Quick read with self-empowerment vibes/owning your own future. Similar tropes to her other books but no Rebecca Serle book would be complete without an illness/death storyline tied in.

4.25 stars rounded up — Thank you Netgalley & Atria for the eARC of Expiration Dates! 🫶
*𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯!

Rebecca Serle does not miss (with me, at least) — she’s one of my auto-buy authors and this one further reinforced that! 👏 In Expiration Dates, we follow Daphne Bell as she trots through relationship after relationship — but catch: she receives a mystery slip with a name and timeframe (how long the relationship will last) before or when she meets each person, and it always turns out correct! So when she gets a slip with no timeframe at all, it has to mean forever — right? 😧

“𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦”

I adored this story — and I think this will resonate well with single women (or women in general), or those who feel stuck while the rest of the world keeps moving. The inner dialogue was SO relatable (the bit about standing in front of the mirror naked had me cackling 😂), and the overall message was so good. You’ll find more than romantic love in this book — in true Serle fashion, you’ll also see familial love, human-animal love, friendship, and (the one I loved most,) self-love.

There were a few things I missed — 1. Although I loved the messaging, this one didn’t garner that visceral emotion out of me, where her other books had (ie. didn’t make me cry); and 2. I really wish actual years were incorporated (example, Bob, two years, “summer of 2000” (ps. this was not an actual character 😅)). There was a lot of bouncing back and forth between timelines that just made it a bit too confusing at times 🥴

Overall though, it’s short and sweet, had great messaging, had many quotable lines, and had great character depth. I loved the LA setting and thorough descriptions (Serle really knows how to set the scene!). Great read for women’s month! I’d highly recommend!

I thought this book was ok, predictable and just ok on the plot. I felt it was very similar to prior books by the author. I saw all the plot twists coming especially the ending but my biggest issue with this was that I did not feel much of a connection to Daphne....

What I did like is that Daphne received slips of paper coming from nowhere with the length of her relationship to the men she meets. This could have been a really good and interesting book. But the characters were one dimensional and so many troubled, flawed people that Daphne meets. Daphne has issues of her own too. This should have worked to make it interesting but it was not.

Just ok for me. Some people will like this more than me, and others will no like it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Rebecca Serle and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a vivid love story about fate and choices.

Expiration Dates is an ideal book to read as the weather warms up. It’s not long—only 268 pages—so you’ll fly through this novel. While she certainly could have written more if she wanted, the story feels very complete. And I think out of all the endings—this one is my favorite of hers so far.

Expiration Dates is an entertaining and enlightening novel. Yes, it’s short but that’s part of the charm. It packs a lot in this small story. The novel will cause you to reflect and think about your own decision making as well. And it makes for a great book club discussion as there are some twists and interesting plot choices.

I really enjoyed the concept of this story. Getting glimpses of the future of your relationship makes you wonder if it would change how you live your life. We see that in the different relationships daphne has throughout the story. My one issue with the book was the ending felt rushed and her decision just felt kind of thrown in to get to that last scene. Overall it was an enjoyable quick read that I read in a day though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC provided.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebecca Serle does it again 😭
Daphne’s story had me captivated from the start. She finds herself always having an expiration date on a man she is dating. She always knows when the relationship will come to an end. She wants to find a forever love, however that has never been the case.

You follow her present relationships along with the past. I could not put this book down and it ended up being a beautiful tear jerker. It was so beautifully written, Rebecca Serle is a genius.

This is my first book by Rebecca Serle but I now have plans to go back and read all of her previous works, Expiration Dates follows Daphne, a woman who receives a note at the beginning of every relationship telling her how long that relationship will last.

I really enjoyed Serle's writing style, and how she unfolded the story with a mix of past and present. I thought this book started a little slow, I was hooked by 10%.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

This book was so-so for me. I felt like the book was always building up to a climax but just kind of fell flat. The ending left me a little confused. The story line of Daphne knowing exactly how long she would be with someone is what peaked my interest but I feel like the ending could have been better. I did enjoy the different boyfriends and their timelines being mixed in between the current day story. Don’t know that I would recommend to a friend. Definitely an easy, mindless read. Great for a beach day if you have it, but wouldn’t recommend running to the bookstore to grab it today.

Rebecca Serle novels always have a sort of magical/mystical twist that make them stand out from other novels. Literally and figuratively, really. I enjoyed reading Expiration Dates as I was in a sort of slump and felt that it was just the perfect speed to help bring me out. The biggest take away from this novel for me was to not be afraid to live your life the way you want to live it. Don’t let the unknown or expectations of others put you in a box. You are in charge of your own destiny.

