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.

At the start of every relationship Daphne receives a slip of paper that states exactly how long she will be in the relationship. Her longest relationship has been two years and two days; until she receives the most recent slip with no end date. Daphne takes this to mean he is her forever.

This book is similar to In Five Years in that you are lead to believe one thing and in the end you get something else. So this time I knew to expect the unexpected and was less surprised with the ending. I enjoyed the story, but also similar to In Five Years, it was more a story on self discovery than romance. It kept me coming back for more and was a quick read.

This was my first Rebecca Serle story and it won't be my last. When I read this blurb I knew I had to read it. I love a bit of magic in my stories every now and then. How fun would it be if you were Daphne? I don't know if I would get sick of knowing or not. I think this unique story line allows you to open your mind to the magic that sometimes floats through life. Grab this story so you can find out if the universe is actually in Daphne's favor or not.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Daphne is your typical woman looking for the love of her life. Except, there's one difference... Whenever she meets a man she will have a relationship with, the universe delivers a note letting her know how long the relationship will last. Three weeks, One night, Six Months... There's always a name, and a number. Until, she gets one without a number. Finally, this is who she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with... So why does she still have worries and doubts?
This is a fun romance with an interesting concept. I will say, it's not all fluffy romance. As the story progresses we learn some tough stuff that Daphne is dealing with that helps explain her feelings and struggles. But working through those tough circumstances makes her and all of her relationships (with friends, parents, and even her love interest) stronger! Pain doesn't have to be bad.
This was published today! 🥳 So if it sounds like your type of book, go get it!
#NetGalley #ExpirationDates

I liked this book but didn’t fully connect to the main character. I think if her sickness had been revealed earlier then I might have connected more to her. The storyline was very unique though. I appreciated the magical realism and I enjoyed the perspective on modern dating.

Rebecca’s books always have that little extra piece that make her novels quintessentially hers. Expiration Dates is no different.

It was not my favorite book she has ever written, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and I think it would appeal to her audience overall.

I really liked the idea of this book, but wished it was happening all in the present instead of some retrospect. There were times that it also felt like two different stories, when we were given an unexpected detail about the MC’s life that just really shifted the rest of the time of the book. Overall, I still liked it, but wanted a little more.

Eh this didn’t work out well for me. The whole book felt oddly dated. Who is still wearing sleeveless turtlenecks and with jeans and strappy heels? This look appears more than once in the book. Also there was a weird brag about Wolfgang Puck of all people. Nothing really worked with the characters either. The characters just didn’t feel right.

Rebecca Serle has done it again — crafted a beautiful story, dreamy characters, and heart-wrenching twists.

Expiration Dates has a compelling premise — Daphne receives anonymous notes with the name of her next boyfriend and a timeframe for how long the relationship will last. However, one note is different from them all and changes everything.

Serle’s easy yet exquisite writing style shines through. I know her books will be enjoyable while leaving me pondering real life and relationships. Of her books, I most enjoy the slight supernatural aspects that add a level of wistfulness and imagination.

I would recommend Expiration Dates for the reader looking for a thought-provoking and imaginative novel, as well as I would recommend any of Serle’s books.

I was honored to receive an advance copy from NetGalley and Atria.

It was a slow burn for me. While I liked the story, I didn't love it. I think I was more annoyed with Daphnes and Jake's story cause it seemed off from the beginning. Just felt like it was lacking. The ending really made up for it. I liked the moral that love can't be hurried or pushed

I went into this book blind (only knowing that I’ve loved Rebecca Serle’s previous work).

What I found was a romance with bits of magic realism and a heartfelt storyline…

Daphne Bell’s romantic life has always been dictated by what the universe had in store for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a note with a name and the time that they’ll be together. One day, Daphne receives a letter with no expiration date… As the relationship continues, she starts to doubt the letter’s prediction…

What I liked:
💌 magic realism elements from the envelopes
💌 the back story to each of her precious relationships
💌 LA setting — I’ve only visited but I could clearly visualize the setting
💌 Daphne’s friends, Irina & Kendra (+ Hugo)

Thanks to Net Galley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine if you knew how long your relationship would last from the first moment. While I don’t think I’d like that in real life, I loved this idea for the book. Daphne has always received a card telling her the length of the relationship. So technically she has never been dumped. She is always prepared for the end. Does that change her actions?

This is a book about relationships. Both romantic and non. I found Daphne relatable as she navigates her “gift”. Taking place in both the present and the past, we see how she develops into the person she is today. And how her past relationships have played out.

Daphne has a secret other than these cards, that she doesn’t trust with many in her life, and I was thrown for a loop when it was revealed. It made me reevaluate what I knew of both her and her relationships.

I knew where this one was heading from the start, but that didn’t alter my enjoyment. I was all in for Rebecca’s self discovery and journey. You really do control your own destiny and I waited for Daphne to figure this out.

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite authors, so I was delighted when I realized she was the narrator. She brought Daphne to life and was a perfect fit for the story. Some books are better read and others listened and I believe this one works either way.

3.5 stars
I struggled with this book and honestly almost DNF. The first half really bothered me. The book goes back and forth between chapters as her relationship with Jake slowly builds, and chapters about what happened with various exes. Daphne seemed to be dating people that felt obviously not good for her, simply because a note with a timeframe appeared out of nowhere. The one person who knew the truth was her ex boyfriend Hugo, and after their breakup five years earlier, they have become best friends who see each other frequently.
Even when Daphne meets Jake, it felt really off to me, like she was trying too hard to create a relationship because of the blank timeframe.
More surprises come in the second half of the book, and I enjoyed it more. I liked the way the story ended, and I am glad I kept reading.