I love coming across this genre every now and then; chick lit with a bit of magical realism. Rebecca Serle has a real knack for this genre and after reading her last book “In Five Years” I knew this would be good. Daphne’s relationship time frames are determined by a piece of paper stating how long each would last. She would receive them is the most random ways. I really enjoyed her relationships with Hugo and Jake. All the characters are so likable! There’s a twist I didn’t expect at all and it threw me for a loop. This was such a good story, I would love to see a sequel.

Her prose is good, she's very descriptive, painting the picture with words so you see and hear the people and places, but the characters of the love interests (Daphne and Jake) aren't as well developed, Daphne is also the narrator, which I think is the only format this story would work from - I can't imagine a third person or dual POV way to make the premise work.

I actually think Hugo (Daphne's bestie) her parents and her boss are easier to imagine as fully formed people. I wonder if that's an intentional choice so you can put some of yourself/partner into Daphne and Jake.

This is a book that made me feel a wide range of things - often frustration at Daphne for keeping secrets, her resignation to the way things are, and the sense that she's stuck - a recipient of life's activity rather than a participant.

Jake, while seemingly "great" and checking all the boxes, bored me, as exciting as cream of wheat, but I think that's intentional, too. Also, I don't want to give the impression that he was entirely forthcoming, the weight of his past presents with secrets simmering just below the surface at all times.

This story speaks to the wrestling of free will versus fate, resignation versus ambition, risk taking versus playing it safe.

Hugo, despite his flaws, was my favorite character, but I really wish that Jake and Daphne made me feel half of what Hugo did.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 for the rating scale) because the concept was novel and the writing was lovely but I just didn't feel a case was made to be emotionally invested in Daphne or Jake.

Also, I had to edit this review because it was confusing that the last previous boyfriend was Josh before flipping back to Jake (there was even an error where Jake was used in dialogue with Josh so I'm not alone in the confusion!) so I do think, with going to flashbacks, more dissimilar names are necessary.

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

📖 BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: Expiration Dates
AUTHOR: Rebecca Serle
FORMAT: Physical
GENRE: Magical Realism
DID I CRY: No
PUB DATE: 3/19/24
RATING: 8/10

Thank you so much @atriabooks for sending me an advanced copy of #ExpirationDates out march 19💚

MY THOUGHTS

I have read all of Rebecca Serle’s books to date and I truly have loved each of them. Her writing is so readable, it cuts out the fluff and really gets straight to the point. I feel that they’re a perfect combination of character-driven and plot-driven. And she always manages to write incredibly unique stories that you won’t find in other books. Her stories tend to be magical realism but not in an overwhelming way.

This particular book i really enjoyed the setting! I felt like LA was home to me after reading it. There was such rich detail while not being too wordy or fluffy. The characters were introduced well and continued to develop throughout the story. I truly loved all of them so much🥹 the plot was fun and i really enjoyed it. The themes, as always, were so special and touching🥹🥹🥹

I think for me, Serle’s books always pack such an intense emotional punch and I didn’t really feel that with this one. As much as I loved this book, I was fully expecting the ending to punch me in the gut and it didn’t. The emotional build up didn’t feel congruent with the ending in my opinion!! All in all tho this was a fantastic book & I can’t wait for you all to read it🫶🏼🫶🏼

This was a sweet, fun, and light read. It was also a quick read for me.

The main character, Daphne, was very likable. The story follows her dating and love life. At times I wanted to scream my opinion into the book, but that’s the sign of a captivating book.

You won’t regret following Daphne through her dating years and will be intrigued with some of the additional life details sprinkled in.

4.5 stars! Another excellent read from Rebecca Serle! Though One Italian Summer is still my favorite of hers, I really enjoyed this one too! The chapters did jump around a bit in a way that ultimately made sense, but it did take me a bit to be fully hooked into this one. But I did get hooked--and read the last two thirds of the book in one sitting. An excellent read!

This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me. At first, I was bored - then shocked, frustrated, and then can’t decide if I loved it or not!

The premise is a fascinating one, and unique, but felt contrived - until it didn’t. I can’t quite put into words, without spoiling it. I think it’d make a fascinating book club book and a lively discussion.

However, I admit I judged it far too soon. The first half of the book for me was a 2-3, but the second half won me over, so a 4 it is!

