“Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was so cute, emotional and moving, with such a neat concept, as her other novels, a bit of whimsical charm. Daphne Bell is a lovable character who receives full warning, by way of paper clues, of how long her relationships are going to last, until she meets Jake, and the note just says his name. She is left to wonder if this means forever, or something else. This story has a nonlinear plot that takes us back and forth through her previous relationships and her current one. At times this novel got a bit heartbreaking, but I fell completely in love with the plot and characters. Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: 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 number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake.

Title: Expiration Dates
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: magical realism, netgalley arc,
Format: ebook
Length: 272 pages
Start: October 7, 2023
Finish: DNF
•••
1- Characters: 7
2- Atmosphere/Setting: 8
3- Writing Style: 3
4- Plot: 7
5- Intrigue: 2
6- Logic/Relationships: 7
7- Enjoyment: 1

CAWPILE Rating System: ⭐️⭐️.5
Spice rating: 0x🌶️
•••
Thoughts:
The blurb really caught my eye and I thought it sounded really interesting. However, I was struggling incredibly hard to stay interested. I found it so hard to pay attention and understand what was going on. There are too many unnecessary details that didn’t add to the story in anyways. For example “he placed down a 20 and a 10”. Why is that necessary? Why couldn’t he just place $30? Even so, I don’t think the price of the bill really matters.

I also found the writing was a little confusing… it wasn’t clear if it was time jumping? The way I took it was we were time jumping between past and present… but I’m not 100% if that was the case. I think if the chapter titles explained if it was like 8 months back, or present day, ect.

Also, the fact that we know all these dates mean nothing.. and that they’ll break up, doesn’t give us a reason to connect to this characters. I makes me not care about reading or paying attention to them if it’s just for a few pages.

Unfortunately, this is the 2nd book I’ve read from Rebecca Serle, and I’ve DNF’d both books. I don’t think her writing style is for me.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

This book is a fabulous piece of literary fiction as well as a love story. The premise is that a young woman receives slips of paper prior to a relationship beginning. The papers let her know the expiration date of said relationship.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book so I’m not going to say much more. However, this book is not just for the romance reader. It is also for those who love literary fiction.

Rebecca Serle is one of my holy grail authors. Her books are some of my favorite that I've ever read - over my entire lifetime, over thousands and thousands of books, her's continue to be top of mind when I'm thinking of my top ten or what I'll recommend to a non-reader just diving in to reading. I love the magical realism, the way they make you feel, and the way the characters are relatable because they feel like actual flawed humans.

I loved Expiration Dates. Some other reviews have mentioned the bomb drop that was Daphne's heart condition, as well as the way that they feel Hugo screwed up in ending their relationship and how that couldn't have been the guy for her for that reason. Here's the thing: the notes don't say the relationship ends because of something on the other person's part. One relationship ends when someone moves - why didn't Daphne go with them? When the relationship ends because of cheating, sure. But there were several described instances where the relationship didn't necessarily have to end, and I think the first time around with Hugo was one of them. She could've chosen to hear him out after the big revelation that she had kept her condition from him, and they could've worked through it. Just like she *CHOSE* to go all in with Jake because the note told her to (even though we later find that the note was fake). I'm just saying - we all make choices. I don't think a bad reaction to major, life changing news necessarily says relationship ender, especially because we've seen Daphne self sabotage more than one time throughout the book.

Additionally, I didn't mind the heart defect popping up partway through the story, and I don't agree with the narrative presented that she was using it to be a victim. I don't have a condition, so I can't relate to the concern that I'm not just dying like everybody else, but have a thing that could kill me at any time - surprise! Daphne finds out about it well into her life, so why wouldn't that be revealed to us part way through the story? This is a pattern of her's, as she doesn't reveal it until she absolutely must, and I think it aligns perfectly with who the character was. Because people are flawed, and they don't always do what we want.

I love love loved the idea that Daphne let go of that last note. Her deciding not to chase after it showed that she had learned from her experience with Jake and that maybe, the note didn't matter as much as the choice that we all have to make to love someone day after day even when shit gets hard or is scary.

This falls at a solid 4.5 for me. I loved it, and will reread closer to pub date!

REVIEW
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Format: eARC
4/5
Okay-when I received this ARC I was so excited! Serle has a way of painting such a vivid picture. I like how she mixes in some magical realism within her books.
I loved the concept of this book. I thought it was creative and fun-but still hitting the serious notes. The main character receives notes that tell her how long her relationship is going to last. There were some surprises I didn’t see coming-and some I did.
Serle has a way of writing unique books-and this one just might be my favourite yet.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy.
Expiration Dates will hit shelves March 5th, 2024. I recommend picking up a copy!

After loving In Five Years, I was excited to have the chance to review this one early! While I was used to the long descriptions of IFY toward the beginning, I had a harder time getting into this one - I felt like the descriptions kept going on and on to the point I almost put this one down. Despite that fact, I pushed on and it was an enjoyable read. I'm not a huge fantasy fan, but I love how Serle adds just a touch of magical elements to make it creative and unique. While I felt the ending to be rather predictable, I enjoyed the relationship between Daphne and Jake even though they lacked a bit of depth and development. IFY still stands on a pedestal, but I'd still recommend this to any romance lover!

