Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle may be my new favorite. I've been a fan since "In Five Years," and let me tell you, this one blindsided me, in the best possible way.

Daphne Bell's life is a whirlwind guided by the universe, or so she believes. Daphne randomly gets slips of paper with a name and the exact timeframe she will date the person. From Paris to San Francisco, 3 days to 3 months, these papers have guided her love life. But then, a blind date at her favorite L.A. spot brings only a name, Jake. This paper has no expiration date...

As Daphne and Jake's relationship blossoms, there are flashbacks to her previous boyfriends. Most notably is Hugo, a three month relationship that ended with the two of them as best friends. Why is Hugo the only one she has remained friends with and why is Jake the only one without an expiration date?

A little bit of self-fulfilling prophecy and being true to yourself, this magical realism is a lesson in living your life to the fullest. Be sure to put this one on your TBR! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Loved it! Look for this on 3.19.24.

I love this author. Her writing is everything I didn't know I needed. I'm generally not a fan of magical realism, but I love the way Rebecca Serle will take one weird, unexplained phenomenon, insert it into an everyday setting, and then use it to emotionally devastate me.

And I will always go back for more.

I love Rebecca Serle after In Five Years, & I'm trying to find another book of hers to recreate that feeling. Unfortunately I haven't yet.

A little dose of magic, and a love story that hops around in the timeline of one's life? Sign me up. Unfortunately, there was just a little something about this one that didn't quite work for me (and I don't know how to write about it without spoiling the ending). There was a twist around the middle that I didn't see coming. I will always pick up a Rebecca Serle book, but this one wasn't my favorite. 3.5 stars-- thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rebecca Serle has a manner of writing characters in such a relatable way. This is not a love story, but a story about love in all forms it comes in and is so beautiful, showing the importance of living in the present and appreciating experiences as they come. I was so consumed by this book, such a quick and easy read.

Another hit from Rebecca Serle!!! Just as in One Italian Summer and In Five Years, the premise of Expiration Dates is unique and intriguing. And just as she did with her other books, Serle kept me hooked to the end of this one too. Once again, a location - this time LA - is almost its own character (like Positano in OIS), and it was so enjoyable to read and learn about through the author’s descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed joining Daphne on her journey in this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Expiration Dates was a not a traditional romance. I liked that Serle sprinkles a little bit of magical realism in her books each time. In this story Daphne receives a paper at the start of each relationship telling her how long the relationship would last. Then she receives one right before she goes on a date with Jake and the paper is blank. What does that mean? Is Jake her happy ever after?

Serle tells the story in a non-traditional way. The chapters jumps between her burgeoning relationship with Jake and her past relationships. One relationship in particular, with her best friend, former lover Hugo.

This story felt quite emotional and insightful. It is about heartbreak, what it means to be single, what it means to find love.

Because I follow the author in social media and she was somewhat open about her love life and her own happy ever after this story felt autobiographical.

I wasn't happy with the twist (trying to avoid giving a spoiler here) it made the story more melodramatic.

I sensed where the story was heading and enjoyed it for the most part. I can imagine some readers construing the plot as a love triangle.

Daphne's parents play a big role in this story. I found the familial love was balanced with romantic love.

I highlighted quite a few sections.
"All my life I had been waiting for the note that would tell me it was finally time to stand still. That the long, broken road was over. That he was finally here. But when it came, all I felt was fear. Fear that he wouldn't be who I'd imagined. Fear that I wasn't ready. Fear that I wouldn't feel the way I was supposed to. Fear that I'd fuck up even this, this thing i was meant for. But what I was most afraid of, maybe, was that it was over. It's hard to be single, but it's also something you can get good at. And I was good at it. It's easy to love the thinbgs we are good at."

This one had so much promise but, I feel like I missed out on chemistry between Daphne and Jake. I still love the way she writes and I wish it was a bit longer. Maybe that is where we could have filled in some chemistry.

I think I’m done reading Rebecca Serle because her books always just kind of annoy me. The inevitable plot twist, the mildly magical element, the requirement that someone have some sort of tragic situation… not for me.

I really loved this. I stayed up to finish this book because I couldn’t put it down !
I liked the premise and I thought the story was told beautifully.

There was a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming and they added to the story so well.

I wish I had more of an ending !! I need more !

If you asked me which modern mainstream authors are doing inventive writing these days, Rebecca Serle would be on my list. In some ways her formula seems to be standard, using descriptive locations mixed with emotional relationships and just a touch of the fantastic. This may not be a recipe appealing to every reader, but I have readily enjoyed each of Serle’s works that I have consumed. Because, while her formula seems to be relatively static, the stories that come out of it are fresh, creative, and interesting.

Expiration Dates centers around a very inventive concept but, somehow, did not feel the least bit foreign. In fact, I found Expiration Dates, like Serle’s other recent works, to be comfortable and relatable, even with the pretty ambitious element of fantasy that is central to the story. It takes a talented storyteller to produce ambitious plus relatable and make them work gracefully within a story.

So why was this a “like” and not a “love” for me? A few small grievances impacted my feelings on the book. I had some less positive feelings about Daphne entering into her relationship with Jake knowing what she knows about him and herself. I will leave it vague in the hopes that other readers make their own decisions without the burden of my bias. Structurally, I felt that the flashbacks, while compelling as parts of the story, did create a bumpier reading experience as we toggled back and forth between varying places in the past and the book’s present.

