Okay this book was a pleasant surprise. I requested it because it sounded entertaining and I didn't mind the idea of going overseas with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant. At the time I hadn't even read The Guncle yet but did my due diligence and read it in hopes of getting approved and luckily I did.

I'll be honest, this sequel started off slow for me but since I had enjoyed The Guncle, I kept going. It really picked up by 50% and I was so invested in what was going to happen with the wedding. The story caught me completely off guard and had me ugly crying, like mascara running down my face before school pick up towards the end, but they were happy tears. There was just something about this one for me that had more depth than the first. You get plenty of new Guncle rules about love and the vacation vibes were on point as GUP, Grant and Maisie travel through Europe.

I highly recommend The Guncle Abroad! 4.25 stars for this beautiful story. Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Guncle. It was my fave read of 2021 so I couldn’t wait to catch up with Patrick and the kids in this sequel. Unfortunately the first half of the book I found a little slow and as much as I loved some of the play on words from the first book it felt more forced in this one and I started to eye roll a bit. That all being said I still found Patrick delightful and by the end GUP of course had me tearing up. 🥹

I was really excited to dive back into the Guncle universe and this was a fun sequel to the original. The original book was absolute perfection, and while this was a strong follow-up, I didn’t feel the same emotional connection to the storyline as the first.

That being said, I loved being able to further explore Patrick and his relationships with all of his different family members, including of course Grant and Maisie.

I really wish the book had spent more time on Patrick and Emory! I know Patrick’s guncle duties are the main focus of these stories but I’d have loved some more chapters about their relationship.

I hope the author will write a third because these characters are truly charming.

I loved the Guncle and was sooooo happy to read more. Patrick is such a good character and I personally felt his mid-life crisis angst. The supporting characters were great and nicely fleshed out where needed. Really hoping there will a 3rd installment.

This brought on all of the emotions of the first book in the best possible way. I laughed, I cried and I grew alongside this gorgeous cast of characters. Rowley’s ability to write banter where every single line is a reference/pun/perfectly placed comeback is unparalleled. The characters are so human and their struggles and support for one another are so beautiful. I love how Rowley handles complex topics like grief and love and family. And I always love when books travel to places I’ve been, especially the inclusion of Salzburg in this one!! This was the best trip back with this crew and I am so delighted by this book! Also the acknowledgments including reference to a Guncle movie has me 🤯

Thank you to PRH and NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed reading this book and following along with Patrick, Maisie and Grant! I did not read the first book in the series so I was not familiar with all of the characters and the backstory but I felt like the author did a great job of making us feel connected to the characters and the story. I love Patrick’s character and I found myself wishing I had a Guncle like him! He was hilarious and made me laugh multiple times. It definitely made me want to go back and read the first book! Overall it was very enjoyable and I liked the traveling aspect. It was a lot of fun. 3.5 stars

You must read The Guncle before reading this story. (If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend the audio version, where the author is also the narrator.)

Maisie is only 14 years old in this story, and while I’m 50, I related to her so much in this book. In the first book the kids were dealing with the loss of their mother, and in this one they are dealing with their father remarrying. While in The Guncle it’s the kids that need the support of “Gup”, I feel in The Guncle Abroad it’s more Patrick that needs their support, even with all that Maisie is dealing with. I love how no matter what, this family comes together to support each other.

While there are still fun times and humor, like Patrick having to deal with the addition of the Launt, I feel in this sequel, it has a more serious undertone to it. The kids are older, the feelings are deeper, and there are certainly more emotions.

I hope we see more from this family, because I don’t feel as though their story is done quite yet.

Note: As I began reading this book, I thought back to the The Guncle and thought what a great movie it would be. I was pleasantly surprised while reading the acknowledgements that one is already in the works. I can’t wait to see the book come to life on the big screen.

Steven Rowley has proven once again why he is one of my favorite writers.

I couldn't put this book down.

"Remember our summer together? In many ways, that was just the beginning."
"And this is, what? The end?"
"Of course not! Maybe the beginning of a new phase."
"When does it end?"
"It doesn't end. Not really."

Please don't ever stop writing. Your characters already live rent-free in my head. They need to never be lonely.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Guncle Abroad. Very cute and funny sequel to The Guncle, which stands for Gay Uncle. The Guncle is still very involved with his niece and nephew, who came to stay with him after their mother dies. Now their father is getting remarried in Europe, and the kids are not happy about it. We see how he tries to help them get on board, and not try to sabotage the wedding. He is also struggling with his own love life. There is also a new character, a Launt, or lesbian aunt. Who do the kids like better? Good summer read. #theguncleabroad #stevenrowley #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I enjoyed this sequel to The Guncle! Set 5 years later, GUP Patrick takes his niece and nephew on a whirlwind tour of Europe as they travel to their father's wedding. I enjoyed being back with this family again. They are still traveling through their grief, and now the children are struggling with how to welcome a stepmother into their lives.

The first half of the book, as the trio traveled together, was a bit weary with the number of zingers and double-entendres from Patrick. It was just a lot. The second half of the book is stronger, and the ending made me cry twice!

