The Expiration Date

by Leslie McElroy

Haley Swann, aspiring screenwriter and personal assistant, needs a date, any date, to go with her to her best friend’s wedding where her ex-fiancé is the best man. There is just one problem–there is no man in sight. The only man that has consistently been in her life for the past three years is her boss. And he is not an option.

Aidan Stone, who is basically Hollywood royalty, needs to clean up his image since he has been acting out after a bad public breakup and needs to attain his Golden Boy status he once had.

The solution for him: find someone to consistently “date” and convince the world he is in love with her. The only person he can trust right now is his assistant, Haley.

The deal is: fake date for two weeks–just enough time for people to get off Aidan’s back and restore his image and for Haley to make it through the wedding and persuade her family and friends that she has truly moved on. Easy peasy since Aidan is the most sought out actor on the planet and promises to be there next to Haley every step of the way.

If Aidan has learned anything in Hollywood, it’s that appearances are everything…right?

Amid “practice” dates, a movie premiere and wedding festivities, Aidan and Haley discover the power of letting go and maybe, just maybe, letting someone back into the depths of their heart is the healing they desperately need to move on and find true love.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Celebrity Romance, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2024

About the author

Leslie McElroy was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico but currently resides in Dallas, Texas. She loves her family, cozy, rainy days, and spreading kindness. Leslie has always dreamed of becoming a writer since she was a teenager, but she finally wrote her first novel, Stuck with Me, after being inspired from reading other contemporary romance novels and knowing that she had a story to tell. Leslie loves coffee, reading, and is an introvert at heart. Leslie is a mom of two boys and is married to her college sweetheart. Leslie hopes that through her writing, she can connect with people around the world and spread happiness with the characters and stories she creates.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Expiration Date by Leslie McElroy – Review

The Expiration Date by Leslie McElroy follows Haley Swann, an aspiring screenwriter and longtime personal assistant to Hollywood heartthrob Aidan Stone, who finds herself in a fake dating arrangement when she needs a date for her best friend’s wedding and Aidan needs to polish his image after a messy breakup. They agree to “practice” date to survive public scrutiny and personal pressures, only to discover that their staged romance feels more real every time they’re together at premieres, parties, and awkward family moments. Through witty dialogue and charming settings, this contemporary romance blends celebrity culture with heartfelt emotional growth.

Right from the start I was drawn to Haley’s vulnerability and Aidan’s unexpected sincerity, and how their easy-going banter slowly became something tender and meaningful. I particularly liked how McElroy let their connection unfold through shared vulnerability instead of instant, effortless attraction, making their eventual closeness feel earned and warm.

Rating: 4 out of 5 because its sweet chemistry and thoughtful take on self-worth made this a memorable romance.

[Tay_is_reading_again · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at the Get Lit Book fair in Dallas last weekend and it was the perfect palette cleanser romance. The author told me this book involved fake dating and I was sold!

Our MMC, Aiden, is a Hollywood star coming off one too many casual flings after his seriously Hollywood starlet gf cheated on him with a costar. He needs to fix his image with a girlfriend asap. His personal assistant, Haley, is the only person Aiden trusts, and is also in need of a date for her best friends wedding. The fake dating trope comes in and the romance ensues. There is more to Aiden than meets the eye due to his recent heartbreak, complicated relationship with his parents, and his admiration of said assistant. Their romance was cute and sweet.

Read this if you like:

🎬 fake dating
🍿 he falls first
🎬 actor boss x personal assistant
🍿 overcoming past family trauma
🎬 getting over cheating exes

Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Chelsea | chelseadennreads Dennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Rounded Up

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @authorlesliemcelroy for the #gifted copy of this book.

Okay after reading this I need all the famous person/assistant romance books because this one was absolute gold and I can’t get enough. Aidan and Haley were just the best. These two had some different roles and relationships: boss/employee, fake dating. But underneath all of that was a sweet friendship. And I think that was one of my favorite things. They knew so much about each other from their working relationship and were very honest and true to each other and I loved that they had such a solid foundation underneath as those fake feelings turned real.

One of my favorite things about this was how much Aidan loved Haley. Like y’all will be swooning over this man because as the story progresses it becomes evident just how into her he is-and how long he’s been into her. I mean less than 20 percent in he could describe her whole personality to the sales lady at Tiffany’s like…this dude has it bad! Like I don’t want to spoil anything but you will see for yourselves all the evidence that he has been feeling some type of way since day 1.

