Rebecca Serle is a must read author for me. I enjoyed this story so much. I was quite surprised by the turn the story took. I really liked the relationship between Daphne and Hugo.

"While Rebecca Serle has proven herself as the queen of magical realism in previous works, 'Expiration Dates' unfortunately falls short of her usual brilliance. The story feels poorly developed, lacking the depth and nuance characteristic of Serle's best work. Despite her mastery of weaving fantastical elements into reality, the execution in 'Expiration Dates' misses the mark, with the notes veering too far from realism to effectively suspend disbelief. While Serle's talent is undeniable, this particular offering may leave readers disappointed in its failure to deliver a cohesive and compelling narrative."

Such a wonderful read with some unexpected twists. I found this story to be heartwarming, thought provoking, sweet story. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

What if you knew you had found your soulmate before you ever actually met?

For over twenty years, Daphne has always known what the universe has in store for her love life. When she meets a new love interest, she is delivered a paper with their name and a limit for their time together. She’s been waiting for the day when a paper would come with no expiration date for their time together- and then it actually happens.

WOW- I was so impressed with this book! I haven’t read anything from Rebecca Serle and was expecting maybe a rom-com vibe, but this book evokes a more serious side of chick lit/women’s fiction with a dash of magical realism. I would compare the writing to Taylor Jenkins Reid! I really liked the characters and stayed engaged throughout the entire book. The fate of the characters itself was not groundbreakingly innovative and I could see some parts of the plot coming, BUT there were not one but TWO BOMBASTIC TWISTS in this book that I did not see coming. They left me speechless! I had a wonderful time reading Expiration Dates and wholly recommend it! Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC of Expiration Dates, which is available now.

thank you to atria books for this advanced reader’s copy. EXPIRATION DATES is out now!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY ↡
✨ magical realism
⏪ past + present POVs
📕 quick romance books
🌇 stories in los angeles

REVIEW ↡
this is my third rebecca serle book! her romances are always so fun in how they incorporate magical realism and introduce creative elements to the storyline.

i loved how quickly this book progressed. i breezed through it in about 24 hours. it picks up around 50% with a major plot twist that i didn’t see coming at all! it was fun to read about daphne’s various relationships over the years. i was surprised that the magical element didn’t get talked about more - it was subtle and i appreciated how it wasn’t the main point of daphne’s story. overall enjoyed this book more than i expected!

spoilers ahead ‼️

i didn’t love the ending - i feel like we were made to dislike hugo and i was so disappointed that daphne broke things off with jake. i can appreciate the friends-to-lover trope but i wish hugo’s character and jake’s had been flipped almost?! i did love the discovery about daphne’s condition about halfway through. it makes me want to reread the first half of the book to better understand the clues that had been dropped. rebecca serle is such a clever writer!

This book was so adorable - yet also heartbreaking. I loved the main character, her experiences, her challenges, her growth. I enjoyed her idea of fate leaving notes as to how long her relationships last - and the fact that she accepted this and was okay with her. Her health challenges and her acceptance of them over many years was an interesting spin to the story. I thought this was an enjoyable, sweet romance story. A quick read - I was sucked in from page one!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

What would you do if you knew the length of every relationship-before it happened? Daphne has faced this dilemma as long as she can remember. A piece of paper, a fortune, a passed note-all list a name and length of time she will spend with that person. Now in her early 30s, with her beloved dog Murphy, a career as an assistant for a high-powered producer and a small group of close friends, Daphne receives a piece of paper with a name and no expiration date-Jake. Daphne goes into their first date knowing this and the knowledge she has could heal or break Jake's heart. With Southern California serving as the perfect backdrop, Rebecca Serle dives into relationships and what it means to choose to loves someone. This is a charming and yes, a little heart-breaking, novel that I will remember for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I adored this book! Very cute and unique story. Ending was surprising. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Since she was a teenager, Daphne has received a note telling her how long each relationship will last. And up until now it has proven to be right each time. When Daphne meets Jake, she receives her first letter with no expiration date. Does this mean she's finally met her forever person?

The concept for this book was really neat! I was excited to see how it all played out and already had some questions as to the themes or lessons the author was trying to share. I had previously read In Five Years from this author so I knew to not expect the typical romance. But overall I was let down. First I didn't feel invested in the main character AT ALL. I could not tell you anything about her other than she has a dog and where she works. Then the love interests were either bland or a dick. The back and forth storytelling of past relationships felt choppy and then gave us less time in the present with Daphne, Jake, and Hugo. The magic of the notes was never really explored and just felt off. I found myself just waiting for the end to at least know what happens and then that was a big let down too because the answer was nothing lol.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! F

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this!

I liked this almost the whole way through, loving a premise that is romance but add a little bit of magic. The end threw me for a loop though, and I couldn’t decide how I felt about it.

