Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for ARC.
This short delightful novel kept me company on a much delayed flight and reminded me afresh why Tyler is so admired by authors as well as general readers.
The p[ot is seemingly slight - a divorced couple meet up for the first time in years on the occasion of their daughter's wedding, and we are drawn immediately into the small frictions of blended families, rehearsal dinners, mid-life and ageing anxieties, workplace dilemmas and animal dander. Every paragraph is a delight and you will be willing it to all turn out right. Glorious.

Another quietly powerful novel from the wonderful Ann Tyler. This story takes place over three days and sees a divorced couple, Gail and Max, come together for their daughters wedding. It explores their past relationship and what drove them apart as their daughter faces a crises in her own relationship. It's low-key and pretty uneventful but somehow manages to cover a lot of life and momentous change. I loved it from start to finish - the characters, the family dynamics, the hope of a second chance - I just wanted more! It is easily the warmest, most human, and most hopeful novel I've read in a while, and I won't wait long to read it again.

Three Days In June

Anne Tyler

The author Jacqueline Wilson has described Three Days in June as being a joy to read. I heartily agree. I love her writing so much and I think if I was only allowed to read one author for the rest of my life it would have to be Anne Tyler. No one else can touch her. 60 years of writing stories about ordinary people living ordinary lives that draw you in so that you feel like you’re living with the characters and caring for them SO MUCH! How does she do it? Who knows.
Low on drama yet bursting with humanity, with Three Days In June she has absolutely done it again. Brava.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is a story of Gail Baines set around the weekend of her only daughter's wedding.

When Gail either loses her job or gets fired depending on whose story you believe.

But this is not the only event this weekend that brings

Three Days in June, is a novel that can be classed as women’s fiction, but this should not be made in a derogatory term, for when used at its best it is about a female story of growth throughout the novel of the main female character, not just a female in the lead role.

The female in question is Gail Baines who is going through a weekend of celebration but it ends up being a weekend of change

Another aspect of Anne Tyler’s novel is the cozyness of the novel which may feel overly sweet and sickly at times in which nothing happens.

There are in fact major moments and events happening throughout the novel, however it is done in such a way that is not for shock value but just happens in a natural flow.

While the story is told through Gail’s point of view, in some novels this can lead to other characters being nothing more than a cardboard cutout person. But, the writer is able to give each individual enough definition to allow the story to flow.

Which gives, Three Days in June an elevation from a standard general Adult Fiction novel to Literary Fiction, but still without the overly written nature that can affect the later genre.

While some readers may find Three Days in June, is a novel that is full of apple pie, for the right reader it will be a thoroughly enjoyable novel and one of the best that they read this year.

This story follows Gail, mother of the bride to Sophie, on the day before, the day of, and the day after the wedding. We learn about Gail’s own marriage to Max and their divorce.

This was a nice short read that covered a lot and I got invested in the characters and their lives. I enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, author and the publisher. for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this novella, short but perfectly formed. As with all Anne Tyler's books she has a wonderful way of reading people and laying bare the messy interactions between human beings, and the love at the heart of those interactions.

It’s funny how when you are an avid reader you sometimes read a few books in a row that have the same theme, the book I has just finished dealt with a divorced couple who had come back together for a trial, this book it’s a wedding.
The three days in June are the days before and after Gail and Max’s daughter Debbies wedding.
The story starts with Gail losing her job, then arrives home to her ex husband on her doorstep with a cat he has brought with him. Max was meant to stay with Debbie and her fiancé Kenneth, but Kenneth is allergic to cats.
The dialogue between the couple is great, full of humour and warmth. When Gail and Max find out Kenneth had potentially cheated on Debbie it brings up memories of the disintegration of their marriage. Looking back on her life Gail reflects that she had the best person with her all along.

A short but satisfying read. Her fans won’t be disappointed.

#ThreeDaysInJune. #NetGally

The day before your daughter’s wedding is inclined to be stressful and fraught. So when Gail Baines finds herself passed over for the forthcoming head teacher’s role she’d wrongly assumed was rightfully hers, she walks away (or is she fired?) from her current deputy head post.

On arriving home, she wants to quietly nurse her hurt, but is taken aback to discover her ex-husband, Max, waiting on the doorstep with a stray cat he is fostering. Because their future son-in-law is allergic to cats, Max cannot stay with him and their daughter, Debbie, as had been arranged.

