It’s been a while since a romantic novel has made me shed tears but I reached just over half way through Rebecca Searle’s new novel and I felt a lump forming in my throat. My reaction was possibly more emotional than the average, because I felt seen. Rebecca has this habit of taking what seems like a simple romance and adding an element that immediately elevates it to something more. Daphne lives in L.A. and works as an assistant to a film maker, outside of work she is a busy bee flitting between visiting her parents, spending time with her dog Murphy and roaming flea markets for quirky household items. However, her favourite weekend mornings are those she spend with her ex-boyfriend Hugo: he wakes her early, they get to an early farmer’s market for the best choices such as the sunflowers that are always gone by ten am. Her career hasn’t changed much over time and she has chosen to stay in the area to be close to her family. Daphne is single, at a point in life where people she knows are staying together, having babies and getting married. Daphne tends to have short term relationships, but she is starting to wonder about all these things. Are they something she’ll ever find? Her friends can’t understand it, she’s a great girl, and have started to offer to their friends and work colleagues as potential dates. What they don’t know is that Daphne keeps a box under her bed and in it are post-it notes, drinks coasters and theatre tickets all which have the name of a boyfriend and a length of time, an expiration date. From one night to several months these cards enter her life around the same time as a new man and Daphne knows the finite amount of time they have together. This bit of magic from the universe is amazing in some ways, but in other ways she’s starting to think they hold her back. Are they starting to become a self fulfilling prophecy? Then her friend Kendra sets her up with Jake and Daphne waits for her expiration date to arrive. This time though, it’s just a name; no date. Does this mean Jake is the one?

Aside from the magical expiration dates, I was beginning to wonder whether this was a straightforward romance. Much as I was enjoying Daphne’s life, I was missing that extra element that grabs me and makes me feel something. I shouldn’t have doubted the author, because when it did arrive the impact was huge. Having had a similar experience at the same age as Daphne made her story even more compelling because I ‘got’ it and completely understood her emotions and reasoning. There are momentous experiences in life that divide it into a very clear before and after and you can never return to who you once were. Yet on the outside, the change isn’t visible. There is always something there to be revealed, something that can be ‘outed’ and only you can choose when and if you reveal it. Jake’s open ended expiration date is ambiguous, but what it does is leave Daphne to make choices in a way she never has before. Previously, short expiration dates have meant she doesn’t have to make a choice. If it’s one night, the chance to know another person is limited. If it’s three months Daphne doesn’t have to invest too much emotionally. It’s both freeing and restricting at the same time. Daphne doesn’t have to change or make too much effort, because whatever she does or doesn’t do it changes nothing. However, her emotions are restricted. If she didn’t see the expiration date, might she have invested more, took a risk or perhaps even fallen in love?

That’s why being with Jake is so different, it’s the only open ended relationship she’s ever had. Don’t get me wrong, Jake couldn’t be more perfect. He’s attractive and intelligent. More importantly he’s kind and considerate. At first, Daphne isn’t sure but for once they have all the time in the world for her to explore and see where the relationship and her feelings go. Jake has emotional depth and a willingness to those emotions on the line. Jake was married once and his wife died. Daphne marvels at his ability to be vulnerable when he has lost so much. It also worries her, because she holds a secret that has the ability to shatter this fragile and tentative relationship they’ve built. She has a perfect man who wants to live together, to marry and build a future. Everyone says he’s perfect, but is he perfect for Daphne? I couldn’t help but keep thinking back to Hugo, who seems like the one who got away. He knows everything about Daphne, the secret and the expiration dates, but he’s still here. Their official romantic relationship may have come to an end at their proscribed three month deadline, but he’s still here and to me he felt like the person who is closest to Daphne. If they’d had a chance, an open ended relationship, might they have been perfect for each other? There were things I didn’t like about Hugo, but to me he felt more vibrant and alive than Jake. I felt like Daphne glows when she’s with Hugo, whereas with Jake she is the epitome of the phrase ‘settled down’. For Daphne, falling in love has never been simple and I really related to that. I think a lot of other readers will too.

Another bittersweet, heartfelt and stunning outing from Searle. Queen of contemporary fiction. In Five Years set a high mark and Expiration Dates reaches it again.

I have seen so many people recommend and love this book, and I loved the synopsis. However I found it to be a little disappointing, the ending did not satisfy, but wonder if it’s because this genre is not for me. I am happy that I gave it a go though, and can see why people do love it.

Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley UK for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars.

So, Daphne gets these pieces of paper from time to time, telling her who she will date/be in a relationship with next and how long each of these relationships will last. That is until she receives one which is a little different. It says Jake and doesn’t have an expiration date. Daphne infers from this that he’s her forever person.

