Every time Daphne Bell meets a man she receives a mysterious piece of paper with how long she’ll date him for. Daphne has no clue where they come from and keeps this a secret. Sometimes she’ll spend one night with a man or two years. When Daphne is set up on a blind date with Jake the paper she finds is blank, no end date. Daphne must find herself and come to terms with certain aspects of her life.

I really enjoyed Expiration Dates. The book has an extremely interesting premise. The characters are extremely likeable. You can’t help but root for each one of them. Daphne is also relatable. She’s trying to find herself in the process of dealing with obstacles life throws at her.

The story is told in the present and in flashbacks to the past. I enjoyed the flashbacks of her previous relationships and how things unfolded. The pace was good and it was a quick read.

There were a few surprises along the way that took be aback and made me even more invested in the story. This book was more surface level than I expected. I thought there would be more internal inspections. It also wasn’t an over the top romance.

I would have liked if the expiration date part was explained. It seems odd that she would get them but no one else would. Personally I would have liked an explanation to wrap the story up nicely.

This book is perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle’s other works and enjoyed magical realism books such as The Measure by Nikki Erlick.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle. This story had a new angle that I hadn't seen in a rom-com before and it was intriguing. However you have to suspend your belief right from the beginning. I didn't like the plot twist in the middle of the book and felt it very unrealistic that this wouldn't be "discovered" by any of her boyfriends or her friends at any point. I also didn't understand why she would keep this secret. The main character wasn't very likable. There were some good quotes and the book was a very quick read.

Magical realism. I enjoyed this book as much as in five years and a lot more than one Italian summer. While the FMC was occasionally annoying (as in one Italian summer) she was much more relatable. Really enjoyed the magical realism aspect and found the concept very thought provoking

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of "Expiration Dates" by Rebecca Serle. I just love Serle's writing. This is my third book by her, and although I really enjoy audiobooks, I have read all of hers in the written form. Her writing is beautiful, She creates characters I really care about. The endings are sometimes unexpected but always deeply touching.

I cheered so hard for Hugo throughout and while the "twist" caught me off-guard, I continued to root for her until the very end. What a testament to the power of influence and getting caught up in what you think you should do, that you can overlook what you want to do.

Charming book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced copy.

This is my second novel by Serle, and I loved it! She is a very gifted author! It’s hard to give a lot of details without spoiling anything, but there are a few things I can say.

What I Did Like:
- This is a love triangle that is written VERY well! I love how it is written, in general. I love that Daphne is keeping a secret and her entire story is told bouncing back-and-forth between present day and her past. I love how her secret unfolds as the story weaves in and out of her relationships and the letters she received about them.

What I Didn’t Like:
- I didn’t agree with Daphne’s decision to choose Hugo over Jake.
- I didn’t like how Hugo started behaving towards the end. His behavior felt very toxic, which made me not like Daphne's decision to be with him even more.

Something I’m unsure of … I can’t decide if I liked this, or didn’t like this, or if I’m indifferent about it …. but the magical realism element never gets explained. You just have to accept it for what it is. I'm not sure how I feel about that part.

Rebecca Serle integrates magic realism so well into her novels that it seems entirely plausible. "Expiration Dates" has such a unique concept and I wanted it to grip my attention from beginning to end, but it fell flat in execution. The romance felt expected, but also lacked the chemistry of a can't-put-down-romance. Overall, this a nice read with some of the expected and unexpected woven in.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book. I have previously read Rebecca Serle's books (both from NetGalley) and find her books to be very enjoyable and she never disappoints, I love the touch of magic she puts in each of her stories. I was hooked immediately with the premise of this story. I read it in one day and will/have recommended to many. I must say I was hoping she would end up with Jake but loved the character of Hugo also. The author throws in a couple of surprise twists that I did not see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed being surprised that way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy. i would give it a 4 stars.

I thought this book had such an interesting premise. Daphne receives a slip of paper every time she meets a man with the amount of time they will be together . I personally love magical realism in books so this was right up my alley . I did really love the main character of this book . I found it hard at times to keep track of the back of fourth of past lovers . However the ending was really good and I did enjoy this book a lot .

