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A review by cait_margaret
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
I told myself I was done with Rebecca Serle after reading her prior two books and having big issues with both of them, but then this one sounded interesting, and my library had the audiobook, and it was short… Turns out, I should’ve just stuck with my previous conviction. This book falls into all of the same habits that made me weary of Serle’s writing in the first place.
And maybe I would’ve stuck it out and given this 2 or 3 stars, but not after Serle decided that the POV character having a chronic medical condition would be a good midpoint plot twist. It’d be one thing if the twist were the character herself learning about her condition, but it is so, so gross that the twist is merely its (already known) existence finally being told to the reader. Granted, my read on this is absolutely colored by the extremely gross way that Serle previously used a character’s illness in the plot of <i>In Five Years</i>, but it just doesn’t sit right with me.
Additionally, it feels pretty clear already what’s going to happen in the romance plot, so even that leaves nothing to compel me to finish this book. Also, I used to follow Morgan Matson on social media, so I know she and Serle are friends and I know about her dog, Murphy, and it was very weird to see that dog essentially replicated on page here, name and everything. That didn’t stop me from finishing the book at all, but it’s too weird not to mention.
(I looked up a spoiler review and, yes, I was right about the romance plot. And also, yes, the chronic condition is absolutely used in further weird and off putting ways. At least I can feel justified, I guess.)
And maybe I would’ve stuck it out and given this 2 or 3 stars, but not after Serle decided that the POV character having a chronic medical condition would be a good midpoint plot twist. It’d be one thing if the twist were the character herself learning about her condition, but it is so, so gross that the twist is merely its (already known) existence finally being told to the reader. Granted, my read on this is absolutely colored by the extremely gross way that Serle previously used a character’s illness in the plot of <i>In Five Years</i>, but it just doesn’t sit right with me.
Additionally, it feels pretty clear already what’s going to happen in the romance plot, so even that leaves nothing to compel me to finish this book. Also, I used to follow Morgan Matson on social media, so I know she and Serle are friends and I know about her dog, Murphy, and it was very weird to see that dog essentially replicated on page here, name and everything. That didn’t stop me from finishing the book at all, but it’s too weird not to mention.
(I looked up a spoiler review and, yes, I was right about the romance plot. And also, yes, the chronic condition is absolutely used in further weird and off putting ways. At least I can feel justified, I guess.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness