Wow this quick read will stick with me. I enjoyed this but my one wish is that I was hoping it would be longer

Three Days in June is a charming little slice-of-life novel centered around a family in the three days around the daughter’s wedding. Gail, the mother of the bride, is facing an upheaval at work, then returns home to discover that her ex-husband needs to stay with her since he unexpectedly brought a cat along for the wedding weekend (which the groom is allergic to). Forced into close quarters on an emotionally charged weekend, Gail does the best she can to support her daughter, contend with her past, and keep moving forward.

Tyler’s characters are messy, lovable, and real. Gail can be awkward (at best) and caustic (at worst) and her ex-husband Max is often a big-hearted doofus. As the story unfolds, we learn more about how these two apparent opposites got together and how their relationship ended.

It’s a funny and endearing novel; it packs an emotional punch without ever feeling manipulative. I love short novels when they are done well, and this one is a master class in accomplishing rich, complex storytelling in so few pages.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC to review.

On the eve of her daughter's rehearsal dinner, Gail's ex-husband Max roars into town. Arriving with a cat in tow, the interlopers take up residence in Gail's house. Their arrival threatens her resolve to remain detached.

Worming his way into her routine, Max reawakens a piece of her heart that she locked away after the dissolution of their marriage. Spending three together paves a path to their past. Will she be strong enough to make amends or hide from mistakes? Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #ThreeDaysinJune in exchange for an honest review.

Anne Tyler masterly weaves together the past with the present. While faded, the framework was once a loving marriage until loose threads frayed the stiches. Will their daughter's wedding 'address' a new beginning?

Such a beautiful story. I love how Tyler’s writing feels simple but she just says so much and can really tell a story. I felt very clear about the person that Gail was when I started the novel and then as it went on, finding more and more about her complexities just made me love her.

Gail’s inner (and not so inner) turmoil about Debbie’s decision to marry her husband after finding out he was (most likely) unfaithful was so relatable and a lovely demonstration of how hard it is for any parent to see a child make a decision they wouldn’t or not listening to their advice. It was great conflict.

I will always reading anything Anne Tyler writes. I feel at peace whenever I’m holding one of her books.

Gail is 61 and has been the long term assistant headmistress of a private girls school. She sees the world in black and white, and speaks her mind without perhaps thinking of the possible impact of her words.
On the date of her daughter's wedding rehearsal, she receives some unexpected work-related news that will shake up her world. And then her ex-husband shows up on her doorstep with a cat he's fostering and needing a place for them to stay for the wedding weekend.
Over the course of three days, we see Gail do her best to focus on her daughter's happiness, while reliving memories of her marriage and daughter's life growing up as a child of divorced parents.
I loved Gail's sensibilities and her ex-husband's quirky perspective. Three Days in June brings us the familiar scenes and perspectives of an Anne Tyler novel with a fresh storyline. It's always a comfortable and welcome place to return to.
Thanks to Netgalley and Alfred A. Knopf for the opportunity to read Three Days in June. I received a complimentary copy of the book and opinions expressed are completely my own.

I got about 30% in and just couldn't vibe with the FMC - she was a bit whiny for me, and at a different stage in her life, which normally would be fine but I just found her hard t relate to or root for.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is a story centered around the mother of the bride during a wedding weekend. It begins with her quitting her job, followed by her unexpected ex-husband’s arrival to stay with her, accompanied by his foster cat. Amidst this, she relives her entire affair with a coworker that ultimately led to her divorce. The story’s pace is slow, and despite being a wedding weekend, little significant events occur. Last year, my daughter got married, and it didn’t seem realistic to me how a wedding weekend typically unfolds. Even the father of the bride doesn’t arrive with a suit or tuxedo, which is simply absurd. Apparently, I’m quite alone in my rating; it appears that most people gave this book four or five stars. This makes me wonder if we read the same book?

