Cute story, but didn’t quite capture the same magic as compared to The Guncle. Loved the overseas setting and GUPs love languages, but sadly not as much sparkle and pizzazz this time around.

Such a fun read. I liked it better than the first actually. The banter and sweet lessons.
I would recommend this book
Thank you Netgalley for the arc and early opportunity
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As summer reads go, The Guncle Abroad offers lots of elements that many readers will love - the return of beloved characters, an amazing setting, humor, and heart. Unfortunately, this sequel didn’t have quite the charm as the original for my taste. Five years has passed, a new problem arises, and they fall back to the set up of the original but the necessity of Patrick caring for his niece and nephew as they prepare for their father’s wedding comes across as less organic. If the father is worried about the children accepting his soon to be wife, shipping them away seems to be the least likely solution to making them feel secure and accepting, The pacing at the start is a bit slow, reading as though it’s built for the screen and the gorgeous location shoots rather than for the story itself. The book settles in when they all reach Lake Como which made me wish this was in fact where the book started. I expected many readers who loved the Guncle will be thrilled with the nostalgia of this novel and the sweetness in its pages. The cynic in my just couldn’t quite get on board as I did with the original.

Is it too soon to beg for a third to this series? The Guncle Abroad is laugh out loud hysterical and I cannot stop recommending Steven Rowley to anyone with a sense of humor! TGA and picks up 5 years later after its predecessor, The Guncle, and we see Greg is getting remarried much to the kids’ chagrin. Don’t worry- GUP swoops in to save the day! This is the kind of book that makes you miss your siblings/ childhood. The banter is so realistic that it’s really a feel good vibe. This book should not be missed.

5 stars. Pub. date 5/21/24.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am rating this one 4⭐️ because I love Rowley’s other books and this book was a lot of fun. The knee-slapper puns had me laughing out loud the whole book.

However, there was drinking in almost every single scene up until the 80% mark, day or night. He drinks at every stress, anxiety, upset, or negative emotion, which even leads him to accidentally chug olive oil that he thinks is white wine.

The irony of his brother Greg being “sober” because he has a “problem,” while Patrick seemed to think his nonstop drinking was totally fine, was not lost on me.

What happens at 80%? That’s when we enter the “Now” section of the story where Patrick starts to be his more authentic self and practice what he’s preaching. He’s actually working towards happiness and giving himself what he really wants/needs. And for that last 20%, there’s barely a drop mentioned.

I drank 2 glasses a night to deal with anxiety and emotions for years, and when I quit, I learned the alcohol was spiking my cortisol and making my anxiety worse. It was also preventing me from actually *dealing* with my emotions.

I kept hoping for an AHA! moment where Patrick realized the drinking at feelings wasn’t doing him any favors. Not sure if he ever fully got there. But I did appreciate the shift away from a booze fest for that last 20%.

So yeah I was triggered by this book. But I also laughed a ton. Kind of a mixed bag. I still stan for Rowley and love his writing 🫶.

Thank the gay literary gods for Steven Rowley and his poignant, hilarious books!

Though I had heard of The Guncle, Rowley's breakout third novel (published in 2021), the first book of his that I read was The Celebrants (2023), which was chosen as a Read With Jenna book last year. I immediately fell in love with the witty way that Rowley weaves stories, capturing both the bittersweet humanity of situations and the awkward hilarity that can crop up at the most inconvenient times. As soon as I finished The Celebrants, I caught up with The Guncle and loved it just as much.

The Guncle followed Patrick O'Hara, an erstwhile sitcom star living in Palm Springs, who finds himself in the unlikely role of 'gay uncle' (guncle) to his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, following the death of their mother Sara. Sara was Patrick's best friend and also his sister-in-law (she married his brother Greg).

Of course, if you're reading this review, chances are you've read The Guncle and are interested in its sequel, The Guncle Abroad, so I will skip an in-depth recap of the first book and dive into Abroad. When The Guncle Abroad starts, five years have passed in the lives of the characters. Grant is getting ready to start middle school and Maisie high school, and their father Greg (Patrick's brother) is on the verge of getting remarried. Greg has asked Patrick to take care of the kids in the run-up to the wedding, so they share an adventure across London, Paris, and, finally, Italy, where the wedding will be taking place.

No longer little kids anymore, the characters of Maisie and Grant are allowed more development in this second novel than in the first. Patrick, who had found love with a younger actor named Emory at the end of the first novel, is newly single, which means that all three travelers are in a kind of mourning -- Patrick for love lost, and Maisie and Grant for their mother, and also for their family unit, which they fear may be broken forever with the arrival of their new prospective stepmother, a rich Italian woman named Livia. Patrick and Greg's sister (the kids' "SAC" -- "straight aunt Clara") is back as well, and there's a fun new semi-nemesis, Livia's sister and the kids' new prospective lesbian aunt (or "launt"), Palmina, who threatens the delicate ecosystem of Patrick's relationship with Grant and Maisie.

