Cool premise in this contemporary romance with a hint of magical realism.

Throughout her life Daphene Bell receives notes telling her how long her current relationship is going to last and has learned to just deal with it. Until after a blind date she finally receives a note with out the number of days and only the name. Could this finally be the one?
What could be a light fluffy romance ends up being a much more layered emotional story. Perfect for fans of the Measure or Josie Silver

I read this for the Bad on Paper Podcast book club, and I can't wait to hear what Becca and Olivia have to say about this book! The concept of this novel is so cute: each time Daphne starts to date a new man, the universe delivers her a slip of paper with his name on it, as well as the timeline that they will be together, so when she sees the paper that just says, "Jake," she wonders what it means. What I was not expecting was for this rom-com to have a twist like this did! Literal jaw drop that my husband noticed sitting next to me while I was reading. From that point on, I couldn't put the book down and had to find out how it ended, and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

I just adore how Rebecca Serle writes! Her books are generally short, but so immersive and descriptive. You get such a wonderful sense of the characters. They are relatable and likeable, but not perfect. Daphne is an assistant living in Los Angeles who works in the film industry. Since she was a young girl, she has always received a note with a name and an amount of time underneath it. She has learned that this means the name of her next love interest and the amount of time they will be together. Now in her early 30s, she receives a note with just a name and nothing else, leading her to believe this is who she's meant to be with forever.

In Expiration Dates, we learn about Daphne's dating history and her best friend, Hugo, a handsome former suitor. I loved the complex relationships, twists and turns, and gorgeously described settings. Though Serle's writing is considered romance, there's always so much more and she doesn't rely on overused tropes to propel the plot. There is always a thoughtful, philosophical bent and we question larger ideas about our lives and humanity. I listened to the audiobook, which is perfectly narrated by a longtime audiobook favorite of mine, Julia Whelan. She reads with such great delivery and gives so much presence and empathy to Daphne.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to atria and Beth alley for this advanced copy

I knew I would get an emotional rollercoaster in this book but I wasn't completely prepared for the second act twist and the ending of this one. I read most of it quickly on a flight and that's the right level of commitment for this.book. Daphne is complex and I think my main complaint was that it was hard for me to connect with her feelings. They seemed flat at times where the men seemed slightly more complex and interesting and that frustrated me.

But it was still a great plane read. The pace was perfect, the spice not too hot, the ending just infuriating enough that I was glad I was paying attention. Can't wait to read the next one.

This wasn't a bad read, but it took me a while to finish due to me not really liking the characters very much. It's a bummer because I typically like Rebecca Serle's work. This one just didn't do it for me.

Daphne works and lives in Los Angeles. Here life is a strange one. Her past relationships have always had expiration dates. When she met someone, she would receive a piece of paper with the guy’s name on it and the duration of their relationship.

We see her with Martin in Paris for 3 days. Then, there is Hugo in Los Angeles. And on from there. There is just conversation with these guys with nothing concrete coming from them. There’s a lot of name dropping. Are readers supposed to be impressed by this? Goodness. This is such a boring book and a silly subject as well. So sorry, but I just did not care for this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It took me a very long time to get through this but it was my fault and not the book's. Once I settled in, it was lovely.

Such a fun & quick read. Daphne is lovable and frustrating and I loved meeting all the men on the notes throughout the story and how Rebecca weaved those in pretty seamlessly. I do wish we had a bit more of Jake - even though I’m not sure what else I would have wanted. It felt like the pacing was good and then rapid at times. I did love this though, and I’m already casting a potential movie in my mind :-)

Rebecca Serle never disappoints. Her books have just the right amount of magical realism and just the right amount of romance. She also threw in a couple unexpected twists that I didn't see coming. I will be recommending this one to everyone.

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Serle. This book is available now!

Imagine every time you met a new partner, you received a piece of paper with the exact amount of time you’ll be dating them. It could be three hours, or ten years. This is what Daphne has been dealing with since childhood - until she meets Jake. His paper is blank. Daphne isn’t sure what to think of this - is he forever? If he is, why isn’t she feeling like he’s really the one for her? Of course there are other twists to the plot that complicated things, so you’ll have to read to find out what happens!

I enjoyed this book, especially when the author throws a pretty big twist into the mix. I wasn’t expecting it, but it really added another layer to the plot, and it worked for me.

My biggest wish is that there was an actual explanation for where the letters came from.

