Wow - drop what you are doing and read this book right now! This book is about a girl who knows how long each relationship will last because she receives a note of some kind with an expiration date each time she meets someone new. When the book begins, she has gotten yet another note, but this one doesn't have a end date. Is this the one? I'm just going to say that this book is so so much more than that description above, but anything else I say will give away at least one of the twists I did not see coming and which made this book a new favorite of mine. So well done!

A wonderful story of self discovery, love and self acceptance. Daphne takes you on a relatable journey as she deals with what life throws at her in all aspects.

Daphne Bell has a unique perspective on her relationships: She knows how long they'll last before they start. Daphne receives a slip of paper with a name and time frame each time she starts a new relationship, and each time the relationship ends after that length of time. So when she receives a name with no time frame, she assumes this is the one. THE one. But does the "universe" really know all the answers?

Okay, so this book was not for me. Not only could I not connect with Daphne, by the middle of the book, I really disliked her. This made it impossible for me to empathize with her situation, so by the end of the book, I didn't really care who she ended up with, I just wanted it to be over. That said, books are such a personal experience, I am very sure there are people who will totally sync with this character and love this book! It's just not me.

This was such a completely unique storyline. I actually loved the element of magical realism that was added. It was subtle and still made the story feel authentic. Daphne’s journey broke my heart a little and I loved reading about her story, but the timelines did get a bit confusing to me at times. Her relationship with her best friend was one of my favorite parts!

I do have mixed feelings over the ending because I wanted more. It was kind of frustrating to me the way it played out for a few different reasons, however I really did enjoy the overall storyline if it was executed a bit differently! I also feel like as I was reading her past relationships, it wasn’t as impactful as it should have been since we already knew it wasn’t going to last.

Emotional and heartbreaking, this book looks at finding your truth and what love really looks like and I did enjoy the themes presented in the book.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

I read Expiration Dates pretty much in one sitting and just gobbled down the story. It was an effortless read and I really enjoyed the style of the writing in that the lead character told about the past while adding perspective to the stories, so while being dual timeline (I suppose), it didn’t altogether feel that way.
It was a lot deeper of a book than I expected it to be, and I found myself thinking a lot and asking what I’d do if I were in Daphnes situation.

One of the trigger warnings kind of threw me for a loop and made me more emotional than I expected to be, but I pushed through my surprise and overall was pleased with the story. This is my first book by Rebecca and now I want to read her backlist!

Thanks so much to Atria books, NetGalley and Rebecca Serle for the arc to read. All thoughts and opinions were mine.

Expiration Dates is the story of Daphne, a young thirty something living in LA who receives a piece of paper when she starts seeing someone new telling her how long the relationship will last.

Daphne lets that paper be her relationship guide and when she gets one with no time limit before a blind date she knows she's found "the one." But what does "the one" really mean? How can you find love if you don't love yourself?

Struggling to put into words how I felt about this one. Cool concept, liked the characters enough to be invested and it reads easily. It jumps back and forth between past loves and present day but some of the past relationships didn't really add much to the story for me.

It's hard to talk about this one without spoiling anything but I will say I enjoyed the ending and way that the story ended. There were parts of Daphne's story that I wish would have been talked about more but overall if you're a fan of magical realism you'll like this one too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.