Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books for my advanced readers copy of this little gem!! I loved Daphne, Hugo, and Jake! Such strong & well developed main characters! I loved the concept of this one with different amounts of time on pieces of paper for each of her boyfriends. It was very different and unique book! I did feel like the book focused on Jake and Daphne for a while and it got a little boring at times but that was a big chunk of the story! This book really emphasizes how much we really need to value each and every moment of our lives and I loved that - this was such a perfect last read of 2023!

I want to start by saying I’m not big on romance books. They feel formulaic and a bit predictable. I do, however, always look forward to books by Rebecca Serle. This book, like her others, includes a very detailed setting, similar to Nancy Meyers films. You feel cozy when reading. This book also has some magical elements, this time with Daphne getting letters regarding her love interests and their allotted time. However, it’s easy to suspend belief and just fall into the story. Thanks to Serle, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was a bit nervous starting this when I noticed the shorter length (under 200 pages) because I wasn’t sure how much substance there would be in this story. But let me say, Serle’s writing is beautiful and hooked me from the beginning. She has this way of cutting out the fluff and not including any unnecessary information in her stories which made for a captivating read. My only complaint was the FMC made some decisions that at times I found incredibly frustrating. But I truly adored this book and will be recommending it to my fellow book lovers. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was such a great book! I absolutely loved it! I loved she put a couple twists in that I didn’t see coming. I also loved how original this story was. I’ve never read anything like it! Highly recommend! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Expiration Dates has such a unique premise, Daphne is given a piece of paper every time she meets a new man she will date that says exactly how long they will be together. The novel goes back and forth in time, from current day with Jake, whom the paper does not have a date on it to prior relationships. At times I got a bit mixed up and felt at times the pacing was off. I wish we had focused more on her current relationship with Jake and her ex Hugo. About half-way through the book, we get a huge twist that I wasn’t expecting because it honestly, wasn’t needed. I’m not a fan of trauma twists as a way to move the plot forward and I felt that was what happened here. After this, I felt the book ended in a disappointment for me. Overall, the premise of this was so strong and I had high hopes as I have liked other novels by Rebecca Serle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book by Rebecca Serle has supernatural, magical elements that are signature to her storytelling. The novel also wasn't what I was expecting. The first half had me feeling that our main character Daphne was flippant and shallow when it came to her relationships. However, I was bowled over by the surprise in the middle that turned this story on its ear. Those that enjoyed In Five Years will become weak int he knees while reading this. It's filled with emotion and some deep thoughts about loving and caring for someone both in relation to parents and significant others.

I predict this to be a smashing success! Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

This book was fine. I don't have strong feelings about it. It wasn't memorable. I enjoyed parts bur mostly didn't really love the characters much and kind of had a feeling I knew what would happen from the beginning. It wasn't bad though. I could see people liking it but it just didn't do it for me.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle may be my new favorite. I've been a fan since "In Five Years," and let me tell you, this one blindsided me, in the best possible way.

Daphne Bell's life is a whirlwind guided by the universe, or so she believes. Daphne randomly gets slips of paper with a name and the exact timeframe she will date the person. From Paris to San Francisco, 3 days to 3 months, these papers have guided her love life. But then, a blind date at her favorite L.A. spot brings only a name, Jake. This paper has no expiration date...

As Daphne and Jake's relationship blossoms, there are flashbacks to her previous boyfriends. Most notably is Hugo, a three month relationship that ended with the two of them as best friends. Why is Hugo the only one she has remained friends with and why is Jake the only one without an expiration date?

A little bit of self-fulfilling prophecy and being true to yourself, this magical realism is a lesson in living your life to the fullest. Be sure to put this one on your TBR! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Loved it! Look for this on 3.19.24.

I love this author. Her writing is everything I didn't know I needed. I'm generally not a fan of magical realism, but I love the way Rebecca Serle will take one weird, unexplained phenomenon, insert it into an everyday setting, and then use it to emotionally devastate me.

And I will always go back for more.

I love Rebecca Serle after In Five Years, & I'm trying to find another book of hers to recreate that feeling. Unfortunately I haven't yet.

A little dose of magic, and a love story that hops around in the timeline of one's life? Sign me up. Unfortunately, there was just a little something about this one that didn't quite work for me (and I don't know how to write about it without spoiling the ending). There was a twist around the middle that I didn't see coming. I will always pick up a Rebecca Serle book, but this one wasn't my favorite. 3.5 stars-- thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rebecca Serle has a manner of writing characters in such a relatable way. This is not a love story, but a story about love in all forms it comes in and is so beautiful, showing the importance of living in the present and appreciating experiences as they come. I was so consumed by this book, such a quick and easy read.

Another hit from Rebecca Serle!!! Just as in One Italian Summer and In Five Years, the premise of Expiration Dates is unique and intriguing. And just as she did with her other books, Serle kept me hooked to the end of this one too. Once again, a location - this time LA - is almost its own character (like Positano in OIS), and it was so enjoyable to read and learn about through the author’s descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed joining Daphne on her journey in this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Expiration Dates was a not a traditional romance. I liked that Serle sprinkles a little bit of magical realism in her books each time. In this story Daphne receives a paper at the start of each relationship telling her how long the relationship would last. Then she receives one right before she goes on a date with Jake and the paper is blank. What does that mean? Is Jake her happy ever after?

