This is a wonderful novel and you would regret not choosing this as a book to put on the Summer Reads pile while you prepare to dash away for summer holidays. I thought I'd have a hard time committing to the story because of Serle's decision to employ magical realism as a main feature of the plot, but on the contrary, she made me believe I could be more accepting of other novels with a bit of a push to suspend disbelief. As with many/most(?) literary romance novels, I was distracted by the main connection of characters and was far more invested in the friendship between Daphne and Hugo. For readers who enjoyed Emma Straub's "This Time Tomorrow". Lovely book!

3.5 rounded up
Thanks to Netgalley, Atria, and Rebecca Serle for the ARC.

Quick, easy read with a suspended disbelief premise that was interesting. I'm still on the fence as to what I didn't adore. It was light until the last third, but the MC's character arc was nice.

I have enjoyed all of Rebecca Serle's books and this one did not disappoint.

I enjoyed the characters and the twist really caught me off guard. One of the main love interests seemed a little "car salesman-ish" but he really redeemed himself in the end.

One thing I didn't like: the whole Hollywood, California setting. The setting for this would have been really fun in a place like Alaska or small town America. That's the only reason for a four star rating.

This one left me teetering without a solid feeling either way.
Loved the notes with time frames. Clever idea that I wished was the sole focus of the story. (But also, am I the only that didn’t see the twist coming?) I also loved her connection with Hugo and that her family always wanted him to be THE one.

Then cue the box that Daphne has hidden under bed filled with a different set of momentos. I thought for sure it was all her little papers she’s accumulated. So I was not expecting a second plot line that felt a little all over the place.

The end swayed me back to the like side but overall this one was just ok for me. I’ve heard such great things about Rebecca’s other books and I’m excited to check them out.

Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books for a gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

👉🏻Read if you like:
•Multiple Timelines •Lovers to Friends •Magical Realism •Unexpected Twists
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Posted to Goodreads 4/14/24.
Posting to Instagram 4/15/24

I loved this premise - every time Daphne 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. For a romance, there are 2 surprising twists which make this shorter story fly by. A spoiler that’s not quite a spoiler (and I’m curious to know if it’s an unpopular opinion), I was not happy with who she ended up with. But this story begs the question, if you could know how long someone would be in your life (romantic or platonic), would you want to know?

Expiration Dates was my second book by Rebecca Serle and it did not disappoint! The magical elements of her writing draw me right in. I had fun learning about Daphne’s romantic journey and watching her grow throughout the story. Looking forward to reading more of Serle’s work.

I really enjoyed the unique premise in this one. And with other prior Rebecca Serle books I've read, I felt like she did an amazing job with the friendships in this one. Actually much better with friendships than the romance in the book. I appreciated the way the book concluded and understood why Daphne felt like she didn't have control in her romantic relationships, but also she was not a super likable character. I absolutely breezed through this book, mostly because I wanted more of the Hugo banter (the best friend) as that's where Serle shines. This one was much better than her last book, not as amazing as her first. I hope Serle explores more books with friendship at their center and I think that might be the niche she will completely excel in. Looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Could not put this book down!Daphne receives a note that always tells her how long she will be in a relationship until the day she gets a name but no expiration date. Will she finally meet or match or has Mr. Right been under her nose the whole time?

Ever since she was a kid, Daphne has received notes with a name and a time period... they correlate to her relationships and how long they will last. Her first youthful romance lasted a week. One in Paris lasted three days. And the one with Hugo, who eventually became her best friend, lasted three months. When you know how long your relationship has, you only put in so much effort. Daphne finds herself not forming any attachments. Then she receives "the note"--one with a name but no date. It simply says Jake, and Daphne realizes this means he must be the one. He seems nearly perfect; but as their relationship progresses, and Daphne knows she has more information than Jake, she starts to question if this truly is forever.

This is a slightly weird book, though I always like the hook in Serle's books. The notes angle is fun. It's hard to get into the story, as the POV flips between present-day with Daphne and Jake and then randomly jumps back to all of Daphne's time-limited relationships. While we learn more about Daphne and her past this way, this slows the book's momentum and interest in Daphne's current life. It takes a surprising and unexpected turn partway through, and I'm not sure if I liked it. She was an interesting character, but no one I felt particularly attached to. Same with Hugo, who features prominently. I think I felt the most for Jake.

DATES explores the ideas of finding the right person and believing in yourself. It's more serious than a typical romance, with several sad subplots. I wish I was more invested in the characters, but I still enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved this one. Rebecca Serle has a way of drawing you in and weaving a beautiful and heartbreaking story

a quick read. I have a rule with myself that I must give 5 stars if a book genuinely makes me cry, which this one did, in the middle seat on an airplane.
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brief synopsis: Daphne receives notes before she meets each person she dates, saying their name and the length of time that they’ll be together. she always has, until she receives one that just says “Jake” and doesn’t have an expiration date.
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themes include experiences being meaningful & part of your story even if they end, as well as diverging from expected romance narratives. strong sense of place in LA, too.

I love Rebecca Serle's previous work, so I dove into this one with high expectations. The first half of this one was pretty underwhelming to me, but once the twist hit, I had a newfound appreciation for this work. Serle always finds a way to write a beautiful story and this one was no different.

Rebecca Serle has done it again! She has written another five-star, top favorite book of mine again. I previously read In Five Years by Serle, and to this day it is still one of my all time favorite books. Expiration Dates is coming in at a close second, definitely ending the year as one of my favorite books that I’ve read so far. This book kept me on an emotional roller coaster. I shed tears, I was excited, and I even got the happy ending I was hoping for.

