The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley. Thank you to #netgalley and Steven Rowley for the digital ARC.

Rowley does it again! After his first-rate, five star novel The Guncle, he brings us The Guncle Abroad.

In The Guncle, we dealt with the death of Greg's wife, and author Steven Rowley (along with main character Partick O'Hara) masterfully guided us through that grief. Spring forward 5 years, and set in Italy, Gup, Gay Uncle Patrick strikes again! However, this time Maisie is 14 years old and Grant is 11, and Patrick's brother Greg is getting remarried. Most of the family is still reeling with the death of Sarah (Patrick's best friend, Greg's first wife, and Maisie and Grant's mother). How will the family accept Greg's new wife, Livia?

Rowley guides us through all the fun of a destination wedding in Italy. We are reunited with Patrick and Greg's sister Clara. We revisit memories of Patrick's first love Joe, and ex Emery. Will Patrick let go and discover a new love in Italy? Also, we are introduced to Launt, the lesbian aunt. Rowley has a way with words that will have you laughing out loud one moment and blinking back tears the next. His witty writing is full of so much fun and banter. I can't get enough! Gup is one of my most favorite characters, he's fifty years old now and trying to figure out love for himself. The Guncle Abroad is touching, heartwarming, clever, and simply so much fun!

Sadly, i could not get into this book. No worries, didn’t books satisfy different people! That’s the beauty of reading.

A great follow up to the first book. Patrick finds himself re-examining what love is as he takes his niece and nephew around Europe for the summer. The humor and heartwarming moments were well balanced and I appreciated that the kids aged in their language and mannerisms. I think the only thing that kept the book from being a full five stars for me was the flow. There were a lot of settings changes (which makes sense as it was a vacation book). However the plot also had clear sections and time jumps too, which unfortunately made it feel like several small books in one at some points. It didn’t overshadow the enjoyment for me, but it is something to consider before reading.

Definitely pick up this book if you enjoyed “The Guncle” and I think you’ll enjoy it as you relax this summer.

How in the world did I not post my review for this epic, laugh out loud, finding yourself tale?!

The Guncle Abroad was, somehow, even more touching to my heart than The Guncle. The children have aged, their hearts have changed with the grief, their perspectives on life have changed with time, and well, their Guncle may not hold all the answers. Except, he's got a few more life lessons for them, all in the hopes that his brother may have his second chance at love. Patrick is feeling just as wrecked by love as his dear niece and nephew are, but his love for them outweighs his hardened heart. Like the kids, he's aged too, and he's not feeling too kind towards what that may mean for him as an actor. Is he past his prime?

Together, Patrick and the kids discover the language of love through a funny and heartwarming tour of Europe and a wedding, with a LAUNT no less, that teaches all of them how to let love in again. When I tell you I sobbed and laughed, sometimes at the same time, I am not lying. Steven Rowley knows how to tell a story that takes you out of your world and into the pages, one that is somehow both relatable and realistic, but also an escape. It's another beautiful piece of work.

GUP has returned, along with the kids, each a bit older and more knowledgeable. This time, he's journeying through Europe. The rules (GUNCLE Rule) still apply, yet now it's all for the sake of love. GUP's mission is to escort his niece and nephew to Europe for his father's imminent wedding, an event neither child is enthusiastic about, each for their own reasons. The ending was unsuspecting and sweet. A cute overall story about families' bonds that can actually strengthen with the right support.

I loved The Guncle but maybe it just didn’t need a sequel. TGA was fine and very funny in parts, but it lacked the spark and heart of the original. Maybe I would have liked it more if I wasn’t comparing the two. I do think Rowley is at his best when he’s writing humor, so I hope he sticks with that.

Loved revisiting these characters and seeing how they've developed during the time jump after the events of the previous book. Europe is the perfect setting for the Guncle. I'd read another book from this series.

I will forever read anything Rowley writes. It’s always so fun and the characters are larger than life. This one was no exception. I did feel the amount of time traveling and educating his nibling could’ve been more compared to how long they stayed at the wedding. And while I enjoyed this one, it would be hard to hold a candle to the first book which I thoroughly adored. But I do love me some GUP and all he brings to the table. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up liking this book way more than anticipated (in a good way) - which is what happened with The Guncle as well!

I enjoyed the relationship between Patrick & his niblings, but would've enjoyed seeing more of their European adventures.

The book tied everything up more than I typically enjoy but I'm glad the central conflict was resolved in the way it was!

I think I like Steven Rowley’s writing. I definitely like his voice as he narrates his own stories, and I really like Patrick, the “guncle” in question. I just get lost in the stories, and not the good kind of lost. This story is clever, has funny song references and is also very tender (I was crying pretty hard at the end of this one) but in the end I found I just didn’t care enough about the nitty gritty of the story.
That said, I remember feeling similarly about the first book so I will say if you liked that, you may like the sequel. Thank you to @netgalley and to @putnambooks for the ARC that is out now!