Serle tells the story in a non-traditional way. The chapters jumps between her burgeoning relationship with Jake and her past relationships. One relationship in particular, with her best friend, former lover Hugo.

This story felt quite emotional and insightful. It is about heartbreak, what it means to be single, what it means to find love.

Because I follow the author in social media and she was somewhat open about her love life and her own happy ever after this story felt autobiographical.

I wasn't happy with the twist (trying to avoid giving a spoiler here) it made the story more melodramatic.

I sensed where the story was heading and enjoyed it for the most part. I can imagine some readers construing the plot as a love triangle.

Daphne's parents play a big role in this story. I found the familial love was balanced with romantic love.

I highlighted quite a few sections.
"All my life I had been waiting for the note that would tell me it was finally time to stand still. That the long, broken road was over. That he was finally here. But when it came, all I felt was fear. Fear that he wouldn't be who I'd imagined. Fear that I wasn't ready. Fear that I wouldn't feel the way I was supposed to. Fear that I'd fuck up even this, this thing i was meant for. But what I was most afraid of, maybe, was that it was over. It's hard to be single, but it's also something you can get good at. And I was good at it. It's easy to love the thinbgs we are good at."

This one had so much promise but, I feel like I missed out on chemistry between Daphne and Jake. I still love the way she writes and I wish it was a bit longer. Maybe that is where we could have filled in some chemistry.

I think I’m done reading Rebecca Serle because her books always just kind of annoy me. The inevitable plot twist, the mildly magical element, the requirement that someone have some sort of tragic situation… not for me.

I really loved this. I stayed up to finish this book because I couldn’t put it down !
I liked the premise and I thought the story was told beautifully.

There was a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming and they added to the story so well.

I wish I had more of an ending !! I need more !

If you asked me which modern mainstream authors are doing inventive writing these days, Rebecca Serle would be on my list. In some ways her formula seems to be standard, using descriptive locations mixed with emotional relationships and just a touch of the fantastic. This may not be a recipe appealing to every reader, but I have readily enjoyed each of Serle’s works that I have consumed. Because, while her formula seems to be relatively static, the stories that come out of it are fresh, creative, and interesting.

Expiration Dates centers around a very inventive concept but, somehow, did not feel the least bit foreign. In fact, I found Expiration Dates, like Serle’s other recent works, to be comfortable and relatable, even with the pretty ambitious element of fantasy that is central to the story. It takes a talented storyteller to produce ambitious plus relatable and make them work gracefully within a story.

So why was this a “like” and not a “love” for me? A few small grievances impacted my feelings on the book. I had some less positive feelings about Daphne entering into her relationship with Jake knowing what she knows about him and herself. I will leave it vague in the hopes that other readers make their own decisions without the burden of my bias. Structurally, I felt that the flashbacks, while compelling as parts of the story, did create a bumpier reading experience as we toggled back and forth between varying places in the past and the book’s present.

Overall, as I finished this book, I found I had thoroughly enjoyed myself. The story kept me interested and engaged. The characters had my heart throughout, and while they are not overly likable, they were continually compelling and always sympathetic. The luscious descriptions of L.A. had me wishing for a carefree weekend in the California sun. Expiration Dates is not perfect, but I found this novel to be well-written, uniquely premised, and captivating.

What would you do if you were given a note, with the name and time of a person you were going to meet? Daphne has been given an inexplainable gift of receiving pieces of paper with a. single name and a single length of time. These end up being men she meets and dates, for however long the note says. This has brought her life a sense of predictably and control. She lives a fun, fast paced life in LA working with a super boss Irina and coasting along. Throughout the book, we get snippets of some of the men she meets and their relationship. Hugo, one of those men, was the one she wishes she could have had more time with. In an amazing twist, they remain best friends since their predicted break up. When Daphne gets a note with Jake's name and no expiry, she finally believes she's met the one. No time limit! This is where Daphne's story really takes off and the story becomes so much deeper. Fans of In Five Years by Rebecca Serle can expect an emotional, devastating twist to her stories and that's the same for Expiration Dates. There is more than meets the eye to Daphne and her life. I related to Daphne in so many ways and this was a story about someones journey with themselves, with a side of romance. The ending was perhaps one of my favourites. It was the perfect end to the story and for Daphne. I was so proud of her. This will be an impactful book for many and it stands up there with In Five Years.

Another lovely story by Rebecca Serle. I really enjoy her writing.

This story follows Daphne and her journey to find love. She gets notes before a relationship with the name of the guy and the length of the time she will have with them.

It goes back and forth between present day and her past relationships. Showing what each meant to her. You also learn something else about Daphne about halfway through the book which has a big impact on her life and how she views it.

I liked this book and seeing Daphne finally come into her own and decide things about her life. I wish we had more story at the end, because the character development happened so quickly at the end.

Overall very cozy and sweet. There were some nice lines about friendship and love I highlighted. Would definitely recommend.