
Member Reviews

Three Days in June follows Gail who is a woman who is an assistant to the headmistress of a private school. Gail is in her 60s and has spent most of her career in the education industry. The story starts out with her getting some really hard news on the same day as her daughters wedding rehearsal. This news sends her down a journey of past mistakes and how her view of herself altered her own decisions. This book is a character study into how Gail handled mistakes and how she almost unwittingly punished herself for said mistakes. I think the way this author focuses on redemption at any age while also focusing on the messaging of how life is about choices is powerful. We are not set on a rigorous path from our 20s, 30s or 40s. Life is one big opportunity. I enjoyed this book and would recommend.

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. At only 176 pages I was worried it would be underdeveloped, but that could not have been further from the truth. It was the perfect amount of pages to tell the story. I love how Anne Tyler writes about real people with real issues, and I was able to connect with all of the main characters in a different way. The ending was very satisfying.
I would recommend this to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC!

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler tells the story of Gail Baines and her daughter Debbie who is getting married. The story line covers the day before, the day of, and the day after. A very different subject for a story (covering the 3 days) which intrigued me. I wasn’t a fan of the main character, Gail and some of her choices. Although she did have some good lines in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the digital arc! This was my first Anne Tyler book and I was not disappointed! I found myself really frustrated with the characters and their lack of communication skills but I realized I felt this way because these characters felt like friends! So much could have been healed and resolved by simply talking to one another and being honest but like with most things in life, it can never be that simple. This story, and the characters, felt real and complicated and slightly heartbreaking.

I really liked Anne Tyler's previous book, 'A Spool of Blue Thread', but this one just was not as compelling. It's a slow character study of Gail Baines, in the days leading up to her daughter's wedding, and afterwards. Passed over for a promotion at work due to her 'lack of social skills', she's in a bit of a funk when her ex-husband shows up with a cat and asks to stay with her for the duration of the wedding. She always had a good relationship with her ex so finds this annoying and perhaps comforting at the same time as she bonds a bit with the new pet. Soon Debbie, their daughter, has a crisis right before the wedding regarding her husband which makes her question if she should marry him at all. This is the compelling event that takes Gail back to the cause of her divorce and makes her relive some of her decisions leading up to her current situation. It's a very slow book, that is just a description of the everyday occurrences of current life and your past, and how that has shaped the future. You want to continue on, to see how it ends, but I just wasn't as invested as much as I've been with her previous books.

I read this a few weeks ago, and have tried to decide why I only gave this book four stars. I think my expectations of this author led me to believe better of the Three Days in June. The family story was not a light or supportive telling, and I was hoping to find something that made me feel better about the family. The fact that I didn’t feel better made me reduce the rating to four. I expect more of the author, as I like many of her other books. I look forward to discussing it with other readers to see what they bring from their reading.

Oh, Gail. In just 176 pages spanning three short days, I came to know and love you thanks to Anne Tyler’s gift with words. This delightfully quirky novella hit all the right notes for me.
It’s the day before socially awkward Gail’s only child’s wedding and things are not going as planned. She either quit or got fired from her school administrator job because she lacks people skills. She’s not included in the pre-wedding events organized by the groom’s mother. Her ex-husband shows up with a cat needing a place to stay. And her daughter, Debbie, shares information about the groom that could derail the wedding.
Written with humor and heart, this character driven novella explores all the emotions felt by Gail as she stands at this pivotal moment in her life and I felt all of them - fear, regret, uncertainty, acceptance, and hope. This is a lovely story that packs quite an emotional punch. It’s the kind of book you want to talk about with friends.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Delightful! Reading this slim novel felt like I was reconnecting with an old friend and finding myself under a cozy blanket with a warm cup of cocoa, even though it is set (mostly) during the summertime, all at the same time. The story takes place over the course of three days in June -- the days before, of, and after (Gail Baines) the main character's daughter's wedding -- and also through flashbacks to Gail's early life as a wife and mother. The socially-awkward Gail impulsively quits her job the day before her daughter's wedding and then discovers her ex-husband (Max) on her doorstep with a rescue cat in tow, seeking a place to stay (the daughter's fiancee is deathly allergic, so daughter Debbie sends the affable Max to Gail). What takes place over the course of the three days is a dreamy meditation on everyday life and the choices that can change the course of a marriage. This novel of reflection is simultaneously charming, bittersweet, and lovely in its quirkiness - exactly what I have come to expect from this author, whose books always provide me with a comfort read with characters who are less than perfect. If you haven't read this author in the past and enjoy authors like Fredrik Backman, Gail Honeyman, or Clare Pooley, treat yourself to this enchanting read and seek out earlier works from this author's extensive backlist today.
Many thanks to the publisher for a NetGalley copy of this charming novel!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read, “Three Days in June”, by Anne Tyler. Really enjoyed this short, heartfelt read. With only 176 pages, I felt so connected to Gail and Max. Loved the ending and I was wanting more. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading other books by Anne Tyler!

