Stars 3.5/5
Spice: low

The premise of Rebecca Serle’s books always captivate me, however the execution often falls flat for me. This was not the exception I was hoping for.

This book made me so insanely upset around two thirds the way through, and the novel kept going, but just declined. There was a glaring inconsistency that the papers were not absolute and that made me wildly

3.5 STAR RATING

Picture this, every time you enter into a new relationship or meet someone new, a note, a postcard, or a letter of some sort, with said person’s name and a timeline appears. This timeline simply states how long the relationship or ‘situationship’ will last.

Daphne Bell believes this is the universe’s plan for her. She has a romantic three-day romance with Martin in Paris, a five-week escapade with Noah in San Francisco, and three loving months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend, turned best friend. However, when the name Jake shows up without a date, Daphne quickly realizes that Jake is likely ‘the one’, her forever person. But what if something feels like it’s missing? Could the paper be wrong? Daphne, on a journey of truth and self-discovery, must find out just that.

Thoughts:

The premise of this book is so unique, captivating, brilliant, and overall, such a fun idea. The execution however, not so much. I really wanted to love this, but I felt there was so much ‘fluff’ writing, which added nothing significant to the plot whatsoever (the previous men, the details of her outfits, etc.). Because of the great premise of this novel, I still rated it what I did, but the ending, was super disappointing in my opinion, and I hoped for more information surrounding the relationship that left the biggest impact on Daphne, rather than the added ‘fluff’.

This is my fourth Rebecca Serle read and I love how she weaves her stories with just the right amount of magical realism. This was such an interesting and unique premise and I thought the story was very well paced. The characters were enjoyable and the journey through the relationship on the pages has a lot of really emotional ad endearing moments.

4.25 stars!

Expiration Dates is my fourth novel to read by Rebecca Serle and she’s basically become a must-read author for me. Her stories are an exploration of the human condition with a dash of magic. And Expiration Dates is a refreshing story about accepting what we can’t control.

I’m not surprised when I see mixed reviews for Serle’s books because readers expect her novels to be tried and true Romances with a capital “R”, but her books are really more in the vein of contemporary fiction that just happen to include some magical realism wrapped in a love story. BUT Expiration Dates is probably her first adult novel to fall the closest to that Romance genre definition. It’s even hinted at in the synopsis, just to reassure readers.

It’s always difficult to write a review of Serle’s books without giving much away. Her novels always have some twists and turns, surprises that should stay surprises for new readers. But I’ll do my best to tell you how much I enjoyed this one without spoiling anything.

Daphne has learned to accept that she receives a mysterious note every time she starts a new romantic relationship, one letting her know how long the relationship will last. For the most part, it allows her to not fall too deeply but enjoy what time she does have with the men who come and go in her life.

I liked Daphne right away. She’s spirited, seems to be self-assured and confident, someone comfortable in her own body. I enjoyed the sunny setting of Los Angeles, and the fact that Daphne was “in the business” but someone in the background of Hollywood.

I enjoyed learning about her past relationships, told in short chapters that tied in with the present storyline, as well, each side character unique and relatable. Daphne thinks she knows where her life is headed, but life decides to remind her that maybe good things are also in the unplanned parts of life.

If you’ve never read a book by Serle and would like to give her a try, I’d say this is a good one to start with! It’s hopeful despite also including some more serious topics. It’s also not a huge commitment coming in at under 300 pages. I read this one quickly, not wanting to set it down. Expiration Dates is a perfect choice for your spring or summer tbr with its sunny setting and uplifting story!