Gail is a rather negative character who seems to be focused mostly on herself. She feels put upon and resentful at first before becoming attached to the cat and more compassionate toward Max. Over the three days they spend together, Gail gains a better understanding of their relationship, past and present.

Her insecure, vulnerable side is revealed as she ponders why their marriage went awry. Despite misgivings about the groom having a dark secret he’s apparently keeping from his bride-to-be, the wedding goes off without a hitch. Gail can finally relax.

Memories of the past surface alongside discussion about her future, and the comfortable companionship she seems to be developing with her ex. Anne Tyler is adept at taking the minutiae of life and making something compelling and entertaining from it.

This character driven novel is slow paced but the conversational highlights, the endearing characters of Max and Gail’s mother, and the excellent writing lift it beyond the mundane. Grateful thanks to Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for the eARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A poignant mirror into the magic of the mundane, Anne Tyler’s ‘Three Days In June’ lifts the veil on inner conflict on the pathway to happiness.

The 25th novel from the 83-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner opens with a decision point – Gail Barnes is being removed from her assistant headteacher position on the eve of her daughter’s wedding. Suddenly, with the past in the form of ex-husband Max at her door, can she finally understand what she wants from life?

Coming in at a succinct 165 pages, the Baltimore based novel is loosely anchored around events before, during and after the nuptials of Gail and Max’s only daughter Debbie.

As a character, Gail is a bristly, laconic figure who outwardly heralds self-sufficiency but yearns inwardly for connection. Reminiscent of Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, this socially awkward ‘right angled’ character is beautifully drawn as a vulnerable prisoner of her own self-sabotage.

Tyler has mused that her ideas spring from her one word idea card system. For this novel, she said the outline aligns to the famous Sex and The City quote ‘find someone to love the you you love”

That key question is showcased under the layer of warmth and wit, as Tyler muses on the difficulty humans have to get to that point - painfully wading to understand self-worth and how it is perceived by others.

As a novel, it is the mastery to elevate the everyday, interlacing the rhythmic beauty of normalcy with larger questions around self-sufficiency, relationships and power that lingers long in the mind. Reminiscent of Ibsen’s theatrical realism and kitchen sink dramas, the mundane acts as a sharp, dramatic backdrop to familia tension.

In a recent interview Tyler expanded on the inspiration for her lifelong thematic focus, ‘How we handle day-to-day life as we go through it, with its disappointments and its pleasures, that’s all I want to know’

A gentle layerd read, which leaves life affirming warmth in its wake. With thanks to @vintagebooks for the ARC via @netgalley

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #threedaysinjune #netgalley #annetyler #irishbookstagram #irishbookstagrammer

Three Days in June is a book about love, family relationships and forgiveness. Set over the 3 days of their daughter Debbie’s wedding, Max and Gail, divorced for 21 years, spend time together under the same roof.
This was a lovely, easy read and I enjoyed the unexpected plot twists and the way Gail’s character was written. I’ve never read anything by this author before but will definitely be reading more!
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

well this is a strange one, i’m not sure if i enjoyed the book but i couldn’t put it down and read it in one day. it’s the kind of book that draws you in and you have to find out what happens next but i’m not sure if anything really happened in the book!
give it a go and see what you think

A lovely short novel, full of compassion and so entertaining. I can thoroughly recommend it.

My thanks to the author, to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read the book and share my review.

The saying goes that ‘good things come in small packages’ and that perfectly describes Three Days in June. At just under 200 pages it’s a slim one but it’s 193 pages of perfection.

The story centres around the wedding of Gail’s only child Debbie and the action takes place the day before, the day of and the day after the wedding. We spend the three days with Gail, who is reflecting on her past and contemplating her future. The arrival of her ex- husband brings shared memories and a rescue cat looking for a home.

There is no high drama, as anyone familiar with Anne Tyler will know, her writing is low key. Focusing on human connections and the small details of life, sprinkled with wit and humour. It’s a warm story and I really cared for the characters.

If you feel like you need to a bit of self care, I recommend picking this one up and spending your afternoon immersed in this touching and enchanting story - I adored it.

Anne Tyler is a prolific American author whose books I have been enjoying for over twenty years, this is her twenty fifth novel. Her literary style is appealing and her characters usually feel very relatable, this latest novel is no exception.

