I ADORED Business or Pleasure so I was extremely excited to see Rachel Lynn Solomon had a new title coming out.

What Happens in Amesterdam has a lot of the same elements that made Business or Pleasure work for me. There was a very slow build to the actual feelings of the character. Solomon has a very slow ramp up to the relationship between the two MCs in What Happens in Amsterdam as well.

A fun, second-chance romance with low stakes, which I love in my romance, and it takes place in Amsterdam, giving the reader a chance to explore the city in the book. I thought this was a home run of a story and I think fans of contemporary romance will be over the moon for it.

oof, where to start...

Rachel Solomon is a great writer and the atmosphere of this book was perfect - I am currently trying to convince my husband to plan a trip to Amsterdam as we speak... but that's kind of where the positives end.

If you want to read a low stakes fluffy romance where the two main characters have no chemistry then pick this up.

Wouter had moments of greatness but was mostly vanilla, the side characters added some flair to the book but we needed more of them, and Dani was so wholly unlikable that even in some of the moments when I did enjoy her she would do or say something that would put her firmly in villain territory for me.

The overall plot was also very flimsy. I understood the need for the marriage from Dani's perspective but Wouter really didn't NEED it like at all. And truthfully his actions from 13 years prior were VERY shitty. I for sure thought his text was the result of some miscommunication resulting from something her parents said to him, but no... he just decided long distance would be too hard so he sent a really shitty text that wrecked this girls confidence because he thought the breakup would be easier if she hated him but then he blamed it on her too because he thought she moved on too quickly....

and listen I understood Dani's depression and anxiety but the whole time she is waxing on and on about needing to find her purpose and needing to find her dream job and how EVERYONE she knows loves their work and is doing something meaningful (this is so unrealistic) and she is so desperate for a Green Card that she marries a man who broke her heart 13 years prior but the first job she's offered she turns down - you can have a job you aren't in love with while still figuring out what you want to do with life and honestly 90% of the time a job is a job and your hobbies and the people you surround yourself with bring your life meaning ... anyway all this to say she spends the entire book talking about finding her true calling and then just becomes a tour guide... AND LISTEN THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING A TOUR GUIDE WHATSOEVER but is this really your life long dream? AND she loves art so why not be a tour guide at an art museum??? That would've made sense to me

anyway idk, did i hate this book? No obviously hence why its 3 stars and not 2 stars BUT it was very boring and i felt myself skimming the last 20% to just get it over with.

Solomon’s writing style carries, and her fans will enjoy the easy cadence. “Marriage of Convenience” is a tough trope to pull off for modern contemporary, but the setup sounded like it would work really well for this one and definitely had me intrigued. I think the execution fell a bit flat for me though---the ramp up was slower than I generally prefer---and I did end up stopping after chapter 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

This was a cute read that is a great vacation and relaxing read. It felt very low stakes even though there was angst. If you like second-chance romance this is for you, I loved that it took place in Amsterdam, and the way the author wrote it you could tell she had either visited or researched it well. I loved how it was described and I want to visit Amsterdam now. The romance was good, the MCs dated when they were younger before they broke up and after the fmc loses her job they come together for a marriage of convenience so the fmc cab get a Dutch green card. The romance was steamy and though I wanted a little more from it I liked them together. There is a good mental health rep in this which I liked. Overall a good read, thanks to Berkely Romance for this earc.

Read for:
- Jewish romance
- Second chance romance
- Forced proximity
- Marriage of convenience

Having previously read several of Solomon’s adult rom-coms, I figured I was in for a mellow ride to a happy ending. Sure enough, What Happens in Amsterdam is a delightful and comfortable read and serves as a nice escape. And of course, I now want to visit Amsterdam and ride a bike along the canals.

With that all acknowledged, the book wasn’t a perfect read for me as the main characters’ banter and chemistry were somewhat lacking, and I didn’t love the pacing. I felt certain conversations between Dani and Wouter should have happened sooner in the story, and that their discussion (and resolution) about their breakup felt shallow compared to the pain and impact it caused on both of them for years.

This book delivers a fun, though perhaps not wholly unique, rom-com story.

3 stars

Thank you, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC, and good luck to Solomon on the new release.

This was a great second chance romance set in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. It was great to see the Dutch culture through the eyes of an American. The lovestory between them was so cute and had those gezellig vibes. I also loved reading about Danika her relationship with her sister and her determination to build a new life in a new country. Only thing I did not like was that it is a single POV, ai would have loved to read chapters from the perspective of Wouter.

When Dani decides to move to Amsterdam the last thing she expects is to run into (literally) her ex boyfriend from high school Wouter. Their love story ended in a painful breakup. What will happen when Dani needs to find a way to stay in the country and Wouter needs to find a wife to keep his inheritance? Another great romcom by Rachel Lynn Solomon!

