Reviews

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

tracireisberg's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

katelynnmilliken's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

marilynw's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Narrated by Julia Whelan

Daphne Bell knows she is different. From a young age she has been getting notes with a guy's name on the note and a length of time. Now, in her early thirties, it's just a part her life to know when she starts dating a guy exactly how long their relationship will last. There is a beginning and an end. In some ways it makes life easier, the breakups less traumatic for her because she knows the relationships are never going to last. But one day she gets a note with a man's name and nothing else. So this might be her happily ever after finally! The one she's meant to spend the rest of her life with, her one and only. 

Jake is the man with no end date. He's got his quirks yet he's extremely kind hearted and compassionate. It feels strange for Daphne to know this is the one, it's somewhat amazing. But Daphne has secrets and one of the few people who knows her secrets is Hugo, a boyfriend from five years ago who had a dated note. Even though the relationship ended at the noted deadline, Hugo and Daphne became best friends.

Daphne needs to tell Jake one of her two secrets, at least. Hugo has a secret or two of his own. Where are Daphne, Jake, and Hugo headed? How long do each of them have? There are some very important things we never learn. Magical Realism isn't very real but that's the thing with magic, we don't get to know what makes it work. I enjoyed the story and just had to let Daphne do her thing even when I didn't always agree with her decisions. There are some serious life problems going on here but the story is often funny at times. It's not a long novel and would be even shorter if Daphne didn't have to tell us what everyone was wearing but this is Daphne's story and she's telling it her way. 

Thank you to my library and Libby for this audiobook. 

hilary_stevens's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

5.0

anacferreira's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

daschneider's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

mellyqueen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I liked the premise of the book and it started off well. The writing got a bit lackluster and would have benefited from more editing. Not a fan of the ending but it was to be expected. 

mommyandme_bookclub's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Every so often, a book comes along at just the right moment. 📖✨For me, that book was 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨. This story about the search for love and finding joy in the journey was exactly what I needed to read this weekend.

Despite having five other current reads in progress (𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴), I decided to open my @aardvarkbookclub copy of 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨. I could not put this down — I read it in one sitting, and I didn’t even take off the dust jacket. 😱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦!!!!

I loved this story so much. It’s my first time reading Rebecca Serle, and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. The characters felt authentic and compelling. I enjoyed the alternating timelines, and the plot was perfectly paced.

Definitely check this out if you enjoy:

💌 magical realism x romance

💌 stories about the search for love 

💌 glass half-full perspectives

💌 an emphasis on finding joy in the journey

becklesbookcorner's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

austenmostardently's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5