Member Reviews
“Being single is like playing the lottery. Most of the time all you’re left with from that trip to the convenience store is a bag of chips and a six-pack. But then there’s always the chance. There’s always the chance, however slim, that with one piece of paper you could win it all.”
Daphne knows that the universe has a plan for her dating life. After all, it makes it pretty clear. From a young age she started receiving a piece of paper. It was fairly simple. A name, and an amount of time. not surprisingly, her relationships with all those men ended at the time frame from the paper, to the day. When she is headed out on a blind date and finds a piece of paper with just a name, no time frame, she has to assume this is it. this is the man she is supposed to be with forever. Will she be able to be honest with Jacob though?
Rebecca Serle comes through again! I mean, did we really have any doubt in her abilities? I know I didn’t! I love that each of her books has just the slightest bit of magical realism in them. It add thats extra oomph to the story that takes it to the next level. I loved Daphne and while I didn’t understand her reasoning for keeping some of her secrets (no spoilers) I came to understand a bit better as the story went on. Jacob was the perfect guy, but I also feel like sometimes when someone is too perfect there is a reason. I did enjoy the idea of going into a relationship knowing when it will end so you can prepare yourself, but I think in that position I would just end up not even starting it knowing it was going to end. Pessimistic? Maybe so, but I do know that’s how I would be! I just adored the ending here…it was the perfect ending! As always, I can’t wait for what is next from Serle!
This is my third book by Serle. I very much enjoy her writing style, and this book is no exception. However, having read In Five Years and found myself sobbing on an airplane, I went into this book expecting a certain emotional gravitas and while there were some serious parts, I did not feel that emotionally attached to the main characters. I think if I had gone in with zero expectations, I would have enjoyed it a bit more. This is no fault of the author, and I will endeavor to go in unbiased during my next read of a book of hers. Overall, a charming story. I read an early version kindly provided by NetGalley.
Well, this beautiful little book took me by surprise. For lovers of magical realism and a fast-moving plot with a lot of heart- this one's for you. I only wish it was like 100-200 pages longer, which is a sign that it was a good book. Serle can sometimes be a bit or miss for me but this was a major hit. I couldn't put it down and I just loved it.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a quick, whitty, romance that takes you on trip down memory lane. Daphne has been looking for love for as long as she can remember. The only catch, she always knows how long her relationships will last. The story takes us through many of her relationships over the past few decades. We also discover that her health problems keep her from getting too close to any one person. When she finally thinks she's met the man of her dreams with whom she was meant to make a life, the truth comes out and she is caused to reevaluate everything she believes. How will her relationship with Jake turn out? Will she able to take that leap of faith or will she continue searching for M Right? I loved the characters and could feel nothing but empathy for Daphne and all that she goes through. The author does a great job of letting us see what is in Daphne's heart and what really makes her tick. She also allows the reader a glimpse of what the people around her think and feel. Overall, a worthwhile read that I would recommend to others.
Expiration Dates is a wonderful story about Daphne and her "insight" into her relationships. Rebecca Serle writes a great story, yet again! The characters are charming and believable. This was a great light read!
Definitely Rebecca Serle’s best work yet!
It’s romance with a twist. Daphne has had many relationships throughout her life, yet they’ve all been time stamped….literally. For at the start of each one, the universe sends her a piece of paper with the amount of time they will be together….ranging from days to years….an expiration date if you will. And they have always been accurate. And then one day there’s Jake and no expiration date. This spectacular story unfolds as Daphne grapples with the meaning of this potential final paper and confides to only her former boyfriend turned best friend Hugo who is also the only one who knows her secret.
As always, Serle has a way with her prose to make you feel so deeply for each of these broken characters and truly root for them all. Passion, heartbreak, love….it’s all here….enjoy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
Rebecca Serle delivered on another great storyline in Expiration Dates! What a fascinating concept - if you could find out how long you will be with someone at the start of a relationship, would you want to know? The heartbreaking twist in the middle wasn't what I expected and caught me off guard. I was left wondering right until the very end about the relationship outcome and thought the ending was perfect. This author and story is one I will definitely recommend to others!
Thank you NetGalley for this Arc!
3 Stars - easy read and entertaining but fell a bit flat for me in character development. Maybe just not a stand out for me?!
