3.25 stars

When I first encountered this author's book, The Dinner List, I fell hard! I was an emotional wreck by the end. It truly was a perfect read for me. Fast forward to her latest book, which was okay, but similar to her books in between, that lacked the emotional explosion that she created in The Dinner List. I felt glimpses of it, but the flow was interrupted by the myriad of the MC's short romantic trysts. Particularly at about the 75% mark, it seemed to be kicking into that emotional angst-y territory that I love in women's fiction, but then the flow was again interrupted by yet another flashback from the past.

The book was about a woman who receives notes that predict how long each of her relationships is going to last. The dates range from days to weeks to months and occasionally years. However, one day after going out on a blind date, the piece of paper waiting on her car is blank. How can this be? No expiry date? Does this mean that this is the ONE?

I believe this author could pull another five stars read off again if she were to tap into her obvious ability to write about heartbreak and angst straight from the heart (not the head) AND execute the story in a way that maintains the flow. The choppiness of this book just didn't work.

I gave three stars because I saw and felt glimpses of The Dinner List author, and there were a couple of twists I didn't see coming in the latter half. I plan to keep reading this author as her whimsical, magical realism is weaved into her plots seamlessly, which, to me, indicates the talent she has. Crossing my fingers that she's able to do less character narrative explaining and more of the heartbreak juicy stuff.

Thank you #NetGalley and #SimonAndSchusterCanada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has some really good themes of taking control of your own life. At the end of the day you have your own ability to take control of your own life and choices and you choose how to respond to what life throws at you.

Rebecca definitely always writes unique stories and I find her writing straight to the point, which I enjoy. It doesn’t feel wordy or drawn out. What can be seen as a light and fluffy romance definitely has some depth to it. Worth the read!

This book REALLY surprised me. I thought it would be a light fluffy romance read with a unique and interesting plot element thrown in and if this is what you’re looking for this, this book delivers it in spades. But this book has a depth to it I wasn’t expecting and if you’re like me you might want to keep a box of tissues within reach. The story is relatable, at times both charming and funny and incredibly heart warming. You’ll love protagonist Daphne, her friends, family and beaus. If you’re looking for chic lit or romance with a little more meat and a little bit more pulling on heart strings I highly recommend this book for you.

Every time Our main character Daphne meets a new guy, she soon gets a piece of paper with the length of the relationship. It could be for one night, 2 years or 3 weeks. I honesty would love it, if this happened to me. Then you would know how much of yourself to give.
I enjoyed this book, read it one sitting. But now that I’ve had time since I read it, it’s forgettable.

I really enjoy Rebecca Serle's novel so I knew going into it that I would probably love this one too. It definitely did not disappoint and I was so intrigued by the concept behind it and just knowing how it all plays out. There are two "twists" in this that make the story that much more intriguing, but when the second one is revealed I did question why the character in question did what he did as his explanation didn't fully explain it. All that aside, I was hooked from start to finish and still really enjoyed it.

I don’t know how to feel about this one. I’ve loved Rebecca Serle in the past, and her very unique ideas for novels! But this one just failed to grab me. It felt rushed and everything that happened felt obvious that it would happen that way. Inevitable, almost, which isn’t bad but the journey just wasn’t fun. Not a top read for me.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Really enjoyed this one! I thought the concept was original and thought provoking. Rebecca Serle has become an auto read for me!

I think this is the first Serle I've really loved since In Five Years!! I loved the realities of dating. There were a few good twists with that trademark Serle magic.

Another fantastic Rebecca Searl Novel, she never fails to make a book you can't put down as you get invested in her characters lives, problems and occasional magical issues. The plot twist really got me on this book and made me want to re read it to catch hints earlier on.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆
I’ve read a couple other books by Rebecca Serle because I enjoy her blend of contemporary romance with magical realism, and this one had the same ingredients for a reading recipe for success. Of the three titles that I’ve read by this author, this one was my favourite.

While I typically don’t do a synopsis of the book when reviewing it, I feel like it’s a bit warranted in the “why” I enjoyed this one in the ways that I did. The premise is that a young woman receives a note telling her the length of the relationship that she is about to embark upon - 2 years, or 2 weeks, she knows when the relationship will end - until her most recent encounter, where except for the name, the note is blank.

