My Grade: B ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A magical and heartwarming novel that shows the complexity of falling in love. The novel gets very serious in the last half, but I felt it added to the overall journey of the FMC.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5. Good kissing scenes, and low key sex scenes that never went overboard. Nicely done!

The Good Stuff:
-I myself am not Jewish, but I absolutely loved the Jewish culture!
-Daphne's parents are adorable and I loved the later conversations she had with her father. Such words of wisdom!
-Hollywood!
-BFF Hugo and Daphne has terrific chemistry! I loved their journey!
-I really enjoyed all of the flashbacks showing Daphne's relationships and how the mysteriously appearing papers played out.
-It was refreshing to read a FMC that wasn't immature or acted like a teenager,
-Two doggies and a scene that showed just how important the love of a pet truly is!
-The epilogue! Loved it so much!

The Meh Stuff:
-Where was the shock to the magical notes that just kept appearing out of nowhere? This was so much needed, especially since that was the premise of the book.
-I was not prepared for the twist in the story. It did add something to Daphne's journey , but I personally found it a bit triggering and others may as well. I always appreciate it when a content warning is included at the beginning of the book, and it should have been included here as well.

Contemporary with a light touch of magical realism
Felt very tell, not show.
It had so much promise - how much of our lives is driven by choice vs destiny? however, it felt very unfulfilled.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Atria Books for my #gifted copy of Expiration Dates!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

Daphne Bell and her love life is dictated by little pieces of paper. Whenever she meets a new man, she receives a small paper with his name and a number on it, which indicates the exact time they will be together. Some relationships last a few days, while some last up to a few months. For over twenty years, Daphne has been given an expiration date. On the night of her blind date with Jake, the paper she receives has no date. With no expiration date, is Jake the love of Daphne’s life?

This was such a quick, yet engaging read and I loved learning more about Daphne through the multiple timelines which offered different glimpses at her life. I really loved the main characters and felt like they were so well-developed. This was such a beautifully written book and I highly recommend Expiration Dates if you love magical realism!

🗒️Magical Realism
🗒️Multiple Timelines
🗒️Self-Discovery
🗒️Unexpected Twists
🗒️Lovers to Best Friends

“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.”

Posted on Goodreads on March 13, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 13, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 19, 2024
**-will post on designated date

What a lovely little read; Serle's work in intertwining the vaguely-supernatural notes that provide the "expiration dates" of protagonist Daphne's romantic relationships with the notion of expiration dates in a much more concrete and realistic manner is excellent, and Daphne and her supporting circle are all pretty delightful characters. Is it ultimately anything that will change the landscape of fiction as we know it? Nah. But it was a quick and charming read that's perfect for piquing every possible feeling a reader can have, and for spending a few hours wrapped up in a story with a relatable and engaging heroine and her posse of colorful, engaging friends and family.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2.5 stars rounded down
***spoilers***

I wanted to love this story so much! We follow Daphne, a girl who receives a piece of paper from the universe with a man’s name and frame of time right before/after she meets the person. Example, John, three weeks. She knows she’s about to meet or has just met John, and their relationship will last three weeks. Finally one day, she receives a note with only a name, Jake. That should mean forever, right?

Daphne’s story is one of choice vs. fate or destiny. I did not like Daphne. I felt that she never made a decision for herself and blamed her papers, accepted them for the only way life should go. If she wanted to keep seeing someone, instead of trying to continue past whatever time the paper said, she’d just throw up her hands and literally called time’s up. One great, SPOILER, example is her breakup with Tae. She says they broke up over bad cell reception. Tae was upset she didn’t call from the hospital. She said she tried but the reception wouldn’t let her call go through. Then she thinks about how she didn’t actually try to call, and she’s lying.

When Hugo finds out she’s sick, that she’s been hiding so much from him, he is surprised that she kept a big secret from him. She immediately panics and breaks up with him only because she realizes it’s been 3 months to the day which her note said was their time. He didn’t choose to leave her.

How she also always wanted to move to New York but never made the decision to act on it.

Also, she milked the heart condition way too much. As someone who works in the medical field, she acted like she was given and immediate death sentence and would drop dead at any second…

I loved Hugo and the idea behind the story, but it was really hard to root for Daphne.

Review

Tysm for the advanced readers copy @netgalley @atriabooks

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ONE! I can see how this may not be for everyone, I’ve seen such mixed reviews. It is very, contemporary.

Her writing is simple but has weight. I felt so many different feelings throughout. Atmospheric, makes me want to visit LA. I was waiting the whole book for something to break my heart and of course it did. Provoked some deep thinking about life, love and friendship. Also, maybe a side thought I should save for a book club, but I really think people with anxiety would just relate so much to this book.

You could really label this as so many different themes: coming of age, radical acceptance, self growth, contemporary romance, grief/loss.