Haley had a lot of insecurities brought on by a past relationship and those insecurities were mentioned often as she worked to overcome them. I think sometimes it is so frustrating when you can tell a character-or a real life person-is amazing and wonderful but they continually doubt themselves. However I feel like I probably would have had some of the same insecurities had I been in Haley’s shoes. I also enjoyed the reality that those don’t just vanish because everything is seemingly perfect, as Haley still has to battle those insecurities in the epilogue. Some people might find this annoying but honestly when a number’s been done on you, it takes a long time to completely overcome the things that haunt you.

This one is so fun and releases June 18th. Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR! (Oh and I just need to point out-The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived is definitely Haley’s song to her ex Robert)

This is an open door romance with some explicit detail, moderate language and innuendo.

Closed Door Mods: ch 26 and 27

[Brigettha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t get over how good this book is 😍😍

I loved the love story between Haley and Aiden
I got so lost in the book I was literally up until 4am finishing it.

I can’t wait for other people to read this book and get lost in one of the best books I’ve read this year

There’s just something about the fake dating trope that reels me in everytime

[Erica Touchet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Leslie for giving me the opportunity to receive the ARC of this book. I could not put it down. Aiden Stone is the perfect book boyfriend and Haley is adorable. Please tell me there will be a second book about these two??

If you are looking for a light romantic read that also touches on difficult subjects then this is the book for you. It kept my attention from the 1st chapter.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vulnerability is sexy.

***Actual Rating: 5++++++++++/5 Swoony Hearts***

Ugggghhhhh, dear Leslie McElroy, what have you done to me? After meeting Aiden Stone in The Expiration Date, I doubt there would be anyone else topping the “Best Boyfriend Material of a Lifetime” list. Seriously, Aiden made all my previous and soon-to-be-ex book boyfriends look so…inadequate and incompetent to be the BEST in this field. BUT I am so not complaining here because ladies (and maybe gentlemen), y’all have to meet the bestest book boyfriend ever existed. *drum rolls*

I’ve never been around such a paradoxical man. Someone who is so masculine yet soft. Brawny yet delicate. This hard exterior definitely protects the teddy bear of a man inside.

For starters, Aiden Stone was Hollywood’s most-sought-out movie star and bachelor who was trying (and unfortunately, failing) to recover from an epic heartbreak with yet another high-profile celebrity, Natasha, in the showbiz. *News flash: Natasha cheated on him with another Hollywood star. Yep, her #loml for sure.*

Enter Haley Swann, our beautiful and nerdy personal assistant of Aiden. She had been working for him for three years and despite all the necessary encounters at work, she was so not immune to his charm and was actually an adorable fangirl of him at heart. I meant, weren’t we all? Hence, when Aiden finally made up his mind to save himself from all the bad images spread across the Internet, and in the meanwhile, Haley needed a date (albeit a fake one) to bring to her best friend’s, Anna’s, upcoming wedding, where Haley’s cheating ex, Robert, would be as well, you knew what they said? “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” so didn’t it sound like a perfect solution to both of their problems by “working together” as a madly-in-love couple in front of the public? *evil grins*

”Every man, married or otherwise, is going to be kicking themselves in the ass for not locking it down with you once they see you walk out on that lawn.” His eyes ferally survey my entire body, head all the way down to my toes, ending their journey back at my eyes. “Good thing you’re taken.”

Even though acting was second nature to Aiden, I was quite surprised to find that nothing these two faux lovebirds did was less real. The chemistry and sexual tension between them were intense and believable, constantly tantalizing me to keep flipping through the pages. One of my most favorite parts about this book was the character development. Aiden and Haley had strong characteristics I absolutely admired and even their friends, Anna, Dan, Natasha, and Robert all possessed something unique about them, making me feel as if I had truly met and befriended them. It was stories like this that allowed the readers to fully engage with the storyline and immerse themselves with the protagonists’ journey.

”It’s real for you, isn’t it, Aiden?”
“Yes.”
“Yes what?”
I looked over at Anna and gulp, “Yes, it’s real for me.”

