This was my first Rebecca Serle book and I was pleasantly surprised with how fast of a read this was. The chapter lengths were perfect. I Immediately felt drawn in to the story of Daphne and how every time she starts a new relationship she gets some sort of piece of paper with the guys name and a time line on it. I couldn't imagine knowing how long a relationship was going to last, sometimes even before it started.

I was shocked about halfway thru the book, and wasn't expecting it to go the way it did. I absolutely loved the ending. I've seen mixed reviews for this one, but overall I loved it. The only thing I didn't like was the jumping around from current to past relationships at first, but it all made sense a little later on.

Highly recommend this one! I will definitely read more by Rebecca Serle now!

4/5 - I couldn’t put this one down! Written in Serle’s beautiful, descriptive and engaging voice, Expiration Dates is a different, thoughtful and layered take on love. Serle’s books always have a magical twist and in this case, the main character, Daphne, gets pieces of paper with the name of her next partner and how long they will be together. Sometimes she’s already met them and sometimes not!

What unfolds is a layered journey of discovery, because that isn’t the only secret Daphne holds close. Together, these two aspects of her life really shape who she is and how she experiences the world, for better or worse. Because how much can you authentically feel, learn, grow, give and let go when you already expect and anticipate a certain ending? Or none at all?

This was a very emotional read for me - I actually cried at the end, during Daphne’s conversation with her father. There are some tough themes explored here related to self love, loss and especially chronic illness, so if that’s a tough topic for you this will either be incredibly relatable or potentially triggering.

Thank you to @netgalley, Atria and Rebecca Serle for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book came out YESTERDAY so grab it now!

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love this book so bad. I saw rave reviews and was extremely excited to start it. It was a short, cute read coming in about 280 pages. The premise of the book was intriguing. Every time Daphne meets a new man, she gets a slip of paper about how long she is going to spend with him. When she meets Jake and his name is the only thing on it, she is forced to question the validity of the papers.

I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't love the book as much as everyone else. I didn't exactly feel the chemistry between any of the characters in the book. It felt pointless to relive the old dates considering they didn't add much to the story. I wasn't fully invested in Daphne and felt disconnected from her love life. I wish we would have gotten the "twist" a little earlier in the book. It was dropped pretty late in the book and not reflected on much, which led to more disconnect.

I did enjoy the writing style and the short chapters. I would be willing to give Rebecca Serle another chance because I can see all the potential, but this book just wasn't my taste.

Expiration Dates is a love story that follows Daphne who seems to have a rather unique romantic journey. Every time she meets a new man, she also gets a slip of papers with his name and a number on it indicating how long they will be together. We learn about some of her slips of paper and men in the past and it turns out that Daphne has been going through this for years. She starts to wonder if she'll ever find the one, the one without a number or rather, an expiration date. Soon after comes, Jake and we are thrusted into their rollercoaster of a story.

It's a beautiful story at its core about love and being single. I found Daphne to be quite a relatable lead to follow and I appreciated how emotional the story was. I adore Rebecca Serle's writing - there is always something so ethereal about it! I enjoyed this read overall, as I typically do with all of Rebecca Serle's books thus far.

I generally like Rebecca Serle's work, but this was a solid LOVE. This was a short and sweet romance that is perfect for this Spring season.

From the time she was a girl, Daphne has received a mysterious note with the man's name and the duration of the relationship. Before she goes on a date with Jake, for the first time ever, Daphne receives a note with nothing but his name. Is this finally her forever? And if so, why is she having doubts?

This book was so unexpected to me. It was a romance, yes, but it had also has unexpected depth. We learn about Daphnes very valid fears, including those related to trust and expectations.

Highlights: The length - I have read too many romance novels lately that just go on. And on. And on. This one was short, but just right for the story. The pacing was perfect and at the end I felt like the book had come to its natural ending. I also enjoyed how the magical realism aspect tied in nicely and without becoming overwhelming or distracting.

While this is not the greatest book, even romance book, I have ever read... I really have nothing I would change. It perfectly reached its expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recalled enjoyed this book so much! Daphne has received notes for years about the duration of her current relationship. She receives a note with a name and no date, does this mean he is the one? I am a fan of a magical realism and it did not disappoint.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC.

A fun, magical, romance novel!

Daphne receives a piece of paper with a name and a timeframe before dating any man, so she always knows the time she will have to spend with them. The novel opens with Daphne receiving a note on her way to a first date with a name and no date - does this mean he will be her forever?

