I usually have a lot to say about a book (shocking, I know), but this one left me a bit befuddled. Did I enjoy it? I think so. And yet, I wanted more than what I got.

"We have to be cracked open sometimes to let anything good in. What I see now, emerging in the mirror, is this one simple truth: learning to be broken is learning to be whole."

Did I read this book or did this book read me? This is the question...

4/5

I don't even know where to start. I suppose with the premise, the story follows Daphne who has an odd quirk that tends to follow her throughout her life - when she gets into a relationship with someone she receives a note that will tell her how long the relationship will last. With such an interesting concept the story flows in a captivating way, you want to know what will happen next for Daphne and how she navigates sticky situations. When she meets Jake and receives a note with no end date on it, could that mean that he is The One?

The premise is interesting because there are so many different ways that this could go, this could be seen as a gift, a curse, or something in the middle of the two. I think sometimes we take for granted the chain reaction of events that lead to something happening and also that we have free will to enact a whole course of events not only for ourselves, but other people too.

I think what struck me the most about this story is the importance of loving the individuals who have been there for you and letting them know how appreciated they are. It is rare to find that kind of love, but once you do it is so worth holding onto. Another thing was just how in control of our own destiny we are, but also that when something is meant to be, nothing can stop it from happening. For some odd reason that gives me a lot of personal comfort.

The way that Rebecca Serle writes makes it the quickest read ever, once I properly sat down with it I was flying through it and could not put it down. It can be difficult to achieve a level of prose that is both intricate and not too flowery, but she manages to do this extremely well.

Parts of this book were predictable, but I found that I did not really care, the point of the book is the journey through Daphne's life and her adventures with her friends and family and also just really getting to know her and to me, that made for the surprises along the way. This book also resonated with me in a lot of ways, sure and I won't state exactly how because of spoilers, but the point is that this book is like a warm hug and I think it is exactly what I needed at the time.

This may be a romance novel, but for me this is so much more. It's about self-love, discovery, and love more broadly - like I said before, friends, family, the people who make life feel worth it. When I first picked up this book I had no idea how it was going to go, but the journey that we took with Daphne made it feel entirely worth it and I walked away feeling a sense of contentment.

Special thanks to netgalley and Atria books for the arc copy, all opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a book that gives you a good cry, look no further! Personally, I loved this book. It's a true romance and emotional book that grabs you right from the beginning. This was my first Rebecca Serle book and it truly lived up to the hype. I enjoyed it so much that I'm now going back and adding the authors other works to my TBR. I didn't know I was a fan of magical realism, but apparently, I am!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Rebecca Serle for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A thoughtful and emotional story that I simply could not put down. I laughed, I cried, I yelled at the book. Serle has carefully crafted enticing characters with a storyline that pulls you in and keeps you turning pages. I will be recommending to all my romcom/romance/book club readers.

I don't love posting reviews of books I didn't love cause I have a lot of respect for authors and the work that goes into writing and publishing a novel. I will say that if you love Rebecca Serle's previous work, I do believe this book will work for you and give you all the feels.

For me, after reading three Rebecca Serle novels, it's time to call it. This author just isn't for me. Every time I see one of her books, the synopsis gets me - they always are unique and creative and interesting to me and have a sprinkle of magic that I love. But then I read the book...and I find myself disappointed.

I sent a message to one of my book friends who also read the book and I think this message really sums up my overall feelings...

"I just finished Expiration Dates. I think it's a dud for me when it's a book FILLED with relationships and the only one I cared about and got teary eyed about was the relationship between the main character and her dog."

I hope this works for so many people out there - but if you haven't loved her previous work, I don't think this will be for you.

Thank you to Netgalley & Atria Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion (SORRY!)

Rebecca Serle is a fantastic author. I couldn’t wait to check out her new book. Great story line to enjoy.

Was instantly sold on the premise. Reminds me of one of my favorite episodes of Black Mirror, but less dark! Another great and out of the box read for fans of Serle!

I really enjoyed this book. It took a little to get aquatinted with Daphne and her quirky family and relationship timeline but once you do it’s really sweet. Daphne receives notes with an “expiration date” of each relationship that she has. It really makes you think how that impacts the relationship and your opinions on dating in general. I love stories like these that have a mystical element but they treat everything else like completely normal.
The plot twist at the mid way point came across my mind at the beginning but since they didn’t address it I was like oh that’s prob not gonna be a thing. I enjoyed this way more than One Italian Summer (that was a close second though) and In Five Years (especially with the plot twist of that one, ugh).

Emotional romances>>>

I loved this🥹

I never know what to expect with Rebecca Serle because there is always more than meets the eye. And this was no different.

I wanted to shake Daphne half the time with all her self sabotaging, but it also felt a bit familiar…

I also always love when a romance delves into deeper topics, and I won’t give away spoilers, but Daphne has been through a lot! She deserves the love she pushes away.

There were a few twists and it was definitely an emotional roller coaster. I had no idea where the story was going to go next, but I’m so happy to say I loved where it ended.

This is my fave RS book!!

