I was kindly given an ARC for this book, and I had... mixed feelings.

So, I find Rebecca Serle's writing style pretty compelling. It's easy to read without feeling flat. Along with that, she doesn't draw out her books just to add to the page count, which I really appreciate.

Given that the other two pieces I've read had characters from New York, I was really intrigued to see this book takes place in L.A. I did wonder if it had anything to do with the rise in popularity of Taylor Jenkins Reid, who also writes contemporary drama-type books, but maybe that's an unfair comparison-- nobody owns L.A. as a setting, haha!

I feel like this book had an interesting concept, but it didn't really go further than surface level with it. I'd call this a good, easy beach read, but not particularly emotionally resonant.

This book is …everything. It’s midnight and I stayed up two hours past a bedtime that I desperately needed to keep, but it’s worth every ounce of exhaustion I’ll face tomorrow. I’ve got tears running down my cheeks and the happiest feeling in my heart. This book is sweet and happy and hopeful but it has the most delightful and perceptive depth to it. I just adore Rebecca Serle.

Thank you to Atria Books for a complimentary ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I have read In Five Years by Rebecca Serle and was interested in reading Expiration Dates. The premise sounded interesting to me. Daphne Bell has been receiving notes for twenty years now that just say a name and number. These are in reference to the men that she will date, and the amount of time the relationship will last. They can range anywhere from 2 days to 2 years. She has no idea where these notes come from, but she has never not gotten one when she met a man (or boy) that she was going to date. The reader is introduced to her parents, and her co workers, as well as her dates. This is a different type of story, and an easy pleasant read. It's a little more than what I had originally thought, and Daphne does struggle with some major life issues that give the story a little more food for thought than the normal light romance. I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a romantic story with a twist. I would like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨Book Review!✨
“Expiration Dates”
Written By: Rebecca Serle
Published by: Atria Books
Publication date: March 5th, 2024
ARC provided by Netgalley
•••
What if, every time you met a new potential significant other, you received a piece of paper with that persons name, and an expiration date for your relationship?

Daphne had received these slips of paper since she was in middle school. Sometimes it came as a postcard, other times it was a folded sheet of paper. But no matter what, it always showed a persons name along with a date. Until now. This time, she received a paper with the name of her upcoming date but with no expiration date on it. So naturally, Daphne decides he must be the “one”.
•••
Expiration Dates takes you through a journey of all the men in Daphne’s past, the papers she received, the length shown on the paper and a story of each relationship and how it ended. Will this new relationship with Jake be different?
•••
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rebecca Serle’s new book, Expiration Dates. The story of love, in all forms, was a breathe of fresh air. One of life’s biggest lessons is to enjoy life, no matter where it takes you. And I think that although there are negative aspects to knowing when something great will end… it could also teach you to find the good in each person and experience. Relationships ebb and flow. Sometimes people stay in our life forever, but other times they are only meant to spend a small portion with us, for all different reasons. This book was a great reminder of that. Although some readers may not love the ending, I did. It was real and honest and not your typical love story.

1- Characters: 10
2- Atmosphere/Setting: 9
3- Writing Style: 9
4- Plot: 10
5- Intrigue: 10
6- Logic/Relationships: 9
7- Enjoyment: 9

Total Score: 66
66/7 = 9.428
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I hadn’t read a Rebecca Searle book before but the concept sounded fun so I wanted to give it a try. Daphne receives a note at the beginning (or near the beginning) of every relationship which tells her the exact length of time that relationship will last (e.g 1 night, 2 years etc.) so she is prepared at the onset for the inevitable breakup. She remained best friends with Hugo, her 3 monther who she did fall in love with and he is the only one who knows about the notes. But then right before a first date, she receives a note with no end date and she knows he is the one. The novel tells the story of her falling in love with her soulmate while retelling all of her past relationships.