For example, there was no exaggerating that Aiden was hands-down the SWEETEST, the most THOUGHTFUL, and the most COMPASSIONATE boyfriend on Earth as he was the kind of guy who…
√ opened the door (let it be a limo or just random doors) for Haley
√ surprised her with her bestie when she was internally stressing out
√ held her hair back when she had too much to drink and you-knew-the-drill
√ knew exactly what to say to encourage her and helped her learn to love herself (and him, of course *wink wink*)
√ never once hid who he was from the inside out
…and the list went on and on. What I loved Aiden most was his utter respect for Haley and impeccable timing when it came to rescuing her under the spotlight. He knew she wasn’t used with all the attention and scrutiny from the media, so he’d always find and soothe her whenever she was struggling, however subtle.

There she is. My angel looks absolutely defeated, wings clipped, alone underneath strings of Edison bulb lights hanging from the eave. I never want her to cry like that again. I want to be her protector. Her comfort. It kills me to see her like this.

What’s more, all those words of affirmation he said to Haley as well as endless faith in her when she didn’t believe herself touched me deeply. I felt like everyone needed someone like Aiden in their life just to keep being motivated every single day and knowing that you’d always have someone in your corner, cheering you on or lending you a shoulder to cry on, was the most precious thing ever. All of the abovementioned personal traits could be found in Aiden, the golden retriever boy I’d come to love and adore and may be a teeny, tiny, little bit obsessed with. *heart eyes*

She is looking into my soul. “Oh you’re good, Aiden Stone.”
“You’re better, Haley Swann.”

As for our lovable female main character, Haley, I honestly couldn’t admire and resonate with her more. She seemed to be the happy-go-lucky kind of softie on the outside, and yet, her low self-esteem and self-doubt resulting from her past relationship with the terrible cheater of an ex of four years, a.k.a. Robert, made her question herself and prevent her from pursuing what she wanted. I truly loved how Haley always wore her heart on her sleeve and never shied away from confessing her feelings to Aiden (or anyone in her life). Let’s admit it, vulnerability was indeed sexy and she was the best representative of that.

It’s always really jarring and I’ve never gotten used to all the hysteria. I mean, at the end of the day, I am just a person. I think people misconstrue who I really am with who I portray on screen.

Aside from Aiden and Haley’s highly-anticipated romantic development, this book also served as a great and rather, much-needed, reminder that these Hollywood stars or famous people were still human beings after all. Just because they appeared on-screen more often didn’t mean they didn’t have privacy. Even nowadays, we tended to stick our noses into celebrities’ lives that we had no right to do and made assumptions based on whatever we saw/heard online, which could be misleading and biased. Thus, I appreciated that this book managed to deliver such an important message while bringing us along on Aiden and Haley’s not-so-fake dates.

This is a kiss that writers write about in romances. Except I am about to wake myself up for another realization that flashes in my brain. I reluctantly break our kiss and say, almost breathlessly, “It was you.”

Since we were still revolving around this Hollywood glamour, another feature in this book that I LOVED was all the ‘90s and oldies-but-goodies movie references! When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, and tributes to Nora Ephron, just to name a few, all brought back nostalgic emotion to me, further warming my heart more than Aiden already did. Cherry on top was, even Chris Evans and Simone Biles made a brief cameo in this masterpiece of a rom-com! Additionally, the ending of the book was so perfect that the whole story was pretty much wrapped up beautifully and flawlessly in the green-scarfed Rebecca Bloomwood style. *chef’s kiss*

All in all, The Expiration Date was beyond perfection and worthy of a thousand stars from me. The entire plot design was meticulously-thought-out, the characters were out-of-the-worldly unforgettable, and the overall pace of the story was well-executed. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever read anything with a better pace than The Expiration Date. From how Aiden and Haley tried to familiarize themselves with this newly-forced found, other than boss-and-PA relationship in the beginning, to how effortlessly Aiden loved and cared about Haley, then the indispensable steamy scenes *clears throat*…and all the way leading up to their promised HEA. *blissful sighs*

Enough said, The Expiration Date was my first book written by Leslie and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In fact, I couldn’t wait to read her debut novel, Stuck with Me, and her current WIP featured so many exciting romance tropes I could barely contain my excitement. Please give this book a chance and trust me, you will not be disappointed! This book showed us what a healthy, respectful, and fully-committed relationship should look like as Aiden and Haley’s happy ending was the epitome of just that. I wish we could all find someone like Aiden and never stop following our hearts like Haley did. Not gonna lie, my heart was so full after savoring this book and I hoped you’d get to experience that…with the sweetest cinnamon roll Aiden Stone, of course. Lastly, The Expiration Date had me sold from this dedication on the very first page so I’m leaving it for all of you…

To my readers who have their walls up. I hope that someday those walls will be obliterated by a love that will never back down and never expire.