I had high hopes for this book because I like (most of) Rebecca Serle's other books, and the premise of Expiration Dates is intriguing. But there was really nothing interesting about these characters and the writing contains lots of unnecessary fluff. Daphne’s dog was the only character I was rooting for.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Light-hearted, yet complex romance I devoured in such a short time. I am in love with Rebecca Serle's newest novel just as I expected to be. I don't know what I could possibly say to give this book justice, but I beg of you... read this book!
4 stars!
I enjoyed this book, I found the idea of the papers very interesting.
I also enjoyed how the author would bring us into the past to hear about previous boyfriends/guys on the papers.
I found the last 1/3 of the book to be very inspiring (trying to avoid spoilers), some of the things talked about will stay with me for a long time.
A very enjoyable read.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
What would you do if the fate of your future was handed to you on a piece of paper?
With each man Daphne meets she receives a piece of paper with the exact amount of time he will be in her life. Until one day, the paper is blank. As the relationship progresses, doubt sets in. Will she trust fate or will she gamble it all and trust her heart? After all, her heart has caused her nothing but trouble her entire life.
This one was a quick, sweet read. The ending was a little expected but I was happy with it nonetheless!
I received a complimentary copy of this book "Expiration Dates" and all opinions expressed are my own. A cute book. If you need something fun to read this is it. It was really interesting. Love magical realism in books. Overall I liked it.
Before every potential relationship, Daphne receives a mysterious piece of paper - Martin, three days - outlining the length of the relationship. She allows the pieces of paper to dictate her life, never giving more or less than she perceives to be required. My overall thoughts:
• I expected there to be more of an explanation or storyline with the letters.
• Daphne's relationship with Jake was never believable.
• I think the entire storyline was too predictable.
• I think the book could have done without the heart condition. I didn't feel like it added any actual value.
I think one of my big issues with Rebecca Serle is that her books are focused around magical realism, but there is never any sort of explanation to why. I feel like her stories are all missing massive pieces.
After reading "One Italian Summer" and "Expiration Dates", I'm not sure I'll be reading anymore Rebecca Serle.
Whew, this book put me through ALL my feelings! I just love a good twist on a basically realistic world. It put me squarely into the realm of believability and after that, I am the authors puppet!
In this book, Daphne receives notes that give her the exact length of time of every romantic relationship she starts. The idea is similar to the book The Measure, in which the characters find out their life span, and how it psychologically affects their choices thereafter. The concept has so much potential! After the knowing, it's hard to tell if Daphne has a choice, or if she is just coasting through the prescribed time frame. Interspersed in the current day are chapters of previous relationships, titled with the boy's name and expiration date. I really loved these glimpses into her past and seeing how she evolved with this knowledge.
The last quarter of the book was an emotional rollercoaster that I cathartically cried most of the way through. It touched on all her relationships: friends, romances, and family. It had maybe the most beautiful break-up scene I've ever read. I'm a big fan of a good wrap-up and Serle gave me all the closure I needed, and yet I still want to follow Daphne forever.
Loved this book. I wish It was about a hundred pages longer! In all honesty, I was not the biggest fan of The Dinner List, so I was gun shy picking up the next book Serle wrote, but I have literally loved every single one! I loved This one so much that I’ll buy the book when it comes out!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.
I adored this book. It was just what I needed to get out of my reading slump. Rebecca Serle continues to churn out books that you just can’t put down. While I wish we got more, I’m happy where it ended.
Expiration Date, by Rebecca Serle, is a great book with an interesting concept and sparkling and thoughtful characters. The premise is that the main character knows exactly how long her relationships will last, due to what she believes is a lucky, albeit quirky, gift. But stick with anything long enough and one will soon see that things are not always as they appear. Thankfully, Ms. Serle spins this tale with compassion and care for each of the characters, thus creating a novel that will delight her readers at every turn.
This was super cute! It's my favourite Rebecca Serle book so far and I've read In Five Years and One Italian Summer. Found myself caring about Daphne and her dating experience resonated with me. I also think the length of the book was just right.
What a delightful book. I loved the premise of this book a note that tells you how long you will be with someone. That way you can live everyday to its best. Touching in parts when you find out the secret. Was not expecting that at all. I just loved this book and the ending was perfect. I want to read it all over again.!!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.