The novel goes back and forth between Daphne's current relationship and her previous ones. With a twist revealed in the middle, and the continuation of her ex- turned - friend, in her life this book held my interest.

Read if you like: low-spice romance, magical realism, contemporary women's fiction

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Rebecca Serle writes the most interesting realistic stories with a touch of magic! ✨

I’m a little late in finishing this ARC but I’m so glad I did! I really enjoyed this book about different stages of one’s love life and tough things that can happen to anyone!

I also like how one big detail came as a surprise to the reader a good ways through the book! I did not expect that! 😱

The ending of this book was a good conclusion that shows that it doesn’t have to be a “perfect” ending but one that is hopeful!

Definitely go check out this new book by Rebecca Serle! 💗

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest book review!

Daphne Bell has lived a pretty normal life, grew up in the suburbs of LA, only child to her loving parents, the only thing that makes her different that for every man she meets and dates she gets a slip of paper with their name and how long the relationship is going to last. Over the years they slips have predicted one night stands, weekend flings, to a 2 and a half year long term relationship. She is about to leave to meet up with her blind date when she gets a piece of paper, but this time it has no amount of time just a name, Jake.

Daphne grapples with how much choice she has in the matters she has always left up to fate, and finally baring her soul to someone when she has always held her secrets close to her chest knowing past relationships always had a fixed end.

This story was so beautiful and powerful. The exploration of being single, what it means so have a relationship, the impact of lost loves, and what it truly means to be all in on love. The author did such a wonderful job of have real meaning to the story while also making it so readable and compelling, everytime i put it down for any reason I wanted to pick it right back up. The book felt like a warm hug while also feeling challenging and thought provoking.

If you could find out when your relationship would end, would you want to know?

That is the premise for Expiration Dates. A woman gets an anonymous piece of paper with a man’s first name and a time period so she always knows how long a relationship will last. I don’t want to give any more info because this book is best going in blind. And let me tell you, I LOVED IT. It was true story of resilience, growth, and love. It was finding yourself and loving yourself. I loved all of the relatable and lovable characters, the quirkiness, the raw emotion that jumped from the page. And as an added bonus, it was a bit like a love letter to Los Angeles, including lots of references to the little part of the city where I live. Pub day is today and you need this book.

Quick read with self-empowerment vibes/owning your own future. Similar tropes to her other books but no Rebecca Serle book would be complete without an illness/death storyline tied in.

4.25 stars rounded up — Thank you Netgalley & Atria for the eARC of Expiration Dates! 🫶
*𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯!

Rebecca Serle does not miss (with me, at least) — she’s one of my auto-buy authors and this one further reinforced that! 👏 In Expiration Dates, we follow Daphne Bell as she trots through relationship after relationship — but catch: she receives a mystery slip with a name and timeframe (how long the relationship will last) before or when she meets each person, and it always turns out correct! So when she gets a slip with no timeframe at all, it has to mean forever — right? 😧

“𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦”

I adored this story — and I think this will resonate well with single women (or women in general), or those who feel stuck while the rest of the world keeps moving. The inner dialogue was SO relatable (the bit about standing in front of the mirror naked had me cackling 😂), and the overall message was so good. You’ll find more than romantic love in this book — in true Serle fashion, you’ll also see familial love, human-animal love, friendship, and (the one I loved most,) self-love.

There were a few things I missed — 1. Although I loved the messaging, this one didn’t garner that visceral emotion out of me, where her other books had (ie. didn’t make me cry); and 2. I really wish actual years were incorporated (example, Bob, two years, “summer of 2000” (ps. this was not an actual character 😅)). There was a lot of bouncing back and forth between timelines that just made it a bit too confusing at times 🥴

Overall though, it’s short and sweet, had great messaging, had many quotable lines, and had great character depth. I loved the LA setting and thorough descriptions (Serle really knows how to set the scene!). Great read for women’s month! I’d highly recommend!

I thought this book was ok, predictable and just ok on the plot. I felt it was very similar to prior books by the author. I saw all the plot twists coming especially the ending but my biggest issue with this was that I did not feel much of a connection to Daphne....

What I did like is that Daphne received slips of paper coming from nowhere with the length of her relationship to the men she meets. This could have been a really good and interesting book. But the characters were one dimensional and so many troubled, flawed people that Daphne meets. Daphne has issues of her own too. This should have worked to make it interesting but it was not.

Just ok for me. Some people will like this more than me, and others will no like it.

Thanks to Netgalley, Rebecca Serle and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle is a vivid love story about fate and choices.

