What Happens in Amsterdam is a love letter to the Netherlands—and it hooked me immediately.

Dani has lost her job and her boyfriend in one fell swoop, so what else is there to do but accept a job in Amsterdam and run away from her problems? But when she gets there, things are not what she was hoping they would be. Her apartment is a hazard and her new company seems on the verge of collapse, and when it inevitably does she’s stuck in a tricky situation.

Luckily, she gets in a bike accident and runs into none other than Wouter, her family’s high school exchange student and her first love, first everything. Wouter needs to be married to inherit his family home, and Dani needs a visa so naturally they need to get married to solve all their problems.

I really love second chance romance, I love Rachel Lynn Solomon’s writing, and I love Amsterdam. Reading this book felt like I was back in college studying abroad in Amsterdam, and I loved all of the descriptions of Dutch food, sightseeing, and everything that makes Amsterdam incredible. I absolutely adored this book.

It wasn’t entirely clear to me why Wouter broke up with Dani the way that he did back in high school, and I felt like she accepted his weak explanation pretty quickly. But that is truly my only critique.

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for a review copy of this book. All opinions my own!

Dani Dorfman has always felt a little lost, so when a disastrous office romance costs her both her job and her dignity, she leaps at the chance for a fresh start in Amsterdam at a start up. But once she arrives, she’s lonelier than ever. That changes when she literally crashes into her high school ex, Wouter van Leeuwen, the Dutch exchange student her family once hosted. Their past is complicated—full of forbidden romance, heartbreak, and lingering sparks. And now, Wouter needs a wife to inherit his family’s stunning canal house, while Dani suddenly needs a visa. A marriage of convenience seems like the perfect solution… until old feelings resurface and Dani has to figure out if this time, it's worth the risk.


Dani has no career direction, and an impulsive move to Amsterdam for a startup quickly falls apart. But when she crashes her bike into her long lost (and forbidden) love, Wouter, things take an unexpected turn. I always love a marriage of convenience. The way they seem like a practical—if slightly ridiculous—solution is fun to read and the tension is perfect! What follows is a heartfelt romance filled with humor, self-discovery, and all things Dutch! As someone from a part of the Midwest where everyone is part Dutch, I loved the details and definitely want to move to Amsterdam now 😉 Dani finds unexpected friendships in Amsterdam, and a chance to find her passion and fulfilling life. I loved her growth from coming out under her parents' hovering and learning to be truly independent. The fun details - museums, art, Post-It notes vocab lessons, and canal tours - made this immersive and fun!

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a fun stand-alone romantic story. The story revolves around Dani Dorfman (30 years old), who finds her life falling apart; as she lost her job, as well as her boyfriend. Dani’s parents have also been overprotective all her life, especially due to her anxiety and asthma. When a job opportunity with a startup in Amsterdam arises, Dani leaps at the chance to move. Things start off slowly, as she struggles with her job, and the company eventually starts losing all their employees, with her eventually losing the job.

Dani surprisingly meets her ex-boyfriend Wouter van Leeuwen (Dutch exchange teenage boyfriend), who broke her heart when he left. But Wouter will try to help change things, giving her a chance to move to his nicer lower-level apartment. In a short time, they just accept their friendship, and Wouter proposes a possible solution for both of them; he needs to fulfill his grandmother’s condition of marriage to inherit a gorgeous family home on the Canal. Dani out of work needs the stability of a visa to allow her to stay in Amsterdam, and Wouter proposes them to get married for a year, pretending to be happily married. This will give Wouter time to inherit his new home, and Dani enough time to decide if she can get a job, or return home after the year.

The sparks will reignite between them, as their chemistry was starting to sizzle; with their feelings for each other at seventeen, and now in the present. I really loved Dani and Wouter start falling for each other again. I also loved the friendships Dani began to build, especially with Iulia and Roos. I loved George, their dog, who is named George Constanza. LOL It was very nice to see Dani learning Dutch, and when she finally begins to come into her own, knowing what she wants in her life.

What Happens in Amsterdam was a sweet, heartwarming, romantic, emotional second chance romance; as well as part of the marriage of convenience. The characters created by Solomon were all wonderful and sweet. What Happens in Amsterdam was so very well written by Rachel Solomon.

