✨ Review ✨ The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley; Narrated by Steven Rowley

Thanks to PRHAudio, G.P. Putnam's Sons and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

GUP is back! Five years have passed and Maisie's about to go into high school, Grant into middle school, and Greg (their dad)'s about to get married to a rich Italian marquess. Patrick takes the kids on an adventure through Europe stopping in places like Salzburg, Austria (to take a Sound of Music tour, his and their mom Sara's favorite) and Venice, as they reflect on love and life and whether they want to sabotage their dad's upcoming wedding.

This book is full of laughs as you can expect from Patrick and the kids, but also a lot of really sweet, thoughtful moments as the characters reflect on love, grief, life, and growing up. It did the impossible and even made me shed a tear! 😂

I also loved the travel destinations in the book - having gone on a Sound of Music tour, I love that it nailed the vibe - and loved that Patrick helped them grow into citizens of the world. Watching kids experience these places was fun!

As always, the characters are all a joy but I loved the addition of Livia, Palmina, Groot (lololol), and more. This is definitely a solid follow up to the first Guncle book! Prepare to LAUGH a lot.

🎧 I only listened to a bit of this, but I love that Rowley narrates his own books. I love that we can see/hear it from his voice and perspective in a special sort of way. This is definitely a great way to experience this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: contemporary fiction
Setting: London, Paris, Salzburg, Venice, Lake Como, Milan
Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
Reminds me of: The Guncle Meets Sound of Music
Pub Date: May 21, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ books that pair thoughtful reflection with laughs
⭕️ coming-of-age realizations for kids and adults
⭕️ so many delicious foods and drinks
⭕️ musicals!
⭕️ European travel

I devoured this book! It's the perfect summer book to add to your TBR. The setting is fantastic, and you'll laugh every five minutes!

This is a follow-up to "The Guncle," so I recommend reading that first to avoid spoilers. It had been three years since I read it and I was a bit hazy on the details, but the author did a great job refreshing my memory and getting me up to speed. A re-read isn’t necessary :)

My favorite parts—the setting, the comedy, and the vibes. Traveling Europe in the summer? A beautiful Italian resort on Lake Como? Yes, please.

I also listened to the audiobook. The author did a fantastic job narrating, and I was genuinely laughing every five minutes. It was so much fun. The content is light but still touches on important life lessons and addresses grief and moving on from the events of Book 1.

The ending was adorable and sets up nicely for a third book.

This is the second book in the Guncle series. I recommend that you read The Guncle first because it’s so wonderful. It’s told in third person and picks up five years later with Patrick in London, now single and wrapping up filming on a movie when he receives an invitation to his brother’s wedding in Italy scheduled in four weeks.

Maisie and Grant are not handling the pending nuptials well and attempt to persuade Patrick to intervene. Patrick likens their future stepmother to the Baroness and decides they need to learn a few things about love. Off on a European adventure they go, from reenacting scenes from the Sound of Music in Saltzburg to hot chocolate in Paris and pizza in Venice. Throw in the campy Grease references and I’m in my element. Patrick learns a few things about love along the way too.

I love a traveling excursion and it was fun living it through the eyes of Patrick and the kids. I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy this one as much as the first since it’s been built up so much in my mind and there were instances where I felt a little off while reading about Patrick’s jealousies especially with a new “rival” aunt in the picture, but most of the read was highly entertaining and when the emotions descended, they were big. Just what I’ve come to expect from this author, a funny, emotional and heartwarming story that just makes me want to give it all the hugs by the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for a copy provided for an honest review.

The Guncle is back! After their summer in Palm Springs, where Patrick (the Gay Uncle, Gunc for short) and his niece Maisie and nephew Grant formed a special bond after the death of Sarah, Patrick’s best friend and mother to the kids. Now, their father Greg is getting remarried at a Lake Como villa to a wealthy Italian woman named Livia.
Patrick agrees to take the kids from London to Lake Como after his movie shoot is over. Maisie and Grant make it clear that they don’t want their dad to remarry, and they’re depending on their Gunc to help them out. He decides to show them what love is via their trip through Europe, even though he might not be the best guide now that he’s broken up with the love of his life, Emory.
This book is sweet and funny, with the Guncle’s Rules for Living sprinkled throughout. The descriptions of the different places they travel are excellent and brought out the urge to break out my passport!This book is deeper than it might appear and I loved it. 5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Life lessons, wit, and sass are delivered on a silver platter in this triumphant return of Gay Uncle Patrick. Enjoy.