I began my Rebecca Serle book journey with In Five Years, and since then, have yet to read another book that gave me quite the same feeling as my first encounter with that story... until now. Expiration Dates reminded me of In Five Years, not necessarily in content, but in vibes. It wove magic with heartache, romance with grief, and joy with complexity, creating a dynamic story that provided enduring hope.

Daphne's character was immediately relatable, in that she finds comfort in the predictable. Each of her relationships has come with a deadline--an 'expiration date'--that she receives on a slip of paper near the time she meets someone new. She knows how long she'll have with each person and it provides peace of mind in more ways than one. This allows her to plan her life accordingly and it dictates how she acts with each individual and makes sure no lines get blurred or feelings get hurt.

However, as I read the beginning of this book, I immediately recognized that there was something more happening behind the scenes. Not only did it seem like she took these expiration dates to an extreme, but there were some relationships that felt heavier than others. I had a lot of questions that I hoped would get answered as I continued the story.

I got swept up in the different romantic timelines, rooting for certain partners a little more than others, and hoping that maybe something extra magical would happen and the expiration dates would be incorrect for some of them along the way. My heart was set on Daphne remaining in one of these loving relationships long-term.

There were several predictable moments throughout the book that I'm sure would be considered "plot twists," but that seemed a long time coming in my mind. I'll admit that was a little bit of a letdown and probably the only thing that kept me from giving this story a full five stars. While a few of her other books have really blown me away with their twists, I wasn't particularly shocked by the outcome in Expiration Dates. That being said, I still enjoyed the direction the story went! It was fun to make guesses and even satisfying to be proven correct as I read.

Like her other books, Expiration Dates deals with topics like illness, grief, and relational challenges. It contains depth and makes you want to pause to consider your own life multiple times while reading. I found myself highlighting several passages to reflect on later because they were so poignant. Unlike her other books that often centered around familial love, this story focused heavily on romantic love, which was such a delight. It made me happy to know that Rebecca's joy was woven into the story in a brand new way and makes me look forward to her future releases as well!

Content Warnings: (Major) Medical content and Chronic illness, (Moderate) Sexual content and Grief

Daphne Bell works in Hollywood as a production assistant. Other than the glamorous setting of Hollywood, California, her life is pretty normal except for one thing. She receives notes from the universe regarding the people she dates. The note includes the person's name and how long she will date him. This has happened to her since the 5th grade. This is all well and good until one day she receives a note with the word "Jake" on it with no time length. Could this be it for her? Could Jake be the one? After she meets Jake, she realizes he is charming, adorable, and someone she could see herself with, so why not go all in? Except she doesn't. She is hiding a secret from him. Once Jake meets Hugo, her ex-boyfriend and current best friend, things start to get weird. Could Hugo, who is perpetually dating other women, actually still have feelings for Daphne? Daphne must decide to let fate take over or finally take control of her life. Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a charming romance with a touch of magical realism.

I have really come to enjoy Serle's novels as they always have a bit of magical realism - not too much to make it entirely unbelievable, but just enough to make it fun. Notes from the universe? Sounds compelling! That is until you think about it and question how much you are taking control of your life versus just living out the note's expectations. This is exactly what Rebecca grapples with in Expiration Dates. The book isn't all romantic fluff though as Daphne does deal with some chronic health issues, but Serle handles it very well and really highlights how a chronic disease can impact just about every aspect of your life and your decisions. So, if you are looking for a cute romance and enjoy touches of magic, look no further than Expiration Dates.

Another touching story by this author. I'm always nervous going into her books because they break your heart but in the best way. This was no different and not as heavy(to me) as the last one. I enjoyed it. Her books are the perfect length for me.

Rebecca Serle does it again! Flawless placing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and flying through this new release. Extremely fun and unique story premise.

Imagine knowing, from the moment you meet someone, exactly how long they will be in your romantic life. Would it be a relief, or a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Can’t wait to Serle’s next work!

Thank you NetGally for the eARC copy of this book.

#netgalley #newrelease #fivestarreads #expirationdates

Thank you for this ARC, I quite enjoyed this read. It was light but still kept my attention and still had no idea where it was leading. The wrap up was maybe a little eh but the play out over all was good. I would love to have had more Hugo at the end, especially because it felt like his love came from a little from left field

I hate that I’m giving this 2 stars because the concept was so intriguing but the execution just fell so flat for me. All the characters felt so one-dimensional and the only person I remotely liked was Jake. Also it felt like this book was trying so hard to say something profound or inspirational and it just didn’t hit the mark in that aspect either.