I have been reading Anne Tyler's novels for years. THREE DAYS IN JUNE has become my favorite now. Previously THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST was the one that resonated and stayed with me. The movie adaptation of that book captured the tone and essence of the story.
THREE DAYS IN JUNE is set in Baltimore, of course, since that is the locale the author consistently uses. Longtime readers know there will be quirky characters in this and in her other character driven novels.
Gail Baines is having horrible day. She's told her job has been eliminated and she's too socially awkward for the management position she applied for. Totally blindsided and shocked, she leaves without even getting things from her office. When she arrives at home she finds her ex-husband on the doorstep with a cat and no suit for their daughter's wedding the next day. He has no where else to go because of the groom-to-be's allergies. Gail lets him in. She is feeling a little out of touch with the wedding since she hasn't been invited to the women's spa day the groom's mother had planned. To top things off, their daughter, Debbie, shares a secret that could affect the wedding plans. Debbie's secret causes Gail to look at her past and all that lead to a divorce.
Gail is certainly at a crossroads. Will she adopt the cat Max brought? At age 60 can she start over and perhaps teach math again? Is she strong enough to deal with huge changes?
The story does take place in just three days: the day before the wedding, the day of the wedding and the day after the wedding. The author lets us see how these characters were in the past and how they face the present. Yes, both Gail and Max are quirky. I didn't find Gail to be socially awkward. She just expresses herself honestly without much of a filter. She is worrier. I can relate to that since I did a lot of that when I was 60 and working full-time. Max wouldn't have ever been on my radar. He's a little too laid back and disorganized. I have learned to live with my husband's clutter over time.
If you are already an Anne Tyler fan, you are bond to love this book. If not, this book would be the perfect place to start. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishers for providing me with a digital copy for review. All thoughts are my own.

I've been looking forward to Anne Tyler's latest book and Three Days in June did not dissapoint! I love a main character who is imperfect and as you read and watch them grow it feel believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My first Anne Tyler book - explores the inner life of Gail, a socially awkward divorced mother whose only daughter is getting married. Not a lot happens, plot-wise, but I enjoyed the introspection and glimpse into this world.

This is the first Anne Tyler book I've read. I really enjoyed it, because I recognized myself in it! Ha!

Three Days in June literally takes place in the life of Gail, a socially awkward divorcee going through the day before her daughter's wedding, the day of and the day after.

I will be reading more of Anne Tyler!

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

Nothing is more perfect for the month of February than a novel about a wedding. They can be the most stress- inducing time for any family, with strangers suddenly becoming family. Not to mention all the out-of-town guests needing accommodation and the pressure to get everything perfect.

But this is an Anne Tyler novel. That means a few things going on. Firstly, it will be set in Baltimore. Secondly, not all will go as planned. Most importantly though, there will be strong characters who will undergo some kind of change.

I love that these protagonists are older and scarred. Gail has the kind of detachment that is an integral part of Tyler’s writing. She is the personification of “no nonsense”. She is accused of missing “people skills”. By the novel’s end though it is clear that it isn’t skills she is missing, but the right people.

Having marital secrets is a cornerstone of many of Tyler’s novels. The question of Kenneth’s infidelity casts a shadow on Debbie’s marriage. Early on it is clear infidelity also ended Gail and Max’s. Misidentification of the culprit adds a much appreciated twist. The two marriages also provide a generational compare and contrast and add much depth to this short work.

What could have been a comedic romp about wedding catastrophes or a statement of inlaw class differences reveals itself to be a resonating statement about the endurance of love and marriage. I hope this gets adapted eventually to be made into a film. A comparison to Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway is not unwarranted.

I highly enjoyed this novel (actually more of a novella given the length). It still reverberates through my head. As Tyler is a local writer to me, I would be remiss to not mention the many references to places and buildings. I even researched several. Her voice continues to be unique even after her many, many works.

"Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler is a touching and insightful novel about family, love, and second chances, unfolding over the day before, the day of, and the day after Gail’s daughter’s wedding. On the eve of the big day, Gail’s life is in chaos. Work is throwing unexpected challenges her way, and to make matters worse, her ex-husband, Max, appears unannounced at her doorstep—looking for a place to stay. As if that weren’t enough, he’s brought along an aging foster cat he picked up on a whim. Debbie learns a secret about her fiancé. A secret that may destroy the whole wedding. The family of three must come together to get through this. With Max’s presence rekindling long-buried emotions and a long-kept family secret coming to light, Gail finds herself navigating not just the wedding weekend but also the complexities of her past and the uncertainties of her future.
This book is heartfelt and engaging, Three Days in June is uplifting, lighthearted read, this one is well worth picking up! Thank to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

<b>The Short of It:</b>

Anne Tyler. Always a pleasure.

<b>The Rest of It:</b>

Gail Baines loses her job and then discovers that her bride-to-be daughter is in crisis mode. Something has happened to make her question her relationship. Because it’s the weekend of the wedding, Gail’s ex-husband Max is also in town and hits Gail up last minute for a place to crash, and he just happens to have a foster cat with him.

