If you ever read the Gallagher Girls series when you were younger and were absolutely obsessed, then this one is definitely a MUST. It was basically adult Gallagher Girls, and the wave of nostalgia I felt over the writing and humor hit me with such a force, and I just felt so much joy.
She wakes up in the snow in Paris and doesn’t remember anything, not even her own name. Next thing she knows, there’s a hot guy standing over her and telling her to run. People are shooting after her and it’s basically the scene of an action film. Turns out Mr. Hot Guy is a spy. And so is she. Or rather, her twin sister is, but since they are identical, and everyone is after her twin, now they’re after her. In what unfolds to be a quick pace, witty rom-com, about a grump spy who learns to feel again and a bright and optimistic amnesiac who is just trying to remember as she runs from the bad guys, their misadventures will have you feeling serious one moment and laughing the next sentence. Tropes this book (brilliantly) uses are mistaken identity, enemies to lovers (to enemies to lovers?), fake dating (or actually..marriage), and the good classic one bed trope. Buckle up for this charming adventure across Europe, as they run from the bad guys, find the coveted flash drive, and save the spy sister.
Of course… there’s a plot twist. ;) or two… or three.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, Harper Voyager, and of course Ally Carter for an eARC of this book, I absolutely loved it💕

This book was a ton of fun! A great read for anyone who missed the Gallagher Girls and wished they were a spy, but with some adult fun. I found the twists to be a little predictable but I enjoyed the James Bond/ Bourne Identity elements. I’m curious to see if this ends up being a series.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc!

As someone who loved the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series, I was so excited when I found out Ally Carter was coming out with a new book, this time for adults!

I’m so happy to say that The Blonde Identity was fun, thrilling, and always kept me guessing, just like 12 year old me was while I was reading Gallagher Girls.

The mystery starts at the very first scene, when a woman with amnesia wakes up in Paris in the snow with no recollection of who she is or what she’s doing there. She very quickly discovers that many people are chasing after her, but she has no clue who they are or why they want her…until she meets Sawyer, who mistakes her for her spy twin sister, Alex.

Sawyer and our mystery woman then embark on a fast-paced journey with very high stakes, trying to avoid getting killed while tracking down Alex and something very valuable in her possession-something many people would kill to have.

I could not stop turning pages, eager to know more about our main character and her twin sister. I also was always wondering who was actually on which side, never knowing who to trust. It was delightful following the main character as she learned more about herself and tested her limits, proving anyone who may think of her as weak or frail to be wrong.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Ally Carter’s other books, of course, but also to anyone who is a fan of fun yet thrilling mysteries. If a sweet, lovable, badass female main character being chased across Europe alongside a hot, brooding and mysterious spy man intrigues you, then you definitely should pick this one up.

Fast paced Fun! Thoroughly enjoyable. It's like so many different movies, books and story lines but never in a repetitive way. Amazing that it could still be surprising! Just a really fun book. I've read one of her Gallagher Girls books, ya spy books, and liked it so I was hopeful. Already making a mental list of who to personally recommend it to.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. The opinions are my own.

FIVE STARS!!!

Where are all the fun spy romance novels like this one? I am a mood reader and haven't been feeling anything, but this book grabbed me and had me completely sucked in by the third chapter. I couldn't put this book down and read it by the pool in one day, I was laughing throughout and loved the banter. The banter and chemistry between Zoe and Sawyer just draw you in and keep the story moving. I loved the ending also and can not wait to read Alex's book. We need more fun spy romance novels that move at this pace with amazing banter as in this book.

The Blonde identity starts with a bang, a young women, who has no idea who she is wakes up in the snowy street of Paris being told to run by a very hot guy.

Ally Carter definitely knows how to pull you in with just a few words, she did the same thing with Gallagher Girls and she repeated again with Blonde Identity and as a die hard fan of GG I couldn’t be more trilled.

This book has everything that you could possibly want, spies, twins, mistaken identity, amnesia, fun bantering, is like Ally read my mind and created the perfect story for me.
I couldn’t stop smiling while reading it, I truly enjoyed the relationship between the main characters, Zoe and Sawyer balanced each other out so well and I got so invested in their relationship I didn’t want the book to end.

I can’t wait to see what Ally has in store for the next book, especially because I think is going to follow Alex and I can’t wait to learn more about her.

Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

this was SO MUCH FUN. i grew up reading ally carter's gallgher girls and heist society books, so opening this to the dedication "for the GGs" made me so happy and nostalgic. this is a very similar vibe to the gallagher girls series (spies! romance! mystery! kicking ass!) but ally ups the ante for her first adult novel. i was pleasantly surprised by how well the dual pov with the male lead worked - it adds a lot of tension for readers in a good way. the twists kept things moving strong throughout the story, and this is definitely a romantic comedy - which i had to keep reminding myself of when i was confused about how much romance there was. only downsides were that the writing was repetitive at times, sawyer's angsting was a bit too much. it was so awesome to be back in the world of ally carter. i'm excited to see how this one does upon release and what's next for her (very intrigued by that last paragraph, ally)

Rating- 3.5 stars

Big thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an early copy of "The Blonde Identity" by Ally Carter. What a thrilling ride it was, packed with non-stop action! The story kicks off with our main character waking up in Paris, concussed and bewildered, while someone urgently yells, "Run, Alex. Run!" From that moment on, we are taken on a roller-coaster journey where numerous mobsters are hot on her trail, and a mysterious man, who might just be a spy.

