Take Me with You

by Steven Rowley

A poignant, hilarious, and wholly original love story, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

College professor Jesse del Ruth has been abandoned. Thirty years into their relationship, Jesse witnesses his husband Norman get out of bed late one night, walk into their Joshua Tree backyard, step into a strange beam of light and . . . disappear. How could Norman desert him after a lifetime together? Where did he go? And, most confoundingly . . . will he ever return? Jesse knew they were longing for something, both feeling stuck. But had Norman been so stuck that his only option was to leave Jesse behind?

As Jesse struggles to understand Norman’s disappearance, he tries to piece together his new reality. Is he expected to wait patiently for a partner who may never come back? Or is this an opportunity for reinvention? He is, after all, alone for the first time in his adult life. Should he return to the classroom? Put in a pool? Get a dog? Call his estranged mother? What does it mean to be alone when you’ve always been one half of a whole?

When Norman’s sister Lally lands on Jesse’s doorstep with an urgent request, Norman’s absence becomes even more profound. Add to Jesse’s grief and confusion a conspiracy-theorist neighbor, a strange man following him, and suspicions that he may have had a hand in Norman’s disappearance, and Jesse starts to crack under the pressure. With his husband missing and the world closing in, all eyes are on Jesse. Before he can understand how Norman could leave it all behind, Jesse must confront what it means to stay.

In Take Me With You, Steven Rowley brings his resonant wit and emotional insight to an epic love story – an exploration of the forces that draw two people into the same orbit and the gravity that threatens to pull them apart.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Adult, Queer, Magical Realism, Contemporary

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 19, 2026

About the author

Steven Rowley is the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016, The Editor, named by NPR and Esquire Magazine as one of the Best Books of 2019, and The Guncle, a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for 2021 Novel of the Year and semi-finalist for The Thurber Prize in American Humor. His fiction has been published in twenty languages. Rowley lives in Palm Springs, CA with his husband, the writer Byron Lane.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life can go so fast. And the older you get, the faster it feels. Before you know it, another year has passed. Take Me With You is about that feeling, that life slips away. About three people in their forties and fifties who think their lives are fulfilling, yet still carry this itch that something is stuck. Their feeling is so recognizable.

Jesse and Norman had an impossibly cute meet-cute. And from that moment, Jesse said, “I go where you go.” And he did. For thirty years he has been in the passenger seat, in Joshua Tree, the desert. In the house Norman built, or actually rebuilt. Stuck in his life as a writer.

Norman’s sister Lally is scared. Scared to love anyone fully again after their brother died. Her whole adult life she has been running from commitment. And now another brother is gone, and maybe she wants a kid, and…

And then Norman just disappears from the face of the earth. Literally. He steps into a beam of light and poof, he is gone.

This story is about living. About listening to your heart. About not losing yourself. About how relationships grow and change, how we grow and change. About finding our way back to ourselves and to each other, even when it feels impossible.

It is never too late to adjust. To say, “I would like to drive sometimes too.” To surrender to love. To change, even though you think you can’t anymore at a certain age. And as someone who got all those pop-culture references because well, yeah… age I loved the U2 titles for the different parts of the story. They fit so well!

Thank you, Putnam Books and NetGalley, for this wonderful ARC!

Follow me on Instagram

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Take me with you is a very charming book, it is different from everything I've read from Steven Rowley while maintaining his writing that I simply adore.
This book is about a man that wakes up to his husband leaving him, not in the traditional sense but he just vanished in a beam of light. We see how that changed him, he needs to relearn how to live his life without his partner of 30 years, which is a very difficult thing to do when he was the center of it.
We also see Norman's(the disappearing man) sister, who is trying to find him and also maybe discovered she wants to be a mother and the time is running for her too.
Going in I was bewitched, this is such a cool concept and as it went on and I caught what the meaning actually was it became even better. This is a book about change and living your life to the fullest, choosing your own happiness because in the end that's all you have.
I absolutely loved it, it's definitely worth your time and I would recommend it to everyone.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam for this ARC.

[Mai H.]