This book combined a little bit of magical realism with a little bit of romance for the perfect combination. This book kept me guessing until the end and ended perfectly. I loved the authors note at the end. I love this author and can't wait to read more of her books. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Expiration Dates is the fourth book I have read by this author and it did not disappoint. I have to really enjoy the writing style of Rebecca Serle. Each one touches on the what if’s of life so beautifully. In Expiration Dates, Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. She is waiting patiently for something good to happen but she will wait, until things work out. A strange thing happens every time she meets a man.. she receives a piece of paper with his name & number in it. The paper has never lied. For Martin in Paris, it was 3 days, Noah in San Francisco, lasted 5 weeks, and 3 months with Hugo, her now best friend. For 20 plus years she has always received the sheet of paper with the name and number.. but this time, she just gets a name.. Jake. Daphne can’t help but hope this might be the one without an expiration date. After their blind date it seems as if, she has found the one but even though there was no date, she can’t help but wonder, is this the one? What if he isn’t and the whole number thing wasn’t right all along? What if they aren’t meant to be? I really liked this story. I love how Daphne, felt all the emotions and really attempted to make things right for her and Jake. I also liked how the author told the story of each of the first relationships. It gave the story so much depth. This was a 4 Star read for me. I want to thank Netgalley, Atria Books and the author for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. I enjoyed it so much and can’t wait to read the authors next book.

This book begs the question, would you want to know how long a relationship will last from the beginning? Knowing that the days are numbered, how would that affect the relationship and attitude going into the relationship. Expiration Date is a book about a woman who receives a message every time she starts a new relationship. Her message always has an expiration date. Whether it's 1 night or multiple months, it's never wrong. Until she receives one with just a name. I loved the storyline. It was a unique idea. I enjoy the characters. It was an easy read. As a bonus, I did listen to some of it on audio because I'm behind on my reading and was thrilled that the queen of audio, Julia Whelan, was the narrator. She's my favorite. So, it made the book that much better. Thank you, netgalley, for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review. 3¾ stars round up to 4.

Rebecca has done it again! How she weaves in fantasy and romance everytime and I still come out loving it is always a mystery to me because I’m not a fantasy fan but she does it. Read it, you will love it and walk away remembering and being keenly aware that we only get this one life and it’s ours for the taking

In true Rebecca Serle fashion this book makes you feel all the feelings! Not to mention her addition of magical realism that she puts into her books and I love!

In this book Daphne receives a slip of paper, envelope, postcard, etc. with an expiration date of her next romantic partner. The thought of knowing how long a relationship is going to last before it's even begun is wild! After completing this book, I found myself asking myself "would I want to know?". I think my answer is no. This story is beautiful. Her relationships, whether short or long, all bring her a purpose, and her friendship with Hugo is heartwarming and realistic.

If you are looking for a quick read that makes you feel all the feeling and think all the thoughts, this is it!

Thank you for the ARC of this book. It did not disappoint!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle came out on March 19th, 2024
4/5 Stars

I've read and enjoyed both of Rebecca Serle's prior books and love how her stories are romances with magical realism elements. Expiration Dates is no exception and I enjoyed this one as well. Our main character, Daphne, experiences something very unique any time she meets a new romantic interest - she receives a slip of paper with the man's name and the exact length of the relationship. So what happens when she receives a slip of paper with no time limit?

I thought the premise of this book was so simple and yet very unique and well-executed. I appreciated the flashback chapters that revealed Daphne's past relationships and that allowed us to get to know more of her character and backstory. The dynamic between Daphne and Hugo - her best friend - was also very fun. Like her other books, this one had a few twists, one of which I somewhat anticipated but the other of which was a total surprise. Though I wasn't a huge fan of one of the twists, I can't deny that it made me want to keep reading to figure out what the resolution was.

As a side note, I feel like this book was a real love letter to Los Angeles and though I've been there before, it made me want to return and visit all the spots that Daphne frequented.

All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot and think it would make for a great book club selection as it lends itself to a lot of discussion.

I don't read much romance, but I trust Rebecca Serle whole heartedly and she did not let me down. This was sweet and warm and sad and beautiful and I will continue to read anything she writes. Romance readers will love this, but more importantly, so will non romance readers.

Rebeccas books are always so enjoyable. I love the length, the magical realism and the thoughtful decisions each character has to face in her stories. This was no different! I was rooting for a specific character and I really liked how it all played out in a creative way.

2.5 stars rounded up.


The idea of a single woman knowing exactly how long a relationship was going to last sounded like an interesting plot line. However, it actually didn't do all that much for the story. The story was more about her relationships with two particular men—not a lot of discussion was had with anyone about this bit of eerieness! Just one person knew about it and believed in it.

