This book had a lot of potential. I’m a little surprised she didn’t go all the way with it. It kind of fell flat and didn’t really excite me. I don’t know, just something about it annoyed me

This is my 1st time reading Rebecca Serle and I really enjoyed the book. Expiration Dates is a nice short romance with a touch of magical realism and a little twist in the middle that keeps the story interesting. I will definitely be adding Ms. Serle's other books to my TBR!

Once I got over the magic realism part part of Daphne receiving notes/postcards with expiration dates of each man she meets being so unrealistic, I actually thought this was super cute. I adored Hugo. This was an easy to read, feel good book, which I was able to binge in one sitting. If you are looking for something light-hearted, fun, and a little different, I would recommend

Daphne gets little notes telling her how long her relationship will last. Does Daphne let the notes dictate her life or ignore them and live her life as she wants. This is my second Rebecca Serle book and I really enjoyed it. I like how she writes stories about women but puts some magical realism into it. This one was an entertaining and through provoking story. Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for an advanced copy.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a contemporary romance novel with an interesting premise…Daphne Bell has lived her life guided by mysterious slips of paper, each one detailing the exact amount of time she will spend with a man. From brief encounters to lasting connections, these papers have shaped her relationships—until a blind date with Jake changes everything. For the first time, there’s no number on the paper, just his name. As Daphne’s feelings for Jake deepen, she grapples with the uncertainty of the paper’s prediction and the burden of secrets she’s keeping. Torn between honesty and protecting Jake’s heart, Daphne must confront the complexities of love and fate.

I gave this book three stars primarily due to its pacing. The story started off slow, and I struggled to feel the chemistry between Jake and Daphne at first. While I’m usually a fan of the "nice guy," I found myself rooting for a different character early on. Daphne’s backstory also felt disconnected from the plot at times, and I was frustrated by her reluctance to question the situation she found herself in. That said, I think the theme of free will in the story would make for an interesting discussion in a book club. I’d recommend Expiration Dates to fans of the genre.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Uplifting and sweet, but the pace was a bit too slow for me. I wish the characters had been more developed and given more room for their chemistry to grow. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for sharing this book with me in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Atria Books and Rebecca Serle for this ARC. Took me longer to get to it, and I apologize as I was battling vertigo. This book was just what I needed to get back into my reading phase. Her books are always so uplifting and fun to read. Grab this one, head to the pool or the lake, and enjoy! Who wants to be Daphne?

Daphne Bell is a young woman who finds that she is sent a postcard (in the beginning) or slips of paper show up with a man's name on it and a number. She discovers the number corresponds to the amount of time she will date a particular person. The story, through flashbacks, shows us those relationships and how she feels about them and, particularly, how she feels when they end. She decides that she is not going to get attached to any of these people, as there is always an expiration date on the relationship, and the endings are so painful for her. One of the men she dated, Hugo, becomes her best friend. He also is the only man who knows the secret about the pieces of paper she gets.

Jake is the latest name to arrive on a piece of paper. However, this time, there is no date on the paper. Finally! The things she has been dreaming about comes true. She can let go and love, because there is no prescribed end. In many ways, she loves Jake and proceeds with the relationship but there does not appear to be a lot of spark between them. Nonetheless, she does love him and continues as if. However, how successful can a relationship be if a person is not completely open about things with their partner?

This is a cute novel, without a tremendous amount of substance. Some questions this writer would have liked answered were not answered by the end of the novel, which was a bit disappointing. At times, the flashing back and forth from present to past were a tad confusing, as some character names were similar. In the end, though, things became more clear as the story proceeded.

A fun beach read or a quick weekend read, if you are looking for something light and easy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Starting this book sucked me in pretty quickly. The idea behind the story of expiring relationships was something I hadn’t read before. Unfortunately I did start to get bored . I could have just been the mood I was in. I may give it another go in a few months.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

I moderately enjoyed One Italian Summer by this author. Unfortunately, this one did not land for me. I expected a whimsical, romantic magical realism story. This was not it.

