I waited a good long time to get The Guncle Abroad from the library. It’s a pretty popular new release, so it took some time! Anyway, I loved The Guncle and hoped that the second Guncle would be just as lovely. Read on to see if I thought it was!
The Summary
Patrick O’Hara is back. It’s been five years since his summer as his niece Maisie and nephew Grant’s caretaker after their mother’s passing. The kids are back in Connecticut with their dad, and Patrick has relocated to New York to remain close by and relaunch his dormant acting career. After the run of his second successful sit-com comes to a close, Patrick feels on top of the world . . . professionally. But some things have had to take a back seat. Looking down both barrels at fifty, Patrick is single again after breaking things off with Emory. But at least he has a family to lean on. Until that family needs to again lean on him.
When Patrick’s brother, Greg, announces he’s getting remarried in Italy, Maisie and Grant are not thrilled. Patrick feels drawn to take the two back under his wing. As they travel through Europe on their way to the wedding, Patrick tries his best to help them understand love, much as he once helped them comprehend grief. But when they arrive in Italy, Patrick is overextended managing a groom with cold feet; his sister, Clara, flirting with guests left and right; a growing rivalry with the kids’ charming soon-to-be-launt (lesbian aunt), and two moody young teens trying to adjust to a new normal, all culminating in a disastrous rehearsal dinner.
Can Patrick save the day? Will teaching the kids about love help him repair his own love life? Can the change of scenery help Patrick come to terms with finally growing up?
Gracing the work with his signature blend of humor and heart, Steven Rowley charms with a beloved story about the complicated bonds of family, love, and what it takes to rediscover yourself, even at the ripe age of fifty.
My Review
When we read The Guncle in my book club, it was pretty well received across the board. Steven Rowley is so good at well-placed bits of comedy and balancing serious subject matter with funny, sweet elements. I have the fondest memories of reading the first Guncle story, and really hoped that The Guncle Abroad would hit the same kind of way.
And did it hit the same way? Well…kind of. Some of the time.
The first third of the book really had the same Guncle feel and charm to it, and I had really high hopes. Patrick is chauffeuring the kids around Europe, teaching them about love and trying to help them come to terms with the idea of their dad getting remarried. The kids, especially Maisie, are very resistant to the idea.
When they arrive at the hotel where the wedding is going to take place about 1/2 ish through the book, I wondered how we were already at the hotel and what the rest of the story would hold. Although it all includes that trademark witty banter and funny asides by Patrick, the middle of the book really stalled out for me. It just…got slow. Sure, there were moments I enjoyed, but the pacing got pretty slow there for a while.
I did love the whole premise of everyone growing up — both Patrick and the kids. I enjoyed that whole theme and thought it was done well, including Maisie and her reaching puberty.
The story picks back up as you near the end and the wedding that’s supposed to happen, unless Maisie has her way. I won’t go into the ending too much in case you want to read the book, but I did find that the pace started back up and the story found more of those serious-yet-funny-and-heartwarming moments Rowley is so good at.
Overall, I recommend The Guncle Abroad, especially if you read and loved The Guncle. Expect to settle in and find your way through the middle portion in order to get to that great ending. I’m going with a solid 3.5 stars.
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