I'm sure her fans will love it. I found it dull and I didn't like the main character. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Anne Tyler has a unique gift for transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary, drawing out the richness in the smallest details of everyday life.

In Three Days in June, Tyler focuses on Gail Baines over a span of three days, as she navigates a personal and professional crisis. As the day of her daughter Debbie’s wedding approaches, Gail is also confronted with a number of challenges at work and in her relationships. The novel unfolds across three key moments—the day before the wedding, the day of, and the day after—each offering new insights into Gail’s complex inner world.

Gail’s lack of social skills is a key part of the story, explaining, in part, why she’s passed over for a promotion at the school where she works. On top of that, her ex-husband, Max, unexpectedly shows up with a mysterious foster cat of unknown origin, adding to the unpredictable nature of the days leading up to the wedding. And just when things seem to settle, a shocking revelation about Debbie’s fiancé, Kenneth, throws another curveball into the mix.

With her signature blend of humor and insight, Tyler crafts a story that doesn’t rely on dramatic twists or high-stakes events, but instead on the quiet, often humorous, and always perceptive moments of everyday life. It’s a deeply observant portrait of the ordinary made extraordinary—a reminder that the smallest moments can be the most meaningful.

I am such an Anne Tyler fan and have been since the first of her books that I read so many years ago. Three Days in June is no different. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is no action, no suspense, no murders going on, just an enjoyable story about a wedding weekend and characters with human flaws.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Three Days in June. It was great!

I am being generous and giving this book 3 stars for the fact that it was simple and not full of page fillers to make it longer. I felt more depressed reading this than anything else. My enjoyment was the cat. Even the wedding seemed odd to me. I see that this has a lot of great reviews so please read them, this book was just not for something that hit me like it did for them, unfortunately.

A quick read at only 176 pages, but impactful. It's a slice of life story, about perfectly imperfect people. There is no great drama or angst, no deep dark secrets (okay, maybe a little secret), but it's just a cozy, comfortable read that makes you feel good.

Such a great book, characters, plot and just great interactions. The emotional rollercoaster you go on is one that you can truly relate to, social awkwardness, overtly emotional but yet loving and caring . A great read!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Three Days in June" and all opinions expressed are my own. Although this was a quick read, it really wasn't for me. I didn't feel anything for the characters or the story.

hank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Three Days in June is a quick read about a socially awkward mother whose daughter is getting married one weekend in June. Forced to host her ex-husband for the weekend Gail reminisces on her marriage to Max and hopes better things for her daughter.

I loved reading about Gail and Max's marriage and seeing how it all fell apart. You also figure out how their marriage affected their daughter, Debbie. Moreover, she seems to misunderstand what happened and makes assumptions about her parents' relationship. Consequently, when Debbie tells Gail and Max a secret about her future husband, the broken family tries to help navigate a way through. All of them with their ideas of how to handle the situation.

This book is filled with a beautiful sense of humor that subtly helps this novel tackle serious issues. It is a bittersweet story with a hopeful ending. You'll root for Gail and Max to reconnect knowing it's not likely.

This was my first book by Anne Tyler, and I understand why she is a Pulitzer Prize winner. Although short, it is filled to the brim with details and nuances. I will be reading more from Anne Tyler.

I had never read a book by Anne Tyler so I was very excited to see that the book was on NetGalley and I could request to read an ARC. I did not care for this book at all - I gave it 25% and then gave up. Three Days in June tells the story of Gail, whose only daughter is getting married and things are not going well for her at all. Unfortunately, I didn't care for any of the characters and I found the story line uninteresting and quite dull, to be honest, as well as depressing. I'm sure there are many who will love this book but it went into my "did not finish" stack of books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I found Three Days in June to be a moderately interesting novel. It was my first Anne Tyler book, so I didn't knnow what to expect.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Three Days In June is a clever novella that chronicles Gail, a socially awkward mother of the bride, during the day before, the day of, and the day after her daughter's wedding. As she unexpectedly finds herself sharing a sleepover with her ex-husband and sitting next to her college boyfriend at the reception, these three days are filled with memories, confusions, and reflections on what lies ahead. I highly recommend this quick read. Thank you, @netgalley and @aaknopf and Anne Tyler for the ARC. Out on Feb 11, 2025.

A tender, quietly moving gem.

Gail Baines, the sixty-one-year-old mother of the bride at the at the center of the three consecutive days in June that give this novel its title, has just suffered a professional setback, is not invited to her only daughter‘s pre-wedding pampering, and then her ex-husband shows up with a fostered cat in tow and needs a place to stay for the duration of the wedding festivities. Needless to say, Gail‘s day is not going great, and what follows is a tender, quietly moving but still often humorous exploration of one woman‘s place in her own family, and in life, as everything around her seems to change.

This gem of a novel, bittersweet yet indisputably hopeful, may be short, but don’t be fooled by its relatively small page count: it packs more life into its pages than many tomes ever could. Anne Tyler’s writing is exquisite, Gail, acutely aware of her social awkwardness, is an endearing protagonist you cannot help but root for, and the novel’s universal themes - loss, forgiveness, family, and the unmistakably human desire to belong - contribute to three seemingly ordinary days being turned into an extraordinary book. I loved every page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„Three Days in June“ is slated to be released on February 11, 2025.

Knopf eARC
This was my first Anne Tyler, and I understand why she's beloved. Gail's day started bad and only got worse. I liked how with this three day plot, the character's were so vivid - and unlikable at times. For me, I thought it did feel dated and didn't expect it to be set in modern times, which I think is what threw me the most. Gail was so deeply flawed and human, and I think Tyler did a great job of examining the nuances of being a human who makes mistakes. Overall, this was thought provoking and I'll have to check something else out by this author.

