I was so excited to read this book because I absolutely loved One Italian Summer and was looking so forward to the magical realism aspect that typically comes into play in her books. I thought that the magical realism was such a fun concept, like imagine if you were given a slip of paper with the name of who you were going to date with a timeline of how long! Kind of crazy.

I thought that how we got to experience Daphne's romantic relationships as she grows up was super intriguing.. And how she worked through her love and growth of who she wants to be throughout the story was well done.

This book was heading directly into 4 star territory and then the ending happened and plummeted it down to a 3 star. I am so upset by what happened and how the ending came to be. I was actually viscerally enraged as I sat in my doctors office waiting room finishing this book. But, it ruined the whole book for me. Womp womp.

Expiration Dates

4.25 ⭐️

I think this might be my favorite Rebecca Serle book so far! I’ve only read a few of her recent books, but this one was so sweet and beautiful.

As soon as one of Daphne’s relationships starts, she always gets a note with the day it will end. Things take a turn when one note doesn’t have an end date, but it isn’t want she’s been looking for. Daphne must figure out how to answer some tough questions and if she should stick with what the universe tells her or write her own timeline.

I genuinely enjoyed this fast read. Daphne had so much character growth, and I loved the person she ended up with. Halfway through I didn’t see the more serious twist coming, but I thought it added a really good depth to the story.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC. Check this book out next month!

Sad but this book just did not do it for me. I was so excited to get an ARC but it just didn’t really sustain my interest. I thought the premise of k owing how long a romantic relationship os going to last kind of intriguing, bit it just sort of fizzled out for me

3.5 Stars - I enjoyed this book, but didn't love it. The concept was cute. I saw the ending coming pretty early on, but it was still interesting to see how we get there. It's a fun, quick read if you need something light with a little bit of mystery.

Rebecca Serle does it again with "Expiration Dates"! As always, Serle has an incredible talent for combining romance, magical realism, and a hint of mystery. I always get shocked by what comes up about halfway through each of her books, and the plot twist in "Expiration Dates" did not let down. Without spoiling anything, I loved how the main character's narrative flowed beautifully into the theme of the story. It was both devastating and hopeful, which kept me engaged and rooting for these characters. Oh, and Daphne's father's speech as the end...I have no words, I just sobbed. Brilliant book! As always, I look forward to sharing this one with everyone and would recommend it for book clubs as well! Thanks to Atria Books for the free ARC.

Daphne receives a note for every man she dates. It has his name and precisely how long their relationship will last written on it. It has never been wrong.
This book starts with her receiving a note with the name Jake written on it with no expiration date.

I think about things like this all the time. If you knew when you did something that you’d have the time of your life for a certain amount of time but when it ends it’ll end very badly. Would you still do it? If you could look up the date when you will die, would you want to know? And if you did, do you think it would change the way you lived your life?
It’s such a weird thing to think about and this book explores that but with relationships.
Without any spoilers, I really enjoyed this book. It has that tiny magical element but it’s so small that it just makes this romance a little more unique. I loved the way this book was paced. It flowed nicely. You go back in time at some parts to see her past relationships. It’s little snapshots of Daphne living her life. She’s a bit melancholy and lost, in a sense. I think it was a little hard to connect with her at first but the more you learn about her you understand her more. She’s a beautiful character.
I could tell from the beginning that this book would take a kind of sad turn. In the end though, I felt it was really beautiful. The idea of love and what it means to all of us. The idea that love isn’t always enough. It’s heartbreaking but it’s life.
Life is worth living. Love isn’t a guarantee but it’s worth the risk and effort if you find the right person.
Also, with the whole overall message of this book, I really loved the ending. I thought it was the absolute perfect ‘ending’ for this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. It was amazing.

2.5 stars. Oh this book. How quickly it reads and yet how deeply it annoys. I'll have to be vague about my concerns to avoid spoilers, but I can safely say that Expiration Dates is NOT "the romance that will define a generation," as promised by the publisher's description.

Single gal and LA producer's assistant Daphne Bell has a unique secret. Every time she dates a man, she receives a mysterious piece of paper containing his name and how long the relationship will last. She has never tried to determine the source of these papers, or why she seems to be the lone person on planet Earth to experience them, but okay, I can go with that. On her way to a blind date set up by her BFF, she gets the expected paper but there is no time limit included next to the name "Jake." Does this mean Jake is The One that she will marry and grow old with, the relationship with no expiration date?

Fortunately, Jake is a wonderful guy - caring, handsome, successful, funny, just the right amount of quirky - and soon he and Daphne are a happy couple. But as their relationship moves towards the next milestone, Daphne agonizes over the need to tell Jake her Big Secret. No, not that one. The Other Big Secret.

