Totally gripping! This has everything you want in a thriller - murder, mystery, and a high stakes game of who-dun-it. I could not put this down and finished in a day. The setting in Amsterdam was just amazing and I loved learning the snippets of the language and walking through the authors description of the area. Now I NEED to visit! While I did predict both of the twists it was thoroughly worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the eARC!

Rayna Dumont, an American expat in Amsterdam, discovers a dead man and missing diamonds in her new lover's apartment. This leads her and another woman, Willow Prins, into the dangerous world of the city's diamond industry. As they uncover the truth behind the murder and theft, they must navigate the dark underbelly of the market and figure out who they can trust.

The captivating cover of this book immediately drew me in, prompting me to add it to my collection without hesitation! As a newcomer to this author's work, I am eagerly anticipating delving into more of their writing.

Within the pages of this book, we are introduced to the dynamic duo of Rayna and Willow, whose stories unfold in a captivating manner. Rayna is on a quest for a fresh start, embodying a carefree and easygoing persona. Meanwhile, Willow is navigating the complexities of her troubled marriage and new family, making it impossible not to root for her and her son.

Set against the backdrop of Europe, this novel offers a refreshing change of pace. As someone who embarked on a whirlwind European adventure in just one month, I can attest to the allure of international settings. The author's meticulous research shines through, creating a believable and immersive environment.

This fast-paced read was a delightful experience, as I had the pleasure of reviewing both the eBook and audiobook versions. The narrators truly brought the story to life, keeping me engaged and eager for more. If the book doesn't quite hit the mark for you, I highly recommend giving the audiobook a try!

If you have a penchant for murder mysteries, unlikely friendships, and rich family drama, this book is sure to captivate you. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this intriguing tale - let me know what you think!

Thank you, Harlequin Audio and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kimberly Belle does it again! All of her books keep me guessing til the last page. Rayna and Willow are both great characters who have savvy and inner strength. I read this one in a single sitting. It was the perfect book to cozy up and lose myself in on a rainy afternoon!

This book was excellent,.. suspenseful and hard to put down. I thought I knew what was happening and then... plot twist! Kimberly made me never want this book to end, yet I was pleasantly surprised with the ending and happy with how the story took me there. Overall, a great read filled with lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing!

ALC review • pub date 06.03.25
narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya + Marni Penning
length: 10h 34min

This book had a really strong start! With a beautiful setting in Amsterdam - Rayna wakes up in a heavenly penthouse after a night with a tinder date, Xander. She is blissfully unaware of the dead body in the room next to her. Told in dual POV of Rayna and Willow - the wife of one of the largest diamond houses in the area - who employed Xander.

The story quickly turned into so. many. details about diamonds that was a bit repetitive. I honestly am not sure I would have finished the e-arc alone, having the audio with great narrators saved it for me. I’m still a big fan of Belle’s books and will continue to read them! This one just wasn’t a favorite.

book ⭐️⭐️⭐️
narrators ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to HTP books / Park Row Books for my ARC and Harlequin Audio for my ALC.

Diamonds and murder? Sign me up. Kimberly Belle has become one of my favorite thriller authors since I read her debut nearly a decade ago! With each book, I love how she finds new angles to add to her thrillers - who knew there could be so much conflict around natural vs. lab grown diamonds?!? But is it enough to kill over? Perhaps...


Set in Amsterdam in a dual perspective thriller, The Expat Affair is Belle at her best - tense and taut with page-turning drama, this is one you'll definitely want to check out.

I’m a fan of Kimberly Belle but this one just missed the mark for me. I was not as invested in the characters, therefore, I just found it to be a run of the mill thriller

This book started off so strong that I was hooked immediately. However, that feeling did not last and it took me forever to actually finish the book. I feel as though there was a lot of drag in the middle of the story. I wouldn't say the plot moves slow, but drags on for a while. Due to that, the ending didn't really land for me.

Thank you Park Row and Harlequin Audio for my gifted ARC and ALC!