The book is mostly based in the present whilst Daphne dates Jake and seems to go along with the relationship in blind trust of her note. From time to time we jump into the past to hear the stories of previous men she’s dated/had a relationship with, none of them are particularly noteworthy or of great interest except for Hugo, who happens to be her current best friend. As you hear so many of the back stories, you wonder whether there’s something in those stories which will be impactful later but it sort of just falls flat.

I imagined this would be a story of her testing the limits with the note and seeing whether she could escape or exceed the expiration dates. That, it was not. I thought maybe we’ll find out more about where these notes come from or why she gets the. Again, we do not. I thought we’d see the pros and cons of having your romantic life dictated for you. We didn’t really.

About two thirds into the book we find out more about Daphne which I think is supposed to be shocking twist but isn’t really. [I’m trying to avoid spoilers here!] So when it then takes over the main story until a couple chapters before the end, it started to feel like this wasn’t the story we were promised or sold.

Whilst this additional info is interesting and a little moving at times, it felt like it detracted from the main story. Then the main story about Daphne’s romantic life was rushed to conclude at the end. As the ending felt rushed, we didn’t get any of the needed answers or any real consequences. It was a predictable ending and seemed like “they all lived happy ever after” but even then, we’re not sure they do.

It was a great concept but in my opinion, was left incomplete.

Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. 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 3 days with Martin in Paris, 5 weeks with Noah in San Francisco, and 3 months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving these numbered papers for over twenty years. Always wondering if she will ever receive one without an expiration.
Finally, the night of a blind date at her favourite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a Jake.

Daphne wonders whether she should be 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.

💭💭💭💭💭💭💭

I received an ARC of this from @netgalley and @quercusbooks in return for a review.

What a premise! I was so excited by the idea of this. I’m not a fantasy reader but when it comes to a little bit of magical realism (ie The Midnight Library) I’m down to give it a go. I really really enjoyed this story.

I loved the setting. Being in city of LA, and then going back and being in other places Daphne has lived. Jake was adorable.

There were added elements of trauma and the emotional pasts of both characters, and Hugo’s suave, arrogant but charming personality also made for an enjoyable read.

Only thing I didn’t like was the resolution for the book. Loved the way it was written but it wasn’t the ending I was hoping for. Kinda feel Rebecca Serle did me dirty there.

This was my first by this author and it has inspired me to plan another read of one of her books in Feb. (One Italian Summer). We’ll see how it goes, but I wonder if I have found myself a new auto-buy author….

4.5/5

While the concept behind this story was intriguing. I found this fell a little flat.
I wasn't interested in either love interest and also felt the book focused on the wrong things at times.
I would have liked to see more of how she felt after finding out the truth but it happened so late on it didn't really matter.

This was a sweet hopeful novel about Daphne who gets notes which say how long each of her relationships is going to last.
It was well written with interesting characters,romance with some magic,humour and heartache thrown in.

Before every new relationship, Daphne receives a scrap of paper with the name of her suitor and the duration of the relationship. She goes into every relationship knowing when it will end. I loved this simple and intriguing premise, and really enjoyed this mix of magical realism and romance.

I think Expiration Dates is a great one to go into blind. The notes made for a great plot device, exploring themes around fate, choice and the nature of love. Told in flashbacks and present day, the story also explores broader themes around love and loss, friendship and family. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to past relationships, which provided greater context Daphne’s choices. I also really loved the descriptions of the difference places throughout the story- LA, San Fransisco, Paris; and the impact they had on Daphne

I felt a bit unsure halfway through where the story was heading, but am glad I persisted, as the author wove the threads of the story together in a way that felt cohesive and impactful. I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a romance with emotional depth, magical realism and some twists and turns.

Thank you Quercus Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Another fabulous novel of magical realism from the author. Daphne has never been uncertain about love and how things will unfold in her life. Because each time she meets a man, she gets a note with his name and an expiration date - the time they will spend together. Then one day a note arrives with a name and no date and she begins to hope, praying it means forever and not something far worse.

As this one began to unfold I thought it seemed almost predictable in places...until it wasn't. Heartbreaking, emotional and full of secrets, this was another rollercoaster by the author and full of surprises. 4.5*

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the gifted review copy. Thoroughly enjoyable and as always, I look forward to more by the author.

I’m fairly new to magical realism as a genre but having really loved a couple of MR stories late last year I’m eager to try more. The concept of Expiration Dates reminded me of the Black Mirror episode and I was excited to see how Rebecca Serle put her own twist on it.

I struggled to get into this and found the constant back and forth between current life and past relationships very choppy. Given that the relationships expired I’m not sure why so much time was given to them. I powered through and just felt a bit meh by the end. It might read better as an audiobook.

