Delighted to include this title in the February edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Anne Tyler is a great writer who tells stories that seem simple but delve into insights and recognizable truths to the reader.

This 200-page story about a middle-aged divorced couple, their past, and their soon-to-married daughter was a quick read that I found myself nodding along to, recognizing the universal need for love, self-doubt, fear of rejection, and a bit of snarkiness about the silly things some people do.

Gail was a likeable character who did annoying things at times, but don’t we all at some point. And she had a good heart and told things like they were (sometimes appropriately, sometimes not). I also loved the role the cat played in the novel. Max was a good contrast/foil for Gail.

I really enjoy these stories with older main characters and Anne Tyler’s easy to read, relatable style made this one a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Tagline: A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter's wedding.

This novella was an okay read for me. The characters of Gail( the mother), Max( ex-husband), and Debbie( daughter and bride) were not ones that I felt I could connect with. They drove me crazy. I cannot resist a good contemporary wedding tale where the parents are the ones who hold our attention. However, the urge to shake Gail was one that I couldn't overlook. It's certainly a me thing because this title has a whole whack of 4 and 5 stars.





Publication Date 11/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advance review copy of this novel.

I’ve been reading Anne Tyler’s books for twenty years: after my first, I searched and read all her earlier publications. And I have been entirely captivated by each of her novels since. Despite crafting new stories in fairly quick succession, her writing is always fresh and relevant and very affecting. Her characters are quirky, flawed human beings, endearing because who can’t identify with quirkiness? Most of all, who can’t identify with the hits and misses of everyday life, especially those that we had some part in bringing about.

In a novel of barely 200 pages, Tyler captures much more than the joys and tensions (mostly tensions) of a weekend in the life of 60 year old Gail Baines. This is the weekend of her only daughter’s wedding to a man from a wealthy and decidedly snobbish family, who have commandeered the wedding arrangements. An unassuming math teacher and school administrator, she is excellent at both, but her difficulties relating to people lead to her unexpected ‘early retirement’ right at that moment. Then, to her utter dismay, her ex husband appears at her door, with a cat left in his care, and a plea to stay with her because his future son in law is allergic to cats. And their daughter drops by with a bombshell announcement.

In her inimitable way, Tyler crisscrosses Gail’s past and present to show what brought about her divorce and the distance between her and her daughter. The self-knowledge and forgiveness that result are so very touching and believable.

Once again, Anne Tyler does not disappoint. Her latest novel is as delightful a read as her previous titles.

This book, detailing three days in the life of 61-year-old Gail Baines, begins on a Friday. The day is consequential for Gail: she learns she has been passed over for an expected promotion, her ex-husband Max and a fostered cat arrive on her doorstep, and her daughter Debbie shares a secret about Kenneth, the man she will be marrying the next day. Max’s visit, Debbie’s revelation, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding the next day leave Gail thinking back on her own marriage and how it came to an end.

As always, Tyler excels at characterization. Gail is eminently relatable, an ordinary woman with both flaws and positive traits. She’s an introvert who is not socially adept; she is told, “’social interactions have never been your strong point.’” She’s a perfectionist who cannot “settle for just okay.” She worries about everything. Max even teases her: “’Do you keep an itemized list of things to worry about? How do you remember them all?’” As befits her career as an educator, Gail lives a planned life: “I ached for it.” She tells Max, “’I don’t feel I have the option of just . . . trying out various random ideas and giving up if they don’t work out.’” It’s also obvious that she’s very sensitive to any perceived slight, like her daughter calling her in-laws before calling her. She gives the impression of competence, but her interior monologue shows her lack of confidence; she describes herself as “too inept, too uninformed. How come there weren’t any grownups around? Why did everyone just assume I knew what I was doing?”

Mild-mannered Max is very much Gail’s foil. He’s not practical like his ex-wife. He seems to have drifted or bumbled through life. He shows up for his daughter’s wedding without a suit. Unlike the judgmental Gail, he’s amiable and tends to see the best in people. It’s impossible to dislike Max and as the narrative progressed, I found myself liking him more and more.

The novel touches on the joys and heartbreaks of love, marriage, and family life. Tyler’s insightfulness cannot but impress. I found myself agreeing with many of her observations, like the one about a woman loving her husband “at least in the on-again-off-again, maybe/maybe-not, semi-happy way of just about any married woman” and the one about “married-couple conversations that continue intermittently for weeks, sometimes, branching out and doubling back and looping into earlier strands like a piece of crochet work.”

