This was so beautiful. Painful, poignant, insightful. I didn’t always like Daphne, but I liked her growth throughout the story. This one will stick with me.

Book 14 of 2024-#ExpirationDates by @rebecca_serle
I loved this book so much.
All her life, at different times, Daphne has received a piece of paper with a name on it and a period of time. Then she would meet this person and they would be together the exact time of the note. At the beginning of the book, she has received a note with just a name and no end date. What does this mean? This book was magical. It took us through previous relationships and kept us up to date on the current situation. I don’t want to spoil the end, but I loved it! Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy!

I received an ARC copy of this book from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This is the third book I’ve read by Rebecca Serle and I really liked it! The first bit of the book I was honestly a bit confused and lost. As the story went on, character development built, and more context was given, I was following closely and pretty hooked!

I personally love a rom-com/rom-dram (not sure if this is a real term lol) and enjoy predictable endings! So if this sounds like your cup of tea, you’ll likely enjoy this easy read!

Okay this book was so not for me. The concept sounded so good. Getting a note with how long each of your relationships will last. I understood Daphne not being able to connect with people knowing there was an end date. But her behavior with Jake and Hugo was so frustrating. The twist that happens at 60% feels so misplaced. The whole book changed and became about that. And who she ends up with makes no sense and was maddening.

Six years of being a professional reader, and now a Top Reviewer for @Netgalley, I still get giddy when receiving invitations to read, or being automatically approved to read my favorite authors. Rebecca Serle is one of those. 
I think I read "Expiration Dates," too fast. I've had the worst book hangover all day. (In the best way) I loved it, I didn't want to put it down, I didn't want it to end. And then more than halfway through a twist that changed everything. Rebecca Serle is a storyteller you can count on, not one of her books will disappoint. This one is no different.
Daphne doesn't enter a romantic relationship without knowing when it's going to end. She receives a note with a name and a period of time, for example "Hugo" three months. Their heat and chemistry is undeniable, Hugo's charisma leaps off the pages.  Daphne and Hugo remain friends after their relationship ends, and somehow he's the only one who knows her secret. So when she gets a paper with the name "Jake," and no expiration date she is convinced he is the one. As their relationship develops, Jake is everything Daphne needs him to be, and he accepts Daphne for all her perfects and all her faults. The story flashes back and gives us glimpses into Daphne's prior relationships, so we can really see how good Jake is for Daphne. When it comes time for her to move in, Daphne worries she will finally have to reveal her secret. 
With a touch of magical realism implying the universe has some say in our fates, Serle's latest did not disappoint. I felt these stories of Daphne's relationships, I lived this book while I read it. So good.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing this ARC!

I think I have come to the conclusion that Rebecca Serle's books are just not for me. The premises are always incredibly unique and interesting, but something gets lost in the execution. I think magical realism can be done well but when it is never explained or explored further it can take the reader out of the story.

I love Rebecca Serle and her books. All of her books have deep meaning and make you think. As a single woman, this book hit even more deeply for me. I did a lot of reflecting while reading and enjoyed the concept of the book. It made me think, how would I have handled certain relationships differently if I KNEW ahead of time the time limit on them? The only reason for four stars, verse five is because I wish we got a little more at the end.

A sweet novel that follows Daphne who receives random pieces of paper that tell her how long her relationships will last. when she gets one with Jake's name, the paper is blank. Is this the one? No expiration date?

Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

I have enjoyed all of Rebecca Serle’s books, but I think this may be my favorite. The premise in this one is that Daphne gets notes letting her know exactly how long her relationships with men will last. This is an interesting premise, but another secret is revealed part way through the book that takes it to another level. Enough said other than that I absolutely loved this book!

Whenever I read a book by Rebecca Serle, I feel like I’m in a different world. Her stories are filled with many descriptions that you can vividly picture each moment. My favorite characteristic of her books is they always contain something mystical for the character.

