How can you not love Anne Tyler! Although less than 200 pages, and thus for me a single day read.. this is not short of all the things we love Tyler for - her razor sharp insight into domestic lives, uncovering all the tiny details in life that make us who we are. She is particularly skilled in examining the lives of those in later lives, with maybe regrets about how they lived their earlier parts of life.
Gail is in her early 60s - about to lose her job as an assistant headteacher at a private school - and this story covers just 3 days - the day before, of and after her only daughter's wedding. There is an amicable relationship with her ex-husband who has arrived in town to celebrate the wedding but the nature of the split many years prior still haunts Gail. We get an insight into young Gail, and what happened by the vibrant young woman who now appears to be world weary, grumpy,. uncaring about her own appearance.
A great read.

A perfectly blended tale of the joys and perils of married life, Three Days in June is a quiet minor masterpiece from Anne Tyler, expertly combining bittersweet nostalgia and a sense of loss, with the sweet joys of lasting love and hope, always hope.

A total joy to read”
Every book she writes is better than the last. And the last one is always great. This writer has an almost rare talent in being able to get into the character’s psyche and bring them to life. You feel like you are saying bye to a friend at the end. She makes the mundane absolutely fascinating. Long may she reign!!

Anne Tyler is one of my favourite authors. I love the way she quietly observes the minutiae of everyday life. I devoted a grey afternoon to her latest Three Days in June. It is the day before Gail’s daughters wedding. First she loses her job, then her ex husband turns up with a homeless cat. Next their distract daughter arrives with upsetting news. Will the wedding go ahead. Will the ex-husband choose salmon or steak for the wedding breakfast? What will happen to the cat? Will Gail work again? Big questions, resolved in a pleasing way.

I always look forward to an Anne Tyler novel. She manages to take people and events that are so normal and everyday and yet make them special. This time we see events unfolding over the course of one weekend,centering around divorced parents of the bride.

Gail may be socially awkward but shes so endearing that you simply cant help rooting for her as she navigates events around her daughters big day.

Told with humour and warmth, Gail is a character I would love to hear more from.

Anne Tyler has written a subtle novel told without pretension. Here we have a writer who has honed her craft to the point that her works feel like a breeze to get through. In this tale, the life of our protagonist is in a state of flux and upheaval - she may be about to lose her job, her daughter is getting married over the weekend and her ex-husband has just turned up on her doorstep with a cat. We learn how she reached such a moment in her life, while also watching the character slowly unfurl, acknowledge past mistakes and perhaps try and start anew. I very much liked this one.

This author can just take all my money at this point ! I officially am a complete fangirl and will read anything they write in the foreseeable !
The author is a complete powerhouse and I couldn’t put this book down . It captivated me from the first page to the last . Thank you so much

I adored this book. I read it in two days- it isn’t very long but I did want to savour it. For a book that isn’t voluminous it has a lot of depth and I was really invested. It’s hard to define the plot because the actual present action of the book is not the focus. The focus is the narrator’s thoughts around the present action. It’s a story about life and family and love and mistakes. It’s both a zoomed in and longitudinal plot. A very rare book that will stay with me and forever be one I return to.

Just as sharply observed and witty as I have come to expect from Anne Tyler. It was a perfect length for a lazy afternoon (if you’re lucky enough to get one!) I found the parent characters compelling and unique. Many thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Every book by Anne Tyler is a joy and this is no exception. The novel follows a divorced couple during the three days of their daughter’s wedding. It is a short read and yet I felt like I just slotted into the lives of these people. The ending is perfect.

This may be a short book, but it's stuffed full of sharply observed wisdom and humour. It tells the story of the mother of the bride, Gail, and the three days around her daughter's wedding. Not only is Gail dealing with a crushing blow at work, but she's also feeling left out of the wedding preparations, and her ex-husband has just turned up on her doorstep.
As always, Anne Tyler writes with warmth and affection for her sometimes quirky but always very believable characters. Only a very grumpy person would find that this book didn't make them smile. I recommend it as a tonic and welcome break from books about misery and mayhem.
With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC.

Another perfect book by the master of small town fiction.
I just love the way Tyler describes her characters and their relationships, the minutiae of their lives and the subsequent results.
I have recommended this book to all our customers as the perfect read

A lovely meditation on love that is a wonderful addition to Tyler's body of work, as always thoughtful, wryly amusing and relatable. A really good read.

Anne Tyler can do no wrong in my opinion and this short but compelling novel is no exception. Everything that you've come to expect from her writing is present here - family and relationships that are carefully examined and explored. An excellent read.

Oh I loved this so much. I love how Tyler writes about nothing really, but makes it warm, endearing and all about the characters she masterfully creates. Love love love

I loved this latest from Anne Tyler. As always she never shys away from very sensitive themes. Her characters are always recognisable as parts of ourselves. I
Thank you so much for access.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is the story of a socially awkward mother and is a clip of her life three days before and after her only daughter’s wedding.
The story is about someone who quits or loses her job the day before her daughter gets married and she finds out she hasn’t been invited to the spa day the other female family members are on and then her ex husband Max turns up to stay with her with a cat.
Then Debbie, the daughter is told that her husband has cheated on her and she tells her parents and they have to go along with her decision to marry Kenneth. All throughout the story are cringe worthy moments that are just glossed over. Then on day three Max is leaving and the cat is staying and then Max comes back, to stay.
Highly recommended

This is an absolutely lovely novel by Anne Tyler. It focuses on the 3 days around Gail's daughter, Debbie's wedding.

As usual with books by Anne Tyler all of the observations on life, character and love are achingly beautiful, even if, sometimes, the characters are not.

Gail has concerns about the wedding and has to reexplore her relationship with her ex-husband Max as well as her daughter. This leads to many of life's awkward moments, richly detailed with humour, getting deep into the essence of the matter.

This, for me, is one of those novels which feels so right and is effortless to read, enabling introspection as well as appreciating the story.

A beautifully told and crafted tale that will uplift any reader.

Anne Tyler does it again. Tender, generous, witty and insightful, the story covers just three days in a family’s life as they prepare for the daughter’s wedding. As ever Tyler captures the simple joys and sorrows of everyday life with her usual understated but oh so incisive style. Loved it.

This was such an easy five star read! I don’t think my words could ever come close to much I loved Gail’s character.
I was hooked from the very first page, for being less than 200 pages this really hits hard.
I found Gail’s character really relatable & I think that’s why I loved her so much! I could have easily read another 500 pages!
This was my first Anne Tyler book & now I want to read every single one she’s written.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Anne Tyler does what she does best—captures the quiet, beautiful mess of everyday life. Three Days in June is a moving, slow-burning portrait of family, memory, and the things left unsaid. With her signature tenderness and precision, Tyler once again proves she’s a master of emotional nuance.