Overall, as I finished this book, I found I had thoroughly enjoyed myself. The story kept me interested and engaged. The characters had my heart throughout, and while they are not overly likable, they were continually compelling and always sympathetic. The luscious descriptions of L.A. had me wishing for a carefree weekend in the California sun. Expiration Dates is not perfect, but I found this novel to be well-written, uniquely premised, and captivating.

What would you do if you were given a note, with the name and time of a person you were going to meet? Daphne has been given an inexplainable gift of receiving pieces of paper with a. single name and a single length of time. These end up being men she meets and dates, for however long the note says. This has brought her life a sense of predictably and control. She lives a fun, fast paced life in LA working with a super boss Irina and coasting along. Throughout the book, we get snippets of some of the men she meets and their relationship. Hugo, one of those men, was the one she wishes she could have had more time with. In an amazing twist, they remain best friends since their predicted break up. When Daphne gets a note with Jake's name and no expiry, she finally believes she's met the one. No time limit! This is where Daphne's story really takes off and the story becomes so much deeper. Fans of In Five Years by Rebecca Serle can expect an emotional, devastating twist to her stories and that's the same for Expiration Dates. There is more than meets the eye to Daphne and her life. I related to Daphne in so many ways and this was a story about someones journey with themselves, with a side of romance. The ending was perhaps one of my favourites. It was the perfect end to the story and for Daphne. I was so proud of her. This will be an impactful book for many and it stands up there with In Five Years.

Another lovely story by Rebecca Serle. I really enjoy her writing.

This story follows Daphne and her journey to find love. She gets notes before a relationship with the name of the guy and the length of the time she will have with them.

It goes back and forth between present day and her past relationships. Showing what each meant to her. You also learn something else about Daphne about halfway through the book which has a big impact on her life and how she views it.

I liked this book and seeing Daphne finally come into her own and decide things about her life. I wish we had more story at the end, because the character development happened so quickly at the end.

Overall very cozy and sweet. There were some nice lines about friendship and love I highlighted. Would definitely recommend.

Every time Daphne meets a new man, she receives a piece of paper that tells her how long it will last. She moves through her romantic life knowing exactly when each relationship will expire - until now. Her latest note has no expiration date, so she concludes he must be "the one." She continues through the relationship with the knowledge that this is the right man for her - but is he? An interesting exploration of how knowing our future could change our decisions in the present.

A book sure to inspire interesting discussions, and will make you question whether or not there's such a thing as destiny.

i always love rebecca's sci fi romance books. this was no exception. it was fun! i strongly disliked the ending because i liked jake SO MUCH MORE

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this wonderful early release. 5 stars!
A new relationship starts and letter arrives for Daphne with a name and a length of time, the time the relationship will last, except with Jake- a letter arrives but length of time. Is this it? The one?
Such an emotional and lovely romance with a little bit of humor.

I really enjoyed Expiration Date, and thought it was a well done contemporary fiction/romance novel. If you like Serle’s other books, you will love this one! I liked the main character and thought it was well-paced. I thought the twists were good and overall really enjoyed reading this. I would highly recommend it!

4.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing a copy to review.

This is my third book by Rebecca Serle and it was close to being my favorite (just couldn't beat out In Five Years which I love). I loved the whole idea of the story and I enjoy hew style of magical realism her writing style makes reading her books so easy. I liked the main character and enjoyed reading the flashback chapters that talked about the important relationships in her life. My only complaint would be that being a shorter book we didn't get as below the surface with all the relationships in Daphne's life as I would have liked. I would absolutely recommend this book and look forward to hearing what other people think of it! I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc (which I was so excited to receive) in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Serle is an author who delights me, and I was overjoyed to receive an advanced copy of Expiration Dates. She adds her signature blush of magical realism to romantic love in her newest, and it has just the right level of whimsy and realism that will keep readers turning their pages and rooting for Daphne Bell in her quest for love.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

When it comes to romance, nothing surprises Daphne Bell. From the time she was in middle school, the universe has had a funny way of letting her know what's around the corner--for her and only her, a mysterious piece of paper appears when she meets someone new that shows how long the relationship will last. A day, a month, a year, all of Daphne's relationships have been predictable and finite despite her longing to find something more.

Until she meets Jake, and his paper appears without an expiration date.

Brimming with the same touches of magical realism that are Rebecca Serle's charming trademark, "Expiration Dates" is a love story that begs the profound question: how would you live your life if you knew the exact moment time is up in your relationship?

A romantic--and less existential-crisis inducing--spin on the concept in "The Measure," "Expiration Dates" held so much promise but felt too short and too rushed to fulfill its full potential. Coming in at under 300 pages, its nonlinear timeline made it difficult to connect to not only Daphne, but her various relationships across her young adult years. What was undoubtedly meant to be a sentimental end felt abrupt and lacking in emotion because in the end, I needed more time with Daphne and her story to really root for her one true love.

If you're new to Rebecca Serle novels, I would start with "In Five Years" or "One Italian Summer" before "Expiration Dates." And for devoted readers, know that while sweet and endearing in moments, Serle's latest doesn't pack near the emotional punch of her prior novels.