Expiration Dates gave me all feels. I love a book that's touching and makes me smile and laugh. Highly recommend this one!

This book had a slower start for me, but I really stuck with it because I was genuinely curious how this all played out for Daphne.

The premise of the book is that Daphne gets notes upon meeting a man, that tells her exactly how long the relationship will last. From one night (that one stung to read) to the latest, which was an open-ended note, listing just a name.

For me, the whole plot and storyline got a little muddy when it was revealed that there is more to Daphne's current state of mind than just the Expiration Dates. From that point on, it became hard for me to decipher if Daphne was grappling with this very fake thing that was introduced at the start of this book or this very real thing that was thrown in out of nowhere. It felt to me personally that the two shouldn't mix, although magical realism elements aren't typically something I read often, so I might be the wrong audience.

I did absolutely bawl at the scene with Daphne and her father. I thought Rebecca Serle really nailed parenthood and the love you have for your children so well.

In the author's note, Serle writes that this was about the search for love. For me, some of the best parts are when you're with Daphne on that journey--her night in NYC, the two different men that shaped her time in San Fran and even Hugo (for the most part).

The plot, combined with the open-ended nature of the ending, would make this a good book club pick because there is so much to discuss! Even I'm a bit conflicted just writing this review!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

💌 Expiration Dates - Rebecca Serle (3/19)

4.25 ⭐️ - Oh my heart. This is my favorite Rebecca Serle thus far! (I picked The Dinner List for my March book club so we’ll see if that sticks 👀) This one has such a unique take on romance, hidden health battles, and discovering self love.

Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a piece of paper with his name and an exact amount of time they’ll be together. Daphne has been receiving these notes for over twenty years, wondering when one will come without an expiration date. Until finally, after a blind date out in LA, she receives a paper that just says “Jake.” As her story with Jake unfolds, Daphne finds herself grappling with commitment, truthfulness, and what life “should” look like.

HOW CUTE does this sound?! It’s everything you think it will be and more. It has lovable moments, it has funny moments, it has sad moments, and it has honest moments. The messages about love, self discovery, and relationships are beautiful and true. This is a shorty, but I could have read more. I definitely recommend this one to all your romance fans!

These pieces of paper hit shelves on 3/19 and yall better keep a look out! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the early ARC!

This book started slowly, but once it got going I couldn't put it down! Rebecca Serle never disappoints! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Daphne has a secret…it sounds strange. Every boyfriend she has ever had has come with an expiration date….like an actual one. A piece of paper shows up with the name of the guy and how long the relationship will last. One night, 3 months, 2 yeas…but she always knows when the end is coming. Hugo had 3 months. While they didn’t work out romantically, they are still best friends. Daphne hasn’t given up on love, but will the paper with forever intended for her ever come?

I love Serle’s style….she take a simple, quirky idea and makes it work in the sweetest romance books that aren’t cookie cutter. I highly recommend this one!

I don’t think Rebecca’s books are for me. Now that I know how twisty her books are all I do is try to figure out the twist from the first page, which takes away the surprise and tension.

I didn’t love Daphne in this. Or Hugo really either - also he plays a way bigger part than the blurb suggest. Jake is the best. But this book is also sad while not making me cry even close to her other books, I think because I felt so disconnected from the story. I wanted to love it and I read it in 2 days. But I’m so annoyed by it and especially by how it ended.

Every time Daphne meets a new guy she receives a piece of paper with a number stating the length of the relationship. Until one day she gets a paper that just says “Jake” with no end date to the relationship. Daphne does not know if this no end date means that he is her forever or not. The book focuses on this relationship as well as her relationship with her best friend Hugo and prior romantic relationships.

This was such a quick read and heartwarming love story. I loved the flashbacks to Daphne's previous relationships and really love a second-chance romance.

Since the very early stirrings of puppy love, Daphne had known how long her relationships would last. It wasn't a feeling, but rather an actual note from "the powers that be". These notes always indicated the person and a length of time until Jake's note. That note only contained his name giving Daphne hope that he was "the one" with no expiration date in sight, but could the universe have gotten it wrong?

I am sitting next to a pile of crumpled tissues, the result of reading this book. I am a fan of Serle's books and have grown to expect the unexpected, to have my heart broken, but to also be challenged by her characters' journeys. Once again, she has managed to surprise me with this thoughtful and lovely story of love and heartbreak.

As with all Serle's books, the magical element allows for an interesting way to set the character on their journey. These expiration dates broke Daphne's life into finite blocks of time which could seem like a gift, but they could also be a barrier. Embarking on a relationship, knowing it's bound to end had Daphne keeping an emotional distance. This note with no end date was a game changer. It was new territory for Daphne, and it begged to question if the end dates were legitimate or a self-fulfilling prophesy. Was Daphne really destined to a chain of short relationships or did she never give these romances a fair chance?

Regardless, it was thought-provoking. The peeks into her past were heartbreaking for me, but helped me form a full picture of how she got to this point. Maybe those flashbacks made me appreciate her situation with Jake even more. I have to admit, there was a reveal that made me understand Daphne a LOT more, and then that OMG moment later. Wow! I was thrown. I will say that there were tears from that point forward, but they turned from sad to happy, as I was gifted with what I consider a hopeful ending for Daphne.

