“The paper is blank save for the name: Jake.”

What it’s About:
A heartwarming and thought-provoking story about the complexities of love, fate, and commitment.

This one comes out March 5th!

What I thought:
This one started out so strong for me. I was so excited to pick this one up, The Dinner List was a favorite for me. I flew threw the first half. I cannot share without spoiling but something happens that just didn’t make sense to me and I wasn’t a fan of the ending. That being said this one could still be for you, I would love to hear what your thoughts are if you end up reading this one.

How it made me feel: 🥰🤔

Similar Titles:
- The Dinner List
- Summer Romance

*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this book, with my honest review below*

I was excited to read this book as the premise was interesting and I’ve been enjoying books playing with the main character having a little nugget of what’s to come.

The writing was beautiful and I loved how we would get a taste of the present and then a relevant peek at the past, but overall this book wasn’t as lighthearted as I expected, given the premise. We got to slowly see Daphne’s struggles in her past as well as her relationships and how they informed her present, but those struggles were heavy stuff and the book became less about how someone may react to knowing her dates expiration dates and more about how her feeling her own life had an expiration date (manifested in her relationships). That wasn’t what I expected or wanted from this book.

I am fully aware my feelings came from having expectations that couldn’t be met by the book taking a different direction than I had in mind. I was invested in the characters, my heart going out to Jake, but I put this book down feeling a little confused and unsatisfied. If you want to enjoy great writing and well portrayed characters, this is a great option, just don’t go in expecting a wholly light read.

Thank you again for the ARC, Atria Books. It is much appreciated and I enjoyed the read and the opportunity to share my feedback.

I really enjoy this author. The Italian summer was an amazing book and I looked forward to reading this such book as well. Good character development, interesting plot to grasp the readers attention as well as well thought out story line.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for my first read of 2024! When I was approved to read Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle I was over the moon!

Imagine if you could save yourself literal heartache by knowing when love would be over before it even started. Imagine knowing when love was lust or really just one night. Daphne has been given the ability to know love or lust and protect her heart. Every time she meets a man she is graced with a slip of paper: Martin 3 days, Noah 5 weeks, Hugo 3 months, and then Jake……just Jake. Jake with no end and only a beginning. Jake, a chance to be normal, to have forever, to be the one. Jake the last paper who will change it all.

Serle perfectly outlines what single is and how to navigate it. How at one point every single female feels they have mastered single and are destined to live alone with their pet of choice and breeze through causal dating. That is until you find the one …… but what if the one has come and gone and come back and you’ve written it off based on your preconceived ideas of what you deserve and your own mental expiration dates. Does Daphne find love and keep it or is she really destined to be the perpetual queen of single? You’ll have to wait until March 19, 2024 when you can get your copy of Serle’s newest amazing book! I highly recommend between now and then you read everything else she’s written!

What if you knew when each relationship that you entered into would end? How would that change how you approached the relationship? And what happens when you know this relationship doesn't have an ending? Rebecca Serle does it again with her signature rom-com meets magical realism. I devoured this book in one setting, and there were (several!) twists that I did not see coming! You need to read this book. Pre-order it now.

(Sorry I messed up on my first submission of my review and had to fix it)

This was my first Rebecca Serle book and I ATE THIS UP. This book was out of my normal book comfort zone, with more of a neutral ending compared to HEA that I gravitate towards. This was book was so reminiscent of real life, love, and loss. I loved the MFC character development, and how there was more of a romance subplot than focusing on the romance first, and plot second (again, outside my comfort zone). The plot twist was E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

What would you do if every time you dated someone you received a piece of paper with how long you would be together? Expiration Dates tells the story of how Daphne navigates this exact scenario. I loved In Five Years by Rebecca Serle, but didn't love her last couple novels as much. This one felt like she was back in her wheelhouse with an emotional twist in the middle and a main character who isn't perfect. I flew through this story and will definitely recommend it to others. I hope Rebecca continues with these kinds of stories in the future, her real bread and butter!

This was my first Rebecca Serle. I highlighted A LOT of this book. Such a profound look at life and love. If any Rebecca Serle super fans have read this, I’d love to hear how it compares to her others!

Though centring around romances, the romance in this novel felt secondary to the heroine’s development, which I normally don’t like, but really liked for this story particularly.

A fun concept and a really cute story, threaded thru with some poignant views on life and love.

This book was such a treat to read — thank you for giving me the opportunity! I related to Daphne on many levels, from relationship woes to unexpected health conditions. While parts of this book were heavy, I was inspired by how much hope and joy there was as well. I can’t wait to recommend this book to my friends!

I loved the storyline of this book! It was a quick read and kept my attention. I had a few problems with the concept if I let myself really think about it but overall I really enjoyed it.

Daphne receives a slip of paper before every relationship telling her exactly how long it will last…until she receives one with just a name. Does it mean he’s her destiny? 📄

The synopsis for this one is a bit confusing - while the book is exactly what’s described with the slips of paper, in my opinion, that storyline was more of a secondary plot point. It’s also difficult to review this book as saying more about the main plot would be a major spoiler. 😩 With all of that said, I found this book pretty boring most of the way through (seriously, the amount of detail about every meal, outfit, and location had me 😵‍💫), but the final chapter raised it from 2.5 stars to 3 for me. I wish the plot would have been focused on the “twists” from the get go and fully leaned into those stories from the start. In my opinion, that would have led to a deeper and richer story because there was so much more to explore that we didn’t because they were surprise “reveals” instead.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 3/19/2024.

