Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of Rebecca Serle’s Expiration Dates. The book tackles a very interesting concept of what would happen if you knew how long each romantic relationship you entered would last.


-Book description from Amazon.com:
Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.

From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes the romance that will define a generation.

Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. 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. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.

Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.


-My review:
I loved this book. It kept me up reading way too late when I had a migraine and it hurt to have my eyes open. I was THAT invested in knowing where the story was going and what would happen.

The story jumps around telling timelines between her unfolding relationship with Jake as well as her past relationships.

The ending was a bit predictable but I was so impressed with the growth of Daphne’s character throughout the book. I laughed and cried and hope everyone else who reads it likes it as much as I did.

I wanted to love it more than I did. The plot of whether it’s destiny or free will was amazing and thought provoking. I love the way it ended and how it made me feel. I definitely guessed what would happen by chapter 3 so it wasn’t to much of a surprise but I still enjoyed the read and journey!

I loved this book! A lot! This is my first by the author that I fell in love with and now I just want to go back and read all her books. The book is set in California. Daphne believes that fate has a plan for her life. Every time that she meets a new potential partner she gets a note with their name and how many days until they ultimately break up. The book tells the story of her life through the dates that she goes on. Some dates in LA, Paris and San Francisco. I book was whimsical and fun. The book was so creative and original. I can’t recommend it enough. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book to read and review.

QUICK TAKE: If you like Rebecca Serle books, you're going to like EXPIRATION DATES. All the heart, humor, romance, and emotional devastation we've come to expect from the author of THE DINNER LIST, IN FIVE YEARS, and ONE ITALIAN SUMMER.

I was hooked from the first chapter! Rebecca Serle blends women’s fiction with a dash of fantasy/magic, but in a way that feels plausible and not at all hokey. I’ve read and enjoyed two of her previous books and was excited for this one.

Daphne is a single 33 year old woman who, since adolescence, has received a postcard for each boyfriend she has, with the name of the man and the length of time they will date. For the first time, the postcard contains only a name with no expiration date. Halfway through the book, we learn a secret that the narrator has been keeping from us that changes the way we perceive Daphne and her relationships.

This book examines the concept of fate versus free will and asks us to consider whether we would want to know the outcome and end date of each of our romantic relationships. Or is it better not to know…?

I was always excited to pick up my tablet to read and found myself having a strong opinion about how the story should end. While I finished on a smile, I was a little letdown by the ending. But I understand the point the author was making and appreciate the writing technique. All in all, it is a book I will recommend to friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary advanced reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Expiration Dates, and will definitely be reading more from Rebecca Serle in the future!

Daphne’s love life has always been limited and pre-determined by some cosmic force…spelled out in notes she receives telling her how long each relationship will last. All that changes when she meets Jake, the man she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with. I loved getting to accompany Daphne on her journey through love, loss, friendship, acceptance, and so much more. I laughed and cried, and walked away feeling like I just had a marvelous lunch date with a long lost friend (in L.A., of course).

4.5 stars [Loved it]

This was such a good read. Such a unique and fun storyline. I absolutely loved the main characters, especially BFF Hugo. I felt like the execution of the book could have been a bit better but overall I really loved this book. Highly recommend checking this one out when it comes out [March 5, 2024].

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️
Another heartfelt book by Rebecca Serle! I was able to fully invest myself in this story since there was only a minimal sense of magical fantasy. Cried, laughed, and my heart felt whole by the end. Loved the messages that it brought home while also being entertained for the whole book. Absolutely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Serle, and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to review this ahead of its publication date!

Expiration Dates is a heartwarming romance novel that explores the concept of destiny and love. The story revolves around Daphne, a woman who believes that the universe has a plan for her love life. Daphne has a secret, as a matter of fact she has two secrets. One of her secrets is that whenever she meets a new man to date, she receives a mysterious slip of paper with his name and the exact time that their relationship will last. The narrative unfolds by weaving between the past and present. In the past, we gain insight into Daphne's previous relationships, allowing a deeper understanding of her journey and more about who she is as a person and her struggles. In the present, we are introduced to Hugo, her ex-turned-best friend, who she maintains a close relationship with. As a matter of fact, Hugo is the only person she's dated who knows both her secrets. Everything takes an interesting turn when Daphne goes on a blind date with Jake, a man for whom the slip of paper provides only his name and no timeframe. As the story between Daphne and Jake unfolds, Daphne begins to doubt the prediction given on that piece of paper and questions her true fate.

The story skillfully explores the themes of fate, love, and self-discovery. The narrative's back-and-forth between past and present helped me to connect with Daphne's character and understand her growth and choices throughout the story. I was fully invested in the outcome of Daphne's choices. Rebecca Serle has a knack for fully immersing the reader in the setting, no matter where the story is located. Expiration Dates is no different and I loved all the specific details in LA. LA is one of my favorite cities and for a few hours I felt like I was transported there. The exploration of whether destiny truly governs our love lives adds depth to the plot and kept me hoping that in the end Daphne would get her happy ever after. This story begs the question is life destiny, choices, or a combination of both?