This story was no different for the main character. Daphne can always predict who her next relationship will be with and for how long, but only because she’s given a slip of paper with their name and a timeframe before it starts.

There were several twists in the plot that I didn’t expect, which made what I thought would be a predictable book the opposite. I love the writing style, so I’ll read all of Rebecca Serle’s stories regardless, haha.

This was an excellent follow-up novel to One Italian Summer (which I’m currently having the worst time reconciling came out nearly two years ago already??)

This book has an interesting concept. What if you knew exactly how long each romantic relationship would last?Would it change the way you perceived the relationship, would you act differently? I enjoyed the story, but I thought at times it was a little slow. I really wanted more at the end. I felt like the story just ended, skipping over some of the best part. As a reader, I want the romantic pay off at the end, seeing the characters play out their love story more in depth. Overall this was a decent read, just felt it could have been so much more.

I'm really torn on this book. On one hand, the majority of the storytelling was fantastic and definitely threw me for curves I didn't expect, but the end felt rushed and left me confused with unanswered questions. Serle did an excellent job building the story of our main protagonist, Daphne, but I felt like the development of Hugo was lacking. I wanted very much to absolutely love it but it just wasn't a home run for me as it is now. 3 1/2 stars. I still love Searle as an author and she will continue to be a must-read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: every time a woman meets a new man to date she receives a letter indicating how long they will be together…until one day where she receives a letter with no expiration date.
Pros/cons: I am not the biggest Rebecca Serle fan, I’m just being honest, but figured I’d give this a go. I actually really liked the premise of the book. And this was a short book, but it dragged so much in the middle. I found it extremely boring with information about past relationships we didn’t need and a female lead who was pretty selfish. Then there was a twist that kind of brought the story down more. But in the end it was able to turn around a bit and I did like the conclusion- but it was a total mixed bag for me to get there.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this arc, releasing next month. If you were a fan of In Five Years and One Italian Summer I think you’ll like this all the same!

*I highly recommend going in completely blind. I will not be providing a summary in my review*

Thank you #partner Atria Books for my #gifted copy ❤️

Soooo I'm torn on this one.
On one hand, I loved it! The blending of magical realism and romance is a favorite of mine! But on the other hand, I was expecting a little bit *more* from it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

For the first 75% of this book, I was convinced it would be a 5 star read. The concept is so clever and original, and Daphne is a loveable protagonist that readers can become invested in. That said, I didn't love the way the book wrapped up. And maybe that's a "me" problem, as I was predicting the ending and my prediction was wrong 😆. Though I did expect more closure on some issues, and the ending felt a bit rushed. I wasn't ready for this to be over and was actually surprised that it was. It was abrupt. So as someone who prefers short books, I'm actually wishing this was a little bit longer.

Despite my criticisms (I know this review sounds like a negative one), I really did enjoy this overall, and I'd definitely recommend it. I'm settling on 4 stars, but might change that later after I've sat with my thoughts.

I've loved Serle's last two books (both 5 stars) so she will remain an auto-read author for me.

What if you started a new relationship...already knowing how long it would last? Such is the case for Daphne Bell. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it, stating the timespan of the relationship. But what will happen when she meets Jake—and finds his paper, without a date on it?

EXPIRATION DATES had such a creative, fascinating premise, which hooked me instantly! I always love how much detail Rebecca Serle infuses into her stories, and this one was no different. The book takes readers to a variety of cities with Daphne and her different love interests, from NYC to Paris to LA, and each one is so well-developed. I appreciated how Serle gives attention to even the smaller, more mundane-seeming details, like what the characters are wearing or what they order for dinner—it really grounded me in their world. The Jewish rep was another highlight of this book for me. And, although EXPIRATION DATES focuses more on romantic relationships, my favorite relationship by far was the one between Daphne and her parents. I loved the strong, supportive bond that the family had, as well as the important relationship Daphne develops with herself, and how she grows as an individual throughout, despite what happens with all her different love stories. In terms of things I didn't love as much, there was a twist introduced at about 60% into the story that—trying not to be too spoilery here—I thought Serle handled well, but ultimately found a bit cliche and unnecessary. I'm not usually a huge fantasy fan, but I thought the magical realism was such an interesting part of the story, and wished that thread of the storyline had been fleshed-out more, rather than introducing this new plot twist. However, I still really enjoyed EXPIRATION DATES—I think it might be my favorite of Rebecca Serle's novels, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.

