Gail's day is not going as planned. When she shows up to work, she's informed that her supervisor will be retiring. Gail has been prepared for this, and has always thought that she would take over the head master job when that day came. Instead, she's told that they've already contacted a younger head master who would be perfect for the job. Except she'll be bringing on her current assistant, which means Gail is... no longer needed. She's close to retirement age, and they thought she'd be happy to get the break.

Far from being happy, she heads home. Only to soon find that her ex-husband will be staying with her for a few days, due to their daughter's upcoming wedding. He's brought a cat along with him. Max has always been laid back, but this is taking it too far. Expecting to stay with his daughter over her wedding weekend, only to find that her fiancé is allergic to cats. Needing a place to stay, Gail grudgingly invites him (and the cat) into her home.

When their daughter comes to them in tears, having just heard that he fiancé had cheated on her, her parents are of different minds. Gail encourages her to stop the wedding, if she's having doubts and doesn't think she can rely on him 100%. Max urges her to hear his side of the story and stay the course.

This brings up the past for Gail, for the many ways her life has taken unexpected turns. Now, she has a chance to once again choose her path, to be active in her life and not just following the course that's been set.

Insightful and restrained, these three days offer a look into Gail's life with an intimacy and understated humor. This isn't a genre I normally read, but I was eager to try something a little off the usual path. A pleasant read, simple and poignant, a nice break from more intense reads that still kept me captivated.

Quiet, introspective, life-affirming, Three Days in June by Anne Tyler demonstrates the author’s ability to breathe so much into a short space as well as giving the reader so much to think about well after The End.

The first thing Gail Baines learns on Friday morning is that the head of the school to whom she’d been an assistant is leaving due to health reasons. Obviously her first conclusion would be that she would be next in line. It goes to figure. However, she’s informed that the job needs diplomacy and Gail just doesn’t dance around facts in a tactful manner. Not only are they bringing someone new in; they are bringing in the person’s assistant as well. So Gail does what a person who feels taken for granted does. Leaves. When she returns home, her ex-husband, Max, shows up with a cat. The weekend is their daughter’s wedding and Max just learned that his soon-to-be son-in-law is allergic to cats. So now he has to stay with Gail. And then, since things always go in threes, their daughter, Debbie, tells them something that her fiancé has done. Something that is a game changer.

The developing situation invites Gail to reflect on her own life, her choices, everything that has brought her to the point of being divorced, now, perhaps unemployed, and of being misunderstood.

I called this a quiet novel. People moving through life, their courses altered frequently by choices, sometimes not of their own making. Even the dramatic moments in Gail’s life seem to happen quietly, perhaps because that is Max’ manner. But in all of this quiet, there is so much. These characters are introspective, not self-absorbed. They consider their choices, wonder if they should have done things differently, wonder if there is an opportunity to change course, even in their sixties.

There is so much to like in Three Days in June, from the multi-layered characters of Gail, Max, Gail’s mother et al. to a situation that develops in the series of flashbacks that has us view Gail through a different lens but not one that has us judging her. Tyler shows us the humanity of these people, of all of the people here. We are human, foibles and all, make mistakes, sometimes find it difficult to even forgive ourselves. I love that she shows that life doesn’t end when a person turns 60. There is still living to do.

Unfortunately I had some nitpicky quibbling nitpicks solely concerning cultural references, many of which were a decade or more behind as Gail reflected on her teenage years. And despite the fact that I thought, “ugh” regarding some of the incorrect references, I’ll leave it there. If you read it, which I highly suggest you do, and you’re of a certain age, you will understand what I’m talking about. Most readers won’t.

Lastly, I am grateful to read another Anne Tyler novel. I recognize that introspective character-driven novels are not for everyone, but this one possesses so much charm and humanity, not to mention a sweet, almost surprising end, that I recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading literary fiction. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and let me know if you do read it.

Many thanks to Knopf for sending me a copy.

The writing was stunning and I loved how deeply flawed Gail was. I thought it was so expansive for such a short book, however, it did leave me wanting more detail about its peripheral characters.

This novella, just over 150 pages, is a quick read that can easily be finished in one sitting. It follows the story of a socially awkward mother of the bride as she navigates the day before, the wedding day, and the aftermath of her only daughter’s wedding.

Gail is dealing with a lot: she loses her job, her daughter Debbie is getting married, and she hasn’t been involved in any pre-wedding activities. To make matters worse, her ex-husband shows up unexpectedly with a cat, needing a place to stay for the wedding. Meanwhile, Debbie reveals a secret about her fiancé that could potentially change the course of the wedding.

This brief, slice-of-life novella captures Anne Tyler’s signature humor, the complexities of family and marriage, and offers a glimpse into Gail’s past and relationships. It focuses on the mundane yet beautifully explores ordinary moments, with Anne Tyler’s keen observations tying everything together perfectly.

This is a quietly-told story taking place over the course of three days. I didn’t particularly care for the main character in the first half of the book, but she did grow on me over time. Overall, a 3-star read for me

This is a short, sweet and charming novella about the nuances of familial relationships and I thoroughly enjoyed every little bit of it. It felt rather refreshing and hopeful and I'll take as much of that as I can get these days.

