| Title | : | Expiration Dates |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1982166827 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781982166823 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published March 19, 2024 |
From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes the romance that will define a generation.
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.
But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.
Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel 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 the one fans have been waiting for.
Expiration Dates Reviews
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I usually have a lot to say about a book (shocking, I know), but this one left me a bit befuddled. Did I enjoy it? I think so. And yet, I wanted more than what I got.
Daphne has an unusual quirk—every time she meets a new man, she gets a piece of paper with his name and the exact amount of time they will be together. Until one day, she gets a piece of paper with just a name: Jake. It seems all her waiting is over, and she has finally met the one. But as their relationship continues, Daphne starts to wonder what it means to be with someone she isn't entirely truthful with.
With a premise like that, I was expecting something, well unexpected. To know the future before it happens is a double-edged sword. Do you forge your own destiny or do you let yourself be steered by what you know your destiny to be? Ah, a subtle but important distinction and a quandary to be certain. So I settled in for what is sure to be an interesting read.
We follow Daphne as she meets Jake and their relationship grows. And through flashbacks, we see some of her other relationships in the past, including her three-month romance with her now best friend, Hugo. As time goes on, she can't help but be cynical as relationship after relationship ends, exactly as the papers predict.
But then as the story continues, I started to realize that it isn't what I was expecting. Or rather, it is, but I thought there would be more. For such an fascinating premise, this seems more like a romance or women's fiction rather than the profound read I was hoping for.
Yes, we do spend a little bit of time contemplating Daphne's unusual issue, but otherwise, this story unfolds along the same vein as any other fictional relationship. In fact, the story focuses a lot of time on another thing altogether, which while worthwhile, feels a bit like a bait-and-switch to me.
It doesn't help that Daphne and Jake lacked chemistry together. They feel rather bland, so it was hard to invest in their relationship or to understand what they saw in each other. The only chemistry was between Daphne and Hugo, which made this a somewhat confusing read because I wasn't sure who to cheer for.
But that isn't to sell the story short. There were definitely moments when it got ahold of me and I felt its emotional pull. And its message of living your life to the fullest because it's the only one you've got is a worthy one, even if it got a little muddled in the tale.
So yes, I did enjoy this, even if it didn't end up being as profound as I'd hoped for. The undeniably fascinating premise and little nuggets of emotional moments left me with some interesting food for thought. For that, I'll round it up to 4 stars.
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See also, my thoughts on:
In Five Years
One Italian Summer
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Rebecca Serle has done it again! She found my weakest and softest spot, one that I've expertly disguised from others behind a facade of a strong, unemotional woman who never sheds a tear. I bury my deepest feelings, refusing to share them with anyone. But every time I read one of her books, the main characters manage to resonate with me, cracking that hard facade and finding their way under my skin. And then, like clockwork, the waterworks start. I cry as if I've bottled up years of tears, shedding them without a second thought, feeling the sorrow that I've shared with only a select few.
Daphne Bell's emotional journey to find love against all odds, including her self-sabotaging tendencies, touched me more than I care to admit. With the fantasy vibes of the story, it grabs your attention from the very first page when Daphne receives her first note in the form of a postcard at a young age. The note contains a boy's name and a number of days. Initially, she can't decipher its meaning, and the sender remains a mystery. However, as she finds herself dating the boy, she realizes that her dates correspond exactly to the number on the card. Is the universe playing a game with her, sending these anonymous cards as a warning about who she might date and how long the relationship will last?
Is this a gift or a curse? Does it prevent her from giving love a second chance? The cards never seem to be wrong, and as we witness the men she's dated, we realize that they were not the ones deserving of her affections. With the warning notes, she can shield herself from heartbreak by knowing how things will end, right? But what if she still wants some of those relationships to last a little longer? In her most insecure moments, she questions whether she deserves love and affection. But something holds her back from believing otherwise.
Fortunately, she manages to remain friends with Hugo, one of her past dates, and she finally receives a mysterious note with no expiration date. Has she finally found the love of her life? Could Jake, the man she's currently dating, be her soulmate?
I know some of you might think you can guess the biggest twist of the book easily. I had a feeling too, but who cares? The journey of Daphne, her relationships with her girlfriends and business associates, her self-discovery, her confrontations with her fears, and her grappling with things she cannot have versus things she can achieve—all while learning to accept them by embracing both logic and her heart's desires—are the highlights of the book that I truly enjoyed. As a fellow Angeleno, I also appreciated the author's excellent choice of locations in Los Angeles, from the spectacular view at the Bel Air Hotel to the amazing lattes at Alfred's. Even the timing and directions of LA traffic made me smile. She certainly has great taste (and I think I'm also complimenting myself here because I adore those places she highlighted in the book).
The conclusion of the book brought a deep smile to my face. I believe this is one of my favorite works by the author. I don't care about the predictability of the big twist. I easily became attached to Daphne's story of chasing happiness and found myself lost in her well-depicted La La Land tale, which resonated with me even more than the plot of the La La Land movie. It tugged at the strings of my heart, and I devoured it in one sitting. I'm giving it my five stars without a second thought.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this heartfelt book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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This is my fourth book by Rebecca Serle and she never disappoints, I love how she mixes women's fiction with magical realism. I thought this one would be a light, fluffy romance but boy was I wrong...this book was so much more than that. It is such an intriguing concept, little notes tell our main character, Daphne, how long her relationships will last.
