When I saw that Steven Rowley had written a sequel to one of my favorite books of 2021, I had mixed emotions. Rarely does a sequel to a book as fresh and fun as The Guncle live up to the original, and while The Guncle Abroad missed the high bar set by its predecessor, it came really close, and I highly recommend it to Guncle fans.

The new book is set 5 years after Maisie and Grant's summer with Uncle Patrick, and their father is getting remarried. Patrick is tasked with the care of the children, now 9 and 13 years old, in the weeks leading up to the wedding, and when they ask their beloved guncle to intervene and stop the wedding, Patrick decides to teach them some lessons about love as they travel Europe.

Most of the book entailed Patrick, Maisie and Grant visiting several European vacation spots (Paris, Austria, Venice) and reigniting their own bond while Patrick sought to learn more about why the children opposed the marriage. It wasn't until they returned to the wedding venue that I really loved the book and felt the same emotional tugs that made me love these characters.

Definitely worth a read, especially for those that loved the first book. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putman for the digital ARC of The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley. The opinions in this review are my own.

Steven Rowley is an auto buy author for me. His books are amazing, filled with love and comedy! This book was everything I wanted and more!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

The Guncle was one of my favorite reads of 2022 and I even got to meet “virtually” Steven Rowley to discuss this masterpiece! I remember when I finished reading it, all I wanted to know was what happened to Patrick and the rest of the crew! I really enjoyed The Guncle Abroad and it brought back the love I had for the original characters as well as introducing some new favorites! Love how Rowley is able to write about grief and how it’s different for each character, but also finding the humor to help ease the pain. This is a summer must read so grab your copy now! 4.5⭐️

I wasn't sure that The Guncle needed a sequel, but it was so lovely to be back with Patrick, the kids, and all the other characters as they navigate both Europe and life. It's such a perfect blend of touching and heartwarming and snarkily humorous that readers are sure to fall right back in love.

Guncle Patrick is back, and he takes his niece and nephew on a European adventure before their father's upcoming wedding to a woman they don't like. Once again, Maisie and Grant remind Patrick about what life and love are about. With humor and snark, this sequel to The Guncle does not disappoint.

That's not to say that this is a perfect book (like the first one was.) I didn't love the stereotypical new characters (although some of that does get explained). I loved the European settings and think that Rowley was smart in that and keeping what worked and adding to it. This may not be my favorite book of the year, but it was still a win and is a memorable and enjoyable addition to the Rowley cannon.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I was not able to complete this story but did enjoy getting to return to the world of Patrick and the children. I thought that the plot would be interesting but found myself getting muddled up in the international landmarks.

I j’adored this book (see what I did there?)! I actually think I enjoyed it more than the first one. The kids are older and have sassier banter, there are downright hilarious scenes, I loved the rivalry between Patrick and incoming “launt,” or lesbian aunt Palmina. There is so much of the sweetness between Patrick and the niblings from the first guncle book, but expands on it so much more in this one. I’d love to hear more antics from this dynamic family in the future. For now, this book is out TODAY so go get it!

I am a big Steven Rowley fan and The Guncle is one of my favorite books. This sequel follows Patrick, Maisie, and Grant as they take on Europe, and specifically Lake Como. I’ve always wanted to visit Lake Como and the descriptions in this book made my wanderlust hit hard. I love Patrick’s snark and pop culture references and I laughed a lot while reading this one. I think this is the perfect Summer read, it’s fun and easy to read while also having a lot of heart. But definitely read The Guncle first to get the most out of the story.

The Guncle Abroad is that rare sequel that completely lives up to, and in some instances outshines, its predecessor. I loved The Guncle so much, and I couldn’t wait to be back with these characters. Returning to their world felt like coming home in a wonderful, heart-soaring way.

It’s five years after the events of The Guncle, Grant and Maisie are pre-teens, and their father Greg is getting remarried to an Italian marchesa named Livia. Grant and Maisie aren’t thrilled about the forthcoming nuptials, so it’s GUP to the rescue! Gay Uncle Patrick sweeps the kids off on a whirlwind tour throughout Europe, teaching them the Guncle Love Languages and trying not to think about all the ways that he has ignored his own advice and failed at love.

Stephen Rowley writes such special books that strike the perfect balance between hilarity and poignance. With wit and wisdom, he explores the intersections of joy and grief, the inescapable realities of aging, the bittersweetness of moving on, the infinite iterations of love, and the complexities of family dynamics. I’d read a passage that had me welling up with emotion, and then one immediately after that would make me laugh out loud. The combination of humor and heart is flawless, a marvel.

Rowley writes characters that feel so authentic: vulnerable, messy, complex. The plot allows for the introduction of several wonderful new characters – including Livia’s sister, the effortlessly cool Palmina, who Patrick is afraid will take his place as the kids’ “launt.” The rivalry between Patrick and Palmina provides some of the book’s funniest moments (two words: “hand jive”). The dynamic between Patrick and the kids is conveyed so perfectly; time passes as it does, they’re growing up, and everyone has to adjust to a new and different way of being with each other. Rowley perfectly conveys how bittersweet it is to love a child who is growing up, who wants to be treated like a grown-up, but who in many ways needs the adults in their lives more than ever.

The Guncle Abroad is a book that feels like the first bite of a warm chocolate chip cookie, or like a fuzzy, soft blanket, or perhaps like a cup of the world’s richest, most decadent cup of hot chocolate at Angelina’s in Paris. I hope we haven’t seen the last of Patrick O’Hara & Co. Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the early reading opportunity.

