I really enjoyed this book and concept. I liked the “magical” element which isn’t normally my thing. I have not read anything by Rebecca yet but this was a great introduction. I felt like it handled topics gracefully and was just a well put together book. The ending did get me and some parts were predictable. Some parts of me wanted a different ending but it was still great.

4.5*

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. Out March 2024.

This book was just… boring. Not a lot happens, and pivotal moments in the storyline were glossed over. The timelines were confusing, and there wasn’t any character growth. I felt shortchanged to have rooted for Daphne all along, only to have her not make any changes or grow as a person. She felt completely two-dimensional to me. All the characters did, to be honest. I didn’t care what happened by the end. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book a lot. The story wasn’t fast-paced, but it needed the build the slower pace allowed. Good character development, good plot, overall a decent read.

Expiration Dates was unfortunately too predictable of a read for me, with a third-act twist that I found underdeveloped and rushed. Not my favorite Rebecca Serle, but recommend for those looking for a quick romance novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book when I first started reading it, but I know I stayed up late to finish it because I couldn’t put it down! I mean the only thing I wish I had was the duo perspective.

I appreciated how she can combine woman’s fiction with a bit of magic in there. It was a perfect amount that sort of makes you want to have it for yourself too.

This definitely was not your typical romance formula (closed doors), but I didn’t mind because it was so well written and took us through Daphne’s journey. But don’t be mistaken that this book isn’t a tear jerker either. It has its moments where I’m clutching my heart and have butterflies in my stomach too. I also loved the sort of predicable ending because…. Well I cant tell you because Im not leaving spoilers!! So go read it yourself!

This is my first Rebecca Serle book, I actually bought In Five Years on sale a couple of years ago, but never got to it. However, I think I will read it in the new year! Rebecca has a great style of writing and pace which allowed me to fly through this book in basically one sitting yesterday. I hope you go preorder this book now! Or give this book a read when it’s published on March 19,2024!

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was okay for me! Overall cute love story but I felt it had some unnecessary character/world building. Then halfway through I was thrown for a loop and it was confusing

Rebecca Serle does it again- all the feels with Expiration Dates! Daphne’s story of her quest to find love all while believing her love life has timelines has so much hope! I really enjoyed reading about Daphne’s relationships with her boyfriend Jake and her best friend Hugo. Daphne shows us the power our own beliefs can have over our lives.

Thank you Rebecca Serle and NetGalley for the ARC!

I cannot remember accurately where the second twist drops in this book, but it felt like an entirely different author continued on with the story. Maybe I am being unfair, but some of the descriptions in the first part of the story were just plain weird:

"Noah laughed…the kind you want to record for a ringtone. Later I would look back... and think it was the moment. The moment I decided to go on whatever ride he was selling tickets for." (I have never felt the desire to record laughter for anything, let alone for a ringtone. Can you imagine someone's laugh ringing as your ringtone ? Can you imagine the looks due to the fact that your phone is making a sound and that sound is laughter? I cannot. And it's pretty clear so long as the paper said so, she was riding all the rides anyway).

"[My father]'s been calling me ‘chicken’ since I was a baby, when he says I came out looking like a fresh piece of poultry.” (what in the actual....what? What did she look like at birth this is the strangest description of a newborn I've ever heard!)

“She is tall-six feet on a bad day…” (this just doesn't make sense)

“I felt myself go gelatinous in his arms” (gross)

Was this intentional to keep us readers at an arm's length just as she was doing to the men in her life? Ugh I really hope so. I didn't notice any of these displeasing turns of phrase once things started getting capital letters REAL and I guess I can accept it as a method of storytelling but only if it was on purpose. Even so, I had almost completely written this book off and might have quit had it not been such a short book. All that said, the end of the story didn't redeem it. I did not like the "magical realism" or Hugo's self insertion into it. To top it all off, the romances were all flat and boring that I wasn't really all that invested.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

What if you knew at the beginning of each when it would end? That is the premise of Expiration Dates. Fun premises. For me there was no chemistry between the trio main characters so I was never fully engaged in the story. This one was a miss for me. Thanks netgalley for the early copy!

I loved One Italian Summer and In Five Years is in my top reads of the decade. However, Expiration Dates was pretty underwhelming. It was a very quick read but I felt like I knew where it was going early on in the novel and there were no big surprises. I liked the premise but the characters and plot were pretty bland.

Thanks so much for the review copy. I’m not a big romance reader but I loved this one. I look forward to reading more books by Serle.

