I was so excited to see this book show up on my NetGalley! I always enjoy Rebecca Serle's novels and the elements of magical realism.

Daphne receives paper notes whenever she dates a new man with their "expiration date" but before her date with Jake there is no expiration date. Daphne settles into this new life but is Jake truly her fate? Told in varying timelines, Daphne's past relationships are explored while following her present day relationship with Jake.

This book reminds me of the movie Lucky 7 where a woman follows a life timeline her mother wrote out for her before she passed away at a young age. Are they truly living their own lives following their self believed fate. It becomes apparent Daphne's relationship with Jake is dull and lifeless while she continues to convince herself it's perfect. I was satisfied with the ending and enjoyed how the story is told.

Rebecca Serle takes us on a charming, whirlwind journey with "Expiration Dates," a novel exploring the fascinating concept of knowing the timeline of your relationships. Daphne, our protagonist, finds cryptic notes with names and durations, seemingly dictating the lifespan of her love affairs. This unique premise immediately hooks you, promising a blend of romance, self-discovery, and a touch of magical realism.

The story shines in its character development. Daphne is relatable, vulnerable, and often hilarious in her awkwardness. We root for her as she grapples with living under the shadow of preordained deadlines and learns to embrace the beauty of fleeting moments. The supporting cast, including her loyal best friend Hugo and the enigmatic Ben, are equally well-crafted, adding depth and humor to the narrative.

However, the narrative occasionally stumbles into repetitive territory, especially in the middle chapters. The constant internal monologues about the looming expiration dates can feel redundant at times, and the predictable trajectory of some relationship arcs takes away from the element of surprise.

Despite these minor stumbles, "Expiration Dates" ultimately delivers a satisfying and heartfelt experience. All of Serle's novels, and "Expiration Dates" is no exception, combine magical realism with true fiction which personally hooks me due to the uniqueness. The exploration of love, heartbreak, and the courage to live beyond limitations is deeply resonant. By the end, you're left with a newfound appreciation for the present moment and the preciousness of every connection, regardless of its duration.

For those seeking a thought-provoking romance with a dash of magic realism, "Expiration Dates" offers a delightful escape. Just be prepared for a few déjà vu moments along the way. 4 out of 5 stars.

I love the magical realism genre, and Rebecca Serle doesn't disappoint. EXPIRATION DATES is all about choices. Ever since her first boyfriend in the fifth grade, Daphne gets a slip of paper with the name of the next man she will date and how long the relationship will last. Once the designated term ends, Daphne accepts the breakup gracefully and moves on. Eventually, she stumbles upon a different kind of message. The piece of paper holds the name of her upcoming blind date but doesn't include a time frame. Could this be The One?
Serle accurately captures the single life with its ups and downs but adds a twist - what if there is a lot less angst and attachment because you already know when things will end? It also begs the question - who is in charge of this? Does she have a choice in all this?
I finished this book in two days because it was so engaging, and I was invested in the ending! I've read two previous books of Serle's - The Dinner List and In Five Years - and am looking forward to even more from her. Definitely recommend.

I am always a fan of a unique premise in the world of romance books, and this was certainly that! While I did predict (and delight in) the turn this story would take, I still very much enjoyed the read, except for a few sluggish parts. Kudos to the author for an inventive idea!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

I absolutely love Rebecca Serle’s books and this one was no disappointment! Such an intriguing, unique, and quick read. Her writing style is so simple, yet packed with so much emotion!

Daphne is cursed with getting a paper that tells her how long each relationship is going to last, but through all of her experiences, she finds one that she wants to last forever. She has a health crisis that really helps her start putting her life and what she wants into perspective. When she stopped letting the numbers on the paper and being distressed about what she wanted to do as a career dictate her life, she takes a turn for the better.

I loved the twist at the end! Definitely a heart warming ending as Daphne puts her happiness first. A must read for any single woman out there or someone struggling to find what they want in life at any age.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of Expiration Dates.

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL.

I don’t even know where to start with this book. I wanted to throw it in the sea when I got to the end.

Rebecca Serle always works some magical realism into her books, and it’s cool - until it makes no sense. Daphne gets mysterious notes with a guy’s name and how long she’ll date them for. She doesn’t know how she gets these notes (and she never will, and we never will), but they’re always accurate.

She then receives a note that reads: Jake. No end date. This must be her forever, right?

Way too late in the book we’re thrown with she also has a serious heart condition? How could this guy who lost his first wife ever be with her if she could die too? Her best friend/ex is pining away for her the whole book and admits to hijacking the real note about Jake so that she’d give someone more of a chance. She should be mad right? NO! It was all part of the plan! Now she should dump this guy who cares for her because the ex is her one true love or something. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

Two stars because it kept me reading until the end. Sometimes it’s hard to look away from a train wreck.

This one made me cry! It's one of those books that makes you sad at times but yet so happy overall.

I loved, loved, loved the setting; California holds a very special place in my heart, so the fact that this book doesn't focus on the glamorous, glitzy side of the Golden State is wonderful.

