This is a quick easy read with lots of details. The story takes place over three days. Gail's daughter is getting married and the book starts on the day of the rehearsal. After receiving some unexpected news at work, she goes home for the day and is surprised by her ex-husband showing up with a cat. The awkwardness goes on from there. I would give this book 3.5 stars.

Heartfelt tale about a couple reunited after years apart when their daughter‘s wedding brings them together. I loved the quirkiness of the two and was rooting for them to end up together. The daughter’s wedding stirred up some old memories and reflection - It was a memorable occasion and the beginning of a fresh start for all.

Gail has less than stellar people skills. She's a good person but "people-ing" is difficult for her. She wants a good life for her daughter, she wants life to be fair, she wants to forget the not so good parts of life. This book was very enjoyable for me.

It is always a pleasure to read an Anne Tyler book and Three Days in June was no exception.

As the title suggests, Three Days in June follows our protagonist, Gail, over a long weekend during which she is celebrating the wedding of her only daughter. Her ex-husband (and a cat he is fostering) end up staying with her for the weekend. Right before the wedding, she also has an uncomfortable work conversation. All of this throws her life into a bit of an uproar, not to mention the emotions of her daughter's marriage.

Though it takes place over a short timeline, Tyler packs a lot into the novel. Gail goes on quite the emotional journey, starting from a woman bordering on curmudgeonly and becoming a little more open to the world and people around her. This book, more than other Tylers I have read, gave me Strout vibes, not the least because Gail reminded me of Olive Kitteridge. Tyler tackles difficult questions but also gives us a book that is very heartwarming at its core.

My biggest complaint with this book was how out of place it seemed in its modern setting. If Tyler hadn't mentioned cell phones and COVID, I would have thought it was set in the 1990s. Gail seems older than her 60ish year (closer to Tyler's age perhaps) and there are multiple moments in the book that seem out of place. Not to mention the 30-something daughter who goes by "Debbie"...

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book. I will continue to read whatever Tyler publishes!

Gail is struggling. She lost her job right before her daughter's wedding. She's really having doubts about the groom and whether or not the wedding should take place. Her ex-husband has shown up at her door with plans to stay with her...and he brought a cat with him. Then there's all the feelings she's struggling with trying not to feel put down by the groom's family. All of those feelings in three days.

This was a very emotional book, but I also laughed out loud in many places. Tyler has done an exceptional job of showing the messiness of life and love. I was really, really into this book for most of it. I loved from the beginning that the MFC is a bit older. It seemed like the story took an abrupt turn when it shifted to just Gail and Max. It was a very quick ending that I was not prepared for.

Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and NetGalley for the digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a quick read that tapped into many thoughts and emotions.
Gail seemed very cold and distant. I find it difficult to imagine a bride's mother being so detached and uninterested in her daughter's wedding.
Max seems to be an okay guy. It's a bit presumptuous of him to bring a cat to his ex-wife's home.
Overall, Ms. Tyler told an engaging tale. No extraneous filler. Thank you, Ms. Tyler, for not filling your story with repetitive phrases. That worked beautifully.
Thank you for an ARC of #ThreeDaysInJune
#NetGalley#AnneTyler#AlfredAKnopf#ThreeDaysInJune

Tyler is the master at the understated, conveying so much with her deceptively simple prose. I really enjoyed this one.

"𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥."

Oh, how I loved 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘! It's a short book - just 156 pages - but Anne Tyler manages to pack so much into this story of Gail, a 60-year-old woman forced to re-examine her life over the course of a June weekend when her only daughter is getting married.

I love reading about more mature protagonists, and I found myself highlighting so many passages I related to in this beautiful and clever character-driven novel. It's quiet and thoughtful, but the author infuses so much meaning and emotion into even the most ordinary moments. Gail's journey made me laugh and touched my heart, and I was sorry to leave her behind when it was over.

4.5 stars

Thanks to AA Knopf for the copy to review.

The thing that stuck out to me in the book description was "a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter's wedding". This is both such an apt description and doesn't adequately convey the depth and poignance of this story. While I wouldn't call myself socially awkward, I deeply empathized with Gail. She's very straightforward and can be perceived as terse, but has good intentions. Her ex-husband's arrival on the heels of her maybe kinda quitting her job sets up the novel perfectly. You could feel the something between them and I was so curious to see how the story evolved.

Highly recommend!

Three Days in June takes place on the day before a wedding, the wedding day, and the day after the wedding. The main character is 61 year old Gail, the mother of the bride. At this special time during her and her daughter’s life, she reflects back on her own marriage and divorce. Gail is still trying to figure herself out at 61. Why has she struggled to connect with others throughout her life? What matters the most? Will she ever truly find happiness? I enjoyed this book, although I found myself asking “What’s the point of it?” through at least the first half. It would make a great play with the conversations, self-reflection and self-discovery Gail has over these three days. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the digital ARC.

A story that takes place over three days of her daughter's wedding. The mother of the bride, Gail looks at her own life past, present and future. She has low self esteem and ponders what she will do in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, where many women can identify with parts of Gail. Very likable characters.

