I know this is hard to believe, but this was my first Rebecca Serle novel. I've had In Five Years and The Dinner List on my TBR forever, but never jumped in. If you're reading this, do not be like me. Read these books. Read this author. Dump your TBR and put this one at the top.

I can tell you about the plot of this book, but you can read that easily enough, I want to talk about how this novel makes you feel, because at the end of the day, that's what its really about. The magical realism in this book in threaded with so many real emotions. I felt hopeful for Daphne when she finds the note with no end for her relationship with Jake. I felt sad when she alludes to the other complications in her life, and absolutely gutted as she shares with the reader how her health has affected her life and relationships. I felt so much love for her relationship with Hugo and charmed at their ease in doing the normal stuff -- chatting after a date, going to the farmer's market, or making breakfast at home. Serle wraps you up in so many emotions and carries you through this story in a truly beautiful and unique way. I'm putting her to the top of my TBR.

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

Five stars. No notes.

First Rebecca Serle and I loved it! This was a very unique concept for a story and it was executed so well.

Loved that I did not see the twist in the story coming at all, and the ending was perfect.

Can’t wait to read her backlist!

This was such a hard one for me. I think I was left with something to be desired by the end. I didn't NOT enjoy it, but I also was ready for it to end? The concept was so strong and I was initially excited to see where Serle took it and I was hoping for some philosophical and self growth around blindly trusting what was on the papers versus not. Like a battle of self will and trust. But it ended up just being a more typical storyline and history of Daphne's dating. Add on to that that Jake was so bland and boring that it made it hard to invest in their relationship but Hugo was just kind of an asshole so I wasn't really rooting for them either.,
Overall, I just feel like Serle's stories always lack that last little bit of something, whether it's depth, connection, character development, I can' say. I don't know how to articulate it but it just feels so hard to be actually invested in these characters. I wished Daphne had had more character development and self realization but, instead, I felt like she was boring and lacked a lot of self awareness. Instead of growing or realizing things she could learn and take from all her past relationships, she just continued to go through the motions.
All in all, I think Serle has an interesting writing style. I just wish there was more depth and development in her concepts.

After reading One Italian Summer, I could not wait to read Serle's new book. Written in the same magical realism as her last book, Expiration Dates was a delight. Daphne would receive a slip of paper at the beginning of each relationship letting her know how long it would last. Mixed with stories of from past relationships to her current love interest, it is a heartwarming story of true love and following your heart.

This is by far my favorite book by Rebecca Serle! I loved the magical realism and found the overall story to be very cute and entertaining. I will note that this took me a bit to get into. It felt a little slow up until the 30% mark or so, but around then, I just couldn't put it down!

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

What would you do if you knew your romantic fate? Daphne Bell has always received a message from the universe letting her know exactly how long her romantic entanglements will last. When she receives a card that says "Jake" with no date, she's pretty sure it means he'll be the man she'll spend the rest of her life with. And he's pretty perfect, but Daphne has secrets that no one except her best friend Hugo knows - and he seems less than thrilled about the new man in her life. Serle's writing is smart and accessible, and her trademark sweetness and wit is present here. This will work well for fans of Serle's previous works, and will likely garner her some new ones. The trademark plot twists are present here, though they're easier to swallow than in some of her previous novels. If this reviewer has one quibble, it's that Jake is so thinly drawn that it's impossible not to see the book's ending coming from a mile away. Recommended to fans of romance who like their characters on the complicated side.

Rebecca Serle is one of the few authors who can convince me to read something that includes a touch of magic. Expiration Dates and her previous books all include it and the way she writes brings me on board every single time. Expiration Dates is really a beautiful story and the ending was perfect.

I loved Rebecca Serle’s books One Italian Summer and In Five Years - both five star reads for me. I was hoping for another wow book with Expiration Dates. Certainly an easier read, and a good choice as a mix in with heavier reads. Overall I found this very predictable with a story that plodded along. So much potential here - this story just fell flat. Still a huge Serle fan - this one was not super memorable for me. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the arc.

This is an auto buy author for me. I love her writing style and I love how she adds a touch of magical realism in each book. She makes astute observations without being too flowery.

This story is such an interesting look at how knowing the outcome can influence the process. How we put limits on our relationships and how easy it is to make assumptions. Loved this one.

So let me start by saying that One Italian Summer is one of my all time favorite books. It is the book that brought me back into reading 2 (or 3?) years ago. So I had high expectations for this one.

It started a little slow for me, but I kept going. In time, I became familiar with the characters and the style and in the end I did enjoy it. Was it a favorite? No. Would I read it again? Also no. Would I recommend it? Maybe. If you enjoy a fairly sweet romance with a varied timeline that does not have spice, you should like this one.