“Expiration Dates” is a book that has so much potential but ultimately left me wishing that I was given more. I wouldn’t go as far as saying this is a bad book, but I think my expectations may have been higher than this book could reach. With that said, I could see other readers really enjoy it, so below are some of my thoughts to help you decide if this is a book for you:

Things that I liked:
* The overall premise of this book is an interesting one. Adding a bit of mysticism to any romantic fiction is always fun, and I was drawn to the idea and how it played out with Daphne.
* The supporting cast is great. Kendra and Irina are kind, strong women. I liked Hugo and his mix of machismo and sensitivity. Murphy was probably my favorite character of the whole book.
* At the end of the day, this book was entertaining for the most part and did not drag. I read it quickly. While I think there was more potential, I do not think this is a bad story.

Things that I didn’t like:
* I was not a fan of Daphne. What started as a strong dislike was an indifference to her character by the end of the book. A lot of time is spent describing her clothes, food and how much stuff she has in her apartment and not enough time is spent humanizing her, and her dialogue could be abrasive at time.
* The twist in the middle of the book distracted from the overall plot. I think if it were added in the beginning it would have added to the story, but in the middle it just seemed like a distraction from the fun of the letters.
* There is zero, and I mean, zero chemistry between Daphne and Jake. Honestly after their first few dates, I didn’t understand how these two people could stand each other, so the love story was a stretch. This may have been the point, but some connection would have been so much better.
* There is way too much internal dialogue that went on way too long, to the level that it took away from the story.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!**

I really enjoyed this! Such a cute, fun premise. I thought it was going to be completely predictable but it wasn’t! I loved reading about her dating history and how it all got her to where she currently was, and how the notes she received played into each one. 4 star read!

Daphne is used to knowing what to expect. Does she act differently if she doesn’t know what’s next? Wouldn’t anyone?

Every book from this author has been emotionally compelling, and this was no exception. As long as she’s been in any sort of romantic relationships, Daphne has always received a message either just before or as soon as a relationship starts, telling her precisely how long the relationships will last. And all the slips are correct! So when she gets a slip with just a name, and no time length, does it mean he is her forever connection?

She overlooks some things she might not have overlooked, because she is trusting in the power of the message slips. If it’s meant to be, she may just be along for the ride. But as more truths are revealed about Daphne’s relationships and Daphne herself, the reader comes to wonder if an expectation of forever because of a magical note is fair to everyone involved.

This is another great, cozy book with an original concept, as expected from this author. It earns 4 out of 5 stars and could be enjoyed by those who like popular fiction, relatively quick reads with contemporary, original characters.

Rounded up to 2.5.

You have to suspend disbelief for the premise of this book, similar to the experience I had reading another Rebecca Serle book, but if you can do that it’s worth the read. The book was a 3.5 star read for me until the ending, but that’s just personal preference others might feel differently about the ending.

I loved the pacing of this story and the way it unfolded. It felt like a love letter to Los Angeles which was refreshing compared to most LA based books I’ve read. I also really enjoyed the Jewish representation throughout the book. It’s a fast read and if you need a quick book to meet your Goodreads goal, I recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ve come to count on Rebecca Serle’s novels for sweeping, all the feels contemporary romance. This one had some makings for that, but ultimately fell a bit flat for me. Mostly for a few reasons - I felt the “magical realism” never quite made sense, a bomb is dropped on us mid way through the book that ultimately changed both the trajectory of the novel and also our perception of the characters, and the payoff at the end didn’t feel quite there. I think the latter is due to the amount of time spent on too many of Daphne’s suitors, such that not enough time was spent building the actual central relationship. I felt like there were two novels that were unfinished - the one with the notes and magical realism elements, and then the one about a protagonist coming to terms with her own life choices given being handed an unfair lot. I felt like the beginning dragged and the second half felt rushed, and the bomb dropped midway through really disconnected me from the story. While I love Serle’s descriptive writing and great ideas that make me FEEL when reading her writing, it was the technical parts of the book that made it less than satisfactory for me. This won’t deter me from reading her next one, I just hope it’s a little more cohesive than this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, Atria and Rebecca Serle for the ARC.

I had the audiobook for a while before I listened to Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, and now I really wish I had not waited! To be fair, I love this author so much that in some ways I get nervous before reading one of her books like it isn't going to live up to this pedestal I have put her writing on. Anyone else? Just me? Ok 🤣 She lost me a little with her last book (I was also not a Gilmore Girls watcher, so the narrator lost me a bit too), but this story took me right back and I loved it just as much as I loved In Five Years. If I saw this as a movie it would probably make me cry even harder than it did as a book, and it is a heart wrecker while being a book that will make you smile/laugh through the tears as well.

I loved the magical realism aspect of the storyline, and Daphne always receiving random pieces of paper with a name and length of the relationship she will have was both unique and intriguing. I also enjoyed how Serle blended the FMCs current timeline with her various relationships and how everything got tied up in the end. Another reason I probably loved Expiration Dates so much was due to Julia Whelan narrating the audiobook. I trust all things Whelan narrates, and even though the writing was excellent she just has a way of enhancing every book she voices. She certainly did that here with her emotion, perfect tone, and spot-on pacing. I loved the way Daphne ended up growing by the end of the book, and the very last chapter was *chef's kiss* 💋 Read this if you enjoy emotional storylines, an MC as flawed as the rest of us, and magic.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a captivating novel that explores the intricacies of love and fate. With its unique premise of receiving expiration dates for relationships, Serle crafts a compelling story filled with warmth, insight, and emotional depth. Through the journey of protagonist Daphne Bell, readers are invited to ponder the nature of romantic connections and the choices we make in matters of the heart. Serle's storytelling prowess shines in this gripping and thought-provoking tale that will leave a lasting impression on readers.