***Massive thanks to the author for generously providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

[Kristie Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aiden is Hollywood royalty that over the past six months has had a rough time with his reputation as he's been acting out after a bad break up. He’s seen consistently on the tabloids with a different woman every week and his PR team suggests he fake date another celebrity but he refuses and suggests he fake date someone he trusts instead, which happens to be his PA.

Haley is an aspiring screenwriter and has been the PA for Aiden for the past three years. Her best friend is getting married and she needs a date to the wedding where her ex will be the best man but can't seem to find anyone to be her plus one, so to help Aiden and have a date to the wedding she agrees to fake date with an expiration date on them.

As Aiden and Haley start to see each other in a different light they start to become closer but is it real or just pretend…

I love a fake dating and forced proximity love story between boss and employee. I loved Aiden and you could see he had cared for Haley for a long time and he makes it very clear early on that he trusts her the most. Haley and Aiden have great chemistry and it’s a slow burn, which I love! I also liked that with this book you can read it clean or with spice depending on your choice as the spice is in two of the later chapters.

I was a little confused about Haley’s best friend, Anna. I personally didn’t like her and she did some things that were suspicious for me but this could be just a difference in personality so maybe other people will not think anything of it. I also did not like the third act break up that lasted months.

You will like this book if you like:
♥️ He Falls First
♥️ Celebrity Romance
♥️ Fake Dating
♥️ Forced Proximity
♥️ Boss x Employee
♥️ Slow Burn
♥️ Sweet & Spicy

[Emily | emilyisoverbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Leslie and Booked with the Emilys for the gifted ARC!

“You are like coming home and I’ve never had that before.”

Hollywood’s Golden Boy went through a bad break up and did a number on his image - so now he needs a steady girlfriend to help repair it. He suggests his assistant, Haley, for the task, and she agrees - as long as they have a list of boundaries and an expiration date.

This was such a cute and bingeable read! Aidan and Haley both have different types of heartbreak and hurt from their past, and Haley has some big walls up. But gosh they are just so good together 🥰 The moment at the end reminiscent of a certain Nora Ephron film was just perfection.

Leslie puts a note at the beginning saying that if readers want a closed-door experience, they can skip specific chapters — and I love that she provided the option!

Read this if you:
- love a little coffee with your creamer
- enjoy celebrity romance
- like Pride and Prejudice and When Harry Met Sally
- get giddy during “touch her and die” moments
- appreciate forehead kisses

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haley is the famous Aidan Stone's personal assistant. For years she has managed his schedule and been the only one who he could trust. When his publicity team decides he needs to find himself a clean, wholesome girlfriend, Aidan is quick to dismiss other actresses and instead recommends Haley for the job. Haley is stunned. Why would superstar Aidan want her of all people? On the plus side, fake dating Aidan will definitely show her ex fiance that she really has moved on.

Oh fake dating.....it really is one of my favourite tropes! This book was really sweet. I love that Aidan fell first and wasn't shy to tell Haley exactly how he felt. Haley's insecurities were understandable - I have no doubt many women would feel the same in her situation. Haley had a fantastic set of friends as well as her mother, who had me giggling all while they always had her back. While the storyline was predictable, the journey was memorable with lots of swoon worthy moments and witty banter.

[Sarah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when celebrity romances involve fake dating. I feel like the swoon moments and feelings usually develop a little faster because the couple is forced to “act” quicker than in some other fake dating scenarios. I related to Haley’s romantic situation a lot as I went through similar breakup years ago. Her feelings matched mine especially when it came to being at the wedding alongside her ex. I loved how Aidan was a good guy from the start and he valued Haley’s friendship long before the pulled this publicity stunt. Their banter and chemistry were great. I loved their relationship and how they still spent time with one another outside of the public eye. It was such a sweet romance.

Thank you @authorlesliemcelroy @bookedwiththeemilys for the #gifted copy.

[Maraia Bishop · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story started out very cliche, and it was downhill from there. I honestly wanted to DNF this by the 50% mark, but I've DNFd so many books lately that I decided to suck it up and push through. Big mistake, it was not worth it for me.

