booksrockcal 's review for:

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

4.25

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I loved the Guncle and this sequel did not disappoint. Five years ago, Maisie and Grant spent the summer in Palm Springs with their Guncle ( Gay Uncle) Patrick, a famous but fading star, while they are healing from their mother’s death. The Guncle was funny and heartwarming and all the characters dealt with their grief with humor and grace. In the intervening years Patrick has resumed his acting career and the kids are now a teen and pre teen and their father is engaged to an Italian aristocrat. Their father enlists Patrick  to help the children come to terms with his remarriage and Patrick takes them on a tour of Europe- from London to Paris to Salzburg ending in Lake Como, the site of the wedding. The book is every bit as funny as its predecessor - the visits to European cities were my favorite parts particularly the Sound of Music reenactments in Salzburg. The wedding weekend gets underway and in addition to the recalcitrant children Patrick now has to contend with his newly divorced and liberated sister and the children’s prospective Launt- the bride’s lesbian jewelry designer sister as well as a groom/ brother with the jitters, a niece who misses her mother and wants to stop the wedding, and the return of his own partner whom he broke up with before his latest film in London started. The story comes together at a disastrous rehearsal dinner and ends so very sweetly. I loved the ending and I loved the humor. I read it while driving to northern california and it kept me laughing all the way.