Anne Tyler is such a gem. This book, although on the surface seems to have a simple plot, is startling for the little details that elevate it far beyond that. Tyler's ability to look into the flaws and foibles of a cast of characters, but still return with love and grace, is a real treat, and this short novel contains so much wisdom.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pleasant read at an enjoyable pace. The story is told from Gail’s perspective, a divorcee in her 60’s facing losing her long time job at the same time as her daughter Debbie’s wedding. Unexpectedly put in the position of housing her ex-husband Max and a cat he has rescued for the weekend.
It’s interesting to see a relationship between mother and daughter which isn’t the typically bed of roses. Gail isn’t involved in the wedding planning as one might expect or has the closest relationship with her daughter. So it comes as a surprise that Debbie confides in her a possible infidelity from the groom to be. Gail is left in shock and questions if the wedding should go ahead. Max though seems indifferent to the news and believes that Debbie should be the one to decide if she can forgive the infidelity.
We learn why Gail and Max divorced and how it has affected Gail in her life since.
After the wedding, we see Gail question her next step in her life, where will the next chapter take her?

There is nothing I can say that has not , no doubt, been said by others. This novel is sheer perfection. I adore Tyler's writing and her characters are very dear to me.

I probably need to reread it, but this reminds me of Breathing Lessons.


Read it immediately

We meet Gail, a prickly and socially awkward divorcée in her early sixties, when she is being given the boot from her job as assistant headmistress at a private girls’ school. And she has a trying weekend ahead of her. Her 33-year-old daughter Debbie is getting married the next day and her ex-husband, the endearingly bumbling Max has rocked up at her doorstep, a cat in tow, asking to stay for the weekend
Gail is decidedly put out. She glares at the interloping feline and barely tolerates Max’s messy ways, but as wedding politics take their toll, she finds herself leaning on him more and more to get through the proceedings.
When it emerges that Debbie’s betrothed has had a one-night stand the wedding is thrown into doubt. Gail is scandalised by the betrayal while Max more inclined to smooth ruffled feathers and get on with it.
We learn that Gail’s reaction harks back directly to her divorce from Max and the narrative shifts in time to the affair that spelled the end of their marriage.
This is a tender, funny, beautifully observed piece of fiction. A short book to gulp in one sitting –and the ending is sheer perfection.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM will have you believe that the most important people in a wedding are the bride and groom, and by all intents and purposes that wisdom would be correct. But the peripheral players, those with their own, separate, self-absorbed stories going on, they’re the ones to focus on if you really want to see some drama on the big day.
Gail Baines is the mother-of-the-bride. It is a Friday morning, the day before the wedding, and she has just had an unsettling conversation with her boss, the principal of an elite school in Baltimore, Maryland. Instead of continuing with the day at work, she leaves early, not raising much suspicion as her colleagues assume her role in the wedding requires the time off.
Her daughter, Debbie, is indeed partaking in a Day of Beauty, of which Gail has no interest in. She is a pragmatic person, a deputy headmistress who likes routine and tends not towards people pleasing, and has no desire to be primped and pampered. Until her feet take her to a salon to get her hair done, a procedure not seen-to for umpteen years, reluctant as she is to engage in chit-chat about the weather.
While not particularly pleased with her new ‘do, she doesn’t have the energy or wherewithal to get it fixed. Instead, she heads home, where on her doorstep she finds her ex-husband, Max. He has a rescue cat in tow, he tells her, so can’t stay with their daughter lest the cat’s dander trigger her fiancé Kenneth’s allergies. So, Gail reluctantly invites Max and the moggy to stay with her, where they both make themselves at home as soon as they cross the threshold.
When Debbie drops in on them later in the day, Gail’s preference for an uncomplicated life is further upended. Kenneth’s sister has let slip a secret during their spa day which threatens the upcoming nuptials, and while both parents are equally supportive, they both have different advice.
Ultimately, this news, paired with Max’s unexpected presence and the earlier conversation with her headmistress, sets in motion a reflection on her own marriage and its breakdown, and a contemplation on how life has panned out since.
Three Days in June is a masterful study on the painful ordinariness of a life, with terrifically realised characters in Max and, particularly Gail. Told in the first person, it is Gail’s inner thoughts we are privy to, which makes for some rib-tickling moments as she observes her cheerful ex-husband’s nonchalant comfort as he settles into her domain, and we the reader start to see how his effect on her is to unfurl her from her prickly bubble of worry at the everyday.
The two exes are yin and yang versions of each other; while Gail is “right-angled,” slow to warm up in social situations, rather literal about things – a maths teacher, originally – Max is a person who takes up a lot of space, not just in a room with his expansive physicality, but with his big, open-hearted personality.
He is an English teacher, a factor in how the former couple met, which we learn about when Gail thinks back to their own courtship and wedding day. He was immediately infatuated with her, thought she “hung the moon,” while she took a little longer to fall in love with him.
When it is revealed how and why they split, it is not as much of a surprise as it could have been, having got the measure of to the current dynamics of the relationship. The narrative unfolds in a beautifully restrained pace, with author Tyler’s uncanny aptitude for knowing when to conceal, when to reveal, when to insert a humorous comment or observation, when to amplify a seemingly small detail that in other hands would be a footnote, but in hers – as in life – becomes the point on which everything else circles.
By the end, having been through the rehearsal dinner with the future in-laws, the wedding day itself and the aftermath, we are left with a truly satisfying meditation on a marriage. Mother and father of the bride have dutifully played their parts, but what lies behind the proud parents’ smiles are stories that stretch much further than a special long weekend.

Fabulous as always - everyone should be reading Anne Tyler. Like a fine wine she gets better with age. As a budding writer I stand back in awe as it is not apparent what it is about this prose that makes it so appealing, readable and thought provoking - genius.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler was just as good as I anticipated and more. AT approaches family, love and aging with a thoughtful compassion that speaks gently to us all. The event of her daughter’s wedding is the three days that we focus on in June and all the emotions and lack there of are dealt with in this beautiful novel. The characters are deep and sensitive but we get to see the human vulnerability too and all in a small book. AT remains one of my favourite authors and I have bought the hardback to add to my collection.

Such a good book….typical of ANNE Tyler ….using just the right amount of words…good characterisations and clever humour. Finished it in 2 sittings and wishing it was longer!