I knew that there was something more than the notes that Daphne wasn't sharing, and while I kind of suspected what it was, it still shocked me. The profound message of living life to the fullest because you only get one chance isn't presented in a didactic fashion; rather, it's beautifully incorporated throughout the book. That there is a finite time to life and everything in it, while so simple, is a constant gentle reminder. The ending made me smile so much!

Daphne's relationship with her parents and some of their conversations were emotional and deeply touching. It was heartwarming to see that bond.

I found the idea of the notes a bit fantastical, but it works so well with Serle's viewpoint on dealing with mortality (with regards to both life and relationships).

I was hoping this book would have been much better than it was. I had some high expectations and was let down, sorry. I gave it a 3.5/5 star rating. I have copy/pasted my Bookstagram review and also linked my post about it below;

Unfortunately, this book was by first big disappointment of 2024. Rebecca Serle’s writing holds a special place in my heart, because In Five Years was literally one of the first books I read to get me into reading a few years ago. So, I’ll talk about the positives first. I love the concept of the story with the magical realism aspect. I enjoyed the setting of Los Angeles, as I will actually be traveling there in August. I was a fan of one of Daphne’s boyfriends Hugh. Ok, for the negatives, just about everything else for this book didn’t work for me. The pacing was off. I felt bored during some chapters, but then the ending felt rushed. Watching the note concept play out…without spoiling anything, I just didn’t vibe with it. I felt like the writing/ editing process for the book should have taken more time to really flesh out the story.

Expiration Dates is a contemporary romance with a magical realism element. The story follows main character Daphne, who since she was young has received mysterious notes telling her how long every relationship she’s in will last. One night, she’s meets a guy named Jake and finds a note with no end time listed, meaning this is her forever love. Basically the story follows how Daphne navigates her and her relationship with Jake in present day as well revisiting her past relationships.

I also read this as a group buddy read. It’s funny some of us disliked the book more than me, and others gave it 5 stars. So, take this review in mind if you are interested in reading it, but would recommend also checking it out to form your own opinion! Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the arc in exchange for a honest review! Expiration Dates officially publishes on March 5.

An amazing book filled with emotion, humor, romance and fate. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end! Just when you think you know what is going to happen next, you are thrown a curve ball that completely changes your perspective. All my emotions were activated while reading this book and made me wonder if I was given the expiration dates that Daphne is given how would I react?

Daphne has been searching for love all her life but until a blind date with Jake she has always known when her relationships will end. She knows because just as a relationship starts she receives an anonymous note revealing how long the relationship will last. The only guy she has dated that she's stayed friends with after the expiration date is Hugo, and he knows her better than anyone else.

I easily became engulfed in Daphne's story. She is a very likeable character and her friendship with Hugo is fabulous. The plot was unique and well-conceived. I can easily give this book five stars without hesitation. When I finished this wonderful book my heart was happy but I was sad to leave these characters behind.

I am very grateful to Atria Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this magical and heartwarming book.

I wanted to like this but I really really did not. The characters felt very unrealistic and I just did not find myself caring about most parts of the story.

Expiration Dates is the third novel that I have read by Rebecca Serle. Magical Realism is a common style that she likes to incorporate in her stories and in this particular novel, we have the "what if" factor. What if you mysteriously receive a piece of paper telling you the name of the person you were going to date with a time frame of how long it was going to last? Would you follow it, or would you ignore it and follow your own path? This is what Daphne was up against since she received her first note which started in the fifth grade and continued into her adult life.
The story switches back and forth from present day boyfriend to past boyfriends, each with their own individual journey and time limit with Daphne.
Since Daphne is the narrator, you get to hear her thoughts about the different people that she dates and also get to witness her insecurities about her life. What the reader eventually finds out is that she carries a "Big Secret" about herself and hopes that she will not be treated any differently when it is discovered.
As her life moves forward, decisions have to be made, especially since she received her last note with a name and NO Expiration Date.
I enjoy reading Rebecca Serle's novels because I love the way she writes. She presents fictional scenarios in a very realistic way which captures the reader and leaves them wanting to read more. This story in particular, was more emotional for me. There were moments that were heartbreaking and moments that I hoped Daphne would follow her heart and realize that no matter what, she deserved happiness too.
I give this book a Five Star rating with the hope that maybe Rebecca Serle would love to continue Daphne's story.
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this novel.

I am so conflicted on my review of this novel. There are some elements I absolutely adored about Expiration Dates - mostly Hugo. I think he was a great character and I enjoyed his development a lot. The rest just felt kind of rushed. I didn't feel satisficed when I finished if that makes sense. Overall, I would recommend if you need a quick palette cleanser.

