Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for allowing me to read and review Three Days in June, a novel, by Anne Tyler on NetGalley.

Published: 02/11/25

Stars: 4

This is a book palette cleanser for me. I'm a voracious reader and overall enjoyed the few hours it took me away. Behind the scenes three days before the wedding Tyler gives us the scoop. The bride's family dominates with feelings, but not over-the-top drama, questions are posed and answered or dealt with.

I found this to be surprisingly satisfying and memorable.

Absolutely giftable.

With adult guidance I would use Three Days in June to transition a young reader to young adult storylines.

📖 Book Review 📖

𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚
by Anne Tyler
156 pages
@aaknopf

Out Now!

☑️ 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.

📕My Thoughts:

Recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I recommend this short read if you are looking for an authentic slice of life short novel. A profound look at the day in the life of a woman who is haunted by her past, and has allowed it to inform most of her choices.
Anne Tyler opened a window into the life of this family over the course of three days in June.

QOTD: What is a short read you enjoyed recently?

#threedaysinjune #annetyler #shortreads #novella #literaryfiction #AnneTyler #sliceoflifereads #sliceoflifebooks

This novel follows Gail the mother of the bride during the weekend of her daughter. Gail feels like an outsider at her only daughter’s wedding, she learns she’s being passed over at work, her daughter shares a disturbing revelation, and her ex shows up at her doorstep with a foster cat. The reader learns something about Gail that changed the dynamic of the family years ago. This novel is short, sweet, funny , and touching. There’s something decidedly prickly about Gail. Her interior life is a chorus of critical observations on others’ grammatical gaffes, sartorial missteps and excessive noise. At its heart, this is Gail’s story. Quietly poignant and deeply character-driven, the novel explores her journey of love, heartbreak, and rediscovery. Gail’s vivid anecdotes, wry humor, and nervous energy contrast beautifully with Max’s laid-back, carefree demeanor, making their dynamic utterly captivating. Thanks to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity.

This is a quick read. But I am not a big fan. I did not connect well with the characters, so therefore, I really did not care what happened.

I absolutely loved this quick easy read from Anne Tyler. This is a small book that has so much to say. This book reflects on the lives of Gail, the mom, Debbie, the daughter and Max, the ex-husband. Debbie is getting married and the book is divided into three section: before, during and after the wedding. Her characters are quirky and flawed but so engaging. While reading the book, I felt as though I was right there in the mix. There is so much hope for all of them and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. It was such a refreshing break from the heavier books I've been reading. Highly recommend!
All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced egalley of the book.
#ThreeDaysInJune #AnneTyler #NetGalley

A short little drop into the days in the life of a woman, it was well written but felt like the character was written much older than a 60-something year old. I love the details and the complicated emotional landscape.

I have always really enjoyed Anne Tyler’s novels, and this one was no exception. The novel focuses on Gail Baines, a 61-year-old, and all that she is currently dealing with, including the wedding of her daughter Debbie, the loss of her job, and her ex-husband Max, who surprisingly comes to stay with her for the wedding accompanied by a homeless cat. Just as Tyler’s other novels, this one is character-driven, and it focuses on the complexities of family relationships. It is a sweet, funny and beautifully written work that will make the reader root for the main characters. My only complaint is that the ending seemed a bit abrupt, and I would have liked to have more of an inkling about what happens to the main characters in the future. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this novel.

TY to Net Galley and Knopf for the ARC. Anne Tyler excels at "slice of life" stories and this is no exception. The days leading up to and following their daughter's wedding allow us a glimpse into the lives of Gail and Max Barnes, how their lives veered off path and how they can possibly be redeemed.

I really enjoyed this little book. I love Anne Tyler’s character work and dialogue, and this was no exception. The relationship between Gail and her ex-husband felt very realistic — their banter and mutual love and respect for each other was refreshing to read about.

I enjoyed seeing these two characters revisit their past through the lens of their daughter and what she was going through. While Gail was imagining her own infidelity, Max was thinking about the bigger picture, as the past repeated itself in a new generation.

