Expiration Dates: A Novel

What a great take on dating, love, life! The premise was just imaginative, surprising. I laughed and cried and yearned for love for the main character, Daphne. The supporting characters were very well written, nice depth, even in the short stint dates. I'm certain that I would have enjoyed the book but the thing that hooked me, that always hooks me is the narration of Julia Whelan. Smart choice in enlisting her to narrate.

3.5 stars but I don't believe in rounding a review down. I liked this book and was invested enough to finish it. I liked the premise but just never felt connected to any of the characters. For me the ending was just okay. I didn't end it feeling mad about it, but I just kind of shrugged my shoulders, which was a great way to sum up the book. I was hoping for another 'One Italian Summer' but ended up with more of an 'In Five Years,' which was fine but not a favorite.

I love reading Rebecca Serle books. She creates a story that never heads into the direction you think it’s going. I love the character building, how immersing the story is… as if you’re living the main character’s life through their eyes. This has been one of my favorite books of hers so far.

Trying to be to many things. The main character was annoying and boring.

I went through the other books of this author quite quickly and love this one too. It's engaging and fun to read

This was an interesting book but it fell a bit flat for me. There weren’t enough details to make the love stories believable. But then the book also doesn’t really delve into the main character’s underlying problem enough either.

First Julie Whelan deserves an Audie award for this performance. No one could have done this book as much justice , her performance rounded this book up to a five star book.
Magical realism is one of my favorite tropes , and " the notes " were brilliant . Much like my love of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue she loved many great loves Daphine did too. , I loved the construct that Daphine could know going in how long her relationships would last. But did this character allow herself to feel deeply ? Did she bare herself, and make herself vulnerable? Or did she live in fear of time, time running out . I think anyone who has been faced with our mortality , has stared death down knows " nothing gold can stay", but it is up to the individual to give as much as they get.
I like how Rebecca Serle dealt carefully with the love triangle in this book. I didnt like how Daphne held everyone in her world at arms length , i disliked how she wasnt truthful with Jake from the beginning. I didnt like that neither Hugo or Jake really fought for her. But in the same respect I get why it was written that way. I know i will be thinking about this book a long time to come.
I did receive an ARC from Netgalley for this book , but I am glad the publisher shared this on the @everand_us platform.

I loved this book way more than I expected to. The premise intrigued me, and I'd been planning to try Rebecca Serle's writing for a while because I'd heard good things. I loved how she threw a lot of unexpected bits into the mix that I really enjoyed. I always enjoy a bit of magical realism, especially if it makes me think, and this one certainly did make me think. If you knew going in to a relationship how long that relationship would last, how would that affect the course of the relationship? How hard would you try? Would you try at all, knowing it was destined to end? Ultimately, would you want to know? I liked how Daphne's life and relationship history is revealed slowly, in the midst of watching her relationship with Jake grow. And I loved how this book made me laugh and broke my heart and made me think about my own ordinary/extraordinary life and love. I started out reading this on Kindle and was already hooked when I was about 3 chapters in, but when I found out that Julia Whelan narrated the audiobook, I quickly and happily switched over to the audiobook and as always, her narration was brilliant - I highly recommend it for audiobook listeners. But I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it almost as much if I'd stuck with the Kindle version - and feel sure I'll go back to it on my Kindle and read the last couple of chapters again soon.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Ms Serle is a gifted writer. Her books keep you guessing, and she has a wonderful way with endings. This isn't your run of the mill romance novel. She combines a unique and meandering plot with a complicated, relatable protagonist, making for a truly enjoyable and satisfying read. I definitely recommend giving this book a try, and if you enjoy it as much as I did, you'll like her other work as well. I should also mention that the narrator is excellent. She has a lovely, flowing voice that complements the story.

This storyline is sad as it brings out the fears of a young woman with cardiac issues. Not wanting to be treated differently. Not wanting long-term relationships as she fears death. Her fears ruined her life she was afraid to ❤️ love. This is well written with believable characters.

Really thoughtful romance. I enjoyed listening. Whelan narrates it too, so you know it’s good on audio!