Pride TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quietly humorous, self-deprecating contemporary story of a long term relationship, being abandoned, and finding your spirit. Part “Same As It Ever Was” [Claire Lombardo] and part “Then She Was Gone” [Lisa Jewell] and part “Emperor of Gladness” [Ocean Vuong]

Jesse and Norman have been together for decades; they’ve settled into their privileged life, and suffer from the general malaise of late capitalism. Jesse is a semi-celebrated writer, teaching at university, whose most celebrated work may be behind him. His husband Norman goes to the backyard to investigate a soft but encompassing light in the backyard one night, then disappears.

Jesse needs to grieve the loss, learn who he is without Norman by his side, and come to terms with feeling abandoned by his father before he was born and his emotionally distant mother. He is joined by his sister-in-law Lally, who is also grieving the disappearance of her brother, figuring out what middle age is going to look like for her, and figuring out how to get close to people who might leave.

This is beautiful writing, surprising in its simplicity, and with deep themes. The writing is clever, not laugh-out-loud funny, but specific to really develop the characters into being endearing. It all builds up to a heartwarming scene. With Steven Rowley, you always know he’ll make you think, laugh, and cry. This one fits the bill.

4.25/5 stars “I loved it”

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve ever read any of Steven Rowley’s past books, with The Guncle being the most popular, you know he blends his signature wit, rapid fire pop culture references that readers under 40 may miss, and genuine heartbreak into unique storylines.

*Take Me With You*, releasing on 5.19.25, is no different in that regard. However, in terms of plot, it stands apart from anything he has written before. Jesse del Ruth, a community college professor and former award-winning author, has been with his husband Norman, an architect, for more than thirty years. One night, in their distinctive Joshua Tree home, a home that becomes a character in its own right, Jesse feels a tremor, sees a bright light, and watches Norman disappear into a mysterious beam. Was it aliens? Was it an unconventional way of ending a marriage? Jesse has no idea, but he sets out to discover what happened to his husband.

Along the way, we meet a variety of memorable characters, including Jesse’s students, affectionately referred to as Snickers and Mountain Dew, Randall the conspiracy theorist who urges Jesse to dig deep, quite literally, to uncover the truth, Norman’s flight attendant sister Lally, who carries her own secrets, and Jesse’s distant mother. Each character showcases Rowley’s talent for weaving humor into everyday conversations.

“I’m not a tuna,” Norman objected.
“Obviously,” Jesse said. “But we’re going to get you checked out to your albacore.”

“He was graying in his beard and carried a briefcase, looking not unlike one of the accountants they drag onstage at the Oscars.”

*Take Me With You* is not simply a story about the possible alien abduction of a loved one. It is a thoughtful exploration of how relationships evolve with age. Is a long partnership still worth fighting for? How happy are we after decades together? Through Jesse and Norman’s past, Lally’s true connection to the couple, and the reckoning of parental relationships and long-held truths, Rowley digs into these questions with heart and nuance.

There are a few clear opinions expressed about the current political climate, which I felt was neither here nor there and it will be interesting to see how audiences interpret the abduction storyline.

“I saw on TV now it’s trendy for liberals to cut family members out of their lives for having a difference of opinion.”

By the end, I appreciated how Rowley reinforces the idea that love, no matter how long it takes to grow or how long it lasts, has a way of bringing us back to one another if we are truly meant to be.

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

I reach for Steven Rowley's books when I need something that will mend my heart. His characters tend to stay on my mind after I've finished reading their stories. I'm excited to get to know the ones in Take Me With You. It follows Jesse, a college professor who seeks to not just investigate but understand his husband Norman's disappearance. As far as Jesse remembers, Norman stepped into a beam of light and was gone. Even if that really happened and it not a product of his stress-addled spiral, why did he leave Jesse behind? —Andy Minshew

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only Steven Rowley can take a genre I don’t usually read, and make it both comforting and enjoyable.

Couple Norman and Jesse met many years ago after colliding on the beach, and have been inseparable ever since. They left LA for the quieter Joshua Tree—Norman the primary breadwinner and architect, and Jesse a college teacher and occasional author.

When Norman—the older of the two by six years—is suddenly taken by a strange beam of light one eventful night (was it aliens?!), Jesse is left to cope on his own, not knowing if Norman will ever return.

