"Expiration Dates" by Rebecca Serle captivates with its unique blend of romance and magical realism. The author weaves a compelling narrative around the concept of knowing when relationships will end. Serle's prose is both enchanting and thought-provoking, making it a delightful read. The characters are well-developed, and the exploration of love and its complexities is both heartwarming and poignant. While the pacing is solid, a few predictable moments slightly detract from the overall impact. However, I also wish Jake and Daphne’s relationship had a bit more depth to it. Nevertheless, the book's inventive premise and emotional depth make it an enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and Aritia for sending me this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rebecca Serle did not disappoint with her latest novel, Expiration Dates. I’ve really enjoyed all of her books and the unique twist she brings to a plot. This one was no different!

This book blindsided me in the best way possible! In this unique storyline, Daphne’s love life being controlled by the universe, or so she thinks! She receives slips of paper at random with the name and specific time frame in which she will date someone.

Much like Rebecca’s other novels, this one leaves you guessing throughout and although I don’t want to spoil anything you should definitely find out for yourself!

Romance with magic realism? Yes please! Honestly, it did take a while for me to get into the story, but Daphne eventually won me over.

“Expiration Dates” will make you kick your feet in the air while squealing, but also make you cry. It’ll make you question whether knowing the timeline of a relationship is a good insight or terrible timing… buckle up because each slip of paper pulls your heartstrings a little more. Is Mr. Right that's on the paper actually the right man for Daphne? I enjoyed this book!

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up
I was super excited to receive an advanced copy of this book and couldn’t wait to dive into it! The premise of knowing the “expiration date” of relationships before they even begin seemed like an interesting concept.

The first part of this story was slow and a bit all over the place for me. We meet Daphne, Hugo (her ex and now best friend), and Jake, who appears to possibly be “the one” as his magical slip of paper has no end date. Throughout the first half-ish of the book the timeline flip flops between the present, the timeframe when she met and dated Hugo, her friendship with Hugo in the present, as well as flashbacks to several relationships she’s already had with expiration dates. I just found this part of the book slow and a bit hard to follow.

Once the story focuses in on just the present it started to grab my interest and pick up for me. There was a twist to Daphne’s story that was revealed in the second half that added new issues to her relationship dilemmas. I felt like it also became the new focus of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick read for the most part. Although I wish it would’ve been more linear. I was also hoping for more of an emotional connection, more depth, more something….

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity. Publication date 3/19/

I enjoyed reading this story, but I do feel like it was a bit too predictable for my liking. I had a hard time completely finishing to be honest.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, but overall the book fell flat for me. I contemplated dnf-ing the book a few times, and I don’t know if I’m glad that I opted to finish it instead.

Pros:

- I love the way the author writes about LA. I think she authentically captures the essence of Southern California.
- The postcard / expiration date concept reminds me of that one black mirror episode!

Cons:

- I didn’t feel invested enough in Daphne and her story
- It was hard for me to get through the book

Spoilers:

I feel like as soon as Hugo was introduced, it didn’t take much to guess how the rest of the story was gonna go. Daphne and Hugo clearly care deeply for each other and are meant to be together, which made it hard to read through the rest of her relationships.

The plot twist that Hugo actually faked Jake’s note was a pretty interesting reveal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think Rebecca has a way of creating concepts that seem one way and turn them another, I absolutely love that. Expiration Dates was a fun book following Daphne through her dating life, every time she meets someone new she gets a paper from the universe telling her how long this relationship will last.

Rebecca Serle has done it again. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance with a touch of magical realism. She is an auto-read author for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I thought the concept was a great thought experiment. I loved how the story was told through the different men/expiration dates. Even though I had an inkling of how it would end, I wasn't entirely sure until the last few chapters. This is my second Rebecca Serle book, I read "In Five Years" first and I liked this one a lot better. I think I am also used to her style of magical realism a bit more now which is what made me enjoy this one. If I were to recommend a Rebecca Serle book for everyone to read first it would probably be this one. I know there's still a lot of the year left to go but I think this will probably be a top favorite romance/chick lit read for me this year!

Like Serle’s previous novels, Expiration Dates incorporates elements of magic. In this one, Daphne receives notes at random with just a name and time period. She soon puts together that the name is the name of her next love interest and the time period is how long it will last. The novel travels across timelines looking at various relationships interspersed with scenes from her present relationship. There were a couple twists along the way that kept me hooked.

