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.

There was never a point when I was unsure where this book was going. Every part of this book was predictable. I still had a good time reading it, but definitely nothing groundbreaking or life changing. Probably my least favorite of Solomon’s books.

I enjoyed the setting, side characters, and the little nod to “Guilty as Sin?” by Taylor Swift. The chemistry was lacking and felt a little clunky. There was so much going on that none of it really got done well (like a restaurant with too many things on the menu).

If you want an easy, predictable romance with a fun setting— pick this up. There is talk about mental health, but nothing is too heavy (still check TWs if there are certain things you can’t do).

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 stars

This was super cute! I’ve loved Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books since Weather Girl! I was super excited to read this one! It’ll be a good spring break read!

3.5 rounded up ✨

my rating makes me a bit sad as i was so excited for this one and ive loved RLSs previous work but i found this lacking the chemistry and wit/funniness i’ve come to love in her other books. i felt like i couldn’t get truly invested in their relationship, i was baffled by how great these two clearly were together during their teens and how they just couldnt get it together as adults long enough to realize it was their time finally.

the best part of this book for me were the glimpses of them as teens, the mental health rep and the setting, i think the imagery used to bring amsterdam to life was stunning!!

i wish i could have fallen a bit more in love with dani and wouter. i definitely think i want to give this one another try when i can get my hands on the audio!

This sweet (and spicy!) read by Rachel Lynn Solomon was wonderful and made me want to visit Amsterdam! Dani and Wouter accidentally reconnect and find that their chemistry from high school may have lingered into adulthood. As they marry for reasons of convenience, they discover that their temporary arrangement may be more long lasting.

Love every Rachel Lynn Solomon writes. The main characters growth was extremely relatable, I think all of Rachel Lynn Solomon's characters are well written and beautifully human.

If you love a good setting, this is for you. I'm pretty sure I was looking up flights to Amsterdam the entire time I was reading this!!

A mash up of romance tropes, there's something for everyone. This is a true romance with a HEA and lots of swoon, but I would have loved more build in the chemistry between our main characters. Maybe I couldn't get over the initial break or where they were in their lives now, but something felt a little ... clunky between them. The sparks were flying but I wanted more closure from 10 years ago! 😆🫠

Read this if you enjoy marriage of convenience, second chance romance, and gorgeous scenery!

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to enjoy.

This book was perfection. I loved the characters, the feels, the love for Amsterdam and the romance. It’s so sweet, romantic and fun. Wouter and Dani are a lovely pair. I loved the second chance romance and how sweet it all was.

A heartfelt romance set in one of my (new) favorite cities? Sign! Me! Up!

I’m a big enough person to admit that I spent like 75-95% of my time reading this book brimming with jealousy. What I wouldn’t give to find myself living in Amsterdam!!! The synopsis kind of made it sound like our FMC was transferred to the Netherlands for work but in reality she finds a job abroad and just… gets it.

Granted, things don’t technically go according to plan (they do in fact go BETTER than planned), but Dani has plenty of time (and money???) and various opportunities to figure it all out.

Ok jealousy aside this was a cute book. I’m not a big second chance fan and as usual the reason they initially broke up annoyed me. Also, I feel like Dani made her romantic life way more complicated than it needed to be but who am I to judge!

Overall, a very sweet love story and a genuine love letter to the Netherlands. I can guarantee that if you didn’t want to visit this absolutely perfect place already, you’ll be dying to book a trip after reading this book! Please take me with you!!!!

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own!

I may have renewed my passport and started a "Moving to Amsterdam" fund. What Happens in Amsterdam is Rachel's sexiest book yet. The mirror scene? My God! Talk about hot! I think I found a new favorite microtrope.

Dani and Wouter are so swoony. I found them vulnerable and genuine and an absolute delight to read. I love reading about real characters whose hair is thinning or struggling to find their purpose. I loved them as they found their way back to each other.

One of the reasons I love Rachel Lynn Solomon is her settings. I am from Seattle, and her books always feel like love letters to my hometown. This time, Solomon sets her story in the beautiful country of Amsterdam, and damn if she didn't make me want to plan a trip. I felt like I was there experiencing the boat rides, the stroopwafels, the tulips, Van Gogh, and biking to work. She really brought the country to life.

I will read anything Solomon writes.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Yes please!!! Yet another fantastic one from Rachel Lynn Solomon. I already had Amsterdam on my travel bucket list, but it’s now been bumped up the list. I absolutely loved the inclusion of fun, touristy info that you might actually hear on tours when visiting. Also all of the Dutch words were so fun to include, and I loved seeing the similarities between Dutch and other languages I’ve studied. It encouraged me to google how to say all of the words/phrases, but a pronunciation guide at the end would be a cool addition for a special edition maybe!

