Daphne Bell receives a postcard before every first date that tells her how long her relationship will last. There's a touch of magical realism in the book, and it moves pretty quickly--fans of Rebecca Serle won't be disappointed. It was engaging, but dragged a bit towards the end for me. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.

I really loved this book! This will not be everyone's 5 star read though. It's one of those books that you either connect with the character or you don't, and I did! It was such a fun and easy read, and somehow really got me in my feels so going to give it the 5 for that reason.

If you could know exactly how long a relationship would last, would you want to know? Daphne is so used to being told what to expect, Expiration Dates focuses on what happens when you find out you really know nothing. This was my first, but not my last book by Rebecca Serle. Her honest and interesting writing style is real in a relatable way, letting you get swept up in the story without being annoyed at a character making the wrong choice. It's a quick and easy read that will leave you satisfied. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Rebecca Serle for this ARC!

I was SUPER excited to get my hands on this after reading In Five Years and loving it! But I have to be honest.. it took me a while to really get into.

Without giving too much away.. I wasn’t sure where this story was going and the bouncing between past dates sometimes made it confusing. BUT! Once you understand what happened.. it all makes sense (which I kind of feel like the author wanted it that way for a reason)!

Overall, I LOVED the message and the ending. But the beginning made it a 3 star read for me!

I love this author and have ready every book she has published. This is no exception. Dating is not easy under the best of circumstances. For Daphne it’s a whole other thing for she knows exactly how long each romantic relationship she gets into will last. Exactly. It’s hard to to become cynical while she dates, dates and dates some more. The author has written a really interesting storyline that took me on a rollercoaster of emotions all the while only wanting the best for her. The ending is not necessarily a surprise, but is absolutely wonderful. I started out with a really long and involved review, but didn’t want to give anything away so do yourself a favor, pull up a seat, get comfy and enjoy this fun, different and engaging book. I am so glad I did.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 268 / Genre: Fiction with a dash of magical realism
Release Date: March 19, 2024

Ever since her very first boyfriend in the fifth grade, the universe has been sending Daphne Bell notes with a name and the amount of time she’ll be with that guy. Martin, three days. Hugo, three months. Tae, two years and two months. Now that she’s thirty-five, it’s almost comforting to her to know what’s coming. Until Jake. Jake’s note didn’t have an expiration date. What does that mean? Has she finally found The One?

I haven’t binged a book in a while and I couldn’t stop reading this one. Her dates were often fun and exciting as it is when you’re young and on the go. It was also heartbreaking and made me cry, which I hate but also kind of loved since it shows how invested I was in this character. My new favorite book of the year.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @AtriaBooks, and @Rebecca_Serle for my gifted copy of this book. I loved it.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Serle did it again!! Rebecca knows how to write a magical elements into her stories. Her stories ALWAYS leave me wondering and reflecting on what I just read. I just love her books and can't say anything bad about them. Just like her other stories, this one had me hooked from the beginning. It was all about what it means to find love and it was beautiful. 10/10 recommend this book!

I enjoyed reading The Expiration Date! I read it in two days. I liked how there was romance and a bit of magic. When the FMC meets someone she receives a piece of paper with an end date. Some of her relationships are short and some are longer. I was wondering who she would end up with in the end. The author threw a little twist in the story at the end. Over all I think it was a great book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book had such an interesting premise and truly lovely storyline filled with magical realism. Our main character, Daphne, receives notes with a name and amount of time that corresponds to the length of her relationship with said person. This sounds like the plot for a rom-com, but it is not. There is so much emotion and deeper issues that run beneath the surface. All of the predictions have come true, including Hugo (3-months) who has never left her side as he went from boyfriend status to best friend. The story has flashbacks of her past relationships and then a current timeline in which she has received a paper simply with the name Jake...nothing else. Does this mean he is "the one" with no expiration date?

This book is filled with such emotional depth, and I loved how the story progressed with what could be to what it turned out to be. Perfect ending even if I wish there was an epilogue. Still, I smiled as I read the final page!
4.5 stars

I normally share a review right after I mark a book as finished, but in the case of EXPIRATION DATES, I needed to spend some time reflecting and dissecting it before I could pin down my exact thoughts.

