In Expiration Dates, Rebecca Serle once again delivers a heartfelt, imaginative, and emotionally layered story that lingers long after the final page. With her signature touch of magical realism, Serle explores the mysteries of love, fate, and timing through a unique premise: a woman receives notes with the exact date each relationship will end. What unfolds is a tender, thought-provoking journey of self-discovery and the courage to love anyway. Serle’s prose is elegant and emotionally resonant, and her characters are deeply human. Expiration Dates is a beautifully crafted meditation on impermanence, choice, and what it means to truly connect.

Meh, just meh. I have struggled with Serle's last two books. I know many really loved this so much, but I just didn't love it. Heck, I was dreading picking it up. Perhaps, it was me, but I don't think I will be grabbing another Serle novel. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.

Expiration Dates is a story not only about falling in love with someone but falling in love within yourself. There is so much more to Daphnes story then the notes she received. Serle does an amazing job of representing the struggles of a long term disorder, accepting yourself and trusting yourself with others. This is the perfect read for anyone wanting to dabble into romance genre without cannabling in.

I wanted to give Rebecca Serle another try after not loving One Italian Summer. Unfortunately, I don’t think she is an author for me. While the writing is well-done, I don’t love the story beats and find the plots and characters frustrating. I know plenty of readers who adore her works, but not me: I appreciate the opportunity to read and review!

Magical realism with a twist. I absolutely loved the premise of this book.

Daphne Bell is just like any other woman her age- except for the fact every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it. That number? Counts the exact amount of times they will be together. She spends YEARS in this cycle until one day, she receives a paper with only a name. Daphne believes she finally found *the one*, but time will test Daphne's true beliefs in the mysterious papers.

I really liked this book but it was a bit predictable.

What would you do if you had your future mapped out for you? Daphne receives notes about how long her relationships will last, with a simple name and amount of time. It felt a bit unfinished for me, like I wanted more. Otherwise, it was a good story with a message about enjoying your life and living it fully. I like Daphne, Hugo, and Jake, although he was a little flat for me. I do enjoy books by this author and look forward to reading more by her.

Thanks to @atriabooks, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

I have enjoyed books by this author in the past but a lot of this book was hard to reconcile with. The way the notes appear is never explained and leaves a lot of questions.

I really enjoyed this one. The ending and twist was totally unexpected and I thought the entire premise was very creative.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Expiration Dates!

This was a miss for me, I'm sorry to say. I love Rebecca Serle's books and will continue to read her releases however! I just love her original, fun ideas and the whimsy she adds to her the life of her characters but I just could not connect to Daphne. The insistence on name dropping every single location of LA and how skinny she was (while mentioning that she doesn't workout bc she hates sweating??) was very pick-me energy.

Then there was the emphasis on delving into unimportant issues (weight, LA locations) while simultaneously breezing over big issues (<spoiler>her illness, revealing the notes to Hugo)</spoiler> was not how I personally enjoy my reads.

Looking forward to her next release!

I wanted to love this book. The premise was good and I found it enjoyable, but just felt like it was lacking something.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the ARC read.

Expiration Dates was a pretty average read for me. I enjoyed parts, but also felt that some sections of the book dragged on. I specifically liked the second half of the book more than the first half, but I had some trouble connecting with the characters, especially the female main character, Daphne. Overall, this was an easy and light read, perfect for summertime or for reading in between two more serious books, but probably won't be one of my favorite books of the year.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a sweet story about finding yourself, and be willing to open yourself up in relationships to find love.

I loved the magical part of this. The idea that Daphne receives notes to let her know how long her current relationship will be. It includes the name, so there's no confusion on who it means, and then a timeframe - 3 weeks, 2 years 1 week, etc. Would you be as willing to throw yourself full into a relationship if you started it already knowing the end date?

I found the story sweet, in the way Daphne detailed all the little moments of each relationship and little things she learned about herself and them. I liked how Daphne really struggled to open up once there was a possibility that this one might be The One. It was a quick read and I liked it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was such an intriguing concept—every time Daphne meets someone new, she magically receives a note with their name and the exact length of time they’ll be together. But when she meets Jake on a blind date, the note only has his name… and no end date. For the first time in her life, the future is uncertain, and she has to decide whether she can trust something other than fate.

I loved how the book made me think—are the notes predicting what will happen, or are they causing it? Daphne’s internal struggle was really well done, and even though we never find out where the notes come from, that mystery didn’t bother me at all.

The writing was great—engaging, thoughtful, and just the right amount of heart. A really entertaining and unique read.

This was so good! I love romance, and I love magical realism. Combine them and it's an absolute recipe for success. 4 stars, and I'll be checking out her backlist also!

A high-concept premise delivered with Serle’s signature emotional depth. The idea of love with a known expiration was both heartbreaking and beautiful. A couple of character choices left me conflicted, but the ending stuck with me. Thought-provoking and moving.

A romance with magical realism, something I really enjoy! The book takes place in California featuring a character named Daphne who receives slips of paper when she meets a man with the timing of their relationship. Is it fate when she meets a man that has no time? Read this book and find out! It’s a sweet story of growing and accepting who oneself is and facing hard realties and also going after what you want.

I was not impressed with this title at all. The characters weren't really deep, and the story felt highly unbelievable and I just could not immerse myself in this world. I really wanted to like it, but it took everything in me not to DNF.

I tried to read this book several times but I just couldn't get into the plot. I usually enjoy this author's books but for some reason this one didn't work for me. Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy. #ExpirationDates #NetGalley #Didntfinish

This author knows how to do magical realism! Just the perfect amount to suck me in and make me believe. I loved this book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book.

I still think about this story by Serle. It was so clever and sweet . I'm not big on magical realism but I thought she did a fantastic job.

Can't wait for more!