Thank you to NetGalley + Atria Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rebecca Serle is one of my favorite authors and this venture into romantic love was so captivating to read. It really cracks open a question I think a lot of us have asked ourselves — if we knew how something would end, would we still do it? And in this case, Daphne does go through with every relationship, no matter the length. And in doing so, she lives a life of adventure, of wonderment. I liked getting insight into Daphne's past relationships throughout the book, and while I knew Hugo was still in love with her, I knew she was denying her feelings because their time had 'ended.' I was SHOCKED by the twist, but grateful for it because she did get to have a choice, She didn't HAVE to be tied to a paper, and she proves it by ending a relationship that she wasn't fully in and choosing Hugo instead. I loved the strangers to lovers to friends to lovers again trope. BIG fan.

I'm also always so impressed by the way Rebecca manages to make the city her book is based in a character of the book. I highlighted almost every LA restaurant or location Rebecca wrote about, and now I'm going to do a Tour of La (Rebecca's Version) and play tourist in a city I've only lived in for 2.5 years.

This was a solid read from Rebecca and I can't wait for everyone to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this copy of “Expiration Dates”.

I loved this book. 4.5 STRONG stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Daphne has been receiving papers with a name and an amount of time of them since she was a child. A boy and a time- each time she retrieves a paper a new adventure begins. How can Daphne know when she’s found “the one” and what it will take for her to truly be happy? Could scraps of paper throughout her life be telling the story or is her future still in her own hands?

Rebecca Serle's 'Expiration Dates' gives romance a quirky twist, exploring love and commitment in a whole new light. Daphne Bell's life revolves around mysterious slips of paper predicting her relationship durations. While it delves into the complexities of love and self-discovery, I missed the deep emotional punch of 'In Five Years.' Still, Serle keeps you hooked with her storytelling, making it a quick and interesting read about love and finding yourself.

Thank you Netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

For Daphne, breakups haven’t been much of a surprise. This is due to the simple fact that she can always count on a note being delivered with the person’s name and a length of time. For example: Josh, six months. Stuart, one night. For a long time, she’s tried to look at this as a positive rather than a negative - for the most part, she can prepare herself ahead of the end of a relationship and try to protect her heart. But when her friend Kendra sets her up with Jake, the note Daphne receives shows only his name - no time period. No expiration date for the relationship. Could this be the relationship she’s waited so long for?

Rebecca Serle has done it again - this was an easy 5 star rating for me. We travel back and forth between Daphne’s prior relationships and her current one with Jake, and it’s a wild ride. I told the friends in my buddy read group that reading this story felt like watching old episodes of Sex and the City to me - and I mean that in the best way possible. With her friend Kendra and boss Irina, bestie/ex-boyfriend Hugo, and new beau Jake, it felt like I could match each of them to a SATC character and I would love to watch this novel be adapted for TV. This book has Serle’s signature dose of magical realism, so you definitely need to be in the headspace to totally give into that to enjoy this, in my opinion. I loved this one from start to finish - the chapters were short, the timeline went back and forth and it kept me reading. I am so thankful to Netgalley, Atria Books and the author for my complimentary ARC, and thankful to the group I buddy read it with - we definitely didn’t all have the same opinions on this one, and I enjoyed hearing their points of view. This book will be published 3/19/2024 - I hope you grab a copy!

4.5 stars
I love this authors writing! How she adds the perfect amount of romance with magical realism is just a *chefs kiss!
This story is great-such an interesting concept to think about…how you’d react to knowing exactly how long your relationship would last.
The health issue came out of no where.
A sad read but also so tender. Loved the scene with the father daughter.

Always love a good Rebecca Serle book and this was no different. This was a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Daphne lives in a world where she knows exactly how long her relationships will last. How? She receives mysterious slips of paper with a man’s name and the amount of time they will date. 1 night, 3 days, sometimes months or years.
We meet Daphne as she’s living in LA, besties with an ex, and receives a slip with a name but no time allotment. This must be the one. Enter, Jake. The story flip flops between Daphnes current romantic relationship with Jake, her current platonic relationship with her ex Hugo, and seemingly random past fling flashbacks.
I wanted to love this book, I really did! I loved One Italian Summer by this author and the premise of this seemed so cute. I learned a few things… first is that LA setting books just aren’t for me. I like to get lost in a world outside of Hollywood city life. The setting just wasn’t doing it for me that way! I also found the characters bland, and Daphne lacked a lot of maturity and compassion for others. Not to mention… where were these notes coming from?! We get a short glimpse into ONE of the notes but I kept waiting for answers that didn’t come! This was a quick and fun read, and will be great for spring but left me just wanting a wee bit more.
Thank you Atria Books for an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Daphne believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she starts a new relationship she receives a note with the name and length of the relationship until one night a note shows up with just a name. The letters have always been accurate but this time it doesn’t seem right. Daphne is keeping secrets that could just end her relationship but if the note is to be believed they are suppose to be together forever.

This book was absolutely amazing and I think will be a huge hit once it comes out. I am so happy that I got an ARC of this book because I can see it becoming such a success. I loved this book and the characters within. I wish I got notes with my relationship lengths I could have saved myself a divorce 🤣🤣. The plot in this book was so amazing and I loved the flash backs of her previous relationships. This is definitely a book I wish I could read again for the first time.