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishing for an advanced read copy of this book!

Daphne’s dating life has always been unique. Before a first date, she always receives a note indicating the length of the relationship. Knowing what the future holds with each new relationship has given her a sense of control until another aspect of life throws her for an unexpected loop.
Daphne learns to navigate this news and new way of life, only sharing it with her parents and former boyfriend Hugo until she one day receives a note without an expiration date. For the first time in her dating life, she must let down her guard and make a decision to fully jump all in.

This was my first Serle read and she had me hooked from the first page to the last. I loved Daphne’s character development over the storyline and the ways her relationship with Hugo ebbed and flowed. The ending left me with all the feels. I’d love to read a sequel to this book!

Imagine you knew the expiration date on all new relationships… Would you go all in, or would you hold yourself back?

Daphne has been receiving anonymous notes for many years that each contain a guy’s name and a time period, which is always the exact time she will date or spend time with that guy. Something is different though with the note she receives at the beginning of the novel, as it simply says the name “Jake,” without a time period. She and her former boyfriend-turned-best-friend, Hugo, dissect the meaning behind this as she embarks on a relationship with Jake, while Daphne also reflects back on her prior relationships and how they affected her. As her past reveals, Daphne has tended to distance herself and avoid close relationships, and even has held back from realizing all of her potential, in an effort to protect herself and others. But can she now learn to love and be in an open and honest relationship without any limitations?

Expiration Dates can make a reader reflect on the importance of living life to its fullest, and searching for and maintaining meaningful relationships, whether they be romantic or platonic. I have read all of Rebecca Serle’s four most recent novels, and I enjoy the touch of magical realism that she includes in each. It sets her apart from the typical romance author. I definitely would not categorize this as a “rom com” or light story, although it is a quick read. Serle also does a great job with the setting in Los Angeles, so much that it almost feels like a love letter to the city. Of her novels I have read to date, I would rate this my second favorite (In Five Years remains my favorite). I didn’t feel emotionally invested in the Daphne and Jake relationship, as their chemistry was a bit lacking. But I did enjoy the story and the couple of unexpected twists in the storyline.

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

This is the first Rebecca Serle book I've read and I'll for sure read more.

For years, Daphne has been getting random notes with guys' names and how long she'll date them - 8 days, 3 months, etc. Then comes Jake who was a blind date with a note that just has his name... no end date.

This book follows Daphne as she figures out this whole no end date thing with Jake. We also see flashbacks to her past relationships, where she knew the end date. I don't think it made it easier.

This story was really good. It's funny, sad, happy, all in one. I loved every minute of it!

Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Searle, is a contemplative work of fiction with a side of romance. It’s thoughtful, emotional and carries a worthwhile message. This magical realism story is an easy, relatively short, but engaging read.

Daphne receives slips of varying types of paper before, or around the time of meeting a new romantic interest. These slips ever only have two things written on them…the person’s name and how long they will be together. Daphne has built her life around the dictation of these messages.

In this novel we get the backstories of her past romances and what she learned along the way. Likewise, there are chapters devoted to her current romantic situation and it’s development to date. Upon meeting Jake, she receives a note with name and no ending date. Has she finally found the one?

Her past relationships are varied and interesting and reveal intriguing bits of Daphne’s life. But beyond this narrative, there is something deeper, a message more profound, a secret that Daphne keeps hidden and rarely acknowledges, one that impacts her everyday.

Expiration Dates showcases strong friendships and explores family dynamics. It is mainly character-driven, showcasing personal growth and offers depth and insight while exploring various, thought-provoking issues. Life is hard for all kinds of reasons and how we face those difficulties matters.

I truly enjoyed this story, as I do all of Rebecca Searle’s unique, provoking plots. I do wish we could have had a bit more from the conclusion, though I did like the direction it took. I would also have appreciated an explanation for the mysterious dates, but I now know that this author rarely explains those magical elements in her stories. On first glance, at a surface level, Expiration Dates is one thing, but after some time and reflection, the story becomes something else, and in that light, the ending is quite perfect.

