I will read anything by Rebecca Serle and Expiration Dates did not disappoint! I love how she writes well-written women’s fiction with a touch of magical realism.

The book centers around Daphne Bell, a 30-something who receives notes informing her how long each romantic relationship she enters will last. Most of the story is told from present time, but we get glimpses of past relationships every few chapters.

I was rooting for Daphne and wanted her to have her Happily Ever After. This was a sweet story with sprinkles of life lessons throughout the book. I particularly liked the concept of love as a safety net. You’ll understand after you read the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Just imagine meeting a possible love interest and finding out right away how long the relationship will last. It would seem to put a damper on the fun of dating. This is exactly what happens to Daphne.

She began getting postcards in middle school that had a name and a length of time written down. As the years passed by, she began to expect the cards and resigned herself to the situation.

Hugo was one such love interest and the only one she confided in about the “love notes.”
After Daphne and Hugo broke up, they kept their friendship in tact and saw each other on a regular basis.

Eventually Daphne meets Jake through a mutual friend, but this time her post card only has his name and no time frame. Puzzled, Daphne begins to think he’s the one to go the distance.

But there are some twists coming that made this story well worth reading. Light-hearted, but with some sobering content, this was a pleasure to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am pleased to recommend this and give my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria for this gifted digital ARC of Expiration Dates.
This is my first Rebecca Serle read and quite possibly, my last. I went in knowing that this author's books have reviews that swing from one end of the pendulum to the other. I figured this would be a good one to get my feet wet and find out what end my review would land on.
I began this book enjoying it. I thought the premise was kind of fun, and I was thoroughly entertained. Then at about 35% of the way in, it started to lose me. I became too annoyed with the disjointed chapters, the jumping around between Hugo, Jake and the others, and I was no longer entertained. The characters weren't loveable. The relationships were confusing and lacking depth. And I just didn't care to read anymore. I stopped at 50%.
This one missed the mark for me.

It’s not fair how much I absolutely loved this story.

Daphne is likeable right from the start. Sure, she has this weird super power of receiving notes telling her how long her relationships will last, but she’s me, she’s the women I know. When she receives a note with just a name, and no timeline, things change and her outlook changes with it. As her relationship with Jake progresses, we follow along and feel all of her emotions with her.

I felt like Serle was writing my feelings. She so perfectly executed optimism and finding “the one” when you’ve never found anything like that before. When the story took its turn at the half way mark I felt even more invested and even more like she was writing this story for me. I connected to every aspect of this and couldn’t get enough of it.

Thank you for this masterpiece.

When I was gifted a copy of this book as an ARC, I could’ve fallen over! I absolutely adore Rebecca Serle’s books and I just couldn’t believe I was given this honor!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the touch of magical realism and how it’s intertwined with “real life”! This book also really makes you think! Does outside knowledge or “insider” knowledge change your life course? Would you rather know about how long you have with someone or is it better to not know?

Daphne is a wonderful main character and I really enjoyed her journey and the progress she made.

This book will be available on March 19th and I highly suggest y’all grab it! Especially if you’ve enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s other books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Expiration Dates!

Since 5th grade, Daphne has received notes that tells her exactly how long she will be in every relationship she has ever had- 3 months, one night, 2 years, etc. Until one day, she finally receives a note with just name. She believes that this means that Jake is her soul mate and goes into the relationship seeing everything great about him. But, eventually wonders if the universe got it right. Even if someone is perfect on paper, are they perfect for you?

The premise seems strange when you read the synopsis, but as usual Rebecca Serle did a a great job with the concept. You will see that there is much more to the story than just notes. Part of the plot is a little predictable, but there are a few twists I didn’t see coming!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun, quick read but with a good message to take away. I will definitely recommend it to friends!

✨ Review ✨ Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Thanks to Atria Books, Simon and Schuster #bookclubfavorites and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This would make the perfect light beachy read for spring break or summer! Readers looking for a deeper literary read though might not find it here.

A lot like One Italian Summer there's a magical realism component to the story. Daphne always receives a note, a postcard, a receipt or some other scrap of paper with a name and a length of time before any relationship starts. For her then, every relationship has a built in expiration date (and she's going on dates...get it? lol) Until she gets a note with a name and no end date on it, and realizes she's met her forever man.

