Steve Rowley has done it again! I love the universe he has built in the Guncle series. In this book, the Guncle’s niece and nephew are growing up and grappling with new adolescent challenges. It was clever and fun to jump so far ahead in time and check in with the characters. This book is just as fun, witty and entertaining as Rowley’s first Guncle book. Highly recommend!

The Guncle Abroad was a fun read about the adventures of Patrick, Maisie and Grant together again as they traveled Europe with the end destination of Italy and their father’s wedding. Healing, change and moving forward were central themes throughout this book as well as Patrick’s love language wisdom tidbits.


Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

The Guncle Abroad was a great follow-up to the original! The characters remained the same but also grew in the time between the books, which was a great realistic look at how the kids would have grown between the two books. There is a heartwarming blend of humor and emotions that is often hard to capture but done excellently here. If you are looking for. a way to spend your summer in Europe through a book, there a great descriptions of the places visited that make you feel like you are there! A great pick for a light summer read for those with some wanderlust and want a comforting laugh.

Thanks to NetGalley for this copy!

Although I loved the first book more, this one felt true to the characters developed and continued the story in what felt like an authentic way. Rockets story was heartwarming as usual.

I thought this iteration was fine. It did not make me feel the same way as The Guncle did and this one definitely felt more over the top, forced, and contrived. I guessed what was going to happen. It was ok, but not as good as the first one.

This was a good read. Not as good as the first book but still a decent read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Steven Rowley's books are always such a treat! I loved the Guncle, and really loved that this book jumped forward five years so we got to see a new depth to the children as they grew up and some time passed since their loss. Patrick's character is just so lovable- so full of warmth and charm and humor! The Italian setting was a bonus too. Five stars!

Long-time actor Patrick is tapped, once again, to fill his Guncle duties in watching after his niece and nephew, but this time as their father prepares to get married. The children, now older and more independent, are determined to stop the wedding to preserve their deceased mother's memory and beg Patrick to help. But Patrick takes them on a whirlwind European adventure to show them what love really is, in the hopes that they give their dad's bride a chance. But as the day inches closer, disaster seems to reign, and Patrick is forced to manage not only the rebellious tweens, but a groom with cold feet and a rival lesbian aunt.

The Guncle (and The Celebrants, for that matter) were both winners in my book, touching and sweet while at the same time humorous in their journeys through grief. This book is no exception, though it doesn't quite live up to the same 10/10 stardom of Rowley's prior two novels. In some ways, I wonder if I had read this book back-to-back with The Guncle, instead of with years between, if I would have enjoyed it more, recalling more of the backstory and characters. On the other hand, almost five years passed in the book universe so perhaps it made more sense to be somewhat detached from the world. Either way, it's a worthy follow-up to the first novel (and cannot be read as a stand-alone).

Thanks to Putnam for my eARC and finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Overall, I did enjoy the story. The message was strong about allowing yourself to love again and more than one person was be your person that you share your life with. I was happy to spend more time with the characters I fell in love with when I read the first book (The Guncle). I thought the middle was a little slow for me which was why I rated 3 star instead of 4 star. I would recommend this book especially if you enjoyed the first one.

Our favorite literary uncle is back! This sequel to The Guncle takes place five years after Patrick’s niece and nephew spent the summer with him in Palm Springs. Patrick is nearing his 50th birthday and his acting career is going strong. Grant is now 11 and Maisie is 14. Their father and Patrick’s brother, Greg, is getting remarried. Grant and Maisie are not happy about this and want Uncle Patrick to stop the wedding from happening.

Five years after helping Grant and Maisie with their grief after the death of their mother, Patrick is spending this summer helping them learn how to love again. It is a summer of second chances for all three of them.

With Greg’s upcoming wedding to Livia taking place at Lake Como in Italy, Patrick takes his niece and nephew on a trip through Europe before heading to the wedding venue. I loved traveling to London, Paris, Salzburg, and Venice with Patrick, Grant, and Maisie.

This book had me laughing. Patrick is a hoot! Who wouldn’t want to be friends with him. As much as I laughed out loud while reading this book, it also brought me to tears. Watching Grant and especially Maisie struggle with the idea of their father finding love again was heartbreaking.

“It was the sad truth about losing someone - your certainty about who they were faded with memory.”

“And change is the biggest part of living."

This was a great follow up to The Guncle. It shared the same humor, the witty banter, and the Guncle Rules everyone loves. I loved the new characters, and I loved seeing Maisie and Grant a little older. It was overall a really cute follow up, and I love the happy endings all around.

After absolutely loving The Guncle, I was so excited to read this. It was fun to have Patrick's voice in my head again and he was still just as hilarious and heartwarming. But overall, the story felt a little rushed. The Sound of Music references made up for that, though

4.25/5 stars. This book made me laugh and made me cry. I had my emotions all over the place and I honestly was here for it. After The Guncle I didn't see the need for a second book, but after reading this I feel like it was the perfect continuation of the story.