This was such a delightful read! I’ve never read Anne Tyler before, but this book was refreshingly light and engaging. Set around a family wedding in June, the story captures all the complex, sometimes humorous relationship dynamics that can arise during big family events.

For my first Anne Tyler novel, this was a lovely, quick read and a refreshing change from my usual genre. Tyler’s storytelling is so easygoing yet full of heart—it’s the perfect book when you’re looking for something thoughtful but not heavy. Highly recommend for a pleasant, feel-good story!

Such a lovely story about a rigid perfectionist who must grapple with her lost job, her daughter's wedding, her ex-husband's presence in her home, and a cat, all during three eventful days in June. As with all of Tyler's books, the characters are eminently relatable and the writing is calm and precise. I lovingly recommend this book for anyone who has ever had to confront themselves as others see them.

Anne Tyler’s writing never disappoints. The characters are developed subtly but clearly, and the interactions between the three main characters as they go through a wedding — including last-minute jitters and emotions — deepen and confirm the reader’s sense of each person. I was with them until the novel’s last paragraphs, which didn’t ring true to the protagonist I was reading. May need to reread this short story to see what I missed, but not sure it would make a difference.

This was the nicest read. I’ve never read Anne Tyler before but this was a refreshing, light and pleasant story. This was centered around a family wedding taking place in June, and all the things that could happen relationship dynamic wise surrounding a wedding. Certainly won’t be my last Anne Tyler.

In "Three Days in June," Anne Tyler once again proves herself a master of finding extraordinary meaning in life's ordinary moments. This slim but potent novel follows Gail Baines through a pivotal weekend as she navigates her daughter's wedding, an unexpected career shift, and the surprise appearance of her ex-husband Max—complete with a mysterious foster cat in tow.

Tyler's genius lies in her ability to craft deeply authentic characters, and Gail Baines stands among her finest creations. Self-described as lacking "people skills," Gail is far more complex than her surface-level awkwardness suggests. Her tendency to speak unfiltered truths and overthink every situation makes her both endearing and frustratingly real. When she loses (or quits) her job at a Baltimore school after being passed over for promotion, we feel both her indignation and her uncertainty about whether she's made the right choice.

The novel's compressed timeline—three days surrounding daughter Debbie's wedding—creates a perfect pressure cooker for examining family dynamics, second chances, and the weight of unspoken truths. When Debbie shares a shocking revelation about her fiancé Kenneth, it forces both Gail and Max to confront their own past while deciding how best to support their daughter. Tyler handles this crisis with characteristic subtlety, avoiding melodrama in favor of nuanced emotional authenticity.

What sets this book apart is Tyler's masterful balance of humor and poignancy. Max's unexpected arrival with a foster cat becomes both a source of comedy and a catalyst for deeper connections. The secondary characters, from the well-meaning but overwhelming mother of the groom to the direct-speaking wedding photographer, are sketched with economy and precision, each adding essential colors to the emotional palette of the story.

At its heart, "Three Days in June" explores how we navigate life's transitions, both planned and unexpected. Through Gail's eyes, we examine questions about second acts in life, the nature of marriage, and whether it's ever too late to take chances. Tyler suggests that sometimes the most significant growth happens not in dramatic moments but in small decisions: whether to keep a cat, return to teaching math, or look at an old relationship with new eyes.

The novel's brevity (under 200 pages) showcases Tyler's ability to pack profound emotional depth into a compact space. Every scene serves multiple purposes, advancing the plot while revealing character and threading through the book's central themes about connection, change, and the courage to begin again.

Minor quibbles might include the somewhat rushed resolution of certain plot threads, but these are overshadowed by the overall emotional satisfaction of the story's conclusion. Tyler demonstrates that even at 82, she hasn't lost her touch for capturing the beautiful messiness of family life and the quiet courage it takes to face each day's challenges.

For longtime Tyler fans, "Three Days in June" will feel like a welcome visit with a beloved author at the height of her powers. For newcomers, it serves as an excellent introduction to her signature style of transforming everyday life into something magical and profound. This is a book that reminds us that sometimes the most extraordinary stories are the ones happening right next door.

Thank you to Net Galley for an early copy. I am a long time fan of Anne Tyler and her slow burn stories full of ordinary people and the beauty of every day life.

This very short novel just didn’t hit for me. This feels like it should have been a short story or novella. I also admit I prefer likeable characters and there weren’t any that I really liked. I am also honestly getting tired of the odd quirky older female character.

The book has high ratings so I am quite certain it will find its audience, but unfortunately I am not a fan of this latest by a beloved author.

When I pick up an Anne Tyler book, I imagine I'll find at least one eccentric character and another who loves that character in spite of-- or because of-- some of those traits. In "Three Days in June," Gail, the overtly eccentric character (in my opinion), is divorced from Max.

Imagine Gail's surprise at seeing him at her house. After all, she knew she would be seeing him that weekend because their daughter was getting married. But why is he at her house? And why is he carrying, of all things, a cat carrier?

I felt so at home in this book. Gail and Max seemed like people I might know. I thought there was probably more to their story than what they were admitting.

Anne Tyler doesn't tell the reader everything. But when in life do we actually find out everything about someone else's situation? We could snoop, or even ask directly (gasp!), but I think most often we just never learn the answer.

Read "Three Days in June" if you'd like to spend time with some wonderfully-written characters, or if you're looking for a home away from home for a while. Goodness, read all the Anne Tyler books! They are worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read "Three Days in June." This is my honest review.