Here are my gripes:
- She's been his assistant for 3 years, and all of a sudden, he asks her to be his fake gf, and now she can't take her eyes off his perfect physique 😒
- They both develop these feelings, and neither is willing to put themselves out there
- She was so insecure. It was not cute. At all! "Why would he want lill ol me"
- How can her BFF still have the douche bag ex as a best man at the wedding?!? Make it make sense after what he did to her "sister"
- I could still swallow all this, but the 3rd act break up was what did it for me. She was projecting her past experiences onto the relationship! The H did nothing wrong, yet he was the one to grovel while she was "heartbroken." It made me so mad! Then they were broken up for months, she had enough time to realise she overreacted but still he had to win her back?!? She even said she wished she could run into his arms, and then when he appears, she's angry and has to be convinced of his sincerity! Nah, she can miss me with all that mess. She was literally standing in her own way!
Riddle me this, how can you put in a 3rd act break up after 85%

Respectfully, this wasn't the one for me.

[Leah Huddleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start, I loved ✨The Expiration Date! ✨ I read this book in one sitting because it literally paralyzed me from doing anything else. I had a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading this book, and it simply scratched an itch in my brain I cannot quite explain. Truly such a great, feel-good romance book and a good book for anyone needing something to get out of a book slump!

The writing, the character development, the tropes, and the banter were so good 🤌🏻 The book touched on a few topics that are emotionally hard yet relatable for a lot of us. This book had some of my favorite tropes including celebrity, fake dating, he falls first, HEA, and shared POV between the MCs. The MMC is the PERFECT golden retriever boyfriend and has to be one of my favorite romance book boyfriends now 🩷

There is only one major spice scene; however, that spice scene was perfect and left me wanting more! 🌶️🌶️ THANK YOU so much for not putting in any of the descriptive cringe words to describe anatomical parts, (i.e. folds, bundle of nerves, nub, bud, etc.)

[MystikMila · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally finished this book after falling asleep midway through almost every chapter! This is the second book in my life that I legitimately was going to DNF if I hadn’t bought it and committed to reading it for book club as part of my year of “reading things I would’ve never read otherwise”. But there is so much I disliked. It unfortunately is one of the worst books I’ve ever read, which was sad because love stories with power imbalances are my favorite. I apologize in advance because I’m aware my review is going to be bad and all over the place, quite like the story.

Let’s start with the misogyny, internalized and blatant. Not only from our female protagonist. The male protagonist and both their mothers all express highly misogynistic views at multiple points throughout the book. To name a few: Natasha is called a siren who “lures men into their undoing” in page 62 and is shamed for her choice in clothing. (I am attaching a small paragraph about this at the end of my review because it pissed me off). In page 94, we hear Aidan’s mom “raised him better” than to have a sex life or be romantically/sexually involved with actresses and models who they also shame but then it’s all ok when he explains he was using them to distract from his relationship with Haley (regardless of it being a lie… double standards much!?). In page 252, Haley worries she will end up an “old maid” for being in her 30s and unmarried (in 2024!?!?).
It’s the stereotypical “pick me” archetype: she is “better than other girls” because she is “pure”, eats pizza instead of salad (and never gains weight), prefers converse sneakers over heels and cardigans over revealing clothes. She loves coffee with tons of creamer and is a swiftie. She’s not like other girls!!! (Sarcasm, in case it’s not clear enough).

One of the main reasons that are given as to why Haley is “special” is her lack of sexual experience and low body count. As someone who identifies as demisexual (and maybe TMI but having very few intimate partners) I would never criticize or put anyone down for having different opinions about sex than I do, nor would I shame them for choosing to engage in sexual activity however they see fit, no matter the gender. It is disappointing to see such clear slut shaming in books released in 2024.

Every couple of pages we read how little Haley thinks of herself. It’s a constant pity party, despite the book actually acknowledging that she fulfills societal expectations of beauty. And I’m all for unlikeable characters and of course low self esteem can happen to anyone, but I would want it to be well written. It was not. We find out the reasons to her insecurities but they’re very surface level and extremely repetitive. All characters across the board are hardly developed.

