Three Days in June

 

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

Fiction

2025

Finished on April 6, 2025

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A warm, witty, and wise instant classic about second chances.

Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep. He has no place to stay, no suit for the wedding. Instead he has a cat (never mind that the groom is deathly allergic).

But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her own relationship. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past.

Told with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, Three Days in June is a triumphant novel full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage.

Judging by my ratings for previously read works of Anne Tyler's, it's obvious that her books have been hit-or-miss with me. Some I've loved, but there are just as many that I didn't care for very well. When I first read about her new release, my curiosity was piqued simply by looking at the lovely cover art. Had I spotted the book in a store, I'm certain I would have bought it without bothering to read the description or the blurbs on the back cover. There's also something appealing about a slim novel, and Three Days in June is 165 pages in length (although, I'm a stickler for detail and I would say it's 163 pages as the first paragraph begins on page 3, not that anyone asked me.) After reading JoAnn's review followed by Tina's Goodreads update ("Great beginning, I'm hooked!"), I decided to accept Tina's generous offer to send me the book. I'm so glad I did. I loved it! 

Three Days in June turned out to be the perfect book to read on a rainy day while cooped up in our RV. I laughed out loud, exclaiming on several occasions to my husband (who is always so patient with me when I interrupt whatever he's doing to share a humorous line or two) that I was enjoying the book and was grateful for such a relaxing day. 

Gail Baines is somewhat insecure, and yet she reminded me of Olive Kitteridge with her no-filter, tell-it-like-it-is personality.

I wondered why it was that I had so many irritating people in my life.

and

Sometimes when I find out what's on other people's minds I honestly wonder if we all live on totally separate planets. 

and

Someday I’d like to be given credit for all the times I have not said something that I could have said.

Three Days in June is a character-driven novel, which may not appeal to those who require more action. Tyler's trademark examination of family relationships, coupled with entertaining dialogue, make this story sing. It's a keeper and one that I plan to read again! Highly recommend. 

French Braid (4/5)

Noah's Compass (3/5)

A Spool of Blue Thread (2/5)

Back When We Were Grownups (3.5/5) 

A Patchwork Planet (4/5) 

Digging to America (4/5)

Ladder of Years (4/5) 

Earthly Possessions (2/5)