Loved this sweet novel about finding love in the most unique of situations. While I did wonder why she would end up with...I was surprised by multiple reveals in the book and love Serle's brand of storytelling. This book was a delight to read and I would happily read it again! Love the exploration if what finding love is like,the adventure it can be and the exploration what leads us to stay with someone or move on.

Expiration Dates is the third novel I've read of Rebecca Serle and one thing that I've come to learn about her works is that she doesn't repeat tropes or build on ideas/characters/content from previous novels--so I never know what, exactly, I'm going to get.


Expiration Dates is unlike any other romance that I've read. It's based on the main character, Daphne, and that she gets these mysterious notes that tell her how long a relationship with a certain man will last. Because of that, she never really fully opens herself to the possibilities of that relationship because she knows there's an end date. While she finds pleasure in her relationships and sometimes, even, allows herself to be more of herself with some of her partners, it's really only 2 partners that we see her begin to fully be herself. And it's because of all of this that for the first half of the novel, I felt disconnected...because she felt disconnected. Everything up to the halfway mark felt so matter of fact and didn't really back an emotional punch--it was more of a retelling of her past relationships than an emotional unfolding of her story. Then we learn more about her and why she does certain things or seems so matter of fact and that's when I became more invested in what was happening with Daphne and Jake.


Expiration Dates has a unique take on fate and love and while it wasn't what I was expecting, it was still an interesting read.

How would you approach romantic relationships if you knew they had an expiration date? Rebecca Serle tackles this topic in her latest novel Expiration Dates.

Daphne knows exactly when each of her relationships will end, by a little slip of paper that will give the name and how long, until one day she receives a slip that just says JAKE. Will he be her forever love? Is it fate or true love? Can Daphne let her walls down and truly be loved"

"We have to be cracked open sometimes to let anything good in."

I really enjoyed this book, especially the second half. The characters were well developed and of course the twist made me even more invested. It is beautiful and heartful. Just a warning it does have some language.


"We are all dying. Every Day. And at some point it becomes a choice. Which one are you going to do today? Are you living or are you dying?"

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

How does Rebecca Serle knock it out of the park EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!?! Her latest novel Expiration Dates is 5 star gem that most definitely will be a book I re-read because it’s just that good! This addictive novel is jam packed with so many emotions—literally ALL of the feels! The characters are extremely well-developed and even though I finished this book days ago, I still can’t stop thinking about these characters —love that! I can absolutely see this novel being made into a movie, and I have already mentally picked out the actors who should star in it lol! Expiration Dates is a whimsical and heartfelt romance novel that will stay with you!

I was absolutely enthralled by the premise of this story, wondering how to approach love knowing it had an expiration date. Do we really choose our love or is it left to fate?

Daphne has a robust love life, but she knows precisely when each relationship will end, from just one night to two years and two months. After she receives a blank piece of paper, she thinks Jake is her forever. Jake seems perfect for her, but I didn't sense the chemistry. She had more chemistry with her best friend Hugo, who had already seen his expiration date come and go, but he still stayed in Daphne's life.

THEN! Since Rebecca Serle likes to tug at our heart strings, she throws in a medical issue that threw me through a loop. Mostly because it was uncanny timing for something I am dealing with at the moment, so it was a bit of a sensitive subject.

This book was thought provoking and evocative. However, I don't know how I feel about the ending. Even after a couple of days to sit on my thoughts, I think I wanted more. It ended similarly to how I thought it would (in terms of who she would end up with), but I was still left wanting.

She has done it again! What a sweet and magical book to read. I loved One Italian Summer and In Five Years, and loved this one too! Would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Serle!

I just love Rebecca Serle so much. She got me out of a several year reading slump with "One Italian Summer". This was fun, lighthearted romance but it did have emotional depth as well with the plot twist. I genuinely loved this novel.

I really wish there was more to this story. I really loved the idea of it and really liked it for the most part but I felt like the end was rushed. I felt like the book didn't give the characters enough time to develop and make me have more of a solid opinion about them. I feel like I didn't get to really know them which is what i really look for in a book. I enjoyed the idea of the book and thought it had a lot more potential.

Another Rebecca Serle special — fate versus free will story with an irritating protagonist and a mini twist. I will keep reading whatever she publishes, but I’m just not her prime audience.

The concept of "Expiration Dates" by Rebecca Serle, where our protagonist finds letters that reveals the duration of her relationships before they even begin, provided a refreshing take for this genre that seems to lately be over-saturated with the same tropes. This story hooked me in right from the beginning! I was so intrigued to see how it would turn out.

Knowing the expiration date of a relationship could lead to different outcomes for people. On one hand, it might encourage individuals to make the most of their time together, cherishing every moment and focusing on what truly matters. On the other hand, it could create pressure or self-fulfilling prophecies, potentially stifling the natural growth of a relationship. Living life unpredictably, without foreknowledge of relationship durations, can be liberating and allow for genuine spontaneity and emotional connections. However, it can also lead to uncertainty and missed opportunities for personal growth. Some may thrive on certainty, while others may find that uncertainty fosters a richer, more authentic experience.