The author throws in a couple of surprise twists that I did not see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed being surprised that way. The best part, for me, was when Daphne stopped letting the pieces of paper dictate her life and she took control of her choices herself and remembers you only have one life so live it to your best ability to be happy no matter how long or short it is.
I liked the way Serle writes, it isn't too flowery or wordy and her books are always so unique. The style is easy to read and so engrossing I managed this one in a couple of sittings. I love the way that romance isn't the most important part of her plots but they still manage to give me all the feels and have cheering the couple on. The book is short and very emotive and was such a gut punch a couple of times. I was really happy when Daphne found herself and her one true love.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy. -
OH MY HOPELESS ROMANTIC WHEEZING HEART!!!!!! Expiration Dates written by Rebecca Serle was such a sweet memorable story. It was lighthearted at times with a few giggles here and there, but it was also heavy on the heart at times which caused a few tears to escape. I have never read a book written by Rebecca Serle before, but after Expiration Dates had a chokehold on my heart and my emotions, I will definitely be sure to check out her other books for sure. I loved every single minute of this story, from the gorgeous cover, to the heart to heart talk our main character had with her dad, to the supportive best friends/co-workers, overall it was a sweet story. The only very minor issue I had with this book was the descriptions to every single person's outfits, like we get it we love people with a fashion sense of humor, but like I didn't need to know what every single person was wearing. I feel like with the short chapters, it kept the story moving freely. Ladies, you're absolutely beautiful with or without make up, but I advise you not to wear any makeup, unless it's waterproof because those tears will be sneaking up on you, whether you expect them to or not.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND ATRIA BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!
"Being single is like playing the lottery. There's always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all."
If you received a little piece of paper with someone's name on it and an expiration date for how much time you have with that one person, what would you do?
-Honestly, I would make every minute count, I would love to get to know that person, but at the same time I would live my life and be happy. You know what they say, the first impression is what makes or breaks a relationship/friendship.
Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time Daphne meets a new man, she receives a piece of paper with the man's name and a number on it, that number resembles the exact amount of time they will be together. Daphne has been receiving these papers for over twenty years, but she is always wondering when there might be a piece of paper without an expiration date. These papers have told Daphne she would spend three days with Martin in Paris, five weeks with Noah in San Francisco, and three months with Hugo, Daphne's ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Finally the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, Daphne receives a piece of paper with the name Jake on it, but no expiration date. As Jake and Daphne's story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper's prediction because she's at crossroads with what it means to be both committed and truthful in a relationship. I feel like Daphne is doubting the paper's prediction because she knows things that Jake doesn't and if Daphne withholds that information from Jake much longer, when the time comes for her to actually open up to Jake, the information Daphne withheld could actually break Jake's heart.
I know Expiration Dates is a romance novel, but I absolutely love how the whole book wasn't just based on romance, Rebecca Serle actually took us on Daphne's journey of finding her one true love and soul mate. Throughout the book we get like a flashback/backstory on the men Daphne has previously been with, how they met, what their relationship was like, how their relationship ended. I can't recommend this book enough, please do yourself a favor and add Expiration Dates to your TBR immediately. Despite if a relationship ended horribly, I love how Daphne didn't hold any grudges against any of these men, she simply spread her wings and moved on. I will admit, Jake and Hugo were my absolute favorite, I adored how Hugo and Daphne remained best friends after their relationship ended, and Jake was so thoughtful, he never once judged Daphne. THAT ENDING???? I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED!!!!! I can't express my love for this book more than I already have, but holy cow, I loved this book so so much, no amount of words or love I express for this book will ever give Expiration Dates the justice it deserves. If I could rate this book a million stars, I definitely would because it's just going to have that lasting effect on me. Daphne was just the sweetest soul I have met in this fictional world. -
NetGalley kindly gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and well, here it goes... Once again, Rebecca Serle writes a book with a cool concept, but absolutely lacking in execution. This review contains mild spoilers.
• The writing style is so rudimentary. So many unnecessary details about every character's exact outfit and how they smell. It's fluff and genuinely adds nothing to each scene it's in. I'm not kidding, it was every chapter. Explaining every outfit in detail is cheap writing.
• Writing in a major health concern/essentially terminal illness for the main character was a copout and adding it so late into the book was cheap. It then became the entire focus of the book. Focus on your cool concept and stop giving characters illnesses because you think it's going to make your writing "deep". This one in particular just felt like it did not fit in with the rest of the book.
• The character development fell flat. I felt for Daphne and her situation with the notes which kept her from getting attached to love interests, but then the book became about her illness and her victimhood and her what... not wanting a great guy who wants to stick beside her? The scene of Daphne confronting Jake and ending things she basically invalidated his feelings and gaslit him. There was absolutely no character development for Hugo. None. At the end of this book we're supposed to believe Daphne tries again with this guy? The guy who left her after finding out about her illness, who then tricked her with a fake note saying how long she'd be with Jake. THAT'S the guy for her? PLEASE.
Every time Rebecca Serle takes a cool concept and is like "Let me add in a debilitating illness, some descriptions of bad outfits, and some basic, surface-level thoughts about life." Every time. At least when other authors recycle plots, they do it well. And at least this book didn't have a cheating plot line like One Italian Summer did.