This book was such a delight and singlehandedly got me out of my reading slump! I cannot wait for you all to read it!

(As always, a huge thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this advanced digital copy!)

This story begins on a lighthearted and whimsical note we encounters mysterious notes predicting the duration of her romantic relationships. Unexpectedly, the narrative takes a more serious turn, exploring complex questions about relationships and the impact of knowing their inevitable end. Searle employs magical realism to delve into these themes, creating likable characters. But there was some desire for more resolution to the characters' situations, leaving a lingering sense of wanting after finishing the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC opportunity!

When I say this is one of the best books I’ve read in my life. I mean it. As an avid reader, that means a lot.

This story follows Daphne and her quest for love and meaning, but it is so much more than that. The author captures real, raw emotions in a way that is poetic. There are scenes that are so funny and cute they make you smile, and so real you feel your heart ache. Without spoiling too much, the book really picked up halfway through, when it is revealed that Daphne has a health condition, one that influences her decisions and outlook on life. The way the author captured the reality of serious illness- the grasp it has on a person and their loved ones- was absolutely beautiful and poetic. She honored this difficult situation in such a poetic and honorable way.

Absolutely 5 stars, I will be reading every book from this author now!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. This book fell flat for me. Although it was quick and easy to read, I felt it lacked depth in the story. There was loose ends left untied, so much description and a lack of depth that had me bored throughout.

The descriptions: the author felt the need to over analyze and over describe every outfit, venue and person. It felt rudimentary in the writing style.

The plot: There seemed to be a few huge plot holes throughout the novel. Some being, who or what was writing the notes, why was she chosen and are they breakable or inevitable? These are all huge plot points that could have added depth and substance to a lacking story. Another plot hole was, her relationship with Hugo. Until about 70% of the way through, they seemed almost like catty friends. The writing didn’t allow me to even feel bad for him at any point.

Finally, it just fell flat. I was bored but luckily it’s short and I could read it fast.

Rebecca Serle does it again! I couldn’t put it down!! Read it in a day, loved the concept and Rebecca executed it so well. Her books are always so creative and she knows how to pull those heart strings. Thank you for the ARC!!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC*

This wasn’t my favorite book that I have read so far this year. The story was nice but it wasn’t really what I was expecting.

I think it could be a good read for others, just not for me.

This story started out lighthearted and whimsical. With each romantic relationship she encounters, Daphne receives a mysterious note indicating how long the relationship will last. Just when I thought I understood where the book was going, it took an unexpected more serious shift.
What I like about Searle’s writing is that it explores complex questions such as how would you handle relationships if you knew there was an end? She uses magical realism as the vehicle to explore these concepts and writes likable characters. When I finished the story, I felt a little bereft. I wanted more resolution to the situation these characters were experiencing.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle captivated me with its unique exploration of love, loss, and the passage of time. The characters are well-developed, and the storyline kept me engaged, prompting quite a bit of introspection. It is a thought-provoking and beautifully written novel deserving of four stars.

I was very excited to read this book due to the summary & premise of the story. I found it different and intriguing. unfortunately, i was left a bit disappointed with the execution. Rebecca Serle’s writing is fun but at times feels repetitive. I am a lover for detailed, intricate, descriptive writing but some of the scenes in this book felt unnecessary dragged out and overly descriptive. However, Rebecca has a way of making me fall in love with places and in this book, food. the way she can so easily transport me to a place and immediately want to be there is something i love. I really enjoyed the characters and following their story but somehow i didn’t feel connected or really invested in either of them. The pacing of the story felt consistent and it’s definitely a fast read considering i finished it in a few hours. I love a then- now timeline and i really liked how the chapters were set up and the characters we get to know in them.

Overall, not my favorite Rebecca Serle book. I can see if you’re a big fan of ‘In Five Years’ how you would probably really enjoy this one. I would still recommend this book to those who are already lovers of Rebecca’s writing. If you are first being introduced to this author i wouldn’t recommend starting with Expiration Dates but rather starting with One Italian Summer.

Thank you Atria books & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy! What a beautiful story! Once I got into this one, I couldn’t put it down. The ending was my favorite!