I could not finish this book.

I really wanted to like this book but the formatting w/ the flashbacks to each love interest of the main character spanning from previous years took me out of the story and I got bored. I really tried to get more into the story, but then in addition to the formatting, there was too much descriptive detail of the settings that the characters were in...again, I got bored and my mind wondered.

Rating: 4/5

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rebecca Serle will forever be one of my favorite writers with her unique blend of magical realism, contemporary romance and women’s fiction. It’s both quirky and filled with heart. Generally, there’s also a life lesson.

Expiration Dates was no different, from the beginning you knew this story was going to be unexpected. I mean, the premise is surrounding a women who gets mysterious notes with the name and length of her relationship with a man.

The Jewish representation in this book was amazing, and I loved Daphne’s friendships with her boss and former coworker.

I can say while I did really love parts of this book I also felt it was missing something. I’ve said this before and past reviews, but I do feel like Serle’s books are a bit incomplete. At times they feel too short, and that we didn’t get enough time to be invested in the characters or get more background.

It took me a bit to get into the book, but the second half move very fast. One complaint I do have is that I would’ve liked the past scenes to be in chronological order.

She’s a quick, short read and great for the beach!

Rating: 4/5

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rebecca Serle will forever be one of my favorite writers with her unique blend of magical realism, contemporary romance and women’s fiction. It’s both quirky and filled with heart. Generally, there’s also a life lesson.

Expiration Dates was no different, from the beginning you knew this story was going to be unexpected. I mean, the premise is surrounding a women who gets mysterious notes with the name and length of her relationship with a man.

The Jewish representation in this book was amazing, and I loved Daphne’s friendships with her boss and former coworker.

I can say while I did really love parts of this book I also felt it was missing something. I’ve said this before and past reviews, but I do feel like Serle’s books are a bit incomplete. At times they feel too short, and that we didn’t get enough time to be invested in the characters or get more background.

It took me a bit to get into the book, but the second half move very fast. One complaint I do have is that I would’ve liked the past scenes to be in chronological order.

She’s a quick, short read and great for the beach!

Ever since her first boyfriend in middle school, Daphne has received a note that tells her exactly how long the relationship will last, whether 1 night or 2 years. But on the day this story begins, Daphne receives a note with just a name, no timeline. What could it mean?

There’s more to the story, but I think this one resonates more if you go in blind. This was a heartwarming and sweet story with the perfect dash of magical realism about one woman’s journey back to loving herself and finding out if she truly believes in “the one.”

While I did really enjoy this one, there were a few things I didn’t love, including the somewhat abrupt ending. I wanted more!

Pub Date: 3/19/24
Review Published: 2/17/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up
I finished this book a couple of days ago. I've been trying to figure out how to write a review. How do I describe what I just read.

Daphne lives in LA, she works as an assistant to a producer. She's trying to find love. She's about to be setup on a blind date. She receives a note that says "Jake but nothing else." She translates that her date is the person she's going to marry. Usually she receives notes or postcards with a name and a time limit or an expiration date. The book takes back through each note and that relationship. Her best friend and ex boyfriend Hugo "3 months" is a constant in her life. Her parents live close and are very close to her.

I really enjoyed the book. I loved the writing and the fantasy mixed in. It evoked tears in my eyes. The ending fell flat or felt rushed. I'm not sure exactly how I felt but it was lacking. But overall I really liked the book.