I didn’t really pick up on this at the time, but after talking to others, I did find it strange that this book took place in current day. The character names and their behaviors felt very dated, and Gail herself seemed to be much older than the 50-something she was described to be.

Overall, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading more from Anne Tyler.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I have read most of Anne Tyler’s 30 books - she’s one of my must-read authors. So I was excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this short (156 page) novel. Like all of Tyler’s stories, this is character-driven with just enough plot to make it compelling.

This is a novel of second chances, forgiveness, marriage, and family. At first the story seems pretty straightforward, but the more I read, the more layers were revealed. Tyler’s writing is skillful and perceptive, both serious and witty. Once again, she has written an entertaining yet observant novel of the lives and loves of everyday people.

Peculiar and quirky, funny and ordinary, Three Days in June was one of the most interesting reads of 2024. Gail Baines is preparing for her daughter’s wedding when she is confronted with information that sends her back in her past. While Gail wants to guide her daughter to make the right decision, she is confronted with what the right decision is for herself, all those years ago. I was drawn into this book for many reasons, but the dry humor in it was really a treat.

Three Days in June is a cute novel about Gail who is 61 years old and has lost her job and is getting ready to go to her daughters wedding. Gail isn't really feeling like she is included in the plans for her wedding and her ex-husband is coming too. He brings his cat which she is highly allergic too. As the weekend goes Gail reflects on life and how she got to where she is and what she wants now. Easy and fund read!

This was a delightful book with some lovely quirky characters where the action takes place over three days before, during and after a wedding. If I had any complaint at all, it was that it was too short! I would have loved to know these characters even better. This was my first book by Anne Tyler and I will definitely be looking to read other books of hers.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Three Days in June by Anne Tyler!

Spend three days in Gail's shoes, three not so good days, as she loses her job, her daughter's life plans are derailed and her nonchalant ex shows up on her doorstep....with a cat. With refreshing humor, Anne Tyler shows us how attitude is everything, how you can control just how much the outside world bothers you, and how much you can learn from being flexible.
Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is 2/11/2025.

In this short novel, a woman, Gail, is at a crossroads. She is 61, divorced, and potentially out of a job. Her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and Gail isn't sure that the fiancé, Kenneth, is right for Debbie. Max, Gail's ex, has come to Baltimore for the wedding with a foster cat in tow. Since Kenneth is allergic, Gail has Max and the cat stay with her. Gail reflects on her life with Max, and what went wrong with their marriage. Over these 3 days, Gail reflects on a lot - and I enjoyed reading how she analyzed everything and how it ended. Anne Tyler always writes wisely about life. A good examination of a life, how love changes, how we worry about our children, and where we find love.

Perfect length, not a word was wasted. I enjoyed the dynamic between the exes on the eve of their daughter’s wedding. I understand the need to throw a wrench in the plans with the possible infidelity, but it felt a little forced as a device to make the parents face their own betrayals. Feels like a great book to bring on vacation, with more substance than a beach read but not a daunting lengthy novel.

This is a character driven story that takes place over three days. Anne Tyler writes with smooth and flowing prose about Gail Baines and what takes place over three days. That being said, she also returns to some incidents from the past which changed the family. The characters are portrayed so clearly, and they are at the heart of the writing. While there is not a dramatic plot, I loved the pacing and the exploration of these characters - their choices and the path on which life led them.

This novel accurately captures the nature of relationships and the way we reflect on incidents from our past sometimes with new insight and understanding that comes from living longer.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advanced copy! For a novella, it is easy and well-written to get into. Even though it's from the point of view of a mother in her early sixties, she was a well-developed character.

4.5 stars

For a short story this book was packed with emotion for me. This is a story of a divorced woman and her daughter’s wedding. We go through the three days of the wedding while her ex husband stays with her. I was just amazed by how well this story was told in such a short book! So well done.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.