Once again, another miss with this author. -
Daphne is experiencing a sort of life lottery. A premonition involving her love interests.
Slips of paper/postcards appear with dates. New man = new paper with an "expiration date" of how long their relationship will last.
She tries to navigate how to handle this situation. Is it something good or a curse? Where oh where will destiny take her?
If you enjoy some magical realism, this is an interesting premise. There were some emotional and sweet moments that were cute, but not sure the chemistry felt right and the flow was also a bit slow for my taste.
Thanks to NG for my arc. OUT on March 19,2024 -
I’m leakin’ from my peepers!🤧
Emotional sprinkler system activated!😭
It took me years to realise that Love was the Intention that comes after the infatuation. Infatuation is not love because it begins and ends with you. It is more about your feelings, and less about the other person. I believed that it was about volition. I believed that If two people choose to be with each other then it is love.
But I was still not sure, so I read. I read as if the next book has all the answers about love. I read so many poets and writers, I read fiction and non-fiction and even then I was still not sure what love is. so many men and women tried to express this phenomenon and still couldn’t explain it with absolute authority. love is so elusive that The more they tried to pinpoint what love is, the more they got lost.
Maybe the problem is that they're trying to intellectualise something which should be felt.
Rumi said
"Your task is not to seek love
but merely to seek and find all the
barriers within yourself
you have built against it."
Which makes me think that love is not something you seek but something you become. Instead of looking for a perfect partner, you have to become one.
Dr Frankl, the famous psychologist said that Love enables us to see potential in the beloved person which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized.
Love is as primary a phenomenon as sex. Sex is justified and even sanctified as soon as, but only as long as, It is a vehicle of love.
Despite reading everything, if you ask me, what is love and how does one find love? I would be still be at my wits end. I would still be looking for words to describe it.
It's strange to want something that we can't describe, something you haven’t even known. But that's love - The belief in something you cannot see, touch or even explain like the heart itself, we just know it's there. No wonder we're called hopeless romantic.
This book gave me the same feeling. I was annoyed by the fact that in the end I am still as amateur about love as I was before reading it.
So, kids, the moral of the story is that If you look for love, in pursuit of what it can give you, it will hide itself. If you ask love to arrive because you are now ready, it will skip your door. Love is like an uninvited guest. Love will come when it wants to. Love will leave when you ask more of it.
Love is warm and freeing. It is innocent, like a child without a hidden agenda. We can determine how close we are to someone by asking, “Can I act like a little kid in front of that person?”
I adored daphne(FMC), she was so strong. Despite being the exception she loved with all her heart. She is the kind of complex character I ache for in romance books. Her perspective is so rich that not everyone can appreciate the nuances of her monologues.
Plot:
It's a story about a woman who believes that universe has a plan for her.
Every relationship of her had an expiration date until she meets a man who comes with no expiration date.
My favourite quotes:
“Of course,” I say. A wink. A smile. I’m watching you, or Everything is going to be all right. Love is a net. It can catch you long after the person is no longer there.”
“It’s hard to hold on to people the older we get. Life looks different for everyone, and you have to keep choosing one another. You have to make a conscious effort to say, over and over again, “You.” Not everyone makes that choice. Not everyone can.”
But being surprised by life isn't losing, it's living. It's messy and uncomfortable and complicated and beautiful. It's life, all of it. The only way to get it wrong is to refuse to play.
Who should read this book?
You will enjoy this if you’re any of the following-
If you enjoy reading romance without spice.
If you enjoy stories with engaging characters and emotional depth.
Recommended by @Cara -
Happy publication day to Rebecca Serle’s Expiration Dates!!
Rebecca Serle’s writing is unnaturally easy to read, especially for something created to make you reconsider your certitudes about love and life.
And cry, most definitely.
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.
Well, if you ever wished for an answer straight away, afraid of the unpredictability of life, this book is for you.
Be aware, tho: its purpose is not to make your dream come true; it’ll make you see how wrong is for you to want something so stupid.
↠ 4 stars
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
p.s.: also, I feel you’ll love this book even more if you're not from Los Angeles. Everyone “knows” the city from so many tv shows and movies, but the way Rebecca writes about it will make you think you belong there. -
This is my second book by this author, and it will be my last.
Decent premise involving magical realism, terrible execution -- it seems to be a theme of hers. This book represents several hours of my life I will never get back.
Where to begin with all the ways I hated this book?
1. Main characters I couldn't connect with. I could never remember Daphne's name, and Hugo was just an idiot. Why would you give this guy another chance? Jake was super boring and I kept picturing the guy who plays Howard on Only Murders in the Building. Why would anyone be attracted to either of them? And I have no idea why Kendra or the other person (whose name I have forgotten since I finished this book less than 12 hours ago) were even there.
2. That twist at the 60% mark was so out of nowhere and so dumb. Again, this seems to be this author's MO. Not sure where the story is going? Throw in a tragic health problem -- that will fix it.
3. When we get to the big payoff, I could not have possibly cared any less. I wasn't invested in the romance, or the characters, or what happened to any of them. The cover blurb promised "heartbreaking" -- um, no. I'd have to care about the characters for that. Not to mention that this payoff was obvious from the very beginning. Why did I have to suffer through the whole book for that when I already knew it was coming?
