The Expat Affair is a glittery, gritty psychological thriller that may be my new favorite novel by Kimberly Belle! Two American expats living in Amsterdam are about to collide in, what seems like, happenstance. When newly divorced and single Rayna arrives in The Netherlands she's leaving behind an explosive breakup with her wealthy ex-husband. She has reinvented herself slightly as Rayna 2.0 and has a one-night stand with the glamorous gemologist Xander, only to find him dead in the shower the next morning, with both diamonds and a finger missing.

A few blocks away, Willow, fellow American expat and wife of Thomas Prins, the heir and CEO of the House of Prins diamond house, hears the news of an unlikely murder in one of the most expensive neighborhoods. She follows the news closely-after all, Xander worked for her husband, millions of dollars of diamonds are gone and the last thing The House of Prins needs is another scandal. Willow and Thomas's marriage is shaky now at best, and with this investigation, it may permanently crack. Why is Willow so concerned with Xander's murder and the missing diamonds? Thomas's family is under intense scrutiny but they wield a lot of power in Amsterdam. Willow, with her own dangerous secrets, decides to find out what Rayna knows, not realizing both of them will end up on the wrong side of the dangerous diamond trade.

Full of scandal, red herrings and glitz, while told from Willow and Rayna's perspective, this fast-paced thriller will keep readers guessing! The setting, Amsterdam, almost serves as another character and the detail of the city and culture is captured so well, 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for this ARC!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story that melded two different lives into one dangerous crime! It was very hard to put down. The main characters were so fun to watch develop. Definitely add to your TBR.

The Expat Affair is classic Kimberly Belle—fast-paced, twisty, and impossible to put down. From the first page to the last, the story races forward, making it a compulsive read for fans of domestic thrillers.

The novel centers on Rayna Dumont, a woman determined to reinvent herself as “Rayna 2.0”—someone bolder, braver, and willing to take more risks. But her quest for a more daring life takes a dangerous turn after a one-night encounter with the mysterious Xander. What begins as a moment of passion quickly spirals into something much more sinister.

The narrative alternates between Rayna and Willow Prins, the elegant wife of one of the world's richest diamond dealers. As the plot unfolds, the connection between these two women becomes a central mystery, full of suspense and shocking reveals.

Belle does a fantastic job of weaving tension throughout the book, using both women's perspectives to build intrigue. It’s a gripping exploration of identity, deception, and how far people are willing to go to protect their secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early release ebook. Fans of Kimberly Belle will not be disappointed—and newcomers to her work will quickly see why she’s a must-read in the thriller genre.

Kimberly Belle's books seem to be a hit or miss for me. This one was unfortunately a miss. It just moved far too slow for me.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I just finished reading "The Expat Affair" by Kimberly Belle. Many thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was filled with twists and turns. Set in the world of high priced diamonds, a murder is commiteed and it throws the life of many people into turmoil and a search for answers. There is the main characters, one the wife of a diamond dealer, the other the women who slept with the man who was killed. We meet the family Prinz, who are the diamond dealers which are filled with shady characters who don't reveal themselves until close to the end of the book. Both female leads are expats...hence the title.
There was a lot of information about the world of diamonds, which may or may not interest the reader. And there were ALOT of twists and turns. Everything was revealed slowly and for maximum impact.
I did appreciate some of the twists and turns as I didn't expect them and they were surprising. I love surprises. I also appreciated that some of the characters that I thought were shady were decent. I can;t divulge more than than. I liked that the story is set in Amsterdam. Thay added an extra layer of mystery.
I didn't like all the characters. There were almost too many and it was hard to keep track of them all. I also wasn't to interested in all the talk about diamonds. It was almost too much.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I read it slowly over a number of days and was satisfied with the end..except for Rayna? What happened to Rayna. She was...in my opinion...the best part of the story.
Happy Reading
.

Rayna has had a rough go. She left Louisiana because her husband cheated on her with her best friend. She ends up in Amsterdam and goes out on a date with a hot rich guy. Unfortunately she woke up to find he had been murdered and tons of diamonds stolen. She becomes wrapped up in a big mess, legally and with those who want the diamonds. A wild ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. I am a huge fan of this author and this book didn’t disappoint. I was reeled right in and it continued to be fast faced. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I found the book to be a little slow and repetitive, but it was entertaining enough to keep me listening. Sadly, it just didn’t work for me.

