Talk about timing…this latest book of Rebecca Serle’s hit my heart, just as many of her other books (The Dinner List, In Five Years, and One Italian Summer) have done. Admittedly, this author is always able to make me cry, and cause my heart to grow 3X the size, so there’s that.

This time around, the magical realism component revolves around the main character, who receives notes prior to every relationship, telling her the name and the amount of time it will last. Yep, the ‘expiration date.’ Think about that…what if you knew, in advance, how long the love or the affair would last? Would it hurt as much? How would you prepare, or would you? How does it affect your behavior during the relationship? Soooooo much to think about.

However, the note Daphne receives this time only has a name, no date. Hmmmmm. And there’s a hugely significant plot twist with the lead character that also turns the story on its head, giving it more depth than I expected, as well as a huge personal connection to my life.

I loved this book. Serle makes me reflect on my own life choices, all the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘might have beens.’ I adore her use of magical realism in this book, as well as her previous books.

Rebecca Serle is known for her romances with a touch of magic realism, and the mystical element in “Expiration Dates” is the appearance of a postcard with a name and number of days that Daphne, now 33, receives every time she begins a relationship. So far — 6 significant relationships, 42 first dates, a long weekend in Paris, and a recent ex who turned into a friend. And suddenly, a name with no numbers, no expiration date — could Jake be “the one”?

As the story progresses we learn the fates of Daphne’s string of relationships, the short ones and the longer ones. She’s a romantic, but she has come to accept the “truth” of the postcards, so she’s thrown off by a blank card. Daphne does a lot of self-searching and as she’s hiding a secret, too. If you know you only have a finite amount of time, do you fight for more or just accept the end? Or are you guilty of a bit of self-sabotage as the expiration nears?

“Expiration Dates” can be emotionally devastating at times, but it’s much like Serle’s previous books, “In Five Years” and “One Italian Summer.” If you loved those, you’ll love this one, too. 4 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Jake has hazel green eyes and Josh had green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Daphne’s mom grows legendary roses.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Every time that Daphne meets a guy, she gets a piece of paper with his name on it and the amount of time that she will be with him. She's always know how long her relationships will last except for when she meets Jake and his piece of paper just says his name. She tells her best friend, Hugo, who also is her ex-boyfriend about it as he is the only guy who knows about the pieces of paper. Jake and Daphne date and there are so many times that Daphne doubts the relationship but regardless, she ends up telling him her secret that only her parents and her boss know. But will it be too much for him to handle?

I love all of Rebecca Serle's books and this one was no exception. I love how they are more than just a romance story. They pull different emotions and really show to live life like it could be your last day. The magical realism aspect of the notes was a creative touch as well.

There is so much more to this story than just your typical romance. It was a deeply moving story that made me want to read late into the night to find out what was going to happen. I had to know if Daphne, the main character, would get a happy ending. The magical element was a great twist with little pieces of paper that tell Daphne how long she will be in a relationship. There is her dating history, where we learn more about Daphne and get insight into her life and how the notes have played a role. The real question in the book though is if Jake is the one and is the note right?

There was a lot to enjoy in this book and it is not a rom-com. The romance element is there but there is so much more substance to this novel. Daphne is an interesting character and there are more to her relationships than meets the eye. Plus the magical element really makes this book unique. Overall, a very enjoyable read!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Daphne's story of relationships and destiny are predicted by slips of paper. But ultimately her fate brings her back to her true love. Well written and emotionally engaging book.

Oh Rebecca Serle did it again! I typically only read thrillers, but she has a way of making you feel every emotion. Expiration Dates exceeded my expectations. Whenever Daphne meets a man she’s interested in, she finds a piece of paper with that man’s name and an amount of time. The papers let Daphne know how long the romance will last. I loved this book and the unexpected twist towards the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read this in one day without moving except to refill my coffee and yet it left me wanting much more. This is a fast read and one that will keep you turning pages to find out what happens. It's about a woman dating and trying to find herself with an interesting twist involving paper with "expiration dates". I have so many questions that left me rolling my eyes starting 70% into the book when a major plot element arises and then again at 90% in when another eye-roller enters the picture. I didn't understand why Daphne held back all that she held back. I didn't understand why the papers stopped. I didn't understand nor did I empathize with her. A bummer.