4. Atrocious writing. Please stop with the descriptions of what everyone is wearing. I DON'T CARE. You made eggs that were overcooked? I DON'T CARE. How is that relevant to anything that is happening here? What on earth would possess a writer to include stuff like that?
5. We never learn anything about where the expiration dates are coming from, or who is watching over Daphne's life. It's just this random thing that happens to her and no one else. Huh?
6. The thing with the Doc Martens -- what the h*ll was that about?!
7. The only character I cared about was the dog.
I know I'm an outlier on this one -- everyone else seems to have loved it. I just did not get it at all. There is nothing here to love. Save yourself and move on to something else on your TBR list.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. -
Wow!! I absolutely loved this book!! 💖 This is my first @rebecca_serle book…and I now see why everyone adores her books! OH my heart!! 💗 Thank you so much to @atriabooks for this gorgeous gifted copy! Pub date is March 5th!! 🥳🥳
ALL the feels with this book!! 🤗 I laughed 😂… smiled.. 😊… and yes .. I may have teared up a bit too… Daphne is rocking it as a assistant for CBS… 🙌🙌 You go Daph! Now if only she could find her HEA…🤔… in walks … Jake..😉
Jake is THE ONE…she just knows it..How you ask?? Obviously 🙄 because the note 📝 this time had no date. WHAT?? 😳… It all started in 5th grade with a postcard… with a date… on the postcard! A date the ends… everything… every … single… time…. Curious yet?? You should be!! 😂 I was absolutely captivated with this creative, amazing, charming premise.
Sign me up for her backlist!! I can’t recommend this enough!! We follow Daphne through her dating life… I seriously loved 🥰 these characters… especially her charming bestie Hugo. 💖
💖💖💖 5 fantastic ⭐️ stars!! Is this on your list? Do you have a favorite @rebecca_serle book? Which should I read next? -
This book was like a breath of fresh air. It was a feel good, hard to put down, smile inducing, gripping read! Plus, it also felt like a love letter to the City of Angels!
Daphne Bell has been receiving little slips of paper for quite some time. These little pieces of magic let her know who long she is going to be with someone. But when her friend sets her up to meet a man named, Jake, the piece of paper has no date. Nada. Could he be the one??? He is a great guy! Is he Daphne’s happily ever after?
While learning more about Daphne and her meet cute with Jake, readers are given glimpses into Daphne's past relationships. Plus, we see Daphne hanging out with Hugo, her best friend and former boyfriend. He also happens to be the only person she has confided in about the slips of paper.
This was a unique and original book. It can easily be read in one day. It was entertaining and had me smiling. It also had me reminiscing as I lived Los Angeles for almost 20 years. It is always fun to read a book and recognize and have been to the places being mentioned. My only quip, I would take Bristol Farms any day of the week over Erewhon. But I digress.
This was my first book by Serle, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
www.openbookposts.com -
Rebecca Serle has done it again! She has written another five-star, top favorite book of mine again. I previously read In Five Years by Serle, and to this day it is still one of my all time favorite books. Expiration Dates is coming in at a close second, definitely ending the year as one of my favorite books that I’ve read so far. This book kept me on an emotional roller coaster 😭. I shed tears, I was excited, and I even got the happy ending I was hoping for.
In this story, we have Daphne Bell who has been receiving numbered pieces of paper for over 20 years. Each paper comes delivered from the universe with the name of the man she is to date and for how long (example- 8 days, 3 months, 2.5 years. etc…). Until one night, Daphne has a blind date with Jake- and on that sheet of paper delivered beneath her door is Jake’s name only, without any number on it, a blank canvas if you will… How long and how will this relationship play out?
While Daphne’s story plays out with Jake (present day), we get flashbacks to Daphne’s past and how some of her previous relationships played out. Was there less of a heartbreak because she knew when her time was up with each boyfriend? Was it easier to move on? Were any deep connections made, and could you ignore what the universe had in store for you? Or if the universe is sending you something, will it always want something back in return?
There were a few unexpected twists in this book that I did not see coming. For me personally, they made this book that much better. I resonated completely with Daphne’s character. I felt like I lived through each of Daphne’s relationships/dates, heartbreaks, and life experiences. This book ripped my heart out of my chest, stomped on it, and put it back together again. I loved every single page of this book!! And yes, I highly recommend reading this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the ultimate pleasure of reading. Publication date: March 19, 2024.
Genre~ Women’s Fiction, Romance -
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria, and Rebecca Serle for a DRC in exchange for an honest review!Now available as of 3.19!!**
Would you take a chance on love...if you knew from your VERY FIRST meeting that it wasn't going to last?
Daphne Bell has his number, all right...each and every time.You see, Daphne has been receiving bits of paper for TWENTY YEARS each time she embarks on a new relationship. But these sort of 'unfortunate cookies' (minus the cookie, which seems unfair if you ask me!) each have two pieces of information on them: the name of her new beau, and exactly how long the relationship will last, from a quick fling with Martin in Paris (three days) to a 'just starting to get to know one another' rendezvous with Noah (five weeks) and even the short-but-powerful relationship with her boyfriend-turned-bestie Hugo (three months). Living with this sort of certainty has always helped her protect herself when relationships got too deep or serious, but has also given her the go-ahead to dive in at times she might have otherwise held back...so Daphne's notes have served as sort of a guiding force and light...even if she hasn't found her forever person JUST yet.