The romantic connection also lacked depth. An acquaintance described their love as juvenile and it’s the best way to express the feelings they have for each other. It all sounds like two 14 year olds falling in love. But they’re in their 30s. Their lack of emotional awareness, maturity, communication skills, etc. doesn’t create the kind of conflict that pulls you in but rather has you cringe.

And the whole thing reads like fan fiction, both the content and the structure. Natasha Davis left Aidan for Isaac Sommers, her costar in a vampire show. As in Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries? It’s as if I wrote a book about a mom and daughter duo and named them Morelei and Mory Milmore and calling it “The Milmore Young Women”. Lol.
I already described the book as repetitive but it also applies to the actual writing. One of the many examples is in page 263: a string of sentences start with the phrase “in a way”, followed by starting another string of sentences with the phrase “a man who”. I usually don’t mind some purple prose, and even prefer very detailed descriptions, but in this case it was just boring and bland.

I need to give this its own paragraph, from page 167: “This whole night has been torture not being able to throw an afghan blanket over this total babe of a woman and tell the rest of the world to back off-she is all mine. No one else should look at her like I am looking at her…” (I honestly don’t mind a dark romance that explores objectification and other kinks but that is not what this story was. Please refer to the quote I mentioned I would attach to the end of my review.)

Finally, what’s up with the assaults addressed so casually!? First, Haley’s best friend kisses Aidan without his consent. They brush it off cause she’s so quirky and intense. And then Natasha does the same to Aidan and he gets dumped for it. And, as if the pain of being dumped after being assaulted wasn’t enough, HALEY REQUIRES HIM TO MAKE IT UP TO HER!? Yes, he should’ve set a boundary (and he was aware of it and apologized) but the matter was dealt with in such an immature and even victim blame-y way. This is a complicated issue that had so much potential to bring depth to the story and touch on, for example, the lack of support men get after going through abuse but of course it wasn’t developed. The ending felt painfully long but simultaneously rushed.

(Revealing clothes don't sexualize you, in the same way that modest clothes don't desexualize you. Patriarchy sexualizes you. Misogyny sexualizes you. Sexism sexualizes you. They just blame it on your clothes to blame YOU for THEIR sexualization of you, and to control what you're wearing. The mini-skirt is not the cause of sexualization, and the hijab hasn't stopped it. Wear whatever you f—-ing want, but don't ever wear the burden of oppression. The systemic sexualization of women is never about the clothes. Never was. Never will be. -Farida D)

[Leslie McElroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book and think it is pretty great! Aidan Stone will quickly steal your heart with his forehead kisses and cinnamon roll energy! I love Aidan and Haley’s love story.

[Nadine · Rating 1 out of 5]

reads like it was written for wattpad, by a young adult that didn’t research the topic at all.

no chemistry. everything we need to know about their relationship is told, not described.

the characters were bland.

no relevant topic is really addressed.

why would the FMC even agree to the deal without extra compensation, when she knows she’ll most likely lose her job afterward.

who does the MMC think he is asking her about her body count?

how did this get so many rave reviews???

[ab · Rating 4 out of 5]

•”I never want to be the thing you run away from. I want to be what you are running to.”

•”You are like coming home and I’ve never had that before.”

haley swann is an aspiring screenwriter & the personal assistant to heartthrob actor aiden stone. his image is in need of a makeover thanks to several months of earning a bad boy reputation due to recent heartbreak. the plan- aiden needs a fake girlfriend to show the world he hasn’t actually gone off the deep end. who better than someone he can trust… haley, who knows every single aspect of his life. haley conveniently needs a date to her best friend’s wedding as a result of her own heartbreak, & thus the deal is sealed. will their working relationship & trust issues get in the way when feelings start becoming less than fake?

💖things I loved
-a sweet romcom with minimal, open door spice
-dual pov
-cinnamon roll mmc, aiden stone is swoon worthy
-fake dating
-celebrity romance
-he falls first & isn’t afraid to show it
-movie premier & best friend’s wedding
-he’s her boss
-they both love classic films

thank you so much to leslie mcelroy for the arc! it was an honor to read!!