“I thought if I had all the answers, I’d I was always one step ahead, if I knew my hand, I would never loose. But being surprised by life isn’t loosing, it’s living.”

“What can I say, I wanted a love story that sung.”

3.5⭐
Genre ~ women's fiction
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ March 19, 2024
Est page Count ~ 268 (39 chapters)
Audio length ~ 6 hours 54 minutes
Narrator ~ Julia Whelan
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ magical realism, short chapters, slow burn, very minimal steamage

Dahpne (33) takes us on her dating journey's, whether they last 1 night, 3 weeks or 3 months, each one's end time was already written in the stars, or on a postcard that is.

Even though she dates a lot it's pretty light on the romance and more about her journey to find the one. The dates are more as a flashback and not as they're happening, too. I don't have any complaints about the characters as they're all pretty likable.

Overall, it was fast paced, lighthearted in parts and heavier in others with a good amount of wit. I actually laughed quite a few times. I even shed a quick tear at the end when she was having a heart to heart with her father.

Little niggle ~ I could have went without the description of everyone's outfits just about every time someone new came on page.

After reading In Five Years, I should have expected there to be a twist. This book was such a fast read. I was shocked by how fast it went. I think the storyline needed it to be that fast or things would have gotten too deep. While I would have loved more of the ending, I appreciate that it ended the way it did. It ended with hope and promise.

Thank you to NetGalley @netgalley and Atria Books @atriabooks for a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

This was a very unique concept for a book! Whenever Daphne meets someone she’s going to date she receives a slip of paper with the length of time of each relationship until one day she just receives a name and no length of time.

I really liked the magical realism aspect of this book and I thought it was written really well and not overdone. I liked seeing every relationship she had and how it lead up to the final one.

Also the Jewish and chronic illness rep was written so well. Especially the parts about where she’s afraid people will judge her and treat her differently if they know about her chronic illness.

The ending wasn’t my favorite but it made for a nice book.

If you like books with magical realism and a unique love story then pick up this book!

Comes out March 19, 2024!

I was expecting something different, but I discovered a really satisfying read. Expiration Dates has a unique premise and has an interesting storyline. I enjoyed the characters, their development, and the story layout.

The story is told from Daphne’s POV. Daphne’s current day life - friends, career, boyfriend --is interspersed with chapters of her prior “doomed-by-a-note-with-a-deadline” relationships. At first, I thought it odd to include those varied past relationships, but those vignettes provide readers with a clear picture of Daphne’s psyche. Those chapters made it clear to me that she wasn’t “all in” with Jake, her career, and maybe even life.

I loved the secondary characters Kendra and Ilene. They offer not only friendship but very different perspectives of love and life to Daphne when she is searching for answers. I didn’t know what to think of Hugo (a prior beau with a five month expiration date), but he grew on me. I couldn’t help but wonder why he stuck around to be Daphne’s friend, and why the chemistry between those two was still off the charts.

My reading notes again and again call out the lack of chemistry between Daphne and Jack as well as Daphne’s luke-warm approach to everything in their relationship. It is as if she is biding her time waiting to see if the universe intervenes to take away her chance at a HEA. She never seems excited that she found a note with Jake’s name but no date. She just seems befuddled, and she passively follows the path that she is told to take by the mysterious note.

I wasn’t in love with the big twist, but it provides a great deal of insight into Daphne’s lack of ambition and acceptance of the mysterious expiration date notes. I loved the story’s zenith and denouement. It wasn’t all about a boy or a romantic relationship. It was about Daphne. It was about her making an investment in her future. It was about Daphne not passively waiting for the “universe” to define her but making choices and seeing where those choices took her. I LOVE that!

Just when you know what's going to happen, this opens a new page and then there's a twist. And it's not trope-y. Daphne's always gotten notes (and no, it's not clear who they're from) that tell her how l0ng her romantic relationship will last. One of those was Hugo, who turns into a BFF who is her biggest supporter but who is jealous when she meets Jake, whose note is blank, which makes her assume that he's her true love. And it seems great. No spoilers from me. This soars on the characters- Daphne, Jake, Hugo, her boss Irina, her friends, and most of all her parents (loved her parents). Know that this does move back and forth in time, which works better, I think, than a linear progression would have. The more I read, the more engaged and committed to Daphne than I expected to be because, well, no spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Really enjoyed this.

I Loved ❤️: this had the most charming, whimsical, and unique premise!!! I was drawn in immediately and flew through the story - it had Rebecca Serle’s perfect mix of mystery and whimsy that made me NEED to keep reading

I Liked 💜: I really enjoyed Daphne’s character arc and evolution - she seemed like she was on a mission to find her forever guy, but I think she found so much more and she was so endearing. The magical realism was folded into the story so effortlessly that I didn’t question it a bit. And there were a couple twists I did NOT see coming!

