Three days in June packs a lifetime of experiences, memories and some regrets into this thoughtful, heartfelt story of the life of Gail Baines. At the start of the novel, Gail has lost her long-time job when her superior retires, and her replacement brings in her own team. (I can absolutely relate to that!) Gail's daughter is to be married in three days, so she has no time to worry about what comes next for her. Soon, her ex-husband arrives with a rescue cat, hoping he and the cat can stay with Gail until the wedding. Complications between her daughter and her future husband add to Gail's worries. As the whirlwind of the wedding, her ex and the cat swirls around Gail, she reflects on her life, both the good times and regrets. She realizes she can't go back, and wonders if she can find a new way forward, and a new happiness. Anne Tyler has written a relatable, heartwarming story of life, love, relationships, and starting over, with a beautiful and hopeful ending. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Anne Tyler has such a knack that her characters come alive and you feel as if you have known them forever. Three Days in June relates Gail’s story of a pivotal time in her life beginning with her losing her job, continuing with her daughter’s wedding and Gail feeling left out, and then her ex husband shows up unexpectedly suitcase and cat in hand to stay with her because her future son in law has allergies to cats.
Gail is the epitome of so many women I have known over the years, feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. The interplay with her daughter, Debbie causes her to question Debbie’s wedding plans while reevaluating her own marital history. Again so very very relatable.
This is a short read but packed full of emotions and “what if” decisions. I could not put this read down. Any woman would find Gail so very relatable and her issues relatable as well. Having long been a fan of Anne Tyler this read is one of her very best.
Many thanks to Anne Tyler, Knopf, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this endearing read, published on February 11th. Every woman should place this read at the top of their list.

Reading Anne Tyler is like slipping into a warm bath. I don't think it's an exaggeration to call her one of America's best living novelists. What I love most about Tyler's work is she gives as much credit to the small slice-of-life moments as she does the dramatic ones. This novel is another fantastic addition to her prolific output.

Weddings can bring out the best and the worst in people. Three Days in June is the story of a family wedding weekend, focusing on the day before, the day of and the day after the wedding.

The family drama is introduced to us in the form of our main character Gail and her ex-husband Max who shows up at Gail’s house hoping to stay with her for the wedding weekend. There is tension with the Mother of The Groom and oh yes, a secret about the groom that the bride shares with her parents.

A quick read with quirky but relatable character.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely LOVED this book and immediately texted my mom to put herself on the Hold list at the library so she can read it as soon as possible. It was very Lucy Barton in its feel, mainly that it centers around an aging woman who is no longer clear about her place in the world, her family, or society.Both humorous and heartbreaking, Gail Barnes is preparing for her daughter to get married the next day, and her ex-husband shows up without a hotel room, and with a cat. This may be a quick read, but it doesn't skimp at all on emotional depth.

As always with Anne Tyler books, this is beautifully written and a pleasure to read. Not a lot happens; it's more of a character study, especially of the main character, Gail, during the days surrounding her daughter's wedding. Her relationship with her daughter, who might be questioning the wisdom of going through with the wedding, and with her ex-husband, who has shown up unprepared for the event, provide the low-key drama. While this isn't my favorite Anne Tyler book (that remains "Ladder of Years"), I would definitely recommend it to fans of Anne Tyler and domestic dramas. Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the e-ARC of this book.

This is a story of a dysfunctional family. Some might be able to relate to these characters and even commiserate with them. 

Gail is socially awkward and quits her job when she finds out the headmaster of the school is retiring, and the person replacing her is bringing their own assistant. That means Gail is out of a job or will be put into a job she doesn't like. This is the beginning of bad decisions over three days. 

Max is the ex-husband, and when he arrives, he runs roughshod over Gail and does what he wants. This includes bringing a foster cat. He was supposed to stay with their daughter, but apparently, the fiance is deathly allergic to cats. I wonder if that is true, and wouldn't Gail and Max being around the cat cause issues when around Kenneth? Cats shed, and it gets everywhere.

Then there is Debbie, the daughter. I got the feeling she wasn't wild about this upcoming wedding. Was it because her mother-in-law had taken over the planning? Were there problems in her relationship with Kenneth? 

The story is about family dynamics. There is a lot of avoidance in this novel from all the characters. No one seems to really address the underlying issues. They continue as if nothing is wrong. Or they are focused on other things. The story is told well, but I could not connect or relate to the characters.

We give the book 3 1/2 paws up.

Anne Tyler's Three Days in June is simply a beautiful story. These family members have learned to really see and appreciate each other with love.

3.5 stars, rounded up. This story follows Gail during the weekend of her daughters wedding. This is not the happy week Gail assumed it would be. She has recently quit her job after feeling under-appreciated, feels left out of wedding plans, and worst of all.. her ex shows up not only to the wedding but as an unexpected houseguest.

This story highlights the heartbreak and happiness that comes with having a family. The details of this story should be mundane, but Tyler describes them in a way that is highly relatable and engaging. In my opinion, the story does not have clear start and end point but rather is capturing a moment in time. While I think this story was enjoyable and cleverly written, this type of story always leaves me wanting more.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It is engaging, witty, and relatable.

An honest tale about the subtleties (or not) of human nature and how life changes over decades and even ends up how you least expect it.