This is the first book of Anne Tyler's I've read and it will definitely not be the last. I absolutely loved this book. One of the reasons being I related so much to the main character. I saw character traits I have in common with her. The way Tyler writes dialogue and character interactions is so realistic. You feel like they're just normal people, normal situations... she writes normal everyday very well! Looking forward to reading more from her.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sad and funny in just the right amounts.
Love Ann Tyler, her understanding of people and situations are enthralling.
Gail is the Deputy Head of a school in Baltimore, Marilee is the Head, she tells Gail she is leaving and has someone to take over Headship and a new Deputy. Gail storms out of the school. When she arrives home her ex-husband Max is there with a cat, preparing to stay with her whilst attending their daughter Debs wedding. The wedding is to take place the following day and they are due to attend a rehearsal. Gail has a lot going on, with leaving her job and Max turning up unexpectedly. Their daughter Debbie turns up in tears and declarers that her Fiancé has been unfaithful. Gail and Max disagree on what steps to take.
The actual wedding goes smoothly and Max and Gail put on a united front. Meanwhile the cat is making herself at home in Gail's house.
What caused the breakup of Gail and Max's marriage?
Will Debbie and Kenneth be happy?
The sharp wit, funny comments and insights make this book a great read. Only left me wanting more.
Thank you Ann, NetGalley and Chatto & Windus for this ARC

This was only a short book but Anne Tyler as always packed a lot into it. Relationships that were both fascinating and equally frustrating at times. Characters I really would love to hear more of too but I’m not that’s something this author does follow ins.

With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

It is many many years since I last read anything by Anne Tyler, and I don't remember her being anything like this delightful. Because this little gem is an utter delight. In recounting the events of the eve of Gail Baines' daughter's wedding, the wedding day and the day after, Tyler packs a lifetime of mistakes, regrets and redemption into less than 200 pages, with the lightest of touches and a hefty dose of humour.

Nothing much actually happens. Well, Gail might be about to lose her job as assistant head in a high school, and her ex husband Max turns up at her door to stay for a couple of nights for the wedding, with a cat in tow but no suit, and her daughter finds out the groom has been keeping a secret from her. In the course of three days Gail remembers what it was she loved about Max and sharing her life with him, and learns a thing or two about forgiveness, not least about forgiving herself. And she adopts the cat, which is definitely my idea of a happy ending.

Events are told in Gail's voice, and Gail herself reminded me very strongly of Olive Kitteridge - prickly, obstinate, would almost die rather than show affection, and her own harshest critic. She is a wonderful creation and this is a perfect piece of writing.

A beautiful, relatable story of real love, with all its twists and turns. I loved it and found it a captivating read.

A charming novel - it has love, humour and family, centred around three days in June.
Gail's daughter is getting married and the three days are before the wedding, the wedding day, and the day after the wedding.
Gail is divorced and has been described by her boss as "socially inadequate", but she is actually witty and has a great sense of humour.
Gail's ex husband turns up with a cat in tow to stay at Gail's for the wedding. I loved the banter between the two of them.
There is much drama prior to the wedding day.
The author has created great characters - I think I loved them all, but with a clear favourite, Gail.
Brilliant storytelling with a real 'wow' of an ending, all be it in a gentle way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Anne Tyler’s Three Days in June is a charming and heartwarming exploration of family, relationships, and personal growth told over the course of a chaotic wedding weekend. As a fan of stories about family dynamics, I found this to be a humorous yet believable tale, with plenty of emotional depth to keep me hooked.

The story centres on Gail Baines, the socially awkward mother of the bride, who finds herself navigating a whirlwind of stress and surprises. The day before her daughter Debbie’s wedding, Gail’s anticipated promotion at work falls through, and she abruptly quits her job. Things only escalate when her ex-husband, Max, unexpectedly shows up with a foster cat in tow and no plans beyond staying at Gail’s house. To top it all off, Gail is excluded from the bridal party’s spa day, and her professional hairstyling doesn’t go as hoped. Just when it seems like things couldn’t get worse, Debbie arrives on Gail’s doorstep with shocking news that threatens to derail the entire wedding.

Tyler masterfully balances humour with poignancy, capturing the chaos of family life with her trademark sensitivity. I couldn’t help but empathise with Gail, feeling her stress as she faced one challenge after another. Watching her transform over three days—gaining strength and a new perspective on her relationships—was deeply satisfying. The shifting dynamic between Gail and Max added warmth and complexity to the story, softening both characters in a way that felt authentic and rewarding.

Final Thoughts:

This book is a delightful reminder of the joys and struggles that come with family and love. It was a pleasure to watch Gail’s journey, and I look forward to reading more from Anne Tyler. Three Days in June is a relaxing, witty read that I would highly recommend to fans of heartfelt family dramas.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Such a wonderful read .. it left me quite at peace with the world!

Gail, divorced, lives alone. Right now, she has a lot going on in her life; her daughter is about to get married and there are issues with her job. So with the wedding due to take place, she has finally had enough and quits - or is fired, depending on whose side you take. As if that wasn't enough, her ex-husband turns up on her doorstep having invited himself - with not a word to her - to stay for the festivities and, as if that wasn't quite enough - he has a cat in tow. When her daughter discovers her groom has been harbouring a secret, it would seem that Gail is finally approaching breaking point . . .

I always enjoy Anne Tyler's writing. This isn't a long book but, boy, is it a packed on with so much going on. I have to admit that Gail is much more laidback than I would have been in her situation! It makes for lovely reading and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Give yourself a treat - you know you deserve it! Five wonderful stars *****

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Three Days in June is the story of a woman who's watching her daughter get married, dealing with her ex-husband being back in the house for the wedding and having a crisis at work. All of these things require all of her social powers which, unfortunately, are in short supply.

A really charming slice of life story, where I really related to the protagonist even though we have little in common.

This was great! I came here to remind myself of the title of the book ahead of publication tomorrow - will be buying it for a friend. Perfect for any Anne Tyler fans.

It's hardly a surprise that this is a gorgeous book!
Anne Tyler could write a shopping list and somehow manage to make it interesting.
This time, she takes us into the world of Gail Baines - an everywoman (like all Tyler's best characters) Gail is faced with losing her job, losing her daughter (to marraige) and facing up to a life that she can no longer blunt the edges from. We see her past and present and it is gloriously told over a very short book that wastes not so much as one word - a book to treasure.
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to read in advance.

Gail's daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and Gail had to supervise her ex husband Max to ensure their daughter's wedding goes smoothly. Weddings bring up all sorts of emotions and memories and this one is no different. Weaving an intriguing tale of past and present, Anne Tyler takes you on a journey and leaves you fiiled with hope for the future. This has everything you want from an Anne Tyler novel. I loved it!

No one writes more poignantly about being a woman than Anne Tyler.
3 Days in June introduces us to 60 something Gail. Her boss has just told her she is should think about retiring, her only daughter is getting married and her ex husband Max has turned up looking for a bed, and with an abandoned cat in tow.
Gail deals with all of this with the same reserved distance and mild irritation. Everything is too much fuss to think about deeply, it appears.
Soon, an alarming revelation about her soon to be son-in-law shakes her out of her equanimity. Gail needs to start facing life without her daughter and potentially a job. It’s time for her to face up to her past and make some decisions about the future.
This is a very short novel set over 3 days. Not a word is wasted as get to understand Gail and her relationship with Max, past and future. It’s an immersive beautiful book about woman at a crossroads. Wonderful.

