The Guncle was one of my favorite books of 2021, one that I recommended to many people and even gave as a gift. So when I heard there was a sequel, I was a bit wary -- how could it possibly measure up to the delight and the warmth of the original?

While I'll concede that The Guncle Abroad doesn't quite have the magic of the first book (because, really, nothing can match the experience of reading a beloved book for the first time), it has the same overwhelming sense of delight. The problems facing Maisie and Grant in this installment are less dire; five years have passed since the original, and while they are still grieving the loss of their mother, the pain is not as acute. Now their father is getting remarried, and they're not so sure about their potential step-mother. Enter GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick), whose mission is to teach them the many forms of love through a trip across Europe, even as he is facing a recent breakup and anxiety about getting older. It all culminates in a wedding celebration at a luxury hotel on Lake Como in Italy with emotions running high. I didn't cry as much in this installment, but I still laughed out loud frequently, and I loved spending more time with these characters I have come to love.

Thank you to Penguin Group/Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published May 21, 2024.

This story was an easy, feel good book to read (and hum along with) as Sound of Music favorites floated through my head. I especially had “Tea. A drink with jam and bread.” on repeat for a bit!!
The adventures throughout Europe were memorable and the chuckles were plentiful with this special trio. A relaxing and fun trip abroad for this homebound gal.

I am happy to have had the chance to read the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy of “The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley; thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam!

GUP and his niblings return in this follow-up to The Guncle. I love, love this family. Grant and Maisie are still grieving the loss of their mother, and Uncle Patrick appears to be on a break from Emory. Patrick is working in London and he is to accompany his niece and nephew to Lake Como because their dad, Greg, is getting remarried. Grant is more comfortable with the idea, but Maisie isn’t. For that matter, Patrick really isn’t either.

This story is as much about Maisie and Grant adjusting as it is of Patrick rediscovering who he is and what he wants. Yes, there is a wedding! There is humor and a lot of love and growth

I was a little nervous to have a sequel to such a fun book 1, but the author was equally concerned about it and delivered on the heartwarming chemistry from book one. It's hard with the kids growing so I love the focus in this book on further developing and pushing Patrick out of his comfort zone! This was the perfect plane book and kept me thoroughly entertained. I look forward to what the author comes up with next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

The Guncle is hands down one of my absolute favorite books so when I saw that Rowley was releasing a second book with more Patrick goodness, I was thrilled! I know sequels can be tough but I really think The Guncle Abroad perfectly captured the same level of greatness as the first.

Patrick aka GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is filming a movie in London and invites niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, to join him on set (even as extras in the film) and then travel around Europe, ending in Italy for their dad’s wedding.
The wedding is set to take place in Lake Como but Maisie and Grant are set to derail said wedding.
Maisie and Grant have matured since the last book, but they maintain a special relationship with GUP - and now they will gain a launt (lesbian aunt) after the wedding.
While the novel is filled with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Rowley also tackles deeper themes such as aging, grief, and loss. Steven Rowely is a gem. He really can do no wrong.
I received an advance copy from Penguin Group Putnam via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A feeling of comfort and security comes with returning to the world of a good book. THE GUNCLE ABROAD by Steven Rowley is certainly an example of this, even though the story takes place in Europe, far from the California of THE GUNCLE. THE GUNCLE ABROAD picks up five years a

I absolutely loved "The Guncle," so much that I bought copies for friends and handed them out like candy. And while I wasn't expecting this sequel to fully live up to the original, I was still left a little disappointed. The beloved characters are back, but it's 5 years later, and to say the kids are at tricky ages is an understatement. It is very difficult to make teenagers charming, and unfortunately this got in the way of fully enjoying it. I was moved by the end, so it wasn't all a letdown, and I still love Patrick and his clan, but I don't know that I will be recommending this one as enthusiastically as I did the other.

Thank you for the eARC, it has not effected my review whatsoever.

Ahh sequels. It's so nice to visit old characters and themes. I wonder if this was necessary thematically or even in the plot, but it was certainly a nice time, so whatever. I'll take more of the trio quite honestly. It was nice to see them a bit more grown up and how they are managing the grief that was so potent in the first novel.

This time, Patrick, Grant, and Maisie are off in Europe, having some adventures before Maisie and Grant's father gets remarried to a rich AF European. For a good chunk of the book, we get a little vacation, but once this is over, we're dealing with the Emotions around the wedding.