And as in other of Tyler’s books, there are touches of humour. In this case, the cat’s interactions with Gail cannot but bring a smile. As a former English teacher, I particularly enjoyed Gail’s correcting people’s grammar: “I decided against telling her that especial was almost not used anymore.” I chuckled at Max’s confusing Kegel pelvic floor exercises with “’doing geckos.’”

At less than 200 pages, this is a quick read, but its economy conveys so much. It may seem simple but it’s so masterfully crafted that nothing feels contrived. It’s an unpretentious but wise novel about imperfect but authentic and appealing people.

i liked it, i didn’t love it. something was missing for me where i wasn’t called to pick it up, and it took a little longer for me to get through this short book than i would like. the main character reminded me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant

It was an ok read. The book expands over 3 days of her daughter's wedding weekend. A solid 3 star for me.

4.25 stars

20+ years ago, I read a couple of Anne Tyler books and loved them. For no reason, i haven't read any of her books since then. Reading this novella reminded me of how much I had enjoyed those earlier books.

Lately, probably due to my age, I am really enjoying stores with an older female protagonist. This is is what first attracted me to this book. Although Gail is, at times, far from likeable, I connected with her. While reading, there were a couple of times in which I yelled at Gail, asking her to respond differently to the situation. At the same time, I could understand her hurt, confusion, sadness and yes, even her anger.

Although the book takes place over a short period of time - 3 days -, a family wedding is a perfect opportunity to explore family dynamics and Tyler does so in a toughing, humorous manner.

Quick read. Now i must return to Tyler's backlist and all the books I've missed.

I enjoyed the story of Gail. I think the book was the perfect length - any longer would be too long. With all the things that have gone wrong for Gail it was nice to see her have a happy ending. I think the story line about her daughter's fiancee could have been explored a bit more.

Anne Tyler's latest book is told from the point of view of Gail Baines over three days in June - the day before her daughter Debbie's wedding, the day of and the day after. The story opens with Gail walking out of the private school for girls where she is an administrator when she is passed over for a promotion because of her lack of people skills. When Gail arrives home, her ex-husband Max shows up on her doorstep with a foster cat in tow and in need of somewhere to stay for the wedding weekend. As they prepare for the rehearsal dinner, a secret relating to the groom threatens to derail the wedding and prompts Gail to consider her past.

Three Days in June is a sensitive portrayal of a woman leading an altogether ordinary yet interesting life. Even though the book is less than 200 pages long, the characters are well-developed - quirky yet relatable and endearing and Tyler deftly balances the touching and funny moments throughout. This short feel-good read is a thoughtful story about human nature - simple but beautifully crafted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Three Days in June is a captivating read that has you smiling, a tear or two, enpathy for Gail and an ending that is heartwarming.

Gail rashly quits her job that she loves the day before he daughter's wedding .

She is excluded from a spa day for daughter and her ex husband Max arrives on her doorstep looking for a place to stay for the wedding.

Gail and Max are both relatable and you cant help but love Gail, understand her and cheer her on.

The story revolves around three days but Anne Tyler packs alot into those three days.

I hated the book to end and its one I could reread though I seldom do that.

Three Days in June is one of my favourite Anne Tyler books and I highly recommend you spend a few hours with Gail and Max.

Told over the span of three days in the present but with flashbacks to the past, this was a quietly moving, insightful and at times humorous look into the ups and downs of a marriage. Great on audio narrated by J. Smith-Cameron and perfect for fans of authors like Katherine Heiny. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

CW: infidelity

Anne Tyler is back with a short tale of a quirky character over the course of three days. There are a few issues (how schools find administrators, names for some of the younger characters), but overall, I thought the story was a interesting slice of life from a complicated characters.

I feel like I just had a coffee and catch up with Anne Tyler! This novel reads more like a short story and a feel good warm fuzzy. Nothing overly challenging or unexpected, moves along at a soothing pace. Anne Tyler captures the nuances of human relationships in a lovely package and helps her readers to appreciate the day to day in a new way. If you are looking for a peaceful, enjoyable way to spend a few hours and you are a fan of Elizabeth Strout - you are the reader for this latest offering from a well established writer. Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

My 16th novel by Anne Tyler, and all time favourite author whose books I have been reading for years.

Three Days in June takes place exactly as the title suggests over the weekend of Max and Gail’s daughter’s wedding. Max and Gail have been divorced for twenty or so years and he shows up on this weekend unplanned with a cat and asks if he can stay at Gail’s place because he has learned that their son in law to be is allergic to cats and he was meant to stay there.

Tyler captures the everyday feelings in such a nuanced way. Nothing feels contrived or unlikely. Three Days in June could just as easy be a story a woman tells her friend over coffee. It is an interesting story with small details, past history affecting the present and uncomplicated characters.