The bon mots and 'Guncle Rules' (Patrick's "wise" tidbits) are as omnipresent as ever. Patrick's strength as a character is the way his vanity and headstrong nature butt up against the fact that, deep down, he's really a sensitive softie with a real way with words when it really counts.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot of the book, because its character-building and surprising comic moments make up much of its charm. As I was finishing The Guncle Abroad, I couldn't help but think of another favorite author of mine, Armistead Maupin, whose Tales of the City series has been running for decades now and has recently concluded with a tenth novel. With a talent for balancing humor and pathos, any time you pick up a Maupin novel you know you are in *safe hands*, and that no matter what travails the characters may face along the way, there will be a way forward. I feel the same sense of safety within Rowley's pages, and with the characters of these Guncle books.

Without giving any assurances of further installments, it feels like there is still room for more storytelling in the Gunclesphere following Abroad, and I'm very much hoping that Rowley will grant readers the treat of further installments in this series. But, even if not, I'll be looking forward to whatever he writes next.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early eBook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.*

I love these characters so so much! This wasn’t as life changing for me as the first book, but it was still so funny and so sweet. I loved the check in on how grief changes years later, and I found the call backs to be incredibly fun!

Thank you again to the publisher and author for the advanced copy. I’ll love anything Steven Rowley writes and I feel so lucky to read it early!

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary fiction 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first one!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Witty banter
Guncle rules
European travels
Feel good stories
Heartwarming yet funny reads
Pop culture references
Launts (lesbian aunt lol)

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
I love a good HEA
All the traveling- I thought it was a fun aspect

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I feel like the kids are always just pawned off to Patrick - I wish the dad was more involved

Five years later and everyone's favorite GUP is back!

Just like book 1, I loved the witty back and forth banter and had several laugh out loud moments. While the original didn't necessarily need a sequel I'm glad we got one.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

4.5! Heartwarming and heartfelt, the guncle is back five years later. I love these characters and this story so much. The banter is top tier and it has some real laugh out loud moments. Such a good job exploring grief in all roles (parents, partner, friend) and how grief creates challenges across a lifetime. I even shed a few tears. Need another sequel asap (kids go to college maybe?)

Absolutely loved book one and this was almost as good! I thought the traveling Europe would take a larger part of the book, but absolutely loved all the details worked throughout.

Did we need a sequel? Honestly, I'm not sure. I loooooooved The Guncle, it was in my top ten of the year when it was released. However, this fell a bit flat and I could've done without all of the Euro-trip stuff. The kids are older so it wasn't AS funny, but it was still pretty funny. I liked the second half of the book better than the first, and I feel like the second half redeemed it for me. 3.25-3.5 rounded up.

This story picks back up five years later from when Patrick spent the summer with his niece and nephew.

While his career is taking off again his relationship has crumbled. His brother Greg is planning a wedding in Italy with his girlfriend Livia but the kids mostly Maisie isn’t happy about it. She’s determined to cancel the wedding with Patrick’s help.

While they travel through Europe, Patrick is trying to instill in them his rules for love. All the forms it can take, and the different ways people show their love.

The antics, the snarky quipy comebacks are part of what I loved about the original book and this one delivered the same. His competitive nature against the launt (lesbian aunt) and the kids love of her lead to many funny moments.

It ended exactly how it should have and I loved the journey!

I didn't realize that I needed a sequel to The Guncle until I became reunited with Patrick, Maisie, Grant and the whole gang. Patrick is back for his guncle duties and is still his witty and sarcastic self.. There were so many times during the book that I found my self laughing out loud at his one-liners. Maisie and Grant are five years older now are are having trouble dealing with the grief of losing their mom and having their dad remarry so Patrick takes them on a summer tour of Europe before settling in Italy for Greg’s wedding. There was such a nice balance of fun as well as emotion and Patrick’s relationship with the kids was heartwarming. While I did enjoy The Guncle more, this will be such a fun read to enjoy while on vacation this summer!

It was fun to catch up with Patrick, Maisie, Grant, and the rest of the crew. This time in Europe as Greg is about to remarry. This felt different from the first book. Having the group travel around Europe was interesting, but didn't really seem to have much to do with the story. I wish we had known Livia more before getting to the wedding. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as the original, it was still fun to read. If you liked the first book this one is worth picking up. However, if you haven't read the first book I think you can still enjoy this story. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This is a sequel, and I do feel like reading the first one first would make sense in this scenario – at least, to understand the established relationships between the main characters. Both outings here will make you laugh and cry!

