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!

Gail’s life is not what she thought it would be at this point in her life-she may or may not be out of a job, her daughter is getting married and her ex husband has turned up at her door with a cat and needs to stay with her until the wedding. The story takes place over the course of 72 hours and shows Gail going through the emotions as she deals with all of this amd looks back at her life and forward to what her life as the mother of the bride and someone’s mother in law.
This was a novella that had a lot going on but at the same time it didn’t feel cohesive. It kind of went all over the place and never really landed. I wanted to enjoy it but the main character was so negative it was hard to like her.
It wasn’t bad, but it had the potential to be more than it was.
Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Anne Tyler is one of my favorite authors because of the way she writes her characters. They truly come off the page and stay with you long after the story is done. The book spans the wedding of Gail's daughter and all of the chaos that surround her life during that short time. Gail is such a unique character and although she is meant to be awkward or even strange to those around her, I found myself really caring about her. This is an emotional story about relationships, family, and finding yourself. All of that is a very short book, under 300 pages! That is the power that Anne Tyler brings to the page. I really loved this short, sweet read. Thanks to Anne Tyler, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is a poignant and humorous novel that captures the complexities of family dynamics and personal growth. The story centers around Gail Baines, a socially awkward mother of the bride, who faces a series of unexpected challenges in the days leading up to and following her daughter Debbie’s wedding.

Gail’s life takes a chaotic turn when she loses her job, her ex-husband Max shows up unannounced, and Debbie reveals a shocking secret about her fiancé. Tyler’s writing is filled with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, making the characters’ struggles and triumphs feel authentic.

The novel explores themes of love, marriage, and family life with a keen eye for detail and a warm, engaging narrative style. Gails journey of self-discovery and the rekindling of old relationships are beautifully portrayed, make this a touching and memorable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf,Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor publishing for the advanced copy

<I>Three Days in June</i> is a short story centered around the 3 days of Gail's daughters wedding - the day before, the day of and the day after. Gail is described as an awkward women with undesirable people skills, even though she has worked as a teacher and school administrator for her whole career. I found the story to be very old fashioned and odd. As the mother of the bride, she had zero part in the wedding. She was not present during her daughter's day of beauty and showed up to the wedding as if she was any other guest. This was her only child. Wouldn't she want to be more involved? I also had to keep reminding myself that this was set in modern day United States (2023) and not an uptight european country. This story just missed the mark for me. I suppose I wasn't the right audience for it.

Story is told by Gail, mother of the bride (Deb) over the day before, of and after the wedding. Gail is having a bad few days: her job, her ex husband planning on staying with her and brings a cat, her relationship with her daughter, the wedding.

First, I can’t believe this is the first book I’ve read by this author. The writing is excellent, one could definitely feel everything the characters were going thru. I enjoy reading about characters close to my age. However, I couldn’t relate to Gail. I found her annoying. While she did stick up for herself in certain ways, her lackadaisical attitude toward other things drove me crazy. Max, was a little too laid back for my liking, although I found him more loving than Gail. Debbie was a cross between her parents. It was good this was a novella that I should have read in one sitting, I found myself totally uninterested and bored. The ending left me unsatisfied.

Thanks to Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

It's a real treat having a new book by Anne Tyler to read!! Her descriptions allow the reader to see, hear, and feel the characters' every emotion. I savor some of the more unusual descriptions - the ones that I never would have thought of to use but are absolutely perfect in bringing a scene to life. The characters in Tylers' books are always realistic and interesting. Her stories are much more about character development than plots. I feel like I've crawled inside the characters and see the story unfolding from their viewpoint.

The story is a simple and common one yet it's very enjoyable to watch it unfold. That's the magic of Anne Tyler

A woman, her ex-husband, her daughter and a wedding.

Gail is getting ready for her daughters wedding. Her ex shows up and wants to stay.

I felt as though this is the same story that the author has told time after time. Well written but too much of the same

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Anne Tyler has this incredible ability to make a short novel feel absolutely full—like stepping into a warm, well-loved room where every inch holds meaning, every detail matters. There’s no empty space, no fluff—just rich, layered storytelling that pulls you in completely.

The characters were so wonderfully human—quirky in the way real people are, flawed but endearing, sharp yet tender. I felt like I knew them, like I’d had conversations with them before. The balance between their interactions and the main character’s inner world was seamless, every moment tongue-and-grooved together with such skill that I never wanted to leave.

The ending was perfect. Bittersweet, honest, and deeply moving in a way that lingers long after you turn the last page. This book wrapped itself around me, and I loved every minute of it.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. It was fast reading, and I finished it quickly. Maybe I've been reading too many thrillers lately, but I had hoped there would be more to the plot in this book, the story of divorced spouses who spend a weekend together to celebrate their daughter's wedding.