This rather short novel takes place over 3 days. Gail has a series of unfortunate events: Losing her job, her ex showing up on her doorstep right before their daughter's wedding. Well drawn out, colorful characters accentuate Anne Tyler's mastery of writing a great read. It might be short, but oh so well done.

(4.25 stars)
Anne Tyler is a masterful storyteller, focusing on the ordinary lives or ordinary people. And this novella (less than 200 pages) is another lovely story. It focuses on “three days in June” (duh), the day before a wedding, the day of the wedding and the day after the wedding. The three main characters are Gail, mother of the bride; Debbie, the bride; and Max, Gail’s ex-husband.

Gail wasn’t a really likable character. She doesn’t have very good people skills, which resulted in her not getting the promotion she felt she deserved at work (headmaster at a private school). The day before her daughter’s wedding, her ex-husband shows up with a cat in tow, asking if he can stay at Gail’s house because Debbie’s fiancé is allergic to cats. The cat is a foster cat, apparently, not permanently Max’s. Over the course of the three days, we learn backstories of each of these characters and see how Gail and Max’s marriage fell apart.

I thought the book ended rather abruptly, with the ending/future open to interpretation. But I am opting for a hopeful interpretation of the ending.

My book club has read a lot of Anne Tyler’s work and I really enjoyed her earlier novels. I was bummed that I didn’t care for A Spool of Blue Thread so have passed on reading her more recent work. So I’m glad I gave this novella a chance.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Anne Tyler scores again! Her slightly odd characters fill your heart as if you are reading about a friend. Gail and Max are around the same age as me so I totally understood most of their quandaries. The book takes place over three days but I easily read it in one day. And it has left me with a little smile on my face.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Three Days in June is set over the course of, well, three days in June, as the title suggests. These are an eventful three days for 61-year-old Gail Baines as she navigates being pushed out of her job, prepares for her only child's wedding, and hosts her ex-husband who has unexpectedly shown up on her doorstep needing a place to stay during the wedding events for not only himself, but a new foster cat.

More of a novella at just 176 pages Three Days in June is a slice of life character study of a woman who has switched paths late in life whether she knows it or not. I'm a fan of Anne Tyler. She has a way of writing everyday life in such a poignant way, rendering it something special. This is a quiet, comfortable story. I can't say it's my favorite of Tyler's, but I always enjoy her writing.

One caveat: as some other reviewers have also pointed out, while this story is set in present day it feels better suited to decades ago. Something about the characters did not feel fully contemporary. I don't have a problem with this, some readers might. I think I would have preferred the story to be set in the last quarter of the 20th century.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anne Tyler's "Three Days in June." Difficult to describe how comfortable to sit down and read each page. Reading felt like a long-forgotten joy of quietly sitting with a good friend that I didn't want to put down. Ms. Tyler introduced us to Gail and Max, ex-spouses who come together for their only daughter Debbie's wedding, which takes place on the heels of a Gail's emotionally charged exit from her employment. Enjoyable for me was how vividly touchable both Gail & Max were as they processed the events of the upcoming wedding. As a reader we obtain a glimpse of the past, the uncoupling of their marriage and reality of who they are as individuals. I found this story to be warm, charming and honest. The rescue cat tagging along was also a joy. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy, deepest appreciate to them and to Anne Tyler for the warmth of reading this book.

Absolutely a brilliant read! Hilarious, poignant, Just wonderful!

Anne Taylor wrote a heartfelt story about, love and forgiveness

Three Days in June is my first Anne Tyler novel. The story centers around Gail Baines, a socially awkward divorced woman, her ex-husband, Max and their daughter, Debbie. The first day of the story begins with Gail finding out some life changing information at her workplace on the day of her daughter Debbie’s rehearsal dinner. Gail returns from work only to find her ex husband and his adopted cat at her front door. On this day, they also find out some news about Debbie and her fiancé. Needless to say, the rehearsal takes place. The second day is the day of the wedding and the third day is the day after in which Gail and Max spend the day together before he leaves to go back to his home.
I really loved the writing style of this novel; it was short and sometimes funny and charming. . The story was about life; relationships and finding where you really belong in life at a certain point in life... I highly recommend this book. Thank you to. Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for this advanced reader copy.

I think Three Days in June is a compelling and thoughtful read, especially for those who enjoy deep character studies and reflective narratives. It’s not an action-packed story, but rather a quiet exploration of relationships, personal growth, and emotional complexity. The book really thrives in its ability to make the ordinary feel extraordinary by focusing on the small, often overlooked moments that define a life. Tyler’s prose is insightful, capturing the internal world of her characters in a way that makes you reflect on your own experiences.

This story is an interesting observation of a wedding weekend that is truly nothing extraordinary. Anne Tyler has a unique ability to make the most ordinary encounters special. I could actually feel the awkwardness of Gail and her interactions as well as Max's optimism. Thanks #NetGalley #Knopf

I adore this author. She takes a slice of life and shares the intricacy of it in beautiful words. We meet and follow Gail on the weekend of her daughters wedding. The story is viewed from her vantage point. These are ordinary people, living ordinary lives. What bothered me was that there was no one in this that was particularly likable so it was hard to get invested in the story. Usually the characters are quirky or have something I could emotionally connect to. In this I found most of them had no self awareness, rude, classist, never met a boundary they wouldn’t cross and are generally unpleasant. Not my favorite from this amazing author. Just missed the mark for me.