I wanted to read this book because I loved The Guncle for its unique voice and emotional range. This sequel didn’t his the mark for me. I felt less connection to the characters and less invested in the outcome. The conclusion was enjoyable, and the travel component was interesting but overall I felt underwhelmed by this story.

This was a sweet sequel to The Uncle with Gay Uncle Patrick still being his amusing self. I didn't find this book as funny as the first one, but the children are a little older in this one, so there wasn't so much of a target rich environment for jokes. I felt as though the ending was more extended than it needed to be, but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Wow, I am SO glad we got the chance to dive back into the world of Patrick, Maisie, Grant, and the rest of the GUNCLE gang.

I'm always excited by the idea of sequels, but ultimately end up feeling disappointed by them because they don't capture the one-of-a-kind magic of the original. In order to warrant a sequel, there has to be the right *story*. And Steven Rowley really managed to nail it with THE GUNCLE ABROAD.

Not only did re-entering the world of the GUNCLE feel like a familiar, joyful coming home, but it also felt like a brand-new adventure that as a reader, I felt lucky to get to experience.

It had everything we loved about Steven's first installment -- the laugh-out-loud humor, the memorable cast of characters, the meaningful look at grief, family, and representation -- with new moments of touching connection and smart, hilarious writing. I would read 10 books in this universe!

An absolutely stunning continuation of Rowley's work, and a story I'll be coming back to again and again.

Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for the e-ARC, and Putnam for the finished copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE GUNCLE ABROAD is out now!

I was a big fan of The Guncle, so this sequel seemed like it would be a perfect summer read. Unfortunately, it was just ok for me. While we do see the main characters from the Guncle return in this sequel, I felt like everything I enjoyed about the first book — the heart and sarcastic humor — fell flat in this book. The story dragged, the jokes felt forced and honestly had me rolling my eyes by the end, and the ending seemed a little too saccharine. While there were moments that were touching and reminded me of the talent Rowley has as an author, overall I thought this book was just okay.

If you haven’t read The Guncle, I highly recommend picking it up this summer! But personally, I’d leave it there and skip the sequel.

I adored the original Guncle book, so naturally I was thrilled about the opportunity to read another adventure with the world’s best gay uncle Patrick. .

The first thing that you need to know is that this is not one of those sequels that you can pick up and get the gist of the narrative thus far. You need to start at the beginning with the first book to fully appreciate the journey thus far.

For everyone else: Patrick is back and better than ever! This time, he’s in Europe, shepherding around Maisie and Grant while they all process their complicated feelings about Patrick’s brother/the kids’ father remarrying. It’s been five years since the kids lost their mom and Patrick lost his best friend, but it still feels too soon.

Yes, there are some heartwarming and poignant moments, but overall, this book is zany and fun. The wit is razor sharp, and it’s so fast paced that it almost seems better suited to audiobook (or screen!) because the timing is so crucial for the jokes. Even with reading, when one can “rewind” and re-read, the jokes are landing at blink-or-you’ll-miss-it speed. And that’s actually the beauty of the narrative as a whole because you’ll be in the midst of some sort of zany caper and then they’ll hit you with something super poignant.

I would absolutely recommend The Guncle Abroad. Patrick is a flawed protagonist, but he knows he’s flawed and he owns his flaws– as long as they aren’t related to aging– haha. Patrick is also one of the most hilarious protagonists of all time, so that balances out the flaws. Sequels often fail to live up to the original, but this book matches the frenetic energy of the first book. If anything, taking Patrick out of Palm Springs and dropping him in Europe, home to the City of Love and the Sound of Music. This is definitely one of those books that I end up owning in physical form, e-book, and audiobook.







I received a digital ARC of this book from Penguin/NetGalley.

A delightful sequel with one of the most enjoyable, entertaining main characters I've come across in quite a while. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, but with a much deeper thoughtful undercurrent related to loss, love, fresh starts, grief, and healing. Highly recommended.

💍✈️👨‍👨‍👧‍👦🇮🇹

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley is a heartwarming and amusing sequel. Patrick steps back into his guncle role, this time amidst the scenic backdrop of Italy for a big family wedding. Five years after the summer spent caring for his niece Maisie and nephew Grant, Patrick faces new challenges as he juggles his acting career, personal life, and family dynamics. As they journey through Europe, Patrick navigates his brother’s pre-wedding jitters, teenage angst, and his own quest for love and self-discovery. Truly, an adorable and lighthearted read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the digital advance reader's copy.

If you haven't yet read Rowley's The Guncle, definitely read it before picking this one up. This is not a sequel you can read and enjoy completely without having read the first book.

It is five years after the first book. The children are five years older, now 11 and 14. Their father is now five years sober and getting married in Italy. Patrick's acting career is going strong again, although he's recently separated from Emory, and he's been asked to watch Grant and Maisie in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

It's fun seeing small glimpses of Europe with Grant, Maisie, and Patrick. I particularly enjoyed the Austrian portion.

Maisie is trying desperately to persuade Patrick to stop the wedding, and Patrick is trying to decide whether or not his brother's new fiance is a good choice for him, while fending off the newly arrived "launt."

There are some very funny scenes, a few that miss the mark, some touching scenes about how it feels to keep moving forward after loss, and a lot of Patrick being very himself - amusing and caring, but also very self-centered.

All in all, if you enjoyed the first book, you'll enjoy this one too. It's fun to see how the characters have grown and where they are in their lives.

*language, some adult humor

Dare I say I love this book more than the first one. Yes, I did. I loved the relationship growth. This book had me crying into my sleeve at the end. Happy and sad tears. What a beautiful story. I need to buy this copy for my shelf!