The revelation that she is the identical twin sister of the spy, Alex, adds an exciting twist to the plot. It was incredibly enjoyable to witness a main character who always manages to miraculously escape from perilous situations. What's even more fun is her consistent comparisons to the clichés found in stories, especially when the hero remains completely clueless about them. The moments when he has to remind her that he was dangerous, like killing someone with a negligee, had me in fits of laughter.

I can easily picture "The Blonde Identity" being turned into an exciting movie. If you're in the mood for a hilarious spy thriller, I wholeheartedly recommend picking this book up. Ally Carter's storytelling will keep you entertained from start to finish.

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

this is the spy romance i’ve been NEEDING!! ally carter i knew i could count on you!! this book was the perfect balance of mystery, plot twists, humor and romance (a little cheesy but I LOVED IT)

reading this adult spy book in my 20s is such a full circle to when i read the gallagher girls in high school

i love how this serious grumpy spy would keep smiling and laughing when he’s with her (not saying names bc spoilers) ALSO THEIR BANTER.

Spies, a twin, amnesia, and some romance create the perfect combo for this fast paced summer read. Loved every minute and this would make an amazing movie!

Highly recommend to fans of Finley Donovan

This was such a fast-paced fun read so different from my regular romances. I felt like I was on a movie set just as much as I felt like I was reading a book. The premise is this: a young lady wakes up in Paris with a concussed head in the snow and no memory of how she’s gotten there or who she is. All she knows is that someone has told her to, “Get up, Alex! Run!” And thus begins the story of our mystery woman attempting to uncover her identity and the identities of those around her. Throw in a growly attractive spy who can’t decide if he wants to help her or hurt her, and you have the makings of a thrill seeking romance.
I loved how short the chapters were and the alternating Him and Her POVs that kept me on my toes. I never felt like the story slowed down and it kept me guessing how it would end. I won’t give any spoilers, but you should read this book if you like the following:

-Grumpy / sunshine
-Spies!
-an engaging fast-paced plot line that drives the narrative
-amnesia trope
-lots of chemistry but closed door romance
-mistaken identity
-he falls hard

This is the perfect read when you want something that will engage you from page 1 that you might read in one sitting. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this advanced copy. I can’t wait to read the next book, which I’m sure is about Alex.

As a huge fan of all things spy genre, especially spy romance this has been a much anticipated title! It’s total grump/sunshine and thrusts you straight into the action. We’ve got amnesia, we’ve got twins (one of whom is a spy) and of course, hot grumpy spy guy.

This is technically an adult romance (the sex scenes are closed door) but it often read much younger (which I know the author also writes YA). I found some of the language to really take me out of the story at times, for example, she calls him jerkface and as a character trait doesn’t like swearing so is constantly correcting his language. But once I was able to sink into the voice it was a zany spy romp with cinematic scenes and a great ending that felt satisfying.

As a big fan of the Gallagher Girl books, I was so excited to read this adult debut by the author. This book features everything I love about the GG series: a funny heroine, a cute hero with a tortured past, a secret twin, lots of foiling of bad guys, and lots and lots of action. Seriously, this book throws you right into the action with a heroine with amnesia who wakes up under the Eiffel Tower where someone immediately tries to kill her. And it never slows down from there. This reminded me a lot of the pace of the Bourne Identity movies, with lots of exciting fight scenes as we take a tour through Europe.

I am a big fan of the grump/sunshine trope, and the two main characters were a great embodiment of this. This was a pretty clean read, with a small amount of bedroom action in fade to black.

Overall, I read this book very quickly because it was hard to put down and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

I loved this book! I would love to see this turned into a movie. The bumbling Zoe always managing to have a lucky stumble into safety and the stoic agent Sawyer’s walls coming down and seeing that there is good in the world! I’m hopefully optimistic that there were be Alex’s story.

THE GALLAGHER GIRLS OBSESSED 8 YEAR OLD ME HAS RETURNED. i’m so glad ally carter is returning to the world of spies because she does it flawlessly

When my sister was in middle school, she started reading the Gallagher Girls series, and the books took over her life. She used to carry around her favorite, “Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy,” with her every day and seriously considered whether a life of spyhood was for her (I’m sorry to say, it’s not). When I was in middle school, I decided it was time that I read these life-changing books. My sister refused to let me look at her copies, much less read them, for fear that I would somehow ruin them. I had to borrow all the books from the library even though we had the entire series in our house, just two doors down from my bedroom. I still haven’t touched her copies, even though we have both spent many years now discussing these books, looking to the characters for inspiration and even making a playlist (which we’re very proud of, by the way) that encompasses the series.