TAKE ME WITH YOU is less about Norman’s disappearance, and more about how Jesse gets along without him. Jesse’s favorite saying was always, “Where you go, I go.” Without Norman to lead him, Jesse is a bit aimless at first.

Then Norman’s younger sister, Lally, enters the picture. Jesse has to maneuver around her questions of Norman’s absence, while trying to maintain the household alone. It was interesting getting Lally’s perspective on the disappearance.

The ending was as unexpected as you can imagine. While not another GUNCLE (one of my all-time favorite books), I enjoyed TAKE ME WITH YOU very much.

🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟

[Vito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven Rowley, acclaimed author of the Guncle series and other fun and witty books like The Celebrants, is back with his most interesting book yet. It’s out of this world… or is it?

“Take Me with You” is as charming as the aforementioned books from Rowley, but it also does something new — we follow three characters across this nearly 400 page novel with time jumps sprinkled throughout. Our first pov, Jesse, is at a crossroads in his life, behind on his novel and in a marriage that may have reached its breaking point. His husband, Norman, is seemingly unhappy and downloads the apps™️, except one is more stargazing than bear-chase (if you catch my drift). One evening, something from the stars (maybe!) shines on a light on Norman and he’s gone. Jesse and his family and cast a of weirdos (but endearing) are left to pick up the pieces.

I’m unsure where the literal ends and the metaphoric begins here — are we to believe there’s a sci-fi element here or is someone gone “gone” theoretical speaking. I guess that’s where it’s up to the reader to build that story for themselves.

This may be the author’s most “divisive” work yet, both puzzling and exciting. I’m just glad to have gone on the adventure with this cast, even if the GPS acted up and sent me in the wrong direction once or twice. But, life is sometimes like that! Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse and his husband, Norman, have been together a long time, and like many middle-aged couples, they are finding some aspects of their life together a little disappointing. But it's a shock to Jesse when he wakes up in their Joshua Tree home in the middle of night to bright lights outside and then to see Norman step into that light and disappear. Was it a dream? An alien abduction? Or did Norman simply leave him? Whatever happened, Jesse realizes that Norman is gone and he has to get his life back on track. Meanwhile, Norman's younger sister, Lally, has realized that she's not getting any younger and wants to be a mother, but to do that, she needs the embryos created from her eggs and Jesse's sperm back when Jesse and Norman thought they wanted to be parents, but she needs to find Norman to get him to sign off on releasing the embryos to her. Throw in a private investigator and a conspiracy theorist living next door in an Airstream camper and it seems like one of Steven Rowley's typically outrageous and hilarious books. But that's not what this book is. Yes, it is funny, but it's more touching and thoughtful than laugh-out-loud. This new novel speaks to those moments in life when you're on autopilot, or so you think, and suddenly everything changes, forcing you to correct your course and perhaps even question if it's a course you want to stay on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published May 19, 2026.

[Krista H · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Take Me With You, we follow along as Jesse struggles with what to do after witnessing his husband, Norman’s, disappearance into a strange light. Jesse is unsure how he should explain Norman’s absence. Should he report Norman as missing? Does he wait for Norman to return or take the opportunity to make some changes? What should he tell Norman’s sister, Lally, who comes to visit with an unexpected request?

The story is split into thirds, with the first 2/3 of the book focusing on the initial ninety days after Norman’s disappearance from Jesse and then Lally’s perspective. The final third takes place one year after his disappearance. Because of this large gap, many of the decisions Jesse and Lally initially grapple with are made off the page. We see how the decisions play out, but miss the exploration and nuance that led the characters to those decisions. Overall, this made the story feel choppy and disconnected.

I appreciate Rowley’s ability to write humor in everyday situations and felt the exploration of that topic with Jesse’s students was interesting. I liked that Jesse’s self-discovery led to a found family and a newfound confidence in himself. Lally initially came off as a little bit desperate, but like Jesse, she developed strength of character as time progressed. I just wish we could have seen their progress unfold on the page.

This is a quick, quirky read. The cover is gorgeous, and the character-driven story is thought-provoking. Fans of Steven Rowley will be satisfied with this emotional read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌅 Steven Rowley has a rare talent for sneaking emotional gut punches inside stories that initially look quirky and light, and Take Me With You may be his quietest, and most reflective, book yet. I went into this expecting something playful and strange, but I came out of it thinking deeply about aging, love, compromise, and what happens when life stalls while time keeps moving.