This was overall quite enjoyable, particularly Patrick's love musings set to classic songs. It still went deep with the grief study like it did with the first. However, there was just a smidgen less emotional connection than I had with the first book. Just a little bit.

If you liked the first, you should read this one too!

The sequel I never knew I needed!

If you loved The Guncle as much as I did, or if you haven’t checked that out (please do so!), you will love The Guncle Abroad. We flash forward five years and Greg is getting married. As you may suspect, the kids do not approve.

The Guncle goes on a European mission, as only GUP can do, to show them the love languages to convince them that love is worth it.

Patrick shows them a little slice of life in each city/country they visit, even making a stop where he one day meant to visit with their mom Sara. The book is packed with humor and light, and I will be recommending it all around ✨

Check this out when it releases on 5/21! Thanks to @putnambooks @netgalley and @mrstevenrowley for an early look at this gem 💖

2.5 rounded up.

I loved The Guncle, so it pains me to report that it was a slog to get through The Guncle Abroad. The premise: Guncle and the kids (now tweens; a not cute and funny age) head to Europe to meet up with their father in Italy where he is set to marry an Italian woman. The woman has a lesbian sister who is in slapstick competition with Guncle because the kids call her the Launt.

It just didn’t work for me. But I can see it appealing to many readers who were hoping to read more about the Guncle.

I did learn that there is a Sound of Music Tour in Austria and I so want to go on that!

Synopsis: Follow up to The Guncle: a story about an uncle who steps up to help raise his niece and nephew when tragedy strikes.
Pros: Just like its predecessor, The Guncle Abroad is equal parts funny and heartwarming! If you love David from Schitt’s Creek I think you’ll love the humor in this one!
Cons: Pacing was a bit slow at times with long chapters, but these are truly feel good books! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy. Check it out when it’s released May 21!

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Release Date: 5/21/24
Format: ebook/audiobook hybrid
Rating: Chefs Kiss, Five Stars, Go Preorder!

The Guncle is hands down one of my absolute favorite books so when I saw that Rowley was releasing a second book with more Patrick goodness, I was thrilled! I know sequels can be tough but I really think The Guncle Abroad perfectly captured the same magic as the first book!

Rowley has a way of filling his pages with so much hope despite dealing with so much grief. The humor is unrivaled in my opinion, but so are the quiet and sincere moments of vulnerability between these characters we’ve grown to love. The new characters were so wonderful and well developed also!

I don’t think I can properly use my words to do the charm and beauty of this story justice. All I can say is in a world that can feel very dark, these books are a much needed ray of sunshine! If you ever take a single one of my recommendations please let it be these books!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & Putnam Books for the eARC!

The Guncle was one of my favorite reads of last year & I absolutely couldn’t wait to be back in the world of Patrick, Maisie, & Grant. Just like in the first book, I found myself laughing out loud at Patrick & starry eyed over his relationship with the kids. This book focuses less on grief though we still get to see the effects of our character’s grief on their life now. I do wish that more focus would have been put on Patrick’s travel adventures with the kids vs the pre wedding activities once they arrived at Lake Como but I still really enjoyed the read! It felt like reconnecting with old friends💖

This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rowley does it again and manages to recreate the same magical combination of heart and humor. We rejoin Patrick a few years later as he takes his niece and nephew on an European adventure. Great to be along for the ride and experience all the special joys of travel with GUP and the kids, laughing all the way. A snarky teenager, family wedding, a Launt (what!), a little bit of heartbreak and a happy ending make for the perfect summer read! This releases 5/21 and I suggest you check it out! 5 stars!

I loved this book! It gave me all the same warm feelings as The Guncle. I loved revisiting the characters and going on vacation with them through Europe. I laughed and cried my whole way through.

I loved the "Guncle" and was so excited for this sequel! Steven Rowley's "The Guncle Abroad" did not disappoint, and I absolutely loved joining the adventure of Patrick, Maisie and Grant again! Plus some great new characters were introduced. Full of family struggles, loss and love, I couldn't put this book down and loved it!

Okay, here it is, one of my most anticipated reads of 2024: The Guncle Abroad! The Guncle was unequivocally one of my favorite books of 2022, so of course I squealed with delight at the idea of sequel! The Guncle Abroad picks up about five years after the end of The Guncle, with Patrick’s widowed brother Greg about to get remarried and Greg’s kids Maisie and Grant (aka Patrick’s niblings) feeling some kind of way about it. Can Patrick help the kids (especially Maisie) come around and maybe mend his own heart in the process?

