This is a short brisk read about Gail Baines, taking place the day before her daughter's wedding. Long since divorced from Max, the story navigates n honest, truthful depiction of a family long since broken.

Gail has quit her job, and in the first few pages, we meet Max, her ex husband who decides to show up on her front doorstep unannounced with a cat. Trying to keep the family together before Debbie's wedding, we are confronted with a secret about her soon to be husband, which changes the trajectory of the entire three days in June.

Anne Tyler writes about simple things, simple day to day interactions, which makes her such a talented writer. I think if you're looking for a sweet story about family, heartache, secrets, and finding oneself during the middle age of your life, this is a great read for you.

Oh, how I LOVE this author! I look forward to everything that comes out by her, and each and every time I read her, it's like meeting up with an old friend again!
Not every important life lesson can be learned in school, but many can be learned within the pages of an Anne Tyler novel. Though spanning just three days–the day before, the day of, and the day after a wedding, this novel is packed full of these "Tyler teachings". How to make the best of what starts out as a really bad day, learning the value of a good sense of humor and a marvelous lap cat. Most of all, the putting aside of grievances and regrets of previous life choices, for the sake of family, and a marriage that is just beginning. Three Days In June is Anne Tyler at her best, and I cannot wait to share this book with others come February!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for allowing me to be an early reader!

I have never read any Anne Tyler. This was a first for me, and I wasn't sure what to expect. The book was a very quick read, and I appreciated that it didn't try to drag things out by adding filler. The story focused on three days: the day before, the day of and the day after Debbie's wedding. For all the action, very little truly happened in the book or, at least, nothing far fetched or hard to believe. Yes, Gail is having a bad day with her work, and the timing of everything sucks, but she's a normal person living her life and doing the best she can. She isn't a truly nice person, because she does come across as a little self absorbed and a little too stuck in her head, but she's definitely not horrible. Gail makes efforts to be counter to herself, especially in supporting her daughter on an important day in her life and through a very challenging situation. All in all, it's a book about the ordinary or the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Gail was well developed and was pretty much the focus of the whole book, although Max did play a major role too. Everyone else was there to move the story forward but with small steps so that Gail had time to reflect and adjust. Max seemed to understand her really well, and I found there were a lot of similarities between Gail and the cat. The way Gail acted towards the cat was very much the way Max acted towards Gail: getting her used to him by being around and integrating himself in her space.

If this is how Tyler's other books are written, I will definitely pick up a few more. I think the Accidental Tourist always scared me away, because I liked the movie so much.

Beautiful in its simplicity, Three Days in June is Anne Tyler at her best. This story is set over the three days of a wedding and told from the point of view of the mother of the bride. Tyler manages to cover it all during this short novel-love, family, career, relationships-with an effect that left me breathless! A must read!

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

3.5 stars.

As always, I enjoyed reading Ann Tyler. Unfortunately, this was a rather short book - more like a novella - and it had a predictable storyline.

I enjoyed the characters - even if at times they seemed a bit caricatured - and the inner dialogue of the narrator as she navigates her only daughter’s wedding weekend. It’s a simple plot as she reflects back over her life while hosting her ex-husband who has returned for their daughter’s wedding and lands at her doorstep. He assumes himself, and a foster cat he has in tow, into her home as he has no other possible accommodation.

A pleasant read overall.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book made chuckle all the way through.
I finished this lovely book last night and I must say very different from what I usually read but I loved it.
The characters were a joy in getting to know. Some were not so nice.
I understand Gail's reluctance. I wasn't looking forward to empty nesting either. Still not.
Love, hope, family, and infidelity are all of the main ingredients for this lovely novel.
I couldn't put it down until it was finished.
My favorite thing was, that it was told from Gail's point of view which made this story that much more fun.
Let me tell you you'll still be thinking about Gail and her family long after the story is finished.
5 stars from me for keeping my interest. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

It’s been awhile since Anne Tyler came out with a new book and it was worth the wait! A light hearted novel which takes place over three days focusing on family and forgiveness. A great end of summer read. Thanks for the advanced copy!

An enjoyable novella with quirky characters. I enjoyed the fact that this book takes place over such a short period of time but allows us to learn so much about the characters.

Anne Tyler has done it again. This short read is about a 61 year old woman, simple and direct, who is just "not a people person." Leaving her school, the headmistress of the school she works at lets her know that she is retiring and that Gail will NOT be the one to replace her, due to her lack of "people skills." Gail is a flawed but lovely main character, she is judgmental while being loving. Introverted while being kind. Gail's ex-husband Max has come to stay with her, foster cat in tow, as they celebrate their only daughter, Debbie's wedding. Beautifully written, descriptive, and with smart, witty dialogue, this book celebrates everything that means "Family."

Add this one to your "to-read" list!

Thanks to NetGalley and AA Knopf for the ARC. Book to be released February 11, 2025.

Another brilliant, beautiful book by Anne Tyler. A lifetime of growth and self reflection in a three day period for the main character, Gail on the day before her daughter’s wedding, the day of, and the day after.

Tyler has a history of richly developed yet very real characters and this book was no different. At 61 years old, Gail asked:

“I’m too young for this, I thought. Not too old, as you might expect, but too young, too inept, too uninformed. How come there weren’t any grownups around? Why did everyone just assume I knew what I was doing?”