A serviceable followup to the original Guncle book. I liked the fact that we jumped ahead a few years in time and got to witness the kids as teens. The heartwarming moments were still at an all time high here and the Guncle lessons were plentiful. I also thought the humor was still here as with the first book. So overall, I enjoyed this one and think anyone who enjoyed The Guncle book 1 will as well,

My main critique with this book is the pacing was off and caused the story to drag at times. I think the kids not being ready for their dad to remarry wasn't enough for a 300+ page book, especially with most it occurring over a week or so. I also think that everyone's thoughts and feelings being funneled through Patrick didn't help, I would have loved some multiple POV here so we could hear from Maisie and some of the other characters directly.

Outside of that, still a sweet and fulfilling followup and a nice closeout to the Guncle story.

Loved the fist one so much and it's ofetn hard to duplicate that level of enjoyment with a sequel be it in a book or a movie. But overall, still enjoyed very much. Lily and the Octopus is genius by this author as well. Like the tugs on the heartstrings his works provide.

Whenever there is a family emergency, problem to be solved, GUP is called for the duty. After their mother’s passing, Maisie and Grant were pretty much brought back to life by their beloved uncle who never thought would end up with kids. While everything was going well, this time their father decided to take another chance at love: with an Italian marchioness!

Patrick, being his extravagant self, thought that best way to teach kids what is love and how it can be found again by taking them on an European tour. They were meant to visit the cities defined love and understand why their father was not betraying neither them nor the memory of their mother. However, Patrick might have expected too much from a kid and an adolescent.

This time, less tearful than the OG Guncle, The Guncle Abroad reminds us what a powerful thing family is and what people can do when they are meant to form one. I cracked up more than I felt little sad, which is a great thing since Rowley likes to tear my heart into pieces 😅

This is still my favorite book of the year. It picks up years after the first book but nothing feels forced. The journey around Europe is magical, the heart of the first book is still there, and it is just as quick of a ride as "The Guncle." I have already recommended it to several people.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy! This was a wonderful sequel and I was so excited to be back GUP and the kids.

I loved the first Guncle book! I will read each and every book about the beloved Gup. This one wasn't as captivating as the first one, but I will forever adore The Guncle and any and all of his adventures. I laughed out loud several times! When Patrick’s brother, Greg, announces he’s getting remarried in Italy, Maisie and Grant are not thrilled and Guncle Patrick feels drawn to take the two back under his wing. As they travel through Europe on their way to the wedding, Patrick tries his best to help them understand love, as he once helped them comprehend grief. Steven Rowley once again charms with a blend of humor and heart & shares a beloved story about the complicated bonds of family & love.

The Guncle Abroad
Rating: 4.5⭐️/ Loved!

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the advanced digital copy- this releases on 5/21. Review to come on bookstagram closer to publication!

Quick synopsis: Years later, Patrick is single and once again called upon for Guncle duties, as his brother Greg is getting married to an Italian baroness, Livia, and kids Grant and Maisy object. Life lessons (aka Guncle rules) and hilarity ensue.

GUP is back!! One of my most anticipated of the year and it lived up to the hype! This was a fun trip to Europe with GUP and the kids, who have now grown up so much. While still full of laughter (The banter! The one-liners!) and heart warming moments, the first half of the novel moved a bit slow for my preference. Still, this felt like coming home to a comfort sitcom with characters that you’ll always root for.

To get the most out of this sequel, I would definitely recommend first reading The Guncle, in order to fully understand characters and context. The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021 and I can’t recommend it enough for a comforting, funny read with plenty of heart in its dealing with the grief process.

An absolute hit! I loved the first book in this series and loved getting to follow along on yet another adventure of the MC with how he continues to teach his niece and nephew the importance of living life to the fullest, falling in love, and the beauty of strong family relationships.

I absolutely loved getting to join this crew again. I adored this first book and was excited for this one and it didn’t disappoint. It was an adventure from the start.

Synopsis:
Patrick O’Hara, Guncle- gay uncle to Maisie and Grant, is back. It’s been five years since his summer as caretaker to his niece and nephew after their mother’s (and his best friend's) passing. Looking down both barrels at fifty, Patrick is single again after breaking things off with Emory (who we met in Book 1). But at least he has a family to lean on. Until that family needs to again lean on him. When Patrick's brother, Greg, announces he’s getting remarried in Italy, Maisie and Grant are not thrilled. Patrick feels drawn to take the two back under his wing. As they travel through Europe on their way to the wedding, Patrick tries his best to help them understand love, much as he once helped them comprehend grief. But when they arrive in Italy, Patrick is overextended managing a groom with cold feet; his sister, Clara, flirting with guests left and right; a growing rivalry with the kids’ charming soon-to-be-launt (lesbian aunt), and two moody young teens trying to adjust to a new normal, all culminating in a disastrous rehearsal dinner. Can Patrick save the day? Will teaching the kids about love help him repair his own love life? Can the change of scenery help Patrick come to terms with finally growing up?

Review:
I just love these books. They are charming, funny, and full of love. Just the ultimate feel-good summer book. I think the pacing is nice, it keeps things moving from one setting and one lesson to the other. We don't dwell on anything to the point of exhaustion or disinterest. The tension points are realistic even if a tad bit dramatized at some points (but hey, that's the fun of it). The relationships between the characters just pull at your heart strings. The shenanigans make me laugh at loud. I can't recommend enough.