Reviews with content warning for Terminal illness - Expiration Dates

This is my second Rebecca Serle novel (after "In Five Years") and, from what I can tell, Rebecca loves a good twist.

Daphne, the main character, is passive in her love life and her professional life, letting fate take her where it may, This didn't bother me because Rebecca is a good writer and the explanation behind Dapne's detached, unambitious ways was very gratifying when we got it. I'm not going to spoil it for you and I really didn't see it coming, but I'd be interested to reread the first half of the novel a second time to see things from a new perspective.

This book is under 300 pages, so it's a great short read for your TBR.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for this eARC.

Content Warnings

boyname's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

abookwanderer's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Expiration Dates is my fourth novel to read by Rebecca Serle and she’s basically become a must-read author for me. Her stories are an exploration of the human condition with a dash of magic. And Expiration Dates is a refreshing story about accepting what we can’t control.

I’m not surprised when I see mixed reviews for Serle’s books because readers expect her novels to be tried and true Romances with a capital “R”, but her books are really more in the vein of contemporary fiction that just happen to include some magical realism wrapped in a love story. BUT Expiration Dates is probably her first adult novel to fall the closest to that Romance genre definition. It’s even hinted at in the synopsis, just to reassure readers.

It’s always difficult to write a review of Serle’s books without giving much away. Her novels always have some twists and turns, surprises that should stay surprises for new readers. But I’ll do my best to tell you how much I enjoyed this one without spoiling anything.

Daphne has learned to accept that she receives a mysterious note every time she starts a new romantic relationship, one letting her know how long the relationship will last. For the most part, it allows her to not fall too deeply but enjoy what time she does have with the men who come and go in her life.

I liked Daphne right away. She’s spirited, seems to be self-assured and confident, someone comfortable in her own body. I enjoyed the sunny setting of Los Angeles, and the fact that Daphne was “in the business” but someone in the background of Hollywood.

I enjoyed learning about her past relationships, told in short chapters that tied in with the present storyline, as well, each side character unique and relatable. Daphne thinks she knows where her life is headed, but life decides to remind her that maybe good things are also in the unplanned parts of life.

If you’ve never read a book by Serle and would like to give her a try, I’d say this is a good one to start with! It’s hopeful despite also including some more serious topics. It’s also not a huge commitment coming in at under 300 pages. I read this one quickly, not wanting to set it down. Expiration Datesis a perfect choice for your spring or summer tbr with its sunny setting and uplifting story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy.

Check out my reviews and playlist at A Book Wanderer

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Title: Expiration Dates
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: March 19, 2024

T H R E E • W O R D S

Original • Lighthearted • Reflective

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I was first introduced to Serle's writing with In Five Years and I have been a fan ever since. Therefore, it will come as no surprise Expiration Dates was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. I avoided reading too much about it and seeing too many reviews ahead of time because I really wanted to create my own opinion and it did not disappoint!

It definitely did not have the emotional depth I've come to expect from this author, yet I love how she uses small elements of magic to create realistic and relatable stories. For me, these aspects don't need explaining rather they are simply a part of what makes the story so special. Despite being able to figure out several plot points early on, it didn't impact my reading experience as I was already committed to the ride.

The structure is interesting and it may be a point of contention among readers. But for me, it just worked. There are glimpses into each of Daphne's past romantic relationships, each offered at the appropriate moment in the narrative, as opposed to in linear order. The writing is straightforward and doesn't get bogged down with excessive detail. Yes, there are a lot of LA locations that don't matter in the grand scheme of things, but the author has said this is her love letter to the area and I appreciated getting a little tour of some of the places I suspect mean something to her.

The thing I love most about Serle's writing is that the story may be simple, they offer great opportunity for reflection, and this one is no different. It shows the reader that life doesn't always go how we expect, but that doesn't mean it's not worth living. As someone who has dealt with life altering change, it reminded me that pain and joy can coexist. Additionally, I really liked how it focuses on the fact that there is no one size fits all for relationships and that not everything is tied up nicely with a bow, yet each one has value in creating the whole picture of one person's life.

Overall, Expiration Dates was the perfectly enjoyable and light hearted story that I desperately needed during what has been a chaotic reading month. It likely isn't as memorable as her other books, yet still had be sitting in reflection when I finished. Rebecca Serle will continue to be an auto-buy author for me and I will be eagerly awaiting news on what she is working on next.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• magic without explanation
• Rebecca Serle
• LA vibes

⚠️ CW: medical content, medical trauma, terminal illness, chronic illness, death, partner death, grief, terminal illness, cancer, cursing, sexual content, alcohol, infertility, infidelity

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"'Depth,' he says. 'The opposite of casual is deep.'"

"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."

"No one's time is promised. Not yours. Not mine. Not Jake's. It's just the way it is. We are all dying. Every day. And at some point it becomes a choice. Which one are you going to do today? Are you living or are you dying?"

"I thought if I had all the answers, if I was always one step ahead, if I knew my hand, then I'd never lose. 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."

"I am all at once bowled over by the reality that there are still new stories to tell. That not everything is known or explored. That there are great and wonderous thing ahead. That nothing is promised and yet, and yet..."

Content Warnings

More...