If you are a fan of Ann Patchett and Elizabeth Strout or have enjoyed Tyler’s previous novels then I think this will be up your alley. This book is not for readers looking for a lot of plot. One day I will be a completist of her novels. I adore her.

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. Three Days in June publishes February 11, 2025. I suggest getting on what is surely to be a long waitlist at the library or better yet, preorder or pick up this book on pub day!

Loved this novella by one of my top ten favourite authors, Anne Tyler!

Gail and Max have been amicably divorced for over 20 years. Their daughter, Debbie, is getting married to her long-time boyfriend, Kenneth. Max was going to stay at Debbie's place but has to bunk with Gail because he is fostering a cat from a shelter that he volunteers for and Kenneth is allergic to cats. Gail is leery at first, but Gail and Max manage to share her small house without too much hassle. It was cute, actually, how well they got along and how the cat ingratiated itself into Gail's reluctant heart.

But all was not smooth traveling on the Debbie's road to wedded bliss: Debbie wanted a low-key, non-traditional wedding, but her mother-in-law-to-be had totally different plans and practically hi-jacked the entire event. Throw in a few unexpected curves - which I will not elaborate on for fear of spoilers - and you start to wonder if there will even be a wedding.

In the meantime, it appears that Gail and Max might be having their own version of a "Groundhog Day movie redo.... or is it all wishful thinking on Max's part?

I have my fingers crossed that Gail decides to live on the wild side!

What a great read: 5 out of 5 highly enjoyable stars! My thanks to the author, Anne Tyler, her publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the soon-to-be published (Feb 11, 2025) novel by one of my great favourites, whose every new book I’ve been reading now for—what?—40 years? (Yikes!)

As we know to expect from Anne Tyler, this is set in Baltimore and peopled by hapless, imperfect people in the throes of some kind of family crisis. Enter 61-year-old Gail Baines, who lacks people skills, according to the boss who suggests she’d be better suited to another line of work. (She’s assistant headmistress at a private school.) This comes as a shock to Gail, who’d been counting on taking over as headmistress upon her boss’ imminent retirement—and what the heck? She’s maybe blunt, but only straightforward, surely? Where does this “lack of people skills” thing come from, right out of left field? And that’s how Gail’s Friday begins, as she flounces away from her job and home to find her ex-husband on her doorstep, with an elderly foster cat in tow, expecting to be put up for the weekend, as he’s from out of town and their daughter is getting married the next day. Then we’re soon enmeshed in all the drama of the wedding, with serious last-minute tension between the bride-and-groom-to-be and Gail and ex-husband re-encountering all the things that they liked—and did not—about each other and their relationship. But wait! Are there still embers there? You’re definitely not going to hear that from me! You’ll have to read this thoroughly warm, wise and delightful book for yourself to see how this wedding weekend unfolds for all involved.

This is the first Anne Tyler novel that I've read, but I'll be on the lookout for more. Her characters are so real that reading this story feels like talking to your next door neighbor. It's a short novel and all the events take place over three days, but Tyler has managed to pack in an entire lifetime into it so seamlessly and with such charm that it's like slipping into a warm bubble bath. No one in this story is exceptional, not even the adopted cat -- but that's part of what makes the story exceptional.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Gail hosts her ex-husband Max for a few days around their daughter's wedding, although this is put in doubt by a revelation about the groom. I liked Gail and Max and the story of their marriage was poignant, although amidst the excellent characterization and dry humour, there was a lot that was mundane detail of every day life.

In some ways this felt like a really long short story.

This is the story of Gail Baines during the weekend of her daughter Debbie's wedding. It starts off with her quitting her job after being passed over for a promotion. She's also feeling a little left out of the wedding plans. Then her ex shows up at her house as an uninvited houseguest, with a foster cat, no less. Then Debbie shares an intimate detail with her parents that questions whether the wedding should go forward as planned.

This is a short book but as you can tell from the synopsis Tyler packs a lot into it. Gail has a lot to deal with over these three days in June. I love the way Tyler writes about ordinary life. I felt like I was reading about a friend telling me her deepest thoughts and concerns. How the author developed so much of a story into so few pages and did it with such skill is beyond me.

I think any reader especially those of a certain age can relate to Gail and as usual, Tyler writes a wonderful story about a family and one woman's place in it. Gail's expectations of the family and the family's expectations of each other. How can you not love an Anne Tyler book? It's filled with humour, sensitivity and love. It's about the ups and downs of life and how everything can still turn out okay even in the downs. All. The. Stars.