Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I love this author so much! And will read anything she writes. This is a sweet story of a second chance romance that gave me all the feelings. And made me want to go and visit Amsterdam ASAP.

This book was more than just a romance—it felt like a heartfelt love letter to the Netherlands. The second-chance, marriage-of-convenience romance was cute, funny, nostalgic, and heartwarming. While the slow-burn relationship was captivating, I found myself equally enchanted by the vivid descriptions of Amsterdam’s food, culture, and adventures. A beautifully written story that offers both romance and a taste of wanderlust.

Rachel Lynn Solomon always crafts the best romances. This one was so unique and made me want to visit Amsterdam stat!

My favorite part of this book was the vivid detail of Amsterdam!! It made me want to travel there like yesterday. Definitely a great summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-second chance
-marriage of convenience
-meet bang
-the one that got away

Very few authors can get write a marriage of convenience and add in the second chance element. I loved being transported to Amsterdam, the family tensions, and two people reconnecting. Somehow this was soft, tender, and oh so romantic and made me want to get a plane ticket immediately. ANother banger of a Rachel book

When Dani loses both her job and boyfriend she applies for a job in Amsterdam, hoping for a fresh start. She gets the job and finds herself lonely until she literally crashes her bike into Wouter, her ex-boyfriend who was also the foreign exchange student her family hosted. They start spending time together and they rekindle their romance.

This is the perfect read for those that enjoy second chance romance and marriage of convenience. As Dani and Wouter start to reconnect, they decide to get married for different reasons. Their romance is a slow build but realistic, and their chemistry is undeniable. Despite the romance, it was also about Dani’s journey of self-discovery – leaving home, being in a different country and finding out what she really wants. It was a heartwarming read filled with genuine emotions set in the beautiful backdrop of Amsterdam.

This was a delight! I loved that the FMC is 4’11” since I am only 4’10” myself. So relatable! Her character also dealth with anxiety and depression. There was really great representation and I feel like so many adults can relate to not having their lives “together” for lack of a better term and still deciding what they want to do with their lives. This is a second chance romance with their first love and marriage of convenience trope 🩷 the reconnection between Wouter and Dani was really sweet. The writing was beautiful and atmospheric - I really want to go visit Amsterdam myself now. I loved Rachel’s writing. And this was spicy in all of the best ways 😉 I listened to this on audio and I’m officially obsessed with Elizabeth Lamont’s narration and saw that she also arrayed the new Ali Hazelwood book and I’m so excited! She fully captured my attention and I flew through it because I didn’t want to set it down.

I am such a massive Rachel Lynn Solomon fan, and I've been eagerly anticipating this one! I knew she was oging ot write an Amasterdam-set romance, and having visited a few years ago, the setting really came to life for me. Always anticipating her next book!

This is a great summer read. It would be a great pick for a summer book club, loved seeing the relationship between Dani and Wouter.

Finally, finally getting around to writing this review! Thanks to Berkley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I really wanted to love this book as much as I have loved every other book of Rachel Lynn Solomon's, and I did like it! But where I've been so charmed by her other characters and storylines, What Happens in Amsterdam left me at "like" instead of really progressing to loving it. And honestly, maybe this is a me problem! My college ex boyfriend and first great love went to Amsterdam for a semester and broke up with me to date a cute manic pixie girl there, so maybe my issue is a personal grudge against the understandable romantic charm of a city that used tulips as currency and where everyone bikes and is cute. So take this all with a grain of salt - maybe I'm just mad that I was the one left behind for a whirlwind Amsterdam romance! *Cue angry laughter*

It started off SO strong. Dani Dorfman is a down on her luck woman who, after being fired after an unceremonious (if justified!) departure from her last job and last relationship, takes a job at a sketchy startup in Amsterdam on a whim. Deemed a miracle baby at birth after she was born prematurely, Dani feels a ton of pressure to accomplish something meaningful, and like she's stuck on a treadmill of mediocrity. Her parents, constantly worried about her fragility, don't understand this impromptu move, and it's her first time away from her family and her sister in LA.

When the sketchy job turns out to be actually extremely sketchy (startups, so fun!), Dani finds herself out of a job and in a basically unlivable apartment. She then literally runs into her exboyfriend and first love -- first everything -- Wouter, and the story takes off from there.