Biggest flaw: The over usage of the word “beige” drove me nuts. Lol.

3.75 stars.

Read well, flowed well, very descriptive of Amsterdam setting, and I learned a lot about diamonds ( I had never heard about lab-grown diamonds).

The dual POV worked well. I had trouble really engaging with the characters but it was a light popcorn read that generally kept my interest. Had a great intense starting chapter!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you HTP Audio for the ALC and HTP / Netgalley, #partner, for the advanced e-copy of The Expat Affair in exchange for my honest review.

Kimberly Belle has become a favorite for addicting, thrilling reads. She always manages to deliver pulse-pounding, edge-of-your seat reads that are completely binge-worthy and full of suspense and this latest one is no different!

International thrillers just hit a little differently…and this one was a winner from start to finish! A dead body in the bed next to you, two completely engaging POVs and stolen jewels – yes, please! Oh, and set it all in Amsterdam…how could I not love it? This book kept me guessing and hanging on with bated breath as I tried to figure out where it all was headed and I loved every second of it. I’m not sure how the author manages to create such unique, compelling reads every single time, but she does and she does it well.

I loved that the two main characters, Rayna and Willow, are so different from each other, yet I found myself equally invested in their stories. It would be easy to dislike them one or both of them, yet as the story progresses, I found it hard to not care for them and the predicaments they were in. I also loved the deep dive into the diamond industry, something I haven’t come across very often in books before. It was quite a fascinating study in this field, showing that you can learn a bit in thrillers!

This was such an addictive, binge-worthy read that is both highly entertaining yet informative as well. I love this author’s work and can now add another book to my list that I will be recommending.

This novel takes a deep dive into the world of diamonds in Amsterdam. While the book had some interesting twists, this was not my favorite of Kimberly Belle's books. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Rayna, a recent divorcee who finds her one-night stand murdered and Willow, whose husband belongs to a prominent family in the diamond trade. The best part of this novel is how these two women support each other to try and find out the truth behind the murder and the missing diamonds.

Enjoyable read set in Amsterdam. Two American women, one who wakes up to find her Tinder date murdered in the shower. The other one is married to a Prins, the biggest diamond family in the Netherlands. As the story unfolds, their paths cross and they decide to team up.
A good whodunnit where not everyone is as innocent as they seem and lots of twists and action.

This one was a wild ride; from steamy fling to murder mystery real quick. I loved the Amsterdam setting and the whole diamond-industry-meets-glamour-and-danger vibe. Rayna stumbling into this mess made for a super bingeable read, and the back-and-forth with Willow added some juicy drama. It gave off big “rich people secrets” energy with a twisty plot that kept me guessing. Perfect if you're into fast-paced thrillers.

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle is an excellent domestic thriller.

I could not put this book down. The thrills were exciting.

And the twists, OMG , so good!

“Following a nasty divorce, Rayna Dumont came to Amsterdam for a fresh start. She's never been the type for a one-night stand, but this move is all about adventure, and Xander is handsome and successful and more than willing to go along for the ride. Until the morning after, when Rayna finds him dead on the shower floor and millions of dollars' worth of diamonds missing from his safe.

From her lavish home in the heart of the city, Willow Prins is captivated by the news. Her husband is Xander's former boss and heir to a diamond house, and the scandal strains their already-rocky marriage. As the house comes under scrutiny, Willow wonders if her life is about to implode-and how much of the blame she can place on Rayna. Soon, Willow and Rayna are dragged into the dark and dangerous underbelly of the diamond market, where they'll have to uncover the truth to survive. Who killed Xander? Where are the missing diamonds? And who can you trust in a strange and unfamiliar city thousands of miles from home?”


I enjoyed Kimberly Belle’s previous books. But this book was not for me. It started off great. I was intrigued. But then it went downhill fast. I don’t think the diamonds/stones/every other word they used for them, story was not really for me. It felt very repetitive, and I almost DNF’d. The cover attracted me to the book immediately, the synopsis not so much, maybe I should have stopped there.


Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a DRC. The Expat Affair is available now.

This Diamond trade mystery starts off with a murder while one of the narrators is passed out in bed. Told in alternating chapters between the passed out Reyna and the wife of Thomas Prins of Prins diamonds, Willow. There is potential here, but the story became convoluted I considered not finishing. I kept reading and it came to a head at the end where everything fell somewhat out of place. There is a lot of information about lab produced vs mined diamonds. Those parts were interesting and pulled up the rating for me. Not bad just confusing.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Another great story by Kimberly Belle. While the characters and plot were interesting, for some reason I just couldn’t get into this book. I will not say anything negative about it because she’s a wonderful writer, I think the issue lies within my self- perhaps I’m just in a funk. I’ll definitely give it another read in a few months!

