Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all. 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.

Published by Atria
on March 19, 2024

Review:

I jumped on the Rebecca Serle train back in February when I read “In Five Years” and then read “One Italian Summer” in March. Here I am with another book by her. I may have to read “The Dinner List” next month to finish her non-YA backlist.

In this book, we meet Daphne Bell, a young woman who – since grade school – has received a slip of paper with a guy’s name written on it and then a length of time (one day, three weeks, two years and two months, etc). She soon learns that the timeframe indicates how long the relationship will last with this particular guy. At first, Daphne doesn’t mind knowing when the relationship will end and it’s time for her to move on, but now she is in her late 20s, and her friends are all coupled up – some married – and Daphne wonders when, or if, she’ll get her happy ending. But then, one day, she is set to go on a date with a guy named Jake, with whom her best friend has set her up. On her way there, she finds a slip of paper with Jake’s name and no date. Is he the one? Is this the guy she’ll spend the rest of her life with?

The concept of receiving a slip of paper with an expiration date for each new man Daphne meets is intriguing, and it made me wonder how I would react if this were to happen to me. It would have helped with past relationships – especially the ones that I was really into but ended in heartache. It would have also benefited those relationships I knew were going nowhere. An end date would have given me peace of mind, knowing that this was just a fling and would be over soon enough. At the same time, I understood why Daphne was frustrated with her situation, and I can see where it would take a toll on your self-worth. It would be easy to accept the dates as fact and give up when the time had run out – even if you really liked the guy. It was almost as though Daphne had completely relinquished her free will to several slips of paper.

Despite all of the men Daphne had dated in her life, she only told a single guy – Hugo – about the slips of paper. Hugo is also the only guy that Daphne has dated with whom she is still friends – in fact, she and Hugo are best friends, and though Daphne knows Hugo may still have feelings for her, she is confident that their dating days are behind them. I mean, that’s what the paper said, right?

As Daphne’s relationship with Jake unfolds, we experience all of Daphne’s happiness and her hope that she has finally found the one. Jake is a sweetheart and seems perfect for Daphne, and she knows it. We can’t help but wonder, though – is Daphne really into Jake, or is she into him because she feels like she has to be simply because his paper had no date on it? When we learn a secret about halfway into the book, the stakes are raised, and we realize that the missing date could have more than one meaning.

Two things that I enjoy most about Serle’s books are the magical realism she sprinkles in and the likable and well-rounded characters. Daphne’s flaws and vulnerabilities make her journey all the more engaging, and her connection with ex-boyfriend-turned-best friend Hugo and the super-sweet Jake add depth and richness to the story. While Hugo seemed sexy and totally smitten with Daphne, I found myself rooting for Jake. He was such a nice guy!

As far as plot and pacing go, I really enjoyed the concept, but about 1/4 of the way into the book, I couldn’t help but wonder where this one was going. Then, about halfway in, a reveal occurs that really raised the stakes and made me more emotionally invested. My only complaint was the ending – I wasn’t 100% on board with it, but it was really more of a personal preference. I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve read this one, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I have a lingering question about one of the character’s motives.

While “In Five Years” is still my favorite, I did enjoy this one. It’s likely to capture the hearts of readers looking for a poignant and emotional exploration of what it means to be single, find love, and ultimately define happiness for oneself. I would recommend it to fans of romantic fiction with a touch of magical realism sprinkled on top.