Bees in June is a beautifully written novel that lingers with you long after finishing. Elizabeth Bass Parman’s prose is tender yet sharp, pulling readers into a story that is as much about survival and resilience as it is about love and loss.

What stood out most to me was how vividly Aunt Eugenia comes alive through flashbacks, despite never being present in the main timeline. Her influence feels enormous, and it adds a layer of depth and history that enriches Rennie’s journey.

Rennie herself is heartbreakingly real - shaped by a childhood that taught her to stay quiet, married to Tiny, whose selfishness and bitterness grow heavier as his own failures mount. While her situation is difficult to read at times, it never feels gratuitous; instead, it highlights the suffocating reality for women in small towns where divorce was scandalous and independence nearly impossible.

What makes the book so powerful is the quiet strength threaded throughout. Rennie may feel trapped, but she’s not without hope. The relationships she rediscovers - especially with her Uncle Dixon and his bees - bring light and unexpected comfort. The bees become a beautiful metaphor for healing, persistence, and the possibility of renewal.

This isn’t just a story about a struggling marriage or small-town gossip; it’s about finding resilience when the odds are stacked against you. Poignant, atmospheric, and deeply human, Bees in June is the kind of book that tugs at your heart and stays with you.

Bees in June was such a unique story, and I especially loved the bees! They brought something really fresh and different to the book. Rennie's grief journey was heartfelt, and the setting felt vivid and real.

That said, I struggled with one of the storylines and the repeated miscommunication, which kept me from fully loving it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

4.5⭐
I loved Bees in June. This story is set in Tennessee in 1969 and follows Rennie, who is grieving after the loss of her infant son and is trapped in a bad marriage with an abusive husband. As she is on her journey to healing, she gets a job working in a local diner and rediscovers her joy in baking for others. She spends more time with her Uncle Dixon, who has been taking care of his late wife’s beehive. These bees begin to communicate with Rennie and she sees how they have been helping take care of her ever since she was a little girl.
The narration by Brittany Pressley was excellent (as usual) and the added narration of the bees by Michael Crouch and Seth Podowitz was a nice touch.
This story was full of love and hope. The magical realism element with the bees was absolutely delightful. This was my first book by Elizabeth Bass Parman and I’m looking forward to her future work.
Thank you Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Previously published to Goodreads on Aug 17, 2025:

A very sweet, cozy story about a young woman trapped a bad marriage. Her cousin, great uncle, and late-great aunt (and their bees) surround and help guide her to find her true purpose and destiny.

It’s set against the original Apollo moon landing, a time when US women had fewer options available to them — and a sad reminder that this is still the case for women and girls in some countries (and, as we recently saw with the overturning of Roe vs Wade, a reminder that some “leaders” in the US are already working to return the nation to a time of such restrictions for women, people of color, and LGBTQIA folks). Democracy is worth defending!

My thanks to the author, publisher, @HCFAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the delightful and well narrated audiobook of #BeesinJune for review purposes. Publication date: 2 September 2025.

This book tells the story of Rennie. She's married at 22 to a man who wanted to play major league baseball but couldn't make it. Now he's trying to be a tobacco farmer, drinks too much and it's abusive to Rennie.

It's 1969 and Rennie just lost a baby as he came too early. She's trying to figure things out. The bees seem to be talking to her and her uncle sure thinks they talk to him. He's not doing too well but she's trying to care for him and her husband's needs. This book is about Rennie learning to care for herself and listening to the bees.

The narrator does a great job!