3.5/5 stars!

The idea behind this book was so unique and magical!!! I really loved the way this flowed, and Rebeccas writing. It kept me sucked into the book the entire time! However, the reading itself was a bit slow, and i found myself struggling at some luls in the book. This was a great summer read!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.✨

Rebecca Serle is one of my auto-buy authors— her books make me so happy, and this one was no exception!

Serle's storytelling is so magical and comforting; Expiration Dates is a quick, completely charming read that is perfect for summer reading season.

Big thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Rebecca Serle for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
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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 period of time on it.
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What I liked:
-I liked the idea of the notes.
-I loved the besties and that her boss was kind of one of them. A good support system is always nice.
-I loved, loved, loved Daphne’s mom and dad. There was a quote from her dad that I listened to three times to make sure I wrote it down correctly that was so touching:
“We are all dying, every day and at some point it becomes a choice: are you living, or are you dying? All I wish for you, for any of us, is to do the living one, to do it for the fullest for as long as it lasts.” (Dad is my favorite character in this book)
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a sobering story and a quick read. I think if you go into the story knowing it is not really a romance then you will enjoy it more.

I love Rebecca’s writing style. Feels like it’ll be a fun little tale and then the story turns into something deeper. I can read her books to get both enjoyment and enrichment. Her stories are so unique I don’t feel like her plot lines are repeating anything I’ve ever read before.

I wanted to give this book a chance, but it was disappointing. The book was so slow and I felt like I wasting my time reading about her past relationships that didn’t work. I like the way she describes settings, but that was it. This story also had a character I didn’t love who still got a happy ending. Nope!

This was a fun read with a very satisfying ending. Definitely enjoyed it! I think it would be a great book for the summer or beach. I liked the main character in particular.

Loved it! good character development . The plot was interesting. It was a fun read at the beginning and then it got down to serious topics.

Rebecca Serle's "Expiration Dates" offers an intriguing take on magical realism with its unique premise of predetermined relationships. Daphne Bell, guided by slips of paper that predict the duration of her romantic entanglements, faces a pivotal moment when she receives a slip with just a name—Jake. The plot unfolds as Daphne wrestles with the conflict between the universe's plan and her own desires, exploring themes of commitment and truthfulness.

While Serle's magical realism trope is usually a highlight for me, this novel felt somewhat repetitive and slower-paced compared to her previous works. The emotional depth that I’ve come to expect from Serle was missing, making the narrative feel less impactful. Although the love story between Daphne and Jake is compelling, it often takes a backseat to the repetitive elements of the plot. The book is interesting and features an emotional love story, but it could have benefited from a greater focus on the emotional connections rather than the mechanics of how the relationship unfolds. Overall, "Expiration Dates" is a solid read but falls short of the emotional resonance found in Serle’s earlier novels.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Atria for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: A bit of magic, deep stories

I liked this. It was a bit hard to keep up with as it jumped around a lot for me. I love the concept and the magical realism. It's a very sweet story. It just felt like it was missing something for me. I do recommend it!

This was a rather unique approach to a book. That said, I didn't feel like I had real clarity on whether or not the notes that were arriving were an element of magical realism or something that people in her life were writing for her along the way. That question caught me up in a few moments. Also, the way in which the plot jumped around in timelines was confusing on occasion as well. Trying to figure out which man from her past or present she might be interacting with. That said, I really did appreciate that dialogue throughout and my heart ached for the main character's heart as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for early access to a copy of this read!

IRL book club pick and a great one it was! This was a great love story that begs the question whether you make the history happen that you expect or you let life happen with abandon. The ending was as I expected but this didn't diminish my enjoyment. The book club approved! Thank you to @netgalley for this e-galley.

“Here’s the truth: I do want love. In some ways, I’ve been looking for it forever. Real love, the kind that makes you want to grow old together, makes you not just unafraid of all the time with one person but electrified by it.”
Every time Daphne Bell meets a man, she receives a paper with the amount of time that they will be together. Hoping to finally find a paper with no expiration date on it, she finally meets Jake. Uncertain with how the relationship is unfolding, Daphne continues on the quest of finding herself and what it means to find true love. This book was one that I truly related to chapter after chapter; not only did we see her struggle, we also saw her own journey in finding what she really wants out of life. Thank you so much to Netgalley for this advanced copy!

Loved the premise of this novel…what if we thought we knew what to expect but in the end it actually wasn’t true? This book was a great reminder of expectations and perceptions we hold in life and how we truly don’t know what’s to come? 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and share my review.

A very unique premise. After every date Daphne receives a paper with a number, indicating how long she will be dating the man. After a blind date, with Jake, she receives a paper with number. Interesting, page turner, wanting to see which way the story will go. I enjoyed it.

This was my first Rebecca Serle book, and I really enjoyed it. It was fun and sad and heartwarming all at the same time, and I could not put it down. Wholeheartedly recommend!

My favourite book of hers so far! I loved the concept of the book and it didn’t disappoint. A quick and binge able read in my opinion!

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. Daphne has a secret. After each date she goes on, she receives a slip of paper with her date's name and the length of time they will be together. All goes well until she meets Jake and receives a slip of paper with only his name on it. No number. I think part of what worked for me in this book is that the characters were so likable. I liked Daphne, Jake, and her best friend (and former boyfriend), Hugo. I wanted great things for all of them. The conversations around commitment and the way that Daphne questions the paper's validity with Jake was a creative way to explore the ideas about how one decides who is "the one." The magical realism aspect worked for me. There is depth to the book, especially with Daphne's story. It will make you think about choices and what it means to live your life to the fullest. Rebecca Serle has honestly not always been a win for me but this book may have turned me around. I anticipate reading her next one in the future.

I didn’t care about the lead and while the magical realism device is very interesting, it was not explored like it could be. The whole thing felt very shallow.

Every time Daphne 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. Finally, the night of a blind date there’s only a name: Jake, but as their relationship unfolds Daphne begins to question the accuracy of notes. Expiration Dates raises some interesting questions about the choices we make and why we make them. It is also a love letter to Los Angeles. For readers who like creative premises, a strong sense of place, and thought-provoking stories.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author.

There's something in her books that have a magical quality in them which makes them unique but chick lit too since she's in her early 30s. Why does this author have to describe what she's wearing a lot? It doesn't take away from the book but it gets annoying after a while.
I know I really didn't care what she was wearing.

I knew this was an ARC when I saw the word “navel” spelled NAVAL. Really?

I usually love epilogues but this one I had to read between the lines on this one which was 16 months later. I think I'm certain in what happened. I'm not sure how I felt about this book. Did I want more or less? It was well written though.