Every time Daphne meets a new romantic partner, she gets a paper that tells her how long she'll be in a relationship with them. One day, she goes on a date that doesn't come with an expiration date, and believes she has finally found the one.
After reading her last few books as fast as I could, I would read and recommend anything by Rebecca Serle at this point. Expiration Dates is about finding that love, being open to love, and taking a chance on love. I appreciated this look at what it means to open up yourself to the chance of falling in love, and can't say enough positive things about this book that was somehow surprising in spite of what I thought I knew was coming.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

This is my third Rebecca Serle book and honestly, it left me feeling the same way the other two have. I want to say that overall, I enjoyed the book. Like In Five Years, I loved the premise of Expiration Dates. The idea that the universe was giving Daphne a glimpse into each relationship was something I feel like everyone has wished could happen. Uncertainty is one of my biggest fears but having the notice of when something would come to an end would also be so difficult as portrayed in this book.

There were a few twists I didn't see coming and some that I definitely did. I really disliked the relationship between Daphne and Jake. I don't know if it was the style of writing or not, but there was just no chemistry. I rooted for Hugo so much, but everyone knows I'm always rooting for the inconsistent f*** boy who found the girl he truly loves. I will say, when it comes to Daphne's personal twist (and not the notes) I do wish there would have been some sort of trigger warning in the beginning of the book about the level of detail in those scenes. I feel like trigger warnings can play a big role in a book and as a person with vasovagal syncope, I was triggered and ended up needed to skim read some of those sections. Even if there was something in the description that could have prepared me for it would've been nice, but I also know I'm not the majority, so it is only my opinion not an actual critique.

Overall, I think I did like the magical realism for this story and all I wanted was for Daphne to sit with herself and discover what she truly wanted. I'm happy she did just that and the book felt resolved.

Another exceptional read from Rebecca Serle! This is the type of book that will keep you up all night, hanging on to every word, and filling all of your thoughts when you’re not reading it. I’ve always known this author for her original and intriguing stories and this book does not disappoint! Very possibly one of the best books of the year!

Whenever Daphne meets a new man in her life, she gets a piece of paper from the universe with the guy's name on it and the length of time that they will be spending together. Whether it's three months or one night, she always receives a piece of paper.

Her ex-boyfriend Hugo really stood out to her. She seems to have a special place in her heart for him even after the breakup, and he feels the same way. Hugo is also the only person in the world that knows she receives papers from the universe. I like how their relationship turned into a friendship, someone Daphne could turn to and rely on.

One day she meets Jake. When she gets that paper from the universe it has no expiration date. She believes Jake is the one she is meant to spend forever with. Jake is genuinely a nice guy and is in love with Daphne. I loved how easy their relationship was.

The ending did not play out the way I expected but overall I was so happy with the turnout. It is very easy to get attached to Daphne's story and want the best for her.

This book is filled with so many great quotes that make you think about life and living in the moment. This book will tug on your heartstrings but it is so worth the read. I think this is a book that would become a reread for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Rebecca Serle for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Expiration Dates coming out March 19, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love Rebecca’s book One Italian Summer, so I was really excited to receive this book. I thought this was a really heartfelt, lovely story. I thought that the magical elements were very minimal, but went well with the themes of the story. Daphne was a strong character. There were a couple times I didn’t understand her motives like when she didn’t tell certain people things about herself. But maybe it was because she felt she was tied to her fate. Overall, I loved it though! I thought it had a wonderful message about the choices humans make in life and how they can lead to different outcomes.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary stories about love and life!

Wow! Such a beautiful yet at times heartbreaking story! I loved this one so much. It was different than your typical romance and felt so romantic and intimate.

Daphne the main character has always wanted that happy ending. When she starts dating someone, she receives a paper stating their name and how long the relationship will be. When she meets Jake and receives a blank paper, she must work through her feelings and work through some secrets that have kept her from having fulfilling relationships.

This book is for those who love magical realism and a unique love story. There were a few twists in the story which I did not expect but added so much to the plot. I loved Daphne as a character and her wittiness. Overall, this was such a great read and I truly could not put the book down once I began reading.
Thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for a review.

