This charming short novel/novella is told from the perspective of a slightly grumpy woman in her 60s named Gail as she navigates her daughter’s wedding weekend, including her ex-husband unexpectedly staying with her for the weekend and bringing his cat. It’s more of a character study, but Gail is really a great character.

My first read by Anne Tyler and I’m immediately eager to check out her backlog. A short and well written story of a socially awkward mother thinking about her past over three days as her daughter is getting married. This was a smooth and slow read and I really ended up liking it.

Anne Tyler is gifted at making ordinary and flawed individuals completely relatable and intriguing. In her latest offering, Gail Baines with her limited social skills, starts off the wedding weekend of her daughter Debbie by quitting her job and reluctantly hosting her ex-husband, Max (and a cat he is fostering). Debbie's impending nuptials bring past transgressions, current doubts, and Gail's uncertain future to the forefront. Told with wit and compassion, Gail's story is as compelling as it is honest. Anne Tyler is still a must-read author for me after over twenty novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I haven’t read much Anne Tyler over the years, but I enjoyed this compact novel. Any writer who can develop quirky characters and tell a full story in under 200 pages has my utmost respect. I am also grateful for stories that center older characters. More of all of this, please! I will definitely be checking out Tyler’s backlist this year.

This is my first Anne Tyler but will definitely not be my last. This book was an easy and quick read but incredibly reflective and thought provoking. I love these types of stories, where we just follow a cast of characters during a short window of time. The characters felt full and real, and the writing was beautiful and made me laugh several times. I wanted to stay in this story forever and I see myself rereading it. Highly recommend this book for lovers of literary fiction.

4 out of 5 Stars!

Even though Gail is supposed to be having the happiest weekend of her life, she is actually having the worst. For starters, she quit her job. Or, maybe she was fired. The jury is still out for debate. Second, her ex-husband wanted to stay with her and bring his cat. Lastly, her daughter is getting married. Which should be amazing, that is, she drops a bomb about her soon-to-be husband. Will Gail be able to turn this weekend around? Or, will it all crumble around her?

I am a sucker for books about weddings, so when I read the synopsis for “Three Days in June” by Anne Tyler, I was hooked! This book may be small (less than 200 pages), but it sure did pack a punch. This was an incredibly fast read that caused a rollercoaster of emotions for me.

I really liked Gail, the main character. I really liked hearing what she was thinking in her head, and some of it was so funny. I thought this book was really character-driven, with all the different events and situations coming up. All the characters in this book had such interesting personalities, I was really kept on my toes the entire time.

Unfortunately, I feel like I have to knock off a star because of the ending. Obviously, I don’t want to explain too much as it can give the entire story away, but I just didn’t think it really matched up well with the rest of the story. Even though I felt it going the way it did, I just felt like there was some stuff still missing. The last 30 pages also felt like they were dragging on. I think some of the story definitely could have been trimmed down.

“Three Days in June” by Anna Tyler will be hitting the shelves on February 11th, 2025!

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Anne Tyler, and Netgally for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this novella more than expected! Although I am not usually drawn to character driven stories, I really liked the progression that Gail made from isolated introvert to a feeling mom in need of relationship.
This was my first book by Anne Tyler, and it won't be my last!

I wish all books could be written like this one. Tyler took a very simple story and turned it into a masterpiece, and she didn’t make the reader have to suffer through hundreds upon hundreds of pages to do it. Simply put. She just told the story.

Gail finds herself at a crossroads. Her daughter is getting married, and she is standing in the school administrator’s office where she works and learns that she’s being replaced by a younger version of herself. Hmmph! With the experience Gail had, she was able to do the job her boss was doing but she was advised she wasn’t personable enough. Well, doesn’t that beat all.

She goes home to lick her wounds and at the same time calm herself down so she can enjoy her daughter’s big day the next day and her ex-husband shows up with a cat in tow. He didn’t book a hotel so he just assumed he could bunk with Gail. What the hell?

As Gail tries to adjust her life around Max, the ex-hubby, her daughter shares something with her that was totally unexpected. Her secret was so mind blowing she felt perhaps her daughter should postpone the wedding. When Debbi, her daughter, decides she is still going through with it, her decision caused Gail to look at herself and ponder on how her marriage went left when she and Max divorced.