It's the themes that I appreciated most, and since I prefer to not go into spoilers, suffice to say that certain things happen that reframe how I considered the story by the time I hit the end. There are some lines that gave voice to concepts in a relatable way, though admittedly it may come across on the nose as it even rubbed me that way a little.

But overall, this book didn't reel me in as well as other titles (adult and young adult) from this author that I've read previously. I didn't care for the characters, nor was I wasn't invested in the variety of ties between them and what occurred in their lives. And though I appreciated the themes (especially how they shifted my view of the story in hindsight), the execution didn't necessarily feel as neatly done as I'd have wanted it to personally.

This book has likable elements, but is overall just okay.

I am so sad to say this one wasn’t for me. As you all know I am a huge fan of this author but this one I couldn’t get into. I loved the synopsis and the idea of the letters but this book didn’t feel magical. I was expecting more of a magical realism story but that is not what I got. The main character made some questionable decisions but it was the side characters and lack of chemistry that ultimately left me feeling bored. The writing was simple and lacked that ‘wow’ factor. The third act could have been erased since it felt so out of place. It’s almost like the author didn’t know how to write the ending or wrap up the story. Overall, this one was a disappointment for me but that’s okay because I know others might enjoy it.

I was very intrigued by the concept of this story due to Daphne’s unique dating life. Daphne receives slips of paper with a man’s name and how long the relationship is going to last.

The story started off very slow and took me a while to get into it and honestly just when it picked up and I started enjoying it more, everything was wrapping up and it was the end?? We as readers never found out why the notes exist or why she was receiving them in the first place which is confusing given it’s the premise of the book and her “big secret” the entire time.

The chapters alternate between her past relationships as well as the present and while I liked learning about her prior relationships and why they didn’t work out, there was a lot of time dedicated to them and I felt less time was given to her current relationship. Even though he was “perfect for her” and “the one” I feel they had no chemistry. There were also two “twists” in the last half of the book that left me with mixed feelings as they both felt randomly placed and yet I liked the way they were woven into the story.

My favorite part of the story was a scene with her father - which had the most emotion and depth in that scene than the rest of the book. There was a quote in that chapter, “Life is messy and uncomfortable, complicated and beautiful” that I think really sums up Daphne’s character and was a nice addition to the story.

** thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC and chance to read and review **

Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all. 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. 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.

I loved One Italian Summer so much and was so excited to see a new book from Rebecca Serle. And this one did not disappoint! While in ways this was just a regular romance story, but then suddenly there were other parts revealed which gave the story so much more depth and emotion. I loved watching it all play out, wondering if Daphne would finally get the happily ever after that she deserves.

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I have come to really love this author and will read anything she writes in the future! Also put The Dinner List on my TBR to read soon!

I loved the premise of this story, but I am not the biggest fan of the pacing of the narrative. I felt that it was kind of slow, and I think the sections detailing Daphne’s past relationships contributed to the slow feel. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy these sections — I was curious about her former relationships because going into this one of my big questions was “does Daphne behave differently knowing when these relationships will end and does that contribute to their end?” My favorite part was the turning point when Daphne decided to stop letting the expiration dates dictate her life and she took control of her fate, which is definitely the point of the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, which I thought would be light and fluffy but defied those expectations with some great twists. I definitely enjoyed this one more than One Italian Summer.

Diving into this book felt like catching a refreshing breeze on a warm day. It's a heartwarming, can't-put-it-down, grin-on-your-face kind of story that doubles as an ode to the vibrant City of Angels.

Enter Daphne Bell, whose life gets a sprinkle of mystery with the mysterious slips of paper predicting the lifespan of her relationships. Then comes Jake, introduced by a friend, and for the first time, her slip of paper is blank. Zero. Zilch. Could this be destiny signaling he's Mr. Right?

As we explore Daphne's journey and her adorable encounter with Jake, we're treated to snippets of her past loves and her current bond with Hugo—her bestie and ex—who's privy to the secret of the magical notes.

