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

A great story from Anne Tyler in her unique, subtle style, where not much occurs but everything shifts! Her detailed portrayal of characters and their daily lives makes them feel real, and you find yourself wanting to know what happens to them next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy

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.

This was a new author for me and a great shorter read. I liked the portrayal of Gail and her view of the world. Set at the time of their daughter’s wedding, Gail and her ex husband Max are forced together and we learn about their relationship and events around their separation as they support their daughter with her upcoming wedding. It was a lovely story of love, family and not having to be perfect but being accepted and loved for who you are.

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!

I requested this book as ii saw quite a few 5 star reviews - unfortunately for me I found it an average quick read and preferred the style of Linda Green a favorite author of mine. This was a simple quick read but did not hold much interest apologies

Three days in June is an easy quick read that centres around the main character Gail, a middle aged women who is very easy to relate too!
Gail has been living alone since she split with her ex, working at a local school until she gets overlooked for promotion so decides to quit and is now at a crossroads in her life feeling insignificant, overlooked and more socially awkward then ever!
The book takes place over a weekend , the weekend that Gail’s daughter gets married, Gail no longer has a job and Gail’s ex is staying with her for the wedding accompanied by a cat that needs re homing!
Gail hadn’t really been involved with much wedding planning and pre wedding activities so is surprised when her daughter shares a secret with her and her ex, this secret brings up past experiences and we witness the turmoil and angst that thus brings to Gail as she relives her past
Told in a realistic empathetic manner it portrays the ups snd downs of family life, relationships,love and ageing
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

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.

Set over three days in June (as the title suggests), Anne Tyler tells us the story of a divorced couple reunited for their daughter's wedding. This is very much character-driven and Tyler, being the talent that she is chooses her words carefully so that these three days are packed into a novella rather than a rambling family saga. As a result, this is a lovely read that you can manage in an afternoon. My favourite character? Celine the cat!

Gail’s daughter is getting married, and we follow the family through the day before, the wedding day, and the aftermath. Along the way, we uncover their complex dynamics and the drama that intertwines past and present.

This beautifully written short novel brings its characters to life in a way that feels incredibly real. I especially enjoyed how it explores different perspectives on marriage, infidelity, and forgiveness.

This was my first Anne Tyler book, but it certainly won’t be my last!

This book made me laugh, it was so blunt and cute! I loved how it started with the discussion on people skills.
A lot of people will resonate with this book, and it's a quick, short read.
Definitely worth it!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler was a great quick read I enjoyed the way Anne wrote this book.

This story covers 3 days of Gails Life, .. . . . . . Gail is in her early 60s and she is an assistant headteacher at a private school, she is about to lose her job. She has an amicable relationship with her ex-husband who has arrived in town to celebrate the wedding of their daughter but the nature of the split many years prior still is painful for Gail.
We find out more about Gail when she was younger and what happened to her as now she appears to everyone around her she is a grumpy woman and is uncaring about her own appearance, but appearance can be so deceiving.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage | Chatto & Windus for my ARC.

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