The Guncle Abroad
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A Semi-Finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor
An Indie Next Pick
Patrick O'Hara is called back to his guncle duties . . . This time for a big family wedding in Italy.
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 page 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.
A Semi-Finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor
An Indie Next Pick
Patrick O'Hara is called back to his guncle duties . . . This time for a big family wedding in Italy.
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 page 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.
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Community Reviews
Patrick O’Hara. Our favorite sitcom star turned accidental parent is back and this time, he's trading the sunny skies of Palm Springs for the glamorous chaos of a family wedding in Lake Como. Rowley’s got his trademark humor dialed up to eleven. And the drama? Patrick is navigating a minefield of wedding prep with his usual charm and a side of snark. There’s the Launt (Lesbian Aunt) who's ready to knock him down a peg, and his sister Clara, whose flirtation skills are so cringe they might just deserve their own sitcom. But the real kicker? Patrick is single and staring down fifty like it’s a midlife crisis sale at Bloomingdale’s.
Yet amidst the sarcasm and eye rolls, there's that heartwarming glow that reminds us why we fell in love with Patrick in the first place. He’s still grappling with grief, trying to keep his career afloat, and wondering if he’ll ever find love again. The family dynamics are messy in the best way possible, and the kids, Grant and Maisie, are as endearing and complicated as ever. They’re all adjusting to a new normal, and it’s both heart-wrenching and hilarious to see Patrick trying to be their rock while his own life is a mess.
What’s truly entertaining is seeing Patrick navigate his way through the chaos with his usual blend of wit and heart. Rowley’s knack for balancing humor and heartfelt moments shines through, making you laugh out loud one moment and clutch your pearls the next. Sure, Patrick's attempts to save the day often resemble some 90s sitcom antics, but that’s part of his charm.
So, grab a snack, kick back, and let this book whisk you away on a journey filled with laughter, love, and the kind of family drama that makes you grateful you’re only reading about it. Cheers to Patrick and his never-ending, often ridiculous, but always heartwarming adventures.
Yet amidst the sarcasm and eye rolls, there's that heartwarming glow that reminds us why we fell in love with Patrick in the first place. He’s still grappling with grief, trying to keep his career afloat, and wondering if he’ll ever find love again. The family dynamics are messy in the best way possible, and the kids, Grant and Maisie, are as endearing and complicated as ever. They’re all adjusting to a new normal, and it’s both heart-wrenching and hilarious to see Patrick trying to be their rock while his own life is a mess.
What’s truly entertaining is seeing Patrick navigate his way through the chaos with his usual blend of wit and heart. Rowley’s knack for balancing humor and heartfelt moments shines through, making you laugh out loud one moment and clutch your pearls the next. Sure, Patrick's attempts to save the day often resemble some 90s sitcom antics, but that’s part of his charm.
So, grab a snack, kick back, and let this book whisk you away on a journey filled with laughter, love, and the kind of family drama that makes you grateful you’re only reading about it. Cheers to Patrick and his never-ending, often ridiculous, but always heartwarming adventures.
The sequel is a book for those craving more of Patrick and his family. Setting 5 years after the first book, we find Patrick taking his niece and nephew around Europe navigating life with a moody teen and hesitant kids for their father moving on. Still very witty and fun, the book doesn't discuss as the same topic in a clever way but was a fun summer read.
The fun sequel I’ve been waiting for. GUP is back and I loved him just as much as before. His humor is on par and his witty rules of life are what I needed. “He was done being sad” 💜Book #33 in 2025
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