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Three Days in June: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter's wedding.
“What a treat.” —Washington Post
“Simply exquisite.” —Liane Moriarty
“Nobody understands human nature better than Tyler. And nobody understands the complexities of love the way she does.” —Boston Globe
“Three Days in June is like reading a hug.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
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, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit.
But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. 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, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, Three Days in June is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers.
“What a treat.” —Washington Post
“Simply exquisite.” —Liane Moriarty
“Nobody understands human nature better than Tyler. And nobody understands the complexities of love the way she does.” —Boston Globe
“Three Days in June is like reading a hug.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
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, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit.
But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. 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, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, Three Days in June is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers.
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Community Reviews
I read each “day” of Three Days in June during the first three days of June—which made the experience feel especially personal and immersive. This quiet, layered novel surprised me with how much I connected to its characters and their tangled emotional histories.
The story begins the day before Debbie’s wedding, centering around her mother, Gail, and her ex-husband, Max. We learn that Gail and Max are divorced after Gail had an affair with Andrew—a detail that still ripples through their family dynamic. When Max arrives to stay at Gail’s house for the wedding, he brings a cat for her. It felt symbolic: a small gesture acknowledging that their daughter is moving on, and perhaps suggesting Gail should, too.
Day One sets the emotional tone. Debbie discovers her fiancé has been unfaithful, yet chooses to go through with the wedding. Gail and Max are left to navigate their roles as supportive parents, walking the fine line between respecting their daughter’s autonomy and worrying about her happiness.
Day Two is the wedding itself. Gail becomes more observant, watching guests for both spoken and unspoken cues—especially those that might hint at Debbie’s emotional state and the secrets her new husband might still be carrying. It’s a quiet tension, made heavier by the stillness of the prose.
Day Three brings the emotional payoff. Gail reflects on how her affair with Andrew began, the moment she chose to end it, and how Debbie’s accident during a gymnastics practice—which occurred while Gail was away with Andrew—became a turning point. Her decision to divorce Max wasn’t about continuing the affair, but about rediscovering her own sense of self. What follows is an honest depiction of post-divorce life—co-parenting, redefined friendship, and a new kind of partnership between Gail and Max.
What I truly loved about this book was the complexity of its characters. No one is purely right or wrong—each is shaped by their past, their relationships, and the quiet decisions they make every day. There’s a lot left unsaid in the dialogue and narrative, but if you read between the lines, there’s a rich emotional depth to uncover. This novel doesn’t offer dramatic twists, but it rewards readers who appreciate introspective storytelling and character-driven plots.
I didn't like much about this. Maybe because I want invested in the characters, or like them all that much. I appreciated the ordinary-ness of the story but I was glad it was a quick read.
It’s a slow start but I did like it. I love the fact that the mother was finally honest with her daughter. Love the fact that the husband (ex) loved her (ex) wife unconditionally.
This book was so boring. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but it really never did.
Very, very disappointed. Anne is one of my favorite authors and when it was done - I couldn’t believe it. The shortest book ever lacking depth. I can’t believe Ann wrote this!
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