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

I loved this book so much! I really appreciate that Rebecca Serle can tell such big stories in such tight, short novels. I read this one so quickly, it was so easy to connect with the main character, Daphne and I enjoyed living vicariously through each of her dating/relationship stories that wove the story together. If you have enjoyed other books by this same author, you definitely don’t want to miss this one.

EXPIRATION DATES by Rebecca Serle

Daphne doesn't date like most women. Instead, when she dates someone, the universe sends her a piece of paper that tells her exactly how long that relationship will last. At least she knows whether or not to get invested. Until Jake. Jake's paper is blank - no end date. But there's something Jake doesn't know about Daphne - something big that would change everything.

LOVED LOVED this one. Of course, Rebecca Serle (who wrote 'In Five Years') couldn't write a book without breaking our hearts. Her writing is beautiful, the characters are complex, and there are twists (some you see coming and some you don't). I read this one easily in 24ish hours. Beautifully done, like all her others.

Rebecca Serle does it again! I loved this concept, and really enjoy the surrealism in Rebecca Serle books, she adds such a fun twist to a romcom and I will continue to pick up her new reads.

I had heard of Rebecca Serle but never read any of her books before this, so a new author for me. After reading the description for the book it had my interest and I was excited to read it.

Description:
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 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.

Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.

My Thoughts:
The description of this book sounded fun and I think the premise has a lot of promise. But for some reason, and I'm not sure if it was the mood I was in while reading or if it was the book itself, I had trouble getting through this short, 277 page book. It took me eight days to read it and normally I read a book about every two days. I couldn't get invested in the story until the last twenty percent of the book and then I found it interesting. It bothered me that Daphne would find these notes with a guy's name and the amount of time she would spend with him, and she would jump in to a relationship even knowing it was only supposed to last 3 days or two weeks. I mean, why bother? Anyway I had trouble with that. I did like the last twenty percent of the book because then I found out more of what was really going on with Daphne and there was a twist in the romance at the time that was notable.

Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication March 19, 2024.

EXPIRATION DATES by Rebecca Serle has a promising premise: a young woman receives notes with names and relationship expiration dates for her romantic relationships. When she finally receives a note with only a name, she thrashes with confusion and angst over Jake and what it means to be committed and thoroughly love a person for the long run. While the premise is indeed intriguing and the events unfold in interesting and unpredictable ways, the book failed to grab me as earlier works by Serle had done. I was disappointed with what felt to be slapdash and incomplete thinking and characters who felt more stock caricatures or cardboard cutouts than relatable, interesting humans. through what could have been a deeply satisfying work. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

With Daphne Bell every relationship has an expiration date, quite literally. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a piece of paper with their name and the exact number of days she will be with them. She goes on a blind date with Jake but this time the piece of paper is blank. Is Jake her forever?

I enjoyed Daphne’s story - the flashback chapters from her past relationships and her current life/relationship with Jake, and I loved the touch of magical realism with the “expiration dates.”

What I didn’t enjoy was the ending. I felt like it was over and something was missing, but I’m not sure what. Everything was wrapped up but perhaps I was looking for a more powerful and emotional story like In Five Years? I also would have liked an explanation for “the expiration dates.” I was expecting more from this one, but I felt like it was just okay.

Overall, it was a quick read. If you enjoy books about relationships then I suggest giving this one a try.

I love the sense of escapism Rebecca Serle's books give me. Expiration Dates did not dissapoint. I was a huge fan of one italian summer and feel like this book as well is the perfect beach read this summer. I always love how Rebecca adds even the smallest details to the characters, transporting me right into the book. I really enjoyed watching Daphne grow and learn about herself and other things throughout this book. It is a great book for people who are experienced loss of love and ever felt a little lost in their love-life.

This was a great book. It left me with all the feels. I love romance books with a little magic to then, it just fits so perfectly.

This book is a prime example of an interesting premise that falls flat in its execution. Rebecca Serle presents this unique idea of "the universe" giving a woman premonitions of how long her relationships will last, but the story never explains this phenomenon and instead veers off into a side plot that ends up consuming the last third of the book. I felt like this book did not know what story it wanted to tell.

Daphne Bell receives notes at the start of her romantic relationships that indicate how long they will last. She does not know where they come from or why she receives them, but she allows them to control her love life without question. When she goes on her first date with Jake, all the note says is his name with no timeframe, so she wonders if that means he is "the one." They enter a relationship, but she is hiding important information from him that could ruin the relationship.

I'll start with what I like about the book. As I said previously, the premise is very interesting. I enjoy a touch of magical realism in my books, but I need there to be some explanation in the end. I also think Serle does a good job of eliciting an emotional reaction from me with her depiction of Daphne's interactions with her family. Finally, I like Jake as a character. He is sincere and straightforward and generally just a good guy, possibly too good for Daphne.

My first issue with this book is with the writing. The author provides too many mundane details that are unnecessary to the plot and character development. For instance, she describes the clothing of every character in a scene and the decor of every setting the characters enter. I found myself very annoyed by this to the point that I almost stopped reading the book altogether.

I also find the structure of the book to be frustrating. The narration moves back and forth in time between Daphne's present day situation with Jake and her past relationships. I do not usually mind dual timelines, but the narration often switches from present to past without a warning or indicator of the shift so that I had to read a few sentences before figuring it out. The flashbacks also did not occur in chronological order, so it jumped around all of the over the place.

Unfortunately, this book will not be memorable to me. I liked it well enough to finish it, but I do not think I would recommend it to other readers.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Daphne has a secret. Ahead of any relationship she’s ever had, a mysterious note appears with their name and the duration of the relationship they’ll have. What happens when she receives a note without an expiration date?

Rebecca Serle has a writing style that captures my heart with each and every read. Through her words I fall in love with each character while also reflecting on the greater lesson. A must read for anyone looking for a heartwarming story of love and growth.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC opportunity!

Have you ever wished things could just be laid out for you, answers to the unknown, decisions made? Daphne, in “Expiration Dates” got just that, except only in her love life. A piece of paper would tell her just how long her relationship was going to last.
Rebecca Serle captures real, raw emotions in a way that is poetic. There are scenes that are so funny and cute they make you smile, and so real you feel your heart ache. Without spoiling too much, the book really picked up halfway through, when it is revealed that Daphne has a health condition, one that influences her decisions and outlook on life. The reality of serious illness was captured in such a beautiful way- the grasp it has on a person and their loved ones- was absolutely beautiful and poetic.

Rebecca Serle takes us on a clever, playful ride full of hope in what seems a hopeless situation. A few surprises kept me engaged and rooting for the underdog. 5 enthusiastic stars!

So netgalley kind of set me up for failure with this arc, it comes out on the 19th (it's the 18th as I'm writing this) and I just got approved for it like 5 days ago and I just didn't have time to get it finished. But I did read about 30% and what I've read so far I absolutely love so I will be buying it and reading it in full! Thank you netgalley for this arc!

Imagine if you knew how long a relationship would last before it even starts. How would that affect your choices? Rebecca Serle has the reader pondering that very question over and over throughout this book. How could I be open and authentic if I knew the end was coming? What would feel solid and consistent in my life? Would I become jaded and inaccessible in relationships? I am typically a huge fan of magical realism. This book is more on the real side than the magical. Actually, magical element of this book, however, was not it for me. I believe that this book has all the makings for a lovely romance novel without all of the magical, nonsensical paper postcards. Maybe it would be different if everyone in this universe got them....but for me, it took away from the story rather than adding to it.