I will not divulge the nature of the Other Big Secret except to say that it takes the story into unexpected and unwelcome territory. What starts out as a lighthearted romcom with a gimmick turns into melodrama and angst. Genuinely nice people are deeply hurt as Daphne makes martyr-like choices for them. Flashbacks to her previous time-limited affairs serve little purpose besides establishing the infallibility of the expiration date messages. The plot includes a Love Triangle (one of my least favorite tropes) but the other guy is a playboy douche-bro whose Grand Gesture is an unforgiveable (to me) act of control.

The author describes every outfit Daphne wears, the decor of the restaurants she patronizes, and other unnecessary details such as the fact that the shopping mall at which Daphne and BFF meet for lunch has a Santa train at Christmas, a giant bunny at Easter, and a Gilmore Girls gazebo the whole year through. No wonder this was a quick read; I skipped over all of the extraneous stuff.

The one thing that saved this book from one-heart territory was the loving, supportive relationship that Daphne has with her parents. So often Jewish parents, especially mothers, are stereotypically portrayed as overly involved, meddling noodges. Debra and Moshe Bell are lovely people who are willing to meet their daughter where she is, not where they want her to be.

There are many glowing 5-star reviews of Expiration Dates on Goodreads, so it's clear that mine is a minority opinion. YMMV if you like melodrama, Instagram-like fashion and decor descriptions, and ambiguous endings.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

Every time Daphne begins a relationship with a new man, she receives a note with the end date. But something different happens when she meets Jake. With Hugo, her best friend as her sounding board, Daphne navigates this connection with Jake. However, can she trust a relationship when she isn’t being totally honest herself.
Serle once again has given us a unique story that drew me in right away! I don’t always love mystical stories, but I loved the mystical aspect here. Its subtle, just little notes showing up in unexpected places. And Daphne is able to enjoy each relationship for what it is and for the time it will be. However, she did let the note steer the relationship. And from the middle of this book, I felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop and have my heart broken and I was reading with such a sense of foreboding.
I’ve only seen rave reviews for this, so maybe it was a victim of that had it fall a little flat for me. Sadly, I had trouble connecting with this one. It’s a shorter book, under 300 pages, and I think I would have liked if the author went deeper into the character development. There was a lack of chemistry that made part of this predictable.

Readers can relate...you're trucking along, minding your own business, thoroughly enjoying the story as it's unfolding and....BAM! Something is revealed that jumbles up everything you thought you knew, everything you thought was going to happen in the story. This book packs that punch and, oh man, it was really well done. Daphne receiving slips of paper with just the man's name and a time period (5 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, etc.) letting her know how long each relationship is going to last is such a fun premise. She's a strong female lead who has figured out how to keep her guard up when necessary to protect her heart. It was nice to watch her work her way through her dating history until she finally meets "the one"...but who is in control here? Destiny with the slips of paper? Daphne with her own free will? Something else?

This book was really enjoyable. I would (and I will!) recommend it to all of my fellow romance book lovers. It has a little bit more to it than your "typical" girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl lives happily ever after plot line. It makes you think deeper about your partners, why you choose them, what you have to offer them in a relationship (and vice versa), and what parental love looks like as we age. It is absolutely worth spending time with Rebecca Serle's latest work.

Thank you to Atria books for an ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Daphne always gets slips of papers telling how long her relationships will last. When she receives a blank one before her first date with Jake, she’s convinced it’ll last. But she is holding a secret from him as their relationship progresses.

While this kept me entertained and was a fast and fun read, I had so many questions unanswered. Can someone please message me and explain to me what was up with the doc Martin thing? It seemed like it was figured out but not explained. I love magical realism in books but I really need more of a reason behind it. I was left with too many questions and the ending felt rushed.

“Being single is like playing the lottery. Most of the time all you’re left with from that trip to the convenience store is a bag of chips and a six-pack. But then there’s always the chance. There’s always the chance however slim, that with one piece of paper you could win it all.”

Expiration Dates comes out 3/5.

Given my admiration for Rebecca Serle's previous work, particularly "In Five Years", picking up this ARC was a no-brainer for me. Her skillful storytelling and ability to delve into complex themes had me intrigued from the get-go. So, naturally, I was eager to dive into her latest book.

Approaching this book relatively blind turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Serle once again showcases her talent, crafting a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally resonant. Trust me, y'all are in for a treat when this book hits the shelves.

Moreover, I felt an extra sense of connection to this book because of a special day that I'm celebrating later this month. Have you ever stumbled upon a book at just the right moment in your life? A book you didn't even know you needed to read at this particular moment in time? That's precisely how I felt with this one. Serle's exploration of health issues and their impact adds depth to the story, sparking important discussions about love, life, and relationships (not just romantic). It was the perfect read for me this week, and although it was very emotional, I'm so glad I read it when I did.

One standout element is the recurring theme of "expiration dates" for relationships. What a fascinating concept and Serle explored it in her tale so well. Just the way Daph invests in people based on these dates, as a reader, I similarly invested in and shipped the characters based on these dates. It was a pleasant way to read about and enjoy characters (especially as someone that loves book boyfriends).