But all of that is about to change when Daphne goes on a blind date with a TV exec named Jake. They have a fantastic first date and the butterflies creep in, along with a rush of anticipation at the 'fortune' with Jake's name on it. Daphne is stunned to find, for the first time EVER, a name....but NO expiration date. What exactly does this mean for Daphne? Could fate FINALLY be showing her that Jake is...the one? As their connection deepens, doubt and fear begin to creep in...does Jake really KNOW her better than anyone she's ever met before? Can she trust him with a secret she's been keeping that will shape the rest of her life...AND his, if they stay together forever? Or will Daphne choose to forego the notes, the universe's advice, and simply figure out HOW she can follow her own heart, wherever it leads?
Rebecca Serle is one of those authors in the genre who has found her perfect fit: her stories always meld romance with magical realism neatly, effortlessly, and ALWAYS have a heavy dose of heartbreak. What's beautiful about her writing in particular is that you never quite know WHAT the heartbreak will be or how it's going to play out: is it the loss of a beloved friendship? A strained relationship between the lead and a family member? Melancholy about love had and lost? There are always SO many factors in play in Serle's books; they never read as a cut-and-dried romance, and sometimes even feel more in the vein of women's fiction FEATURING a romance, and I always know the vibe to expect from a Serle book: it's going to rip my heart out a time or two, get me thinking about the past, present, and future of my OWN life, and to explore expectations in general. All of these elements, along with beautiful and relatable characters, pull you into her web of magical realism in such a special way that you often forget the implausibility of some of her plots entirely. (See: having dinner with Audrey Hepburn in the
The Dinner List...in that book? It just MAKES SENSE, no questions asked!)
I'm not sure what it was, but something about this particular story kept me absolutely enthralled, and held my attention from beginning to end: in short, while my previous two Serle reads were good, Expiration Dates was great. I absolutely LOVED the idea of the concept, which was almost a play on the idea of finding a piece of paper with your death date on it...and the question of if this were possible, would you WANT to know? True, this concept is far less severe in a sense, but it is fueled by the same sort of speculation: is every relationship FATED to last only for so long? If the universe gave you an end date, would a fight you coincidentally had the same day with your partner be the final straw? We get glimpses of Daphne's past and her perspectives through the lens of her various relationships, and as she shares her tales, you can FEEL the nostalgia through her words: with such a finality to the end of her relationships, it almost makes them all the more special to her...but also leaves her so lost as to what her future should look like or where she's meant to end up.
I also have to admit, I PROBABLY should have seen it coming, but since I was SO swept away by the story and the nuance in general...there is a twist that COMPLETELY surprised me! A more astute or careful reader probably would have caught it, and even in writing the mini synopsis here I ALMOST gave something away myself! I won't spoil anything, but in all honesty, this book could have gotten REALLY cheesy, and I applaud Serle for the fact that it did not. Just like in life, nothing is cut and dried here, and every relationship exists in shades of grey...if you're looking for a wholly predictable, HEA sort of ending...this isn't QUITE like that. There are hints dropped and also a couple of different avenues Daphne can choose by the end of the novel, and Serle cleverly alludes to one possibility without DEMANDING buy-in...and in doing so, allows both Daphne as a character and YOU as a reader to contemplate what choice she made...and also, where it might lead.
And more importantly, just like poker, when it comes to love?
You have to be lucky...but you also can't win the jackpot unless you're TRULY all in. 🃏 💞
4 stars -
I LOVED THIS BOOK. dare i say it’s Rebecca Serle’s best yet? bc i think it is!!!!! 🩷🥹👏🏼
… i also binged this in 1 sitting. i simply couldn’t put it down!
this book was so unique and beautiful. it was romantic. creative. emotional (i legit had tears streaming down my face the last 15-20 pages). beautiful. and SO WELL WRITTEN. some of Serle’s passages will stay with me forever (the one at the end with her dad, IYKYK) and the one quoted below:
“it’s hard to hold on to people the older we get. life looks different for everyone, and you have to keep choosing one another. you have to make a concious effort to say, over and over again, “you.” not everyone has that choice. not everyone can.”
i mean… wow 🩷 as a 31 year old that had recently moved states and sees her best friends and family a few times a year, this hit so hard.
EXPIRATION DATES is like ONE ITALIAN SUMMER in that it has some magical realism element. in this one, the MC gets a letter that tells her a man’s name and a timeframe—i.e: 3 months. and that’s exactly how long she’ll be romantically together with that person.
but…. she just received a note with a name and no date. what does this mean? is he the one?
EXPIRATION DATES took me on so many journeys that i didn’t see coming. the twist in this one hit me in the feels. i will say that 1-2 things were pretty predictable for me (but i am a critical reader), but it didn’t ruin the story whatsoever.
YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! -
3.5 stars
I have such mixed feelings about Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle. I love her writing and it was a book I didn’t want to put it down. I was really into the first half of the book, but then it took a few turns. I think these things might work for most readers, but I didn’t love the last half nearly as much as the first.
Daphne knows how long her relationships will last, she always has. I loved this premise. When she gets the name ‘Jake’ and there is nothing following it, she knows this one is for keeps. Her best friend Hugo (previously ‘Hugo- 5 months) is the only one who knows about these notes and encourages her to give things with Jake a real go.