[Lyna • lynasbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aidan is so swoony!! He listens to her and remembers little details about her, like how she takes her coffee, what she wore when they met, and her birthday!! I went into this book with little to no expectations and this book might have possibly exceeded any expectations. I was hooked the entire time and kicking my feet at Aidan being smitten about Haley. I also found Haley extremely relatable, especially her thinking that she wasn’t good enough for anyone. The story line is exactly what you would expect in a fake dating trope and I ate that shit up! It was predictable in the sense that fake dating is always followed by real feelings, but it still felt unique and not repetitive. Aidan’s plan to win her back also was my absolute favorite thing about their happily ever after! I will absolutely be reading more books written by this author!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a thriller series with lots of suspense and murder, I needed to return to my comfort genre of romantic comedies. This book did not disappoint! I was immersed from the beginning and truly loved the characters! It’s filled with cheesy, cliche rom-com love story lines, but if that’s your jam, you should read it!

[Alexa Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I tell you I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time I was reading this book!!!! AIDEN IS A DREAM COME TRUE!!!

[Ruchi Aluwalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what you're getting with this book - easy read, cute romance. If you're in the mood for it, this will satisfy that itch.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning was meh(the dialogue was too cliche and felt awkward) but I pushed through. The middle was better but quite fast. At 85% I'm ready to DNF but kindle tells me there's like 20 min left and I am behind on my reading challenge LOL so I try to push through again. But by 85% I can't it's too cringe and I can't with this twist.

things I did not like:
1. the super insecure FMC (why would he be with someone like me, I understand why people wouldn't believe us, and all the comments about how her hair looked bad?) it was giving pick me it was so insecure
2. how they were together for all of like two weeks faking it, and like 4 days for real before the third act breakup (which as of the 88% mark) is 4 months long?
3. I hate the evil ex-gf trope especially when it's done poorly and here it was that
4. Also her ex being trash and still being best friend's with her bff's husband? Idk i would assume when someone cheats on their fiance and that fiance is your childhood friend and your future wife's best friend and everyone can see he was terrible about it you wouldn't want him to be your friend? let alone your best friend and best man? especially when FMC is going to be maid of honor? And he gave his speech drunk? like what's the appeal otehr than to create tension?
- I get him being a guest you know don't want to upset people ( Iguess maybe) but best man? Idk I just think at that point it reflects poorly on Dan.


Idk what other thoughts I had but I'm bummed because I was excited for this. I was hoping it would help me out of a small slump but alas.

[the_romance_regent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Partner, @bookedwiththeemilys @authorlesliemcelroy or #gifted @bookedwiththeemilys @authorlesliemcelroy

Read if you enjoy:
🥰Fake dating
🎥Celebrity romance (actor and personal assistant) 
❤️‍🔥Slow burn
😹RomCom
🍭Sweet and Spicy
👩‍❤️‍👨Forced Proximity

ARC Review:
Get ready for some rom-com magic with "The Expiration Date" by Indie author, Leslie McElroy! This book has everything you need for a fun and flirty read: fake dating, forced proximity, and workplace romance with a sweet or slow burn spice that will keep you hooked.

Meet Aidan Stone, Hollywood heartthrob with a bad boy reputation in need of some image rehab. And then there's Haley Swann, his loyal assistant and aspiring screenwriter who's in need of a fake date for her best friend's wedding to avoid an awkward run-in with her ex. Cue the fake relationship shenanigans!

As Aidan and Haley navigate their fake relationship with an expiration date, things start to get real as they support each other through self-doubt and trust issues. Will they be able to keep things strictly "just friends" or will their feelings blur the lines between fake and real?

With a cast of hilarious side characters, including a supportive best friend and an "evil" ex-fiancé, this book has all the makings of a classic rom-com. So if you're in the mood for a light and breezy summer read, look no further than "The Expiration Date"!

[Camellia Vinshay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished "The Expiration Date" by Leslie McElroy, and I am completely smitten! Haley is an absolute gem with her quirks and relatability, and I adore her character. But let's talk about Aidan—OMG, the moment I found out he uses Haley’s password as his door lock, I absolutely melted. He's always so sweet and supportive, never trying to overshadow her. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their “practice” dates are the cutest. Plus, Anna, Haley’s best friend, adds so much humor and warmth to the story.

And can we talk about Robert? What a jerk! He’s Haley’s ex-fiancé and the reason she’s in this whole fake dating mess. He was so inconsiderate and selfish, and I couldn’t stand how he treated Haley. Every time he showed up, I just wanted to throw the book at the wall.

Every interaction between Haley and Aidan had me swooning. He's this perfect mix of Hollywood royalty and genuine, caring person. Even with his own issues, he’s always there for Haley in the most thoughtful ways. Their dynamic is so heartwarming, especially as they navigate through the wedding chaos and public appearances.

