I really wish there was more to this story. I really loved the idea of it and really liked it for the most part but I felt like the end was rushed. I felt like the book didn't give the characters enough time to develop and make me have more of a solid opinion about them. I feel like I didn't get to really know them which is what i really look for in a book. I enjoyed the idea of the book and thought it had a lot more potential.

Another Rebecca Serle special — fate versus free will story with an irritating protagonist and a mini twist. I will keep reading whatever she publishes, but I’m just not her prime audience.

The concept of "Expiration Dates" by Rebecca Serle, where our protagonist finds letters that reveals the duration of her relationships before they even begin, provided a refreshing take for this genre that seems to lately be over-saturated with the same tropes. This story hooked me in right from the beginning! I was so intrigued to see how it would turn out.

Knowing the expiration date of a relationship could lead to different outcomes for people. On one hand, it might encourage individuals to make the most of their time together, cherishing every moment and focusing on what truly matters. On the other hand, it could create pressure or self-fulfilling prophecies, potentially stifling the natural growth of a relationship. Living life unpredictably, without foreknowledge of relationship durations, can be liberating and allow for genuine spontaneity and emotional connections. However, it can also lead to uncertainty and missed opportunities for personal growth. Some may thrive on certainty, while others may find that uncertainty fosters a richer, more authentic experience.

I really thought that’s all this book was going to be about! I was fully expecting a light, fluffy read. But—whoa—it got deep sometimes. (Trigger warning for health/heart issues)

I will admit there were a few areas I felt were dragged out a bit and lacked substance to advance the plot or character development. And then, suddenly, it was done. It felt incomplete. We waited and waited for something to happen, and then…what? It was disjointed.

This is the third of Rebecca Serle’s books I have read, and enjoyed them all for the most part. I just wish this one had a little more gusto to bring it home after a strong start.

Like always Rebecca Searle does not disappoint. She always seems to mix reality with a magical whimsical feel that keeps you entranced. The story takes place in alifornia.The main character is Daphne and every time she is about to start a new relationship, since middle school, a paper mysteriously appears with the name of her new guy and how long they will be together. One day, there's just a name but NO expiration date. Is this guy the "one"? A must read!

Pub day: 3/19/24
Genre: contemporary fiction, romance
Quick summary: Each time Daphne Bell meets a man, she receives a mysterious piece of paper with his name and the duration of their relationship - until she meets Jake and receives a paper with only his name.

I really enjoy how Serle tells stories with a bit of magic, and that there's not just romance, but themes of self-discovery and self-love. And the premise sounded so fun! I liked getting to know Daphne in the present timeline (with Jake and her friend Hugo) and in the past timeline (with all her previous relationships). There's a twist around halfway through the story that didn't 100% work for me, but overall I enjoyed the ride and will continue to read more from Serle! 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love how she mixes women's fiction with magical realism. I thought this one would be a light, fluffy romance but boy was I wrong...this book was so much more than that. It is such an intriguing concept, little notes tell our main character, Daphne, how long her relationships will last. The author throws in a couple of surprise twists that I did not see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed being surprised that way. The best part, for me, was when Daphne stopped letting the pieces of paper dictate her life and she took control of her choices herself and remembers you only have one life so live it to your best ability to be happy no matter how long or short it is. The book is short and very emotive and was such a gut punch a couple of times. I was really happy when Daphne found herself and her one true love.

SO this is the first book written by Rebecca Serle that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story takes place in sunny California.The main character is Daphne and every time she is about to start a new relationship, since middle school, a paper mysteriously appears with the name of her new guy and how long they will be together. One day, there's just a name but NO expiration date. Is this guy the "one"? Rebecca Serle's characters are likable, relatable and I enjoyed the story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy!

This one ripped my heart out and then handed me a flower and kissed me on the cheek. How dare you, Rebecca?! How dare you make me absolutely fall in love with this wildly flawed woman and the man who loves her beyond anything. How dare you suck me into this absolutely brilliant allegory of self-imposed limitations of the heart and our inability to see what is staring right at us? My heart is absolutely broken and I need more of them to be fully healed.