✈️ Book Review: THE GUNCLE ABROAD by Steven Rowley ✈️

Oh my goodness, I missed Guncle Patrick! If you have not read THE GUNCLE, you must. Right now. I will recommend and gush about that book, just as I will champion this one. From the very first chapter, there is so much laugh-out-loud wit and depth in THE GUNCLE ABROAD that I was utterly captivated and again in Patrick’s orbit as an adoring fan. He would accept nothing less.

In this trip abroad Patrick aims to teach Maisie and Grant, now 14 and 11, about various kinds of love. Guncle Love Languages, such as enjoying the finer things in life and sharing experiences together, are explained and demonstrated in advance of the kids’ dad’s wedding in Italy, also showing that grief for their mom continues. There are layers and depth to this story that, just like in THE GUNCLE, demonstrate so much human emotion, love, and growth. Plus, the ending is so sweet and perfect. Definitely recommend.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)

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

GUP is BACK!
I was such a fan of The Guncle. It’s one of the books that I recommend to people over and over and over again. It’s like a warm hug, I tell them, and it’s true. I was so excited to learn of the sequel.

The Guncle Abroad brings back all the key players. Gay Uncle Patrick, Maisie & Grant, and Patrick’s brother Greg. GUP is once again called upon to help with his niblings when Greg decides to remarry, and the kids are struggling with the impending nuptials. He takes them on a tour of Europe and a tour of the various love languages, culminating in Lake Como, where GUP comes face to face with his new nemesis, the kids’ new Launt (lesbian aunt). With his signature humor, heart, and snark, GUP teaches the kids about love and acceptance and learns a little something in the process.

This was a super fun book and I adored the Lake Como setting. For me it fell short of the original, but in fairness, those were pretty big shoes to fill. This book is an absolute must-read this summer.

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the advanced reader copy.

Such a great sequel to The Guncle. The European setting is perfect for summer. This book was both equally heartfelt and humorous. Maisie and Grant continued to be my favorite book kids!! Most of all, the way this book continues to celebrate LGBTQ+ families was beautiful!

Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam Books for the E-ARC. I slowly read The Guncle (it was a printed version) so I could read this one as I didnt want to miss anything. Even though life got in the way I finished this as soon as I could I devoured it and read as much as possible. I loooveee Patrick I love his sense of humor I can feel his loneliness his love that he doesnt know how to quiet express at times. I lost my mom as well and while we I was very much a adult already I know exactly what Grant and Maisie feel. This book made me laugh but also it made me cry because it brought so many feelings that had long been forgotten. In true Steven Rowley format you cry and then you laugh and then you cry again and Im here for it all

A fantastic sequel to The Guncle! Join back up with now pre-teen and early teen Grant and Maisie as their dad Greg is about to remarry in an Italian wedding. The kids join their uncle Patrick starting in London for a tour through a few European countries in route to Italy. Along the way Patrick tries to teach the kids about love and all the ways you can give and receive love. This story captured the same charm as the first novel, which definitely needs to be read before starting this one. This captured the 'vibe' I love in a summer read as it was heartwarming with depth but never too heavy.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this!
This was a fun, adorable, laugh inducing sequel...but a sequel none the less.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Guncle: the characters were fun and lighthearted while still balancing grief. In this iteration I did enjoy the travel aspect: I've always wanted to travel. I don't do it nearly enough. So I loved seeing all the locations they visited (Yea sound of music reference!) through the eyes of these characters. But I think there was a little bit of that original spark missing? That thing that made the Guncle what it was. It might be a lesson that sometimes, less is more.

(Note: I did think the last maybe 20% was truly excellent. But the first 80% was just missing some magic for me).

I will be honest, I loved the Guncle, and I continued to love the sequel. However, sequels always fall short to me. Maybe my expectations are set too high when I adored the first book, maybe sequels are just an attempt to keep up the perfect story when in reality it ended when it was supposed to end. All that being said, this book brings the characters we loved from the first book - and more growth and change in their lives. Patrick is still amazing, struggling with turning 50, but also running to be there for his niece and nephew when they need him. The kids are struggling with their dad getting married - and need their Uncle for support and love. We walk away from this book knowing everyone will be okay, 5 years after the last book, after laughing, crying and shaking our heads. Do I think this book was necessary? Nope. Did I find it entertaining and enjoyable? Absolutely!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

THE GUNCLE ABROAD - STEVEN ROWLEY

4.5⭐

PLOT
Patrick O Hara is called back to his guncle duties for a big family wedding in Italy. He has broken things off with Emory but this time his family needs him esp Masie and Grant as their father Greg decides to remarry in Italy. Can Patrick save the day yet again? Will teaching the kids about love help him repair his own love life?