Once again she takes an everyday situation, this time a wedding day and the days surrounding it and weaves a gripping story. The three days are full of heartbreak and joys. Many emotions surface that cause the protagonists, the parents Gail and Max and their daughter Debbie to confront the past and to face what the future holds.

Read in less than a day, at less than 200 pages this was more of a novella and for that reason I probably would not have considered this if it had not been written by Anne Tyler. A great read if you are a fan of her writing or a reader looking for something heart warming and witty.

With thanks to NetGalley, Random House and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

It is rare to find a novel that makes you laugh out loud but also leaves your heart aching – but then this is the skill of Anne Tyler. Love, marriage, motherhood are not easy for Gail Baines with her apparent lack of people skills. And getting through her only daughter's wedding – in the company of her ex-husband, her mother, and the family of her son-in-law to be – is never going to be plain sailing. And so it proves, though in often unexpected ways. An absolute gem of a book – I have already recommended it to everyone I know.

Lovely story of nothing much other than the comfort found between a couple who have been divorced a long time but come together for their daughter’s wedding day.

Gail and Max and their daughter Debbie.

Only three chapters and a couple of hundred pages but it’s a full story.

Plenty to make me chuckle in its observations of life and conversation between two old friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chatto and Windus Publishers for the eARC.

It’s rare to come across a story that takes you deep into the complexity of love and human connection. Two people, once bound by marriage, find themselves separated, but the love between them doesn’t simply fade away. Instead, it lingers, pure and undeniable, despite the weight of past mistakes and the scars of doubt.

The beauty of this story lies in the moments of intimacy that blossom amid misunderstanding. It captures how we, as humans, struggle to trust after being hurt, how the past can cloud the present, and how hard it is to let go of something that feels so right. It’s about the quiet resilience of love—how, even in its most fragile form, it can adapt, grow, and transcend the hurt we carry.

Each moment feels raw and real, especially as they come to terms with their choices and how time forces them to evolve. It’s more than a love story; it’s a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and finding your way back to the people you are meant to be with.

Under 200 pages, this novel isn’t just a quick read, it’s a reflection on the deeper currents of emotion and connection. You won’t forget it once you’ve finished, and you’ll think about it long after the last page. For a tale that’s as honest as it is moving, this book will find a place on your keeper’s shelf.

A short and endearing story! It's packed full of the complexities of life, and for the most part I enjoyed it. I think I just struggled to fully connect to the story but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment entirely. I'd be interested to try some more of the authors books!

Published 13/2 - a charming short read and it takes place over three days in June. Gail, in her early 60s is having a bad day. She is assistant head at a private school and expected to take over as head but is passed over because she lacks people skills. Rather than waiting to be let go, she walks out. This is the day before her daughter Debbie’s wedding and the bride, bridesmaids etc are at a Spa day, but Gail wasn’t invited. Then her ex-husband, Max, arrives - with a cat - to stay because he can’t possible stay at Debbie’s because her husband to be, Kenneth is allergic to cats. Add to this already bad day, Debbie announcing that Kenneth has a secret and Kenneth’s best man turning out to be one of Gail’s exes. The story progresses to the wedding day and the day after and we see memories bubbling up to the surface. Gail is quite blunt at times, and she lacks the ability to understand people and in the beginning you feel that she might be quite unlikeable, but there is a sense of humour there and almost a fragility. As for Max, she might complain when he arrives, but you get the feeling that she is quite happy for him to be with her - there is a sense that there is almost unfinished business. The reason for their divorce was quite surprising and with the wedding, with Max being there again it gives Gail a chance to remember and finally come to terms with her past. This is my fourth Anne Tyler novel and I really enjoy her depictions of family, of people and of moments.

I adore Anne Tyler's intimate glimpses into the minds of people and families, the complex thoughts that we tend to keep to ourselves, but that we, as the reader, are privy to.

It is the eve of Debbie's wedding to Kenny and Gail's ex-husband, and Debbie's father Max, turns up looking for a place to stay. At the same time, Gail appears to have been pushed out of her job. Weddings have a way of making us reflect on our own past and Gail spends time remembering her own wedding and marriage.

This is a short book but it doesn't suffer for that. It's filled with observations that make it relatable and there is a pace to the book that means not a word is superfluous.