If there is any such thing as a quick slow burn, that’s how I would describe this story. As you begin to journey along with Gail, you’ll find out that life sometimes plays jokes on you and gives you a whole new perspective.

I absolutely loved this story. I could relate to Gail because as you age and have been there and done that through life, you start to really delve deep into the way you handled things in the past that most definitely will leave a lasting impact in the future. This is what Gail faces and we, the readers, get to view her world. I couldn’t get enough. This was an amazing story.

Three Days in June was a sweet story about a divorced couple who see each other again at their daughter's wedding. It's about regret, reunion, friendship, family and infidelity. It's also a small town story about growing up with divorced parents.

A quick read that is a bit quirky and heartwarming. A fast read that takes place over three days and leaves you wondering what is next for the main character Gail.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

A Quiet Revolution in the Ordinary: A Tylerian Masterpiece

Anne Tyler, the poet laureate of the everyday, delivers another exquisite masterpiece with "Three Days in June." This novel, like a gently falling snow, settles quietly upon the reader, leaving behind a profound sense of peace and a lingering awareness of the quiet revolutions that occur within the mundane.

Tyler masterfully captures the nuances of human connection, exploring the intricate web of relationships that bind a family together. The story revolves around an upcoming marriage, a seemingly ordinary family navigating the complexities of life, love, and loss.

Through their everyday encounters – a family dinner, a casual conversation, a shared silence – Tyler reveals the profound depths of human emotion and the subtle shifts that shape our lives.

What sets "Three Days in June" apart is its understated brilliance. Tyler avoids dramatic plot twists and sensationalism, instead focusing on the quiet moments of grace, the unspoken understandings, and the enduring power of love in its most ordinary forms. Her prose, as always, is a marvel, deceptively simple yet imbued with a poetic depth that resonates long after the final page is turned.

"Three Days in June" is a testament to the enduring power of human connection and the beauty of the ordinary. It is a novel that lingers in the mind long after you've finished reading, a quiet reminder of the profound joys and sorrows that make up the tapestry of our lives.

This follows a mother in the days leading up to, during and after her daughter’s wedding. On top of her general anxieties about the new family dynamic, she must deal with the impromptu stay of her ex husband, who is attempting to coerce her into adopting a cat he brought with him. You learn so much about these characters and their marriage, I wish they were real people I could share a meal with. A beautifully deep look into one ordinary family that left me wanting so much more.

Anne Tyler’s Three Days in June is a beautifully crafted novel that unfolds over the course of just three days, offering a profound and intimate look into the life of Gail Banes as she navigates a whirlwind of emotions and challenges on the eve of her daughter’s wedding. This is a story about crossroads, choices, and the unexpected ways life forces us to reevaluate who we are and what we want.

The narrative begins with a shock: Gail loses her job at the school where she’s worked for years, dismissed for being “too socially awkward” to take on a management role she hoped for. Stunned and humiliated, she heads home only to find her ex-husband, Max, waiting on her doorstep with a stray cat and a suitcase in tow. Max’s presence adds both humor and tension as their shared past resurfaces, juxtaposing his carefree personality with Gail’s pragmatic and introspective nature.

As the wedding preparations ramp up, Gail is confronted with her daughter Debbie’s startling revelation about her fiancé, which dredges up painful memories of her own marriage’s demise. Over the course of rehearsals, family dynamics, and soul-searching conversations, Gail must confront her regrets and insecurities while grappling with the idea of starting anew—at 60, with no job and a lifetime of overthinking behind her.

Tyler’s signature talent for creating quirky, endearing characters shines here. Gail is a deeply relatable protagonist—smart, blunt, and quietly vulnerable—while Max’s laid-back demeanor and sharp insights make him the perfect foil. Their dynamic crackles with history, affection, and unresolved tension, making every interaction a mix of humor and poignancy.

This novel is more than a story of family and weddings; it’s an exploration of resilience, reinvention, and the courage it takes to embrace life’s uncertainties. Tyler’s writing is tender and insightful, capturing the bittersweet realities of aging, the weight of past choices, and the liberating power of second chances.

