Rayna has a one night stand with Xavier, who sells diamonds and is found murdered later the next day. She becomes the prime suspect, especially when it’s discovered that all of the diamonds are missing from his safe. She later meets Willow, who is connected to the powerful Prins family and the diamond market too. Willow and Rayna need to discover who killed Xavier before they become victims themselves.

I have really enjoyed Kimberly Belle’s work. She writes in a very suspenseful way and really draws the reader in. This was a solid book, but maybe more of an adventure or suspenseful read rather than a true thriller. I did enjoy the Amsterdam setting and the hint of mystery, but it wasn’t very fast-paced or filled with great twists like I typically enjoy in a thriller. It started out strong but the middle was a bit slower paced for me. I’d still recommend it for those who enjoy a less intense, suspenseful book.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row books for the arc and opportunity to be an early reader and reviewer.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this advanced digital copy with me.

I loved this fast paced, thriller by Kimberly Belle. Expats in Amsterdam, wealthy family drama, diamonds, and murder! I highly recommend this quick read!

I've read every single one of Kimbely Belle's books over the last few years, and I've really become a huge fan. For me, her stories continue to improve, or at least remain consistently interesting, and she has a way of making me invested in the lives of the characters. Rayna and Willow were no different- I found myself rooting for them both as the story alternated narrators and unwound how these two very different women found themselves tangled up in each other's lives. I feel like a lot of Belle's books are like a string, being pulled tighter and tighter until it either snaps or is released and some of the tension is let out. That is to say they're tense and taut, and I definitely live reading them. This is an author that I typically don't have to work too hard to convince our readers to try- they either want to, or have read one of her books before and have come back, hungry for more. I absolutely consider myself a fan for life!

A special thanks to NetGalley, Kimberly Belle, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row books for an Advance Readers Copy of The Expat Affair.

The Expat Affair is a chef’s kiss tour de force. Twisty, thrilling, and hard to put down story. I cannot say thank you enough to be given the opportunity to read an Advanced Readers Copy of The Expat Affair. 5 Stars and I highly recommend.

To read my full book review please check out https://www.stephaniecreatesblank.com/blog-3-1/the-expat-affair-written-by-kimberly-belle-a-net-galley-opportunity

The Expat Affair is a twisty, fast-paced thriller set in the glittering world of Amsterdam’s diamond industry. The story alternates between two women: Rayna, a recently divorced American trying to reinvent herself in a new city, and Willow, the American wife of the CEO of one of the Netherlands’ most powerful diamond companies, House of Prins.

Rayna’s fresh start takes a wild turn when she wakes up after a one-night stand to find her date, Xander—an executive at House of Prins—dead on his bathroom floor. Oh, and the safe in his apartment? Completely cleaned out of millions in diamonds. From there, things spiral fast.

Told in alternating perspectives, the story keeps you guessing as Rayna and Willow’s lives start to collide in ways neither of them sees coming. There’s plenty of glamour, secrets and high-society drama mixed in with the suspense, and the Amsterdam setting gives it all a moody, stylish vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was a 3.5 star read for me. It was definitely different as far as thrillers go! Something about the pacing felt off for me though. I wasnt as excited to pick it up. Murder and lies will always call my name and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity at an early ready! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait until I can read the next book by Kimberly Belle. Five out of five stars from me and would be more if I could.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Whoa! I had the pleasure of reading this on a recent trip to Amsterdam, and I couldn’t put it down.
Rayna Dumont, an American expat in Amsterdam, wakes up from a Tinder date in the bed of a handsome diamond executive, Xander. The previous night, she posted a photo of herself wearing a stunning and expensive diamond necklace in Xander’s bed to her social media account. The only problem is that he is dead in his shower, and millions of euros of diamonds are missing. Rayna looks guilty of the murder and the theft. How can she prove her innocence? Is she the next target?
Willow Prins is another American ex-patriot in Amsterdam and the wife of the House of Prins Diamond CEO. She finds herself wrapped up in the murder of her husband’s employee and the theft of the family’s diamonds. Can Rayna and Willow collaborate to solve the murder and find the diamonds? What are their individual motives? Who can they trust in a foreign city?
This book is a fast-paced mystery that explores the legal and illegal world of diamonds. I loved reading about the economic and artistic aspects of the industry and the black market for stolen goods. The foreign setting in the Netherlands made the book feel even more unsettling for the two women as they unravel the mystery. Both women were fascinating “grey” characters with different motivations to solve the mystery. I found myself rooting for a wholly unexpected character in the end! The Expat Affair had me guessing from the very first page to the very last page. This book is for the thriller junkie in all of us. Highly recommend.

