Rebecca Serle's writing style is so specific and beautiful, and always flows so easily. Expiration Dates was an interesting concept and really made you think about the kinds of decisions you would make in the main character's position. Daphne Bell receives slips of paper with expiration dates for each new relationship, but when she gets one without an expiration date, she begins to wonder just how accurate they are. This was an emotional story with depth that will make you think about life and love and the roles relationships play. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

This was a solid 3 star read for me. Very interesting concept. I’m not sure I liked the ending. I’ll have to sit with it and see how I feel. I really liked the main character and the dilemma she faced. The way Rebecca Serle writes always makes me stop and think of what I would do if I was faced with the same decisions. If you are remotely interested, give it a read. It’s short and enjoyable.

"Expiration Dates" by Rebecca Serle offers a unique twist on the concept of dating and relationships. Protagonist Daphne Bell believes in the universe's plan for her romantic life, receiving slips of paper with expiration dates for each new relationship. However, when she meets Jake, who lacks an expiration date, Daphne begins to question the validity of the papers and wrestles with the complexities of commitment and honesty. Serle's narrative is imbued with warmth and insight, exploring the intricacies of romantic love and self-discovery. "Expiration Dates" is a gripping and emotional novel that delves into the essence of being single, finding love, and defining one's own path to happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was such a great read, and i loved how original it was. To know exactly how long and with who you are going to date. How it can take so much of the risk out of it, but alsomakes everything so finite. Daphne kept up such walls around herself, but so loved her family and friends. I loved seeing how her walls came down, even to the reader as the story progressed. This was such a beautiful book about taking risks, living your life, and living with a chronic illenss. This had me tearing up multiple times.

This was my first Rebecca Serle book and I really enjoyed it! I enjoyed the characters and became very invested in their well-being and situational outcomes. I loved the storyline as well, although I thought going into it that their would be more emphasis on the 'magic of the dating notes'. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to Daphne's past loves as well. The twist mid-way through made it more serious than I was expecting, however I was invested in that storyline and I feel like it added a lot of depth to Daphne's character and her relationship with Hugo. I've seen mixed reviews on the ending, but I loved it! I can totally picture this book being made into a Netflix movie!! I will certainly read more by Serle!

At first I thought this book was a little slow, but then *BOOM* plot twist that I did not see coming. I enjoyed how real the relationships felt and found myself cheering for the magic of "what if...".

This was a quick, light hearted read! Loved the author's writing style and the unique story line/plot! Highly recommend to anyone seeking a fun story with strict EXPIRATION DATES on each romantic relationship

Daphne has lived her life dictated by pieces of paper. They tell her the name of men she’ll meet, and how long she’ll be in a relationship with them. Until one day the paper doesn’t have a time stamp on it.

This is a love story, but it’s more about the risks we take when we fall in love. Serle’s stories often have a bit of magic in them that leave the reader contemplating the hypotheticals, which I always enjoy. How would you treat a relationship if you knew exactly how long it would last? I felt like this story didn’t quite pick up until 40% through, but once it did it was a quick read.

Being single and looking for a long term partner is like playing the lottery. Every new person every first date could be the start of something big, but what if you don't have to commit and worry and figure it out but know the "expiration date" or at least the relationship time frame right from the get go. As the protagonist Daphne wrestles with what it means to be committed and truthful - so do we as readers. This is not the whole premise but giving more away seems wrong I feel like this is definitely a book that is best experienced blind without much prior knowledge but than pondered on.
A beautiful, gripping, emotional, passionate, and heartbreaking novel, much deeper than the pretty cover leads to expect, about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves.
Expiration Dates is a wonderful book.

This book just wasn’t for me I had a hard time getting into it and I didn’t feel any great connection to the main character. There wasn’t anything wrong with the novel it just didn’t keep me hooked or interested.