This is a short book, a novella but that doesn’t mean it was light on content- in fact it was full of some wonderful characters and it was so enjoyable I polished it off in the course of one afternoon.
I’ve been reading Anne Tyler books for years and she never disappoints- she can be relied upon to craft a wonderful story with characters that are so real and lifelike- even their dialogue is believable.- it is as if you are in the room with them, listening to them speak.
Gail is a 60 something deputy head teacher whose daughter Debbie is getting married. On the day of the wedding rehearsal she is informed by her boss that a new head teacher is being appointed and that Dawn should think about retiring or doing something else with her life.
She rushes home to think about her predicament and whilst there her ex husband, Max turns up for the wedding bringing with him a cat! He can’t stay with Debbie as her fiancé is allergic.
Gail reluctantly agrees to take him in and the 3 day wedding weekend proceeds, raking up all sorts of memories and a lot of guilt.
When Debbie has a crisis before the marriage Gail and Max have completely different reactions and Gail in particular cannot understand how Debbie can continue. This really emphasises how Gail and Max have dealt with life’s challenges and the importance of moving on in the future without guilt. It really made me think about the power of forgiveness.
I don’t want to reveal too much more as it is such an enjoyable read which deserves to be savoured first hand.
I thoroughly recommend “Three Days in June” as an engrossing and entertaining read. If you like Anne Tyler, you’ll love this and if you haven’t read any of her other books you’ve got a real treat in store.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

There was no huge cast in this book and no remarkable location. In fact, the vast majority of the book takes place in the comfort of Gail’s home. That may sound uninspired, but I can assure you that taking a leap of faith will pay dividends. This certainly wasn’t my usual reading matter, and the pace was uninspiring at the beginning, but once I got my head into the space of the narration, I was hooked.
Gail is the female equivalent of a grumpy old man. Set in her ways and focused on her routine, she’s determined to remain a valuable team player and has no desire to take retirement and become old before her time. She is content to follow the routine of her personal life and has no need for any excitement. I found her character both frustrating and yet reassuring. I could hear myself willing her to step outside of her comfort zone.
We then meet Max, Gail’s ex-husband, who arrives at her house after being given short shrift by their daughter. He’s in town for their daughter’s wedding but has brought a rescue cat with him, but his future son-in-law is allergic. Thankfully, Gail accepts that she will have to offer him a place to stay. Under sufferance. Their initially frosty dynamic soon thaws, and it’s easy to see how they were once happy together.
I’d love to tell you more, but I would hate to reveal any details that aren’t included in the synopsis. This is a novella, so there isn’t too much story to conjure with; the joy is in the writing. The skilled way that the author tells this story and makes it feel like a huge tome despite being relatively brief is a testament to her writing style.
All I can do is encourage you to take a leap of faith, like I did and hope that you enjoy it as much.

It’s the day before her daughter’s wedding and things are not going well for Gail Baines. First thing, she loses her job – or quits, depending who you ask. Then her ex-husband Max turns up at her door expecting to stay for the festivities. He doesn’t even have a suit. Instead, he’s brought memories, a shared sense of humour – and a cat looking for a new home.

Just as Gail is wondering what’s next, their daughter Debbie discovers her groom has been keeping a secret, and as the big day dawns, the exes just can’t agree on what’s best for Debbie, or if the wedding will even go ahead, and the day after, Gail and Max prepare to go their separate ways again.

But all the questions about the future of the happy couple have stirred up the past for Gail. Because ‘happy’ takes many forms, and sometimes the younger generation has much to teach the older about secrets, acceptance and taking the rough with the smooth.

I adored this latest from Anne Tyler, and it's yet another example of why she is one of my absolute favourite writers. At only 176 pages it isn't a long book by any means, but what we have is perfection and bliss in novel format.

She is the ultimate chronicler of family life, and of the small, ordinary, everyday. But as she does this - effortlessly, and with her trademark humour - we see how it's these small, ordinary tensions and dramas that have the biggest impact and effect upon people's lives. I once heard someone say that Anne Tyler writes about nothing, but about everything, and this is so very true. The ordinary and mundane becomes special, and what she has to say about one family and their situation, equally applies to everyone everywhere.

She is an observer of people par excellence, which means that all of her characters are fully developed and believable. She makes the reader cars about every single one. Every thought, emotion, reaction, interaction, relationship, event and situation is sharply and brilliantly observed, and perfectly rendered in her novels, and as she does this, she writes with extraordinary humanity and understanding of the human condition.

Family weddings are a familiar situation to many of us, and as she depicts all the various dynamics - the controlling mother of the groom, the socially awkward mother of the bride, the laidback dad who forgets his dress shoes so has to wear sneakers, the spiteful sister in law to be - and fills in the family's backstory over the previous decades, she allows us to explore and think about the book's themes: love, marriage and second chances. Themes which apply across the generations of this family, and indeed to all of us.

I cannot recommend this funny, touching, poignant, and above all hopeful novel enough. It's an absolute joy.

Anne Tyler's consummate skill in creating whole lives in such a restrained and confined number of words - this is a short book but has all the detail vividly sketched so you come away believing the characters are real - such a convincing snapshot with concealed depths that leave you admiring the skill of the writing. A real treat to read, as Gail and her ex-husband Max face the wedding of their only daughter together, in a story that encapsulates their relationship and offers a glimpse into many lives along the way.

This was delightful.
We are introduced to Gail, a woman in her 60's, with poor social skills (or is she just a straight talker with no time for sugarcoating?) on the weekend of her daughters wedding.
When you add in her ex-husband, a stray cat and poor Gail already feeling like an outsider, this is going to be one hell of a weekend.

The author's observations of "normal" day-to-day life is second to none. Although this is a short book, the characters are so well developed.
There are plenty of emotional moments but these are interspersed with humour.

A real feel-good book that I adored.

I absolutely devoured this gem of a book - for less than two hundred pages it’s a brilliant study of a person at a key point in their life.

The central character is Gail Baines and we follow her in the day before, the day of and the day after her daughters wedding. It starts with her losing her job, then her ex-husband comes to stay with her unexpectedly and then she finds out that her daughters husband-to-be has been keeping a secret.

Lots happens but also not very much - it’s a brilliant study of the small decisions we make every day and the choices that cause us to think them over and over. Gail was quite a lonely character and she would be really easy to dislike but you see how much she really cares and how much she worries about what others think of her.

I loved the dynamic between her and her ex-husband and how she really struggled comparing herself to her daughter’s new mother-in-law who seemed to be confident in everything she did.

It was beautifully written and really easy to read - yet another book that shows what a talented writer Anne Tyler is.