I loved this book! I loved the relationship between Max and Gail over the course of the three days. This was a fun, super easy, quick read! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

The story of a family undergoing separation pain is realistically told, with empathy, compassion and some humor, too. Having your daughter getting married is stressful all by itself, but also unexpectedly losing your job and then having your ex-husband forced on you is almost more than poor Gail can stand. Add a cat who is precocious and mischievous, and you have the making of a good novel that touched my heart and tickled my funny bone. The characters were so realistic that I felt as though I could talk to them and was feeling what they were feeling, ranging from outrage to nostalgia. The plot was moderately paced, with a lot of story to tell in each chapter. The only thing I did not like was the long chapters, but there were pauses built into them, so that made it a little better. The story itself was multi-layered, covering the lives of the main characters Gail and Max as well as their daughter Debbie, the bride who is getting more and more reluctant as the time for the ceremony approaches. This book appealed to me with its realistic details and the sensitive exploration of family drama at a difficult time in their lives. The plot was rich and descriptive and I was thoroughly immersed in the drama of the story. This is an engaging read, with authentic and relatable characters and a storyline that is memorable.
Disclaimer
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is a women’s fiction story and the first book I have read from this author. This is Gail’s story and takes place over a three-day period around her daughter’s wedding. Gail has been divorced from her husband for a long time and though not as close to her daughter, she loves her and wants the best for her. So much happens to and around Gail in these three days as we follow her along. She was not always likable, but she was relatable. We get a few surprises along the way as we wonder how everything will turn out.

There were times I was very invested and others I was surprised to see where the story was going. There was one thing that happened in the story I did not agree with, but I could also see that it could happen. Gail was not happy, but I do not think she knew quite how to be happy. It was interesting to get her story over three days with a bit of the past, present and possibly the future.

3.5-stars

Three Days in June was an interesting story that centered around Gail's daughter Debbie marrying Kenneth. The book focused on the day before the wedding, the day of the wedding, and the day after the wedding. In reality it seemed a lot longer than three days.

Poor Gail is at a crossroads and everything seems to go wrong. She has lost her job or she would say she quit her job. Her ex-husband, Max, showed up at her house with a cat because her daughter's fiance is allergic to cats, and she feels left out of her daughter's pre-wedding plans. I liked that there were secrets, revelations, and surprises in the story which made for an interesting story. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

I DNFed Tyler's last book (French Braid) because it felt like the characters weren't talking the way real people talk. They felt like people cut out of a JCPenney catalogue from 1959, old-fashioned and stiff and dull.. Right away with Three Days in June, I could see that her characters in this book were going to feel more real. I enjoyed getting into the story of these three days in one woman's life, hearing the history of what happened to her marriage, and seeing how everything ultimately unfolded. It happened quickly in a very slim package, and I was happy for that because just when I was beginning to tire of the mundane reality of their lives, it wrapped up neatly and satisfactorily.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this novel.

A short review for a short (but delightful!) book. For a story that takes place in just three days, we get so much out of it. I liked how complex the relationships Tyler crafted were. I liked the funny and relatable writing. And I liked how richly detailed the overall story was, especially considering how short it was. I will definitely be checking out more from her!

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for this ARC. Three Days in June is out today!

I’ve regretfully never read an Anne Tyler novel, and Three Days in June was such a wholesome experience.

What struck me the most about this book was the masterful way in which Anne Tyler can craft the mundane into a riveting story. This was a short book, but so much was packed into it. The main character, Gail, is having a busy three days in June, and we alternate between her current day and memories her current events evoke. While reading the last chapter I was incredibly happy things were wrapping up the way they were and I was left with an amazing feel good moment.

I loved this bittersweet story with quirky characters I ended up falling for and think any lover of fiction will thoroughly enjoy.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

👉🏻 For my friends who love quirky characters and a short story with heart.

THREE DAYS IN JUNE by Anne Tyler (J. Smith-Cameron, Narrator)

🎧Thanks, @prhaudio, for the #gifted audiobook #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored (Available 11 Feb 25) 4 Hours 24 Minutes

The premise is simple: Gail’s daughter is getting married tomorrow, and her ex-husband Max shows up at her doorstep with a foster cat to stay with her until after the wedding. We follow Gail and Max to the rehearsal supper, suit shopping, the wedding, and out to lunch the next day. All the while, Gail reminisces about their meeting, marriage, and breakup 21 years ago.

It’s only 156 pages (4 hours on audio), yet I felt I knew Gail well. I teared up at the end. How can some writers drop a fully-formed character in your heart with so few words? Sorcery.

I read this soon after TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout and realized, like peanut butter and chocolate, they are two great things even better together. On my 2025 book bingo card, there is a square for “Wine and Cheese,” and here is my defense that these two belong there:

🍷Both are wonderful as audiobooks from PRH Audio
🧀Both authors are well-known, Pulitzer Prize-winning females
🍷Both are intimate character portraits rather than plot-driven
🧀Both feature female MCs in their 60s, prominent ex-husbands, and socially awkward characters (Olive and Gail)
🍷Both are big stories told in a few pages full of sensitivity and humor, joy and heartbreak and to quote @jamie.of.all.trades (re: Anne Tyler), both authors make “mundanity so darn interesting.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! It was such a wonderful story told with such emotion and humor. I can assure you if my ex showed up with a cat, he would be directed to the nearest hotel without his foster kitty!!
My mother has always loved Ann Tyler and recommended her to me in the past. Now I’ve recommended this one to her.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.