I thought Jake was great. I liked Hugo too. Daphne was fine. There was a twist that happened later in the book and then there was the ending. I’m not sure I loved either. I think I could have loved the ending, had we got more. I also wasn’t a fan of all the chapters of her previous relationships. I’m not sure it added much to the story. Overall, not my favorite from this author but there were things about it I did enjoy. A unique romance. -
Update 3/19/24: Reposting my review to celebrate that today is publication day!
Being single is like playing the lottery. Most of the time all you’re left with from that trip to the convenience store is a bag of chips and a six-pack. But then there’s always the chance. There’s always the chance, however slim, that with one piece of paper you could win it all.
…
The truth is hard. It’s complicated. It does not always follow a simple structure. It is not always convenient. That’s why sometimes we do our best to leave it out of the story for as long as possible. We choose to let it linger in the corners, we don’t spotlight it. But eventually, it catches up to us. Of course it does.
You can run but you can’t hide.
…
“That’s not the truth; that’s your story about it. And they aren’t the same thing.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me an ARC of Expiration Dates in exchange for an honest review.
All her life, at the beginning of any new relationship, Daphne has received a note in one form or another. The note states her new boyfriend’s name and a length of time—which experience has shown her is the length of time she’s destined to be in that relationship. But as the book opens, Daphne is on uncertain ground, because she about to go on a blind date with Jake, and the paper she received simply says “Jake” with no expiration date for their relationship.
For the first half of Expiration Dates, it felt like a sweet but fairly straightforward story about a woman opening up to the simple but terrifying possibility that, after being a single adult for some time, this new person might be the one. I loved the three main characters (Jake, Daphne, and Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend who’s the only person who Daphne has ever told about the notes). And I spent a fair amount of time trying to cast the movie.** It felt incredibly relatable, and moving, but hardly groundbreaking or the basis for what the publisher boldly calls “the romance that will define a generation.”
But then, at about the midpoint, you learn Daphne’s other secret. It’s not as shocking as the one Ms. Serle had in store in
In Five Years, but it leads to the reader’s first reexamination of those notes and Daphne’s relationship with Jake. And then there’s a second revelation—a genius twist I never saw coming—which leads to another reexamination of the story by both the reader and Daphne. All of which brings you to Daphne’s final series of choices and the ending. I’m not gonna lie. When I hit the last page, I was not happy. But I kept thinking about the ending and by the next day, I accepted it. And after a couple more days—I was still thinking about it!—I decided it was not only the right ending but I kinda loved it.
So back to that publisher hype that calls Expiration Dates “the romance that will define a generation.” I laughed and laughed and laughed … until I didn’t. Despite the magical realism, I think a lot of readers will see themselves and their relationships in this story. There’s a core to this story—a woman with a choice to make about love and her future—that does bring to mind generation-defining romances like Casablanca or When Harry Met Sally or, dare I say it,
Twilight. And I wanted to pick it back up and read it again almost as soon as I’d finished it. So who knows? Highly recommended. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
** My perfect, triple Oscar-winning cast:
Daphne: Jennifer Lawrence
Jake: Jeremy Allen White (from Shameless and The Bear)
Hugo: Michael B. Jordan
Hollywood, call me. I can have a script for you in six weeks. 😎 -
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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“Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love.” – For the Love of Shakespeare by Beth Miller
What if you knew how long you were meant to be in a relationship with someone before you even started? Would you happily proceed?
This is Daphne’s life.
For whatever reason not fully understood, but accepted anyway, she receives these mysterious pieces of paper or postcards with men’s names and an expiration date that lets her know how long the relationship is meant to last whether it is 3 days or 2 years and 3 days.
And when she thinks the end date has arrived, and she may want more time, none is ever offered. Daphne has come to accept this destiny. Still, the only person, Hugo that knows this secret about her, and got 3 months with her, has willingly become her best friend for the last 5 years.
Now, Daphne has received a piece of paper with the name of Jake with no date after his name. Could this be her forever person?
But how will this involvement with Jake, affect her friendship with Hugo? What does Jake see about Hugo that not even Daphne is noticing?
Will Daphne find her HEA with Jake?
“I wonder if we are both trying to rescue me, and what happens when we realize we cannot.”
Or will Daphne find out that nothing is what it seemed? What then? Whose choice will it be now to decide – a piece of paper or finally Daphne?
“Here we are.”
This easy-to-read page-turner is a fun, heart-felt, charming, and at times, emotional love story, that celebrates single life, romance and friendship. There is also a cute dog, named Murphy that will most likely bring smiles to readers faces, too. -
Went from 0-60 in those last 40 pages. I am still processing. Come back later.