I love the way Rachel Lynn Solomon crafts her stories and her characters. They always feel so realistic! Her characters especially, they feel like people you'd see around or know in real life and I LOVE that. This also felt like a love letter to Amsterdam and art in general. But, despite liking the vibes and the representation, the second chance romance did give me pause. I struggled with their breakup only because what was said was such a powerful thing to say to someone. It impacted the person that Danika became after that moment because not only was that cruel (not to mention to hear that from someone you love) but it fueled her own insecurities from her childhood. That was a tough one to read. I thought for SURE one of his parents was the source of that drama. Then to get upset that she seemingly dated someone else weeks after didn't feel fair, even though it was honest and relatable. That aspect overall took away some of the sweetness between them for me. I think to have a bit more communication and closure in that regard would have helped me (or perhaps readers like myself) feel more invested in this new phase of their relationship. BUT trust, there was a lot of sweetness and spice too!

Outside of that, this was extremely easy to get into. I love the conversations about feeling behind in life and overcoming that socal pressure - which many readers may relate and find comfort in. I thought it was so brave of Danika to reclaim her independence, move across the world all to find her place in it. I loved her journey and it did feel like fate was involved in their love story too and that, to me, added some extra magic to this story.

Overall this was a like for me but that won't change the fact that I will ALWAYS pick up a Rachel Lynn Solomon book.

Thank you so much for my ARC, I truly appreciate it!

3.5/5

I loved this book, It did take me some time to get into though but once I did I was invested fully. Thank you so much for letting me read this book.

Thank you Berkley romance for my copy!

I absolutely adored this sweet and sexy novel. It gave me such wanderlust with the charming and authentic descriptions of Amsterdam. I loved how the characters experienced growth as well as the flashbacks from their teenage years. Their chemistry was great, banter funny and the steam was hot!

I thought it was good. I thought the inclusion of the Dutch language was appropriate; it didn't feel like it was forced in just for the sake of being in the book. The topic of healthcare, especially for medically vulnerable people, was a little too on the nose for me. It was difficult as an American reader, but it's true. I'm giving it three stars because I'm not a fan of the marriage for convenience trope. Plus, Dani annoyed me more than a few times.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors, and What Happens in Amsterdam did not disappoint! Solomon is a master at crafting a heartfelt, swoony romance with characters who feel real , plus plenty of heat. I absolutely loved the marriage of convenience/second chance premise and Amsterdam setting. Like others have said, you’ll be planning a trip to Amsterdam after reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Lynn Solomon you’ve done it again. The swoonyness of the characters and the gorgeous Amsterdam setting. I could watch Dani and Wouter fall in love again and again. They had me giggling and screaming and throwing my phone waiting for them to realize that they truly had feelings for each other.

This book is an absolute delight! Rachel Lynn Solomon is my favorite author but I had only read her young adult books before. I was so excited to get the opportunity to read “What Happens in Amsterdam” ahead of publication. It lived up to every expectation I had for Solomon’s adult romances.

Solomon is a master of capturing tenderness and sentimentality in her writing without overdoing it. Most, if not all, of her characters are so lovable and good-intentioned, even with their flaws. Their relationships to each other, whether romantic, platonic, or familial, feel so real because of how much care and genuine affection is built. Solomon also always excels at turning the setting into its own character, which is so important in a book where the main character Dani is adjusting to her new home in Amsterdam.

Wouter was probably my favorite character because of how sweet and earnest of a guy he was, despite all of his past pain. I’m a sucker for a love interest who falls head-over-heels in love first, long before the main character realizes. I will admit that I was a little nervous about the tropes— second chance romance and marriage of convenience— because they are not my favorite, but Solomon handled them well. None of it ever felt contrived.

While I do appreciate a flawed main character, the only aspect that really bothered me was how avoidant and impulsive Dani was. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment too much but it always drives me nuts when some of the problems could’ve been solved easily with simple communication. It was, of course, satisfying to see Dani learn to better communicate by the end, though, and I understand that was a part of her character growth.

Overall, this book is PHENOMENAL and I will shout from the rooftops for everyone to read it.

Adored RLS’s latest romcom with relatable and slightly damaged characters that save each other in the best ways. I loved how she described Amsterdam so much that it makes me want to add it to my soon to be traveled list.

Foreign exchange student comes to America from the Netherlands - falls for his American host - it’s hot and heavy as only high school love can be until he goes home. 13 years later - a chance encounter on the streets of Amsterdam brings them back together for what could be 15 minutes or could be forever.

I love Rachel Lynn Solomon's books, and I was so excited when I heard about this one. I loved the setting in Amsterdam. Anyone who has been there knows how beautiful it is, and it was fun to imagine the characters walking around the city. I thought the main characters were developed well, though I wanted the miscommunication to be resolved more quickly so that they could really grow into the relationship. While I liked the Dutch language peppered throughout the book, I wish more of it had been translated so that I didn't need to stop reading, get out my translator app, and figure out what was said. Same goes for the food that was mentioned -- some of it was explained in the book, but I had to look up other things. I liked learning about it all, but it interrupted the reading flow. I loved the side characters, especially Roos and George Costanza. I'd absolutely read a sequel to this, either following Dani and Wouter, or Roos and her love interest.