I enjoyed this more than One Italian Summer but not as much as In Five Years.

✨ Arc Review!✨

Expiration Dates
By Rebecca Serle
Publishes: 3/19/24
Genre: romance & magical realism

Rebecca Serle has a knack for description and detail. She really paints a picture with words. At first I wasn’t that into the story. I thought it was somewhat hard for me to personally relate to with all of the city-life and media references, but I do truly appreciate the detail and the balance of lightness and perspective this book had. I also love that I can always count on her books to have a little magic and surprise. About halfway in, I found myself very invested in the main character. The ending did not let me down…it was perfection! This book is a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

All this and more…
🎥 media industry
🪄 touch of fantasy
🌴 California
🌆 city life
💗 true love
💔 heart break
👩 strong female MC
🏃‍♀️ fast read
🩳 short chapters
🐶 dogs included
🔮 fate vs. choice
⏳past and present timeline
📚classic Rebecca Serle
(If you like her other books, you’ll like this one too!)

This novel works on two levels: romance, and , magical realism, Do we take control of destiny or do we let destiny take control of us? Thought provoking at times.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Short, sweet and heartfelt! Really enjoyed the characters and I feel like I’m slowly loving magical realism more and more. There was a slight twist in the middle that I didn’t see coming but I’m not sure it was entirely necessary or added to plot? Overall I enjoyed it, it’s great if you’re looking for a sweet story filled with magic and a HEA.

I loved the setup of the book, and the pacing. I felt like I was in warm and sunny LA, and I was surprised by the FMC's heart disease reveal. I would read other Rebecca Serle books after reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-ARC of Expiration Dates, available everywhere March 2024.

What would you do if you knew your relationship had an end date before it even got off the ground? For as long as she can remember, that question has been at the forefront of Daphne Bell's love life. Each time she's about to meet someone new, a mysterious piece of paper with the man's name and the duration of the relationship appears. Whether it's for five days or over two years, she ultimately says yes to him, all while keeping an eye on the clock. Knowing each man is disposable, she doesn't allow herself to become invested in any relationship until one day, a paper appears with a name but no end date. Is the end of all the endings? Is Jake the one? As the two plan for their future together, the less convinced Daphne is. Maybe the pieces of paper don't know everything after all.

This was such a fun, intriguing opportunity to explore the idea of choice versus what is preordained but the execution didn't land for me. For the most part, I liked the novel, I finished it in one sitting. It was easy to stay engaged in the novel as I bounced back and forth between the present and Daphne's past relationships. I will say that despite how quickly the story moved, there was still a fair amount of filler dedicated to how someone was dressed, the state of Daphne's apartment, commentary around food, etc. There was one light body-shaming comment that should have been cut.

Daphne and Jake, though, were two boring people who lacked any chemistry. Daphne had more spark with a previous ex so I found myself rooting for them to get back together instead. I would read this less as a romance novel and more akin to a woman searching for herself. The ending was left more open-ended instead of a true happy ending.

The abrupt introduction of a medical condition, one that was preexisting in Daphne's life, felt so unnecessary. It could have been introduced much earlier instead of what felt like something dumped in for shock value.

Lastly, why do we never learn how these notes appear in her life??? How can one of her exes learn about it, shrug, and just move on? Where are the questions??

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. Where to even begin??!

Daphne Bell has some unique circumstances. For one, every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake. But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.

This book makes you think and brings up so many good life questions. Would you make the same choices if you knew the outcome? Does knowing the ending influence your choices and the risks you’re willing to take??? And is it all worth it? The good and the bad??? I found myself highlighting so many great quotes and thoughts, too- and I’m not even an annotator! I was so sad when I finished this book- not necessarily because the ending is sad- I’ll let you decide if it was or not because that’s very subjective- but just because I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet; to have to let go of these characters. Rebecca Serle, please write a sequel. Thank you for writing this amazing book. I have a new favorite author!

This ARC was provided to me by Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I am truly grateful for the opportunity.