Three Days In June
By Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler is such a reliable author. Her characters contain multitudes and their drama always appears low stake on the surface but are roiling with foreshadowing of consequences that we interpret through her perfectly formed shorthand of gesture, glance or remark.

Having binged her backlist over recent months I have come to appreciate her witty, razor sharp take on human behaviour, particularly in her older characters, and opening a new book of hers feels rather like sitting down to read a long letter from an old friend.

This new novel is probably my favourite ever of hers. It is short and the humour is evident from the very first page. It is the story of Gail, newly unemployed, her daughter's wedding is tomorrow and her ex husband turns up on her doorstep and foists himself and a borrowed cat upon her for the next three days.

A wedding signifies life changes but moreso for Gail than the for the bride and groom as she reflects on her marriage and divorce, evaluates her identity and her loss of past-self, negotiates a future reality that protects her newfound and hard won self agency, all while considering the possible advances of an old flame and trying not to resent her irritation at the invasion of her privacy by her imperious ex.

I love Gail, I love her growth and determination. This is a warm hug of a book with a very satisfying ending.

Publication date: 13th February 2025
Thanks to ##Netgalley and #randomhouseuk for providing an eGalley in return for an honest review

I think this book must be novella length as it didn't take me very long to read. We have a mismatched couple, a daughter who seems inexplicably unlike either of them, routines, difficulty dealing with people, all classic Tyler characters, and it's set in Baltimore, but it's certainly not Tyler-by-numbers and I think represents a maintenance of the return to form I enjoyed in my reading of "French Braid".

The book does indeed extend over three days in June: the days around divorced parents' Gail and Max's daughter Debbie's wedding day. So we have rehearsal day, the wedding day and the day after, each with its worries and issues. Some of them are common - Debbie is marrying into quite a different kind of family, with formal, well-dressed in-laws and a capable mother-in-law who knows how to organise things "properly" and there's a sibling falling-out - some specific - Gail has a difficult interaction with her boss at the school she works at and walks out, Debbie finds out her groom has a secret (or has he?), and one of the in-laws turns out to be a face from Gail's past. The past is revisited here and there, and we find out how Gail and Max's marriage broke up.

But there are bigger things going on than just a wedding story, as usual: is it better to be with someone just like you or different; how on earth do children come out so different from their parents; is it better to muddle through or be seemingly perfect; is it better to be quieter or louder? Oh, and there's a beautifully drawn cat who, thankfully (you never quite know with Tyler) makes it through fine.

A lovely read I'll be buying in paperback and re-reading in time.

Blog review: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2025/02/05/book-review-anne-tyler-three-days-in-june/

Three Days in June is the most delightful novella - spikey and satisfying. Gail Baines, probably in her sixties, is being passed over for a promotion in her teaching job, not only because her communication skills are lacking. She’s prickly and acerbic, and initially a bit hard to like. I immediately thought of Olive Kitteridge - Gail and Olive would have a lot in common!

The book covers her daughter Debbie’s wedding - the day before, the big day, and the day after. The scale is small, with everything happening close by, but the themes are bigger - Gail reflects on familial love and loyalty, fidelity, and how hard it is to hold your tongue, but not hold your ideas too close. Over the three days there is reflections and secrets, a rescue cat, and a reckoning for a marriage that ended years before. Is it a romance? That’s for the reader to find out 😉

Such a gorgeous and tender little novel - I absolutely recommend if you love good writing, and understatement.

Thank you Anne Tyler, Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

You know when you just love a book with your bones? I had that with this book. I love Anne Tyler.

I haven’t read everything she’s written but I think I own everything she’s written and have loved what I have read. She makes the ordinary extraordinary, she makes the banal sublime, she writes with humour, heart and soul and her writing speaks to me on a level that I don’t often experience.

Three Days in June is her latest work. It’s out next week and it’s a short novel set over the course of, you guessed it, three days in June, when Gail Baines’ daughter Debbie is about to marry.

Things aren’t going well for Gail, she may have just lost her job, her ex-husband has turned up on her doorstep with a cat and Debbie’s husband-to-be has been keeping a secret.

The characters are unlikeable and endearing in equal measure, and the story unfolds gently and with humour, reaching a satisfying conclusion. I loved it and I feel like I could happily just read Anne Tyler books from this point on and be content. 5/5 ⭐️

Thank you so much @penguinbooksireland for the #gifted advance copy and @netgalley for the eARC. Three Days in June will be published next week, 13 February 2025.

The first Anne Tyler book I have read and at less than 200 pages some would describe it as a novella. You can see why the writing of Anne Tyler has won many awards. Many authors would have dragged this story out to double the page length with endless unnecessary padding so I applaud the simple well executed. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

Anne Tyler masterfully sets up this story in the opening pages and follows through with a sublimely enjoyable story. Her writing style is so relaxed and her characters are magnificent.
Over the Three Days in June, Gail faces a career challenge, her daughter's wedding and a few other surprises and dilemmas.

I enjoyed this so much that I didn't want it to end.

This was a fab quick read all about ‘life’ and how time can change your mindset. Anne Tyler writes so beautifully.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Anne Tyler is so good at writing about people who deliberately reduce the scope of their lives – both physically and emotionally - to protect themselves. It’s territory that she’s explored in a number of her books and I can’t think of anyone who does it better. This is right up there with the best that she’s written.

In this instance it’s Gail, a divorced deputy Principal who imagines that she will eventually inherit the top job when her boss retires, but instead finds herself sidelined. At the same time her daughter is getting married which brings her ex back into her life and has her thinking about the compromises you do and don’t accept in a relationship.

As the title suggests it’s set over three days and it’s an exquisite character study written with all of Tyler’s warmth and wisdom and gentle humour. I absolutely adored it.

Anne Tyler at her best! Set over 3 days and a family wedding. Anne Tyler explores family life with precision and care. Gail and Max are divorced parents of Debbie who is just about to marry. Over the 3 days past secrets are revealed as well as family relationships as Gail takes stock of her life and the decisions that have brought her to this stage in her life. Her relationship with both her daughter and former husband are revealed in small domestic scenes.

Tyler's beautiful writing sucks you in in 176 pages.

It feels like a little while since I read an Anne Tyler book, but as soon as I started I felt comfortable and relaxed as I was confident this would be another good one. Ms Tyler has the style of writing that is easy to read and seemingly about mundane everyday life and relationships but she manages to inject warmth, humour, depth and understanding of the human condition that make them a joy to read. This one was no different, set over three days but reflecting on the lifetimes of the main characters.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

Anne Tyler’s “Three Days in June” is a charming exploration of family dynamics and self-discovery. The characters truly shine, feeling remarkably realistic and human. Gail, the quirky protagonist, is a delight to follow, and while her ex-husband receives the most development among the supporting cast, every character feels believable. Though the setting isn’t strongly emphasized, this doesn’t detract from the story’s impact. Tyler’s accessible writing style ensures a smooth, enjoyable reading experience.