Three Days in June is a heartfelt, bittersweet gem that will stay with you long after the final page. Anne Tyler’s ability to turn ordinary lives into extraordinary stories is on full display, making this a must-read for anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s too late to start over. Five stars, and a wholehearted recommendation for your reading list. Don’t wait—dive into this delightful and reflective tale now!

If you’re looking for a short potentially pallet, cleansing read, then three days in June might be good for you. Thank you @knopf & @prhaudio for my early reading & listening copies, of THREE DAYS IN JUNE, publishing February 11, 2025.

The story follows Gail Baines, a super awkward mom whose story drops us in media res for her daughter’s wedding and the day she loses her job.

As Gail navigates the shifting change for her as a mother, she is forced to confront her history with her ex-husband.

My favorite part of the story was definitely the cat that her ex-husband Max brought to her house. By far my favorite part!

Anne Tyler is one of my go-to authors. I think I've read every book she's published. This novel/novella is about a nuclear family on the day before their daughter's wedding, the day of the wedding, and the day after the wedding.

Gail Baines is assistant head mistress at a day school. She is asked to meet with the head mistress on her way home and is told that there will be a new head mistress coming in the fall and she will be bringing her own assistant. Her boss also tells her that her people skills are not great. Gail is stunned. She will be offered a position as a math teacher which is a step down from where she was.

When Gail gets home, she finds her ex-husband Max on her steps. Along with him is a cat he's fostering. They are on speaking terms but seem to withhold their feelings. Max is a teacher in a remedial program for math. Their daughter Debbie, a lawyer, is marrying the next day and neither Gail nor Max have been involved in the wedding planning. Though they apparently love their daughter, they do not readily show their emotions.

As this novel traverses the lives of these three characters, I was most taken by the lack of emotional sharing between them. So much was left unsaid which led to misunderstandings, sadness, and regret, I really enjoyed this book and was awed by how Ms. Tyler developed the characters by allowing the reader to see between the lines. Sometimes, what is left unsaid is the most revealing.

I thank Knopf and NetGalley for an Advanced Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have been reading Anne Tyler for most of my adult life because she was one of my late mother’s favorite authors. I often read her books with my mother in mind and imagine what my mother would think of the book. She would have loved it just as much as I did. The conversations between mothers and adult daughters were perfection. It is such a delicate balance of a mother letting go of managing a daughter’s life and Anne Tyler gets this so right.

The book is a snippet of the main character’s life spanning the day before her daughter’s wedding, the day of the wedding, and the day after the wedding. This isn’t a Father of the Bride family. This is a messy complicated loving modern day family. And it’s written as if you are catching up with an old friend and you ask her, “so, how was the wedding?” and you learn so many new things about your old friend.

Thank you to Knopf for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was given an advance reader copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Witty and charming this book does not disappoint.

While this book was not for me, I can totally see people loving this! I honestly have no real complaints whatsoever, I think I am just a little younger than the audience that this would appeal to, and it was difficult for me to relate to any of the characters and their struggles because of that.

Anne Tyler always promises quirky characters, ordinary circumstances, settings in Baltimore and a rare insight into life.
Three Days in June is set around Gail’s daughter, Debbie’s wedding. It takes place on the day before, the day of and the day after the wedding. Gail is an educator, who was just let go of her administrative position. The reason for her firing is that she lacks people skills. This theme continues throughout this quick story. Her ex-husband Max, arrives on her doorstep, unexpectedly , with a foster cat with him.
We learn that Gail isn’t invited to the ladies spa day the day before, and has little information about her only child’s upcoming wedding. I wonder if she hasn’t been included for any specific reason? That wasn’t made clear, but the reader can infer why. She and Max seem to fall into their old routines pretty quickly and it makes one wonder what will become of their relationship? Also, Debbie learns some disparaging information about Kenneth, and how will that play out?
Overall, Gail feels like an outsider throughout the story, and we are able to view through her how she reflects on the past, present and future. Anne Tyler never disappoints!
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC .

Gail's daughter is getting married and we get to go along the ride for the day before, the day and the day after the event. We learn the family dynamics and the drama of the present and the past.
This is a beautifully written short book, the characters felt too real and I really enjoy how we get to see the different opinions they have on marriage, infidelity and forgiviness.

This is the first Anne Tyler book I read and definitely not the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.