My bar is set high for Rachel Lynn Solomon books and “What Happens in Amsterdam” delivered! This book was the perfect example of cozy or should I say “gezellig”.

This books follow Danika “Dani” Dorfman as she embarks on a new chapter in her life, starting a new job in Amsterdam. Dani isn’t very happy with her life and she needs a change, but this new adventure isn’t turning out the way she planned. That is until she quite literally crashes into her ex on the streets of the city. Wouter is the boy that broke her heart, but he is about to offer her a deal to turn things around, first with a new apartment and then with a green-card marriage that will benefit both of them. Can Dani and Wouter pull off this stunt while keeping their new relationship platonic?

I really enjoyed this book. Dani and Wouter were adorable. I enjoyed Dani growth as a character and appreciated that Solomon kept the miscommunication tropes to a minimum. My only complaint was the ending being a bit abrupt.

I am very grateful to have been approved for this ARC on NetGalley!

Amsterdam is by far one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited so I was so excited to read a romance based there.

This story had some really great elements including second-chance romance as well as having an fmc featured who was 30 and still figuring her life out which was so lovely to read about and feel not alone in that way.
The spicy scenes in this book were top tier and I loved the included relationships with different family members and the depth they had to them.

Overall, a very enjoyable read!

After living in the Netherlands for two years I was happy to read a book set there! The tourist jokes made me smile and I loved to see the various settings mentioned. A little cheesy but a lot cute - I enjoyed this one!

📖 Book Review 📖 The truth is, Amsterdam is full of stories. Some are best left along the canals of this quaint city (I am certainly not talking from experience of a certain weekend of the summer when I lived abroad) and some, like the ones in Rachel Lynn Solomon’s latest novel, are absolutely meant to be shared with the world. What Happens in Amsterdam is a heartfelt story sure to sweep you off your feet.

When Danika is down on her luck in the states, she risks it all to move to the Netherlands to work for a startup company, hoping a bike filled with tulips will heal her broken spirit and help her find direction. But alas, the best laid plans are notorious for going awry and Danika’s honesty and vulnerability in these moments cements her spot in the heart. Serendipity must be at play when she just so happens to run into the one who got away at seventeen; add in some forced proximity and a marriage of convenience and Solomon has created the perfect Dutch recipe as sweet as their chocolate (oh, it’s so good)!!! What Happens in Amsterdam is a perfect roller coaster of emotions, a cathartic read that inspires hope for second chances even after the storms of anxiety, let downs, and this funny little thing called life.

𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 🥹

I requested the arc because it sounded cute and hello, how gorgeous is that cover?

And I’ll be honest, at the beginning of the story I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it. Some of the details of the plot felt a little unrealistic to me, but I decided to keep going and I’m SO glad I did.

Dani is thirty years old, and her life is falling apart. After being born extremely premature, and a life full of health problems, her parents still treat her like a fragile child. Feeling like she’s at rock bottom and desperately wanting a fresh start, she decides to take a job in Amsterdam- a city she’s always felt drawn to after a high school fling with a foreign exchange student from the city.

Dani ended up being such a relatable character for me. She’s someone who’s always been searching for that special 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 that feels like what she was meant to do. She’s the queen of starting a million hobbies and not letting them turn in to anything, and she still feels like she’s trying to figure out who she is and what her passions are, while everyone around her seems to have it all figured out.

After an insanely rough start, she runs into her high school fling - 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 🤭 she hits him with her bike. They decide to grab a coffee and from there they come to an arrangement that includes Dani moving in with him while she gets her new life together.

What ensues is adorably sweet and wholesome. And STEAMY 😮‍💨 this author knows how to string you along and build up 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 🤌🏻 Dani and Wouter are so sweet together, gently trying to navigate through their arrangement without crossing too many lines…but you know how that tends to turn out 😏

I thoroughly loved their story. I found the pacing to be just right. Everything flowed in a realistic manner, and it was such an immersive experience reading about Dani’s journey in this new country. The author paints such a fun picture of the city. It certainly made me want to book a trip to Amsterdam asap 😂

This book had me giggling and swooning, and by the end of it I was in tears more than once.