📖 Book Review 📖
The Guncle Abroad (#2)
By Steven Rowley
ARC to be released 5/21/24
Publisher: G.P.’s Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Group Putnam
Genre: general fiction (adult)
5 ascots out of 5 (there’s no emoji for ascot 😭)

First off, let me say thank you to @NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before it’s published in exchange for an honest review.

The Guncle is back, baby!! With more 80s & 90s references to boot, too! This one, Patrick is, of course, abroad, with his niece, Maisie and nephew, Grant, and teaching them more Guncle rules and all about love and love languages.
While I didn’t find this book to be as funny as the first (it still had its laughs though), I did find it to be way more heartfelt. And wishing I had my own Guncle Patrick, too.
I really enjoyed this book and am hoping 🤞 there’s a third Guncle book soon. In fact, this whole series would make an awesome Netflix series or dare I say, a movie adaptation? It’s just so incredibly warm and funny and oftentimes lighthearted but also rooted in the depths of what life should be all about.
Happy reading yall!! 📖
#bookstagram #lovebooks #arc #netgalley #gpputnamssons #penguingroupputnam #theguncle #theguncleabroad #stevenrowley

I loved The Guncle and I was so excited to read the sequel, The Guncle Abroad. Fast forward 5 years to a wedding in Lake Como with the O’Hara family and I loved every minute of it. Lots of love, laughter, tears and growing as a family. I am hoping for another jump 5 years from this ending when Maisie starts college???

This second book in The Guncle series reintroduces readers to the shenanigans of Patrick and his two niblings. Half lighthearted, half angsty. There are laugh-out-loud moments (loved the “hand job” bit) and tear-jerker moments. There are also a couple of moments with some really good social commentary on gender inequality.

A very good read. Not quite as delightful as the first book, but it does have a similar tone. I will mention that the pacing in the first half of the book is slow. The focus is more or less a celebration of opulence—fine for scene setting, but not great at engaging readers. The second half of the book is where the story starts to generate some interest. The focus shifts away from look-at-all-my-money to a heartfelt exploration of family and love.

A solid continuation in the series.

Patrick is back as the favorite uncle to Maisie and Grant. This time, his brother Greg plans to get married in Italy, so the family is ready for a fun vacation! Patrick takes Maisie and Grant to various countries and stops at places Sara, their mother loved.

Patrick still has the same wit and humor about him, even if he’s going through a recent breakup. The banter between Patrick and the kids is adorable, and you can tell they’ve grown close.

This was a fun read and made me feel like I was traveling across Europe. Sometimes sequels aren’t the best, but this one was perfect!

Thanks to Net Galley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Steven Rowley for the ARC! Pub date 5/21/24!

I liked how it took place 5 years later and directly after the original. It had some great moments but also felt like it had about 4 final chapters. I kept thinking the book was done. A few chapters could of been deleted but overall a fun read though not as good as the first book.

The Guncle Abroad is hilarious, heartfelt, and sometimes ridiculous. I loved seeing where Patrick, Maisie, Grant, and the other characters are 5 years after The Guncle! Anyone who enjoyed the first book should definitely pick this up!

Something to note- It's been several years since I read The Guncle. I wasn't sure if I needed to read it again before the sequel. I didn't, and I didn't feel I needed to! I do recommend reading the first before this sequel, but the author did a great job of reminding me of the important parts of the story from the first in this one.

It would be a perfect travel read. I loved the adventure through Europe Patrick took with his niece and nephew. They end up in Italy, and it made me want to visit! It was great to connect with the characters from the first novel and meet some new ones.

I laughed out loud in parts and got teary-eyed in others. Thank you to Steven Rowley for bringing these characters back to life for us!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC. The book comes out May 21st!

I absolutely adored this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny, but also brings tears to your eyes. It’s clever and witty, but also full of heart and emotion. I loved the predecessor to this but may have enjoyed this even more. From the wonderful European adventure, to the new version of “Guncle Rules,” to a spectacularly planned wedding, this story brims with absolute joy. I hope we haven’t heard the last of GUP, Maisie, Grant, and their extended family.

*I was honored to read an ARC of this book via NetGalley and the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.*

I think I enjoyed this more than the first Guncle book. Patrick’s relationship to the kids felt more authentic to me with the kids at an older age. I also felt the the humor landed well, and I loved the how travel was used in the plot.

Part two of The Guncle, this one takes place 5 years after the first. Patrick is acting again, and in London working on a movie when his brother decides to get re-married at a lavish ceremony in Italy. Patrick once again takes charge of his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, while their dad finalizes wedding plans. But this time, instead of being set in balmy Palm Springs, their adventures occur across the biggest cities in Europe.

This was a fun, light follow-up to the orginal story. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and Patrick is as ridiculous as ever. I don't think the story is as good as the original, though it's more lighthearted. Maisie and Grant are 14 and 11, and while the author still describes them as little kids, they're too old for the same cutesy shtick. Patrick's feud with "launt" Palmina is pointless, and I had a hard time connecting with Greg's fiancee Livia. But if you enjoyed The Guncle and are looking for a lighthearted book, this is a good one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I love The Guncle, and I would love a show where the characters can truly come alive. I hope this becomes a series longer than just the two books. This was so fun, and I plan to also order the audiobook once it comes out as well.