I devoured this one so quickly! I loved the setting in Amsterdam it was something new and fresh that I don't typically read.

Another great read from Kimberly Belle! I read it through in two sittings (I started too late the first day, but finished it up the next morning!). It will keep you wondering and guessing until the end.

The Expat Affair hooks readers right from the start. A woman wakes up from a Tinder Date to her fling in the shower, she decides to join him. Unbeknownst to her, he is brutally murdered in the shower. Xander, the dead man is a gemologist who is creating machine made diamonds and had a target on his back. This plot is very layered as the truth of why Xander was killed and the truths of a very wealthily family comes out.

It’s rare for a book to keep me guessing the entire time, especially with such unreliable characters. I really enjoyed the fast pace—it suits this genre perfectly. The writing was clear and easy to follow, which I appreciated. And getting the story from more than one point of view? Total game changer!

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc!

I enjoyed the premise of this book. Wasn't a hard read. It had family dynamics in addition to the murder mystery. There were some unexpected twists. Some parts of the book moved faster than others. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC and offer my honest opinion. Thank you again to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Kimberly Belle.

Divorce can having you out here doing ANTHING‼️One wild night can turn into CHAOS AND DRAMA!!!!!! Had me biting my nails !😂 I loved it !!! Murder secrets lies everything you want in a thriller ! I wanna go to Amsterdam 😩willow and Reyna will be on my mind for a lil while Thankyou Net Galley & harlequin for the Arc and the realization that I like this author !!! Make sure you put this one on your TBR guys !!! Kimberly I'm looking out for you now.

Book: The Expat Affair
Author: Kimberly Belle
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: June 3, 2025

One thing about this author is she writes fast paced easy to read books. Her stories are simple and easy to follow and while there aren’t any huge plot twists they are just very enjoyable reads. This story is told from two perspectives - Willow and Rayna’s and presents a fairly exciting cat and mouse game. This is one of those books that could easily be read in one sitting.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is June 3, 2025.

Murder, Secrets, lies, unreliable characters- this book has everything you need for a suspenseful, action packed read that will have you reading well into the night. Kimberly Belle never fails to deliver an edge of your seat, action packed story. Five stars. Definitely add to your TBR list.

I love her books so knew this would be a good one! Rayna awakens after a date to find new man, Xander dead in the shower with his throat cut! Of course his wealthy family is concerned but being diamond moguls, there are always competitors to be worried about. Then we meet Willow, whose husband, Thomas works for this family and she discovers he hasn't really been out of town where he claimed he was. How are these all connected? It's a wonderfully convoluted story of the diamond industry and what people in power will do to stay there!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This novel is told through the perspectives of two different female expats. Rayna, who is recently divorced and has moved to Amsterdam to start a new life and Willow, who is married to the heir to the Prins diamond house. After a wild night out with successful and handsome Prins diamond creator Xander, Rayna awakens to find him murdered and his safe full of diamonds empty. Now she finds herself not only a suspect in a murder investigation, but also being hunted down by whoever murdered Xander. Meanwhile, Willow Prins learns of Xander’s death and is concerned her husband may have been involved in the killing of his ex-employee. Both women don’t know who to trust in this foreign country as they strive to find who is behind the killing and theft. As the story progresses, the two find they may have to trust each other to try and stay alive and solve this murder and find the diamonds before it is too late.

Kimberly Belle has quickly become a go-to author for me. She’s so good at writing twisty, pulse-pounding thrillers that grip you from the very first page. Her book, The Paris Widow, was one of my favorite books last year, so I was pumped to get the chance to read her newest book, The Expat Affair, early.

This one takes place in the diamond trade industry in Amsterdam, and the story begins with a brutal murder. A couple of the twists were predictable, but my jaw hit the floor a couple times, too. It’s fast paced, and could easily be read in one sitting. There were a couple times I had to put it down to go be an adult and I was sorely disappointed I couldn’t keep reading.

I loved this book, and highly recommend checking it out when it hits shelves on June 3rd! I’ll definitely be snagging a physical copy for my own shelves.

Big thanks to @netgalley, @htp_hive, and @htpbooks for this #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the best Kimberly Belle book in a long time. The characters were interesting and the plot kept me guessing the whole time. The ending was a little bit disappointing to me but overall, a really fun read.