3.5 ⭐

For most of us, the more we know, the safer we feel … about anything. The problem starts when the desire to control our surroundings overtakes the need to feel safe, resulting in us ruining the journey. It’s a fine balance between the two concepts. Our protagonist, Daphne Bell, allows her whole world to be determined by little slips of paper!

Yes, it started with control over her dating life, but it quickly spread. Every time Daphne dates, she receives a slip of paper indicating how much time she has with this particular beau. This hasn't been happening just a short time, it’s been going on for 20 years!

What would that do to YOUR self-worth? The effort YOU bring to the relationship? At what point do YOU stop the merry-go-round and get off or at least jump off? Why let it continue?

I rooted for Daphne to grab life by the horns and refuse to let little slips of paper determine her happiness or self-worth.

I do caution readers not to give up in the first ⅓ as the author’s purpose in flipping back and forth between present and past is to give background to Daphne that will help readers move forward with her. I also struggled with what I felt was an unnecessary twist as it took the book in a different direction. Despite my two little peeves, Serle had a wonderful way of weaving in her magical touches and ended up ‘saving’ the book for me. Sit back and enjoy while she leads you to question if your relationships are a result of fate or destiny, or if you have the power to alter your journey, and if keeping a secret is a hindrance to ‘what might have been.’

I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

What a disappointment. The concept of this one was creative but the writing was bland and the protagonist was insufferable.

I love Rebecca Serle’s work and I really enjoyed her latest. Daphne receives slips of paper that indicate expiration dates for her boyfriends. She learns to accept how short or long these time periods are, and trust the dates, until Jake comes along. I loved this book, and think Rebecca Serle has done it again! I highly recommend!

Rebecca Serle's "Expiration Dates" explores the complexities of romantic relationships with a unique and intriguing twist. Daphne, a believer in the universe's grand plan for her, experiences a phenomenon every time she meets a new man – receiving a slip of paper detailing the exact duration of their relationship. From three days in Paris to three months with her ex-boyfriend turned best friend, Hugo, Daphne has lived her life guided by these predetermined expiration dates. However, the narrative takes a compelling turn when she encounters Jake, a blind date with only a name and no expiration date attached. As Daphne and Jake navigate their budding romance, Serle skillfully weaves a tale that challenges the notion of predetermined destiny, making readers question the role of commitment and truth in matters of the heart.

Serle's storytelling prowess shines through as she explores the intricacies of love, commitment, and honesty. The tension builds as Daphne grapples with the revelation of information that could potentially shatter Jake's heart, prompting readers to reflect on the delicate balance between being committed and truthful in a relationship. "Expiration Dates" is a gripping and emotional novel that combines warmth, insight, and a touch of heartbreak, delivering a poignant exploration of what it means to be single and to find love.

This is the second book I have read by Rebecca Serle, and I have felt the same about both of them.
I really liked and thought that the premise of Expiration Dates was interesting, but I feel like the execution just wasn't good.

When Daphne enters a new relationship, she gets a paper that has their name and the amount of time they will be together on it. She does not know where they come from. One day, she gets a paper with a name and no amount of time on the paper, and she gets to figure out if this is her forever.

Again, I thought the premise of this book sounded really interesting, I just didn't end up enjoying it. The chapters on her ex-boyfriends were honestly kind of boring. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary filler in my opinion. I didn't really like the characters, and I feel like the health issues she had would have made the book better if they were brought to light in the beginning of the book. I didn't really see the point of bringing it up as a "twist" in the middle of the book.

I think that a lot of people could love this book! It just didn't live up to the expectations I had for it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for my honest review and opinions!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC. I love how Rebecca Serle incorporates subtle, but really important magic into her narrative worlds. Daphne was a great protagonist to follow and the twist 3/4 in was something unexpected but fantastic in making me more invested in Daphne's story. Can't wait for the next Rebecca Serle!

This is the story of Daphne and her various relationships and love affairs throughout her life - with a catch. Anytime Daphne meets a man, the world sends her a little note with a timeline of how long it will last… one night, several months, years, but she’s never gotten one that says forever yet.

Getting to know Daphne through her prior relationships was a really fun way to way for the story to be written. Ultimately, it’s a very cute story, and with an unexpected piece of the storyline that really made me love Daphne so much more. Daphne is sweet, genuine, self-critical and utterly relatable. The entire book kept my attention and it was a great escape during a busy and stressful time in my life. I recommend it if you’re a romcom fan looking for your next sweet read!

While this wasn’t anything groundbreaking, I thought this book about a girl who gets notes from the universe with the duration of each of her relationships was fun. Quick read, and made me want to book a flight to LA! I also appreciated that she didn’t get together with Hugo at the end of the book and it left their future to be imagined. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy.

This was such a cute read with such an original story! I loved the characters and I truly couldn't put it down.