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.

An American expat's startling discovery plunges her into the glamorous but deadly world of Amsterdam's diamond industry. Following a nasty divorce, Rayna went to Amsterdam for a fresh start in life. There's a murder with missing diamonds. Who does it? I felt this story a little flat as to all Kimberly Belle's other books and I thought it was ok. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked The Paris Widow and was excited for another Kimberly Belle novel. Unfortunately, I found this one a bit all over the place and not for me... I struggled to connect to the actual story, muddling my way through a LOT of information about diamonds. And affairs. Neither of which are really my favorite topics. I kept waiting for the mystery and intrigue I found in the earlier novel, but just never felt like I got there. This one wasn't a good fit for me.

Thank you Kimberly Belle for allowing me the chance to read your book “The Expat Affair” before it publishes. Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers thank you too. I am a fan of Kimberly Belle, such an amazing author. None of her stories have ever disappointed a reader, and “The Expat Affair” doesn’t either. This is the first book that I have read with the setting in Amsterdam and Ms. Belle does a great job bringing it to life. And to develop a murder mystery about diamonds was ingenious. Watching the two separate lives travel along a path until they collide together in time to save themselves from the danger, with a sisterly twist made the story that much more exciting. I wonder if Kimberly has plans for Rayna and Willow in another story?

The Expat Affair is a twisty, character-driven drama set against an international backdrop that really adds to the intrigue. The international setting gave the whole story a jet-set vibe and made the stakes feel higher. The culture clashes, the tension, and the sense of isolation all added layers to the plot. It’s a juicy, suspenseful read with just the right amount of drama.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend except when they are connecting you to a murder.

Expat Rayna had a one-night stand with Xander, and she found him brutally murdered in the shower and heard nothing. The police don't believe her.

Xander works for a diamond company - was that the motive because all the diamonds were gone including the necklace Rayna took a photo with.

Then we meet Willow whose husband also works at the same diamond company and has something going on with Xander too..

The family is ruthless and don’t care about Xander’s death. They are more worried about their diamonds.

Rayna may be in more danger than she realizes - Willow wants to warn her, but how?

Expat Affair was difficult to follow and got bogged down with so much diamond information that I lost interest. 3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.