"Expiration Dates" takes readers on a captivating journey through the life of Daphne Bell, a woman whose belief in the universe's plan for her is shaped by a peculiar phenomenon. With each encounter with a new man, Daphne receives a slip of paper containing his name and a number – a precise duration of time they will spend together. This intriguing concept sets the stage for a thought-provoking exploration of fate, commitment, and honesty. For over two decades, Daphne has received these numbered papers, each one dictating the duration of her relationships. From a mere three days with Martin in Paris to five weeks with Noah in San Francisco, and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend, she has always wondered if there will ever be a paper without an expiration date. The anticipation builds as she embarks on a blind date at her cherished Los Angeles restaurant, only to discover that there's only a name: Jake. As the tale unfolds, Daphne finds herself questioning the reliability of these papers, leading her to confront her own beliefs about commitment and truth. However, she harbors a secret – information that, if revealed to Jake, would undoubtedly shatter his heart. This internal conflict becomes the central theme, forcing Daphne to grapple with the complexities of romantic love. Rebecca Serle, known for her ability to infuse warmth and insight into matters of the heart, deftly explores the intricacies of relationships with "Expiration Dates." The novel grips readers emotionally, drawing them into the passionate and sometimes heart-wrenching narrative. Serle masterfully delves into the concept of singleness versus finding love, challenging readers to question and redefine these notions for themselves. "Expiration Dates" is a long-anticipated novel that showcases Serle's storytelling prowess as she ventures into the realm of romantic love. With its gripping plot, emotional depth, and relatable characters, this book is a must-read for Serle's fans and anyone seeking a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and self-discovery.

i loved the premise of this book. Everytime Daphne meets a new man she gets a note with his name and the exact amount of time they will be together. One day she gets a note with only a name on it, Jake. It appears that she has met her forever love.As time goes by Daphne questions the relationship as she isn't 100% honest with Jake. We see through flashbacks her previous relationships and what happened to end them. One of her past lovers is now her best friend Hugo. There is still chemistry between then. As she navigates her relationship with Jake it takes her on a journey of self discovery. Things are not as they seem. This is more of a romance book than anything although there is a mysterious aspect to it. It was engaging and funny in parts with a somewhat predictable ending although some twists along the way. If you are a fan of this author I think this will be a winner.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

A good read overall - and I have to give the author major kudos for throwing in two big twists that I didn’t see coming. My biggest issue with this book is that there is never any explanation for the papers. I get that that is where I was supposed to suspend disbelief as this author often has a magical aspect to her books, but even when another character learns about the paper notes, it’s not questioned which seemed strange. I also wish there would have been more Hugo - I would have been happy to learn less about her former flames and had more time with Hugo.

Every time she meets a new man, Daphne Bell receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake. But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful.

Thank you @netgalley, @rebecca_serle, and @atriabooks for the ARC! Serle has a penchant for tying romance together with some of life’s tragic and more heartbreaking moments, and I love how real all of her characters and stories are because of this. There was a major reveal about 60% in that really shocked me and made me enjoy the book more than I did for the first half. The first half of the book was a little hard for me to connect with, and it think that was because Daphne’s character felt a little more detached until the plot reveal, which really explained a lot about her character and her motivations. The book heavily explores the theme of choice versus destiny. I loved Daphne’s bluntness and her ability to overcome adversity. I didn’t really care for most of the male characters and felt they were a little underdeveloped (perhaps due to the expirations dates), but overall the story had a happy and heartwarming ending. The book was a super quick read and Serle lovers should definitely pick this up when it publishes in March!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

It’s 4.5 stars for me. Another book by Rebecca Serle that I couldn’t t put down! I loved the flashbacks and relation to the present. Great great read.

Another Rebecca Serle book that I enjoyed.
I flew through this one, I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. There was a bit of twist I didn’t see coming, and the ending was a little predictable besides that. The main character was very fleshed out and I understood, even if I didn’t agree with, the decisions she made in her life. I would have liked a little more character development for the side characters and a little more of what happened “after”.
Overall would recommend this one, especially if you enjoyed her others. Some really great hightlightable quotes in here!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for this eARC.
More of my review on my instagram- @bookish_starry_skies

This book wasn’t written for me. I didn’t resonate with any of the characters but that doesn’t mean this is a “bad” book by any means. It flowed well, the dialogue was great between characters.

I love Rebecca Serle. The melancholy vibes that center around what it means to be human with a touch of magic really resonates with me. I adored this book and will be purchasing a copy for my shelves.

I really liked the concept behind the book, but didn't really connect with the romance driving it. I find the premise of knowing how long a relationship would last before it started fascinating because I wonder how much this would affect the character's behavior in the relationship. But while I think there could have been a cool opportunity here to watch the character test these boundaries or act poorly because she doesn't think it mattered anyway, instead we mostly see her accept the situation without question. I wondered why she didn't question the situation more and why no one else she knew didn't question the situation more. Surely someone would have thought she was making this up or suggested that she was self sabotaging by ending all of her relationships at the deadline? While I think we moved in the directions of these questions with the ultimate conclusion of the novel, I would have loved to see it explored more throughout the whole book, where instead we spent a lot of time exploring relationships that weren't really important to the plot. I guess overall I'd say I really liked the concept and plot of this book but it felt like the story took a lot of segues away from the plot into anecdotes of past boyfriends that didn't really drive the story forwards or show the characters journey progressing in any way than through the passage of time.

**Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for an arc in exchange for an honest review**