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have not read anything by this author before and I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was very smooth and I could follow along easily. The characters were likeable and the plot was unique. I thought at the 60% mark that I knew how the stoy would end, but I was wrong. I liked how it ended though! If you're looking for a quick, drama-filled but fun book, this is it!

I really enjoyed Expiration Dates, but it was a really short book. I loved the characters and story-line, but it could have been so much more. It ended so abruptly I was disappointed. I’ve read all of Rebecca Serles books and they’re all good, and so is this one!

Rebecca Serle is one of my favorite authors that incorporates magical realism in all of her novels. Expiration Dates is her latest story, in it we meet Daphne. Every time that Daphne meets a man, she receives a slip of paper (a sort of surprise gift from the universe written on a receipt or a parking ticket for example.) The slip of paper has the man's name and a number. The number is the exact time that they will be together. It may be a few days, weeks or even months.

Daphne gets set up on a blind date by a friend and meets Jake. This time something different happens....the paper only lists Jake's name....no number is attached.

That is as much of that plot that I wish to divulge. There are twists and turns coming that I don't want to give away. You must read this for yourself!

I loved this unique story; it was such an interesting and original concept. The characters are well written This was the perfect palate cleanser of a book, both interesting and a fast read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Very sweet and heartwarming story! There were a few twists thrown in that I didn't expect, and the ending was unexpected as well, which was actually very satisfying. Rebecca Serle continues to be a favorite of mine!

Absolutely LOVEDDDD this book!! I thought I knew where this book was going, and then I was completely surprised with the plot twists. Truly was completely caught off guard, which I love when reading books.
I adored Jake and his character. Although him and Daphne don't end up together, I loved the maturity and the security of his character. Truly hope everyone finds a man as loving, caring and kind as Jake because he really was a good man. He knew what he wanted. He spoke his mind, was open, communicative, and caring. Honestly, such an A+ man.
I loved Daphne finding herself and finally coming to terms with her life and finally being free.
Such an amazing read, 100% recommend

I have been a fan of books by Rebecca Serle, particularly her early books, and was grateful to get an advance copy of her new book from NetGalley. I loved the premise - whenever the narrator Daphne starts a new romance, she receives a note with advance warning of how long it will last. When she starts dating Jake, there is no end date, no expiration date, on her note, so this romance sounds like the one "for keeps". We get a peek into her past romances and why each ended - loved all of this. Unfortunately the story shifted about midway when there is a big reveal by Daphne, something that shifted the tone and plot of the book, that put me off from the fun ride it had been to that point. I enjoyed the book, enjoyed the writing, just not as satisfying as I had hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I mostly enjoyed this one. While the book was warm and beautiful, I wish there was more explanation on things and I felt like it was all cut a little short.

Daphne has always known exactly how long each of her relationships will last. The universe delivers to her a piece of paper at the start of each new relationship detailing the name of the new love interest and the exact amount of time they will spend together. So is Daphne open to exploring love in each of these relationships or is she simply biding her time until the expiration date?

When Daphne meets Jake for a blind date, she finally receives a paper with no date on it. Is Jake the one? And if he is, can she tell him the whole truth? As time goes on, Daphne wonders if her fate is really tied to Jake for the rest of her life.

This book explores what it means to be single and part of a couple, what it means to be independent and truthful, and how all of those things change as life goes on. I liked this book, but I was about halfway through before it really got interesting. It's not my favorite Rebecca Serle book, but if you believe in love, true love, and the journey it takes to get there, you will enjoy it.

I really liked this one! Fun and def great for springtime/summer vacation reading this little romance with a bit of fantastical element is a delight. Daphne is single and the plot Serle weaves in order for love to come her way, and stay, is a unique one. I liked the deeper meaning of finding ones self and identity, with or without love connections.

Thank you so much @AtriaBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 05 March 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Throughout her life Daphne sporadically receives notes which contain the name of the next man she'll date and how many days / weeks / months that relationship will last. One day she receives a note that just says "Jake" with no time period defined which leads Daphne to believe this man must be her forever person.

WHAT I LIKED:
- core themes that I think a lot of people will relate too (uncertainty in relationships, inevitability of morality and living with hope)
- this author is really good at writing contemporary romances sprinkled with light magical realism
- such an interesting premise for a story

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- too much page time was dedicated to relationships that ultimately didn't matter (I wanted more with the main love interest to understand why he was a good fit for her & make me root for them)
- introducing a serious medical condition more than halfway through the book felt like a copout (also this particular health condition is especially triggering for me)
- the ending felt really abrupt & unfinished
- the romance(s) felt overshadowed by the health condition

This one was a DNF for me. I'm sorry. I got 100 pages in and was just struggling.

There are a lot of good things. For instance, I love this idea of someone getting love notes for suitors. I love the premise. The characters are relatable. I loved that.

I feel like this wasn't cohesive enough for me. There were holes that I needed to be filled in for me. Perhaps if I had continued on those would be filled - but I have too many books on my TBR to struggle through a book that just isn't for me.

I will still continue to read what Rebecca Serle writes. She's a great author - this one was just a miss for this girl!