<3

Throughout her life, Daphne has been guided by slips of paper dictating the length of her relationships, always adhering to their expiration dates. But when she receives one without a timeline, could it be the promise of forever at last? Rebecca Serle's "Expiration Dates" delves into the intricacies of love, commitment, and truth, with unexpected twists along the way. Her signature writing style, both simple and poetic, breathes life into relatable characters and creates an atmospheric and heartfelt narrative. Beautiful, shocking, and deeply moving, this novel resonates long after the final page.

I could not put this down. I found the story so compelling. I cared about the characters and I couldn’t see exactly where the story was going. I loved the touch of magical realism. These characters will stick with me for a while.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book.

I was a big fan of In Five Years, and was very excited to get this book! This book held my interest and keep me thinking of it while I was away from it. I did not see the twist coming and am undecided how I feel about the ending. I will definitely recommend to my friends and book club so we can discuss it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Rebecca Serle and Atria Books for the ARC version of Expiration Dates.

Expiration Dates tells the story of Daphne, who's lovelife has always been dictated by mysterious letters she receives indicating the length of each relationship. Up until now, there's been a wide range of relationship lengths, from one night to two years, until she meets Jake. When Daphne is set up on her date with Jake, she receives a note with no expiration. Has Daphne finally met her forever love?

I absolutely loved this story. I'm a rather emotional person anyway, but Rebecca always knows where to hit me with the feels. This book got me thinking about past relationships and love lost, and how would I have handled things if I knew not only that they had an expiration, but when. I think a lot of times we think that it's better to know than not, but I think this novel illustrates that it's really not the case.

We hear cliche sayings all the time, YOLO, you've only got one life, live every day like it's your last, etc. But this book really proves to live life to the fullest, love hard and don't let what you think you should do invalidate what you think is the right thing for you. I highly recommend this one, I love the hints of the unexplained in Rebecca's books that make you question how it's possible, but in the end, create such a magical story.

Digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable and a great magical realism premise like we’ve come to expect from Rebecca Serle. I did not love the ending, though.

Rebeca Serle is quickly becoming my go-to, must-read author in the romance / drama genres, as she always adds just enough magical elements to make the plot something that can't actually happen but not enough that you don't feel like it's so close to reality. In her latest, Expiration Dates, a woman receives a letter or card on the day she meets a man whom she is going to date for a period of time. The paper usually indicates the number of days, months, or years that she will be with him before it ends. She only tells one guy about it, and it ends, but they remain best friends. When the book opens, she meets a new guy who seems perfect, and the card arrives with a blank message. Assumption is "he's the final one," the man she will be with forever. But is it true? Loved the story, the concept, and characters. Did not like the ending, mostly because of the way I wanted it to go not being the way the writer chose. Many will love it thought. Serle asks wonderfully challenging questions and delivers insightful responses through dialog and action, commenting on how we live our lives and handle unmet expectations. Are we really living multiple arcs within a single time period, or is everything all connected in a larger story that we don't understand until we die? Highly recommended.

Totally enjoyable. Easy read - can't put it down till the end. Loved the story about the notes - until the inside story was revealed. A story of living and loving to the fullest!

This book has such an interesting premise but it never completely buys into it.

The title, Expiration Dates, refers to the mysterious letters that Daphne gets telling her exactly how long each of her relationships will last, whether it’s three hours, two weeks, or years. It’s always accurate to a tee, which is why Daphne can hardly believe it when the newest letter reads: Jake. Just Jake. And that’s how she knows he’s the one…right?

The plot started out really interesting. You have an inkling of how the story goes — it’s always something about going against your destiny and writing your own story, which is a theme I LOVE to read about.

About halfway through, however, Expiration Dates introduces another plot device to increase tension and urgency — one which is basically another premise entirely, one which is really commonly seen and much less remarkable. I found this aspect really unnecessary as it felt like the book started neglecting the paper theme and focusing on it instead.

In the end, it felt like we never really explored the letters as much I wanted; we didn’t learn much about why they existed, why Daphne was the one receiving them. I’m generally pretty good at suspending my disbelief and accepting that something just is, but the book makes it clear that these letters aren’t normal, and then it never explains further which made me feel like I was left hanging.

The book is also interspersed with mini chapters that talk about Daphne’s past relationships and why they ended. I liked the idea of this, but I think they were far too long and took up too much time. About halfway, I realized that this book actually is a romance and there’s a main love interest — but I hadn’t realized that because of how inconsequential their character felt. I think we could’ve shortened the other chapters and focused more on this character if that’s where the story was going to go.