I loved The Guncle and was very excited to step back into Patrick’s world. While I loved Patrick’s connection and relationship with his niece and nephew, I found all the sarcasm too much this go round. It disconnected me from the story and I just wanted to enjoy all the banter. I wanted more of Patrick traveling with his niece and nephew, felt like it was rushed and over really fast.

I do love all the themes and how Steven approaches tough subjects, like grief and growing up. It’s real and many people can connect to it.

Overall, it was good but I just didn’t feel as immersed as I did with The Guncle.

Patrick is back but this time around he’s traipsing around Europe with his niece and nephew, Maise and Grant. Their final destination is Lake Como, where Maise and Grant’s father is getting remarried. Patrick is single after a recent breakup and he’s taking a little break from acting. Maise and Grant want to stop the wedding.

I think I might have enjoyed this one better than the first book, only because I love to travel, and I loved all the descriptions and activities in the different European cities! It was such a charming and entertaining read. Patrick made me laugh and his relationship with his niece and nephew warmed my heart. I was surprised how everything ended, but it was perfect. I hope there will be more Guncle books in the future!

Thanks, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, for the advance review copy via NetGalley and @PRHAudio for the #gifted audiobook. #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored (Available now!)

Patrick returns to his Guncle (Gay Uncle) duties to shepherd his slightly older niece and nephew across Europe to Italy, where his brother (their dad) is getting remarried.

I need a travel company to organize a “Guncle Tour of Europe” immediately! I want the best hot chocolate in France, a visit to the Prada flagship store in Milan, and to dance through Austrian fountains ala Maria and the Von Trapp kids in “Sound of Music.” Tour guides are required to be sarcastically funny, a wee bit defensive of their age, and all-around fabulous with impeccable style (silk ascots are a must). Extra points if you throw in a rivalry between our beloved Guncle and new Launt (Lesbian Aunt).

I adored THE GUNCLE and was thrilled to see a sequel. It was charming, funny, sweet, and full of Rowley’s signature blend of bon mot and deep thoughts. I received a copy of the e-book in December, but I was determined to wait for the audiobook. I was rewarded for my patience. I think hearing the author deliver Patrick’s jokes and wit is exactly the way to receive them.

This is definitely a sequel, though. You’ll want to read THE GUNCLE to fully appreciate Patrick’s relationship with his niece and nephew, his widowed (and about to be remarried) brother, and his hilariously straight-laced sister.

I absolutely loved the first Guncle....so much! This was a solid 3 for me-I felt like the story would not be enjoyable at all if you hadn't read the first book. Also, it felt like the story jumped around with very little explanation of what was happening-like you were just plunked down in the middle of a story that had been going on for four years without the benefit of having experienced any of those past four years. It still had a lot of heart and humor-and if you loved Guncle you won't be disappointed with this sequel!

THE GUNCLE ABROAD review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

🧳After reading and loving The Guncle last year, I was so excited to see that a sequel was coming out! I was so excited to read more about Patrick, Maisie, and Grant and this book completely lived up to my expectations! Dare I say I loved it even more than the first book?! 🥹

🧳Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
It’s been 5 years since Maisie and Grant spent the summer living with their guncle Patrick following the death of their mom. Now their dad is getting remarried in Italy and they have mixed feelings about his pending marriage. Guncle Patrick decides to spend the few weeks leading up to the wedding exploring Europe with Maisie and Grant to hopefully ease their concerns. But when they finally get to Italy for the wedding, things are even more disastrous than Patrick could have predicted.

🧳Like the first book, this one was equal parts happy/cute and also saaaad. I cried at the ending of this one (the letter?! 😭😭). If you like The Guncle then THE GUNCLE ABROAD is a must read in my opinion. Definitely a sequel that lives up to the first book!

🧳Thanks @penguinrandomhouse for my digital copy!

This book is a great sequel to The Guncle. Filled with cutting wit and family fluff it is a positive addition to any collection. Definitely a feel good read and a must have for any summer reading list.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After reading The Guncle, I was ecstatic when I saw a second book being released. Steve Rowley continues to have the ability to tug on your heart strings while weaving in humor throughout. There are so many characters that I have so much appreciation for. While Patrick tends to try and push people away, he truly has an infectious personality. Like in The Guncle, you continue to see Patrick’s growth. Additionally, it was emotional to see how much Maisie and Grant have grown up as well. This story shares different perspectives of Sara and the person she was and the impact of what they lost with her passing. This is a heartfelt story of the ability to open up to new relationship and allow them to process grief with you. Steven Rowley truly has a thoughtful approach to the topic of grief. It was an enjoyable journey while things were light and airy, and when things felt deeper and emotional.

If you enjoyed The Guncle and haven’t had the opportunity to read The Guncle Abroad yet, make sure to add this to the top of your tbr list as this book is now available. It’s a perfect summer read that will have you wishing you were drinking wine on vacation. Thank you so much to Penguin Group Putnam for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I’m really hoping there’s a third book to this series!