THE EXPAT AFFAIR digs deep into the seedy underbelly of the diamond trade in Amsterdam, told in dual POV of two expat women: one who moved here when she married a man from the Netherlands and one who ran to Amsterdam after a very nasty divorce ruined her life in the states. One woman’s narrative is truthful and sympathetic from the start, but the other’s is full on unreliable narrator from the start–even though you feel for her as more and more is revealed throughout the book.

Rayna has a one-night stand with a handsome man, but awakes after the drunken night to find he’s been murdered in the shower of his high-priced apartment. She flees and calls the police, but she finds herself the prime suspect for his murder as the motive for the crime slowly becomes apparent. And I mean slowly… The why’s aren’t fully revealed until the end of the book, and I enjoyed how I wasn’t sure what would be revealed next. Rayna is emotionally severely wounded by the actions of her ex-husband and her best friend, but the murder of this guy why she’s sleeping in the next room leaves her feeling like she has zero control over her life.

Willow got pregnant by a man from Amsterdam while he was in the states, so she wound up moving to Amsterdam to have her baby and join his family. The Prins family is practically royalty there due to their dominance in the diamond market, but that family is so dysfunctional it’s a bit hard to like any of them. When it comes out that the man murdered had worked closely for the Prins family, and a fortune in diamonds had been stolen from his apartment, the relationship between the Prins family and him is revealed bit by bit–and it’s not a pretty story either.

I listened to the audiobook on Spotify Premium, and the narrators (Jennifer Jill Araya and Marni Penning) did a fantastic job voicing all the characters. The plotting was tight and fluid, and listening to this book was a fantastic experience.

One of the best things about this book is how effortlessly the twists unfold. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, Kimberly Belle throws in another revelation that keeps you guessing. But it’s not just about shock value—the mystery feels well-plotted and everything ties together in a way that’s satisfying and makes sense. The pacing is smooth, the characters feel real, and the suspense builds in a way that keeps the pages turning. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect for a weekend read—something that’ll keep you entertained without feeling overly complex. If you love a mystery that’s fun, clever, and keeps you on your toes, The Expat Affair is definitely worth checking out.

I am a loyal reader of Belle. I hesitated to request this one, as I am not really into reading books about jewel thieves/heists. I really think that is what kept me from enjoying this book. I enjoyed the setting of Amsterdam so much. I just miss Belle's classic dark thrillers. I hope she goes back to those themes again, as her last two books have just been a far fetch from her classics.

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle plunges readers into the glittering yet perilous world of Amsterdam’s diamond trade, where wealth and power hide a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder.

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but for Rayna Dumont, they bring nothing but trouble. Fresh from a rough divorce, she arrives in Amsterdam looking for a fresh start. One wild night with a stranger end in murder, missing diamonds, and Rayna caught in a scandal way over her head.

Then there’s Willow Prins. On the surface, she has it all—wealth, status, the perfect life—but cracks are showing. Her husband was the boss of the guy Rayna found dead, and their already shaky marriage starts falling apart. Willow watches the scandal unfold but she’s no innocent bystander. She’s smart, suspicious, and definitely hiding something.

What really hooked me was how Rayna and Willow’s lives end up tangled together. They couldn’t be more different—one’s starting over, the other’s trying to hold on to a crumbling life—but they’re both caught up in the same deadly mess. Neither really trusts the other, but they have no choice if they want to get to the truth. 

The pacing was just right. Fast enough to keep me hooked but slow enough to take in Amsterdam’s flashy yet dangerous diamond scene. The tension stays high, with plenty of glamour hiding some serious dark secrets. The author makes the city feel real and full of mystery.

The story grabbed me and kept me guessing, and I really liked the way the author showed both the glamour and the danger of Amsterdam’s diamond world. The characters felt real, and the setting was fresh and interesting. There were a few spots where I wished for a little more detail, but if you like suspense with a strong sense of place, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

Jennifer Jill Araya and Marni Penning did a great job narrating The Expat Affair. They gave the characters distinct voices and captured the emotion without overdoing it, which really brought the story to life.