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!!!!

#expirationdates #womensfiction #bookreview #bookblogger #readerblog #romancereader #kindlereader #netgalley #rebeccaserle #bookcommunity #readersofig #igreads

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.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A delightfully heartwarming romance, sprinkled with: magical realism; an insecure heroine (yet to discover her own shiny essence); a bevy of handsome prospective beaus; and a bantering, gentle, humorous cadence that oozes authenticity and charm. Not to mention a glamorous LA setting, sure to catch the interest of even the most casual star-struck reader.

Daphne Bell, thirty-three years old, is looking for love. Or better said, Daphne is looking for guidance on love. Because Daphne wants to get it right - wants to find her Mr Right, her soul mate, the partner with whom to share her life - with no expiration date attached.

An ask that is perhaps more difficult than it seems, for, beginning at the tender age of seven, (Grade Five), Daphne has been receiving strange anonymous notes, penned by an unfathomable know-all-things spirit, instructing her on the name and duration of her next romantic partnership.

As Daphne, our first person POV, has learned to navigate the strangeness of a world replete with these instructions, her narrative interweaves timelines to fill the reader in on these pre-ordained relationships in her past, leading us to her current situation. A flurry of vignettes follows, each as engaging and spirited as a mini episode of “Modern Love”, outlining the young Daphne’s romantic past, and helping us understand the complications involved. For, without giving the plot away (no spoilers here), all is not as it seems with Daphne.

For our heroine has secrets, dark ones, yet to be revealed. And a lesson, hard-fought, to be learned.

I loved this book - the touch of magic, the story, the characters, and the perfectly crafted ending. And who could resist the sweetness and the quirkiness, counterbalanced by the mind-nudging question-bubbles floated tantalizingly by the author.

Questions ultimately raised, and faced head-on, without need, or fear, of answers. Questions about love, and living, and letting go.

And the wonder that may be waiting, just around the corner, if a heart is ready and open.

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 really wanted to like this, I've loved Serle's other books, I just did not connect with the writing. I was not invested or interested in any of the characters and they felt two dimensional. Maybe in another time I would've resonated and with it more and connected with it, but sadly not now.

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

A beautiful book about love and life and difficult situations. Serle always manages to write stories that immediately pull me in! The only thing that fell flat for me was the end - but I also think this is the thing that will be most interesting to chat about with friends who also read it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for review!

EXPIRATION DATES by Rebecca Serle is quick read with a great premise but it lacks depth.

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁:
Daphne, now 33 years old, receives a slip of paper with a name and duration on it every time she meets a new man — it’s the exact amount of time they will be together. The last note she receives does not have a duration. Does this mean that her and her new man have no expiration date; that they’ll be together... forever?

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 & 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:
I tried to like it but was left wondering what the point was. There’s something about making your own destiny buried in the story.

There’s a thing that happens at the 60% mark. Rebecca Serle loves to do this type of thing. It did not add to the story and it was not “a great exploration of” the thing nor did it “bring awareness” to the said thing. I can’t tell you what the thing is because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Just know that the thing was pointless.

When I wrote essays in Advanced Literature my early criticism from Ms. Pile (my teacher) was that there was a lot of “padding” in my writing. I can still see the red pen marks on my essays with the word “Padding” scribbled in the margins. She would scribble the same thing in the margins of this book. This book has A LOT of padding — unnecessary descriptions of random things and places. There was no need for a detailed description of Irene’s house, closet and relationship status. What was even the point of Irene? Relevance, your honour! All this padding could have been better used to add depth to the characters and develop their chemistry which was lacking.

There was a small twist towards the ending that I did not predict. The twist was good and I wish it came earlier.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱?
If you like Rebecca Serle’s books, you might enjoy this one. If you were rolling your eyes at IN FIVE YEARS, like I was, then this one is probably not for you.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Rebecca wows in her first romance that had me laughing and crying.

I love Rebecca Serle’s writing. Her novels always make me laugh and cry. Her characters are warm, flawed, funny and tragic. She makes me think and feel emotions with every book of hers I’ve read (In Five Years is one of my favourite books). So when I heard the synopsis of Expiration Dates and learned it was her first true romance, I was already sold, with some high expectation. I’m delighted to say that Rebecca far exceeded my expectations with Expiration Dates.

I love Rebecca’s writing - it’s crisp but poignant. Her characters come to life off the page and feel like friends and people I know. In Expiration Dates, we meet Daphne Bell, who has a weird thing that happens to her. Every time she meets a new man, she discovers a slip of paper somewhere that day that tells her how long she’s going to be in a relationship with him. This weird happening has ruled her love life. Sometimes the relationships end. Other times she stays with them longer than she’d like because of the timeline. Other times she ends something she likes because the paper told her it was over. Throughout the book, Daphne has to decide whether she’s living her life by fate or destiny. Does she have to do what the paper says? If her true love doesn’t fill her cup with joy, even though the paper says he is, does that mean she’s wrong, or the paper? Interspersed through her story with Jake, the only man she’s met that hasn’t had an expiration date, we get to experience her other relationships, both the happy and the sad. Throughout the book we also get a glimpse into Daphne’s life and the different situations that have led her to the life she’s currently living.

Expiration Dates obviously has romantic relationships in it, but I am loath to tell you too much about any of them because the relationships are really crucial elements of the plot. Daphne is a wonderful character: she’s smart, funny, loyal and flawed. She has secrets that she struggles to share with people she cares about and people who want to care about her. Watching her grow and go after the love she wants in life is all crucial parts of the story. In the afterword, Rebecca comments that “all of Daphne’s chapters matter, just like all of mine did, just like all of yours do.” Expiration Dates is about all of the moments in our lives that bring us to the people that matter and the opportunities that define us.

Swoony, filled with magical realism, and a letter to all kinds of love: family, friends and lovers, Expiration Dates is the perfect book to read when you need a little happiness in your life.

I loved this book so much! I really appreciate that Rebecca Serle can tell such big stories in such tight, short novels. I read this one so quickly, it was so easy to connect with the main character, Daphne and I enjoyed living vicariously through each of her dating/relationship stories that wove the story together. If you have enjoyed other books by this same author, you definitely don’t want to miss this one.