MY THOUGHTS
Once again you are transported to their lives where you laugh, cry, enjoy and feel as them.
For a sequel it continues with the trademark Patrick's witty oneliners, his humour and outlook to love and romance in this book. Also, Paulina 's character Launt to the kids was highly entertaining to read.
I just wish to see them all on screen and fall in love with them once more!

This book had a lot to live up to. I never expected to like it as much as the first one. With that being said it was still fun to relive the relationships between Patrick and the kids. And it had me laughing out loud a few times. Definitely will never turn down reading a book in this series.

It’s probably not fair that I read this at a time when I was struggling to focus on reading. I probably would have finished it in days if I had listened to it instead. I enjoyed revisiting these characters and the relationship between GUP and the kids is still so much fun and so endearing. The book seemed like it got a little too far into Patrick’s head this time and lost a little of the magic- but I think I would not have noticed that if it was read by the author like the first one. A worthy sequel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC that I did not finish before the release date!!

I adore Steven Rowley's writing.- The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021 and The Celebrants was also a 5 star read for me. I was so excited when Rowley announced the sequel The Guncle Abroad. I really adored this book and think it was just as charming and funny as The Guncle. I also think it can be read as a standalone, but. you will miss out on some of the backstory from The Guncle (and also you definitely should read The Guncle). Steven Rowley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC.

Oh how my heart rejoices.

If you need a little heart flutter and sweet little swoons, you will find it in the ever-joyful, The Guncle Abroad.

Yes, GUP is back! And he's just as swanky as ever, but make it Italian. I had such fun time exploring with one of the most lovable fictional crews around, Patrick, Grant, and Maisie. The Guncle Abroad takes places years after the first book where Patrick acts as a guardian for his niece and nephew after the loss of their mother. Their father is getting re-married which brings the entire family overseas for a destination wedding...with plenty of reserves. But this story delivers a heartfelt look at how grief develops over time and how life is still meant to be lived by those who are left behind. My heart was incredibly happy reading this story and it filled a few hours (yes, I read it in a few hours) with pure happiness. Rowley wrote a hug in a book.

How about we plan a GUP book 3? (A girl can dream)

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy.

GUP is back! The Guncle Abroad takes place 5 years after the first book, and this time, there’s a wedding involved. Patrick’s brother Greg is getting married, and his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant aren’t happy. They’re growing up, developing their own personalities, and missing their mom. The last thing they want is to have a new step-mother. When Greg asks Patrick to watch the kids before the wedding, Patrick is determined to teach them about love, while traveling through Europe. The kids have other ideas, and want Patrick to talk to their dad and get him to call off the wedding. Patrick is dealing with heartbreak himself, having just broken up with his boyfriend, so celebrating love is the last thing on his mind.

It was a joy to reunite with these characters and to see how they’ve been doing. Patrick is his usual hilarious self, and still has his over the top references that fly over the kids heads. While the first book was about grief and how it changes over time, this book focuses more on love, and the different types we can experience. Like the first book, the best scenes involve Patrick and the kids, and the love they share. I found myself laughing AND crying and would gladly read a 3rd in this series.

While I loved the first book in this series The Guncle this one just didn’t hit the same way for me. I still enjoyed the characters but now that the kids were older that original charm of the story was lost.

Our favorite Guncle is back and is spending time with his niece and nephew abroad as they deal with the upcoming nuptials of their father. Maise is having an exceptionally hard time and it’s up to Patrick to help her and Grant navigate their feelings.

I was pretty undecided about this book until about halfway through. The first one was laugh out loud funny, but this didn’t start that way. The kids are older and not things aren’t as humorous. By the end I had brought in fully. I laughed some, cried some and enjoyed this sequel!

I adored The Guncle. However The Guncle Abroad fell a little flat for me. It was missing the magic of the first book. The story still had its heartfelt moments and spots that made me laugh out loud. But I found myself putting the book down a lot and not really wanting to pick it back up again. Maybe it was me?