The simple plot—Gail’s daughter’s wedding, her ex-husband’s temporary stay, and the resulting disruption to her routine—serves as a catalyst for Gail’s self-reflection. The relationships are portrayed with nuance and subtlety. Through carefully crafted interactions and flashbacks, Tyler masterfully shows rather than tells, allowing readers to glean insights into Gail’s connections with her daughter, ex-husband, mother, and even her future in-laws. This approach effectively reveals Gail’s character, quirks, and limitations, creating a rich and complex portrait. “Three Days in June” beautifully blends contemporary and literary elements, offering a touching exploration of family, self-knowledge, forgiveness, acceptance, letting go, and the enduring power of human connection.

Anne Tyler squeezes so much into this novella. Spanning three days in Gail’s life, we reflect with her on the minutiae of herself, her family, her career. Quietly reflective and contemplative, I enjoyed spending time with Gail and her ex husband Max, as they find themselves brought together to celebrate their daughter's wedding. I love that the characters are so real, quirky and flawed; that the everyday happenings are just as you’d expect; all the tensions of families being joined through marriage. There’s nothing contrived here, it’s all just everyday life beautifully observed. Fans of Anne Tyler will not be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Random House UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book is an absolute joy to read. I felt real empathy with Gail, not only being a similar age but having been Mother of the Bride twice. The descriptions of the wedding and emotions felt are spot on. I highly recommend this book.

I love Anne Tyler so much and this snack-sized book was such a treat - I ripped through it in a single sitting. This story has all her signature wit and charm, but also really tugs on your heartstrings too. I gently wept all the way through the second half (in a good way). Lovely, gentle, uplifting, very funny about family and wedding dynamics and the dangers of being too hard on yourself. Would be a good recommendation for fans of The Wedding People, I think.

Although the writing style appears simple, every word forms part of a picture which brings the characters to life.
Gail is a 61 year old teacher/administrator who walks away from her role after being advised she ‘had no people skills’. The next day is her daughter’s wedding day and her ex husband arrives and asks to stay for the wedding.
Each trivial fact allows the reader to form opinions of the characters and reasons for some of their behaviours.
Anne Tyler writes about people and allows the reader to form their own impressions.
A wonderful book.

What a simple but beautiful story!-I read it in one sitting. Anne Tyler has the gift of writing great characters and storylines and this one has it all. Told over the 3 days of Gail's daughter's wedding so much is packed in to this delightful novella. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and author for an advance reading copy.

I love Anne Tyler.

For all I love my horror and my difficult messy women and my gothic fiction, I also just love a quiet book about people just living their lives.

I needed a palette cleanser after my last read and this lovely little novella was perfect.

Three days in June is such a perfect title. A little snapshot of a family’s life on the days around a wedding.

In ways I wish it was longer but I also think it was the perfect length.

A quiet novel about the everyday. I loved it.

Gail’s comfortable life is shaken when the head of the school, where she works as deputy head, announces her retirement later in the year. Gail’s expectations of becoming the new head are quickly dashed along the realisation that her own role was at risk with the incoming head bring their own deputy.

Gail’s emotional journey and reflections over the three days that follow are delightfully told. Her daughter, is getting married the next day and she has to contend with her ex husband, Max, arriving unexpectedly on her doorstep with a cat, and her daughter having a crisis about the wedding. In reflecting about her current situation she reminisces about her past relationships and the decisions that she took.

The central characters are well developed and engaging with a range of social settings as the backdrop. The story unfolds at a good pace and it is a really easy and satisfying read.

This story was amazing, I connected with it so well, a story written about growing up, marriage, children, divorce and reconnecting, the well written characters flowed from the page and i enjoyed it very much

The day before her daughter’s wedding, Gail quits her job then is forced to put up her ex-husband for the wedding weekend. Told over three days, Tyler unravels a story of a whole life: a marriage, parenthood, loves lost and found. No one creates characters as subtly as her - people you instantly recognise and yet continue to be surprised by. A perfect story.

I love it. Anne Tyler rocks. For the full review go to https://www.tumblr.com/joebloggshere/772062793245638656/three-days-in-june-by-anne-tyler-i-love-it-i-love

A beautiful novel about reflection and emotion set over three days. Anne Tyler gets to the heart of human frailty and mistakes and has woven a tale that will resonate with readers. I will now start on her back catalogue to appreciate her literary takent.

Anne Tyler is always my turn-to author for a good story, and here's another.

This is the story of Gail, and the wedding of her daughter Debbie. Her ex-husband Max is back in town, and Gail unexpectedly finds herself with him as a house guest, together with a cat. Debbie's relationship appears on the verge of breaking, and Gail is caught up in trying to solve everyone's relationship problems without realising that she has her own problems and opportunities.

This is fairly short, and I read it through in less than 24 hours, but then Anne Tyler is that good that you just can't put it down!

Wow what a lot of story to be packed into so few pages. An excellent, thoughtful and moving read. Really packs a punch.

As the title suggests, Anne Tyler's new novella 'Three Days in June' focuses on a couple of days in the life of Gail Baines. Whilst the focus is small, much happens over the course of the weekend that makes Gail revisit old mistakes and decisions, triggered by the prospective marriage of her daughter, a suggestion that she reviews her career, and the unexpected arrival of Max, her ex-husband.

I have read and enjoyed a number of Tyler's books and she is very adept at writing about women who don't quite understand the social mores around them. Indeed in some ways Gail Baine's reminded me of one of Elizabeth Strout's characters. For Tyler however, the tone was slightly different than in her other novels, with Gail being the narrator in a way that added an immediacy to the writing and made this a more pacey book than some of Tyler's other ones. Despite how short it is, it still packed an emotional punch and left me feeling touched and satisfied. I would highly recommend and would gladly read a follow up, if Tyler decided to go down that line.

I am so thankful to Netgalley for letting me read and review this new Anne Tyler novel. Her writing is evocative and so realistic and just so easy to read. I love Anne Tyler's writing and she's just so accurate her observations. Gail Baines is having a bad day after finding out that she's losing her job and has been told the day before her only daughter Debbie's wedding. The day doesn't get any better when ex-husband Max turns up bringing a rescue cat with him. Max unexpectedly has to stay with Gail which means she is more disgruntled than ever. Anne Tyler is so adept at describing the minutiae of ordinary life and events and she is at her best here. We're taken through the wedding rehearsal, meet Kenneth's (the groom) parents and hear why Debbie should or should not go ahead with the wedding. I loved this book and really did not want ut to end.

There are few authors who can sustain a high quality of novels over decades, but Anne Tyler is consistent and 'Three Days in June', published 60 years after her debut novel, is one of her best. Tyler has the gift of a deep understanding of human nature, and a way of communicating it that is utterly relatable and lovely to read.