The FMC, Daphne, is in her mid 30s and is about as immature of a character as I've ever read. I did not think she had any personality whatsoever, other than being "not like other girls." Her best friend, whose name I've already forgotten, also had no personality. The dialogue with her friends had nothing to do with anything except her dating life. And with that, these slips of paper she keeps getting...I'm not sure why it was necessary to go through every single relationship or sexual encounter since ever. It was so unnecessary. So many of these interactions had absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever. I mean, I get the element of redundancy for the sake of the notes, but that could have been scaled back so much or combined into one chapter.

The writing also did not work for me. Most of the characters are vapid and one-dimensional. The amount of minor things that were described in MAJOR detail was hard to read. We got to hear about everything everyone was wearing in detail and everything everyone was eating in detail. And much of the time, that's all we know about them. And the constant LA drops were rammed down readers throats, how LA is the best and greater than every city that has ever existed in the history of time, and no one understands unless you're from there. I actually hated that.

The last third of the book threw in this "surprise" element, which I think was intended for the reader to gain sympathy for the character. I just didn't care. The ending was predictable and unsatisfying. The only character I really liked was Murphy, the dog.

This was a quick read for me.

I really enjoyed Daphne and Hugo’s relationship and was a little disappointed with how their relationship developed.
I struggled to feel the chemistry between Daphne and Jake.
Overall it was a good read with an interesting twist that I didn’t see coming.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I thought this book had a unique and delightful premise and I zipped through it, eager to see where it would go.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I didn't realize how short this book was and was hoping for more. This was a cute book and was great overall.

I suggest reading this one.

Such a fun read. Magical & intriguing. I enjoyed it very much and have recommended it to several friends.

It’s a sweet premise but I wish the writing was a little bit richer. I liked the way it ended and who she ends up with!

This book had so much potential. It wasn't bad, but it was lacking. Daphne’s love story/journey was packed into 250 pages. I saw the ending coming from a mile away, which it was a cute ending, but how did we get there? And we’re just not going to explain the letters?? Like the whole plot of the book?

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle was such a thought-provoking read. The idea of knowing the end date of every relationship was unique and made me reflect on how we approach love and time. Emotional, beautifully written, and perfect for those who love deep, introspective stories.

This wasn’t my favorite Rebecca Serle (The Dinner List still holds that title), but I did enjoy the story. It was a unique premise and kept me engaged. It was not an overly memorable story, but was an easy on the brain type read.

3.5 stars!
Rebecca somehow always has me tearing up and her writing style is what keeps me hooked through the start until the end

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a beautifully crafted contemporary romance that blends magical realism with heartfelt emotions. Daphne Bell, the main protagonist, receives notes from the universe—each one containing a name and a number, marking the duration of her relationships. It’s a quirky premise, but Serle does a fantastic job pulling the reader in from the very first chapter. I was hooked as we followed Daphne’s ups and downs in her search for true love, with the chapters shifting between the present and past, revealing her journey and the men who came in and out of her life.

As the story unfolds, it’s clear that Daphne’s relationship with Jake is different—there’s no expiration date attached to his name, which makes us wonder if he could be “the one.” I really appreciated how Serle brought Daphne’s previous relationships to life through flashbacks, giving a well-rounded view of her character and her growth. The twists were unexpected and kept the story exciting, though I was left wanting more answers regarding the slips of paper. Who is writing them? While these unanswered questions were a bit of a letdown, the emotional depth of the story more than made up for it.

Overall, this was a fast and enjoyable read. It’s more than just a romance—it’s a thought-provoking story about fate, love, and the choices we make. Though I wished for a bit more depth regarding the universe’s notes, the ending was beautifully done and left me with a few tears.

I’d give this one 4 stars—it’s a lovely, emotional ride that I would recommend to fans of contemporary romance and magical realism.