I enjoyed how it was laid out, through snapshots of different times in Daphne’s life, and where she was both situationally, mentally, and emotionally at the time of each relationship. I also really like these books that offer up these theoretical questions of “what if”, or “what would you do”? Would you appreciate the heads up, knowing that the relationship would ultimately end, or would you rather blissful ignorance and no expectations?

There’s also a second act twist in this that I didn’t see coming that I felt did add an extra layer to this story and Daphne’s character.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy magical realism, romance, and perspective-inducing reads.

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

I loved the premise of this book, but not the execution. I could not connect with any of the characters, most of all Daphne. The secret she was keeping seemed to come out of nowhere, and didn't seem necessary at all to move the story along.

I think in general, I just wanted more. More showing and less telling. More chemistry between the characters. Despite this ( or maybe because of it) the story kept me flipping the pages to see what came next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Readers Copy.

Daphne is playing the dating game against the odds! Everytime she meets a new boyfriend, she mysteriously finds a slip of paper that gives her the name of the man, and how long she'll date them for. Finally, after finding a slip of paper with Jake's name and nothing else written on it, she thinks this just might be the love she's been looking for. As she falls deeper with Jake, Daphne starts questioning all of the things she's always thought she wanted.

In true Rebecca Serle fashion, this is another devourable magical romance novel! I flew through it, looking forward to how it would all come together in the end. As they all are, this Serle novel is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved Daphne's best friend, Hugo, and her furry best friend, Murphy. There were some really beautiful and difficult twists, which I ultimately enjoyed. Safe to say that this is my second favourite Serle novel (One Italian Summer still taking first place).

The way this book made me feel is indescribable, I thought Daphne was such a relatable character - especially because we both share congenital heart disease, and not knowing what our lives would look like - for so long I thought my life would end at 30, but thanks to medical advances I'm able to live life to the fullest and achieve (almost) everything I want - I still have restrictions 🤪

Anyways, enough about me and into why I loved Expiration Dates! When Daphne meets a new 'suitor' she receives a note telling her how long she will be with this person, although Daphne knows there is an end date, it doesn't stop her from falling in love and getting her heart broken.

Daphne meets Jake whose note contains just his name and no end date, could this be her forever and always love that she has been wanting for so long?

In Expiration Dates we explore Daphne and Jake's relationship and Daphnes past relationships. We see Daphne grow strong female friendships, struggle with trusting people to tell them about her congenital heart disease, we see Daphne learn to trust herself and gain confidence, enough to choose herself.

Expiration Dates ended on the best note in my opinion, that you get to choose your destiny, you get to choose yourself, and life is worth living. People who love you will be there to support you through the good, bad, in sickness and in health.

Quick Synopsis:
For as long as Daphne can remember, the length of her relationships have been based off a mysterious piece of paper, Hugo, three months, Noah, five weeks. But then one day she gets a piece of paper with a name, Jake, but no time frame. That could only mean forever, right? I mean the paper has never been wrong before so why would it be wrong now?

This is my first Rebecca Serle book, therefore I didn't really have much expectations, and usually when that happens I end up really enjoying a book. And that was the case for this one. Serle's writing was easy to follow and I found the pacing good. I do have to note that I was struggling with a slight reading slump while reading this. So I got to the 40% mark then didn't pick up the book for a week or so. When I did pick it up, I found myself a little lost and had to got back a few chapters just to get into the story again, but once I got there I finished the book within a day.

I love how this wasn't just a romance book, that there was a deeper message to it. I loved how it showcased different forms of love, romantic, familial, platonic, and of course self-love.

One thing that I didn't love was the lack of clarification on the timeline. It would often jump from past to present whenever a new chapter would start, it got a little confusing. Besides that, enjoyed this one. Would highly recommend!

This is my second Rebecca Serle novel (after "In Five Years") and, from what I can tell, Rebecca loves a good twist.

Daphne, the main character, is passive in her love life and her professional life, letting fate take her where it may, This didn't bother me because Rebecca is a good writer and the explanation behind Dapne's detached, unambitious ways was very gratifying when we got it. I'm not going to spoil it for you and I really didn't see it coming, but I'd be interested to reread the first half of the novel a second time to see things from a new perspective.

This book is under 300 pages, so it's a great short read for your TBR.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for this eARC.

