5 Stars

I truly loved Expiration Dates and I couldn’t put it down.

I read it mostly over the course of one day but was always actively thinking about it when I had to stop reading. I even told my husband all about it (against his will) when I was about 70% in, which speaks to how captivated I was.

Daphne is a 30-something year-old woman who has received notes over the course of her life with the name of the next person she will date & how long the relationship will last. It’s always been spot on & given her life a plan. What happens when she gets a note with a man’s name & no expiration date?

This was my first book by Rebecca Serle and it definitely won’t be my last. I had previously heard glowing reviews about her other books but had never taken the plunge—I’m so glad I finally did. I found myself with welled up eyes a few times throughout. Expiration Dates was deep, thought provoking and had great messaging about love, living life to the fullest. More specifically even, how we would live and love if we knew not only that our time was measured (of course we all know life is short) but if we knew the exact amount of time with each person? I loved, loved it!

Thank you to Net Galley & Atria for the ARC of Expiration Dates in exchange for an honest review.

“Learning to be broken is learning to be whole.”

Daphne’s journey throughout Expiration Dates is moving and beautiful. This is so much more than a love story, and I won’t dive too much further into it as to not reveal some aspects that are throughout the novel, but I loved the direction Serle took this story.

Are we destined to make the choices we do? What path would we find ourselves on if we steered the course differently than what we thought the stars had aligned? This is ultimately what Daphne grapples with as she receives the timeline for each of the love interests that enter her life.

By far my favorite Rebecca Serle novel. I love a touch of magical realism and the character growth in this is excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books.

I loved that you didn’t really know where this book was going. I loved the way it made me think about life and how every day is precious. I loved every part of this book.

Expiration Dates is about Daphne who finds pieces of paper that tell her how long each relationship will last - her relationship’s expiration date. Daphne has lived her life according to this expiration dates instead of maybe her heart.

I liked this book but I didn’t love it. It felt like a little something was missing in order for me to really connect (and honestly cry like I have at all her other books). It took me a bit to figure out how the book was set up. I thought the storyline was unique and I liked the characters although you’ll probably be screaming in your head for Daphne to see what’s right in front of her! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed you read it.

Every time Daphne meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and number on it. That number is the exact amount of time they will be together. She is waiting for the day. She will receive a piece of paper with just a name and no expiration date. The only person who knows about the pieces of paper is Hugo, her ex-boyfriend, and now best friend.

When Daphne finally meets Jake on a blind date, there is only a name, she wonders if this is her soulmate and how her other relationships would have played out if she didn't know the ending. She also knows that she is keeping secrets that would hurt Jake. Should she tell him the truth about the papers? What would happen if he knew the truth?

Rebecca Serle has written two of our favorite books from the past few years and every book she writes is more creative and unique than the last. This book did not disappoint. It looks at love from a different perspective with warmth and humor. #gifted

Let me first say I love Rebecca Serle's books! I love her characters and also her settings. In fact, her settings tend to become characters in their own right in each of her books. Her newest book, Expiration Dates, takes place in Los Angeles. In the story, the main character Daphne, has an unusual quirk in her life,. She receives pieces of paper with a man's name and the exact amount of time that she will be with that man. One day she receives a paper that just has a name, with no date. She thinks this will be the one. However, as the relationship progresses she begins to wonder if he really is the one for her.
I was hooked from the beginning. I loved all the characters, especially her best friend Hugo. It was fun to follow Daphne through her dating life. I can't recommend this book enough. It had all the emotions!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC

This is the first book I have read from Rebecca Serle and quickly fell in love with it. Daphne has a secret. When she starts a new relationship, she receives a piece a paper with the man's name and how much time she has for that relationship. However, when she receives a piece a paper with Jake's name, there is no timeframe on the paper. Does this mean she has found the one she will spend the rest of her life with?

I loved the premise of this book and the idea that you would know how long a relationship would last. I enjoyed learning about Daphne's previous relationships and how it led to her friendship with Hugo and her relationship with Jake. This book was full of emotions and found myself wanting more for Daphne. However, I was very happy with how this book ended and will be looking for more book from Rebecca Serle to read in the future.

Expiration Dates comes out on March 19th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to review Expiration Dates. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Five stars, I loved the book. Great use of storytelling with some good twists and perfect dollop of magical realism. I enjoyed Searle's previous book, In Five Years (though not One Italian Summer, so much). I'm looking forward to Serle's next book..she's established a place on my "read the next book" list of authors.

****Publishing March 19, 2024****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Imagine receiving pieces of paper since 5th grade with your date’s name on them and how long this date would last? This is exactly what has been happening to Daphne. Until one day, the paper only had Jake’s name with no end date. Could this be the one? After she is engaged to Jake, she is confronted by Hugo, a date turned best friend, who wants to spend the rest of his life with her. How will she take Hugo’s confession? In the end, who will she end up with? After years of dating, how do you choose after being told who to date?

A clever, funny, and entertaining take on dating life! If you need a lighter and entertaining story, then add this to your TBR list! A great book to read on vacation or discuss at your next book club!

Thanks to Atria Books, I was provided an ARC of Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #Netgalley

The book description says, "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."
This encapsulates the emotions and feelings I had while reading this book. Daphne has a best friend, Hugo, who she did date for the allotted 3 months at one point. Their friendship they built post-dating is really lovely. Jake was a sweetheart, and perfect on paper, but the question was, is he perfect for Daphne? I also appreciated Daphne's sense of trying to determine what she wanted for her future, not just with a partner, but for her career. It added another layer to the story that already was addressing uncertainty about the future. It broke my heart, but then put it back together by the end. It was truly an emotional journey.