An absolute pleasure to read, as Anne Tyler always provides. I loved the characters, the signature quirkiness, the delight of a story well told. I heartily recommend this one!

This was my first Anne Tyler book but it will not be my last. I am not sure why I've never read her books before. I really enjoyed this one and wish I had been reading her books all along.

I absolutely adored this book. Gail and Max are divorced but still connected through their adult daughter, Debbie, whose wedding has brought them together. They are wonderfully imperfect middle aged characters who have rich lives and a complicated history. The storytelling is beautifully balanced between the past and the present. This book and its delightful characters have stuck with me long after I finished it. Thank you to NetGalley and Alfred A Knoff for the eARC.

An Enjoyable read but really had no point. It was quick and light but I just found it was a summary of Gail's life for three days with very disjointed writing. It wasn't hard to follow but the writing style just rubbed me the wrong way

What a delightful book!! I had never read Anne Tyler before but I will be reading more now. The description of the book appealed to me. I love second chance romances especially of the subtle variety. Also there is something to be said for a story that takes place over a short period of time. That takes an impressive author.
I fell in love with the characters and they are going to stay with me. It’s also made me think about forgiveness and moving on. I love a book that makes me think.
All this to say, I highly recommend. It is a short book but it packs a punch. ♥️

I seem to love reading whatever Anne Tyler writes. This new book tells the story of the mother of the bride over the 3 day wedding event in June. Well paced, characters well drawn and believable, an all around satisfying story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Highly recommend.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Literary Fiction + Novella
Three Days of June is a heartwarming and humorous novella about a divorced couple who must unite to support their daughter, Debbie, on her wedding day. However, their daughter's big day is threatened by a secret she has just learned about her husband-to-be, and old feelings begin to resurface between Gail and Max, the parents.
The story takes place over three days, and it follows and is narrated in the first-person style by Gail. In these three days of book time, we, as readers, become engaged with these characters and see all their strengths and vulnerabilities.
I loved this novella a lot. Although the story appears simple, light, and humorous, it is much deeper if you examine it from a different angle. This can only be achieved by a great author. Although I have never read anything by Anne Tyler before, I can see why she has such a strong reputation. She has a new fan now, and I’d love to read all her past and future books.
Despite being a novella, the characters are really well-developed, and you get to see that they are multifaceted. They are like real people and very relatable. The author has brilliantly balanced the humorous moments with those that require more emotional depth. The ending of the novella is heartwarming and will leave you on a good note. This was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

I loved this short, quiet slice-of-life novel. We follow Gail, a woman in her 60s through three days in June - the day before, day off, and day after her daughter's wedding. We meet members of her family and the wedding party, follow their regular problems and resolutions. It doesn't sound like much, but if you like Anne Tyler's writing style from previous books, or other quiet books like Elizabeth Strout, this book is definitely for you. Nothing much happens, but that is the point. It's length means it is a quick read, and just a perfect book for the winter season, despite its June setting/name.

This is a short (176 pages) novel that is quite enjoyable. Gail Barnes probably loses her job or possibly quits. This is not a great start for the upcoming weekend, when her daughter is getting married. Then Gail’s ex arrives unannounced, with a cat, needing a place to stay.
Gail is socially awkward … perhaps not really a “people person”. When her daughter brings up a recent infidelity by her fiancé, things are on the verge of coming apart. And it also brings up a reminder of the reason why Gail and Max are no longer married.
The talents of Anne Tyler as a storyteller shine throughout, and I am betting that most readers can identify some of these characters in their own families.

This story was interesting. Gail was an asst administrator at her school and was getting looked over for the next position above her. She walked out and eventually went home. Her daughter was getting married the next day and she was getting prepared for that. Her ex (Max) showed up and said he had to stay with her because he had a cat he was fostering. They got along well but a little stiff. Little by little, she was getting used to him again and could imagine a life with him again. It was her doing that led to the divorce and she was sorry for it. Not much drama, (only the daughter's learning that her husband to be might have cheated), but that was dealt with easily. This was just a story of life and it's ups and downs and how one couple worked around it
I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

4.00 Stars!
'People don't warn you ahead of time that some days your face will be netted with wrinkles and other days almost smooth. Today I was wrinkly.'
Three Days In June is one of Anne Tayler's best!
Reading one of Tyler's novels is like reconnecting with an old friend. The relationship feels comfortable and yet a little quirky but you love them without judgment, quirks and all.
The Three Days in June is based around the day before, the day of, and the day after a wedding.
I found myself thinking of these eccentric characters even when I wasn’t reading.
It’s a short novel but full of real life, personality and interactions with family.
I highly recommend! ~ Here's to the wrinkly days! ~
Many thanks to NetGalley, Knopf, and the Author for an ARC of this book, which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.