LOVED IT! I'm so happy Rowley decided to make a sequel and I could definitely see these characters being strong enough to have an entire television series around them (which I would watch all day...and on repeat). Patrick, Maisy, and Grant are back, only this time traveling through Europe for Greg's wedding. Five years past the first novel, Patrick must impart his guncle wisdom and teach the kids his rules of love as they are not totally thrilled about the arrival of a new step mother. The only thing that made this Guncle even better was the new inclusion of the launt (lesbian aunt). The Guncle Abroad featured the same humor and heartwarming anecdotes as the first making it a wonderful sequel. While you could read this as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the first novel anyways to get the back story on all the characters. Such a touching group of characters and a wonderful story!

GUP is back!!!! Literally all I needed to hear to know I had to read this was that Patrick would be returning. I absolutely loved The Guncle and was so excited to return to this world. With all the heart and humor of the first book, The Guncle Abroad was the perfect follow up. I hope we will get to visit these characters again.

The Guncle Abroad is the perfect follow up to the first book in this series. It was a very enjoyable read, including some serious life growth moments and many funny moments. I love getting to know the kids in this series and seeing Patrick grow through his interactions with them. I love the family dynamic with Patrick and his siblings and the growing extended family. I would recommend to anyone looking for a light read that also has actual substance to the characters.

I enjoyed this follow-up to The Guncle, but it wasn’t the 5-Star read I was hoping for. I missed Maisie and Grant’s innocence and their Palm Springs pool days. I wasn’t super interested in learning about their travels and it seemed like all of the characters had something to complain about. The last third of the book was really sweet which brought my rating up. I’ve seen a lot of people love this book, but I’d recommend adjusting your expectations knowing that the characters are all about 5 years older and have changed quite a bit!

This was so, so good.

Team Guncle is back and better than ever.

The Guncle Abroad picks up five years after The Guncle. Patrick's wrapping up filming a movie in London. His niece Maisie and nephew Grant are upset because their Dad/ Patrick's brother Greg is getting remarried, and they've asked Patrick to try to stop the wedding. He agrees… kind of.

We follow the journey of love, loss, and growth of this family. I again, laughed, cried, and was warmed by the family’s story.

I’m already for another one!

5 big, lovable stars.



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

✩4

✦What to Expect✦
•LGBTQ+
•All the feels
•So many lol moments
•Family
•Grief
•Love
 
✦Characters✦
•Patrick O’Hara
•Grant O’Hara
•Maisie O’Hara
 
✦Fav Quotes✦
“There’s a special place in hell for people like you.”
“Yes, obviously I’ll be in VIP.”

 “The trouble with men is they think everyone wants to hear what they have to say.”

“You can’t change the past. But some people come into our lives to give us a second chance and set some wrong things right.”

✦Thoughts✦
I was so excited about this sequel to The Guncle and this lived up to all my expectations! I was cackling non stop, there were so many lol moments. There also were some moments that got me completely in my feels especially at the end. It was fun to see Grant & Maisie getting older and how much they’ve changed too. The rivalry with Palmina had me cracking me up, honestly get we get a book from her pov?!?!

So recommend this one!

The first book of this series, The Gungle, was extraordinary so I wanted so bad to read this. My expectations was really high but this book didn’t disappointed them. Yes, the first book was better, but this was cute and funny. There are lots of really good banters.
The characters continue their journey (in every sense, because the book is setting during a journey) and it’s like a Linus’ cover, comforting and warn. This book is a hug and I liked it a lot!

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I loved “The Guncle” and so I absolutely couldn’t wait to read this sequel, “ The Guncle Abroad.” This was a fun, travel-inspired summer read. There were laughs and poignant moments. This was an entertaining book to start my summer reading season. It’s impressive at how Rowley can cover the topic of young kids attempting to heal following the death of their mother along with the humor of a gay man attempting to handle middle agedom. I enjoyed this one, although a tad bit less than its predecessor. 3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up to 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I truly loved The Guncle so of course I was excited for the second book! I think that because book 1 was sooo good, this one had a lot to live up to and while it was still good, it wasn’t nearly as good as the first. In this book, the children are traveling with GUP across Europe on their way to Italy for their dad’s wedding. They’re learning about love languages and trying to accept their father’s fiancé. While I love traveling across Europe, I thought a few bits of it focused more on the place than the message (especially Salzburg). I was more interested when they finally arrived in Italy at the hotel and met their future “launt”, who really spiced up the story! I also thought the ending was good but not groundbreaking.

I think I’d still recommend it for fans of The Guncle because there are some good jokes and good banter.

This book is as cute as the first! The relationship between Patrick and his niece Maisie and nephew Grant is a bit different now that the kiddos are older but you can still feel the love between them. Patrick is every bit the character we met in the first book and his one liners are still are hysterical as I remember.

So there’s a lot of traveling in this book. I’ve never been to Europe so I liked it but also kind of glanced over them because I’m really not all that familiar with some of the places.

The story itself was cute. Patrick is back with his set of rules. Some were a bit of stretch which was to be expected he was basically flying by the seat of his pants. I loved the addition of the new characters. They definitely added to the quirkiness of this book.

If you’ve read the first book, I would recommend this. If you haven’t read the first book, definitely start with the first.

However you felt about the original Guncle, I expect you'll feel about this one. It was a complete delight and thoroughly entertaining. Perhaps the best part was the jetsetting and living vicariously through the kids and their Guncle! There is a new challenge at hand that GUP is trying to help his niece and nephews through. Always the kind and favorable uncle he helps the kids work through big things in their life.

A great summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the gifted e-copy.