Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is a warm, witty, and deeply human story that captures the chaos and tenderness of family life. The story unfolds over a wedding weekend, as 61-year-old Gail—recently laid off and bracing herself for her daughter’s big day—grapples with unexpected guests, including her ex-husband, who shows up uninvited with a cat.

Tyler’s writing is full of charm and sharp emotional insight. Gail’s inner voice is both funny and heartfelt, and the family dynamics feel messy in a very real, relatable way. It’s a short read, but it manages to say a lot about love, change, and the strange beauty of growing older.

If you enjoy character-driven stories with emotional depth and subtle humor, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Three Days in June is the story of Gail, a 61-year-old mother of the bride, who's facing a few life challenges, in the three days before, during, and after her daughter's wedding. A quick yet satisfying read, this 4-star tale is very much recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alfred A. Knopf Books for the advanced reader copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

Absolutely delightful story, told over the span of three days, about a divorced couple preparing for their daughter's wedding. I adore Anne Tyler's writing, she does a beautiful job crafting her characters so that as you read her books, you feel as if you've known them your whole life. Her subtle details about their life experiences are so well done and relatable--I always find myself nodding and saying, "Yes that's just how I feel about that too." I love that her heroines have flaws and heartache. I enjoy her skill with dialogue most of all. Highly recommend.

Three Days in June is a quiet novel, beautifully written. I suspect it’s highly relatable for anyone who’s ever gotten married, had kids, or had their children get married. Unfortunately, none of those apply, and I struggled to connect with the story- but I can definitely see how others would.

Thank you Anne Tyler, Knopf, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wonderful family story about divorced parents who come together for the wedding of their only daughter. During the pre-wedding celebrations, rehearsals and the wedding day itself, the parents discuss the transformation in their daughter, while sharing moments of reflection and pride to those that once contributed to the breakdown of their own marriage.
Thank you to Netgalley, Knopf and the Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Three Days in June is quintessential Anne Tyler where she explores human emotions and experiences during a transition in life with her brilliant microscopic lens. A true slice of life story.

Gail and her ex-husband, Max, come together for their daughter’s (Debbie) three-day wedding weekend. While Max seems ready to embrace the next stage for Debbie, Gail is at a crossroads with this time period in her life. She feels unanchored in her career, her personal life, and most of all, in her relationship with Debbie. She contemplates past decisions in relation to her marriage and divorce as the weekend events trigger memories. To complicate matters, something has transpired between Debbie and her soon-to-be groom, Kenneth, which leaves Gail unsure what motherly advice to give.

Tyler brings levity to an otherwise serious subject and the cast of characters are fully drawn out as only she can do. Although short, the book is very thorough in the completeness of the story. The weaving in of Gail's flashbacks works so well and ties into the present seamlessly. I highly recommend this book for those looking back on their life as they enter into the future, wanting to ensure they chose and are choosing the right path for them. In the end, revisiting the past is not always a terrible thing, especially if reconciliation with it leads to a hopeful, newfound future.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and interesting subject but nothing that was life changing. I would recommend.

For Anne Tyler fans, what a treat that she's still writing, and that her themes are as resonant as ever.

🌶️ HOT TAKE: A wedding book where the mother of the bride takes the cake.

🧶 THE SUMMARY:
Gail’s daughter is getting married this weekend and for most mothers, that would mean a to-do list a mile long. But this wedding is a small affair, just immediate family. And Gail’s daughter hasn’t needed her as much as she’d thought, so when she asks for Gail’s help wrangling her ex husband, how could she say no?

💁🏻‍♀️ MY THOUGHTS:
🔸 This is a perfect example of book that on the surface, is about very little, but is so emotionally layered. I loved the heartbreaking feeling of knowing the characters are suppressing such emotion and being able to read the subtext of their actions thanks to our omnicience. And after I finished, I found myself liking this book more and more.

🔸 So many of the books I’ve read about wedding weekends are about a scandal amongst the wedding party or family drama that derails the event. And don’t get me wrong, there was drama in this book, but the effect is a much softer storyline, one that celebrates accepting people as they are and challenges the idea that only the bride deserves a happily ever after. Loved this one!

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.

Three Days in June brings Anne Tyler’s signature style to a story packed with potential: a frazzled mother of the bride, an unexpected visit from an ex-husband (cat in tow), and a last-minute secret that could derail a wedding. It’s a premise ripe with emotion and tension, and Tyler approaches it with her usual warmth, wit, and sensitivity.

Gail Baines is a relatable protagonist—flawed, overwhelmed, and trying her best amid the chaos. The dynamic between Gail and Max is the emotional core of the novel, offering glimpses of tenderness and regret that feel honest and earned. Tyler excels in capturing the quiet complexities of family life and long-term relationships.

