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.

Daphne has always known how long each of her relationships will last. 1 week, 3 months, 2 years... She receives a note with the name of her next love interest and the duration of their relationship. Until one day she receives one that doesn't have an expiration date and she knows this is the one forever. Stop right here and think... how would you feel? Excited? Worried? everything at the same time? Daphne really doesn't know how to feel about it as she has a secret that keeps her wondering when is her expiration date, but if fate has decided this is "the one" she will just go along with it and only hope that this means a happy long life in return.

---- SPOILERS----

I love Rebecca Serle's books and this wasn't the exception! It was a very easy and fast read book. I wanted to know what was going on and I obviously knew Hugo was an important character in this book. My biggest complain is that I wanted more from it, I still have questions... who was sending the notes? was it her in the future? How she didn't realize Hugo was the one who wrote the note without expiration?

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such an emotional read, and went way deeper than I thought it would. It definitely tugged at my heartstrings with so many of the things we think about as women. Who is my person? When will I find them? What should I do in the meantime while I wait for them? What if it doesn’t last? Will I have children? Will I be happy? And what it feels like to be one in charge of these difficult choices you must make in life. Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for an emotional read with depth, that will have you feeling all the feelings.

Daphne never has to wonder how long her newest relationship will last, because right around her first date she always receives a note that tells her the exact amount of time it will last. At first it gave her anxiety, but eventually she begins to learn to enjoy the time she has in a relationship no matter how long or short because she knows exactly what to expect.

But what happens when she goes out on her first date with Jake and the piece of paper that arrives has no time, it’s just blank. Does this mean Jake is her forever? She seems willing to accept him as that, even though there aren’t many sparks flying. But as time goes on she will have to make a choice for herself. Does she stay in this relationship and get married simply because that’s what the paper implied? Or does she let herself go and find the person whom her heart really desires?

I really loved the way this story ended, the last page gave me all the butterflies in the best “it was always you” way. This was my first book by the author and I did enjoy her deep and thought provoking sense of writing.

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Women's Literature, Magical Realism
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙋𝙪𝙗 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚: March 19, 2024

𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: Daphne receives post-it notes with the name of the man she is going to date and how long their relationship will last. One day, she receives a post-it with just a name. Will this be the man she marries?

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨💭 Overall, this was a quick romance read with a slight magical twist. I felt some parts were predictable and repetitive. Expiration Dates examines relationships and the choices you make for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

I enjoyed this novel and hope to read more from the author. Daphne, the protagonist is given a slip of paper every time she starts dating someone with the length of their relationship. It is interesting to think how someone may respond if they were the only one to know how long their relationship would last. I enjoyed her magical realism more than I expected and a couple surprises along the way. The main characters were very likable and I did feel a connection. wish one of the relationships would have been developed a bit more and I needed a bit more closure at the end.

I enjoyed this book! I thought I knew where it was going and I was completely wrong! It was a light and easy read, which I always love. I typically don’t love a magical realism storyline but it worked here.

My only complaint was that the chemistry between Daphne and Jake was off. I felt the author could have gone deeper here.

Similarly, without much depth on Hugh, the end felt shocking/unbelievable. Not necessarily in a bad way, just not what I expected.

I literally have no idea what I even read. I feel nothing, besides confusion ? I literally need someone to explain the point of this book. 2 ⭐️ feels too harsh because it wasn’t bad per se, but 3 ⭐️ means “it was okay” in my book and like…. What was ok??? I DO NOT GET THIS BOOK?????

This book was cute. I loved seeing how the papers made Daphne interact with each relationship, and how her reliance on them grew and affected other life choices. I wasn't quite expecting the ending, I had a much darker idea brewing in my head, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did.

On the evening of a blind date, Daphne Bell receives a slip of paper with a name on it. Contrary to the previous slips of paper she received in the twenty years prior, this one does not have a number on it. You see, these slips of paper are not ordinary slips of paper. Each contains the name of the man she will meet and the exact amount of time they will be together. This story is about reflection, truth, and all matters of the heart.

In true Rebecca Serle fashion, this book has a hint of magical realism and a whole lot of emotions. This one was an ode to LA, and it made me want to google if some of these places exist (I haven’t yet, its on my list!). I enjoyed Daphne’s free spirit and her relationships with her friends and boss. I yearned for more though. More character development—especially of our side characters, more connection to the papers of her past and the present.

This is a quick read and the chapters are shot. I had a smile on my face at the end! If you are a fan of her previous work, you will enjoy this one too. Trust that RS will take you where you want to go. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a quick read for me and I could not put it down. I did feel like I was skimming over some of the information but I loved the premise of the book. Rebecca often mixes romance with a hint of magic, which I love.

Daphne Bell's life takes a unique turn as the universe presents her with slips of paper foretelling the duration of her relationships. This whimsical premise sets the stage for a thought-provoking journey into the complexities of love and destiny. After receiving slips of paper for over 20 years with relationship expiration dates, Daphne finally meets Jake who doesn’t come with one. But she finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction.

The novel's exploration of the secrets Daphne harbours adds a layer of intrigue, which kept me engaged and emotionally invested. While the unique concept of receiving numbered papers predicting the duration of relationships added a fascinating layer to the story, I found myself craving additional twists or unexpected turns to elevate the narrative.

3.5/5

3.5 Stars A fun time-jumping women’s lit novel with a “magical” twist! The unique premise of this book drew me in and I was hooked from the start. At times the story was pretty predictable and repetitive, but it was a cute story and I really enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked from start to finish. It is very predictable, but I loved how Daphne never gave up and chased love. She was faced with lots of obstacles. It did tug at my heart strings at times. I was rooting for her often and happy with how it turned out!

This is a delightful romance novel with a tiny twist “magical “ twist. Well written and adorable story. Thank you for sharing. Will recommend this book

3.5 stars -

From childhood, Daphne receives slips of paper with the name of her next relationship and the expiration of said relationship. That is, until she gets Jake's name without one. The rest of the story follows Daphne as she recounts her previous relationships, filled with the struggles of a thirty-something trying to figure out her career, self, friendships and things in between.

The way the author writes made it very easy to get into the story though at times was quite repetitive and trivial.
The seemingly predictable storyline had me surprised at the twists and turns (sometimes pleasantly, most not). The more I sat with it, however, the more the twists didn't make any sense in the character development that I wanted for Daphne.

Read if you..
- enjoy time jumping chick lit
- want a story set in LA with a lot of specificity on locations, restaurants, landmarks
- are a fan of Serle's writing!
- are looking for an easy read that also makes you reflect on your own life/choices

So I enjoyed In Five Years but did not enjoy One Italian Summer so I decided to take a chance on this one and I really enjoyed it. I would not call this a romance per se. Rebecca Serle likes to have magical realism in her books. This one is about Daphne and the men she has dated. She has always received a piece of paper when she met or started dating someone that had the guy's name and how long their relationship would last. But she just received a piece of paper after going out with Jake and it only had his name. No expiration date. What does that mean? Hugo is her ex and best friend and he is the only person that knows about the papers she gets when she meets her future boyfriends. But does he still have feelings for her? I could not put this one down. It is a short book with short chapters so that certainly helped. I enjoyed the twists and turns the book took. And it certainly made me think about knowing how long a relationship would last but only one person knowing. Not very fair to the other person. And does knowing change how she acts in the relationship? Interesting premise. Made me think.

-If you never stop long enough to sink into something, then it can't destroy you.

-But what if the papers weren't just doling my life out in increments of time but also protecting me? From the pain of being blindsided. From never again having to say I didn't see it coming.