I thought the premise for this book was so interesting - every time the main character receives a note letting her know how long each of her relationships will last. A lot of themes could be explored with this premise, examining the nature of relationships, how knowing the outcome changes the way the relationship is navigated, etc. But another element was introduced for the main character about midway through, and it took away from the main story for me. Like the other book from Serle I’ve read recently, One Italian Summer, this one has a great setup, but the characters and execution really falls flat for me, especially all the beats that should be emotional or romantic.

Overall a good read, but I found myself not desperate to get back and finish the story. The end felt like there was added plot lines and I wasn’t as into the character as I like to be.

I predict you will see this book on lots of summer reading lists for 2024. (I know it will be on mine!). *Expiration Dates* is women’s fiction and romance with a splash of magical realism thrown in.

Daphne is a Jewish girl who grew up in the LA area who is normal in every way except one . . . whenever she meets a new man that she is going to date, a piece of paper appears with the man’s name and how long the relationship is going to last. But when the story opens, she gets a paper with a man’s name on it with no expiration date, which leads her to believe he’s the one. The story progresses from there as it alternates between the past and the present. What starts out as a bit of a whimsical love story starts to take shape as it is slowly revealed that there’s a lot more going on in Daphne’s life than what meets the eye. Without giving too much away, this book has a lot more depth to it than may appear at first glance.

I really enjoyed In Five Years by Rebecca Serle, and after enjoying this one, it makes me want to check out more books by the same author.

***What I liked about this book:*** This book read like a love letter to Los Angeles. While there are a lot of books about Hollywood life and celebrities; this one is about the world in LA and Hollywood outside of the elites. (Even though some of the characters work for some of those elites.) As a SoCal native, I really appreciated this. Here is one example:

*“I used to think LA was just a place I saw in movies,” Jake says. “I thought it was devoid of any character—how could somewhere so beautiful also be interesting? . . . There’s a lot that makes this place artistic and cultural and relevant, I think.”*

**The Food!** I loved the descriptions of all of the food and meals that they ate.

I also loved Daphne’s sweet Jewish parents. If you are Jewish or ever lived in a Jewish community or a community that is deeply tied to its cultural roots (thing Big Fat Greek Wedding), you will love this.

Open Door, but sex scenes are minimal.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸:
At the beginning of each relationship, the Universe sends Daphne a piece of paper with the name of her new love and the exact amount of time they will spend together - days, months, years. When Daphne meets Jake, she finally receives a paper with no date on it. So is Jake her forever relationship and if so can she tell him the whole truth?

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
What a unique premise. From the beginning, Daphne was always living for the goodbye and not really getting to know what lasting love could be. Through flashbacks, we see some of her past relationships, including her short lived romance with her now best friend, Hugo (who I adored by the way). What I was missing though was the chemistry between Daphne and Jake - it fell a little flat and I was looking for more to root for.

Daphne does have some struggles along the way which made her more cynical about lasting love and some twists I did not see coming but that to me is what makes this an emotional read but also one of growth. Daphne took control of her choices and chose to live her life to the fullest because it’s the only one you’ve got.

Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the #gifted copy

I have mixed ratings and thoughts when it comes to this author but I have to say, this is definitely one of my favorites from her. Her books are always quick, short reads and this one packs quite a punch with some really unexpected twists that got me good. I had no idea how this would end but the direction the author went was so great for me and it’s narrated by Julia Whelan so the audio version was a must for me. She’s just so damn good!

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.

My reading habits have really slowed down lately and I find I'm reading a lot less books and they're taking me much longer to read than they used to. I picked this book up fully expecting to read a couple chapters and set it back down to continue on another day, however, I knocked this out in one day! Not counting short novellas, I can't even remember the last time I read a book in a day. There was something about the writing I found addictive and I just didn't want to put it down.

I will get a couple things I didn't love out of the way first. Daphne's clothing was described in almost every single scene. I felt it was really unnecessary and odd, but maybe some people like that level of detail? I also found Daphne to be a bit pretentious sometimes. There's a lot of talk about how great LA and New York are and it's like the only two conceivable places to live. I'm a Midwest girl, so I was rolling my eyes sometimes when it came to that.

I thought the idea of the mystery slips of paper Daphne receives with the name and length of time of her next relationship was intriguing. I thought the story would be focused on figuring out where they came from, but Daphne doesn't really seem to care. She just accepts that they come and they're accurate and she rolls with it. I usually don't care for magical realism or this type of laissez faire attitude about it, but it didn't really bother me here.

After years of getting these papers, Daphne receives one that doesn't have a time limit on it, so she believes this man, Jake, must be The One. Let me say that I liked Jake, I thought he was very sweet, but I wasn't too invested in their relationship. I felt like too much of the relationship building was done off the page. There is a lot more time on the relationship - romantic past and current friendship - between Daphne and Hugo. Hugo was the type of guy that I would probably hate in real life, but I kind of liked him here. I thought he and Daphne seemed like a good fit and enjoyed their banter. He's also the only one that knows about the notes.

A little over half way through the story, there's a twist that kind of felt like it came out of nowhere that I have a lot of thoughts on, but it feels like too much of a spoiler to share about. I will say that I had an idea this was coming from reading a friend's review who warned this book was way more Women's Fiction than Romance and this twist definitely takes it into that genre shift. Since I was expecting it, it didn't really bother me and I could appreciate the shift and the lessons learned during it. However, if I was expecting just a light and fluffy romance, it might have really soured me on the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed Expiration Dates! I enjoyed Daphne's journey and the growth she found in the last few chapters. I liked how the romantic elements played out and I could definitely see myself reading this one again in the future.

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!