4-4.5 stars. I need to think about this one a bit more but this is definitely my favourite Rebecca Serle book yet. The premise of the slips of paper containing the name and expiration date of the relationships that Daphne goes through belie some of the beautifully explored, deeper issues of commitment, vulnerability, pain, and death that are embedded into this novel. Yes, it’s about love and romance, but like Serle’s other books, Expiration Dates is a tiny bit of magical realism that starts you on a path of questions - both of yourself and of the characters. Everything is couched in self-exploration and wonder at the world around you. This particular book celebrates people and friendships and relationships old and new, as well as Los Angeles and its many charms. It’s a delightful read threaded with Daphne’s past relationships as a foil to her current relationship with Jake, who is the first one who doesn’t have an expiration date on his paper. Does she choose to believe the paper? Is the paper a self-fulfilling prophecy or premonition? How does something that deterministic allow you to have agency over your life?

I think this book benefits so much from not knowing much else other than that, so the rest of my review will be in spoiler tags.

[ I was really pleased with the way this book was plotted - I am normally a person who guesses at everything that is going to happen, and I’m usually right. This one - this one had moments that surprised even me - but they were done in a way that felt true to all of the characters.

There is definitely a will-they-won’t they thing going on with Hugo, Daphne’s best friend who she previously dated for three months. That relationship is built up quite beautifully, with glimpses of what he means to her contrasting with her current relationship. I loved this thread, and yes, it’s a love triangle but it’s one that is done in a way that feels honourable.

There are going to be people who absolutely hate the ending of this book. It’s divisive, for sure. And yet- I can’t think of a way that the author could continue the theme of uncertainty vs determinism without ending in this way. And so, from a craft standpoint, I think it’s perfectly done. Is it as emotionally satisfying as it could be? No. But does it make sense for the book? Yes. (hide spoiler)]

If you’re a fan of emotional, character driven novels that surprise and ask you to contemplate your own life, this one is for you. I found it so compelling, so effortlessly written, and thoughtful in a way that explores love and humanity without being heavy.

I just finished Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle and here are my thoughts.

Daphne is used to there being no mystery in her dating life. When she meets someone new, a piece of paper with their name and the exact length of their time together appears out of nowhere. It’s been happening for the last 2 decades so when she goes on a blind date, the piece of paper only has a name and no date…. She wonders if she can trust that this is the last piece of paper she will receive.

Jake, the man on her blind date, has no idea the truth about Daphne and she has to learn that sometimes, she has to trust that the universe might not always know what it is doing.

It was interesting, the concept for this book. It makes you wonder where the notes are coming from and if the time frame is because it was the natural ending of the relationships, or whether it was because Daphne walked away because of the notes. It was interesting. They never explain where the notes came from but that didn’t bother me.

I enjoyed her friendship with Hugo. They dated for a few months but then he found out her secret and she ended it. They became friends though and I liked him. I couldn’t imagine living with what she lived with and I do not mean the notes.

I loved the writing and it was a very entertaining read. I am definitely interested in reading more from this author. It's not my normal kind of romance book but it hit the spot for me!

4 stars

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for my gifted copy

OUT NOW!!!!

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Rebecca Serle is very talented at setting the stage. In each of her novels, I have a vivid sense of the setting, in this case Los Angeles. Every locale is staged with the finest furniture and knick knacks, and the views are spectacular. The characters are dressed in impeccable costumes, including the proper accessories. The food descriptions make my mouth water. These novels are very aesthetically pleasing.

I also love the premise of her novels, the little magical realism twist. In this one, Daphne knows how long each of her romantic relationships will last because she always finds a slip of paper inscribed with the guy’s name and a length of time.

The thing about this novel (and I felt the same way about In Five Years) is that it is presented as a fun, magical romance story, but there are subplots in here that veer away from the story and create a heavy vibe that doesn’t match the rest of the lighthearted plot. I also feel like the character development is a little too forced. Whenever characters suddenly realize that they’re in love or feelings just come over them out of nowhere, it leaves me wishing there had been more in the text to show me why that happened.

There were a couple of little surprises for me in this story, but overall it was predictable and unsatisfying. As much as I find the idea of Rebecca Serle novels appealing, the reality doesn’t live up to my expectations.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me a chance to review this book. My opinions are my own.
Follow-up books can be difficult when authors do well right out of the gate. Having said that, the story of Daphne and her pieces of paper was fairly predictable. For this reader, it lacked reasons to care for Daphne. It is a short read that can be enjoyed over an afternoon. I hope the author keeps aiming to write stories that more women can relate to.