Expiration Dates has the same subject as hundreds of other books: fear of love. Is he/she be the one? Is he/she going to break my heart? How long will we have? Will I survive when, one day, I’ll be alone again? Is it worth it?
Even the ones that had their hearts broken will tell you that yes, it's worthy to love and be loved. But it's not easy and it's not always the most obvious choice, especially when you become good at being alone.

Not quite sure how I felt about this story, the premise was quite interesting. The time jumps I had a hard time following the past with the present. Daphne was just an ok character and I wasn’t really invested in her and Jake. The twist and ending seemed to leave a lot unsaid and was rushed. 3.5 stars

I liked the premise, but the execution felt disjointed and confusing. I assumed the timestamped notes would play a larger role? Why even include them at all if they wound up not being as central to the story as the character's own struggles? I also wish there would have been better demarcation between time-jumps.

Cool premise in this contemporary romance with a hint of magical realism.

Throughout her life Daphene Bell receives notes telling her how long her current relationship is going to last and has learned to just deal with it. Until after a blind date she finally receives a note with out the number of days and only the name. Could this finally be the one?
What could be a light fluffy romance ends up being a much more layered emotional story. Perfect for fans of the Measure or Josie Silver

I read this for the Bad on Paper Podcast book club, and I can't wait to hear what Becca and Olivia have to say about this book! The concept of this novel is so cute: each time Daphne starts to date a new man, the universe delivers her a slip of paper with his name on it, as well as the timeline that they will be together, so when she sees the paper that just says, "Jake," she wonders what it means. What I was not expecting was for this rom-com to have a twist like this did! Literal jaw drop that my husband noticed sitting next to me while I was reading. From that point on, I couldn't put the book down and had to find out how it ended, and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

I just adore how Rebecca Serle writes! Her books are generally short, but so immersive and descriptive. You get such a wonderful sense of the characters. They are relatable and likeable, but not perfect. Daphne is an assistant living in Los Angeles who works in the film industry. Since she was a young girl, she has always received a note with a name and an amount of time underneath it. She has learned that this means the name of her next love interest and the amount of time they will be together. Now in her early 30s, she receives a note with just a name and nothing else, leading her to believe this is who she's meant to be with forever.

In Expiration Dates, we learn about Daphne's dating history and her best friend, Hugo, a handsome former suitor. I loved the complex relationships, twists and turns, and gorgeously described settings. Though Serle's writing is considered romance, there's always so much more and she doesn't rely on overused tropes to propel the plot. There is always a thoughtful, philosophical bent and we question larger ideas about our lives and humanity. I listened to the audiobook, which is perfectly narrated by a longtime audiobook favorite of mine, Julia Whelan. She reads with such great delivery and gives so much presence and empathy to Daphne.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to atria and Beth alley for this advanced copy

I knew I would get an emotional rollercoaster in this book but I wasn't completely prepared for the second act twist and the ending of this one. I read most of it quickly on a flight and that's the right level of commitment for this.book. Daphne is complex and I think my main complaint was that it was hard for me to connect with her feelings. They seemed flat at times where the men seemed slightly more complex and interesting and that frustrated me.

But it was still a great plane read. The pace was perfect, the spice not too hot, the ending just infuriating enough that I was glad I was paying attention. Can't wait to read the next one.

This wasn't a bad read, but it took me a while to finish due to me not really liking the characters very much. It's a bummer because I typically like Rebecca Serle's work. This one just didn't do it for me.

Daphne works and lives in Los Angeles. Here life is a strange one. Her past relationships have always had expiration dates. When she met someone, she would receive a piece of paper with the guy’s name on it and the duration of their relationship.

We see her with Martin in Paris for 3 days. Then, there is Hugo in Los Angeles. And on from there. There is just conversation with these guys with nothing concrete coming from them. There’s a lot of name dropping. Are readers supposed to be impressed by this? Goodness. This is such a boring book and a silly subject as well. So sorry, but I just did not care for this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It took me a very long time to get through this but it was my fault and not the book's. Once I settled in, it was lovely.