In the end, it felt like this book found itself starting out as a contemporary adult fiction (which I would have loved) and ended up as a romance (which I would’ve also loved) but it didn’t do a very good job of balancing both. I found myself not really emotionally invested in the romance because it came too late and seemed too underdeveloped, and the plot with Daphne and her letters also felt underdeveloped because of the other plot device the story introduced.

Ultimately, I think there was a lot of potential in this story but I really didn’t connect with it in the end. I might even go so far as to say that the blurb about Daphne and the letters is kind of misleading, because in the end it didn’t seem like the book was really about that. I think it’s a gentle read but not something that will make you think or give you butterflies.

I would like to preface this review by saying I am a fan of Rebecca Serle's work. When I saw this title and the synopsis I was anxious to read it. However, Expiration Dates left me disappointed.
Unlike In Five Years or The Dinner List, Expiration Dates had me struggling to stay immersed in the story. For me there was just something missing; it felt bland. I felt it was over detailed on things that were unnecessary (clothing choices/food) and lacking in some of the plot lines.
The story did pick up for me in the last 30% of the book.
Overall I give Expiration Dates 2.75 stars rounded up to 3.
I'd like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in return for my honest review.

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

Every time you begin dating someone new, a mysterious postcard or note arrives with the man’s name and a time frame of how long the relationship will last. A blessing or a curse? Daphne Bell is living this strange phenomenon, letting it dictate her mind and her heart.

I think the premise is so unique and definitely makes us ponder what the universe has in store for us. When Daphne meets Jake and receives a note with his name and no “expiration” date she can’t help but think he may be the one. Daphne will eagerly begin her relationship with Jake and will eventually learn the importance of being true to herself and her heart.

With clever plot twists, beautiful writing, entertaining characters, and an intriguing storyline, Expiration Dates explores the choices we make in a messy and complicated world where things don’t always work out as we expect or plan. This is a powerful story of finding love, trusting your instincts, and always speaking your truth.

“Love is a net.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m usually a major Rebecca Searle fan but this book felt like it was missing something for me. It had the bones of an incredible novel but the twists felt a bit predictable and the protagonist became less likeable as it went on, which I don’t think was Searle’s intention (or if it was maybe I just missed the transition from contemporary fiction into litfic). Would still recommend for an easy read, but didn’t live up to the expectations I had after reading “In Five Years” and “One Italian Summer”. At the end of the day I love a good friends-to-lovers romance, so that was really the highlight for me.

The premise of Daphne getting slips of paper that tell who and how long she will date a man is cute, but I kept trying to guess the twist beyond the change (a man with no end date) when in fact it was about beign vulnerable enough to fall in love. A touching book.

Wow. Please add to your TBR - out March 19! Rebecca really knows how to rip your heart out and give you back the pieces to put it back together through the story of Daphne, Hugo, and Jake and how we define love.

This single POV (Daphne) book crushed my soul in so many ways. This first one is Hugo stating he knew Daphne was never his. I think I stopped breathing. My heart broke for Hugo recognizing Daphne never opened up fully to him when they dated.
But then you have Jake. Daphne feeling the pace of her relationship with Jake as something soft and graceful. Recognizing that he is as pragmatic as he is intentional in what he does.
I think about her whirlwind loves from over the years we get to meet, how fast and quick each one was, how they made her feel, showed her a life in fleeting moments… and I couldn’t help but feel like she puts herself in a box just like the notes, and chooses to settle.

Outside of her dating life, Daphne takes a moment to describe adult friendships, and it rings true. Friends have to choose another over and over again, or you begin to drift apart. “It’s hard to hold on to people the older we get. Life looks different for everyone, and you have to keep choosing one another. You have to make a conscious effort to say, over and over again, “You.” Not everyone makes that choice. Not everyone can.”

The way Daphne navigates her health hits close to home. How you can’t always tell how bad it is, because you’re never at 100%. You don’t even remember what it’s like to feel 100%. The struggle of letting people in, because you assume you’ll be treated differently…

Her relationship with her parents is beautiful. How appreciative she is of the sacrifices they made, and how they continue to be a safe place to turn. It’s a gift to have a dad you can sit around a table, sip coffee with, and get some solid life advice from.

Side notes:
Gracias Madre is actually my favorite. I’ve been to their location in The Mission (San Francisco) and as someone deathly allergic to dairy and coconut, I had some baller ass tacos here before heading to watch the Giants. Anyway, if you find yourself in SF or LA, please go because some gal on Goodreads/NetGalley told you to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.