So so good, but definitely not what I was expecting.

The premise was so fascinating. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story quite like this one. This story centers around Daphne, but unlike most romances which focus on relationship between two characters, this story was about Daphne and her relationship with love/relationships.

For as long as she can remember, whenever Daphne encounters a new man/love interest she receives a slip of paper with a name and expiration date. This means that whether one night or two years, she knows upfront the exact duration of each relationship. One day though, she gets a paper with a name, but no date. Taking this to mean he is the one, she finally lets down her guard and embraces the idea of love and happiness. Through Daphne you learn that sometimes knowing the end prevents you from enjoying the journey and the importance of not taking a backseat in your own life.

4.5 stars! This was such an emotional book for me. I enjoyed it so wholeheartedly because it examined how we really can stand in the way of our own happiness. I really enjoyed Daphne’s story of finding out what she truly wanted and making it happen for herself. Also what a unique idea that she gets notes that tell her how long her relationships will last. I liked seeing how this affected Daphne’s choices. I felt a lot of emotions throughout this book but I don’t want to say too much. I loved Daphne and think you will too!

Every time Daphne meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper. On it is his name and the length of time they’ll be together. For two decades she’s been receiving slips with expiration dates. Until one night, as she’s preparing for a blind date with a man named Jake, she receives a slip with only his name. Surely this can only mean that he’s the one. But as their story unfolds, she finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and torn between being committed and truthful.

Told with the touch of magical realism that Rebecca Serle is known for, the premise of this story (and this gorgeous cover!) really piqued my interest. Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t quite what I had hoped for. Like many reviewers, I felt like the story wasn’t fully fleshed out, like there were still elements missing, and it just didn’t live up to its potential.

I will say, there are two twists, both of which made my jaw drop. I felt like they worked well for the story, but I didn’t love all the elements of the second one.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my copy!

3.25⭐️

Rebecca Serle is an auto-buy author for me, so this was a highly anticipated read for me. It delivered in many ways. I enjoyed the magical realism aspect of it. It was also great to finally get a true romance novel from Serle. As with her other novels, this book made me think and truly contemplate fate and destiny and what I would do if I was in the same situation as the main character. I will definitely be recommending this to my followers, friends and family.

This was a good, quick read that I enjoyed. I think my biggest quip with this book is that I wish it was longer! Even 50 more pages would’ve really added some good sustenance to this story. I did enjoy the writing and the characters though, and I would definitely recommend this book to one of my friends if they wanted an easy and light read!

Rebecca Serle has made me weep again. I eat up her combination of a sprinkle of magic realism, real, complex characters, and drama. Each story of hers I have read is an incredible love story, but this is the first time she centers romantic love. To be clear this is NOT a romance, but a love story. It tracks the romantic love stories of a woman who knows how long a relationship will last because she always gets a postcard that tells her. One day she gets one with just a name and no “expiration date.” As with everything else I’ve read of Rebecca Serle’s this story is deeper than it appears on the surface.

I loved going on this journey, but another theme with this author is that I felt like one of the love interests deserved better than he got. I wouldn’t want a different outcome, but it never felt like he got the full truth and was instead given half baked excuses.

On another note, the length (long novella) is perfect for this type of story, while still packing an emotional punch and the ending was a bit on the nose, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

I enjoyed having the opportunity to read this ARC on NetGalley! And what a great read it was! This book kept me interested and wanting to read the next chapter, especially after the little twist. Rebecca Serle never disappoints!

Reads like a novella but with a punch. Daphne knows how long she'll get to be with each man she dates based on a piece of paper she is delivered at the start of their relationship. She finally gets one with no date and wonders if that means they'll be together forever.

Daphne and Jake's relationship was so vanilla and forced at first it was hard to get into, but once it hit about halfway and her big secret is revealed it really picked up. The second half destroyed me the way In Five Years did at the end.