The story follows Jesse and Norman, a married couple who have been together for decades. They’ve built a life that looks enviable from the outside: creative careers, a striking home in the desert, years of shared memories. Jesse, a once-acclaimed writer now teaching college, has long positioned himself as the follower in the relationship. He’s happy; he tells himself to go wherever Norman leads. That arrangement works… until the night Norman steps outside their home and disappears into a mysterious light, leaving Jesse completely on his own for the first time in thirty years.

What unfolds is less a mystery about where Norman went and more an examination of what remains when a partnership is suddenly stripped away. Jesse is forced to sit with old wounds, unresolved fears, and the realization that he may have given up more of himself than he ever meant to. Alongside him is Lally, Norman’s sister, who is carrying her own grief and fears about loss, about desire, about whether it’s ever too late to want something different out of life.

Rowley writes midlife with enormous compassion. This book hums with quiet humor, tender observations, and moments of aching honesty about how easy it is to sleepwalk into a life that no longer quite fits. The pop culture references, chapter structure, and dialogue give the story lift, but the emotional core is what lingered with me. Lines about love, abandonment, and choice land softly at first and then keep echoing long after you close the book.

“I go where you go,” Jesse says early on, and reading this book is watching him slowly learn that love doesn’t have to mean losing yourself.

Ultimately, Take Me With You isn’t a story about aliens or answers, it’s about reckoning. About grief that doesn’t announce itself loudly. About relationships that change shape over time. And about realizing, even in your forties or fifties, that it’s not too late to ask for more or to choose yourself again.

This is Rowley at his most introspective, and while it may not have the broad comedic arcs of The Guncle, it carries a deep, steady emotional weight that made this one unforgettable for me.

Thank you, Putnam Books and NetGalley, for this wonderful ARC in return for my honest review. This book will be published in May of 2026. Look forward to it hitting your favorite bookseller soon.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫(4.5/5 Stars)
#TakeMewithYou #NetGalley #bookrecomendation

Follow along & like! All reviews posted on Goodreads and Blogspot:
https://www.goodreads.com/1stlightdawnreads/
https://1stlightdawnreads.blogspot.com/
Bookstagram and Booktok:
https://www.instagram.com/1stlight.dawnreads/
https://www.tiktok.com/@1stlight.dawnreads
Most reviews are also posted on Fable, Amazon, and B&N

[Brendi Zapata | bookishbrendiboo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excited to check off my first read book of 2026! ✔️

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS:
Jesse and his husband Norman have been together for 30 years when one night, Jesse witnesses Norman walk into their Joshua Tree backyard and mysteriously disappear into a bright beam of light. As Jesse struggles to process what happened that night, where Norman went, and when/if he'll return, he also has to decide what to tell Norman's sister Lally when she visits unexpectedly with a pressing request.

I'll preface my review by saying I LOVED The Guncle (one of my favorite books ever) and moderately enjoyed The Guncle Abroad and The Celebrants, so I was psyched to be approved for this ARC and had high hopes for it. Though Rowley delivered with his signature humor and wit, the story felt very choppy. The first 2/3 focused on the time Norman was missing and the last 1/3 took place a year after he disappeared. I feel like we lost a lot of Jesse's character development and relationship growth between him and Lally in that time skip which made me feel disconnected from their characters and subsequently less interested in where their futures were headed. Joshua Tree was a great setting for this unique "otherworldly"/UFO-type plot and the story was thought-provoking in terms of aging, self-discovery, and finding your happiness, but the pacing felt slow and the execution of Jesse's and Norman's love story made me feel like the ending wasn't really earned at all. I did enjoy the side characters though.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC, releasing May 19th!

Review: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: literary fiction, LGBTQ+ fiction, (unofficially) cozy sci-fi mystery (aliens??)
Trigger warnings: general relationship problems (not abusive), death of a sibling, missing persons reported, complicated family dynamics, use of IVF

🚨 SPOILERS BELOW 🚨
I understand that space can sometimes be exactly what a couple needs to work through their issues, but I feel like Norman not remembering anything about his time away kind of sends the wrong message and defeats the purpose? I wish he was able to remember what happened by the end of the book and reflect on that experience with Jesse instead of just showing up again saying "omg I'm back from the gym and I feel great and I love you so much" with no accountability or healthy communication (on the page) that results in them solving their issues???