From interconnected stories to a gripping overarching plot, this book offers a compelling reading experience. And that plot twist? Wow.

Starting my February romance reads with this book was a great choice. With Serle's work setting a high standard, I'm eager to see what the rest of the month holds.

So far my favorite of all her books! I simply could not put this one down! I always have loved a bit of magical realism in books, and this one was done SO well! Rebecca serle’s ability to have us truly feel like we are living in this book is incredible. I felt like I was walking every step of Daphnes story with her! This book was truly such a joy!

This book had me wanting more. The ending was good, but not one that Inoredicted. The last 20% of the book was a wild ride and I would have liked it more drawn out. I knew I would enjoy it because it’s Rebecca Serle - and of course, she’s done it again!

Another ambiguous ending? This is the second book of Serle’s that I’ve read (the first being In Five Years), and I feel like it’s a cop-out. Please, make a decision and don’t make your readers draw their own conclusions. Yes, I’m going to believe that Daphne is getting the happy ending I want for her, but it would have been better to read it on the page.

The premise was interesting, but by Chapter Five, I was already thinking that, if Daphne knows the expiration date on a relationship, why doesn’t she end it sooner if she knows it won’t work out or if she knows her heart will be broken when she starts to catch feelings? I was also frustrated because, to me, it was obvious that she should be with Hugo who she’d had only a three month romantic relationship with but who she still remained close friends with five years later, not wanting to imagine her life without him. Isn’t that what love is all about, someone knowing all of your secrets and flaws, but still wanting to be in your life? Why does she let a little slip of paper decide for her?

As for her relationship with Jake, it’s all so boring. Where’s the passion, the not being able to imagine a life without him in it? Jake’s a great guy, but he deserves better than someone who just wants a safety net because she doesn’t think she deserves anything more. Her parents love Hugo, her best friend thinks there’s still something there, and even Jake, after meeting Hugo for the first time, acknowledges that Hugo is in love with her. Yet, she lets a damn piece of paper determine her fate.

I don’t actually think Serle is a romance writer based on the two books I’ve read, if your definition of romance is a clear happily-ever-after. I won’t be reading anymore because they leave me very dissatisfied. In Expiration Dates, there’s also way too much of Daphne’s introspective monologue obscuring the dialogue, and it annoys me that Daphne isn’t forthcoming with the men in her life (except Hugo).

I chose this book to fulfill the prompt “Quick Read” in a book challenge I’m doing and, despite the fact that it’s only 272 pages and I’m generally a fast reader, it took me too many hours to slog through it. It’s not that she’s a terrible writer, by any means, but I just don’t like ambiguity in my romances.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the ARC of Expiration Dates. This book was such a fun read; I truly enjoyed the cast of characters, saw great character development, and loved the romance aspects. It was fun to go back in time and see the men of Daphne's past while experiencing her current relationships in "real time." In typical Rebecca Serle fashion, there were a few twists and turns, but like her previous books, it just builds for a stronger plot. I loved experiencing this book and equally loved how it wrapped up/the ending. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a novel told through multiple timelines with a touch of magical realism and romance but also a study of self-exploration and acceptance. All around, it's a lovely book and one I'll be adding to my library!

I have read all of Rebecca Serle's novel and this one doesn't disappoint. Daphne is presented with several slips of paper that predict the fate of her love life. Daphne believes in romantic love and is conflicted on what to do.

I stayed up all night to read this book because I couldn’t put it down! This book was so unique. It was creative, emotional, romantic, and so well written. I have to get my hands on more of this author’s books. Really recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc of this book.

I love Rebecca Serle novels because of the magical realism she folds into her storytelling. Sometimes its so subtle, that it's almost missed until you get that A-HA moment. I truly wanted to love this book as much as her previous novels, but felt that the chemistry was somewhat lacking. Which is unfortunate because overall, the premise of this book is actually quite lovely. That isn't to say I DISLIKED it, because I truthfully enjoyed myself a lot while reading. I think maybe i juts had expectations that were too high, and felt let down in the end.

This book is emotional and tugs on you in all of the right ways. It centers on Daphne and her journey with love, those that come in and out of her life and why. I liked the touch of magic that was just on the edge of believable and I really enjoyed the supporting characters that made up Daphne's support system. Give this one a try if you are a fan of a good tearjerker with a touch of magic.

It was overall a generally cute, feel good novel. There were things I really enjoyed and felt giddy at but some things just fell short for me.

The writing itself was very easy to follow and flowed together well! The descriptions were great and I felt like I could picture a great deal in my mind.

I didn’t enjoy how “final” the notes were. The FMC followed them to a fault and didn’t really ever appear to question them and I don’t know why but it bugged me a little. It was missing that little bit of depth,