What Happens in Amsterdam

As a former and soon-to-be (again!) expat, I’m always drawn to books set in other countries. This is what caught my attention about Rachel Lynn Solomon‘s newest release, What Happens in Amsterdam. I’ve been wanting to read this author for a few years, and this novel looked like the perfect, wanderlust-inducing place to start.

When Dani’s life in LA implodes, she makes the seemingly impulsive decision to move to the Netherlands. But things quickly go wrong, and just when she’s at risk of losing her work visa, she (literally) runs into her ex-boyfriend, Wouter. He’d been a foreign exchange student at her house, but then he moved back home and they haven’t seen each other since. Now, he has a proposal: a marriage of convenience, both so she can get her green card and so he can inherit the family home. But will these newlyweds actually fall back in love?

What I Liked:

• Moving to a new country! Dani travels to Amsterdam all on her own, ready to start a new life in a new country. I love stories like this, and this one is done so well. The time zone challenges, endless uncertainty, cultural differences… it all rings true. I’ve lived in both Spain and Peru, so I’ve been there and could totally relate.
• The Netherlands culture and Dutch language! I loved getting to know more about the Netherlands, from their architecture and water management (seriously) to their cuisine and holidays. Dani is also actively learning Dutch, and including words and phrases in Dutch throughout the book made it more immersive. No, I don’t speak the language, but I love a chance to learn while reading fiction.
• Finally a second chance romance without the dual timelines or flashbacks. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I often don’t like second chance romances specifically because of the dual timeline. So I was happy that this book doesn’t rely on that or excessive flashbacks. We get a feel for where Dani and Wouter were at 13 years ago, but those brief memories don’t bog down the narrative at all. Instead, it’s focused on the present, which is how I like it.
• Someone who feels stuck in life, or like they haven’t lived up to their potential. Girl, I hear you. Dani feels like she’s flailing through life, a late bloomer who still hasn’t found her calling. My situation is not at all like hers, but I can relate to those feelings of wanting to find yourself and see success doing something that makes you happy.
• Expanding family and friends. I really enjoyed all the side characters here, from Dani’s family to Wouter’s family to the friends made along the way. They lift up the book even more.

Final Thoughts

What Happens in Amsterdam is such a heartfelt and brave book, and I fell in love with it. This is especially for anyone who likes reading stories about experiencing new cultures and exploring the world, all while finding love along the way. This book has reignited my itch to travel (and, honestly, move abroad again). I’m also extra excited to finally dive into Rachel Lynn Solomon’s other books, starting with The Ex Talk.

Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy What Happens in Amsterdam here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	The Netherlands
Number of Pages	384
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	May 6, 2025
Publisher	Berkley

Official Summary

Falling in love with your husband is anything but convenient in this steamy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure.

Dani Dorfman has somehow made it to her thirties without knowing what she wants to do with her life. So when an office romance ends poorly and gets her fired, she applies for a job in Amsterdam, idly dreaming of escaping the mess she’s created, but never imagining she’ll actually get it.

Except she does. By the end of her first week in Amsterdam, she’s never felt more adrift or alone. Then she crashes her bike into her high school ex-boyfriend—and suddenly life is blooming with new opportunities.

Wouter van Leeuwen was a Dutch exchange student Dani’s family hosted, a forbidden love that ended in a painful breakup. Years later, there’s still sizzling chemistry between them, and okay, maybe a little animosity. More importantly, Wouter needs to be married to inherit a gorgeous family home on a canal—and when Dani’s job falls apart, she needs a visa. As the marriage of convenience pushes them together in unexpected ways, Dani must decide whether her new life is yet another mistake—or if it’s worth taking a risk on a second chance.