I have really fallen for Serle's books--they're full of magical events, yet they're grounded by the realistic characters. Yet this one was hard for me to get into. I've always been a reader who appreciates descriptions of foods/clothing and all those details that make a scene more vivid for me, but in this case, I felt the plot sagged at the start, laden with previous relationships/details. By the ending, things were rolling faster and the reader could guess which way things were going (which was part of the issue for me--I guessed the ending early on, thus losing some interest in it). This one just didn't pack the same punch Serle's previous books (In Five Years and One Italian Summer in particular) did for me. I'm sure some will love it, and I'll continue to read her books, but this one just fell a bit flat for me. Still a solid read, though.

I love Rebecca Serle’s books!


They’re such quick reads, the writing is so good, and the stories are always so unique.
In Five Years is still one of my most recommended books!


Expiration Dates is about Daphne. Every time she starts dating someone, she receives a mysterious note (from the universe?) saying how long that relationship will last.


She’s about to go on a date with Jake when she gets the note and this time… there’s no date. It’s just Jake’s name. Does it mean he’s the one? Is Jake her happily ever after?


Well…we’ll see.


Highly recommend it if you need something quick and lighter, with just a hint of a heavy topic.

I loved the story behind the main character. I really didn’t see the ending coming in the way that it did and I really enjoyed that! I loved the message this story was sending about love and wasted time and choosing to live everyday to the fullest. Great story!

I was hoping to really like this book, but it was missing something for me. I did like the concept of the expiration dates the MC received for anyone she dated. I didn't like the lack of character development and depth. Unfortunately it fell short.

Rebecca Serle is the queen of magical realism. Daphne Bell receives a slip of paper each time she meets a man that indicates the exact amount of time they will spend together. Daphne feels she has it all planned out but will she let these slips of paper dictate the direction of here life?

I enjoyed this book so much. It had my interest peeked from the beginning and kept my attention throughout. I loved how Rebecca Serle weaves together past and present day into the story and does so with a natural flow. I found that throughout the book there were a few twists that took me by surprise. These twists added to the theme of the book that evoked emotion and challenges the reader to think about what it means to find love and embracing the state of singleness.

After reading multiple books by Rebecca Serle, I have come to love her writing style. It is simple and easily understood with the perfect amount of detail. This book was easy to consume in just a couple sittings and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy! Easily a 5 star read that will be toward the top of my favorites list this year.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing an ARC of Expiration Dates in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Serle book, and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the quick chapters, as well as the back story with some of her expiration dates. I did not see the little plot twist coming although I could feel that there was something deeper going on. I think it flowed really well. Daphne and Hugo’s relationship was something special, and I was rooting the whole time.
Overall, I recommend this (:

I really enjoy Rebecca Serle's books, this one fit right in with her others I've read. This was a cute and light read with a magical element of something unexplainable going on. The main character Daphne has received notes for every relationship she's ever been in telling her how long the relationship will last. I enjoyed the book and flew through it. I felt like it became predictable about halfway through but I still enjoyed the rest of the book. It was a short a quick read, probably not the most memorable.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read.

I’m so excited we’re getting another fun read from Rebecca Serle! I loved In Five Years and I really enjoyed this one, too. It was a creative premise and I was invested in the main romance.

My one critique is that with the premise, we end up looking in on a lot of relationships that we aren’t invested in (because we know when they’ll end). The chapters with the other romantic interests really just serve to show how the notes work and I would have rather had more time getting to know Jake, Hugo, and Daphne. But I guess they are necessary for someone who spends her whole dating life knowing the end of every relationship!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A NetGalley review of Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, published by Atria Books.

Expiration Dates is a contemporary romance with just a hint of the fantastical thrown into the mix. Daphne, our main character, has always followed the relationship advice of these magical notes which tell her precisely how long she will spend in a relationship. She collects them, and follows them without question. Even when she may otherwise decide to make a choice which may not match what the slip says, she has faith that someday they will lead her to her forever person. Along the way we meet some interesting secondary characters, including a best friend who knows all about the magical notes; he was even once listed on one himself. The theme is love and uses imagery to emphasize the outside influences which impact each of our relationships, reminding the reader to always follow their heart.
Rebecca Serle has written other successful books including One Italian Summer and In Five Years, and I have no doubt readers will enjoy the allure of Expiration Dates as well.

Expiration dates masterfully captures the nuances and complexities of love, from the joy and euphoria of new infatuation to the pains and sacrifices of true commitment. Her vivid descriptions and witty dialogue bring the characters to life, making them relatable and memorable. The ending is not predictable, but it feels honest and authentic, and it adds a layer of complexity and depth to the story. I highly recommend reading another brilliant novel by Rebecca Serle.

Daphne has been finding pieces of papers containing a name and a length of time. She figures out that they are the names of guys she will date and for how long. But one day the paper just says Jake with no time limit. Is Jake her forever? And how long will forever be. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

loved this romance where she got papers of when her relationships would end. through the book we see her relationships with different guys and the one where she falls in love. She would have liked to have ended up her best friend hugo. Loved how this book showed her romances and where and who she ended up with. loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Publishing, and Rebecca Serle for providing me with an advance copy of "Expiration Dates."

Expiration Dates follows the journey of Daphne Bell. Daphne has spent most of her life relying on slips of paper that predict how long her relationships will last (weird, I know). When she meets Jake, and receives no expiration date, she begins to question what exactly it could all mean.

Rebecca Serle's is an excellent storyteller . Expiration Dates is an exploration of love, self-discovery, and the impact of our choices. While it may not be ground-breaking, for anyone into romance books or Serle in general, it's definitely a great read.

This was my second book by Rebecca and it did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a quick read that grabbed my attention. I liked the FMC but in my opinion, the MMC steals the show.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.