I really thought that’s all this book was going to be about! I was fully expecting a light, fluffy read. But—whoa—it got deep sometimes. (Trigger warning for health/heart issues)

I will admit there were a few areas I felt were dragged out a bit and lacked substance to advance the plot or character development. And then, suddenly, it was done. It felt incomplete. We waited and waited for something to happen, and then…what? It was disjointed.

This is the third of Rebecca Serle’s books I have read, and enjoyed them all for the most part. I just wish this one had a little more gusto to bring it home after a strong start.

Like always Rebecca Searle does not disappoint. She always seems to mix reality with a magical whimsical feel that keeps you entranced. The story takes place in alifornia.The main character is Daphne and every time she is about to start a new relationship, since middle school, a paper mysteriously appears with the name of her new guy and how long they will be together. One day, there's just a name but NO expiration date. Is this guy the "one"? A must read!

Pub day: 3/19/24
Genre: contemporary fiction, romance
Quick summary: Each time Daphne Bell meets a man, she receives a mysterious piece of paper with his name and the duration of their relationship - until she meets Jake and receives a paper with only his name.

I really enjoy how Serle tells stories with a bit of magic, and that there's not just romance, but themes of self-discovery and self-love. And the premise sounded so fun! I liked getting to know Daphne in the present timeline (with Jake and her friend Hugo) and in the past timeline (with all her previous relationships). There's a twist around halfway through the story that didn't 100% work for me, but overall I enjoyed the ride and will continue to read more from Serle! 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love how she mixes women's fiction with magical realism. I thought this one would be a light, fluffy romance but boy was I wrong...this book was so much more than that. It is such an intriguing concept, little notes tell our main character, Daphne, how long her relationships will last. The author throws in a couple of surprise twists that I did not see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed being surprised that way. The best part, for me, was when Daphne stopped letting the pieces of paper dictate her life and she took control of her choices herself and remembers you only have one life so live it to your best ability to be happy no matter how long or short it is. The book is short and very emotive and was such a gut punch a couple of times. I was really happy when Daphne found herself and her one true love.

SO this is the first book written by Rebecca Serle that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story takes place in sunny California.The main character is Daphne and every time she is about to start a new relationship, since middle school, a paper mysteriously appears with the name of her new guy and how long they will be together. One day, there's just a name but NO expiration date. Is this guy the "one"? Rebecca Serle's characters are likable, relatable and I enjoyed the story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy!

This one ripped my heart out and then handed me a flower and kissed me on the cheek. How dare you, Rebecca?! How dare you make me absolutely fall in love with this wildly flawed woman and the man who loves her beyond anything. How dare you suck me into this absolutely brilliant allegory of self-imposed limitations of the heart and our inability to see what is staring right at us? My heart is absolutely broken and I need more of them to be fully healed.

I'll start by saying I stayed up until 4am last night to finish this book. It was addicting. I needed to know what happened. In the end I just wish I'd gotten a bit more than we had. I feel like it finished at about 75% of the way in.
The premise of finding a note telling you the exact date of each relationship you're going to have is so intriguing. I wish there was a bit of history there. No speculation or history as to whether it's from a grandma who has passed or a deity, etc.
About halfway through the book, something is revealed. It gave the book a new direction and I wanted to see where that took things.
Rebecca Serle can clearly write. The book was well written and had me racing through the pages to find out more.
Severe spoiler alerts below.
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Spoiler <With the heart condition, I started to wonder, could the paper be blank because Jake will die? Will he be who gives her his heart? Is that why they met? Why he has such a large heart? Unfortunately the answer was not as exciting.
I feel like it ended without showing us if Hugo could actually even work. He hadn't had to handle a real crisis. He was still on his phone all the time. His personality could turn pretty shitty. We never heard from her parents about Hugo.
I was just left feeling like my copy was missing chapters vs missing the characters from a book.>

I’ve loved all of the Rebecca Serle books I’ve read, and this one is part of that list. I love how there is whimsy and a bit of magic in her books, and it makes me believe there is magic around us. I thought this book was charming. Thank you for the ARC!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dating is hard enough, but what if every time you are about to meet someone new you received a piece of paper with how long you will be dating that person. That’s how it is for Daphne. She wants love, but trying to find lasting love has been hard, especially when she knows it’s expiration date.

Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think so for the right person.

Themes: ❤️💔💌👩‍❤️‍👨

My thoughts: 🙂😊

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3.5 rounded up.

I love the worlds and relationships Rebecca Serle crafts, and Expiration Dates is no exception. The scene with her father was touching.

The unique premise immediately hooked me and kept me curious throughout, but ultimately I don’t feel like I got enough of this one! It stopped on the brink of something great and enamoring.

I wish there’d been 2-3 less stories of past loves, and more to the ending/Hugo… Hugo drops the bomb and then the ending wrapped up so quickly! Similar to their breakup as well.

Once the main conflict was introduced/presented, she intrinsically followed the motions and ended up happy-go-lucky. I would’ve loved more tension here.

I had high hopes for this book based on the description, and while it was good, it wasn't what I expected. The book. was dry, and it took me a long time to actually get through the book.

While the main character clearly had gone through some very serious things in her life, I just couldn't get on board with her lackadaisical way about going through her life. Her choices, her journey, i just couldn't connect with it. Sadly, it wasn't just her that I had trouble with, it was all of the men she had dated too, including her best friend.