Danika was such a relatable character. Though not to nearly the same extent as her, I also had very overprotective parents when I was younger, so I saw some of my younger self in her struggles with what it means to be independent. And the way that Wouter validated her feelings and helped her realize that she wasn’t behind in life and just finding her way made me so emotional.🫶🏻 This was also so much spicier than I anticipated! I loved it, it was so well done!!

This was a super fun read that I really enjoyed! I loved the amount of details put into the experiences the characters went through in Amsterdam. It made the story feel genuine and truly come to life, while also being a little informative. I really liked the relationship between Danika and Wouter. Seeing their growth as characters was really great and made themselves feel realistic. It was frustrating seeing their miscommunications and missed signals, making the climax moment where they admit everything to each other even better. I did feel that the writing was a smidgen repetitive at times, but not enough that it took me out of what I was reading. Although it was not a super realistic romance, it was fun, cute, and made me feel various reactions. I would definitely recommend this one!
Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read this early:)

I've loved all of Rachel Lynn Solomon's romance novels I've read, but this one is probably my new favorite. Solomon paints the setting of Amsterdam perfectly — so that the reader feels all the coziness and history of this city and Dutch culture while also getting to know the realities of living in such a romanticized and misrepresented place.

As for our two leads, Dani and Wouter are going to make readers squeal with their chemistry. I'm not usually a big fan of the second-chance trope, but this book knocks it out of the park. I adore how Solomon brings characters to life and incorporates unique features into their personal histories and relationships, like Dani's port-wine stain and Wouter's bald spot. She nails complex issues like anxiety and depression while capturing the specialness of Amsterdam and its people on the page as Dani and Wouter explore museums and canals. At 30, Dani's stumbling approach to figuring out her life and career and comparing herself to others is so relatable, and it was a breath of fresh air to read about her working through her struggles and rooting for her along the way. All the stars for this cute and lovely European adventure.

🌷𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞
💍𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
🌷𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

✨Thoughts✨
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 story was incredible! The connection between Dani and Wouter was unlike any other, and when they finally acknowledged their feelings, I felt like I couldn't catch my breath with the intensity of it all! Their second chance at love was truly beautiful, rekindling a romance that started in their teenage years and miraculously brought them back together 13 years later.

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 Dani's job in Amsterdam falling through, she is in desperate need of a new job to secure her visa. Then all of a sudden, Wouter reenters her life with a wild solution: a marriage of convenience to help each other out, only to realize that the feelings they had for each other never truly disappeared.

𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢 and Wouter cautiously navigate their situationship until they finally come face to face with the painful breakup they experienced many years ago. Rachel Lynn Solomon's writing always speaks to my soul, and the story of Dani and Wouter provided a sense of comfort and warmth, especially when they allowed themselves to be vulnerable. The authors depiction of mental health themes was done with precision, compassion, and sincerity.

𝐈𝐧 the end, this story will make your heart soar and transport you through the charming streets of Amsterdam.

Special thanks to Rachel Lynn Solomon, Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC. All Opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

★★★★★
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝟑/𝟓🔥

i just love a calm romance book and this was everything i needed it to be! very heartwarming and refreshing, truly felt like a break from my messy mind reading this

I’ve read all of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books and this was one of my favorites! She did an amazing job of describing Amsterdam and making me want to visit. I don’t usually love second chance romances, but I really liked the relationship between Dani and Wouter, who met for the first time when they were teenagers and ran into each other again on the streets of Amsterdam. I loved both characters, and really enjoyed seeing Dani become more confident and stand up for herself. I am excited to read whatever. Rachel Lynn Solomon does next!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

When Rachel Lynn Solomon publishes a book, I'm always going to read it. She is STILL one of my favorites. What I love most is that her books are not frivolous or just about the love story...the characters need to heal in a very real way and go through some self-discovery. This makes them relatable and very real to me.

I've enjoyed all of her books so much! I am always recommending them and will do no different with this one. Honestly, I never thought I wanted to go to Amsterdam, but it is on my list now. The history of the place speaks to me, and I cannot wait to see it one day.

Loved Wouter and Dani's love story from when they were 17 YO to 30 YO. The tattoos, the shared love of art, all of it was just perfect.

Thank you for allowing me an ARC to another wonder Rachel Lynn Solomon book!!

I don't quite know what it was about this one but I was left feeling underwhelmed?

Solomon is a solid four-to-five star author for me but this comes in at a three. I really can't put my finger on it, maybe it was the miscommunication from thir younger years or the insta-love part when they moved in together. But this just wasn't all there for me.

Thank you to Net Gallley for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing.

I enjoyed this but not quite as much as Solomon's previous work. Even more so than usual, I found myself internally yelling at the narrator for not noticing obvious things I felt she "should" have noticed earlier. Why do you assume this union HAS to end in divorce, Dani? Don't you see you're both in love with each other?

I know this is a common romance novel trope but it really felt like the conflict was more complicated than it needed to be to serve the story, but without it there wouldn't be much of a story so...?