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the setup…
Daphne Bell lives in Los Angeles, working for a producer who is temperamental and quirky but a woman she admires. She’s great at her job but her romantic life is the thing. See, since she was a little girl, Daphne has had her love life preordained for her. Whenever she meets a new man, she receives a note with his name on it and a number…it’s the expiration date of their relationship. She’s only told one person about this phenomenon…Hugh, a former boyfriend from five years ago (he lasted 3 months) who is now her best friend. Then she meets Jake and this time the note doesn’t have a number! Could he be “the one?”
the heart of the story…
Daphne tells this story in the present but revisits many of her past relationships, including what happened on their expiration dates. Throughout, I sensed a certain detachment in Daphne and wondered if the notes were driving the inevitable or whether these mystical predictions were truly a foretelling. When Jake shows up, everything about him seemed to fit the possibility of him being Daphne’s last and final relationship. But then there’s a revelation I never saw coming that had me re-examining everything.
the narration…
I was so excited when I saw that Julia Whelan was narrating this story as she’s a guarantee of the best listening experience. I loved her voice for Daphne and magnificent storytelling.
the bottom line…
I’ve come to expect and love the magical realism in a Serle story because even though it’s a strong element, it’s there to provide depth to a larger realism. The twist that comes late in the story adds a vital perspective, making this a more complex experience. I’ve never lived in Los Angeles and it was elevated to be more than the stereotypical venues I’m used to reading about. There was a vibrancy I’ve never felt before as it had a life and character I found appealing for the first time. The ending was unpredictable and quite lovely, one I hadn’t imagined. This far surpassed my expectations, made even more lush on audio.
Posted on
Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.) -
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not influence my rating or review.
This book moved slower than molasses and I was just bored and got really tired of Daphne by the end of this.
"Expiration Dates" follows Daphne Bell. Daphne has a secret, for some odd reason since she was a teenager, a piece of paper will show up with the name of a guy on it and how long the relationship will last. At first Daphne thinks it's just a weird thing, but over the years the papers have been correct about the "expiration" date of her relationships. Daphne goes out on a blind date with a man named Jake, and Daphne gets a piece of paper with his name on it, and no date. Daphne wonders what does that mean, does that mean she's found her soul mate? The man she's supposed to be with forever?
Too bad that the interesting premise of this book did not live up to the hype at all. First, I honestly wish if Serle is going to stick with magical realism, she does a better job explaining things. By the end of the book, we don’t know why Daphne gets notes about her relationships ending. And frankly it makes zero sense why she decides to trust the notes at all. If it was some weird family tick or something maybe that would have worked. But nope, it's a thing that happens, that she hides from everyone but one person in her life. And the person she chooses to let in on the secret makes zero sense.
Second, Daphne is just not enjoyable to read about. I didn't get what was going on with Daphne and it felt tiring of reading the book through her voice and her explaining all of her clothes, her crammed apartment (for the 20th time), her dog, etc. Daphne just felt like a half baked character that wasn't given enough of a voice for me to be rooting for her happily ever after. Then Serle throws in a last minute "medical" thing that once again makes zero sense, but feels crammed in to try to explain things.
Third, the love interests in this book were terribly written. Hugo was the absolute worst though. I don't know if Serle did it on purpose since we have Daphne keeping herself at a distance from the men she's dating cause of the notes or what, but there's no freaking depth there outside of the character of Jake. And what we get of Jake is not that great either.
Fourth, the writing style just didn't work. Serle decides to have Daphne in the present dating Jake, but you go back and forth between the "present" and her prior relationships, but we for some reason go back multiple times between her dating and ending things with Hugo. The whole book's flow was terribly off because of that.
Fifth, that one scene. Or as one reviewer called it, gaslighting at it's best. There was so much mess towards the end of this one that I can't talk about it without spoilers.
The ending was ridiculous and no I didn’t see it even a little as a HEA, just to be nice, I will toss out a HFN, though I doubt the long-term sustainability of the relationship. -
Daphne is familiar with plans. Every time she meets a new guy, she receives a piece of paper from the universe with his name on it and how long their time together will be. Sometimes it’s short, sometimes it’s longer. When Daphne receives a paper with just “Jake” on it and no end date, she feels it’s decided: he must be the one.
As she gets to know Jake, it’s clear to Daphne that he’s a great guy and she can’t help but wonder when it’s the right time to share everything with him.
I have had mixed success with Rebecca Serle books and am glad to share Expiration Dates was a winner, easily now my second favorite after In Five Years. This story was fast and engaging. I saw one big element coming early on, but another one surprised me. I enjoyed the story and its message about personal timing, living life, and finding love.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. -
3/5 ⭐️
- The first half of this book started off slow for me, but I really started to fall in love with it as the story progressed! I absolutely LOVED in five years and it gave more romance vibes so I thought this one would too, but this reads more like women’s fiction than romance so just know that going into it. I did pick this book up in the fiction section so that should have clued me in a bit. I really loved the concept of this book because it’s nothing that I’ve ever read before!
- I had a hard time knowing who to root for because I didn’t really feel chemistry with any of the characters. But I did really love getting Daphne’s inner monologue. I feel like she is so many of us in so many ways. Trying to figure out if the decisions she’s making are the right ones, just trying to navigate life the best she can and afraid to take chances. Her character was so relatable.
- I feel like if you live in LA you’ll really connect with this book because the locations are so descriptive! I also think this book is so relatable if you’re dating too because you really get to see how incredible, scary, and beautiful that process can be! -
Rebeca Serle is quickly becoming my go-to, must-read author in the romance / drama genres, as she always adds just enough magical elements to make the plot something that can't actually happen but not enough that you don't feel like it's so close to reality. In her latest, Expiration Dates, a woman receives a letter or card on the day she meets a man whom she is going to date for a period of time. The paper usually indicates the number of days, months, or years that she will be with him before it ends. She only tells one guy about it, and it ends, but they remain best friends. When the book opens, she meets a new guy who seems perfect, and the card arrives with a blank message. Assumption is "he's the final one," the man she will be with forever. But is it true? Loved the story, the concept, and characters. Did not like the ending, mostly because of the way I wanted it to go not being the way the writer chose. Many will love it thought. Serle asks wonderfully challenging questions and delivers insightful responses through dialog and action, commenting on how we live our lives and handle unmet expectations. Are we really living multiple arcs within a single time period, or is everything all connected in a larger story that we don't understand until we die? Highly recommended.
