Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinpress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rebecca Serle has done it again! Expiration Dates is my fourth book by this author, and she consistently delivers. I appreciate her blend of women's fiction and magical realism, and while I initially expected a lighthearted romance, this book proved to be much deeper. The intriguing premise—notes revealing the lifespan of Daphne's relationships—immediately captivated me.

Serle skillfully incorporates unexpected twists that genuinely surprised me, a reading experience I always relish. The most powerful aspect of the story, for me, was Daphne's journey to self-determination. She ultimately rejects the control of the expiration dates and embraces the understanding that life is precious and should be lived fully and happily, regardless of its length.

Serle's writing style is concise and engaging, avoiding overly descriptive or verbose prose. Her unique storylines make her books consistently compelling, and this one was no exception. I devoured it in just a couple of sittings. I also appreciate how romance, while present and emotionally resonant, isn't the sole focus of her narratives. She still manages to evoke strong feelings and have me rooting for the characters.

Expiration Dates is a short, emotionally impactful read, packing a powerful punch. Daphne's journey of self-discovery and her eventual finding of true love resonated deeply with me.

4 stars

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Thank you to Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!


I liked this novel more than I expected. Magical realism isn't my favorite genre, but I felt that this book executed it well.

Mild spoilers*** Daphne understands that all her relationships are limited, and she knows when they will end. The exploration of "self fulfilling prophecy" was fascinating. The plot twist of her 'second box' was an interesting addition; however, it was introduced too late into the development and then took over the plot. If it were introduced earlier, it would have added to the meaning and urgency of the paper slips.

Her 'final relationship' felt shallow from the start, and I was never fully invested in it. The loss didn't feel like a true loss when it ended. I felt like the relationship between Daphne and her best friend was also underdeveloped. Lots of potential, but I didn't feel I knew him well at all.

That being said, I thought the moral of the story was poignant. The scene of Daphne talking with her father about the fear of loss brought me to tears. Also, the novel was charming. I enjoyed it. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down (though it took me a while to start it).

I adore everything Rebecca Serle writes and this is no exception. The story completely sucked me in and all the characters felt so real. Daphne's journey was deeply moving to me and something I find myself continuously coming back to in the time since I finished the book.

Such a nice breath of fresh air between my thriller, suspense, murder books. I like to just throw in a nice romance once in a while and this hit the spot.

Such a beautiful story. This book will make you feel the feels. There were some slow parts but stick through because the ending was perfect.

I enjoyed the premise of this story, but I struggled to stay invested in the story as much as I would have liked. Interesting twists!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book I exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. The concept was intriguing and really makes you think about fate and love and how it intertwines.

I was a big fan of In Five Years so I was really looking forward to this one but it fell flat for me. Magic realism isn't my most favourite genre but that aside, I was not the biggest fan of the pacing and the ending.

I think Rebecca Serle has solidified herself as an automatic read author for me. I love how she adds just a touch of magic to her books, and I think magical realism romance is becoming a favorite sub genre for me. While this one didn’t make me feel quite as emotional as In Five Years or One Italian Summer, I think it still packs an emotional punch and is a good mixture of drama, romance, and lighthearted moments.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Stars)

Rebecca Serle’s Expiration Dates is a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel that blends romance, fate, and self-discovery. At its core, it’s a gripping love story wrapped in a touch of magical realism—one that explores the idea of knowing how long a relationship will last before it even begins.

The premise is undeniably intriguing: the protagonist receives notes that predict the duration of each of her relationships, until one day, she meets someone with no expiration date at all. I’ll admit, the first half of the book moves at a slower pace. I almost put it down midway. However, once I reached the halfway mark, the story took off, layering in emotional depth and unexpected twists that made it impossible to stop reading.

While the pacing was off for me in the beginning, the payoff is well worth it. Fans of In Five Years and The Dinner List will appreciate this novel’s signature blend of romance and existential musings.

A compelling, emotional read—stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded.