In the first book, Patrick learns to embrace his role as GUP – Gay Uncle Patrick – to Maisie and Grant. During the course of that book, he coins many “Guncle Rules,” lessons he thinks they should learn. In this one, he starts teaching them “Guncle Love Languages,” hoping to help them understand why their dad (Greg) wants to remarry.

We catch up with Patrick while he is filming a movie in London. His brother’s impending wedding will take place in Italy, where the bride’s family resides. Greg confides that the kids are struggling with all this, so Patrick jumps in to spend some time with them before the big day. They meet up with him in London, and will travel slowly around Europe until making it to Italy.

One of the first things that stood out to me, when reading, was how silly and fun some of the quips are. It brought me right back into the world of these characters, as GUP & Co love some good zingers and goofy portmanteaus. Early on, Patrick even laments the lameness of sequels. A funny and “meta” touch.

I enjoyed their travels, and the “Love Languages” along the way – which is why I was a little surprised that their little entourage met up with the rest of the wedding party in Italy at only about 40% into the book!

The next portion brings a lot of drama, and brings up memories of Sarah, the deceased mother of Maisie and Grant. There are also shenanigans, of course, as Patrick strikes up a rivalry with the kids’ soon-to-be lesbian step-aunt. The group still goes on some adventures, albeit within short rides from the hotel; and GUP still tries to impart some bits of wisdom here and there. Overall, the back half felt a little heavier, though.

(Despite the recurring Groot-related jokes. You read that right.)

The last bit throws in a few surprises, and some big life changes for everyone involved. I won’t spoil those, though.

Oh my gosh what a delight! This book really brought me back to the first time I read The Guncle, with unmitigated joy and heartache and so much fun. I didn't connect quite as well with the characters as I did the first time (honestly, probably because the ages of the kids are too close to my own niece and nephew and I refuse to believe they can be that old!) but overall, it was still a delight to get to know everyone again. I don't know that I got any more closure from this story than I did the first time, but I don't regret the story overall!

Everyone’s favorite GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is
back with Maisie and Grant in tow in the sequel to the hilarious The Guncle. This time GUP is traipsing around Europe with the niblings prior to their father’s marriage to the famously wealthy Italian, Livia. Maisie wants Patrick to convince her father to stop the wedding. Instead, Patrick tries to share his lessons on love as they eat and tour their way through Salzburg, Paris and Venice.

What Patrick didn’t count on was competition from Palmina, Livia’s lesbian sister, or “Launt” (Lesbian Aunt) as the kids refer to her. With hilarity and heart, Rowley again tackles the tough topics. It does drag a little in the middle but Clara keeps us distracted with her wildly flirtatious behavior. Not as good as the first one but still a fun read for summer.

Thank you to @netgalley @putnambooks for this #gifted digital copy.

(4.5 stars) I adored The Guncle and was particularly excited to hear about a sequel and here it is! The Guncle Abroad brings us some of our old favorite characters: Patrick (obviously!), Maisie and Grant, and their dad. And we get a whole slew of terrific new characters! The story takes place five years after the first book, so everyone is five years older - and Patrick is obsessing about his age. He has broken up with Emory, who is much younger than he is, because he feels Emory won’t want to be with someone his age, as he gets older (he’ll be turning 50 soon). Maisie and Grant’s dad, Greg, is planning to remarry - and the kids are none too happy about this. Patrick takes the kids on a European trip to both distract them and get them used to the idea. Greg’s fiancee, Livia, happens to be the daughter of a super-wealthy Italian family (a titled one!) and the wedding is scheduled to take place in Lake Como in Italy.

I laughed a lot while reading The Guncle Abroad - but I also found myself weeping at times. Without it being a spoiler, my favorite part might be their experiences in Salzburg, Austria, on a Sound Of Music tour! I finished this on a long flight and I’m sure the passengers around me were wondering what I was reading on my Kindle - because I was either smiling or crying!

Two tiny things I didn’t love - Patrick’s animosity toward Palmina, Livia’s lesbian sister. I thought it was a bit uncalled for. I guess he was worried that she would supplant him in the kids’ affection. The other thing is that the book is structured as Now; Four Weeks Earlier; and Now. I think it would have had more impact if the story was just chronological, if the first Now section was incorporated with the second Now section. But that’s a tiny thing. Overall, I loved The Guncle Abroad.

While you could technically read this as a standalone, you’d miss an awful lot of character development and background.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I'm usually a romance reader (I would call this more fic-lit), but I made an exception here, and it didn't disappoint. Funny, charming, and totally heartwarming, this was a true feel good read, and I hope we haven't seen the last of these characters.