This book stands out for its creativity and sheer enjoyability, offering a read-so-fast-it-blurs kind of experience that leaves you beaming. It sparked nostalgia for my two decades in Los Angeles, bringing joy with each familiar landmark mentioned. If I have one tiny nitpick, it's a culinary preference—I'm team Bristol Farms over Erewhon any day. But that's just me musing on the side.

Oh, my heart! This story is beautifully written with witty banter between characters I just want to be best friends with. I, quite literally, laughed out loud at times. I clutched my pounding heart. I gasped. I let the tears roll down my cheeks. How the author managed to squeeze so much emotion into under 200 pages is a thing of mystery, but I gladly went along for the ride. If you don't fall in love with Daphne, her many suitors, and Murphy the dog-who-doesn't-know-how-to-dog, you may need to check your pulse.

This is my first time reading a Rebecca Serle book, and I would definitely read the author's other books. While I totally didn't love the ending, I really enjoyed the book overall. I found Expiration Dates to be an easy, quick read—and I did get a little choked up. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

✨EXPIRATION DATES✨
Rating: 4 ⭐️ - I Liked It

In one of my most anticipated reads of the year, Rebecca delivers with a story about love, dating, self-acceptance…the list goes on! Huge TY to @simon for my ARC!

EXPIRATION DATES follows Daphne as she conquers life, dating, and love in LA. Each time she starts dating someone new, she gets a note saying how long they will be together. What follows is a really beautiful story.

❤️ for my LOVERS of stories that take place in your 20’s, one’s about DATING and all it’s ups and down, SELF-ACCEPTANCE & LOVE, a touch of MAGICAL REALISM, chronic illness, reflection and growth, FATHER/DAUGHTER relationships

❤️ I loved the THEMES & LAYERS across this book - there were so many facets that whether your a 20 year old in the midst of dating, or have found your forever person - you’ll get all the feels from this story

❤️ these CHARACTERS! I loved Daphne, her parents - the FATHER/DAUGHTER relationships was one of my favorites, Irina, Kendra, Hugo, Jake…

❤️ the perfect amount of MAGICAL REALISM - from someone who tends to struggle with MR novels, this one was just the right amount!

🗓️EXPIRATION•DATES🗓️
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Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the opportunity to read this book! It publishes March 19th!
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Rebecca Serle’s newest book, Expiration Dates, is a heart tugging magical realism read that will keep you turning the pages.

What I enjoyed: 🗓️
Short chapters
Past/present timelines/flashbacks
Jewish representation
Hollywood setting
The unexpected twist
Hugo
Murphy 🐶
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What I didn’t love:🗓️
The “magic” aspect of this book was a bit weird to me, but the book is built around it, so I guess it makes sense…it just felt a bit out of place to me.
Also, not a fan of the ending. I needed an epilogue at the very least!
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However, many people will love this one and it really does have a great message. 🗓️
3.5 stars

📖 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘤𝘢 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦

“𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵.“

⭐️ 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙢!

This book wasn’t at all what I thought I was going to be from the description! While the beginning of the book was a bit slow, midway through the book I was feeling all the dang emotions! This book made me cry multiple times. Daphne comes off as someone that’s just going through the motions of dating in the beginning. Once you breakdown her walls and get to her secrets, all of her actions make more sense. There were several plot twists I did not see coming! I loved both Jake and Hugo and wasn’t sure how the ending was going to play out. In the end, I cried happy tears.

💕 There are a lot of life lessons in this book that I feel many people will be able to relate to.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮:
Daphne Bell isn’t like everyone else. She gets mysterious notes that tell her the name of her next relationship, and how long it will last. When a note appears that simply has a name on it and no expiration date, Daphne has to figure out how to finally settle down and be happy.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
💕 Contemporary Romance
✨ Magical Realism
🚪 Closed Door Romance
⏰ Flashbacks

Expiration Dates releases on March 19th! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my early copy of this story so that I could share this honest review!

“𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦.“