The point of view character of this novel is Gail, a teacher in her early 60s, whose only daughter is about to get married. The three days are the day before, the day of, and the day after the wedding. On the first day, just to add to the pressure, Gail discovers she is losing her job, and then her ex-husband arrives to stay with her along with a cat. What with a pre-marital crisis, memories of the events leading to her own divorce, and a domineering mother of the groom, there's plenty of fuel for an absorbing story.

Gail is an awkward but likeable character, described by another character in the first chapter as lacking in people skills. Which is true to some degree, but maybe no more so than a lot of humanity. None of Tyler's characters are extreme - they are the sort of complicated, nuanced, realistic people that we know in our own lives. Gail is very relatable, as she tries to navigate the complexities of 'ordinary' situations. I also really liked her ex-husband, a very different person to Gail but also very sympathetic. I was desperate for them to reconcile and find a way to be happy in their later years.

The short, condensed timescale works really well. Tyler's books can sometimes seem a bit slow or feel unfocussed, but that was never an issue here. It also ensured it felt well paced even though as with all of her novels it is not a thriller. That's just not the type of story she writes, and nor would you want her to. It's a warm, moving, story that makes you feel some hope for humanity. An absolute treat for any readers who enjoy well written stories about ordinary people.

I absolutely loved " Three Days in June". Gail Baines, is the protagonist of the story and  the absolute anti-hero of a mother of the bride with a divorced husband, Max,  as a side kick, who has moved in with her for the duration of the wedding,  with a cat. Her daughter is about to get married and all is not well in this family  setting.  Written with a sharp sense of humor, I would recommend this quirky portrait of the trials of family life to anyone who loves Elizabeth Strout but without depressing characters. 5 stars.

This sounded so good! I have heard of Anne Tyler before, but I hadn't read any of her books so I was intrigued how I would find this.

It is a short, quick book, perfect for when you want to fit in a read but don't have much time. I read it on Boxing Day, squeezed into an hour or so gap in the afternoon and it was lovely.

I didn't know what to expect from her writing, but it was very good. Nothing much happens in this, but the characters and narrative are so well written. It's very every day and that's what makes it special.

It's a great portrayal of a dysfunctional family, of ageing, divorce, trust issues, marriage, worry, and it was very well done indeed. I've not been through what the characters have - I've never been married, been divorced, had a child - and yet Anne makes it all seem like such a familiar experience. I think any adult would enjoy it but readers of a similar age to the characters (60s) would get the most out of it.

There is no complex plot, no real twists or turns or surprises, no outstanding reveals. It's everyday and ordinary, but it's a masterclass in gentle but powerful storytelling and characterisation.

If this isn't on your 2025 radar, then get it on it! Buy it, borrow it, or steal it (but don't steal it); however you get your hand son it, get it, and read it quickly, it's glorious. I will definitely be looking out for her other work now.

A short book with a strong emotional impact set just a few days before a wedding. Gail is struggling with her career, and her loneliness after her ex shows up at her house with a cat, and maintaining her composure while she tries to figure out what the mother of the bride is supposed to do. After hearing some distressing news, she is worried about her daughter's choice of spouse and tries to fit in with the ongoing wedding planning. Anne Tyler navigates the rocky terrain of human weakness with poise and wit and a great deal of humour.

As always, Anne Tyler has written a brilliant novel - one never tires of her characters, her Baltimore setting, or her storylines. It never ceases to amaze me how an 80-year-old (plus) writer can still write great stories. They are always thought-provoking, often funny, often sad - essentially, Tyler captures life in all its realness.

In 'Three Days in June', Gail Baines, a 61-year-old assistant headmistress in a private school, is preparing for her daughter, Debbie's, wedding. The book opens with her headmistress, Marilee, telling her she is going to have surgery - and that she is retiring. Much to Gail's chagrin, Marilee tells her a new educator will be replacing her and even though Gail evidently hoped she would succeed Marilee, this clearly isn't going to be the case. Gail ups and leaves and goes home. I love the way that this [somewhat unrealistic] marks the rest of the story.

Max, Gail's ex-husband, turns up with a cat he has fostered - and this cat is somewhat symbolic in the story. The wedding comes and goes, despite Gail and Max thinking that Debbie is not going to marry Kenneth - he apparently sleeps with someone else prior to the big day but Debbie forgives him. Anne Tyler superbly draws characters is simplistic ways, from Sophie, the mother of the groom, through to Gail's mother. It's the little things, the small details, that allow her to do this. She is a master of showing, not telling.

I loved this novel and can't wait to work my way through Tyler's vast catalogue - there are still many books of hers I haven't read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Absolutely loved this - superb characterisation and the author has such a keen eye for relationships and their nuances.

The story's about Gail, an assistant headteacher who struggles with social skills; the day before her daughter's wedding, her life is turned upside down when she quits her job after being passed over for a promotion. To make things worse, her ex-husband Max becomes her uninvited houseguest, she feels sidelined from the wedding plans (though we can see why! - her daughter is very, very patient and I think takes after her dad), and then her daughter tells her something that might stop the wedding going ahead...

It's a short but very deep book, covering three days - the day before the wedding, the wedding itself, and the day after. But Gail's thoughts and concerns over those three days reflect her entire life and the mistakes she's made. It's brilliantly done: showing someone in later life having an epiphany and wondering if she has the courage to make a new start. The characters are developed so well - we see laid-back Max and how annoying he must've been for Gail, but we also see how patient and wise he is. Gail is very blunt and not very good at understanding other people's points of view and feelings - but we empathise with her rather than disliking her.

One of my best reads of the year. I'll be buying this for friends next year!

You really can't go wrong with an Anne Tyler book. A relatviely short story focusing on Gail for the days before, of and after her only daughter's wedding. Her event leads her to reflect on her own relationships and life choices. Absorbing, witty and oh! that final page!

Anne Tyler has a knack for taking ordinary characters facing ordinary situations and turning them into a story we can engage and empathise with. This short novel focuses on 61 year old Gail Baines whose daughter Debbie is getting married to her long time boyfriend Kenneth.

Gail is dealing with a lot over this time. The day before the wedding she’s been told she is no longer wanted in her role of acting headmistress despite years of dedicated service. Then she discovers she has been pushed aside from her daughter’s wedding preparations by her fiancé’s mother. And to top it off her ex-husband Max, Debbie’s father, turns up on her doorstep looking for a bed for the night and not only that but he has a cat in a carrier that he thinks Gail might like to adopt.