First thought was this would be a cute book, sorta like the TV show where the guy guy the news a day early. After reading - it is a cute book but the papers seem to take a lesser role as we explore Daphne's love life. Pretty predictable except for the events in the middle but that wasn't enough to salvage it for me. I have to go with a 3 or maybe a 3.5 because of the flipping back and forth seemed a little off and Hugo was thrown into the mix of all of them so for a minute or two it's hard to tell if you are in the past or present. Overall it is a cute book, just not a favorite for me. I was provided an advanced reader copy at my request and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the read.

3.5 Stars - 4 rounded up.

I thought this book was good - I liked the pretense and plot: a woman receives a piece of paper after the start of each relationship noting how much time they'll spend together. I thought the characters, the setting, the plot and idea were all very likable and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter - I felt like I was with Hugo and Daphne sitting in on coffee shop dates or going to the farmer's market. Judging from the synopsis, I anticipated to feel more sadder and more heartbreak? Despite that "letdown" I thought this was a solid read.

Thank you to NetGally and the publishing team for the advanced read - I appreciate it & enjoyed it!

Not my first read of hers but it’s definitely my favorite by far and definitely a one dear read for me. Her use of magical elements has not always been my favorite but it worked so well within this story. I would read this forever again and again!

I was so dang excited when I got the email that I was receiving an early copy of this book! I really love all her books. They are just so bingeable and well written and the characters are so realistic. The synopsises (s) are usually simple and draw you in, but then you find out that there is much more to the story. The touch of magical realism is just 👌 I find myself wanting to rush through her books but savor them at the same time.

Daphne has been receiving pieces of paper with how long she will date someone since she was in high school. The book flashes back to previous relationships and then her current relationship with Jake. Jake's piece of paper doesn't have a time-line on it, so she wonders if this is the real deal. She's also still friends with her ex boyfriend, Hugo. She's also pretty close with her parents and they are adorable.

I don't want to give too much away but I loved the premise of the book and was a little surprised by the ending but overall I really loved it. The chapters jumped around a bit with the flashbacks and it wasn't always a one to one ratio if that makes sense. Los Angeles was also almost a character in itself and had me wondering/hoping if all the locations really exist. I would guess yes!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Serle, forever has a fan in me!
I love this book and such an emotional read with a mind blowing concept!!! I was surprised by the ending, and enthralled the whole journey. I laughed, I cried…..such a great read!

I had a great time reading this book. I couldn't put it down and read it in less than a day. This book was just what I needed because I had been in such a reading slump lately. The concept was really original and it was highly intriguing. Although this narrative isn't flawless, it will satisfy your want for something lighthearted and entertaining when you're in the mood.


I am grateful to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Daphne isn’t free to decide how long each of her relationships will last. Fate does it for her in the manner of a note with name and length of time they’ll be together. This has been ongoing for 20 years until the evening she meets Jake. There is no time specified. She’s lost without a set date like she’s been used to, and she flounders like a fish out of water. Is it preferable to be entirely honest or follow your heart?
This story is an interesting concept of the world of dating, taking the choice out of Daphne’s hands. But is it fate, or is there an ulterior power at hand here?
I think this book is better suited for young adults who enjoy reading about dating, relationships, and being true to oneself. I enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the plot, but I just couldn’t get into the dating scene.
Thanks so much to Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is March 19, 2024.

Thank you Atria for inviting me to review Expiration Dates.

For me, this book just did not work. I know many will love it and with the theme and idea of the plot... this could be such a great book. But in all honesty, the characters are very flat, I felt no chemistry with the main romance focus between Daphne and Jake, and the back stories just never took off, they were too short and some seemed so potentially interesting. The magical realism is such a coo premise but it's never explained (is it a metaphor? how did she figure out what the papers meant? ), and there are few twists/plot switches that just kind of change the tone of the book and make it harder to process the underlying them of the book and one or two twists took away from how much I liked certain characters *saying more becomes spoilery*. I was disappointed in some of the ways characters were developed or not developed and I was yearning stronger development of secondary characters, especially Irina and Kendra, and looking for a more developed sense of self-growth. At times as well the sequencing of years from college to post college/where Daphne was, at times it was implied lots of time had come/gone between events and next events but it seemed at times hard to figure out ages/sequences of when different jobs and relationships had happened and how it all fit in with the age Daphne was in the present day setting of the book.

Overall the book read as very rushed, underdeveloped, and never diving into the strong potential of the characters and the plot.