Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this fabulous novel. Rebecca Serle's Expiration Dates is a captivating blend of romance and self-discovery that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Serle's prose is both engaging and thought-provoking, as she explores the intricate dynamics of love and the impact of time on our lives. The characters are richly developed, each grappling with their own challenges and growth, making their journeys deeply relatable. The novel’s unique premise adds a fresh twist to the genre, and Serle's ability to balance heartfelt moments with compelling storytelling shines throughout. A beautifully written and emotionally resonant read, Expiration Dates is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a poignant and imaginative tale.

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An enjoyable read about a thirty something woman who receives mysterious messages about a man she will have a relationship with and for how long.

This kept me interested however I feel like something was missing - not able to quite put my finger on it. I just knew how it would end and maybe I was hoping for a little bit more payoff on the ending - felt a bit rushed and nothing to make me overly emotional.

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I love how Rebecca incorporates magic into her storytelling. It is so subtle yet becomes the centerpiece to each story she writes. Definitely recommend this one for a quick summer read.

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If I don’t think too hard about this book I really liked it… but when I start to make sense of the main concept of the book I start to see holes - kinda like how I get a headache if I try to understand time travel books… it’s best to just take it in and enjoy it - that being said, I did enjoy this book. I didn’t fully connect to Daphne and that kept the story at arms length for me. It was good, not what I expected but still a worthwhile read.

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This book just wasn't a match for me. I found the time hopping around between past "lovers" to current time confusing. And then the twist (if you want to call it a twist) probably more than halfway through the book just threw me off completely. By that point, I refused to DNF because I was so far along and finished the book just for the sake of knowing how it ended... only for the ending to fall flat.

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I loved Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle. The characters and plot kept me engaged in the book. Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my opinions.

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Expiration Dates is a charming, romantic novel that I would consider more of a slow burning romance. I also feel it is an unofficial love letter to the Los Angeles and Hollywood neighborhoods of California. Serle drops street names and restaurants in almost every page which allows the reader to be fully immersed in Daphne's world.

Daphne Bell has always lived with a little secret, she receives pieces of paper that tell her how long her romantic relationships are going to last. Starting as a high school student this small bit of predestination has guided her heart and honestly her brain to tell her just how much energy she should put into each relationship. Until one day when the paper is found without an end date. Does this mean her most recent date, Jake, is the one?

I truly enjoyed reading this novel and was so surprised with a few of the twists Daphne reveals as she lets the audience in on all of her past romantic relationships. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for a chance to read this novel.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

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I think I expected more from this book. I thought the concept of knowing when a relationship would end before it began was fascinating. How does that affect how you view the relationship? If you know it is only going to last two months, you don't need to spill your dirty secrets, right? But in the end, does that limit the relationship? Interesting premise... poorly executed.

There wasn't a lot of depth to Daphne. She was a very flat character and the author realized this and added a backstory about a third of the way through the book, which seemed cheap. The backstory didn't add a lot to her and just made her more of a frustrating character. She meets this great guy and it is clearly written so they have no chemistry. The guy is perfect (too perfect) and Daphne still isn't happy. There is a lot of woe-is-me going on and I didn't really even love how it all ended up. It was a quick read, I wanted to know what happened, but ultimately I was left disappointed.

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This book was a such a captivating read, it dives right into the topics of relationships and self-discovery. I loved the characters and how they develop and grow throughout the book, and how they learn more about each other. I was engaged and didn't get bored or distracted at all while reading this book and would love to read more by this author.
I have recommended so many times to friends and family and so far everyone has liked to loved it.

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I did not expect for this book to send me into an existential tailspin but maybe that's on me for reading the book without re-reading the synopsis! This book was great, if slightly more melancholy than I expected. It has left me pondering which if my life choices were made because I wanted to make them and which were made because I thought there was a forgone conclusion.

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This book cemented that Rebecca Serle is not for me. I don't like how her books end and this one especially angered me. Ambiguous endings and I are not friends.

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I loved everything about this book. Rebecca Serle is a must read author for me. She blends the mystical with reality in such a way that the reader feels like it’s something that could really happen.

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Daphne Bell always knows how long her relationships will last. When she meets a new man, a slip of paper appears with the man's name and a duration of time. But when Daphne meets Jake and the paper is blank, she must navigate what this means and what forever could look like.

I am a huge fan of Serle and her newest book is just as fabulous as the rest. I sailed through it and felt the premise was original and intriguing. I loved the character development throughout the story and thought the characters were likable and diverse. The relationships depicted were believable and fun. The book ends on a happily-ever-after note and it scratched every itch.

Overall, another wonderful book from Rebecca Serle. Highly recommend.

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Review posted: 3.18.24

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

After loving In Five Years, when I saw Expiration Dates at Speed Dating event from The Book Report Network, I had to request. I was lucky and received an ARC of this book (gosh this cover is GORGEOUS!)

This book has such an interesting premise. Knowing how long you will spend with someone before you even truly start a relationship- is that a freeing concept or a limiting concept?

I don’t know how much I would have loved it in my real dating life, but I know there are a few people (when I look back at life) that I might would have wanted to know how long we were going to be involved.

What I liked:

This cover. It is GORGEOUS.

I love Daphne. I loved her zest for life. She is a character that I truly enjoyed.

The twists in this book were really good and caused me to re-evaluate the book as I was reading.



Bottom line: In the 2 books by Rebecca Serle that I’ve read, she has managed to give me a book that I adored with a twist that would tug at my heart strings. I def recommend you to read this book!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

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Loved everything about this book, truly. I absolutely loved Daphne’s character and I loved how raw and real the story truly was. Throughout, I realised how relatable stories like this are for me and so many readers out there and how comforting it can be to have stories like this to enjoy but also to relate to and see yourself in. I enjoyed this immensely and can’t wait to read more from Serle!

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I’m so disappointed that I didn’t love this as much as I had anticipated. Ugh.. I don’t know if it was right book/wrong time or if I just couldn’t connect to the characters. 2.25 stars but I will absolutely read anything Ms. Rebecca puts out.

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This book is really good! The premise of the notes is so intriguing, but there’s a deeper story about loving and living that absolutely tugs at the heartstrings. Daphne learns so much about herself along the way; she’s one of those characters that you root for! This is the second book I’ve read by Rebecca Serle and I will be reading more!

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this was a very sweet book. rebecca is a very emotional writer and I look forward to more from her. I loved this so much.,

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This book is SO descriptive. Unnecessarily so. While I usually appreciate writing and details and all of the intricate little nuances, there were entirely too many. The first half of the book could have been consolidated down to maybe a chapter, at most. It took so long. I almost DNF. Ending was good, but predictable.

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