That said, while the writing is undeniably elegant, the plot itself unfolds with a muted pace. The central conflict, though compelling, feels underdeveloped, and some emotional beats don’t land as powerfully as they could. Readers who enjoy Tyler’s slower, character-driven narratives will appreciate the nuance, but those looking for more dramatic payoff may be left wanting.

Overall, Three Days in June is a gently told story about love, regret, and second chances. It didn’t fully grab me, but there’s still much to admire in Tyler’s craftsmanship and insight.

This is a short,quick read about three days in the life of the protagonist, Gail, surrounding the wedding of her daughter. Day One is the day before the wedding when she finds herself without a job anymore and having her ex-husband show up looking for a place to stay. Day Two is the actual day of the wedding and Day Three, the day after the wedding. If this description makes the book sound boring, that’s because it is pretty boring for the most part. Fortunately, the reader is given some interesting background information through Gail’s stream of consciousness. The nice thing about literary fiction is good character development and we definitely get to know both Gail and Max. While Gail has a somewhat checkered past, both she and Max appear to lead fairly “ho-hum” lives in their middle age. I found myself feeling sorry for Gail around her ineptness at helping with the wedding and dealing with social situations. Thankfully, the book was short because it was really more than I wanted of a pretty boring three days.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

This was a quick but interesting, slice of life read. The plot wasn't particularly exciting, but it held my attention throughout. The characters and their actions were realistic and relatable. Part of me felt like it would've been more interesting if there had been multiple perspectives (I kept thinking something was going to happen with the groom's sister). I liked the story overall though and thought it was worth reading as long as you're not expecting something really dramatic or thrilling.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

An easy read and interesting (and short) enough for me to finish, but a little slow for my tastes. I think there's a particular type of reader who will really love it though.

Fun and short read by Anne Tyler. I enjoyed "Three Days in June," especially the relationships between the main characters. As always, Tyler is an engaging author who hits the mark.

I didn't expected to love these charaters when I first started this book but I grew so fond of the relationships in this book I didn't want the story to end. The way the relationship develops over just a few days is so heartfelt and warm. Would highly recommend!

In my quest to keep branching out and reading new to me authors this year, I requested this ARC from Netgalley because it sounded quite intriguing.

Even though it was a very short read, it took me several days to finish. I just couldn’t engage with the story. I didn’t particularly like Gail, or her ex-husband or even her daughter, who I felt the most compassion for after finding out what she reveals to her parents. But she still went through with the wedding so now I don’t care much about what happens to her either.

I feel very down the middle on this one. I didn’t enjoy it, really, but I didn’t hate it to where I would rate it as one star. All I can say for Gail is, I’m sure glad she made it through those three days.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Gail walked out on her job this morning, taking nothing with her. Driving home, she wonders briefly what has she done, but she has always soldiered on and will continue to do so. Her only child, a daughter, is getting married this weekend and Gail has been pushed aside by her daughter and the groom's mother. Left out of all the planning, perhaps because Gail is brusque and lacking in tact and interest in the finer things. She's not even getting her hair done. Her ex-husband appears on her doorstep looking for a place to stay - and he brought the cat he is fostering. What to do? Gail really does want her daughter to be happy - she just doesn't know how to tell her or show her that she cares deeply for her.

As only Anne Tyler can tell a story, she brings these characters to life and they become relatable.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf, in exchange for a review.

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Anne Tyler’s books, and while Three Days in June still had her signature warmth and insight into everyday lives, it wasn’t my favorite. The story unfolds over just a few days, and while the characters were well-drawn and relatable, the pacing felt slower than usual, and the emotional stakes didn’t pull me in quite as strongly as her other novels.

That said, Tyler’s writing is always lovely—observant, gentle, and full of quiet truths. I appreciated the subtle shifts in the characters' relationships and how even the smallest moments were given weight. It’s still a worthwhile read, especially for longtime fans, but for me, it didn’t quite reach the level of her best work.

I don’t have much to say about this one but…

This was a short read with tidbits of humor I enjoyed, but ultimately I didn’t feel any sort of connection to this book—there was no plot; it was just cranky old people rambling.

No hate to the author EVER! This just wasn’t the right read for me.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

Anne Tyler's newest book is the story of three days, a weekend really, in the life of Gail Baines. But oh what a weekend! It begins on Friday morning when the headmistress of the school where Gail serves as assistant head mistress calls her into the office to let her know that not only will she not be selected as the next headmistress, but she is to be replaced in her current position. Gail walks out dumbfounded and retreats home to prepare for her daughter's wedding to find her ex-husband has claimed a spot at her condo for the weekend, bringing along a cat he is fostering. Nothing that happens over the next days are what you would expect, not even the toasts at the wedding, but when you finish the book you will feel that Gail is a good friend, deserving the best that life can offer. This is a story worth reading and sharing with others