Quick and Dirty
-contemporary romance
-magical realism
-disability/chronic illness rep
-Los Angeles is a major character
-🌶️🌶️/5 spice (open door)
-5⭐ narration by Julia Whelan

What Worked
I won’t lie, I didn’t love One Italian Summer as much as In Five Years, so I was unsure what to expect in Serle’s latest. But I always love her ability to weave magical realism into a story, so I said what the heck! Boy, am I glad I did! I LOVED this book so much, and I have a feeling that just about everyone who reads it will, too. It’s heartfelt and poignant when it needs to be, witty and charming, too. The L.A. Jewish culture representation is terrific, adding an element you don’t expect but appreciate. I appreciated the female friendships in the novel, as well as the FMC’s personal growth story. The love triangle is a trope many don’t like, but it works here because both MMCs are desirable. The book has some steamy moments but nothing too smutty. What I loved the most about this book was how Serle featured Los Angeles as another character. My beloved city is on display in the best way possible. Essentially, this book is a love letter to L.A., which I adored. I recognized city streets, neighborhoods, restaurants, and the overall L.A. vibe she wove into the story. Kudos, my friend!

What Didn’t Work
I loved this book too much to nitpick, but I will say that some will have issues with the love triangle and the absence of more steam. As with all her books, the intimacy isn’t relegated to the sheets, making it more of a cerebral love story (which I prefer).

Read This If
If you want an emotional journey about a woman’s search for love (of all kinds), read this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Rebecca Serle, and Atria Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is my third Rebecca Serle novel. I loved In Five Years, but I did not enjoy One Italian Summer, so I was unsure how I would like this one, but overall I really enjoyed it! I thought the plot was very cool and unique and I had a hard time putting this one down and I really liked the main character Daphne! Overall a 4 star read for me!

🗓️Book Review🗓️
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Summary- Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she 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. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake.

But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.
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Rating-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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My thoughts- thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the advanced copy! This one released last week and it might be my favorite Rebecca Serle yet! This was such a cool concept and I really loved Daphnes character! But it wasn’t perfect in that it was pretty predictable how it would end. Jake’s character really lacked depth and so did Maxs. A fun sweet read but I just wanted a little more from the characters, I’m obsessed with this premise though !
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QOTD- would you like to receive an expiration date on when a relationship ends ?! I probably would have loved this when I was single and dating 🤣
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I absolutely ADORED this book! It had everything that I could ask for in a Rebecca Serle book. The characters were well developed and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to sneak a few more chapters in. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this amazing book! I will definitely be sharing it with all of my fellow book lovers!

Throughout her life Daphne has received notes with the name of her next boyfriend and how long the relationship will last. But when Daphne gets a note with the name Jake and no timeline, she can’t help but think he must be “the one”. But there are also lingering feelings for her best friend Hugo, who also happens to be Daphne’s ex. Jake turns out to be wonderful and he and Daphne get engaged. But Daphne is still keeping a big secret from him that Hugo has known for years. Will the note turn out to be true? Will Daphne fully commit and marry Jake?

Rebecca Serle does it again with this refreshing romance and emotional story that you can’t help but love no matter how much it tugs at your heartstrings.

What an incredible novel about self discovery and finding true love. Daphne is such a fun character, and learning about all of her “dates” was such a fun ride!

This was SO SO cute! This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Rebecca Sterle and it won’t be the last.

The storyline was so unique and for a short book, I did not feel like anything was left out or that there needed to be more added. The character development was wonderful!

I expected the ending about half way through, but was not upset by any means when it happened!

If you’re looking for a short, sweet rom com, look no further!

Thanks so much Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I have read and enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s books in the past, but unfortunately Expiration Dates wasn’t my favourite of her novels. I found it a little slowly paced and although the writing was good, just lacked the ability to keep my attention the whole story. I do however look forward to her next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

If you like Rebecca Serle books, you’re going to love Expiration Dates. It has all the heart, humor, and emotional devastation we’ve come to expect from her books. I enjoyed Daphne’s journey to self acceptance and self love and enjoyed all of the characters she surrounded herself with.

Expiration Dates is about a woman named Daphne, who, when she meets a new man, mysteriously receives a piece of paper with his name and a timeframe, and this is how long the relationship lasts.
At first I found this kind of confusing, but the book is about so much more than that. It’s romantic because you get to learn about her relationships and what shapes the next ones, and sometimes the reason for the expiration dates. It’s also thought provoking as you start to realize (I definitely had an ah-ha moment) that maybe the expectation of the timeframe is causing her to act and live differently.
Daphne realizes that putting specific expectations on things that are generally unknown can cause your mind to find ways to alter the outcome.
As a side note I think this book showed so many avenues of love through romance, friendship, and family and I loved it all.
Overall, I still have a few questions but this was a quick and easy read that was very enjoyable for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.