The book peels back layers of her life, looking at her budding relationship with Jake, the one with no end date, in addition to her relationships with bff Hugo, her boss Irina (who steals the show), and others in her life. It jumps between past and present to also sprinkle in examples of her past relationships, and admittedly, sometimes these jumps were a little confusing.

I though this was more interesting as a women's fiction book than as a romance, and I appreciated the rich details about life in LA, including restaurants and food, beaches, and other fun experiences the characters had. I also really liked that Daphne lived without fear in so many ways! I found her compelling as a character. Overall, I thought it was fun and light, but it left me wanting a little more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: women's fiction, romance
Setting: Los Angeles
Pub Date: March 19, 2024

A charming — but not quite gripping — contemporary romance with a hint of magical realism and comedy.

While Daphne and her universe-appointed soul mate Jake get to know each other, we are shown glimpses of her past relationships. Plus, we get to hang out with Hugo, her best friend and the only other person who shares Daphne’s secret. I quickly pinned this as predictable then turned out to be pleasantly surprised, more than once. I did find it easy to put down at times but the last third was full of emotion, growth, and wisdom. I had expected a wild ride and received a sweet adventure beautifully weaving together the delicate strands of family, friendship and love. A well written story that I can widely recommend to anyone.

This was a lovely heart-warming novel where main character, Daphne, receives a note of some kind every time she is about to enter a new relationship, and the note tells her how long it will last. Until one day she gets a note with no expiration date. What does it mean....has she found her forever person?

I liked the book because it kept me guessing -- what did the note mean? Daphne's life is complicated for many reasons revealed in the book, and she has learned to rely on these notes to give her guidance, until one day that guidance drops away. Can she trust herself? The book reminded me a bit of Nikki Erlick's The Measure where people's fates were revealed to them if they wished to know. This is sort of the same -- if you know what the future holds how does that change the way you act, and do you even want to know?

This was a quick, touching, romantic novel that I greatly enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Rebecca Serle stole my heart with In Five Years, so I went into this one with high hopes. I was not disappointed. An unconventional love story with new elements brings a story sure to entertain to anyone's heart. I wish I could read it again for the first time. If you like to seasonally read, save this one for a Valentine's read or another themed read!!

In the fifth grade, Daphne Bell gets a note with the name of a boy and the exact amount of time they will be together. Over the years, she's gotten papers correctly predicting the start of her relationship with a man of that name and the length of the relationship - until one day, she receives a paper that just says "Jake." As her relationship with Jake unfolds, Daphne struggles with telling him all the secrets she's been keeping.

I was really excited to read this as I loved The Dinner List when I read it years ago and In Five Years infuriated me in the best way (One Italian Summer is still on my TBR!). Ultimately, I thought this book was a bit disappointing. First of all, the magical realism of the notes was never explained or even dug into, which I wished we would have gotten more on. Second, I felt like the book was pretty slow-paced for the first half and then ZOOMED by the second half, ultimately making me feel like we didn't really get anything out of it. It was also less than 300 pages, so I wish it had been a little longer to really flesh out some of the story points a bit more. An illness is thrown into the story at around 55%-60% for no real reason and I feel like it didn't really add anything to the story. Ultimately, I was so frustrated at Daphne for wasting Jake's time and at Hugo for just being an asshole who didn't show any real growth. Overall, this book was just okay.

Daphne has a gift. She receives a postcard with a name and time frame on it at the beginning of each new relationship. It signifies how much time the relationship will last…in days, weeks, months.

I’ve read a few of this author’s books and do have mixed reviews on past books. But I always enjoy her storylines and attention to detail, so it’s always a yes to request. I flew thru this book. I really enjoyed the magically realism aspect. Would I have wanted to know how long some of my relationships would last? I don’t think so! As I was reading, I knew a twist was coming, but I didn’t expect the one that was presented. I enjoyed the characters, and could totally see the different connections between Daphne and most of her suitors. Things changed for me at the end. I found it rushed, and not very convincing. For all the attention to detail (scenery, fashion), the ending fell flat for me. Although attraction and decisions do not necessarily go together. The secondary characters were well written and were an integral part of the story other than fillers. The female friendships were a welcome addition, showing the best side of love and support, leaving out the cattiness we so often see. Loved her parents, but didn’t totally feel their anguish. But, as I wrote this review, I realized I enjoyed this book much more than I thought, although I did debate throwing down my kindle at the end! Ultimately, the heart wants what the heart wants!