Yet another hit from Solomon!!! I loved this twist on the marriage of convenience trope, complete with second chance romance!! Amsterdam is a character of its own in this novel, and as always, Solomon's romance is all about healing, embracing, and romanticizing the parts of ourselves that we haven't always accepted. Her romances always hit different, and this new one will delight new and old fans alike!

Wouter and Dani dated when Wouter was a foreign exchange student from Amsterdam, living with Dani’s family. 13 years later, after a messy breakup resulting in her losing her job, Dani moves to Amsterdam on a whim. But she never thinks she’ll run into Wouter. One rainy day, Dani finds herself face to face with him, when their bikes collide. When Wouter finds out Dani needs a new place to live, he offers a room in his apartment, and soon, he’s got another proposition for her: a green card marriage.

Rachel Lynn Solomon’s novels don’t disappoint. Her characters are complex and extremely human. There is plenty of spice. This novel is also a love song to Amsterdam.

Rachel Lynn Solomon returns to adult romance, as Dani makes a career change by accepting a job, at a startup, in Amsterdam. As things increasingly start to go wrong in her first week abroad, she literally crashes her bike into Wouter, her families former foreign exchange student, who she shared a whirlwind, secret relationship with as teens. To close her first week in Amsterdam, the startup closes, and the two realize that they can mutually help each other: Dani needs a visa, and Wouter needs to be married to inherit his families home. The two embark in a marriage of convenience and realize that they still have feelings, but the events of their past may get in their way.

This book was a delight! The relationship between Dani and Wouter was perfectly depicted, and readers will enjoy watching Dani make a home in Amsterdam.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an early review copy.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of those authors whose work blows me away every single time. I have always admired the Jewish and mental health representation in every single one of her books. She also has a unique way of bringing readers into her main characters’ heads that not makes them so rich and real. Of course, What Happens in Amsterdam, is no exception in providing all of these things I love about Solomon’s work.

Solomon moved to Amsterdam a few years ago, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting her first book set there. What Happens in Amsterdam really made me feel transported to Amsterdam and made me want to jump on a plane and visit immediately. The book is filled with rich descriptions of the city including the tilted houses along the canals (along with explanations about why the buildings tilt). Dani visits many tourist destinations like the Van Gogh museum and the Red Light District, but she also learns where to find the best stroopwafel like a local. The book also brings in Dutch language as Dani learns to speak it.

I love all of Solomon’s main characters, but I have to say that Dani might be one of my favorites. She was born very prematurely and with a significant birth mark on her face, which led to her parents being very protective of her. Dani braves moving along to a different continent to figure out what she wants to do with her life, and the reader sees her grow as continues to work to figure that out. I spent the whole book admiring Dani and was eager to follow her growth and to see where the story took her.

Of course, I also love her relationship with Wouter. I’ve realized recently how much I love a second chance romance, and this one had me swooning. First of all, they reunited when Dani almost runs into Wouter on a bicycle, which is such an adorable meet cute (reunion cute?) Immediately, Wouter helps her to settle in to Amsterdam and even literally offers her a place to live. They are both a little lost on their paths forward, but they are there to help each other and figure it out together. I also loved that the marriage of convenience truly worked to solve both of their problems. Of course, their relationship has such a strong foundation through their history that everyone around them picks up on quickly as well.

Dani’s Jewishness is subtle, and not necessarily mentioned often, but it does matter in the story. She goes on a boat tour with her neighbor, Iulia, and goes through the city’s Jewish Quarter, and Iulia brings up Amsterdam’s Holocaust history. She tells Dani, “The Netherlands had more Jewish victims than any other country. Everyone knows about Anne Frank, and as devastating as that story is…it’s only one person. One person out of more than one hundred thousand who were taken to camps, most of whom never came back.” As a Jewish descendant of someone who fought in the American army in World War II, I felt moved and humbled by this reminder. Dani, who notes that she was raised as a secular Jew, feels the same way. She narrates, “It feels different here, being confronted by the history, and it turns me reverent for the rest of the tour.” It is so important that Solomon addresses this element of Dutch history in this book. She does it with such care that the reader can’t help but feel the significance of the moment, even though it is brief.

Dani’s mental health journey is very important to the story as well. She mentions being on antidepressant medication, and she uses breathing techniques she learned from her therapist several times throughout the book. Dani and Wouter have a beautiful conversation where they are able to discuss their mental health journeys. Wouter shares that he saw a therapist to work through grief after his father died and says he needed someone to “help him be gentler on myself.” I love that framing and the reminder that self-talk can be a huge part of the work in therapy. Dani shares with Wouter that she was hospitalized for her depression and expresses that she doesn’t feel like she has the right to be depressed. Wouter immediately shuts that thought down and says he is glad she sought help. I loved the way they are open to sharing this with one another and how they support each other through these conversations. It’s so easy to worry about depression being stigmatized, and it’s so important to have representation like this in romance novels.

I love all of Solomon’s work and recommend you read a book by her immediately if you haven’t yet. I will warn you though that this book will make you want to hop on a plane to Amsterdam immediately.