[Katie Katieneedsabiggerbookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse is a college professor and married to Norman, the man he legit crashed into. The two recently moved to Joshua Tree, but one night the brightest of lights arrive in the backyard, and Norman disappears. He just…left. How could he leave Jesse behind? Where did he go? What is happening? Jesse tries to go on as normal, even with his husband missing, but when Lally, Normans sister shows up with a strange but urgent request, Jesse has to come up with something. As everything begins to close in, Jesse must confront what could have happened.

Obviously the second I got this baby in my hands I needed to start reading it! Unfortunately that meant bringing it on my work trip, where I read a bit on the plane there, and didn’t read a single word of anything the rest of the week. Add in coming home sick, and this poor book has very little of my attention. I read part one, and was very intrigued as to where it was going, and then I didn’t read anything for almost 2 weeks. Once I finally felt better though, it was time for me and my love to pick up right where we left off. As per usual, this book was chefs kiss! It is very different from the Guncle, and from any of Rowley’s other books, but the humor, the heart, and the gorgeous writing is there in full force. Poor Steven got a boatload of texts as I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish the second half. Little bit of magic, little bit of crazy situations, but always, always, always a whole lot of heart. This is exactly what I expect to feel when I finish a Steven Rowley book, and this one did not disappoint! What do I do now that I have finished it though?

Thank you to @putnambooks and @mrstevenrowley for my gifted copy of this book!

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my Goodreads page. This title is scheduled for release on May 19, 2026.

One ordinary night, Jesse watches his husband Norman step into a mysterious light and disappear—ending, in an instant and with no explanation, their thirty years of marriage. What follows is a tender, often bittersweet exploration of grief, memory, and identity, as the narrative moves fluidly between Jesse’s life with Norman and the quiet, disorienting space left behind without him. The story balances moments of genuine humor with an undercurrent of sadness.

As a reader who absolutely loved Steven Rowley’s The Celebrants—a five-star read for me—I came into this novel with high expectations. While this book certainly delivers Rowley’s signature wit and occasional outrageousness, it didn’t quite linger with me in the same way. I found myself enjoying individual moments more than fully connecting with the ensemble of quirky characters, and I struggled at times to become deeply invested in their arcs.

That said, I did appreciate the novel’s ultimate message and its thoughtful meditation on love. In the end, I think I was hoping for a bit more narrative depth and forward momentum than the story ultimately offered. Still, fans of Rowley’s voice and readers drawn to reflective, character-driven stories about love and grief may find much to admire here.

[Topo Chicas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have thoroughly enjoyed Steven Rowley’s books, and this one is no exception. While this is a bit of a departure from his previous books, it still retains the quippy banter, clever, self deprecating humor, and characters you instantly fall for that are core to Rowley’s writing.

After decades together, Jesse watches his husband, Norman, walk into a bright light in their backyard and just disappear. Jesse wanders aimlessly, not knowing what to do in the wake of his husband’s disappearance. Add to the mix his sister-in-law, Lally, who is similarly trying to figure out what’s going on while also making an unexpected request of Jesse. Jesse has to figure out who he is without Norman and what to do with himself while also making big life decisions with Lally.

The book’s premise captured me immediately. I couldn’t put this down; I had to keep reading to find out what happened to Jesse, Norman, and Lally. I was so deeply invested in each of the main characters and their development throughout. The further I read, the more I found myself rooting for each of the main characters to find their happiness and become the best version of themselves. No surprise, but the writing was also so well done: clever, charming, and witty. It was a heartwarming novel that’ll definitely have you in your feels long after you finish reading. Definitely worth a read!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

[Sharon Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel.

I love Steven Rowley books. They have heart, humor, and honesty and make me laugh, think, and cry. This one was no different.