On paper, this book should be a 10/10 for me. A thirtysomething FMC trying to figure it all out, worried that not knowing what she wants to do right now means that she will never know. I mean, that's me. Maybe it hit so close to home that I wasn't really able to enjoy this as much as I wanted to, but I really struggled to finish this one. There's nothing wrong with it, and I think many people will love it! But finishing this was a bit of a slog for me. The plot and the FMC just never captured me and held me in their grip the way the books I've really loved do. I felt like I didn't care a ton about the outcome - maybe I needed a little more "here and now" character development and less focus on Wouter and Dani's high school romance when he was an exchange student.

The cast of characters felt very small to me, and at multiple points in the story I felt extremely annoyed with everyone involved. I wanted Dani to grow up (I know, literally the character arc, so it feels silly to be annoyed by it, but it was just SO much at so many points.) For what is ultimately a very messy love story (so many tropes!) it is all resolved a little too neatly. I was all in on following Dani into this tangled love story, but when it was all resolved with a neat bow in like, a matter of pages, the resolution fell a little flat for me. Also, a LOT of sunflower talk that just kinda left me like "shrug".

I will say that RLS delivers with regard to the sex, as per usual. I have always loved the broad scope she takes with open door scenes and WHIA packs a wallop of a punch on that front in a way that was extremely sexy.


WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
-Second chance romance
-Marriage of convenience
-Fish out of water
-Very thin apartment walls
-Lots of biking
-Lots of Van Gogh talk
-Tour boats
-More bikes
-Jewish representation
-Disability/chronic illness representation
-Toxic startup culture
-3.5/5 spice

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I picked this up because I’m heading to Amsterdam next week—my first time in the Netherlands—and this book got me even more excited for the trip. It opens with a bike accident between the two main characters, which made me laugh since I’ve been joking that I’ll definitely get run over by a bike when I arrive. From there, it felt like a fun travelogue wrapped in a heartfelt romance, with stops in all the places I’m hoping to explore—including a side trip to Bruges!

The story follows Dani, who moves to Amsterdam after a messy breakup and career fallout. Things don’t go smoothly—her apartment floods, her job isn’t what she expected—but a chance run-in (literally) with her old high school crush, Wouter, changes everything. He offers her a better place to live, and when she loses her job, they strike a deal: a fake marriage so she can stay, and so he can meet the inheritance conditions tied to his family home.

Lots of fun tropes: forced proximity, fake dating/marriage, second chances, and undeniable chemistry. Watching their relationship slowly shift from pretend to something real was such a satisfying journey. I also loved the supporting cast—Wouter’s warm, quirky family and Dani’s close bond with her sister Phoebe added so much heart.

This was a fast, feel-good read with great travel vibes, endearing characters, and lots of romantic tension. Highly recommend—especially if you’re dreaming of canals, stroopwafels, and love romcoms. I advise you to start looking at flights because it will definitely make you long to visit!

ended up dnfing this one. i just didn't feel like there was any chemistry between the main characters so naturally that made me not really want to continue the story. From what i read the Amsterdam setting was described very well so if you're looking for that you might enjoy. But i am starting to think Solomons writing is not for me.

When I saw this book cover, I knew that I needed to read this. The flowers called to me 🤭 Thank you to @BerkleyRomance for the free #gifted e-copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

This book was super sweet & spicy. Dani was so brave to start a brand new life in a new country and how perfect for her to run into her first love, first everything (after 13 years)! Both characters were quirky in their own way but I did love them! It took me a bit to warm up to Wouter after that break-up text! I did enjoy the side characters too. - even though her parents drive me crazy!

This book has:
Amsterdam setting
Second Chance Romance
First Love
Marriage of Convenience
Secret Tattoos
Forced Proximity

This was the first book that I read by @rlynn_solomon and I cannot wait to read more of her books! I REALLY want to visit Amsterdam now!!!

CW: Depression/past hospitalization, premature birth/complications, loss of a parent (past).

I always enjoy Solomon’s books! Her 2023 book: The House is on Fire is one of my all-time favorites. I loved following Dani on her adventure to self-discovery and self-reliance as she embarks on a new journey when she picks up her crumbled life and moves to Amsterdam. I love all the descriptive beauty of the city. It makes me fall in love with a city I’ve never been to (although it’s on my bucket list). Dani literally runs into Wouter, who was a Dutch exchange student that lived with Dani and her family back in high school and the two begin hanging out. The second chance love and marriage of convenience tropes were both well done here. I appreciated the mental health rep throughout the story, however Dani seemed very immature for her age which kind of ruined parts of the story. Overall, it was a fun story that I enjoyed reading. I can’t wait to see what Solomon’s next book is.