This was a super light beach read sort of book, very predictable and sweet however the book still fell a bit flat for me. There is a ton of brand name dropping throughout the book which felt superfluous and distracting (I didn’t need to know the brand of jeans she was wearing on a date or the brand of coffee maker). I enjoyed the main character but some of the others just didn’t seem completely realistic to me. In the end - great concept not as great execution. However, it was a great afternoon distraction for me.

3.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC for review

Rebecca Serle always does a very whimsical and not before done take on a romance. Fast paced, well thought out - but overall explanations are missing. You're just supposed to grasp this idea that papers show up for Daphne and Daphne only, about who her boyfriend is and how long they will be around. I was surprised a few times and ultimately, enjoyed the ending. But giving this 3 stars.

* I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review *

Daphne isn’t like other people. She knows exactly when her romantic relationships are going to end-she gets a piece of paper telling her.

The problem with this is Daphne never truly lives in the moment or decides what she wants for herself. Until the very rule she thought she had to live by gets broken.

I was beyond excited to get an early copy of this book as it was one of my most anticipated reads if 2024. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint in the slightest. So well written and it really made me think. Will likely stick with me for a while

This was a cute, heartwarming read! The idea of the story is different so it def caught my attention. There’s a nice little twist in there too. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC

At page 30, I almost DNFd.
But I powered on because I am such a huge fan of Rebecca Serle that I wanted to give her the benefit.
And oh my gosh am I glad I kept going. This is the first time I've read a book in one day in a LONG time.
The beginning didn't hit right with me- the dialogue seemed disjointed and oddly paced, and the chemistry was so forced and OFF, not natural at all But I know Serle's books- the touch of mystical element present in all her novels made me think I was missing somethng, and it would all fall into place if I gave it a chance- which it did.
Our MC is Daphne, or Daph as her ex-boyfriend Hugo (who I kept picturing as Jason Momoa- no idea why but it worked) affectionately calls her. Since she was young, any time she has dated a guy, a mysterious paper shows up, and all that is written on it is their name and a time frame. 3 months, 2 years and 2 months, 1 night, etc. Hugo was 3 months, and he's the only one that she's still friends with and the only one who knows about the papers.
She has not received a paper that just has a name- no time frame. So she thinks to herself- this is him, the one she'll be with forever since there is no time frame.
As the relationship goes on, there are flashbacks to different boyfriends, each chapter indicated with their name and time she dated them. It's reading like a nice, fluffy, feel-good story when WHAM a twist hits and you look at Daphne in a whole new light- there is more depth to her and how she views the notes. She has another secret, one that has kept her from truly being happy.
This isn't just a story about finding love. It is more a story about friendship and loyalty. About realizing you are deserving of wonderful things. It's about knowing your worth and making your own choices.
And yeah- it's about love and how it is different than safety and comfort and settling for what looks perfect.
I loved, Loved, LOVED this book.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every Rebecca Serle book that I’ve read, so when I had the complete privilege of reading the ARC (thank you so much Netgalley!) I was so excited to sink into it this weekend when I knew that I’d have time to devote to giving it my undivided attention. This has to be my favorite one I’ve read by her so far!
The story takes you through Daphne’s relationships, always brought to her with a predetermined timeline via notecard. She is the only one in that relationship that knows how long she’ll have with the man, and usually things go OK for her with that…until they don’t…and until you find out why.
Her relationship with her best friend, Hugo, was wonderful and the ending was just amazing! I love how supportive he always was and is of her!

Expiration dates was not what I expected. I did not know what I was going into. Overall, this romcom offered me the most realistic and refreshing experience. If you knew the person you were dating was going to end, or not end, how would you spend your time with them?

We follow Daphne and her dating history, including her current one, Jake, but every time she dates, she receives a piece of paper with their name on it and how long she sees them for. I thought I knew how the story would end halfway through and it took me by surprise.

I had so many emotions run through me while reading and did not want to stop reading. I laughed, got frustrated with Daphne until I understood what she went through. I've never connected with a character as much as I did Daphne. I related to her, emotionally.