I love a good magic realism book and this premise sounded right up my alley. I think it’s human nature to want to know things, and wouldn’t it be convenient to know the end date of each relationship? Or would that be a cop out for not making the most of the short relationships? Surely each person that comes into your life is for a reason, right? So what happens when you meet someone and there’s no end date listed? Do you go along with fate, regardless of your own feelings? This book started out strong for me. Hugo is the one ex who Daphne maintained a friendly relationship with and acts as her sounding board for all of her fears with dating. Inevitably it’s Hugo that Daphne tells about her blank slip of paper when she meets Jake.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to prior boyfriends/dates, but approximately halfway through the book we learn something about Daphne that helps the reader understand her reactions to her expiration dates. As someone who works in the medical field this drove me nuts because it seemed totally inaccurate to this particular field of medicine. It was hard for me to put my opinions away after that. Daphne does get an HEA, but I just couldn’t quite relate to her after that. If you don’t mind the mystery of the expiration dates, you’ll probably find this book intriguing. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Solid storyline with a unique plot. Rebecca Serle never disappoints with her touch of magic. Felt invested in the characters and what would happen to them.
Can’t really use in the classroom, but can share with colleagues!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

I liked this book, I like magical realism. But man, the ending did not hit it for me. Not my favorite of hers.

I really liked this book! I thought it was an interesting premise as I went in completely blind and had no idea what was happening to start or where it would be going, but the idea of getting a letter at the start of each new romance that told you how long you would be in a relationship with that person is quite interesting. I agree with others that Daphne's "secret" didn't actually need to be a secret, but I get that this fact shaped why she lived her life the way she did.

I was a bit discouraged when one of her relationships ended for no apparent good reason, and I can see how this plotline turned some other readers off, but I had a fun reading experience with this one nonetheless.

I love Rebecca Serles unique take on love stories but unfortunately this one fell short. I felt like the concept of the story was there but the follow through wasn't complete. It lacked substance for me.

I loved this story. While coming in under 300 pages, Serle weaves such an intricate story, exploring all aspects of love and relationships. And as with her other novels, there is a magical element to the story, and you fall in love with the setting. I saw Serle mention that this was her love letter to Los Angeles and it truly is. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

This was such a unique story! I was sucked right in and immediately invested in the mystery behind the blank page that only held a name. I did find myself skimming over the words in some parts but overall I enjoyed this book.

I think this is my favorite of Rebecca Serle's books! Every time Daphne meets a new man, she finds a slip of paper that tells her just how long the relationship will last. Then she goes on a blind date with a man names Jake and this piece of paper doesn't have an end date. Daphne and Jake's story unfolds and secrets are revealed throughout. The audiobook narration really stole the show and kept me engaged the whole time. The writing is also really well done and I felt every one of Daphne's emotions while I was reading. There are some twists in this book that I did not see coming and they added so much to the depth of the story. This is not a long book and while it is relatively light hearted, there is a surprising amount of emotion and vulnerability packed in. I really liked Daphne as the main character. It's entirely relatable to want to know where a relationship is going and to want to be in control of the outcome. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is a quick, fun read with a good amount of emotional depth. I'm looking forward to reading more from Serle.

At the start of every relationship, Daphne receives a note letting her know exactly how long the relationship will last. One day, she receives a note with no end date.

This was my favorite book of 2024. It was extremely pacey, very interesting premise executed perfectly. This protagonist felt like such a real person and struck so many of my confused 20-something chords. A short book I'll be thinking about for a long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed Expiration Dates. This book started off a bit slow for me but ended up being really great and having a good twist that I didn’t see coming. The ending is very open-ended, so if you don’t like those books and want more closure, you probably won’t like this. I typically don’t like those types of books or movies, but I felt this type of ending was perfect for this book. Julia Whelan does an excellent narration of this book. If you wanna listen to it on audiobook. Rebecca’s story about love and loss was heartwarming, emotional, and lovely.