A family wedding often puts strain on family relationships and Tyler has captured that well with sensitivity and with a streak of humour throughout. Her fondness for her characters is displayed by her portrayal of them. Gail is a pragmatic woman who says what she thinks and doesn’t waste time on empty platitudes while Max is affable and easy going, but also better at reading people. Their relationship is warm and relaxed, one of love and respect for each other. While Max seems to get on well with Debbie, she and Gail don’t seem close but Gail only wants her to have a happy marriage and tries to ignore the hurt caused by being side-lined from the wedding preparations. Told with humour, sensitivity and love this short novel is a lovely portrayal of ordinary people grappling with ordinary situations and relationships that have the potential to change their lives.

Anne Tyler is the undisputed chief storyteller of bittersweet contemporary US-American family lives, a status she proves once more with ‘Three Days in June’. The three days wrap around the wedding of Gail Banes’ daughter Debbie and force sixty year old Gail to take stock of her life. Firstly her professional life: instead of the educational management role she has smartly and steadfastly worked towards, she is made redundant. Secondly, her marital life: the neat separation from her laid-back former husband Max is reversed when he shows up at Gail’s home ahead of the wedding, bringing Gail’s suppressed feelings of guilt and regret to the forefront. And thirdly, her parental life: why is she, the mother-of-the-bride, excluded from the wedding preparations? And how will she react when her daughter makes a disturbing revelation?
As in other Tyler novels, the characterisation in Three Days in June is nuanced, careful and subtle, letting the reader sense the depth of the nostalgia, sadness, guilt and moral outrage but also the love, firmness of purpose, courage and optimism that the female protagonist experiences as the novel proceeds. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free ARC that allowed me to read this exquisite new book by Baltimore’s finest familial chronicler.

Lovely. Slow moving, every word carefully considered. Nothing happens yet we see a whole life and become immediately engaged. Every gap is filled right up until we get just what we want. No questions remain unanswered. Just a gentle, beautifully presented insight into a whole life in a snapshot of just three days. Immensely clever.

Classic and reassuringly reliable Anne Tyler, Three Days in June is a simple yet beautiful account of a marriage, a family and a wedding.
I am a big fan of the drama from relatable small lives, and Anne Tyler is the master. This is a gentle and easy read.
And there is a cat with a big personality. What is not to love?
An easy five stars from me.

This is an unusually short book, especially for Anne Tyler, but the limited timescale of three days helps to make it work.

The central character is Gail Baines, a school Assistant Head Teacher who walks out on her job after being passed over for promotion, possibly for a lack of people skills, and, on the back of this, reassesses her life and relationships against the background of her daughter’s marriage and an ex-partner, Max, who dumps a cat on her!

It’s a journey for Gail, who has previously relied on being brisk, buttoned up, efficient and, perhaps, a little bit intolerant of the weaknesses of others. Anne Tyler subtly allows her to begin to notice what other people say and what they don’t say, and how they work around her.

Although there are only three days involved, it seems like a slow unravelling and is amusingly described. By the end, you’re likely to think that you know someone who is a bit like Gail and who, without intervention, is in danger of descending into a spiky spinsterhood.

And, yes, she does escape but you’ll have to read the book to find out how. It’s entertaining!

Just such a beautiful book. Anne Tyler just has a way of sucking you right in with her amazing writing. Even when nothing much is going on in the book, the story is so strong that you want to keep reading. This book is filled with humour, sensitivity and love. It's about the ups and downs of life and how everything can still turn out okay even in the downs.

I've loved reading Anne Tyler and this was no exception. It might be a short read and not have a page turning plot, yet it says so much, with warmth and humour that keep you wanting to read. It makes a pleasant change to read about characters you actually like! A perfect little book.

Anne Tyler is my favourite contemporary author. Her piercing gaze which sees the detail of the everyday, her understanding of the dynamics and rhythms within a marriage or family life and her quiet but powerful style which belies you into thinking a story is smaller than it is, have all made me fall in love with her books. Three Days in June is a wonderful reminder of just how good Tyler can be..

Things aren’t going well for Gail. It looks like she has lost her school job - not quite a dismissal as much as a strong suggestion that she is not suitable and they have someone better in mind. Gail is after all not a people person. This criticism really stings! Gail’s daughter is about to get married and her ex-husband has turned up seeking a place to stay. He is accompanied by a rescue cat. The story focuses on Gail and her family before and after the wedding. As Gail and Max navigate their uncomfortable proximity, their daughter has a revelation and Gail has one of her own. Gail is a lady who has her own routines which don’t include an ex husband or a rescue cat. As Gail and Max try to navigate their present, the presence of her ex-husband awakens old memories and and forces Gail to confront her past.

I fell in love with this from page one. In a few sentences I could feel Gail’s social awkwardness, her prickliness. My heart went out to her as she sums up the courage to have her hair done and comes home disappointed. One feels that this might sum up Gail’s experience of the world. She wants to be braver, to venture out of her comfort zone..but her attempts backfire. I loved the beautifully observed rhythm of Gail’s relationship with her ex-husband. They have a well-rehearsed banter and familiar patterns which they settle back into despite the years of divorce. Tyler’s stories are small - this is ostensibly the story of the wedding of Max and Gail’s daughter. However, the story yields deeper themes as it gently unpeels the layers of Gail’s own marriage. By the end of the story I cared so deeply about Max and Gail and was willing them to get back together.

This is Tyler at her best and an absolute tonic of a read. I had all the feels with this one. I laughed and cried. This was the book I had saved for a rainy day and I wish I had a whole bookshelf full of books like this.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Random House Uk, Vintage for my digital copy of this delightful book.

Loved, loved, loved this book set on the eve, the day of and the day after a wedding. Anne Tyler explores family relationships and friendships in the way that only she can. This is a must read and not only for Ann Tyler fans.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication - felt privilaged and also my life is a bit topsy turvey and the protagonist - what else can go wrong - a lot.

Set over a weekend June - as the title suggests and relatively a short resd but wow this packed a punch. Gail has not got the promotion in school and she thought she would get so is now facing uncertinty as she has walked out of the school!, surprisingly there are parallels with me and age her daughter Debbies is getting married - we go on that journey - before during and after the wedding day. Then to cap it all Gails ex husband arrives with a cat
The mother of the bride has been left out of the plaaning of the wedding activities, she is coming to terms with her past and uncertain future but at the core she just wants her daughter to have the best day.

Recommended read I loved it.

Anne Tyler is one of my favourite authors. Her writing is subtle and understated, but she never fails to capture a mood, a setting, a character, and draw the reader into their world. Three Days in June does exactly what it says on the can - but so much more. The rather prickly Gail is at the centre of an unaccustomed whirlwind caused by difficulties at work and the impending wedding of her daughter, Debbie. The novel charts her navigation through the next three days, whilst drawing on past events as context. Her problems are compounded by the arrival of her ex-husband and a rescued cat, but they also focus her mind on the present and her future.
I loved this book. So much packed unobtrusively into a small package. Lovely!