Expiration Dates is an ideal book to read as the weather warms up. It’s not long—only 268 pages—so you’ll fly through this novel. While she certainly could have written more if she wanted, the story feels very complete. And I think out of all the endings—this one is my favorite of hers so far.

Expiration Dates is an entertaining and enlightening novel. Yes, it’s short but that’s part of the charm. It packs a lot in this small story. The novel will cause you to reflect and think about your own decision making as well. And it makes for a great book club discussion as there are some twists and interesting plot choices.

I really enjoyed the concept of this story. Getting glimpses of the future of your relationship makes you wonder if it would change how you live your life. We see that in the different relationships daphne has throughout the story. My one issue with the book was the ending felt rushed and her decision just felt kind of thrown in to get to that last scene. Overall it was an enjoyable quick read that I read in a day though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC provided.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebecca Serle does it again 😭
Daphne’s story had me captivated from the start. She finds herself always having an expiration date on a man she is dating. She always knows when the relationship will come to an end. She wants to find a forever love, however that has never been the case.

You follow her present relationships along with the past. I could not put this book down and it ended up being a beautiful tear jerker. It was so beautifully written, Rebecca Serle is a genius.

This is my first book by Rebecca Serle but I now have plans to go back and read all of her previous works, Expiration Dates follows Daphne, a woman who receives a note at the beginning of every relationship telling her how long that relationship will last.

I really enjoyed Serle's writing style, and how she unfolded the story with a mix of past and present. I thought this book started a little slow, I was hooked by 10%.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

This book was so-so for me. I felt like the book was always building up to a climax but just kind of fell flat. The ending left me a little confused. The story line of Daphne knowing exactly how long she would be with someone is what peaked my interest but I feel like the ending could have been better. I did enjoy the different boyfriends and their timelines being mixed in between the current day story. Don’t know that I would recommend to a friend. Definitely an easy, mindless read. Great for a beach day if you have it, but wouldn’t recommend running to the bookstore to grab it today.

Rebecca Serle novels always have a sort of magical/mystical twist that make them stand out from other novels. Literally and figuratively, really. I enjoyed reading Expiration Dates as I was in a sort of slump and felt that it was just the perfect speed to help bring me out. The biggest take away from this novel for me was to not be afraid to live your life the way you want to live it. Don’t let the unknown or expectations of others put you in a box. You are in charge of your own destiny.

I began my Rebecca Serle book journey with In Five Years, and since then, have yet to read another book that gave me quite the same feeling as my first encounter with that story... until now. Expiration Dates reminded me of In Five Years, not necessarily in content, but in vibes. It wove magic with heartache, romance with grief, and joy with complexity, creating a dynamic story that provided enduring hope.

Daphne's character was immediately relatable, in that she finds comfort in the predictable. Each of her relationships has come with a deadline--an 'expiration date'--that she receives on a slip of paper near the time she meets someone new. She knows how long she'll have with each person and it provides peace of mind in more ways than one. This allows her to plan her life accordingly and it dictates how she acts with each individual and makes sure no lines get blurred or feelings get hurt.

However, as I read the beginning of this book, I immediately recognized that there was something more happening behind the scenes. Not only did it seem like she took these expiration dates to an extreme, but there were some relationships that felt heavier than others. I had a lot of questions that I hoped would get answered as I continued the story.

I got swept up in the different romantic timelines, rooting for certain partners a little more than others, and hoping that maybe something extra magical would happen and the expiration dates would be incorrect for some of them along the way. My heart was set on Daphne remaining in one of these loving relationships long-term.

There were several predictable moments throughout the book that I'm sure would be considered "plot twists," but that seemed a long time coming in my mind. I'll admit that was a little bit of a letdown and probably the only thing that kept me from giving this story a full five stars. While a few of her other books have really blown me away with their twists, I wasn't particularly shocked by the outcome in Expiration Dates. That being said, I still enjoyed the direction the story went! It was fun to make guesses and even satisfying to be proven correct as I read.

Like her other books, Expiration Dates deals with topics like illness, grief, and relational challenges. It contains depth and makes you want to pause to consider your own life multiple times while reading. I found myself highlighting several passages to reflect on later because they were so poignant. Unlike her other books that often centered around familial love, this story focused heavily on romantic love, which was such a delight. It made me happy to know that Rebecca's joy was woven into the story in a brand new way and makes me look forward to her future releases as well!

Content Warnings: (Major) Medical content and Chronic illness, (Moderate) Sexual content and Grief