There is at least one certainty in life: You can count on Kimberly Belle to put out a bingeable, juicy thriller. I love everything she writes, and The Expat Affair was no exception.

I learned a lot about the diamond industry in this book, both lab grown and mined, and I can sense a new hyperfixation coming on. This lesson was cleverly woven into an intricate plot with twists and turns, set in atmospheric Amsterdam.

I couldn’t get enough of this book and the diabolical things the characters did for compressed carbon. It was a blast.

If you’re looking for something fast paced and not super character driven, this is a good choice. I don’t have much interest in diamonds but it still managed to keep my attention for the most part. I think if I had any more interest in that world, I’d have enjoyed this a lot more. The mystery aspect was solid and pieced together well. I love a good con story but it got a little repetitive. I’ll still read whatever Belle writes, this was just a miss for me based on the integral focus of the storyline. I need my rich characters to be much more psychologically damaged instead of just plain greedy LOL

This novel set in Amsterdam is ONE HECK of fun one!

Who says divorce can’t lead to a fun ADVENTURE?

DIAMONDS, MURDER, KIDNAPPING and Amsterdam!!!

Rayna is heading to Amsterdam for a new lease on life. She is not one to jump into things but when she meets Xander, a handsome stranger she is open to the possibility and after a steamy night she wakes up to find him dead. He is not only dead, but the scene is set for murder!

The police discover he also had diamonds that were stolen.

We follow both Rayna and Willow. Willow has connections to a family jewelry business with dangerous connections. This novel is fast paced and takes you into a world that will ENTICE you, but also make you wary of who you let into your life. WAY TO GO Bell!

I DNF’d this book. I really didn’t like the direction this book was taking, and it was not holding my attention. I will let other reviewers who enjoy this book promote it. I will not be posting on social media or reviewing on retail sites. That way, this book gets much deserved attention from those reviewers who loved it!

Following a nasty divorce, Rayna came to Amsterdam for a new start. Completely out of character for her, she spends one night with Xander, a handsome and successful stranger. But then morning after, she finds him dead on the shower floor and millions of dollars worth of diamonds are missing from his safe.
From her lavish home in the city, Willow Prins hears the news of the death of her husbands employee, putting their diamond house in jeopardy.

Secrets and deceit and the cutthroat world of diamond trading kept me glued to the pages, as the author untangles the mess these ladies ended up in. I also thoroughly enjoyed this setting, as I can't recall ever reading a novel set here and it was fascinating. Another thoroughly enjoyable novel by the author. 4.5*

3.75 stars

This newest effort from Kimberly Belle is well paced and features a compelling setting: Amsterdam! There are diamonds, lies, and jilted partners, and readers will be glad to experience it all from a safe distance!

Readers first meet Rayna, an expat who is absolutely pulling a geographic and who loses herself in an at first very enjoyable night of carefree fun. That sentiment changes dramatically when she awakens to something quite different than what she last remembers. Nearby, Willow, another expat, learns of Rayna's predicament and immediately becomes interested in the situation. Willow's wealth, the vulnerability of her young son, and her growing distrust and dislike of her extended family all put her attention into question. It's clear these two characters will converge, but how that will happen or what that will mean only becomes apparent piece by piece. Fortunately, that journey is pretty enjoyable.

I found this read engaging though in some ways more predictable than I hoped for. It's a fun ride that requires little from the reader but pays off nicely overall.

Thank you, NetGalley for giving me access to this book before it’s released to the public. I enjoyed this book from the first page. It kept me engaged, wanting to read more, and I especially loved all the twists. I can’t wait for more people to get their hands on this book because I think all the thriller fans will love this one, I sure did!