The first half of this was pretty unexceptional. You would think that with a twist such as Daphne has, of knowing just how long she is going to date a particular person, her life would be an exciting adventure. To me, it was the half of the book that was filled with unneeded descriptions of clothing, places, drink etc. Just fluff and filler. This was a short novel so perhaps some of this was added in to lengthen the book.

The second half of the book (or so) was much better—after Daphne's big reveal. Some reviewers thought what was revealed was cheating or cheap; I personally thought it made some sense, as it showed why Daphne never really seemed to care about when her relationships broke up.



As for who she ends up with...I saw that coming a mile away!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Atria Publishing Group/ Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley.

I adored this book! What would you do if you knew the exact timeframe of each relationship you entered? Would it change your approach? Would it prevent heartbreak? Such a unique concept, I loved it and read it in a day.

I enjoyed this book written from the perspective of the main character, Daphne, over various timeframes and through various relationships. This allowed us to really get into her mind (and her heart) through her series of relationships. Through this we see Daphne grow and understand how her relationships and perceptions have developed throughout the years. So many thought-provoking moments and amazing quotes, many of them gave me pause to re-read or reflect on my own feelings, experiences, and past relationships. And that ending was ❤!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my eARC - all thoughts are my own. Definitely recommend checking this one out, it's on shelves now. Will be looking out for whatever Rebecca Serle has in store for us next!

This was interesting plot and story line that felt a little slow-burn-like. There are some magical realism elements in the story that aren't entirely sold but it leaves a lot up to the reader to make interpretations. I enjoyed it. A great read from a very talented writer of women's fiction. Recommend.

Rebecca Serle writes the most magical
romances that have you falling in love every time 😍 Expiration Dates was no different - with it’s unique premise, and amazing characters Rebecca sure has the recipe for a perfect romance read!

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle was a pretty solid, quick read for me. I enjoyed the idea of the main character getting a slip of paper at the beginning of each relationship and the flashbacks to all of those relationships as the panned out. There were 2 surprises - one of which *cough* Hugo *cough* completely took me off guard but made so much sense! The other one didn't feel completely necessary for the storyline, but oh well. It didn't take anything away from the book, but it also didn't add or change anything for me (personally). The end of the book was sweet and exactly what I was hoping for! (although the time jump felt too long for me.) Overall I quite enjoyed this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, Rebecca Serle and Atria Books for the ARC!

Rebecca Serle does it again! Expiration Dates was a great, quick read that left me with so many thoughts. This would be a GREAT book club pick as it brings up a lot of questions that are personal and create discussion. Her stories always include a little magical realism and our main character here gets notes of when her relationships will "expire" which then leads to the question of how will she handle this? How would you go into a relationship knowing it will end in 6 weeks? I loved it and will continue to read anything Serle writes.

5 stars!

This may have been my favorite Serle novel to date!

I loved everything about this book: the concept, the characters, the way it was written (chapters of flashbacks containing the name and how much time she would have vs chapters in present time), the unexpected twists, and the overall story/ending.

Serle did an amazing job with this novel. I thought it was extremely creative, captivating, and charming. Highly recommend!

What would you do if your relationships are measured by the random pieces of paper you receive indicating the length of time you’re going to spend on each?

That’s how Daphne’s life has mostly been for most of her life. Until she received one with just a name, ‘Jake’, that didn’t specify any.

I fell in love with Serle’s writing in The Dinner List (one of my best reads for 2023) and was amazed with how she can pack an emotional punch in under 300 pages. Here, Serle explored one woman’s journey navigating through single life while always having to deal with the conundrum of fate v. choice and fear of love v. going all-in.

I enjoyed Serle’s insights on relationships, hers are just so relatable and feels authentic. I think this is where her strength lies and where her writing truly shines.

However, I was going through this whole book anticipating that this is a potential 5-star read, until I reached around the 90% mark. I guess I had this expectation where this was going and when it went the opposite direction, I got disappointed as the ending felt like a total cop-out.

Also, when I learned that this was going to be narrated by Julia Whelan, I didn’t think twice about spending a credit. Unsurprisingly, another stunning performance!

On a side note, while entirely different stories, this gave me the same vibe as One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Read.

Thank you so much to Atria Books, NetGalley and Rebecca Serle for my copy. All opinions are honest and my own.