I tried to relate to the characters, but I didn't find them to be relatable, and I didn't find them believable. Both ex-spouses were teachers, yet they spoke in a very informal, very casual manner -- not like any teachers I've ever known. And what's with the "is all" added to so many of the things that Gail, the female protagonist says?

I also find it highly unlikely that in 2023, when the book takes place, any woman about to get married who finds out that her fiance only days before slept with someone else would just forget about it and marry the guy. That is simply not credible in this day and age, and the fact that Debbie (the daughter) went through with her marriage makes her look needy and dependent. Since she's an attorney, that's not believable either.

I found myself wanting at the end for just a bit more plot, a bit more character development -- some kind of suspense or surprise or plot twist. All were missing.

Three Days in June is classic Anne Tyler—well written, emotional, deeply human, and yet somehow also lighthearted. The story follows Gail Baines through the day before, the day of, and the day after her daughter’s wedding. As she navigates the wedding chaos, including comforting her daughter over a secret about the groom, Gail reflects on her own marriage and how it all fell apart.

Gail is a relatable and introspective character, and I genuinely enjoyed following her story. With Gail, Tyler does what she does best: showcase the joys and flaws of being human and how our perspectives shift over time.

This isn’t an action-packed page-turner, but it’s a quick read that keeps you invested because you care about these characters. I found Three Days in June to be an entertaining story about family relationships that feels personal and real.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the advanced reader's copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I wish I knew how to successfully review any book by Anne Tyler but I unabashedly admit to failing miserably. I just know that I have read most of her books and enjoyed each one. Her stories are simple, inhabited by easily recognizable personalities, and therein lies the difficulty. I know them, I understand how they behave and what they think and say and in that very ordinary way she has of explaining how we met our “other person”, well what is left to be said?!

Anne Tyler is a treasure whose writing always strikes me as true and honest. Thanks to Alfred A Knopf and NetGalley for a much appreciated and enjoyed copy.

@aaknopf | #partner There’s no denying it, Anne Tyler is a national treasure and she’s done it again with her newest novel, 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘. I’ve been reading Tyler for decades. Some of her books I like more than others, but she always delivers with rich stories and interesting characters, navigating both relationships and life. Many, many of her books I’ve truly loved, including 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 (winner of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction), 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 and SO many more! Really, if you don’t know Tyler’s work, she’s one to explore. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 follows Gail, a 61-year old divorced woman, on the day before, the day of, and the day after her only daughter’s wedding. Gail tends toward social awkwardness, reminding me a bit of Olive Kitteridge. She’s nervous about many aspects of the wedding, but oh, how she loves her daughter. Both complicating and enriching the wedding weekend is her ex-husband Max, who ends up staying at Gail’s home because of a cat. (Yes, you read that correctly.) With everything going on, Gail is left considering much about her life, past, present, and future.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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This is a slim little book at only 176 pages and I flew through it, but didn’t realize until I’d finished, just how much I liked Gail. With her wry sense of humor and unflinching honesty, Gail managed to worm her way into my heart. I’m betting she’ll do the same for many other readers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫⁣⁣⁣⁣
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“𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.”

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I'm honestly not sure what to make of this book. It all just happened and it was all so matter of fact. I never got the impression we really got to know Gail or how she felt about anything that happened over the course of her weekend. Yet I find myself continuing to think about this book albeit in an effort to better understand what the author was trying to tell.

I do understand that with a novella, there's only so much time to tell a story. At the same time, there were details that could have been spared to give us at least some insight. Perhaps that was the point, given Gail's personality.

Three Days in June covers the day before, the day of, and the day after the narrator’s daughter’s wedding. This short book feels longer than the short length actually is, and that’s a good thing! I am often times left wanting with novellas, but Anne Tyler gave us fully developed characters along with a complete plot in only 156 pages. The author did leave me with questions, but that was intentional, I’m sure. I’m left pondering those questions which keeps drawing my thoughts back into the story, something that’s not easy for me when I’m on to the next book after finishing one. With the short length, I don’t feel like I can say much more about this one without spoilers.

Rating:
I really liked it

What you’ll find:
Maryland setting
Exploration of marriage
Results of past mistakes

This short novella is packed full of family drama. Surrounding her daughters wedding, the story takes place over 3 days. The mother of the bride Gail is a bit awkward and things get complicated when her ex-husband Max shows up with a cat and nowhere to stay. Family insecurities, secrets, doubts all come out in the 3 days.

This book would have been a nice slice of life novella if any of the characters were worth knowing. I found none of the characters likable which would be fine if they were interesting which they weren’t. Anne Tyler is a talented writer but this one missed the mark for me.