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First and foremost, I want to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Publishing company and Rebecca Serle for this valuable ARC. Furthermore, I want to state that I am super happy for Rebecca Serle for finding her happiness in the end of her current chapter in life.
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As for the story In Expiration Dates, I experienced thirty-nine chapters full of epic love, magical moments whilst I felt discombobulated when I stumbled over unexpected events in Daphne‘s journey. Daphne has previously accounted much of her life choices to her fate.
Let’s lean forward and watch the tables turn as Daphne takes accountability for her decisions rather than waiting in line for her fate to determine her path in life. This is a powerful novel that affects your very personal story! „There is only this life. This very one we are living.“ I look forward to embracing my epic love of my life a tad tighter & to celebrating the choices I have taken so far that led me to where I am right now.
This novel is a testimony to living in the moment, taking chances and finding true love. Crystal-clear recommendation. Easy 5 stars. 🥰😍🤩 -
3.5⭐
Genre ~ women's fiction
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ March 19, 2024
Est page Count ~ 268 (39 chapters)
Audio length ~ 6 hours 54 minutes
Narrator ~ Julia Whelan
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ magical realism, short chapters, slow burn, very minimal steamage
Dahpne (33) takes us on her dating journey's, whether they last 1 night, 3 weeks or 3 months, each one's end time was already written in the stars, or on a postcard that is.
Even though she dates a lot it's pretty light on the romance and more about her journey to find the one. The dates are more as a flashback and not as they're happening, too. I don't have any complaints about the characters as they're all pretty likable.
Overall, it was fast paced, lighthearted in parts and heavier in others with a good amount of wit. I actually laughed quite a few times. I even shed a quick tear at the end when she was having a heart to heart with her father.
Little niggle ~ I could have went without the description of everyone's outfits just about every time someone new came on page.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
*Thanks to the author, Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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4.5 stars, rounded down. I really enjoyed Serle's latest rom-com with magic realism elements, which she does so very, very well. This one started a bit slow but by the middle I was very invested in these characters & the story. I also really liked how both the story and the Main & secondary characters revealed themselves and their hearts over the course of this novel -I always enjoy extra depth & character growth. And I just adored good boy, Murphy🐶 as well as the setting, my former long-time home - the City of Angels.
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I didn't hate this book, I just didn't know what to make of it. Just when I'm about to form an opinion, I get thrown off course (in a good way). So its safe to say it kept me guessing 🤷🏾♀️.
What happens when you have the opportunity of knowing how long your relationships last? Do you go with the flow or do you wait for that one true love; if it exists in the first place, or throw caution to the wind and write your own story.
Ill let you decide.
Solid 3.5 stars!!!! -
DNF. This is my last Rebecca Serle book. The premises and magical realism are intriguing, but the execution falls flat and the insane details regarding locations and outfits are beyond annoying. The author seemingly cannot go a single paragraph without location-dropping the trendiest restaurant, or telling readers which street of LA something was on, and its proximity from Sunset or West Hollywood. It got so old so quickly. It was even worst than In Five Years, in which I felt the author was trying to prove they knew of every NYC hotspot (but at least those characters and the story were interesting). I also lost count of how many sentences started with “In Los Angeles,” or “the thing about LA is,” and then described some irrelevant and boring detail about how you’re only supposed to drink filtered water, or the best thrift stores are on Melrose, blah blah blah. Very annoying and distracting, because of how annoyed I was. I also absolutely DO NOT CARE what EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER (even her mom’s neighbor who stops by for five minutes and is not a recurring character) is wearing, down to every detail, in every single chapter. It was a book I was never eager to pick back up, because I couldn’t get past all this vapid fluff.
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3.5 ⭐
For most of us, the more we know, the safer we feel … about anything. The problem starts when the desire to control our surroundings overtakes the need to feel safe, resulting in us ruining the journey. It’s a fine balance between the two concepts. Our protagonist, Daphne Bell, allows her whole world to be determined by little slips of paper!
Yes, it started with control over her dating life, but it quickly spread. Every time Daphne dates, she receives a slip of paper indicating how much time she has with this particular beau. This hasn't been happening just a short time, it’s been going on for 20 years!
What would that do to YOUR self-worth? The effort YOU bring to the relationship? At what point do YOU stop the merry-go-round and get off or at least jump off? Why let it continue?
I rooted for Daphne to grab life by the horns and refuse to let little slips of paper determine her happiness or self-worth.
I do caution readers not to give up in the first ⅓ as the author’s purpose in flipping back and forth between present and past is to give background to Daphne that will help readers move forward with her. I also struggled with what I felt was an unnecessary twist as it took the book in a different direction. Despite my two little peeves, Serle had a wonderful way of weaving in her magical touches and ended up ‘saving’ the book for me. Sit back and enjoy while she leads you to question if your relationships are a result of fate or destiny, or if you have the power to alter your journey, and if keeping a secret is a hindrance to ‘what might have been.’
I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
