Rebecca Serle's books always have such amazing story ideas but never seem to be executed the way I hope they would be. The plot for Expiration Dates was an immediate hook for me, I love all of the little magical realism bits, but sadly the character development fell very flat and the ending just didn't seem to fit with where I thought the story was going. Lovely idea, terrible execution.

I was a little apprehensive going into this book because I loved her last book, and I didn’t enjoy this one for some reason. I think I was just in a really funky headspace when I was reading this, but it felt so long even though it’s a very short book.

I still think I will continue to read her books in the future because they have been on spectrums, but I loved her last book enough to continue to give her books a read.

Rebecca Serle is known for some heartbreaking books, so I was nervous to start, but gosh this was beautiful. It was a very fast read which I feel like it needed to be. I do wish the ending was longer but understand and appreciate it as it is. I very much enjoyed this.

I absolutely love Rebecca Serle’s books and this one is no exception! Daphne is a single girl dating in LA! It is a really interesting premise - Daphne gets a piece of paper with a man’s name and how long they will date except this time there is just a name no time! Read the book to see what happens! It is a super cute read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for this ARC!

I am a huge fan of Rebecca Serle's In 5 Years, and was beyong excited when I saw an arc for this title! One thing I love about her writing is the magical realism, bringing a dash of the impossible into our everyday lives. Another thing I enjoyed was the flashbacks, seeing her past paper slips play out as we watch her current one play out. I am always a fan of the will they/won't they trope, and always love one final twist at the end. You can feel to love of writing through Serle's storytelling here. A lovely read for any time!

I enjoyed the writing in this book, but the ending had me wanting more. I wish there had been one or two more chapters to give it a complete ending.

Absolutely loved this one! Such a great idea for a story. I also loved the twist. Will definitely read and recommend everything from Rebecca Serle!

Daphne has always known when and how long each relationship would last. She had health problems so she really wasn’t into serious relationships. Her ex now best friend Hugo is the only one who knows the whole expiration dates but he care more than Daphne knows. Will she let this rule her life or will she truly follow her heart.

This book was everything I needed and more. I’m just coming out of what felt like a month long (that’s dramatic but that’s how it felt) reading slump, and this book I literally read in one sitting. The book is only about 250 pages but the story really draws you in and I loved the magic of this story because it shows you the importance of finding yourself before you can love someone else wholeheartedly. This book is so well written and I have loved Rebecca Serle’s writing since I read The Edge of Falling 3 years ago - so this held such high hopes and it lived up to those expectations ten fold. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves woman’s fiction and just loves a good romance story in general because it really dives deep into the meaning of love and relationships. I will definitely be recommending this one a lot. Please go give it a read! 🩷💚

✨Book Review✨
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
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Spoilers ahead. While I do enjoy Serle's writing style and story ideas, I really don't think I can continue reading her books.
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Illness is NOT A PLOT TWIST. Stop using it as one! As someone with health anxiety, I cannot read books that delve deep into illness. This book did not get too deep, but it is still so problematic for so many reasons to use illness as a plot twist AND as the conflict in a story. "Do I tell him I'm sick?!" was literally the entire tension. Not ok.
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Rebecca, sadly I think this is where we part ways. This makes me incredibly sad, as I really do enjoy your books in all other aspects. If you can promise to stop these twists and stop using illness for shock value I would love to come back.

While I've loved some of Rebecca Serle's books, I've also felt indifferent about others. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and the whole plot was very cute. I recommend giving this a read.

Creative story and exactly what I expect from this author. I love her unique stories and this one was great! I really enjoyed it but it isn’t one I will think about often afterwards, however I will be recommending it to others at the library. A good mix of romance, women’s fiction, and some emotional depth. This can connect with multiple age groups.

When Daphne was a kid, she received a mysterious slip of paper with a boy’s name on it and a number—the name of her first boyfriend and the duration of how long their short-lived romance would last. Ever since then, Daphne has continued receiving these secret notices about her boyfriends, and every time, the expiration dates for her relationships have been correct. But for the first time in her life, she’s received a man’s name without an expiration date, and she knows that Jake must be the one. But as Daphne and Jake’s relationship plays out, she begins to have doubts. Maybe the expiration dates were self-fulfilling prophecies, and maybe we can’t always predict the outcome.

This was an emotional and unexpected story about love, how we define it, and what we shouldn’t take for granted. But I felt quite thrown when reading the novel because the story took a turn that shifted the entire plot. I felt as though the novel I thought I was reading was quite different than the one I was actually reading. I was still on board for the ride, but I do feel like this book was not marketed very well. Still, readers of contemporary romance will enjoy this.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun romp of a read! I enjoyed the build up, the character development and the romance that was in this story. It had the right amount of conflict with a very interesting plot line that I did not expect. I look forward to the next book from this author!

I loved the premise behind this book, I loved the characters and how they grew and developed throughout the story. I am a sucker for dual timelines and this one checked all the boxes. The only reason it isn't a 5 star for me is because I saw the ending coming from the start. There were a few turns I didn't anticipate but for the most part I knew what was going to happen. Still a great story that any contemporary romance reader will enjoy

Serle is an author as dependable as Emily Henry for romance novels that aren't treacly and read as so genuine that it's almost painful to read. Like her others, this one has a heartbreakingly sad plot point about halfway through (can't say more without spoilers) but the premise is so original I can forgive a bit of deus ex machina. Perfect summer read, just have some tissue nearby if you're an emotional reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Daphne's entire romantic life has been predicted by a slip of paper with a name and length of time. Now she finds a paper with just the name Jake and no date. So he's the one, right? The paper says so. The story is told in the past and the present so we learn about all the other names that Daphne paired with and how she makes the most of that limited time.

I flew through this book and did not want it to end. There were three very likable main characters in Daphne, Jake, and Hugo. The behind the scenes of Hollywood movie and tv production was an interesting setting and helped play into notion of a happily ever after with a little magical intervention.

If you are looking for a contemporary fiction with some romance and a touch of magical realism, I highly recommend Expiration Dates.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

4 stars. Loved the premise and incredibly fast read. Because the book was short it didn’t delve as deep into some of the themes as I would have liked. I love a magical realism element but felt there could have been more exploration. Still loved the characters and the story overall!

This was my second read Rebecca Serle, after finishing In 5 Years last year! As always I loved Rebecca’s writing style and story pacing. I am a huge fan of literary fiction that adds in a hint of magic - it’s always a very whimsical way to tell a story and I really enjoyed it! The relationship between Daphne and Hugo was very realistic and I loved their chemistry! Overall the plot of this story was very unique and reminded me a lot of in 5 years! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a cute beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Expiration Dates" is a captivating exploration of love and fate. Daphne Bell's life is marked by slips of paper predicting the duration of her romantic relationships, until she meets Jake, whose paper bears only his name. As their relationship unfolds, Daphne grapples with the complexities of honesty and commitment, harboring a secret that could shatter their connection.

Serle's narrative is imbued with warmth and insight, inviting readers into Daphne's world of numbered destinies and uncertain futures. The author delicately navigates themes of destiny versus free will, challenging readers to consider the nature of love and its inherent uncertainties.

"Expiration Dates" is a must-read for contemporary romance fans searching for a story that lingers long after the final page.