Since reading “In Five Years” by the author, I have fallen in love with the writing style. Rebecca makes you authentically feel like you’re inside the story. I absolutely adored the premise of receiving a piece of paper for every man she meets and how long it’s going to last. Although, I was really drawn in for the romance, Daphne’s journey is what influenced me to continue reading. I think the concept of knowing when a relationship is going to end is something all girls wish they knew to help protect themselves from heartbreak. And this point is pointed out so well in the book. I think there’s a lot of self-reflection within this story that made me love the female main character and relate to her. Ugh, I have experienced all the emotions while reading this book! The Los Angeles vibes are definitely making me want to visit the city. Look out for the twists that definitely added more fun to the reading experience!

One of her best!!

Daphne gets notes. Randomly. And every note tells her how long her next relationship is going to last. She’s used to trusting these notes until she gets one that isn’t like the others.

Rebecca Serle always tells a story with a little bit of psychic magic and precognition. You think the story’s going one way and it takes an unexpected turn.
I love her writing.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was beautifully written! Very relevant and important life lessons and perspective. I could definitely relate to Daphne always wanting to know what comes next and to have a timeline. This was a great reminder that the beauty of life is in living it, however unpredictable it might be.

“I thought if I had all the answers, if I was always one step ahead, if I knew my hand, then I’d never lose. But being surprised by life isn’t losing, it’s living. It’s messy and I uncomfortable and complicated and beautiful. It’s life, all of it. The only way to get it wrong is to refuse to play.”

I thought this was well written, but overall just didn’t suck me in like I hoped it would. It should be said that magical realism typically is not for me, so my lack of interest could definitely just be a me thing. I can see why other readers would love it… for me it was okay.

Expiration Dates is a beautifully written, whimsical, and emotional love story with a touch of magical realism. The story alternates between the present and flashbacks to the past, revisiting all of Daphne's romantic relationships. I enjoyed the book very much, but I wouldn't call it a romance because it doesn't have a traditional HEA. It has an ambiguous but hopeful ending. I recommend Expiration Dates to readers who appreciate unique love stories.

I really enjoyed this book! It was the first book I read by Rebecca Serle and I definitely would like to read more!

This book had a fun element of magical realism with the little notes that were being delivered to Daphne to tell her the fate of her relationships. There was a big element of depth with the plot twist (I don’t want to spoil it, but it made the second half of the book FLY because I needed to know how everything would wrap up).

I also loved the Jewish representation here. I love being able to really relate on that level to the books I read. I love using books to explore other cultures and holidays, but it also feels nice to see my culture represented in the characters in the books I read.

This book exceeded my expectations! My initial thought was this would be a regular romance novel, but Daphne's story was much more. It made me question how the choices were make are determined. I enjoyed the dual timeline of this story with insights into Daphne's past relationships. I will say Daphne keeping her secret from people in her life made her less likeable to me. I did enjoy the growth of her character in the story. 3.5/5 stars

How would you feel about your love life, if you continuously received hints from the universe of how long a relationship might last for you? That's how Daphne has lived, receiving notes with the names of men she dates and the length of the relationship with it. Because of that, she's mostly relied on these premonitions to live out her life. One day, she recieves a note prior to her next date, but there's no time frame next to the man's name. Just a name and nothing else. She should feel free and elated that the universe is pointing her into the right direction, but she can't help but now question what the world is leading her to..

The premise of this story was such an interesting concept. The fact that Daphne lived the way she did with these notes for over a decade and let them predict her life and then also follow through with it almost robotically in some moments, it really made me question how life should be lived. By what we are told to do or follow your gut. As someone that goes by intuition, I think I would hate to be in Daphne's situation and struggle tremendously. It was interesting to say the least, to read about her past relationships of how things started and ended, exactly as long as her premonition notes said. I did like the "anomaly" of how things changed for her near the end, it was satisfying for sure. The slight twist in this story was predictable, but that was okay. Only irk I found was feeling that the chapters in the past could've been chronicled in actual order, rather than just by Daphne's feelings progressing as the story went forward. That made it feel wishy-washy for me.

