Loved it! Well and truly loved it. I appreciated the premise with the living funerals, giving one another's obituary, standing up for friendships, and dealing with the heartaches that come with getting older. I may not have loved all the characters and their quirks, but they felt like real, flawed, messy people with real and complicated lives. Honestly, I will read anything and everything Steven Rowley writes at this point. Absolutely would recommend and am SO HAPPY I was able to get a copy of this, so thank you to the publisher and NG for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This one just hit the right spot at the right time for me. Looking forward to hearing what others think, and talking about it at length with them when it comes out.

"The Celebrants" by Steven Rowley is a heartwarming tribute to the power of friendship and the journey of self-discovery. This latest offering from the bestselling author of "The Guncle" is a must-read for anyone looking to celebrate the beauty of life and the people who make it worth living.

The story follows Jordan Vargas and his college friends as they reunite after five years to celebrate their decades-long friendship and the promises they made to each other. The group of friends, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle, have been gathering in Big Sur for years to remind themselves of the importance of living life to the fullest. However, this reunion is different, as Jordan is sitting on a secret that has the potential to upend their pact.

In this deeply honest and raw tribute to the growing pains of selfhood, Steven Rowley explores the false invincibility of youth and the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate life, even amidst its greatest challenges. This book is a perfect blend of humor and heart, making it a must-read for anyone who values the power of friendship and the journey of self-discovery.

I absolutely loved The Guncle, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to read Steven Rowley’s newest book. The Celebrants did not disappoint!

The writing is smart, witty and real. The Celebrants follows five college friends who make a pact to get together to mark one another’s fake funerals. Rowley does a beautiful job of telling a story of friendship through hardships, and explore how the group was able to celebrate each other and carry on even though it may seem easier to throw in the towel.

I enjoyed the witty banter, and how each character’s flaws were embraced and accepted. I highly recommend! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Penguin Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

"The Guncle" is one of my Top 10 favorite books ever written (which is huge for me, since I read 200 books per year), so obviously I was thrilled to pieces to receive an ARC of Rowley's followup, "The Celebrants."

I will start this by saying that this is NOT a book written in the same vibe or tone as The Guncle. And to me, that just demonstrates Rowley's literary reach and span, because it just as engaging and thought provoking of a book.

The story of 6 friends who collectively suffer a tragic loss early on in their lives together, they form a pact to come back to one another whenever called if someone decides they want to throw their own living funeral. Years come and go, relationships weaken and strengthen, but they never let each other down when someone is in need. Little do they know that one of their celebrations of life will be more literal than they ever anticipated.

Smart, adult writing with fully fleshed out and incredibly diverse characters, this book is excellent for anyone who is still trying to "find" themselves, no matter how old they are.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for sending me an ARC of The Celebrants in exchange for an honest review.

In 1995, a group of six friends are about to graduate from UC Berkeley when one of them, Alec, dies of a drug overdose. Grieving after the funeral, the five remaining friends—Naomi, Craig, Marielle, Jordy, and Jordan—make a pact that whenever one of them is at rock bottom, they will assemble for a funeral so that the person in crisis can “hear firsthand the impact we’ve had on other people so that we know our own lives are making a difference.” As they reach middle age, one by one they begin invoking this pact and, while trying to raise each other’s spirits, uncover secrets from their past. And now, as they’re hitting their 50s, they are gathering once again, not realizing that one of them will soon be having a real funeral.

The Celebrants is a celebration of the power of lifelong friends. The kind of friends who know you completely, and can see right through your poses and defenses, even after years apart. On one level, the plot revolves around some minor-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things secrets. Exactly how did Alec die? Who is Mia’s biological father? But really The Celebrants is about hitting middle age, that time when you look around and really take stock, compare yourself to your friends, and ask what you’ve accomplished. Have you lived up to your parents’ expectations for you? Your own? What is your place in the world, when your kids leave the nest, when your parents pass away, or if you’re facing the death of your spouse?

These storylines could be heavy stuff, even brutal, but The Celebrants tempers everything with warmth. No matter what’s happening, there are always jokes, humor, and the easy banter of longtime friends. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Recommended.

I love this author and once again he has a hit! I was hooked from the first few pages. Loved the characters and the story!

This was an emotional Rollercoaster. I loved it! This was an excellent book! Definitely recommend this book to everyone.
I just reviewed The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. #TheCelebrants #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

I fell in love with Steven Rowley's writing with "The Guncle" and am so happy to have been able to read this one as well! His prose and wit is unmatched, and I will forever be recommending his books to anyone who asks. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing us to read this amazing ARC.

This was a solid, entertaining story! I enjoyed the cover and the overall themes in this book. Could see it being popular this summer!!

“Do as many things as you can to remind yourself you’re alive.”

Fans of The Guncle, I have good news - Steven Rowley’s latest novel is every bit as delightful.

The Celebrants follow a group of transfer students at Berkeley who become close friends. When one of them dies unexpectedly and they are mourning the fact that they didn’t get to tell Alec what he meant to them before it was too late, they make a pact to throw funerals for each other while they are still alive.