Rebecca Serle has done it again! EXPIRATION DATES feels like a warm hug against the chill of a winter night. We follow Daphne as she receives magical notes from the universe with the length of her romantic relationships. This time Daphne receives a note with just a name and no timeframe, leading her to believe she’s found her forever person.

This is not a romance, but it is a love story of self love and the reality of life. Serle writes grief and emotion so well, and EXPIRATION DATES is no exception. Marvelously crafted with an easy character to delve into, and a couple twists that add infinite value to the story. I’m not 100% convinced by the end, but I can see why it was chosen so I’m not too pressed by it. Those who loved Serle’s other works and who want something tender and gritty all at once should absolutely have EXPIRATION DATES on their radar.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. EXPIRATION DATES by Rebecca Serle out 3/19/24.

(3.5 stars) Would you want to know how long your romantic relationships would last before they even got started? That’s the reality for our main character, Daphne, who has been receiving a note with the name of her new romantic interest and the duration of their relationship since she first showed interest in guys. I was drawn in by this premise and also by the fact that I have enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s previous novels, In Five Years and One Italian Summer.

Daphne receives a note with a name, but no timeline. For the first time in her life, Daphne enters into a relationship that isn’t supposed to end. But as she experiences fully embracing her relationship with a stand-up guy named Jake, she can’t help but be faced with questions she had never asked herself about what she wants from a life partner and what she truly envisions for herself. There’s only one other person who knows about the notes, her ex turned close friend, Hugo. Interspersed within the story are Daphne’s past relationships, ranging from one night to over two years.

I enjoyed this book, but I was left wanting more from it. The topic is so unique, however, I was left feeling like I had read similar tropes before: what do you do when your heart and head are telling you different things? And what do you do when you finally get everything you ever hoped for? And although I didn’t see the twist coming, I felt that it led us to an ending that was more predictable than I would have liked. Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

This book was like a breath of fresh air. It was a feel good, hard to put down, smile inducing, gripping read! Plus, it also felt like a love letter to the City of Angels!

Daphne Bell has been receiving little slips of paper for quite some time. These little pieces of magic let her know who long she is going to be with someone. But when her friend sets her up to meet a man named, Jake, the piece of paper has no date. Nada. Could he be the one??? He is a great guy! Is he Daphne’s happily ever after?

While learning more about Daphne and her meet cute with Jake, readers are given glimpses into Daphne's past relationships. Plus, we see Daphne hanging out with Hugo, her best friend and former boyfriend. He also happens to be the only person she has confided in about the slips of paper.

This was a unique and original book. It can easily be read in one day. It was entertaining and had me smiling. It also had me reminiscing as I lived Los Angeles for almost 20 years. It is always fun to read a book and recognize and have been to the places being mentioned. My only quip, I would take Bristol Farms any day of the week over Erewhon. But I digress.

This was my first book by Serle, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Expiration Dates was a fun read with a neat concept for the main character Daphne who each time she meets in a new love interest she would receive a piece of paper with a number, representing how much time she would have with that man.

Did I enjoy the book, yes. Did I live it no.

Expiration Dates was unlike anything I’ve ever read. Daphne’s story was so multifaceted and explored the various types of love one experiences in life. The story moved a bit slowly at times, but I enjoyed learning about Daphne’s history and journey. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Expiration Dates. This is my third read by Rebecca Serle. Although Expiration Dates was an easy, quick read. I found it underwhelming. I was hoping for more. I appreciate the work that went into writing the book. Maybe I am just in a time where this wasn't the right read for me as I am a mood reader.

I fell in love with Rebecca Serle's writing after reading " In Five Years" ( I think most of us did, right? ). I did not love the twist at the end of in five years and that book broke my heart in ways Expiration Dates just healed it. This cute lovely romance was perfect. This was such a sweet book with a touch of magical realism, my favourite.

the premise of this book was so intriguing and the short chapters and less than 300 pages of this story made it such a quick and fun read! EXPIRATION DATES follows daphne bell who gets a letter every time she starts a relationship that tells her exactly how long she will be together with that person. however, one day she just receives a note with a name and no date. what does this mean? is he going to be her forever?

this concept was so different than anything I have read before and added such a cool layer to the story. we get some flashbacks to prior relationships, ranging from 5 days to 2 years, and get some insight into how this strict timeline affects her relationships over the years. we also see her grapple with her future, coming to terms with the fact that this might be her last relationship and finally opening herself up to a relationship without a predetermined end date.

while I thought the plot was really interesting and it was a fun, fast-paced, well-written story, there was something about this book I couldn't fully connect with, potentially due to how short the book is. I didn't feel that strong connection to any of the characters throughout and got confused at times due to the quick jumps between various time frames. ultimately, I would recommend this fast read though for fans of other rebecca serle books, magical realism, and contemporary romances!

final rating: 3.5 stars

After enjoying a few of Serle’s previous novels, I’m confused as to what happened here! the concept/synopsis is incredible and unique but this REALLY fell flat and was full of plot holes. I have no idea why Serle’s writing seems so amateurish here, especially in dialogue scenes, when I’ve read other great books from her and know what she is capable of!

How would you feel if you knew the end dates of all your relationships? That's what happens with Daphne Bell. When she meets a new man, she receives a piece of paper with the length of time the relationship will last. She seems all right with this until she meets Hugo. He is supposed to last only three months, but when the relationship is over they remain friends. When Daphne meets Jake, the piece of paper has no numbers on it and Daphne feel this is the one. But is it? Very enjoyable and entertaining novel.