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of this because I loved the audiobook of The Guncle so incredibly much. Rowley does an absolutely phenomenal job of bringing his characters and stories to life in his own voice. These characters are so raw and real that it is impossible to not absolutely fall in love with every single one. I will read 10 more Guncle stories if Rowley writes them!

The Guncle is back! In the true spirit of the first book, and with all the warmth, humor, and heartache, the story of Patrick and his niblings Maisie and Grant continues to evolve as they grow and change. Exploring the theme of dealing with change even while acknowledging that grief never leaves you- the Guncle leads his charges across Europe to the culminating wedding which has its own twists and turns. A thoroughly enjoyable ride told with depth and heart.

“Come quickly, I am drinking the stars.”

“You will never know what it is you want until you are certain of who you are.”

“Americans try to fix everything. Maybe it fixes itself. Or maybe it doesn’t. And we make peace with some things that are broken.”

“Because if I could have one wish, I would live this life over, just so I could love them all again.”

Everyone should be so lucky to have a guncle in their lives! In Guncle Abroad, we are once again treated to fun quippy dialogue, quick wit and guncle rules as we travel across Europe and settle into Lake Como on the eve of a wedding. Patrick’s insights and ponderings touch the reader in a heartfelt way, covering topics from love to grief and everything in between. He just keeps me smiling (sometimes through tears) as I read along. He has a special connection with his niece and nephew that’s pure joy to observe. We are reunited with friends and family from the first book (although I really do miss the throuple) and also introduced to some new memorable characters like the Launt (and her Robert Palmer girls), and Groot/Gustavo. This sequel doesn’t quite have the sparkle of the original, but it was fun to reunite with some of these endearing literary characters and see how their lives have moved forward since 2021. I look forward to the Guncle movie and hope to see a book 3 in the future!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

I fell in love with The Guncle when I read it a couple of years ago. I thought the relationship Patrick forges with his young niece and nephew af their mother dies was just so special and heartwarming.

Well, The Guncle Abroad is just as magical as the original book. I loved being back in this world with Maisie, Grant, and Uncle Patrick (or GUP, short for Gay Uncle Patrick as they refer to him). Maisie and Grant are a few years older now and haven’t seen GUP much since he decided to revive his acting career and has been busy filming. When their dad announces he is getting married again, Maisie and Grant are upset about it, and Patrick is tasked with bringing the kids to Italy where the wedding will take place and to try to convince them along the way that the marriage is a good thing.

Patrick makes it his mission to teach the kids about love in its different forms and does so as he travels with them throughout Europe before finally arriving in Italy for the wedding. What I loved about this journey of discovery is that I think Patrick gets just as much, if not more, from it than the kids do.

Just as with the first book, The Guncle Abroad is full of heart and humor. It left me with a smile on my face and crying happy tears. If you’re looking for a truly special read, be sure to pick up both The Guncle and The Guncle Abroad.

This was beyond magical. I laughed. I cried. I fell in love with the O’Hara family all over again. All books should be this good.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I could not stop laughing out loud. When a book brings so many emotions to life, from crying to heartfelt to working through grief- it is definitely one to remember.

I am a huge fan of Steven Rowley's writing -- and once again he is able to make me laugh and sob. It started with Lily and the Octopus, his first book I think, which I recommend to everyone I know. I also read the first Guncle book and really loved it as well. The characters are well-written and I end up caring about them. I don't think you necessarily have to read the first Guncle book to enjoy and understand this one because he includes background on the characters. But I did enjoy seeing Patrick (the Guncle) taking care of his nephew and niece as they grow older. A great read and I look forward to more adventures with the Guncle. The premise of this one is the kids father (Patrick's brother) is about to get remarried to a wealthy Italian woman and the kids are against it (their mom died who was also Patrick's best friend). This book covers joy and loss in a very compelling way.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

I was bummed I didn't like it as much as book 1! I had a hard time with Maisie's teenage angst and Grant was missing his small-child-like charm.

Ahhh I loved The Guncle and was super stoked to receive this ARC! This book did not disappoint. I loved reading about Uncle Patrick’s shenanigans, all the characters had me cracking up at some point!

Thanks to putnambooks and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

GUP is back! I love Gay Uncle Patrick aka The Guncle and was so excited there was going to be a sequel! Steven Rowley really does no wrong, and I loved that this book took us on a journey through different countries with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant. The bond between these characters is amazing, and I really enjoyed all of Patrick’s love lessons.

Rowley narrates the audiobook, and it is so worth it to listen to it. He brings these characters to life and you can feel all the feels while listening. The witty writing that Rowley is known for comes to life plus he handles all of the emotions the children go through while dealing with their father remarrying so well. I was transported to Europe and really wanted to go to Lake Como while listening. If you can, I highly recommend listening to this one.

I loved everything about this story, and I really hope we get more Guncle books in the future. Rowley has become an auto buy author for me, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and PRH Audio for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

Five years have passed since we met Patrick and his family in The Guncle and they’re back (with a few additions). I loved the caftan wearing Patrick of the first book and the Patrick we see for most of The Guncle Abroad is not the same person. He’s gone back to acting and made other major changes in his life. Once again, he ends up spending time with Maisie and Grant, his niece and nephew, but they’re now at more challenging ages and facing a different kind of family challenge.
The Guncle Abroad is another wonderful book by the talented Steven Rowley. He is the king of witty banter and you want to read his books slowly to make sure you savor every clever remark. I loved all the travel details and would eagerly volunteer to travel with him in the future!
Now, the big question: is there a book #3 about the Guncle and his family?
Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read The Guncle Abroad in exchange for an honest review.