First off a big thank you to the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, the author Kimberly Belle , and to Netgalley for the invite to read The Expat Affair, as soon as I saw the authors name I kept saying to myself I know that name , I've from her before and I checked and it turns out that I've have infact read one of her books and liked it , and just like that one I'm glad I picked this one up, it eventhing I like ( murder, lies, psychological Suspense, makes you ask yourself who can you actually trust when things take a turn for the worst, ) and I loved that this book showed how much research the author put into her research on the Amsterdam’s diamond industry. Plus with her uses of the culture clashes, the tension, and the sense of isolation it all adds to the layers that helps make plot even more enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Park Row for an advanced copy.

Kimberly Bell is one of my favorite authors so I was ecstatic to receive this arc! Gripping, twisty and had me guessing the whole time.

Murder, diamonds, and expats! Such a unique plot! Definitely pick this one up!

Kimberly Belle delivers another gripping narrative in The Expat Affair, weaving a tale of intrigue, betrayal, and survival. The story follows Rayna Dumont, an American expat seeking a fresh start in Amsterdam after a tumultuous divorce. Her newfound freedom takes a dark turn when she wakes up to find her one-night stand, Xander van der Vos, murdered, and millions in diamonds missing from his safe. As Rayna becomes the prime suspect, she's thrust into the perilous underbelly of the city's diamond trade.​

Parallel to Rayna's ordeal is Willow Prins, the wife of Xander's former boss and heir to a prestigious diamond house. Willow's life unravels as the scandal threatens her already strained marriage and the family's legacy. The narratives of these two women intertwine, revealing secrets that challenge their perceptions and force them to confront their pasts.​

Belle's portrayal of Amsterdam is both vivid and atmospheric, capturing the city's charm and its hidden dangers. The pacing is brisk, with each chapter unveiling new twists that keep readers on edge. While some plot developments stretch plausibility, the emotional depth and resilience of the protagonists anchor the story.​

The Expat Affair is a testament to Belle's prowess in crafting compelling female-driven thrillers. Fans of her previous works will find this novel both familiar and refreshingly new.​

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This started well--Rayna wakes up one morning to find Xander (her one night stand) has been murdered. Who did it? And why? Willow is the wife of the CEO of a diamond company, a company that employed Xander. She has---something---going on with Xander, but did she kill him? Once that is set up, we go down a rabbit hole of mined diamonds versus lab diamonds, family dynamics, and some missing really big diamonds. There's a lot of running around and then a crazy fast ending where---things happen, but not sure who the bad guy really was. Anyway, this could have been a thrilling page turner but instead it was kind of a confusing story that led me to wonder just what exactly happened in the book.

Title: The Expat Affair
Author: Kimberly Belle
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing ~Park Row
Genre: Espionage, Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: June 3, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 320

The story follows two expatriate aka expat women who got involved with a businessman who has a deep knowledge of lab-created diamonds.

Story is told from the POV of Rayna Dumont and Willow Prins.

Rayna Dumont is seeking to reinvent herself after catching her husband in bed with her best friend. She sees herself as "Rayna 2.0," and willing to take risks. She decides that this new Rayna is all about adventure so take a chance on a date with the ultra-rich Xander.
However, after a wild night of drinking, Xander states he is going to shower. Rayna is half asleep and does dose off - wakes up and hears the shower still running and thinking he is waiting for her to join him. Only she finds him collapsed on the shower floor with pink water running down the drain. She soon notices that he has a missing finger and, of course the pink in the water is blood!
She has been there the whole night, of course, passed out while the killer was there. She is the prime suspect not only for his death but also accused of stealing Xander’s priceless diamonds—it seems she took a selfie of her wearing one of his diamond necklaces… a necklace that has since vanished.

Willow is married to Thomas Prins who is Xander’s former boss and the heir of a diamond empire. At first she believes Rayna is guilty of Xanders murder but soon realizes that perhaps she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Willow knows she has to find her.

Soon the two women are deep in the dangerous underworld of the illicit diamond trade.


I follow the fun Facebook group “Killer Author Club’. Love the authors plus awesome when they invite bestselling authors to talk about their latest novel. So I know and love author Kimberley Belle.

This story was an enjoyable adventure.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing~ Park Row for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 3, 2025.