A wedding weekend filled with rehearsals and meals. The ex, well-liked but quirky and with a cat no less. Debbie. the bride-to-be, darting around busily as the wedding ensues. How can Gail rein this in? Can she? Is it even her place to do so?

Gail is a likable character. Not all that confident in her “mother-of-the-bride” status but she tries. She wants to do right by her daughter, and to remind her that if there are any doubts, that it’s okay to back out now. That it doesn’t matter that everyone has arrived for this thing. But then Gail is reminded of her own infidelity and how people can make mistakes and still be good people.

This is a whirlwind type of read. As a reader, you are invested in this story quickly and it’s tied up in much the same way, quickly. The writing is what earns stars here. Tyler’s characters always posses that quirky something-something that makes them interesting. I enjoyed it a lot. Almost felt it was too short.

For more reviews, visit my blog: <a href="http://bookchatter.net">Book Chatter</a>.

Gail Baines is the mother of the bride, Debbie. The day before Debbie's wedding Gail loses her job. Part of the feedback Gail receives in this conversation is that Gail is lacking people skills. As the three day weekend unfolds the reader gets to see the lack of people skills first-hand.

Gail claims she wasn't invited to the spa day Debbie's mother-in-law to be organized for the bride and bridal party. Yet a conversation with Debbie leads the reader to believe Gail missed a social cue at some point and could've been there. There are several instances in the story where Gail misses social cues and comes across as self centered.

This story is about the characters more than the plot. Gail grows some by the end of the book.

A lot can happen in 3 days! 3 days in June takes place over a long weekend; Friday is the rehearsal and dinner, Saturday is the wedding, and Sunday is the day after. But a lot can happen in 3 days! Family, memories, déjà vu. Honest, relatable, hopeful. I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the pace of this book.

Three Days in June follows Gail Baines over three days in which she loses her job, deals with her ex-husband, and sees her daughter married. Through the book, we learn of past secrets and how they weave into the character's lives. I would not say that any character was particularly likable for me, but I found myself wanting more for Gail. I wanted her to move past her insecurities and complacencies to embrace more for her life. Her struggle to find relevance and question the life she built felt realistic although frustrating at times.

Anne Tyler always scores when examining the complicated emotions of families. This book, covering the three days of her daughter’s wedding, end a terrible week for Gail Baines. Her daughter, Debbie, has excluded her from many of the bonding events of the wedding, seeming to favor her soon to be mother-in -law. To compound the issue, Gail’s ex husband Max arrives on her doorstep expecting g to be housed for the weekend.
Gail must navigate her emotions concerning her daughter and her ex to survive the big day. Gradually, she finds her peace and is able to support her daughter and navigate the emotions of her divorce and Max’s continued presence in her life.
Love Anne Tyler, and this one did not disappoint!

4.5 stars
I enjoyed Anne Tyler’s previous book and have been looking forward to Three Days in June. I had an advance copy of the ebook but wanted to wait so I could listen to J Smith-Cameron. It was worth it!
I find it refreshing to explore these first person books with character dives. It’s the same vibe as Elizabeth Strout’s books. Nothing much happens with the plot but we do get a glimpse of the character’s inner world. What fascinates me is that I finish these books and almost have more questions about what made them tick than during the book. The plot and pacing are simple but the main characters are so compelling!

ARC BOOK REVIEW

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
4 STARS

Thank you, Knopf, for the #free eARC of this book!

SYNOPSIS: “Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit.

But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past.

Told with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, Three Days in June is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers.”

REVIEW: This is my third book my Anne Tyler, and her writing never disappoints! Tyler’s writing is deliciously subtle but impactful. She has a unique talent for uncovering deep truths in the most ordinary moments.

The dialogue is both authentic and compelling, capturing the quirky ways families communicate. Private jokes and unspoken tensions are conveyed with such precision that it feels like you’re witnessing real interactions. It’s a testament to her mastery of human relationships. And in such a small package!

The characters, especially the ex-husband, are delightful and full of wisdom. Their playful banter adds a lightness to the story, while Gail’s reflections on her identity as a woman, wife, and mother provide depth. Her journey of self-realization is a key part of the book’s charm.

This book is an absolute treat. The story is rich with wit and emotional depth, leaving you thoroughly invested in the characters and their journey.

Publisher: Knopf
Pub date: OUT NOW!