Y’all, Rachel Lynn Solomon was already an auto-buy author for me, and she still does not disappoint. Her books all have so much heart and this one is no exception. Second chance romance ISN’T EVEN MY THING but I loved this one!

Quick summary: Dani moves to Amsterdam for a job at a start up that quickly falls apart. She runs into her high school sweetheart and they have a marriage of convenience for her to stay in the country and him to secure his inheritance (of course). Dani’s search for purpose and a fulfilling career hit home for me. The feelings of “this is what I got my degree for, but is this it?” and the pressure to do and be more. Their romance is honestly full of secondhand embarrassment at points because these two ding dongs have lots of miscommunication (minor - wouldn’t say it’s a major trope) and you just want them to talk through it!

I loved: the dog, the spice, the side characters, the setting, the two main characters. All of it! I’ve still preordered my copy despite having the ebook.

I ABSOLUTELY adored this! It was so tender and soft. I love Rachel's books for their amazing mental health representation and cute romances, and this one delivered on both fronts. I'm obsessed with Wouter and Dani!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️🌶️🌶️

What an atmospheric book! I love when books transport you to places and this one sent me straight to Amsterdam.

A second chance romance + marriage of convenience wasn’t a trope combination I knew I needed, but *whew boy* did it hit!

Dani and Woulter were delightful. I loved that they were imperfect romance leads. It felt raw and real and authentic. Related: some modern marriage of convenience books *feel* like plot devices, but I could buy their reasoning. I really related to Dani and her feelings of feeling behind her peers.

I also really enjoyed all of the side characters and that Amsterdam felt like a character in an of itself.

Read if you like:
- Second Chance Romance
- Marriage of Convenience
- He Falls First
- “My Wife”
- Travel Romance
- Neurodivergent/Mental Health Rep

Thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the eARC!

4.5 stars. I found myself reading this book in one hand while opening my phone browser to look for tours of Amsterdam with the other. Solomon has done a great job of setting this book in place, and the love she has for her new home shines through. Dani and Wouter are equally crafted with care, and their second chance story was a delight to read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Rachel Lynn Solomon’s newest novel makes me want to book a flight to Amsterdam like yesterday!! I felt like I truly was there with how well she set the scene. As for the story, there was something missing I couldn’t quite place. I found the romance between Dani and Wouter to be very believable- their chemistry was butterfly inducing! I also enjoyed the growth Dani showed in this story, though that took way longer than it should have.

Maybe my issue is that Dani put so much emphasis on how they were in a fake marriage that she didn’t really allow herself the chance to accept the relationship for how real it was. Also, the lack of communication for the first half of the story was quite frustrating.

Give this book a chance and be ready to book the next flight out!

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC!

Read This Book If…you want a love letter to The Netherlands!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Genre: romance
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3-4 explicit scenes
Setting: Amsterdam
POV: single, 1st person, present tense
Tropes: second chance romance, marriage of convenience, one bed, “good girl”

My Thoughts:
If anything was going to get me extra excited for my trip to Amsterdam next month, this book did the trick!! It was truly a love letter to the city and you can tell the author loves her adopted home.

As with RSL’s other adult romances, you can expect a meaningful discussion of mental health, with this book focusing on depression and anxiety. Dani has both of those things under control, but she has struggled with them in the past.

I really appreciated Dani’s journey of self-discovery and independence. Did she really need to move across the world to get out from under her family’s nervous eye? After reading this, I think so!

Woulter was truly a sweetheart who cares so deeply yet quietly for Dani, but I don’t know if I can ever forgive him for breaking her heart at 17. He makes a good effort in this book, though.

There were so many swoon-worthy moments and this is definitely a sweet and steamy read I can highly recommend!

Memorable Quote: “But goddamn it, he seems to remember everything, but he only lets on when it’s convenient for him.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

fter Dani's life gets turned upside down, she moves to Amsterdam, in search of a fresh start. What she didn't plan on was running into her ex and she certainly didn't expect to find herself in a marriage of convenience situation with him. What could possibly go wrong?

Overall, I thought this book was an okay read. Dani was easy to connect to and I liked that she was trying to step out of her comfort zone and take risks.

I enjoyed the banter and connection between Dani and Wouter. They've grown and changed a lot since they were young and in love, but their feelings for one another never disappeared.