Very relatable.

Will be on the lookout for its release in 2025 to recommend to others!

Thank you NetGalley for the early read.

*Sigh* This is just classic Anne Tyler. Truly, no one does family relationships and everyday life like her. She is truly unmatched. This was a beautiful, simple little novel that I was OVERJOYED to have been approved for by NetGalley and Knopf (THANK YOU!!!!) Three Days in June is divided into three sections, one for each day, during which our protagonist, Gail, is the mother-of-the bride in her only child's wedding. Over the course of these three days, we delve into her current relationships and flashback to relationships from the past. The prose is perfect, the characters are very flawed, but lovable. I especially loved her ex-husband Max. There is nothing flashy here, no twists, turns, or surprises - just profound musings on who we are and who we are to each other. Beautiful. Look for this wherever you get your books on February 11, 2025.

Gail Baines is negotiating the Three Days in June that involve her daughter Debbie’s wedding in Anne Tyler’s short novel coming out February 11. Who should show up on Gail’s doorstep—with a cat no less—on the day before the nuptials but her ex-husband Max who needs a place to stay.

What an already unsettling Friday this has been for Gail: at school the retiring headmistress tells Gail that she does not have the people skills to succeed her. Gail responds by walking out of the school, heading home. For Debbie, it was a Day of Beauty provided by her soon to be mother-in-law, an event from which Gail was excluded.

A crisis is afoot as Debbie is rattled by something she learned at the spa about her husband-to-be. She shares this with her parents, leaving them just as anxious as Debbie. The situation throws Gail into a backspin as she recalls the events leading up to the deterioration of her own marriage.
Tyler perfectly captures the tension of the parents and the bride-to-be as they face a rehearsal dinner and a wedding that may or may not come off. On top of everything else, come Monday Gail must figure out how she moves forward in the workforce as she is not ready to retire yet.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anne Tyler writes books that are witty and engaging. Born in Minneapolis, she grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, graduating from Duke University. She lives in Baltimore, the setting of Three Days in June.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting September 9, 2024.

I would like to thank Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

3.5 ⭐️ I received an advanced copy of this book and I’m glad I did! I haven’t read Anne Tyler’s work before and this was such a sweet, quick story.

It’s Anne Tyler. A degree of wit and insight are expected, and delivered but in the lightest, slightest manner. The book is a novella that explores marriage, fidelity and self-knowledge and does so with charm, but it also feels like once over lightly, and is delivered with a conclusion that offers neatness more than plausibility.
Not her best work ,but fans will enjoy a return to Baltimore and that distinctive perspective.

Anne Tyler's latest book, Three Days in June, taught me a lot about myself as a reader. Throughout reading most of this book, I could not relate to the main character at all. In the book, Gail is not excited about her only daughter's wedding...I was over the moon with excitement when my daughter married. Gail did little to nothing to help her daughter plan her big day...I wanted to lend a helping hand whenever needed. Gail treated the wedding weekend with dismay, dread and anxiety...I enjoyed every second. Gail is a cat person...I prefer dogs. However, as I continued reading, and fell into the beautiful writing of Ms. Tyler's, I totally changed my mind about Gail and changed my heart about the book. As is Ms. Tyler's style, the book is endearing and peaceful. These characters have a lot to unpack, but they do it in their own way. I learned a lot about myself, but also about others. The Gails of the world are strong, empathetic and lovable...even if they do prefer cats.

Tyler is an auto-read author for me. I will try everything that she writes. Three Days in June examine family relationships, drama, and more. It's rich with interesting characters and told in three parts. You'll enjoy it, I did! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This stumped was gripping couldn’t put it down
The monther and the daughters big day
Emotional page turner
Loved the peek into their world

An enjoyable, quick read with quirky characters. I enjoyed the fact that this book takes place over such a short period of time but allows us to learn so much about the characters.

I came to Anne Tyler's books only six years ago but I have become a wholehearted fan! THREE DAYS IN JULY might be my favorite of her books I've read yet. I love a book told over a short period of time, so this book told over the span of three days was right up my alley. Although the titular three days are the day before, the day of, and the day after the main character's daughter's wedding, the marriage this book tells the story of is the author's own. I loved the main character, who is aloof but well-meaning. And I loved her ex-husband, too! A delightful read that will bring happiness to new and old fans of Anne Tyler.

What I liked about Anne Tyler's Three Days in June, is that is it a love story, but not a romance. Gail Baines is a teacher turned administrative assistant to the school's headmistress, who has a bad day at work the day before her only daughter's wedding. Her boss tells her that she is retiring and the new headmistress wants to bring along her own assistant. Gail was surprised that, not only was she passed over for the head position, but she is being replaced, so she quits her job. She gets home, only to have her ex husband, Max show up on her doorstep, with foster cat in tow, and say that he can't stay with their daughter, because of the cat, so can he stay with her? Gail's bad day just got more complicated. The usual wedding politics ensue, and Gail looks back at her marriage and her role in causing its demise. I love Anne Tyler's writing, I don't know how she does it, but details that should seem very mundane and unimportant are compelling and keep me swept up in the story. It's charming and profound at the same time. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for an advance egalley to review.