Tropes/Themes 💙:
magical realism
dual timelines

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I just adored and devoured this book!! This is my second book by the author and I loved both - I laugh, cry and make this face 🥹 constantly when I read her writing. I love that the two books I’ve read by her feature romance but are really about a strong gal who is finding her way/place/self. Although a short read, it’s filled with heart and emotions and will leave you thinking about it long after you finish!!

This is my first Rebecca Serle novel and I really enjoyed it. The story is about Daphne Bell, a single woman who is having trouble finding a long lasting relationship. Every time she meets someone, she finds a piece of paper with the person’s name and how long the relationship will last:. This goes on for years.. After numerous boyfriends, she meets Jake and when she receives the piece of paper with his name, there is no expiration date. Things are going well for Daphne and Jake but Daphne is questioning her ability to be happy. The novel explores commitment, friendship, and happiness in life. There is some magical realism which I usually don’t enjoy and sure enough, there was no explanation for why and where the notes with Daphne’s numerous boyfriends was coming from but I didn’t let that bother me too much.

I really enjoyed the novel; the characters were likeable and the ending was a bit of a surprise. I was routing for Daphne to get her happy ending. I think she did!?

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I very much enjoyed Expiration Dates, while also feeling like it was a bit short. I wanted more from the ending, but can also understand why it was left the way it was. This was certainly a fast read, and one that had me picking it back up shortly after putting it down. Even though no explanation was ever given for why Daphne was receiving the expiration dates, it was easy enough to suspend reality and take it for face value. I am a fantasy reader though, so those more used to your standard contemporary romance might not find it as easy.

Daphne is well-acquainted with the universe's peculiar way of guiding her love life: with each new romantic interest, she mysteriously receives a note detailing the duration of their relationship. When she encounters Jake and the accompanying note mysteriously lacks an expiration date, Daphne is convinced that fate has finally introduced her to her soulmate.

As their relationship deepens, Daphne finds herself grappling with the perfect moment to unveil her extraordinary experiences with Jake, who proves to be nothing short of wonderful.

My experiences with Rebecca Serle's novels have varied, but I'm delighted to report that "Expiration Dates" has firmly secured its place as a favorite, second only to "In Five Years." The narrative captivates with its pace and intrigue. While I anticipated one of the story's major twists, another caught me completely off guard. The novel beautifully explores themes of timing, life's unpredictable journey, and the essence of true love, leaving a lasting impression and a heartwarming message.

Rebecca’s books are so enjoyable to read. The premise was unique and engaging and I appreciate the life lessons that come along in reading her stories. In addition, the twists and turns in the story always help to keep me wanting to pick up the book to see what happens. I love Daphnes character and her flaws. It makes her real. Definitely recommend this one.

Not only was this book cute, it also explored a unique idea for a plot, which I really enjoy about Serle's work!
The main character was a bit flawed and frustrating at times, but despite that I was still in her corner cheering for her and whoever she chose in the end.

This book has a very interesting premise (and a lovely cover)! Daphne, our protagonist, gets an anonymous letter stating the exact duration any new relationship she gets into will last. Though it feels a bit creepy, the note is right every time and when she finally gets a note with no expiration date mentioned, her life begins to change.
I have read and enjoyed In Five Years, but was disappointed with the pacing and the characters in Expiration Dates.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange of an honest review!

This is just as good if not better than In Five Years. I stayed up way too late trying to read this in one day. I didn't quite know how it would end and there were definitely a few surprises but the ending was so satisfying! If you like epic love stories, give this one a read!

Expiration Dates comes out next week on March 19, 2024, and you can purchase HERE! I love this author!!

Across the pool was the Los Angeles skyline, a floating city in the clouds. Palm trees and towers and homes, side by side. That's the beauty of LA—it's sprawling, searching, a horizontal buffet of experiences. In New York, everything is happening on top of everything else-energy and expectation, stacked up like dominoes. Here, you have to hunt for what comes next.

Expiration Dates follows Daphne, a young woman with a special gift from the universe. Each time she meets a man she finds a piece of paper with his name on it and exactly how long the relationship will last. From 1 night to 2 years she always knows when a relationship is going to expire, until a blind date that leads to a paper that only says Jake. Did she finally find her forever?

This novel has a really interesting premise and, at least in the beginning, kind of grapples with the question of if you could know how a relationship turns out would you want to? Would you still be able to truly put yourself into it if you knew it wasn't going to last? We get alternating chapters of current day Daphne who is dating Jake and past Daphne and her other relationships. This premise gets kind of lost in the middle and the twist in the story kind of takes it in a completely different direction. I wish that it had stayed focused on the notes and the kind of emotional/moral dilemma that brings rather than what the focus of the second half of the book was (trying not to give anything away here...).

Overall I still liked it, but it fell a little short and wouldn't be the first Rebecca Serle book I recommended to a friend. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced e-copy of this book.