Overall, this was quite a journey for both me and Daphne. It was a beautiful exploration of love of all kinds, as well as a compelling story of self discovery. I laughed, I cried, I felt some joy, and I reveled in every second of it.

Rebecca Serle's books are always a little thought provoking, and this one is no exception. I would categorize this one as more women's fiction than romance however it did have a romance subplot. It started off with Daphne who we later on learn has a chronic illness which I'm not sure why the author kept it as a huge mystery, I found this a little problematic. Daphne is a woman that because of her chronic illness leaves it up to the universe for every decision and hasn't decided on what she's worthy of.

Throughout the story, we find Daphne transform and decide what she's worthy of and no longer allowing the universe to make decisions for her.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

There are not many novels that accurately capture what it feels like to be single amongst a gaggle of not single people. Expiration Dates joins the rankings next to Dolly Alderton's Ghosts, in my opinion. Daphne's inner monologue sounded so much like some of my very own thoughts that I found myself nodding along as I was reading the words on the pages. Not only that, I rooted for her to find love, be true to herself, and feel confident. I could not stop tearing through this novel and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to read it early!

I was so excited to read this one after I fell so in love with One Italian Summer. I loved the idea of the premise here but didn’t feel like I was invested enough in Daphne as a character even with the knowledge of her background and everything she’d be through. It felt like she’d doubted things before with Jake but didn’t act on the doubt until she found out the truth regarding his slip of paper. And then once that was resolved everything just seemed to end too quickly. I wanted more for the ending and just didn’t get everything that I was hoping for as I did with OIS.

Another winner by Rebecca Serle! I have loved all of her books and this was no exception. Expiration Dates was a super unique premise and I loved how the story played out. This was a quick easy read — highly recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley!

Rebecca Serle could write anything and I could read it. Her fantastical realism makes my heart flutter with joy. I loved this book, truly. As someone who is also single in their thirties and always wondering when "the one" will show up, hit home for me. Her relationship with Hugo made my heart swell and how it compared with her affection for Jake, solely because she thought he was the one.

The ending was perfect and I loved (just like all her other books) how thought provoking it was. My only dislike was that Hugo didn't stand up for himself and their relationship more, it would have saved them a lot of pain. Overall 4.4/5

OK, the queen of magical realism is back with..... her best yet?! I simply ADORED this book. It's short and sweet, and I loved this general positivity about modern dating. It SUCKS out there, but Daphne (as the reader realizes) has a different mindset around it. It was a breath of fresh air. I could see this book becoming a fabulous romcom (and considering it takes place in the world of Hollywood, it seems possible!!?)

I had high hopes for this one, as I really enjoyed IN FIVE YEARS by Rebecca Serle. Unfortunately, EXPIRATION DATES has a great concept, but the execution fell flat. The premise is great - the main character Daphne has received "notes" for every guy that she has ever dated which states exactly how long the relationship is going to last. All have had an end date, either in days, months, or years. The story begins where she finally gets "the" note - a note with no expiration date. Is this finally her forever person?

I really wanted to LOVE this book, but I found Daphne to be really unlikeable and blah. The magical realism part of the plot was a great premise, but the story haphazardly jumped timeframes really with no rhyme or reason, and made the story feel unnecessarily choppy. There is an emotional twist about 2/3 of the way through, but I think it would have worked better being woven in a bit earlier so you could join Daphne's full thought process throughout her relationship with Jake. Without this perspective, it kind of just made me even more infuriated at how the ending developed and how Daphne treated Jake. I think this will resonate better with some than others, but overall it isn't a read I would strongly recommendation.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much. I finished it quickly. While I initially thought it was going to be quite predictable, about half way through I was quite surprised. It was a feel good book, but with more depth and a unique story line. While I wish the paper slips had been resolved or explained in any way I did find it added some interesting touches to the story

This was actually my first read of Rebecca's, and I liked it a lot. I have heard great things about her as an author so I did have pretty high expectations. I liked that it was on the shorter side, as they tend to hold my attention a little bit more than a longer novel.

I really enjoyed how magical realism was woven into the storyline, and it didn't feel overdone or too cliche. There were also a lot of life lessons interspersed, which I enjoy. Daphne and Jake were very likable and easy-to-read characters, I felt connected to them and they had great chemistry on the page. Overall I enjoyed the book and will be looking into Rebecca's other novels as well.

She is an author that I I always enjoy reading. This one was on my most anticipated list for months.

The main character, Daphne, finds a piece of paper every time she meets a new romantic love interest. The paper tells the person's name and the exact amount of time they will be together. At the beginning of the novel, she meets Jake and his piece of paper has no end date. Is he her happily ever after?

Throughout the novel we see her relationship with Jake progress, see her past relationships told through flashbacks, and also watch as she continues her best friendship with Hugo, a previous relationship with an end date.

The novel was more of a slow burn than I expected with a lot of character development.

I did enjoy this book in the end; however, it was very different than what I was expecting from it. There were some sweet moments with the characters and some deep questions about fate and free will, but in the end I tried not to think about it too much and just enjoy the ride.

This was cute and an incredibly fast read. The premise was super unique, which I loved. All in all a solid read!