I'll start by saying I stayed up until 4am last night to finish this book. It was addicting. I needed to know what happened. In the end I just wish I'd gotten a bit more than we had. I feel like it finished at about 75% of the way in.
The premise of finding a note telling you the exact date of each relationship you're going to have is so intriguing. I wish there was a bit of history there. No speculation or history as to whether it's from a grandma who has passed or a deity, etc.
About halfway through the book, something is revealed. It gave the book a new direction and I wanted to see where that took things.
Rebecca Serle can clearly write. The book was well written and had me racing through the pages to find out more.
Severe spoiler alerts below.
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Spoiler <With the heart condition, I started to wonder, could the paper be blank because Jake will die? Will he be who gives her his heart? Is that why they met? Why he has such a large heart? Unfortunately the answer was not as exciting.
I feel like it ended without showing us if Hugo could actually even work. He hadn't had to handle a real crisis. He was still on his phone all the time. His personality could turn pretty shitty. We never heard from her parents about Hugo.
I was just left feeling like my copy was missing chapters vs missing the characters from a book.>

I’ve loved all of the Rebecca Serle books I’ve read, and this one is part of that list. I love how there is whimsy and a bit of magic in her books, and it makes me believe there is magic around us. I thought this book was charming. Thank you for the ARC!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dating is hard enough, but what if every time you are about to meet someone new you received a piece of paper with how long you will be dating that person. That’s how it is for Daphne. She wants love, but trying to find lasting love has been hard, especially when she knows it’s expiration date.

Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think so for the right person.

Themes: ❤️💔💌👩‍❤️‍👨

My thoughts: 🙂😊

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3.5 rounded up.

I love the worlds and relationships Rebecca Serle crafts, and Expiration Dates is no exception. The scene with her father was touching.

The unique premise immediately hooked me and kept me curious throughout, but ultimately I don’t feel like I got enough of this one! It stopped on the brink of something great and enamoring.

I wish there’d been 2-3 less stories of past loves, and more to the ending/Hugo… Hugo drops the bomb and then the ending wrapped up so quickly! Similar to their breakup as well.

Once the main conflict was introduced/presented, she intrinsically followed the motions and ended up happy-go-lucky. I would’ve loved more tension here.

I had high hopes for this book based on the description, and while it was good, it wasn't what I expected. The book. was dry, and it took me a long time to actually get through the book.

While the main character clearly had gone through some very serious things in her life, I just couldn't get on board with her lackadaisical way about going through her life. Her choices, her journey, i just couldn't connect with it. Sadly, it wasn't just her that I had trouble with, it was all of the men she had dated too, including her best friend.

This was the second book that I’ve read by this author and I thought it was a cute story. I feel like it took a little bit to get into the flow of the book, but as it progressed the storyline fit together better. I feel like overall this is a little bit of surface level compared to what it could be, and I actually wouldn’t mind it going a little bit more in-depth in regards to the FMC contemplating the whole idea about these timeframes/deadlines.

Definitely not my favorite of Rebecca Serle's novels. Expiration Dates isn't without its charm, but like her previous book, One Italian, the plot hinges on a far-fetched "magical" element that is never questioned and just doesn't make sense. In this case, the heroine has received mysterious written messages from the Universe ? (going back to her preteen years), that tells her how long a relationship is going to last. She keeps this secret from everyone for years and years (really?). It is reminiscent of The Measure, where everyone gets the string...but at least in that story people actually question and wonder about how strange this phenomenon is.
One other nitpicky thing...why must she describe everything her characters are wearing, all the time? Are their clothes supposed to make up for lack of character development?
I'm sure I'll be in the minority of readers with this opinion, but I believe the author has better stories to write.

I absolutely adored this book! Normally when I find a book I love I read it in one sitting but in this case I kept stopping myself because I really didn't want the book to end. This is especially saying a lot given romance is not normally my favorite genre. The biggest twist isn't the twisty-ist, but that did not take away from my enjoyment at all. I loved Daphne and was routing for her and for her happy ending. My fingers are crossed that this gets picked up as movie or TV adaption because I think it would be great for that.

Daphne Bell has been relying on small pieces of paper with names of potential mates, as well a relationship timeline to predict her love life. But this time she receives a paper without a timeline. Does this mean she's found her one true love? As her new love story unfolds, Daphne must grapple with her feelings and whether she should tell her new beau about all her secrets.

If you're a Rebecca Serle fan, this book was definitely worth the wait. The story telling was charming, engaging, suspenseful and on more than one occasion I was surprised (and pleased!) by the twists and turns taking place in the novel. You'll want to place this on your TBR list - it's that good! Many thanks to Atria Books eGalley via Netgalley for the opportunity to pre-read this book before publication.

I can’t began to explain how much I love this book. The character growth was amazing and I will forever be in love with the story!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy of this book. I am giving feedback with no compensation.

Love Love Love!
This is the first time I have read anything by Rebecca but I will now be reading all her other books.
Wonderful story. I fell in love with the ,characters and became fully invested in their stories.

Daphne knows how long her relationships will last and many times before it even begins until one day she receives a note with just a name…Jake. This story was like two stories wrapped into one. I thought I had it figured out until half way through when I realized it was an even deeper story. I could not put this book down and honestly it’s my favorite Rebecca Serle book. This would be a great book club pick.