If you loved The Guncle, you won’t want to miss the sequel! Do you need to read The Guncle first? This time I’m going to say yes, you MUST read it, because a) it’s amazing, and b) you won’t want to miss the chance to get to know these wonderful characters first. The Guncle Abroad has all the wit and wisdom of the first book, this time with Patrick imparting his thoughts on love languages via song titles rather than Guncle rules. There are quippy one-liners and laugh-out-loud moments, like Palmina mistranslating Grease’s hand jive as a hand… something else, lol. There are also many moments of tenderness and introspection as the characters learn to adapt to their evolving family dynamics. I especially enjoyed Patrick’s own growth as he nurses a broken heart and grapples with growing older.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Book 2 of the Guncle series finds Patrick, Maisie and Grant back together on a European road trip on their way to the kids' father's wedding. Patrick imparts more life lessons for the kids, though more like love language lessons and tries to guide them through this difficult life transition.

Rarely is a sequel better than the first, but in this case, it's true. Five years have passed and everyone is a little older - though not necessarily wise lol - but the bonds remain. I like that we see all our favorite characters from the first book and catching up with them is well done. Another fun Guncle story, with plenty of emotions and quips. Will there be a third? I hope so.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available May 21, 2024.

Sequels are hard, and when the bar is set as high as it was following The Guncle, it can be nearly impossible to live up to readers' expectations. Patrick even acknowledges this in the pages of the book, noting that sequels are nearly impossible to enjoy when the original ended with a happily ever after resolution, which definitely felt like a bit of a wink-wink-nudge-nudge from Steven Rowley. If I'm being honest, The Guncle Abroad is not as good as the first book - but it is still a very strong sequel with much of the same charm, humor, and warmth that made us fall in love with GUP, Maisie, and Grant in the first place.

When we last left this family, Patrick had emerged from his self-imposed Palm Springs exile, resuming his acting career and splitting his time between the East and West coasts to enable him to be a more engaged uncle. Things were going well with Emory, his younger boyfriend, and it seemed that all is well. With this story, five years later, Patrick's sitcom has ended, he's creeping up on his 50th birthday, and he has recently ended his relationship for fear that Emory wouldn't want to be with him as he continues to age. The bigger story, however, is Greg's impending nuptials - he's marrying a wealthy Italian heiress, and Maisie (and a slightly less enthusiastic Grant) are hell-bent on stopping the wedding. Patrick agrees to take the kids for the summer leading up to the wedding, both to give his brother a break and to hopefully bring them around on the idea of their father remarrying. He takes them on a whirlwind tour of Europe, sprinkling bon mots along the way. Instead of the Guncle Rules from the first book, we get Guncle Love Languages, song titles meant to help the kids understand the different ways to show and receive love, and to help them come to terms with their father finding love for a second time.

The book has a somewhat frenetic pace - the portion spent with Patrick showing the kids Europe feels rushed, in order to ensure there was enough time to also show the wedding weekend as it unfolded. I also could have done without the enmity between Patrick and Palmina, the kids' new launt (lesbian aunt) - though they find common ground by the end of the book, the rivalry between them just felt unnecessary and detracted from the sweetness of the story.

That being said, I still found myself highlighting countless passages as I read. Steven Rowley has a gift for capturing the human experience of navigating through loss. Grief is not a linear journey, it has many ups and downs, and this story shows the family navigating through some of the low points, even five years after losing Sara. These are the moments where the book is strongest, when Rowley is showing an honest view of a family just trying to survive. In that, the book is not unlike Patrick himself - he hides behind witty one-liners and the Guncle facade, but he's strongest when he lets the artifice drops and just gets real with the kids, with his brother, and with himself. Don't get me wrong - the Sound of Music fan in me absolutely loved every time he called his future sister in law the Baroness - but I would have loved even more of the sincerity and slightly less of the silliness.

All that being said, I remain a die-hard Steven Rowley fan, and I did enjoy The Guncle Abroad. I perhaps came into it with expectations that were unfairly high, and I'm not sure it was possible to live up to the first book, but it's still an enjoyable read and I'm glad we had the chance to revisit these characters and see how they're evolving.

For all the fans who loved Patrick (or GUP) in The Guncle, you will love The Guncle Abroad! I wasn’t sure how this sequel would measure up to the first book, but my expectations were met for sure!