I wish the chapters had given a little more context as to which characters and which timeline we would be reading about. I think that would have helped me. I would have even appreciated a true timeline with all the players in the story for this one. That would have been a useful tool while reading to sort of bridge everything together.

I did finally get ‘hooked’ and wanted to keep reading to finish and find out what happened once I hit the twist around halfway. But I’m still not sure how I feel about the way things worked out, and it still never truly grabbed me the way some books do.

Overall it was a good story with likable, somewhat relatable characters. Did my high expectations set me up for disappointment? Maybe. But I would encourage you to read it and decide for yourself.

I really love this authors writing! it’s so descriptive and it’s the perfect mix of literary fiction with a mix of romance!! I love how deep her books are! i love her books and will highly recommend her books to customers!

This book was not my favorite of this author’s. I did not see the connection with the main character and either of the potential love interests.

I love Rebecca Serle's books. She is an auto-read author for me. This is my fourth of her books - Expiration Dates was fantastic, although it did not beat out my favorite of her books which was In Five Years. It has become my second favorite of hers though! Her books are always thought provoking, and this was no exception. I love how unique Rebecca's books are and I don't feel like they are ever too similar to other books. I loved this book's message on taking control of your life's choices. I did feel like the twist with her heart condition was a little unnecessary but, in the end, do understand why it was used as a plot point.

Rebecca Serle is the only author who makes me enjoy magical realism. I always enjoy her books, which often explore large questions in specific ways. When I read One Italian Summer, all I wanted to do was book a flight to Italy...

The concept of Expiration Dates caught my attention -- Daphne receives a postcard every time she meets a new love interest and the postcard tells her exactly how long the relationship will last. So, when she receives her postcard for Jack and it lists no end date she thinks, "This is him. The One." As the story unfolds, however, Daphne begins to question the trajectory of the relationship. Add a massive secret to the mix and what you get is a well-crafted story about time, commitment, honesty, and the concept of "The One."

This book is a bit challenging to review without giving spoilers so I will say this -- I guessed some of it early, but I still enjoyed the ride. Daphne was a great protagonist and I found some of her struggles with dating relatable. I also considered how I would react if I knew how much time I had with someone and what fears might crop up if I knew, even before we were dating, that the person was The One.

If you like Rebecca Serle, you'll enjoy this one. I also recommend it to anyone who struggles or has struggled with dating. I thought it asked some really good questions about ways we get ahead of ourselves in relationships.

This author is hit or miss for me, and thankfully this one was a big homerun! Thak you #net galley for the arc--I actulaly chose to do the audio because Julia Whelan is an excellent narrator. This story was cute, bitersweet and a great testament of defining what it is to 'live'. The witty banter between characters and desciptions of the Heroine's inner thoughts were a definite plus for me. I enjoyed both Jake and Hugo but always knew how the love story would ultimately turn out and yet I still enjoyed the 'ride' getting there.

My first Rebecca Serle novel and it did not disappoint. The initial concept immediately intrigued me—knowing who you’re going to be with and for how long. Seems ideal, right? Eliminating the element of surprise and expecting the inevitable. But it also takes away from living in the moment, which I feel like happens to a lot of us. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the little plot twists sprinkled in there.

Love can be elusive, but what if you knew exactly how long a relationship would last? Daphne meets a guy and finds out how long they will be together, from a random slip of paper. . Good fortune, or a bad omen? In some ways it can spark spontaneity, but can you truly feel love if you know it won’t last? This is Daphne’s struggle which becomes more real after she meets Jake and there is no “expiration date”. Will she dare to love, or could the paper be wrong? Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Every relationship Daphne has ever been in has come with an expiration date. An actual one. So when, right before a date, she receives a note with no timeline, and just a name, she wonders if this is finally it. As she navigates her newfound relationship with potential for a future, she revisits her past relationships and her story unfolds. A heartwarming, fun love story that reminds us that we all have expiration dates, and they should not define us.

This was a feel-good rom-com. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with the description. I felt like I might end up bored. But I loved the flashbacks of her previous relationships and it had a twist I did not see coming, which is always a pleasant surprise. This will be a great beach read for the summer!

The Problem with leaving a review to later and thinking that letting it percolate will enhance the review is proving troublesome. Acknowledging that this book is about love and missing what you can’t have or thinking something akin to this made this book more relatable. Serle cues us to her thoughts that love is “the belief in something that you cannot see or touch or even explain….but we just know it’s there.” I am not so sure about any of that but it was enough that it had me pondering and admitting that discussion is for another day.

There is some mystery, some not so convenient truths, a few cliches and a story that lingers but is difficult to define. Love, desire, happiness, protection, trust - exploring all the things you want out of love and reconciling what you can actually have. What it would be like to be chosen, cherished, loved - everything comes back to that. What you want and what you can have. Epic Love - never doubt that it is worth the fight.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy.