Daphne Bell's love life has always been touched with a little bit of magic. No, her relationship history has not been charmed, or even particularly remarkable. But even before Daphne began going on dates with boys, she started getting little notes --- on the backs of envelopes, on receipt paper, in fortune cookies, or on parking tickets --- that listed the name of a boy (or later a man) and a length of time.

That duration, Daphne soon realized, indicated the length of time she'd spend involved with a romantic partner before they'd split up or grow apart, before he'd move or reunite with an ex. The duration might be months, or years, or maybe just a single night (ahem). But every time, without fail, the slip of paper arrives. Every time, Daphne knows exactly what she's in for and for how long.

"[EXPIRATION DATES] manages to be both remarkably romantic and quite unexpected, casting a charming spell on readers ready to believe in a little magic --- or just the miracle of the everyday."

That is, until she meets Jake. Set up by a mutual friend, Daphne hits it off with Jake right away. And she's trying not to freak out about the fact that when she receives a paper with Jake's name on it, that's all there is. No duration, no indication that this love affair is ever going to end.

Could this be it? Is Jake "The One"? Daphne is sure that he is, and for the first time in her life, she allows herself to believe in a happily ever after. But even as her relationship with Jake progresses, even as he shows her in a thousand different ways that he's her perfect match, Daphne knows there's something she should be telling Jake, a secret that might affect the duration of their relationship whether or not she plans for it.

Daphne's ex-boyfriend (and still best friend), Hugo, is the only person who knows all of her secrets, but in this case he's probably the worst place for her to go for advice. She has to figure out on her own whether to trust the magic or to take a leap into the unknown.

EXPIRATION DATES has a somewhat whimsical premise, but the underlying themes are serious. When do we know when to stop searching for love? How do we trust ourselves to know when we've found lasting love? Would believing in destiny blind us to another person's faults or just make us more accepting of them? And can you really fall in love if you're keeping secrets?

Among other things, Rebecca Serle's novel is a love letter to Los Angeles --- not just to the entertainment industry in which Jake and Daphne work but also to the unsung, hidden places that most tourists might overlook or just be unaware of. It also manages to be both remarkably romantic and quite unexpected, casting a charming spell on readers ready to believe in a little magic --- or just the miracle of the everyday.