Huge thank you to @atria books for my ARC of #expirationdates, i also listened to the book in 🎧 when I saw that Julie Whelan was narrating. Thank you to Simon and Schuster audio for uploading it to @Everand _us , the depth of characters can truly be felt with the perfect narration .
First Julie Whelan deserves an Audie award for this performance. No one could have done this book as much justice , her performance rounded this book up to a five star book.
Magical realism is one of my favorite tropes , and " the notes " were brilliant . Much like my love of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue who had loved many great loves; Daphine did too. , I loved the construct that Daphine could know going in how long her relationships would last. But did this character allow herself to feel deeply ? Did she bare herself, and make herself vulnerable? Or did she live in fear of time, time running out . I think anyone who has been faced with our mortality , has stared death down knows " nothing gold can stay", but it is up to the individual to give as much as they get. Was it fear or acceptance or selfishness that she kept herself guarded.? Daphne's character was complex and I am not sure every reader would hold out to finally hear her truths halfway through the book. As a reader we were feeling as lied to as she was lying to those around her. Chronic illness was very carefully represented in this book , but with that was the mental health of Daphne's character considered? Rebecca Serle gives the reader so much to consider after all is unfolded. There were so many people in her life that loved her , I hope she truly begins to live.
I like how Rebecca Serle dealt carefully with the love triangle in this book. I didnt like how Daphne held everyone in her world at arms length , i disliked how she wasnt truthful with Jake from the beginning. I didnt like that neither Hugo or Jake really fought for her. But in the same respect I get why it was written that way. I know i will be thinking about this book a long time to come. I would love a sequel in Jake's POV . Read by Jacob Morgan / Zachary Weber ..thank you in advance if you read this Rebecca.!

Rebecca Serle is one of my favorite authors. I've loved Five Years and was hoping to like this book with magical realism as well, but I felt like it fell flat for me. The story itself was good but I would have loved to see the characters flushed out more. I wanted more from everyone. I wanted to know the why on the expiration dates, and I just didn't feel like i got that. Overall a great book, but I wouldn't buy it for my collection.

4.5⭐️ I love Rebecca Serle’s type of stories. They have a type of magical realism to them that just makes you them fun to read. This was a light, cute read. I did not expect the plot twist! I loved Daphne, and I was rooting for her!

I loved this book way more than I expected to. The premise intrigued me, and I'd been planning to try Rebecca Serle's writing for a while because I'd heard good things. I loved how she threw a lot of unexpected bits into the mix that I really enjoyed. I always enjoy a bit of magical realism, especially if it makes me think, and this one certainly did make me think. If you knew going in to a relationship how long that relationship would last, how would that affect the course of the relationship? How hard would you try? Would you try at all, knowing it was destined to end? Ultimately, would you want to know? I liked how Daphne's life and relationship history is revealed slowly, in the midst of watching her relationship with Jake grow. And I loved how this book made me laugh and broke my heart and made me think about my own ordinary/extraordinary life and love. I started out reading this on Kindle and was already hooked when I was about 3 chapters in, but when I found out that Julia Whelan narrated the audiobook, I quickly and happily switched over to the audiobook and as always, her narration was brilliant - I highly recommend it for audiobook listeners. But I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it almost as much if I'd stuck with the Kindle version - and feel sure I'll go back to it on my Kindle and read the last couple of chapters again soon.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Whenever Daphne meets someone she gets a single piece of paper with their name and an amount of time. Since she was a kid and this has happened, and the paper is right every time.
When she receives a paper with just a name, she wonders if this guy is the one. Now she needs to navigate the unknown. As her and Jake get more and more serious she comes to the realization that she has some secrets that he needs to know about. And she needs to find a new way to live her life without these pieces of papers to guide her.

The first half of this book was a struggle to get through, but once I reached a certain point in the story it kept my interest to the end. The back and forth between the now and then was difficult to follow at certain points, and I was sure which relationship to root for. Quite frankly I didn't feel invested in either any of them. However I was invested in knowing the ending.

The best way to describe this book would be undecided. Throughout the book Daphne seemed to be undecided in her life decisions and throughout reading this book I was undecided on whether I liked it or not.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, I loved this book so much and I highly recommend. It’s a 4/5 stars for me!

A great concept that didnt reach its potential. "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." Well written and compelling, this story lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for ans the spice didn't quite satisfy.

I was not feeling this book the entire way through. I had the hardest time connecting with the main characters. I was left wanting a little bit more.

Daphne is different than most people. She gets a letter each time she starts dating someone new that says how long the relationship will last. In this emotional romance you get to see Daphne fall in love and also learn to love herself regardless of her medical condition that she has kept from those around her. Getting to see the character development was so enjoyable and the concept was so unique.

“Expiration Dates” by Rebecca Searle revolves around a woman who receives mysterious notes with the names of men she will end up dating, but what is most interesting is the time frame attached to each name, letting her know in advance how long each relationship will last. While the book offers a unique premise, I really wished there was more exploration of these notes and their significance to the story.

I liked the concept a lot, as it raises questions about fate, destiny, and the extent to which your personal life can be controlled or predetermined. I was drawn into the mystery surrounding these notes, eager to read more about their origin and significance, but the lack of exploration of this topic really left me feeling like there could have been much more depth to this story.

If the author had delved further into the origins, purpose, and consequences of these notes, “Expiration Dates” could have offered a much more satisfying and thought-provoking experience. The potential for exploring the idea of fate versus free will, as well as the emotional and psychological impact of living with such time constraints, feels like a missed opportunity.

In conclusion, “Expiration Dates” is a good novel that piques readers’ curiosity, but the story leaves a lingering desire for a deeper examination of the notes and their role in the narrative. While it may not fulfill its potential in this regard, the book is still an engaging read for romance fans.

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