I don’t know what I expected when I opened the book, but I quickly felt like I was dropped into Jesse and Norman’s lives. When Norman was abducted after a rumbling bright light appeared, I had no idea where the book was going. But it was such a treat to follow Jesse as he grapples with his new reality of his situation (who would believe him if he told them the truth?). He uses his class on humor to reflect, and I loved seeing his relationships grow with his students.

After Norman returns to a newly-improved Jesse, the author took the time to show the complexities of getting what you want back. Jesse had grown during Norman’s absence and didn’t want to return to the way things were. He challenged Norman to the limits until he had a similar situation.

While this wasn’t as realistic of a story as some of Rowley’s other works, I enjoyed the rich descriptions he gave of the Joshua Tree area and the cast of characters. He uses humor and sarcasm to make his characters feel lovable while they are still flawed. I felt like I was alongside Jesse as he dealt with his situation.

Suspend your disbelief and hold on tight - this is a great ride, and I can’t wait to see what Rowley does next.

[Shandon Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody writes lonely gay men in the desert like Steven Rowley. Take Me With You is funny in that specific Rowley way where you’re laughing, but also going, “Sir… are you okay?”

Part of what makes it so funny is how deeply self-centered these men start out. I was honestly counting down how long it would take for Jesse to drift over to even wondering if Norman was safe or scared or, you know… alive. Before the disappearance? Same energy. So many moments where “Are you okay... emotionally?” would’ve been the obvious question, but instead we got mild annoyance and self-reflection-pity. Incredible. I couldn't look away.

The premise is wild, the voice is sharp, and the emotional whiplash works. One minute I was snorting, the next minute I was thinking about past relationships like I was in my own personal indie film montage. The humor lands because the loneliness is real, and Rowley balances the two without ever getting too precious.

It’s weird, funny, heartfelt-but-not-mushy, and exactly the brand of unhinged energy I signed up for.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.
#TakeMeWithYou #StevenRowley

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book had some of the typical Rowley wit and humor, I found it very hard to connect with the story. Suspending my disbelief over Norman vanishing into bright lights in the sky wasn't an issue for me. I love a good fantastical plot and welcome it if it's written well. My disconnect started in the first parts of the book with Jesse, which was very slow going. I just couldn't relate to his character nor to his incessant ramblings which had no direction. Rowley's prose always fills me with deep emotions and touches my soul in the most vulnerable way, but I didn't feel that with this book. The big, warm hug was missing, unfortunately. I did become more invested once we were introduced to Lally. The pacing picked up, and I found myself more interested in how things were going to end. I did love the 80s theme, and how the different parts were named after 80s songs. I was definitely feeling nostalgia for my younger years. Although this wasn't a favorite of mine, it was worth the read and I would still recommend.

Thank you to Putnam for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

[Chelsea Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

TAKE ME WITH YOU ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Release date 5/19/2026. When I see a Steven Rowley book on NetGalley I immediately request, and anxiously refresh until I get answers. I know his books will make me laugh, think and possibly make me cry.
In this novel Jesse and Norman have been together for decades. A life blended and new recipe created. When one day Norman sees lights and vanishes to some sort of higher power.

I loved the heart and humor in this one. My fav character is Lally, a Parker Posey type in my head. You will leave this book with some unanswered questions, but that feels okay cause you get the point of it all. There is one Barbie moment (remember America Ferreras speech that we still think about?) that may be one of my favorite pages ever written, that part where there is a speech so loaded with emotion and thought that you can’t help but feel it’s the point of it all.

I’ll continue to anxiously read anything Rowley produces. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

[Jordan Stash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Rowley has been a favorite author of mine since The Guncle and Lily and the Octopus, so I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of his newest novel from Putnam and NetGalley.

I was skeptical about Take Me With You after the minor sci-fi element was introduced. However, I continued the book and I’m so glad I did!

I adore Steven’s writing style and the way he crafts his characters. Jesse and Norman were hysterical and their banter throughout the book had me giggling nonstop.

The story followed Jesse as he navigated a year of his life without his husband, Norman, after he mysteriously *disappeared* one night. During this time, Jesse went on a journey of self-discovery full of reflection, heartbreak, and perseverance.

Overall, the story was humorous, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. I absolutely devoured this and can’t wait for Steven’s next novel!