This was an overall easy, light read that I still enjoyed for the most part. I liked how Rebecca Serle easily whisked me away to LA as if I was just genuinely sitting out for a dinner or coffee in the hotspots she mentioned. Her descriptions of popular landmarks and even Daphne's fashion made this one more fun and felt like a rom-com movie brought to life.

I do feel like I rounded up my star rating for this one, mostly because I liked the ease in reading Expiration Dates and overall how it made me feel.

Special thanks to Atria Books and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

This book was so unique and wonderful, I enjoyed it cover to cover. Serle does an excellent job of weaving a story that captivates and builds on itself.

I had really high hopes for this book because I loved One Italian Summer and In Five Years. That being said, this felt a little like death by details.

The premise: Great. Magical Realism, stories about ex’s, and getting a letter that might reveal she’s found the one.

I think the revisiting stories about ex’s is nothing new, but the MR put a twist on it. That said, it would’ve read better if the timeline had some consistency or was mentioned with the chapter number. It felt a little chaotic at times.

The Characters: I couldn’t really connect to any, especially Daphne. Some of her comments to Hugo and Jake came off really flippant and sometimes judgmental. Her career was a big part of the story and while I understand it was meant to lend depth to her character, it felt disjointed from the rest of the story.

Overall, I think this could’ve been great as a novella. There was far too much filler that took away from the quality of the writing and plot.

Man I loved this! If only it was as easy as getting a piece of paper that tells how long someone will be in your life😩 would def be less heartbreak! I love how a plot twist came at like 60% of the book and it felt like she was admitting it to the readers. This book kept me interested the whole time and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next! I love how it told about the other guys she dated and how it went wrong. The ending had me so happy though! Was definitely not the ending I was expecting but I loved it and it was so sweet! Second chance love

I am awful at reading books digitally. I much prefer a print version. However, this title intrigued me so much that I changed my mindset and requested it. And I am so happy I did! The premise of the book is what if you knew your romantic relationships had an expiration date. Would you still invest as much energy if the timeline was 3 months vs 2 years? Daphne, our main character, is privy to the knowledge of how long she will date each man, whether she is ready to give up the relationship or not. There are a few twists but the big one happens about halfway through and it definitely helps explain why Daphne follows the “rules of the universe”. I was about 80% finished and I didn’t want the story to end! Thank you Rebecca Serle for another amazing read!

Rebecca Serle's "Expiration Dates" is a wonderful exploration of love and fate. I'm a huge fan of Serle's magical realism and this book did not disappoint. It's thought-provoking and complex in terms of what it presents as- how romance works when you know when your relationship will end. It's a romance novel that goes beyond the typical tropes and considers what love really means and if it's possible to manipulate it, even when things seem fated.

The general plot is that Daphne Bell has been receiving mysterious pieces of paper that tell her how long a relationship will last for as long as she's been dating. They seem to always be accurate and Rebecca has given up in thinking that she will ever find lasting love until one day, she meets Jake and the paper doesn't have an end date. She tells her best friend Hugo (who previously had a 3 month relationship life span) and general relationship shenanigans ensue.

Serle's prose is light and warm, making the book a quick and pleasant read. The story has a couple of twists that make for an interesting read. While the ending felt somewhat predictable, the way to it was not and that makes a big difference. Fans of Serle's other work will enjoy this book as well. I whole-heartedly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the review copy.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

And honestly? I did not really like this. Which is a HUGE disappointment for me, and might be why I’m judging this a bit harshly. But I have really enjoyed the other two Serle books I read, and I did not connect with this one at all.

I think my main issue is the story felt so passive. A lot of it is told in flashback, and frankly not a lot happens in the main timeline. There isn’t even really any “conflict” until 60% in. And when the reveal comes, I felt zero emotional investment in it. I just did not care how it was going to all resolve.

Plus, and this is a personal preference, there were a lot of weird references to weight in this. I don’t know if she always does that and I’ve missed it before, or if it is because this book is set in LA, but it was off-putting.

The premise was nice and the writing was lovely, but overall, this was a bit of a letdown for me. But don’t necessarily take my word for it - it’s getting some great buzz so maybe it was just a me thing.

Expiration Dates is out tomorrow

2.5/5