This book is the perfect blend of humor, romance, and those little heart-melting moments. I couldn’t get enough of it. Loved every bit!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #gifted @bookedwiththeemilys and @authorlesliemcelroy

Haley has worked as movie star Aiden's personal assistant for several years, and they have a great working relationship.

After reeling from a break up, Aiden went a little wild and was see with lots of women. His publicity team wants him to "fake date" someone for a while to clean up his reputation. He is tired of dating other stars, and suggests that he date Haley. They come to an agreement and work out the details.

She also will be attending her best friend's wedding soon as maid of honor. At that wedding will be her former fiance who she caught cheating shortly before their wedding and broke her heart. She asks Aiden to attend the wedding with her and he agrees.

From the get go, you see their chemistry. I found them adorable and was rooting for them from the start.

Faking dating is one of my favorite genres and this one did not disappoint. Highly recommend.

[Kyla Esprit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to finish this book bc of how cliche it was. I did however make it to the end and I did enjoy parts of the book, I did think it was entirely mid throughout though. I was hoping to love it, honestly, as I love supporting local authors, but it unfortunately just fell kind of flat for me. It felt like instalove for him after insisting he hadn’t known he felt this way until their arrangement so a lot of the flirting in the beginning of their relationship felt awkward and forced, it did get better but overall both characters felt like they were exactly who they were the either time there wasn’t really any growth from anyone. The writing was unrefined, it felt like it was trying to be everything an Elsie silver romance is but just was lacking depth and nuance. That being said - Elsie silver is the queen, and this had Elsie silver potential it just needed work

[Adricrisuruta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book.

Hailey and Aidan have had a working relationship for three years, where trust and loyalty are put to the test, but he changes the dynamic the day he asks her to be his fake date to fool the public after six months of misbehavior.

This is where the real story begins, as Aidan gradually reveals that he already had feelings for Hailey, while she slowly falls in love with him.

The truth is that achieving the perfect relationship will take time, as Hailey struggles with issues from her past that are very understandable and that even love cannot make disappear.

There were very sweet moments, unforgettable dates, despicable moments on the part of others, and true and loyal friendships. And, of course, love that is stronger than anything else.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is perfect. She is perfect."

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @authorlesliemcelroy for the #gifted copy of The Expiration Date and happy Pub day yesterday! This was a short rom-com that's such a fun summer read!

I love the fake dating trope and add in that he's her celebrity boss! It's like 3 of my fav tropes rolled into 1! I love the dual PoV and Haley's insecurities felt authentic and real. The banter is cute and Aiden is definitely swoonworthy!!

Check this out if you enjoy:
💥 Fake dating
✨️ Celebrity romance (actor and personal assistant)
🔥 Slow burn
💖 RomCom
🧁 Sweet and Spicy
🤩 Forced Proximity

[Chelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Booked with the Emilys and Leslie McElroy for the gifted ARC! 

This was such a cute book! It was easy to get into and had all the classic tropes romcom readers love to read! 

I loved the napkin "contract" and reading the dual povs of Haley and Aidan. Haley's character development was a bit too slow for me but I could understand the mindset she had and where she was coming from. Aidan is definitely Book Boyfriend Material (although I don't claim him as one of mine personally haha). It was fun seeing their relationship blossom! 

Overall the plot and characters were cute and this was a fun read!

[Noell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Search for the rainbows in life because they are always going to pull you through the dark times."

Oh Leslie McElroy, this was such a fun read! Aiden, the hotshot movie star, starts to fake date his assistant, Haley. I breezed through this book and I swooned hard for Aiden. I felt like I was experiencing the emotional rollercoaster with these two. Were there some cringe-worthy moments with the characters, sure. Some quirky moms and best friends, always. But it was a fun read all in all!

[Chrissy HappilyEverAfterBookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celebrity romance is probably the trope i’ve loved for the longest time, but I don’t read them nearly enough anymore! This one was fun and sweet and super swoony! Aiden is absolutely perfect. He is there for Haley in all the ways and I had butterflies the whole book! I’ve read a few he falls first lately and man, do I love them! Aiden is thoughtful, caring, all in and sexy!!

This is a quick, entertaining read that left me smiling! If you enjoy a celebrity romance give this one a try!