The writing style in this book also was not for me. It felt so disjointed and at times I got so confused because it would go off into tangents on topics unrelated to what had just been happening. The glimpses into previous relationships was also just unnecessary and pretty boring in my opinion.

There wasn’t much I actually enjoyed about this book but it was a fairly quick read and that’s why it’s ultimately a 2 star.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

Daphne knows exactly how long her relationships will last. She receives a slip of paper with a name and the length of time she'll be with them. Once the relationship's expiration date occurs, she doesn't see these men again. Except for Hugo who becomes her best friend. He's the only one who knows about these slips of paper. When she receives one with just a name, Jake, does it mean that he's the one? The author alternates between the present and other men whose terms have expired. When Daphne discovers that the last slip of paper was planted, is it a betrayal or a lesson? If magical realism is your jam, this book is for you. It's equal parts unbelievable yet convincing. A little heavy in some parts that deal with a medical condition, but light enough to be enjoyable.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Happy publication day!

I previously read Rebecca's books "In Five Years" and "One Italian Summer" and enjoyed them due to the way she writes her characters. When I first saw the synopsis for "Expiration Dates" I was immediately intrigued with the premise. Being single and dealing with dating apps can really drain you. I loved the tag line of "with one piece of paper you could win it all". After all, everyone wants to find the right person for them and experience ever after. This book journals Daphne's relationships with each note indicating the time she would spend with each person and what she learned from them. I particularly appreciated the commentary about one of the guys constant cellphone usage. This relationship highlighted the importance of being present.

While the other relationships were being explained in flashbacks, her relationship with Jake was the focal point of the story. I was not a fan of Daphne's relationship with Jake because I felt it lacked chemistry and it was rushed. I enjoyed the relationship she had with Hugo due to their banter and connection.

I enjoyed the wisdom sprinkled throughout the book such as making a choice to stay in friends lives, the importance of knowing what you want in life and pursing people who are the best fit for you.

This makes me so sad to say but the synopsis was better than the actual book. I was really rooting for this book too.

One thing I love about Rebecca Serle’s books is the unique twist she puts on everyday situations. In this story, Daphne keeps getting letters that tell her how long she will dye the next man she meets. But what if the letters are wrong? What if she wants more? It is a great read with fun twists to it!

Content warning:

- Ableism
- Disordered eating
- Mental illness

In Expiration Dates, Daphne, our main character, receives notes that tell her who she’ll date and when the relationship will end. It seems like this system is working out for her, until she gets a note like one she’s never seen before.

The pressure of this new note and relationship combines with Daphne’s already complicated life, making it more difficult for her to navigate her romantic options. this book is all about what it means to make your own choices, and how to know when you’ve met “the one.”

Before I give you my rating for Expiration Dates, let’s do a quick run through of my rating system. One star means that I couldn’t finish the book, two stars means that I struggled to finish, three means it was good, four means I really liked it and would recommend it to a friend, and five stars, my highest honor, means I would read the book again. I gave Expiration Dates a four star rating because I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t read it again.

We’re now entering the spoiler-y part of this video. If you think Expiration Dates sounds like your cup of tea, click away from this video, read it, and come back for my deep dive to see if you agree or disagree with my thoughts. If you like the sound of the book but you don’t want to read it, don’t worry, I’ll give you the full rundown.

This book starts out with Daphne’s note—the first one she’s ever received without a date for the end of the relationship. Throughout her life, she’s received notes that detail her next boyfriend and how long he’ll last. Sometimes it’s a single night, and the longest was two years.

This note simply reads “Jake,” and so she goes into her date that night with the knowledge that the universe thinks she and Jake are endgame, and the notes have never been wrong. The date goes reasonably well, and Daphne immediately meets up with her best friend, Hugo, to tell him about this new, blank note.

Daphne met—and dated Hugo—years before. She wasn’t even going to give him her number until he plucked the note out from under her windshield wiper, thinking she got a ticket, and handed it over. It read: Hugo: Three months.

Though their relationship ended along time ago, Daphne and Hugo are still inseparable, going to the farmer’s market together and meeting frequently to talk about Jake and their lives.

Throughout the book, we watch as Daphne and Jake get closer. We also learn about her previous relationships, and how they always seem to prove the notes right. Even when Daphne decides to ignore them and try with the person, they’ll surprise her and end it right at the time the note said the relationship would stop.