I enjoyed the idea of this book - the romance troupes were well done (second chance romance, marriage out of convenience). But I found the main character to be incredibly immature, making the book feel borderline YA to me (which is a genre I seriously struggle with!) All of the separate parts were there - Dani runs to Amsterdam to escape her life. She finds a job, which is terrible, an apartment, which is even worse and she does not know anyone. Until she bumps into her first love, Wouter, who was her family's exchange student, and the love of her life who broke her heart. I enjoyed the chemistry, banter and even frustration that the main characters felt when interacting with one another. The descriptions of Amsterdam made me want to jump into the pages. Mental health struggles were well depicted, as were the love felt between family members far away. I just found it incredibly difficult to connect with Dani - and even understand many of her choices. This was a cute read and a great, lighthearted summer read.
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This is book is quintessential Rachel. The characters were so soft and gentle. The story was filled with self discovery and a beautiful slow burn, second-chance romance. It felt so vulnerable yet hopeful. I loved that the characters had flaws and the emotional depth of this story. Because the writing was so clear and the plot flowed, I liked how miscommunication was used as a plot device at the start of their reconnection. And then as they started to communicate healthily, their relationship blossomed. Also, the setting was a character in and of itself. The details and descriptions added so much texture to the story. Please take me to Amsterdam stat! I think this novel is a perfect Spring read! Also why do I feel like the audiobook of this will be delightful? Looking forward requesting the audio through Libby when I do a reread!

I enjoy Rachel Solomon and have given five stars to her last three novels. Her characters are always unique and sometimes struggle with mental health or other issues. This story has the added bonus of being a love letter to Amsterdam where the author now lives. The fact that I just purchased tickets to Amsterdam last week made me enjoy the story a little more.

Dani Dorfman impulsively applies for a job in Amsterdam after her last relationship blows up and she gets fired from her job. She is shocked when she gets the position with a new start up and even more shocked when she unexpectedly runs into Wouter van Leeuwen. He was an exchange student her parents hosted when she was in high school. They were each other’s first everything before time ran out and he returned to Holland. When her job and housing isn’t what she expected Wouter has a solution for them both. A marriage of convenience that would benefit both of them.

First I want to say I love the cute cover but did the illustrator get a description of the characters? She has a large port wine stain and he is balding. Maybe that wouldn’t grab readers attention. Second, I have been to Amsterdam and to many of the touristy places mentioned in the book. Reading this made me more excited for my future trip there. Third, I liked the characters and story. Dani has struggled with her mental health and she is managing with the help of medication. But after having survived an extremely premature birth she has been overly protected and watched over by her parents and has struggled to find what to do with her life. I had a little harder time understanding Wouter and his family’s concerns about him. Together they are sweet and I love him helping her learn the language. I can believe they’d connect again easily as their initial romance had been integral to both of them. And I like that they don’t draw out the will they won't they question. I also appreciate the LGBTQ representation with both of MC’s sisters.

This is a lovely story if you enjoy characters that are struggling a little in life or still trying to figure out where they fit in.

I’m completely convinced that this book is a drug because OMG! First of all, I told my partner that we need to visit Amsterdam multiple times throughout this read. The vivid descriptive writing style made me feel like I was there! Came for the Dutch, stayed for the sticky notes. I would do anything for Wouter. My beautiful balding, dirty talking, tea enthusiast.

REVIEW: What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

As a teenager, Wouter, from Amsterdam, was a foreign exchange student in Los Angeles with Dani's family. They quickly fell in love and had a secret relationship. When it was time for Wouter to go back, he broke up with Dani. So what happens when Dani moves to Amsterdam to start a new life and runs into Wouter?

I enjoyed reading What Happens in Amsterdam. You can sense the author's deep affection for Amsterdam, and the descriptions make you feel as though you are there as well. The premise of previously living together in a foreign exchange student situation was unique and added different layers to the relationship. The theme of self-discovery was prevalent throughout the narrative. Even through Dani's bad luck and struggles, she continues to fight to find her place. There were also some excellent representations of both mental and physical health. I especially liked the chemistry between Dani and Wouter. They had a great deal of playful banter, along with being very thoughtful towards one another. The spicy scenes were definitely spicing due to their strong connection.

Overall, I really liked What Happens in Amsterdam. It was a great, sweet, and spicy romantic comedy that kept me wanting to read more.

You'll like this book if you are a fan of:
💙Marriage of convenience
💙Second chance romance
💙Amsterdam Setting
💙Mental health rep
💙Spicy romance
💙Finding yourself

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

I've read and loved Rachel Lynn Solomon's books in the past, and the cover to this looked gorgeous, but unfortunately I didn't really believe in the romance between the main characters.