Rowley does what he does best here - mixes in the funny with the sad, the joy with the pain. Each section of the book focuses on a different friend and what their lives have been like since graduation.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy. I’m excited for more people to read this when it comes out on May 30th just in time for summer reading!

I really enjoyed this book! At first, I found it a little dull but by the end, fell in love. I love the concept of celebrating life before it is over and making sure your friends know all of the little reasons you love them. It feels so important and I don't know why I've never thought of it!

I was NOT ready for this while mourning the loss of my own father!! But it was such a good read even despite many tears, there was also many laughs. I think the author did such an amazing job executing each character development in this book.
PS
tell your people you love them when they are alive, don’t wait for their eulogy to say what needs to be said.

“There were lessons to be drawn from each of these images, each of their funerals: to live in the present, to live for yourself, and that we were never as alone as we thought.”

Steven Rowley has a way of writing grief in a manner that is also innocent and charming and life-affirming. A group of friends forms a pact to hold living funerals with the purpose of ensuring that none of them leaves this world without knowing how much they were loved. The way each of them calls in their turn is as unique as each of the friends is, and we see how much character changes throughout the course of their friendship.

The Celebrants, as they call themselves, are a realistically flawed found family. While they have issues and disputes, it’s lovely to see how much they rely on each other during hard times and how they reconnect over the years. Also realistically, it takes many years and many mistakes before they start learning their lessons and realizing they shouldn’t take life (or each other) for granted.

Overall I found it to be a lovely and sad book that make me both laugh and cry.

** Note/trigger warning: while I quite enjoyed the book, I would recommend steering clear of it if you or a close loved one is battling cancer.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about a group of college friends who, after the death of their friend at an early age, make a pact to hold an early funeral for each other in order to celebrate one another and to stay in touch. The members trigger the pact at times of death, divorce, and illness.

Rowley does a skillful job of painting each character's personalities, warts and all, with compassion and grace. He makes you care deeply about them and breaks your heart as you experience the ups and downs of their lives.

I adore Steven Rowley. Each of his books are vastly different— so if you’ve only read The Guncle, do NOT expect a repeat. All of his books do seem to include an element of grief though, so I LOVED the message behind this one— tell your people you love them WHILE they are here! Don’t wait for their eulogy to say what needs to be said.

This was written with Rowley’s wit and humor, and there is love in this book. But I just wasn’t convinced these friends were really friends 🤣 Most of the time it felt like they were annoyed by each other more than anything else. I don’t know if I needed more of their backstory, or more good times and not just bad times, or what— but I wasn’t sold on the friendships that were supposed to be the foundation of this book.

Bottomline, it’s a 5⭐️ message, but the execution fell a little flat for me. That said, I’ve read Rowley’s entire backlist and will continue to read anything he writes in the future. Not only are his books great, but he seems like a real gem of a human being too. While this one missed the mark a bit for me, if you are curious about it at all, I’d encourage you to give it a try for yourself!

I loved his other book, The Guncle, so I couldn’t wait to read this one! The writing and quirky characters had me laughing out loud and also wishing I was part of their friend circle! Such a great read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Despite a somewhat slow start, this unique storyline really delivers in a way that only Steven Rowley can accomplish. It's dark, uplifting, witty, thought provoking, depressing, and inspirational.

Just before graduation, five college roommates make a pact after the funeral of their dear friend that all following funerals will take place while they are each still alive. The pact is invoked when one of the friends is facing particular hardship as a way to show them how loved and supported they are. The group may not keep in constant touch as they all go their separate ways after graduation, but they know they are truly family to one another and can always pick up where they left off. We then follow the group over a period of 30 years and five "funerals".

Rowley does an excellent job of portraying the types of friendships that can only come from the college experience, or at least having lived with the same friends for many years. I loved watching the friendships evolve over the years and the growth of the characters after attending each funeral. Mortality and grief are contemplated in though provoking ways that will make you rethink how to truly live and how to honor those who have made an impact on your life.

Not only do I love a page turner. I love a book where I want to jump in and be friends with the characters. This was a charming, whirlwind of emotions….grief, humor, life after love, lifelong friendship and all the things between. Like a true Steven Rowley book, tons of laughter in this book. I didn’t want this book to end.

I have never highlighted more quotes in any book, especially towards the end. This book made me appreciate so many friends that are always there for me. I just wanted them to know how much I loved them….make sure no words were ever left unsaid.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

So good. Brimming with complex characters and emotions. Couldn't put it down. I enjoyed it more than "Guncle", which I loved.

Steven Rowley has become one of the authors I go to to seek comfort. The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021 and a book I continually recommend to people. The Celebrants is going to join that recommendation list!

When a group of college friends mourns the loss of one of their own, they make a pact to come together in times of need to share their love and appreciation for one another, to let each other know what they mean to the others while they are living. For what is the point of a funeral but for the living to celebrate the dead? This way nothing will be left unsaid.

I went into this book blind, only with the comparison of this book to The Big Chill. and loving the author's previous work. The Celebrants lived up to my expectations and I can see myself coming back to this book again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and, of course, Steven Rowley.