Jake shares that he lost his first wife to an aggressive disease, and Daphne isn’t sure how to handle it at first. She likes Jake—he’s honest, straight-forward, and very genuine, and their relationship continues to progress until he asks her to move in with him.

This is right around when we find out that Daphne has a severe heart condition. The first time she collapsed was in college, and it places a lot of limitations on her life. She has to closely monitor her salt intake and be careful with alcohol.

When she tells Jake about this, he’s very supportive of her, and says that it doesn’t matter. He asks her to marry him. Daphne can’t shake the feeling that they aren’t right for each other—Jake wants kids, and she doesn’t, really. She also can’t shake the feeling that Jake doesn’t deserve to go through losing another wife.

Hugo becomes more and more distant as the book goes on, and we get more backstory into his relationship with Daphne. Right around the three month mark of their relationship, she’s rushed to the hospital. When Hugo gets worried after not hearing from her, she tells him her dad is the one who’s sick. He asks to come and see them, and she says not to.

But Hugo does show up at her parents’ house with flowers, asking how her dad is doing, and that’s when he finds out that it was actually Daphne who was in the hospital. Daphne realizes that this is right around the three-month mark, and when she sees Hugo hesitate for a moment, she breaks it off with him, thinking he can’t handle the stress, or that he might just leave her anyway.

Daphne also reveals the secret about the papers to Hugo, who takes the info

Fast forward back to the present and Jake and Daphne are fully moved in together and planning their wedding. Hugo and Daphne go for a walk with Daphne’s dog, and Hugo asks her if she’s really going to get married. They start to argue, and Hugo says that he wants to be with her.

This shocks Daphne, but what shocks her even more is when Hugo admits he’s the one who wrote Jake’s note. He found the real one, which specified that Daphne and Jake would last only a few weeks, and replaced it with a blank note.

Daphne drops Murphy’s leash and her dog goes running off. Hugo is chasing after him and trying to talk to Daphne, and after the dog returns, Hugo admits that he wanted Daphne to know that she didn’t have to have a limit on her relationships, or follow the instructions from the random notes.

After this interaction, Daphne goes to see her dad, who gives her some wisdom about life and relationships. Then she talks to Jake—and tells him that they can’t get married. He’s not happy about it, but Daphne is insistent that it’s not right.

At the end of the story, we see Daphne with a promotion at work, talking to Hugo on the phone and going to meet a date in the cafe. Her date ends up being Hugo, and when she gets to the door, someone says she dropped a piece of paper.

Daphne goes to take the paper, but it slips through her fingers, floating away on the wind. Without knowing what the paper says, she turns and goes to meet Hugo for their date.

Okay, so now that you know what happens in Expiration Dates, let’s get into some of my thoughts and opinions on this book.

First of all, I think the concept for this book is very interesting. This element of magical realism sets the structure for the story: allowing us to see Daphne through her past and present relationships. By showing us both the present, with Jake, and the past, with her other boyfriends, we can see how the expiration dates affect her romantic connections, and how she’s come to let the papers lead her decision making.

While I thought the concept was very interesting, I think it’s worth noting that you can figure out the end of the story pretty much right at the beginning—it’s obvious that Daphne and Hugo are still in love with one another, and any ending other than them being together would make this a very awkward romance. But I will say that even though the ending with Hugo was obvious, I still enjoyed the journey getting there.

There were also a few moments in this book that I thought were refreshing by not following what I assumed would happen in any moment. For example, when Hugo and Daphne are walking at the park together, the book mentions that it’s really hot, and Hugo drops the huge bombshell that he wrote Jake’s note, which resulted in Daphne saying yes to a wedding proposal.

What seems obvious in this scene, and what I expected, was for Daphne to collapse for the drama. But I appreciated that the book did something different with this, allowing her condition to exist without being a plot-driving device.

Speaking of Daphne’s condition, I also like how this book offers a unique perspective. I thought it was an interesting decision to leave this information out until the middle of the book. Maybe it’s an intentional choice so the reader can see what it’s like to know Daphne, and not to learn about her condition until after knowing everything else about her.

One critique I had for this story was just wanting more of Daphne and Hugo. I enjoyed the scene at the park, when Hugo admitted his feelings, but I think it may have been a bit more impactful if we had seen them interacting more and gotten a little more spark from their relationship.

As Daphne and Jake get closer, Hugo is more absent, and I think the idea behind this is that it was too painful for him to watch Daphne falling in love with someone else, but I’m not sure it was the best choice for making the reader invested in that relationship.

All in all, I liked Expiration Dates and would recommend it if you’re looking for a romance book that really focuses on our decisions in relationships.