I thought EXPIRATION DATES by Rebecca Serle was fantastic. A different way to cover the idea of fate when it comes to life and relationships, this novel has the main character receiving a piece of paper for each time she starts a potential relationship and it includes an expiration date. Until one day, it doesn’t. If we knew how long we had with someone, would it affect the way we related to them? Or would we believe it? How much is in our control in life and how much is out of our hands? I thought this novel was very well written, paced beautifully, and evolved at just the right place. I was completely blindsided by the mid-book reveal and read the last half of the book in a single sitting. I was already a fan of Serle's from her previous books but now my summer will involve reading the rest of them.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After finishing <i>Expiration Dates </i>, it stuck with me. I liked this one much more than I expected. Knowing ahead of time how long a potential relationship will be active might feel like a cheat code unlocked, but how much would it actually change how you react to situations with that information. A favorite passage that I noted was "My life has been filled with magical moments. I was just so busy waiting, I didn't see them when there were here."
This book taught me to appreciate the purpose people have in other's lives - "there may not be a reason for everything but there's a reason for everyone"
I'm not one to collect quotes from a book but the messages that were presented to be through <i>Expiration Dates </i> were relevant. This was a fun read and I really recommend it.

I absolutely devoured this book and finished it in one day. I loved the idea of finding a note letting you know how long each relationship will last, especially once you hit the halfway mark and the book gains even more depth. I really enjoyed Daphne's varying amounts of chemistry with her "boyfriends", especially Hugo, and I really loved how the story jumped back in forth in time to slowly reveal the story (and it's wonderful cast of characters) bit by bit.

Fantastic read - would definitely recommend.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I usually stick to the mystery/thriller category, but for some reason, when it comes to Rebecca Serle, it always feels like a welcome palate cleanse. For anyone who takes this book too seriously and thinks too much about the whys, I could see how it would be a disappointing read. But for readers who are simply along for the ride and ready to feel all the feels, this one is for you (and you'll get through it quickly!). To me, its like a feel-good movie in book form.

Thanks to Net Galley for my Advanced Reader's Copy! Published 3/2024

Would you want to know when your relationship would end??

Since she was a teenager, Daphne has received a slip of paper with her boyfriend's name and the amount of time they would spend together. Now, twenty years later, Daphne receives a note with only the name of her blind date, Jake, and no length of time.

Throughout the novel we revisit each of Daphne's relationships, all spanning a different amount of time. No one knows the secret about these expiration dates, except her best friend Hugo, who began his relationship with Daphne, with an expiration date.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one by Rebecca Serle. I don't usually choose books with magic realism, but I will always read books by Rebecca. She does it so well! This was a sweet, quick read.

“Expiration Dates” by Rebecca Serle is a vivid love story about fate, choices, and the unexpected. I am not usually a fan of magical realism, but this was written in a way that made me believe! the characters feel real, as though I may run into them on the street. Serle writes a moving exploration of love and living in the moment.

As a big fan of Rebecca Serle's other work, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of her newest novel, EXPIRATION DATES, in exchange for my honest review.

EXPIRATION DATES is such a uniquely intriguing premise - Daphne has always known when a relationship would end before (or right after) it began. Little slips of paper arrive anytime she has a connection with someone - a date, a relationship, a one night stand - to tell her just how long she'll be with this person. Daphne's story took turns I wasn't expecting and I loved the full cast of characters in this book; Hugo, Daphne's parents, Jake, Kendra, Irina - all wonderful! I loved Serle's writing and character building, and will eagerly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

4.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads! This is my favorite Rebecca Serle book yet! She always does magical realism so well, but this is her first specifically romantic story, and she knocked it out of the park! It’s such an interesting concept and it is chock full of existential thoughts 😂 I loved the characters, and there was great Jewish rep as well. There were a couple of plot twists I did not see coming, and the story came together so beautifully; I loved the ending! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! EXPIRATION DATES is out now!

eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Daphne Bells knows how long each relationship or date will last. She receives a paper giving her a name and the amount of time she has with that person. So when she receives a piece of paper with a name but no date she feels like maybe she has finally found her happily ever after.

I felt like this book was all over the place. I couldn’t connect with the characters or even the story.

Thank you netgalley and Atria books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

EXPIRATION DATES review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🗒️I’m a huge Rebecca Serle fan and her newest release was hiiiiiigh on my 2024 tbr! It had the typical magical realism aspect I’ve come to love in her books and a couple of twists I definitely didn’t see coming. 👀

🗒️Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Daphne has a special gift - every time she meets a new partner, the universe sends her a piece of paper with their name and the length of how long their relationship will last: three days, four months, two years, etc. When she suddenly receives a piece of paper with only a name and no expiration date written down, she can’t believe her luck. Has she finally found her soulmate?! Or is the universe playing tricks on her??

🗒️I definitely enjoyed this book as a whole but it just felt like it was missing something?! I kept waiting for some huge emo plot twist that never came. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming but I never cried while reading this one (and I’m an emotional reader). Still liked the overall story and would recommend but not my fave of hers.

🗒️Thanks to @atriabooks for my advanced copy! EXPIRATION DATES is available now! 💗

I’ve read and loved rebecca serle’s backlist and was so excited to get my hands on her latest book! there were some aspects that I really enjoyed.

entertaining characters: from daphne’s boss to her ex turned best friend, the characters kept me on my toes

fun settings: daphne’s job took her to some fun locations, from paris to san francisco

unique romances: notes predicting how long the relationships would last

at first I had a hard time connecting to daphne but as the book progressed we learned more about her background and how she came to be. I wanted to love this but found the timelines confusing and while the twists were entertaining, I predicted the ending. would recommend if you’re looking for a unique romance, this was truly one of a kind.

thank you to net galley for the arc!