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this book. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you, @Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book. After reading Expiration Dates, I have discovered that I am a big fan of Rebecca Serle. Her books are magical in the best kind of way. They feel good and make me happy. Even when frustrated with a character, I can sympathize and root for them to do the right thing. I feel immersed in the character journey, and I also enjoy the supporting characters. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Loved this book . Loved the message loved the story whole thing was just one huge win for me . Serle used a fabulous device to remind the reader of all the different stages of a relationship and what happens when you truly let yourself be.

A really good quick read. I really enjoyed the narration style, and learning about the different relationships. The book tells a good story, one I think a lot of people could learn from, about how things differ based on your mindset. I definitely could have done with more epilogue, but I love how the story wrapped up.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle in exchange for an honest review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Rebecca’s previous novels, In Five Years, and One Italian Summer, so I had high hopes for Expiration Dates. This was a quick read and I think I enjoyed it, but I also felt like I needed more.

The story focuses on Daphne, a woman with secrets, who is looking for love. Whenever she begins a new relationship, she finds the person‘s name and a time frame for how long that relationship will last. I thought the premise was interesting and could have been a great story. However, I didn’t feel a real connection to Daphne. I felt like even as the story progressed, her character wasn’t developed enough.

In the end, I’m glad I read it and would give it 3.5 stars. There was one powerful chapter that did make me stop and think, but I was still left wanting.

I have this book a 4.5 out of 5 rating. I really enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s new book “Expiration Dates.” This book is about the main character Daphne, whose love life has been planned out for her ever since she was young. She has been receiving these mysterious “notes” with the name of the next person she is going to date and how long she will date them for. Until one day, she gets a note that only has a name and no expiration date. The book gives a glimpse into Daphne’s past relationships while also exploring how this new relationship will unfold and what it means for there to be no expiration date.

Rebecca Serle always adds an element of magical realism that I really enjoy. She also is incredibly good at adding unexpected twists that I never see coming. My favorite part about this book was how quickly it pulled you into the story. I was hooked from the beginning.

This book was both heartbreaking but also incredibly heartwarming. Overall, a quick read that will leave you wanting more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance before its release date.

I hadn’t read anything by Rebecca Serle before, am usually a voracious mystery reader, and unlikely to look for anything smacking of “romance.” But I saw this title online as a book someone had already read and loved so decided to download it. I was very happily surprised. Turns out it was not just romantic, but also funny and moving and even sad at times. Daphne is a young woman with a very unusual situation in life. She gets notes, in different places, at different times, unexpectedly, with the name of a man and a time period. “Josh, 6 months,” for example. She learns these are men she will get involved with and the time period named is how long the relationship will last. She also has a serious health issue that complicates everything for her, and that she mostly hides from these men. One day she gets a note with a name but no expiration date, and it terrifies her. She shares her fears with one of the exes, Hugo, who is her best friend, and he tries to be encouraging. The new guy, Jake, is near-perfect, but of course…complications ensue. Unpredictable, funny, with a great sense of place, Expiration Dates is a thoroughly entertaining and at times thought-provoking novel.

"Expiration Dates" is Rebecca Serle's soon to be released (March 19, 2024) new novel. Her fans will be pleased to see that magical realism still rules the day in her book world!

At its core, this novel is a reflection on this theme...how would you respond if you somehow knew (from *magically* appearing names and numbers) the exact *expiration date* of all of your romantic relationships? A bit out there, for sure. But if you can look past this, you can begin to see the ramifications it might have on each relationship's authenticity, as well as the investment in or withholding of one's emotions within that framework. Silly-ish device for moving the reader toward a much more serious reflection on choices, actions, and outcomes in the pursuit of fulfillment and happiness.

I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and Rebecca Serle for allowing me the opportunity to read "Expiration Dates" in advance of its release date.

#expirationdates
#rebeccaserle
#magicalrealism
#netgalley

I enjoyed this quick read from Rebecca Serle. As with so many of her books, there is an element of magic and mystery that you don’t quite have to understand, and you can just take it at face value that it’s happening.

Every time Daphne 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. Three days, five weeks, three months, and so on - from the time she was young until today. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake. With no expiration date, Daphne wonders – is this finally her “happily ever after?”

There’s more to Daphne’s story and secrets than you’re led to believe initially, and I found it interesting to consider how I would have reacted in a similar situation with the twists that came along. The book poses the question about whether fate exists, and your future is predestined no matter what. Or can you change things because you want to, and fight for what your heart tells you is right?

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.