If I had to make a complaint about this book, it would be in regards to the pacing. It felt all over the place. One minute it was strong and consuming and the next, not so much. Only for to reach the climax of the story and have the remainder be rushed.

Despite the pacing issues, this was still an enjoyable read for me. I'm a sucker for second chance romances and this one made me smile.

I will read anything RLS writes. Anytime, any genre, any place. Like on a train to and from Philly. More so if it takes place in one of my bucket list vacation places.

After an office romance spectacularly blows up in her face, Dani does what any same person would do: Uproots her life, and moves to a country where she doesn't know the language. When the company sponsoring her visa goes belly up, she's in a pickle. Enter a chance run in (literally) with her family's former foreign exchange student, aka the other man who spectacularly blew up in her face. He's set to inherit his family's apartment, but he has to get married. Dani has 90 days to find a new job, or she could get a spousal visa.

Marriage of convenience was the troupe I didn't know I loved, Maybe it's also just the power of RLS.

Thanks, NG!

This book swept me off my feet and pulled me right into Dani’s journey. I loved following her as she navigated the chaos of her life, from a disastrous office romance to an unexpected adventure in Amsterdam. I felt her uncertainty and hope so vividly, and I couldn’t wait to see how her story would unfold. The setting in Amsterdam was enchanting—I could picture the canals, the charming city streets, and even the awkward but fateful bike crash with her high school ex-boyfriend, Wouter. Their chemistry leapt off the page, and I loved the mix of sizzling tension and unresolved history between them. The idea of a marriage of convenience had me hooked from the start, and every twist kept me eagerly turning the pages. I was captivated by how Dani’s character grew throughout the story. Her struggles felt so real, and I admired her determination to embrace the unexpected and take risks. Watching her rediscover herself while navigating her relationship with Wouter was heartwarming and inspiring.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves romance with depth and a touch of humor.

This is my second read by Rachel Lynn Solomon and it didn't disappoint. Who doesn't love a marriage of convenience and a picturesque setting?

Solomon balances imperfections and real-world problems (mental health and family) with the modern rom-com. I've read some reviews that found the relationship between Dani and Wouter lacking, but I appreciated the logic and feeling behind their actions at the beginning of their arrangement.

Perfect for readers who want a romance with a main character in her 30s who doesn't have it all together.

I honestly thought about dnf-ing this book multiple times. I hate writing bad reviews but this one was just not for me and I need to explain why. I loved how the story was set up, the plot could have been amazing, the tropes were all there I just don’t think it was executed in the best way.

Maybe it’s just me but how does a relationship from when you’re 17 impact every single one of your next relationships? Some one broke up with you and now for the rest of your life you aren’t going to be in a serious relationship and run at the first sign of conflict. This shows me that you are emotionally immature and I am not a big fan of that in 30 year olds.

If miscommunication was in the dictionary, this book would be the picture describing it. I have never seen so many instances of miscommunication in one book, they never learned to just TALK TO EACH OTHER.

Also the main girls family situation was so weird to me. You are 30 years old why are your parents still babying you? And why do you let them do it?

The conclusion seemed rushed, everything was resolved with one little attitude adjustment to the main female character and boom! happily ever after, she got the guy and her parents treat her like an actual adult.

There were some good things about this book, I liked Wouter’s character, besides all the miscommunication, he was sweet and always had something special/meaningful to say and was always doing thoughtful things for Dani. I feel like i would’ve liked this book more if it were dual perspective, there was a lot that Wouter went through that impacted his choices and being able to see his thought process would’ve added something to the story.

Rachel Lynn Solomon did it again.

Her latest romance is a lesson in taking risks and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.

We meet Dani as she embarks on a new life in Amsterdam after a bad breakup and losing her job. She's a woman on the verge of something... she just doesn't know what.

Dani is trying to find herself, her passion, and her purpose. On a whim she ended up across the globe from her family alone in Amsterdam.

Her accidental meeting with an ex who knew here before she started making herself small triggers the angst and romance of the plot and also forces Dani to confront things she's let dictate how she behaves in life for too long.

Dani and Wouter aren't perfect and they don't have a perfect journey, but Solomon infuses it with the perfect dose of sweetness, humor and spice.