Another Anne Tyler bullseye. She drops you right into her main character's life in progress and, thanks to her mastery of the form, you go along for the ride, discovering things as she does, and in perfect time. Great characters. As always, a detailed view of Baltimore (as a former Baltimorean), and a simple but emotionally complicated trip through three days, plus a cat. Nothing is ordinary. And it's a quick read, too. Pure delight.

Read this book.

This novella was just ok. It was a quick read due to its length. The story was not gripping & I did not connect with the characters. I was hopeful with the premise, the book was structured over 3 days of a wedding, but the story was so ordinary it was boring. I thought there would be a big twist at the end or a big revelation but it never came. It also seems geared toward a specific age range. The descriptions and word choices were somewhat vague in the beginning. It took me a while to decifer the time frame the story was set in (it was contemporary but the references all seemed old) & the region/country (it's set in Baltimore but everything seems so different at first I considered the UK). The story didn't really seem to align with current culture.

I felt this book had a lot of good hype, but the style was just not for me.

3 stars- my first Anne Tyler book. The plot follows a woman 3 days in June. Thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

This is what Anne Tyler does best; what she does is write lovely, intimate character portraits.

A socially awkward mother of the bride contends with her feelings on the day before, the day of, and the day after her daughter’s wedding. Character-driven and reflective, Three Days in June follows Gail as she grapples with her feelings about the past, the present, and possibly, the future.
However… this felt like a very old fashioned book… what 30 year old is named Debbie and what couple who’s in their 30’s pick Ann Murray for their first dance lol.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! Three Days in June felt more like three months. Despite its short length, it took me over a month to finish because it was so hard to stay engaged. The plot meanders, the details were mundane, and the story lacked momentum. I kept waiting for something to happen and by the time I finished, I was left wondering where my time went.

Such well-drawn characters for such a short book. Really a little gem.



Review copy provided by publisher.

This was my first time reading an Anne Tyler book. Her writing does a great job of making you feel all the emotions of her characters and showing all the relationships and family dynamics in the story. Some of the things that happen with the "secret" Gail learns still feel unsettled at the end of the story, but I believe the intention there was more to show what it's like to be the parent of an adult child. You have to be involved and supportive without actually having any say in the choices your children make. It was interesting to see how Gail and Max approached the situation differently and how they related to each other in this pivotal moment of their daughter's life.

Gail Baines is having a very bad day. Her daughter is getting married and she isn’t invited to her Spa Day hosted by her daughter’s new mother in law. She realizes the school she works at has no plans on giving her the promotion she deserves and her ex Max shows up at her house, for the wedding with no hotel of his own, no suit and a cat. Debbie seems so sure about her future and her parents are beyond happy for her. Yet, she comes over to tell them, something she has learned about her husband to be and everything gets confusing. Gail wants to be supportive, without being too judgmental. Mac seems to not be too concerned, which is so frustrating, to her. This story touches on so many honest points between families, husbands & wives and husbands and wives to be. Families can be the biggest blessing and the biggest pains in the neck. Yet, where would we be without them and most times things work out the way they should. Anne Tyler did an excellent job with the characters and with the story. There was so much depth in such a brief amount of time. I want to thank Netgalley & the author for my copy of Three Days in June, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story.

short and sweet. super fast paced and under 200 pages. a breath of fresh air for sure!!! very well written! :)

I finished this book a few weeks ago and I still miss the characters from Three Days in June. During their daughter’s the wedding weekend, a divorced couple grapples with their lives that failed to live up to their expectations. My synopsis doesn’t do the story justice but the characters became real and I found myself rooting for all of them.

3.5 stars.

Gail Baines gets fired on the day before her daughter's wedding. It makes an already bad day worse because the groom's mother didn't invite her to the day of beauty. Not to mention her ex-husband shows up at her door with a foster cat in tow. The story is told from POV, chronicling the three days-the day before the wedding, the day of, and the day after. I didn't jive with Gail's character. She seemed too rigid, very set in her ways. I didn't think she put forth much effort into the wedding itself or her appearance. She didn't seem happy about her daughter's nuptials, especially when Deb shares something about the groom. Max, the ex, was a little more likable, but I didn't like his cavalier attitude. Not to mention bringing a pet without asking your host if it was okay regardless that it was his daughter. It was a quick read and good to read once.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

I enjoyed this short book.

Gail is having a tough time. She is on the verge of losing her job. Her daughter’s wedding is tomorrow and her ex husband shows up at her house unexpectedly with a cat.

I thought Anne Tyler did an excellent job of illuminating the complexity of marriage and family relationships. Gail and Max are both socially awkward and horrible communicators. As their daughter’s wedding ceremony approaches Gail spends a few days with her ex and has time to think about their own marriage and the mistakes they made. I thought there was a lot of wisdom in this book. Gail’s friend is going through a divorce and wants to have a friendship with her ex like the one that Gail and Max have now but Gail doesn’t mention that it took decades for her and Max to reach a place without hostility.

I would recommend this book for people that like complicated family dynamics.

This is the first book I have read by Anne Tyler. It was really good and romantic. I loved the family in it. I look forward to reading more books by her. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for n honest review.

I really enjoyed this story and especially loved the ending. Even though it is short the characters are well developed.