Thank you to Quercus Books + NetGalley for the opportunity to review before the book is published on 19th March 2024 💖❤️ #ExpirationDates #NetGalley

I am a HUGE fan of Rebecca Serle’s books and ONE ITALIAN SUMMER is one of my fave books! Her new book, EXPIRATION DATES, comes out in March. Since school, Daphne receives a piece of paper with the name of a man and the exact amount of time she will spend with him … until one day there’s just a name, could this mean forever? 💖 The book is a unique gem - romance, humour, a touch of magical realism and a lot of emotions 🥹 and I LOVED IT 🌟🌟🌟🌟

the concept of this book was SO intriguing! i had so much fun reading this, also was not expecting the twists.

this was so much more than a romance, i love how Daphne took control of her choices!

can’t wait to read more by this author !!

Throughout Daphne’s life she has been finding a piece of paper with a first name and a length of time written on it, just as she is about to embark on a new relationship. This is a premonition of the length of time this relationship will last and she lives her life by this. It took me a little while to get into this book as I found the idea of the notes difficult to get my head around, although I did enjoy the story more as I discovered more about Daphne’s back story. All in all, an enjoyable read.

This really is a book of two halves and therefore makes me really conflicted in how to review it. Half of the book is 4 stars - a Black Mirror-esque exploration of relationships and the hypothetical impact of what would happen to a person if they knew from the outset the expiry date of all their romantic relationships.
However, this really compelling conceit is undermined with a plot twist that ends up being such a distraction and results in a whiplash-inducing final denouement.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book, reminded me of one of my favourite Black Mirror episodes.

I liked books by Rebecca Serle. She is so good at love story with a big twist and a little bit of magical realism. I was glad to see this new book by her had all the elements I love about her books.

However, I have mixed feelings about this one. A couple of great twists I didn’t see coming, but the ending was predictable from the start. I mean, that is ok. It doesn’t ruin the book when it comes to her books. Her storytelling is still so good that it sucked me in completely and I finished it in two days. It’s a story about a woman’s journey to learn how to live her life fully and follow what her heart wants. It is full of good life lessons and advice that anyone can learn from this book. But it’s just that her previous books were just more unpredictable how the sMC ends up doing or what she decides to do in the end, so that was more exciting.

It’s still a beautiful, heartbreaking love story only Rebecca Serle can tell. And so glad I picked it up!

3.5-4 🌟

I am a bit torn about Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle. It is well written and an interesting concept. Ultimately a love story, it does make me want a happy ending for Daphne and for her to find love.
Daphne is a young woman who always finds out how long any romantic relationship will last before it starts. A week, a month, a year - she gets a note around the time of the first date that is always accurate. When I was halfway through I had no idea where it was going, when there is a plot twist that I didn’t see coming and turned this into a different type of book. I wasn’t 100% convinced, but I went with the change of tact and actually enjoyed it. A quick and easy read that is different and will keep you interested. You will also like Daphne and her friends and family. They are a likeable bunch. I am definitely happy that I read it.

I have read Rebecca Serle books before and feel they offer something a little different to your usual romance books.

This novel tells the story of Daphne who for every romantic relationship in her life, receives a piece of paper with her love interests name and how long the relationship will last. The story goes between her current day relationship / life and her past relationships / life. It is easy to follow and well spliced between current day and past.

I enjoyed that this book focused more on Daphne and her life, what she learns about herself from each relationship than solely focus on the romantic relationships themselves.

I feel some of the characters could have been slightly more fleshed out. In particular Hugo, I would have liked to know more about his past and background.

If youve enjoyed Rebecca Serles previous books then I'd recommend this. It has the same *magic* and definitely one to look out for.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Serle does a fabulous job of gripping onto my heart and tearing it out of my chest and this book was no exception to that.

I did struggle at the very beginning of the book as it felt like a massive word dump of information that I was lost swimming in but alas we made it through that.

I will say that while the premise of this book certainly intrigued me, nothing is living up to the standard that 'In Five Years' holds for me and sadly this book was kind of disappointing to me. I did really enjoy the characters and the plot but perhaps the writing was not all there? I'm not sure what exactly it is that I didn't love about this other than I just wouldn't rate it as highly as other books I've read like 'In Five Years'.

The premise of this novel was tantalising, and for the vast majority of the story, enjoyable. I really was hooked by the idea of Daphne knowing how long her relationships were going to last, these bits of paper and their origins were intriguing. Enter Jake, a lovely man who Daphne finds herself growing close to. This relationship seems to progress quite naturally and painlessly, and then BANG. I didn't see the plot twist coming, there had been a very vague mention of something which set my mind ticking, but this development was as surprising as it was unwelcoming. I did not feel it added anything to the story, but it did alter my perception of the book as a whole. I felt from that point on, throughout the major revelations, I was just waiting for the story to end. I was no longer interested in the characters - not because Daphne has anything to be ashamed of, I just felt knowing that important piece about her character from the start would have leant more depth to her search for happiness. Instead it almost felt, as readers, we were being as misled as Jake. If this was the intention, then great, however it didn't ultimately lead me to be appreciative of the end of the story. I was also left with unanswered questions regarding the beginning of Daphne's paper trail - we get some answers, but not a prior to...

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.