg announces his upcoming wedding in Italy, Patrick senses an opportunity to reconnect with Maisie and Grant. Embarking on a journey through Europe towards the wedding, Patrick endeavors to impart his wisdom on the children, just as he had helped them cope with grief in the past. However, things take a chaotic turn upon their arrival in Italy. Patrick finds himself overwhelmed, managing a hesitant groom, his sister Clara's flirtatious behavior, a brewing rivalry with the soon-to-be-aunt, and two moody teenagers struggling to adapt to their new reality. The pinnacle of these challenges culminates in a calamitous rehearsal dinner. Will Patrick manage to save the day? Can teaching the kids about love help him mend his own fractured love life? And will the change of scenery provide Patrick the clarity needed to embrace maturity? In "The Gruncle Abroad," Steven Rowley masterfully blends humor and heart, delivering a highly anticipated sequel that explores the intricate bonds of family, love, and the process of self-discovery, even in one's fifties. Rowley's signature storytelling captures the essence of complicated familial relationships, leaving readers fully immersed in the characters' lives. Through Patrick's endearing and relatable character, the author skillfully navigates the challenges of love, loss, and personal growth, reminding us that it's never too late to find oneself. With his delightful prose and insightful narrative, Rowley once again demonstrates his ability to captivate readers and draw them into a world filled with laughter, emotions, and the universal quest for happiness. "The Gruncle Abroad" is a delightful continuation of a beloved story, reminding us of the resilience and strength that can be found within the bonds of family, and the transformative power of embracing change, even as we age.

The Guncle Abroad is a more lighthearted sequel to The Guncle. While I didn’t love it just as much as the original, it was great to see the characters grow and evolve. The addition of the Italian setting and fun new characters (aka The Launt) made this an enjoyable read

The one and only GUP is back five years following the events of book 1. This time he is asked to care for Maisie and Grant during a big family wedding in Lake Como. What follows is another hilarious and uplifting story about love, acceptance, second chances and learning how to adjust to a new normal.

This book was sitcom level funny. And still, despite all the cleverness and wit, there was a deeply emotional component as Maise and Grant were grappling with their dad getting remarried. I give Rowley so much credit for being able to balance the light and heavy so perfectly. Plus, being able to travel around European with the whole clan was the best experience!

Read if you like:
-LGBTQIA+
-European adventures
-Family centered stories
-Humorous fiction
-Tons of pop cuclture references

A sequel to The Guncle and just as funny. I enjoyed reading what happened to this family years later. GUP kept up his kind and caring character with his niece and nephew, while helping his brother out once again. A fun quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

I adored this book! It's charming, witty, and full of life lessons on love and family. "I just mean there's nothing money can buy that beats life's free joys with the people you care about..." 💕 Patrick (GUP) is back with his charming niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, as they travel through Europe together to their father's wedding in Lake Como (yes, I took notes, the trip sounds fabulous!). Patrick does his best to teach the kids about love, and they do their best to teach him to follow his own rules. Lots of laughs once Patrick meets his rival, the kids soon to be Launt (Lesbian aunt), and especially his sister's wedding date Gustavo! 😂 And of course a few tears. Congrats to Steven Rowley, this sequel may be even better than the original, and that is saying something! Pre-order this one! 5/21/2024

A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.