By the end of the book, you feel melancholy. I'm still processing it to be honest and wish I took a slower time to read it but I devoured it. Definitely put this on your TBR!

Expiration Dates releases March 5, 2024. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early access!

This is the first book that I have read by this author but will certainly not be the last. I was up until after 1 to finish this one because I just had to know how it ended.

Daphne has something odd that happens to her- every man she dates she received a piece of paper with their name and a timeframe. This tells her how long their relationship will last. It falls anywhere from one day to a few years…until Jake. Jake’s paper only has his name, which makes her realize this is her forever.

Her best friend Hugo (a previous boyfriend who lasted 3 weeks) wants nothing more than for her to be happy. But, how far is he willing to go? And with the way he still feels about her will he risk her happily ever after?

The story flowed well and I really enjoyed all of the characters. I felt for Daphne, not only for her dating scenario but the other twist (sorry, no spoilers). A really great read.

This book reminded me why I love Rebecca's writing - relatable yet poignant, with a dose of magical realism that's never explained, just accepted. I'm not going to lie, the first half of the book was a bit slow for me -- felt like one too many details to absorb, a lot of plot points happening -- but everything paid off in the last half, when the story really soared. There is a bit of a grief TW without completely spoiling things, but the last chapter felt like how I would have written the ending, too. Thank you for providing my ARC, Atria Books and #NetGalley.

Wow. I'm truly speechless. I love Serle's writing how she always manages to make these such thought provoking romance novels, and this one was definitely incredible. It's the perfect length as it doesn't drag on but it provides just the right amount of details.

I was received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much to Atria Publicity and NetGalley for an arc of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of “Expiration Dates” in exchange for an honest review. I loved this one. My favorite character was by far Murphy, the dog. The organization was so well executed. I enjoyed the voice of the protagonist and the way she is written—imperfect, likable, and realistic—made me feel like I would enjoy the author too. Also, I love books where the characters actually eat regularly. I haven’t read Serle’s work before but it was engaging, fun, with some depth to it and I will look out for her next book.

So, I am not really sure about this book. It was a really interesting concept, but it was tough to believe that when she told Hugo about the papers, he just believed it. The relationships were also so quick. It was hard to feel attached to any of the particular characters. I thought the additional box of papers was an interesting twist, but it was introduced so late in the back I had a hard time investing in that part of the story.

I just loved this so much and I flew through it. A little magical realism, a little romance, a lot of finding your way. Daphne always receives a note telling her how long a relationship will last - a night, a few weeks, a few months, etc. - until one note finally arrives with no end date. Does this mean this man is her forever? Is it inevitable? The story shows how Daphne navigates this new type of relationship and flashes back to others she’s had in the past and what she got from them. I absolutely loved her parents and her relationship with them as well. I thought this was a lovely story and very insightful and thought provoking. It also made me want to visit LA, it was portrayed so beautifully.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

A heartwarming, easy/quick read. Absolutely love the concept of the notes from the universe - with a few unexpected twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was extremely refreshing, comical, and real. I loved the depth and character of Daphne and how she felt like a real person living real life feelings and experiences. As this was an ARC, there was quite a few grammatical errors and formatting issues, but other than that— a perfect read!

A sweet, warm and wise novel about how to live the life you have.

Daphne has a strange problem. When she is going to date someone new, a piece of paper always appears that gives the amount of time the relationship will last. The novel takes the reader through several of her past relationships. Best friends with a previous boyfriend, Hugo, Daphne meets someone who could be the one. The piece of paper that arrives before him is blank.

However, the strange pieces of paper with expiration dates on them is not the only secret Daphne has. As the novel progresses, more is revealed and Daphne's choice become more understandable.

There is some wonderful self realization and growth that Daphne experiences and the writing is realistic without being trite. All in all a better read than expected.