[Ryan Brandenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this upcoming novel because, based on the description, it appeared that author Steven Rowley was returning to his signature style, reminiscent of “Lily and the Octopus.”

From the beginning, I immediately recognized the characters’ shared flaws and the somewhat disjointed nature of the story, so I was prepared for the journey. However, there were certain sections of this book that didn’t resonate with me.

It became a bit too far-fetched, and I found a few of the storylines, such as his sister and her private detective turned lover, distracting.

Despite my mixed review, there will be many people who purchase and enjoy this book, even if it wasn’t a standout for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holt for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book publishes on May 19, 2026.

[Michelle Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me With You is full of the sanguine combination of humor and heartbreak that we have come to expect from Steven Rowley, but this is not as lighthearted as his past novels. After a 30 year relationship, our MCs Jesse and Norman find themselves at a crossroads, and need to find a way back to themselves, and to each other. There are complicated family dynamics, a simmering discontent with the state of “things,” and a world that isn’t always kind, that they must muddle through before they can decide to choose each other again. My Gen X heart resonated deeply with the themes presented, and Mr. Rowley is taking big swings as he plays with narrative elements like time looping and embedded stories. He is a master of his craft. Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough one for me to write. I’ve loved past Steven Rowley books for his quirky, lovable characters. And while this book certainly had that, it also had… more, and I wasn’t a fan of the more. In the first few pages of the novel, after an adorable meet cute flashback, one of the husbands vanishes into the bright light. This requires the reader to suspend a certain level of belief in reality and while I appreciate what Rowley was trying to do… it just didn’t land for me personally. With that said… I really loved Jesse, Norman, and Lally.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[BHK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me with You is such a beautifully weird, funny, and heartbreaking book! Only Steven Rowley could take a premise that starts with a husband vanishing into a beam of light and turn it into an exploration of love, loss, and rediscovering yourself after heartbreak. The writing is a perfect blend of sharp and soulful…one page made me laugh out loud, the next broke my heart a little. I love how he always captures the ache and absurdity of being human, and Take Me with You might be his most emotional story yet!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Steven Rowley. I appreciate he wanted to go in a different direction with this book and I am sure many will enjoy it. However, it was not for me. I could not get into the other world/ time altering/UFO aspect of the book. I just didn’t understand what the book was about or where it ended up. There is a long married couple. One is transported away in a bright light. Then what? I will not say more for fear of spoiling it. As I said I feel this book has an audience and I will read his next book.

[Chris O'neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

HMMMm…warning I am a Steven Rowley fan here to review his latest novel Take Me With You. I have read and reread his novels and have been surprised as he challenges his readers with new types of books from Lily to the Editor to the Guncle and the Celebrants. This book surpasses all those challenges. I will definitely likely reread this because there are many lessons interspersed throughout that I will return to from time to time. Glad I was able to read this thru NetGalley

[Drea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Steven Rowley and am so grateful to receive a copy prior to its publication.

Although this one didn't WOW me, I appreciated the messages and the symbolism to convey them. I thought a lot about my own relationship which has spanned 35 years and related to these characters and their various journeys. I loved the humor and wit and smart writing. It's a fast read and one that will make you think and appreciate what you have (I hope).

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You can adjust the thermostat a few degrees in either direction, but it will always revert back to the setting where it’s most comfortable."

Can a long marriage ever find a new setting? Or is it destined to rehash the same story over and over again? After his husband is abducted? left? missing? Jesse is forced to find his own path without his husband leading the way.

[Jodi Schulz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. It pains me to write this review because I love Steve Rowley but this didn’t work for me at all. I understand his desire to make a departure from his previous books but this was missing all of his trademark humor and was frankly, just odd. I suspect others will like it but it was not for me.

[Megan Sisson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Publication Date: 5/19/26

Take Me With You is a love story, but with a twist. Jesse and Norman have been together a long time, until Norman disappears one night. His disappearance was a little strange to me and I really couldn’t figure out if I liked that part of the story. If you are expecting humor like The Guncle, you won’t find that here. Norman’s sister, Lally, brings some spunk to the story, which was definitely needed.

I enjoyed this book but wasn’t ready for such a heavy read. However, I did appreciate Norman’s reasons for leaving and that will stick with me.