My sister bought two separate copies of the series finale, “United We Spy”; she bought one when it first came out and then couldn’t help but get a signed copy from the International Spy Museum. Despite having purchased these copies years ago, she didn’t actually read the final book until last year, more than a decade after starting the series. If you were to ask her why she waited so long to conclude the series, she would say it was because she just couldn’t say goodbye to her favorite series or her favorite characters (In case you were wondering, she cried when she finally finished it).

Well, luckily for my sister, Ally Carter released a book just in time to fill the void in her life that the Gallagher Girls left. In her latest book, “The Blonde Identity,” Carter proves yet again that no one writes a spy rom-com like her. Though technically unrelated to her original series, “The Blonde Identity” is very much in the same vein as the Gallagher Girls series, in the best ways possible.


The book follows an unnamed protagonist who wakes up in the middle of Paris with no memory (yes, it’s a play on “The Bourne Identity”). After seeing a video of herself fighting a number of thugs, she comes to the only logical conclusion: She’s a spy. Unfortunately, she isn’t quite right — she’s actually the twin sister of a spy, as we come to realize very soon. Over the course of the book, she and her sister’s spy partner Sawyer traipse around Europe trying to find her twin, Alex, and figure out why Alex disappeared with no trace, with some very important intelligence regarding a Russian spy network in hand.

The book unfolds in three parts. The first is very action-heavy, with the protagonist and Sawyer running from gunfire and learning to trust one another. The second part brings in the tropey, rom-com elements, with the two characters going undercover and posing as a married couple — a storyline that never fails to entertain and increase the tension between the romantic leads. And finally, the most fun third combines these two elements. In this last third of the book, we get to know our characters’ pasts and watch them become closer, while they also undertake spy missions a la Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner, “13 Going on 30”). There’s one scene in particular that was so reminiscent of “Alias” that it actually had me humming the theme song as I read.

“The Blonde Identity” is flawless in so many ways. We get an action, romance thriller with an incredible female protagonist who is both feminine and strong. So many authors seem to forget that their female protagonists can retain their femininity while also kicking down doors and pushing people off cliffs. Furthermore, Sawyer is exactly what you want in a romantic lead — he wants to protect our protagonist but also lets her be her own person. He actually learns from her just as much as she does from him. Their relationship is remarkably equal, especially when you consider that the protagonist is an amnesiac and is facing guns, spies and bad guys for the first time in her life, leaving her to rely on him for much of the beginning of the book.

Ally Carter continues her legacy of writing sneaky, complex and fun characters with “The Blonde Identity.” All you Gallagher Girls who, like me and my sister, have grown up and said goodbye to Gallagher Academy, don’t worry — Ally Carter’s got you covered with her newest adult spy rom-com book. I guess now it’s time to call my sister up and work on a new playlist ….

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

For fans of Citadel, Ghosted, and Chuck, this book gets right to the heart of the spy genre. Rooted in a perfect blend of romance, comedy, and action/adventure, The Blonde Identity delivers the sort of quick-witted, cutting lines that will leave you clutching your pearls.

Ally Carter knows—and has always known—that the key to a good spy story is not the cover legend, but rather, the person who inhabits it. The Blonde Identity is no different. An intimate cast drives the narrative and leaves readers feeling every ounce of danger, tension, and excitement woven throughout the pages. Fans of Carter's Gallagher Girl series will welcome the familiar feel of the world, while new fans will fall in love with the masterful execution of beloved tropes. A delight from beginning to end, with endless re-read potential.

The Blonde Identity is a book that is simply joyful to read. I had fun and was laughing out loud while reading and that isn’t something that always happens, even with books I love.

This book feels like a perfect spy movie in literature form. So don’t expect to take it too seriously. It is full of my favorite romance tropes, and plot points that spy movies have. Nothing surprised me because I’m an avid consumer of both genres, yet I still loved the experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a fan of the Gallagher Girls, you are going to LOVE this.

As it is, I AM a fan of the author's Gallagher Girls series and THE BLONDE IDENTITY takes that nostalgia and makes it adult. Which is so appropriate and I imagine plenty of us Gallagher Girls fans are now of an age where we will appreciate this. But worry not if you've never read the Gallagher Girls series--THE BLONDE IDENTITY stands on it's own.

If you love pop culture references to audacious scenes, you'll especially love the Her character. Because yes, I too if put into Her situation would use movie references to cope. Then there's the (age-appropriate) dynamic between Him and Her. I wouldn't call it slow burn in any way, but it wasn't instant either. It was the perfect pacing for them both, and the ending????? My heart.

(I am using Him and Her as they are referred to for the first couple of chapters.)

I loved every single moment I spent in this world and I cannnot wait for book 2, which is starring a character that I imagine has the competency of Ilsa from the Mission Impossible series.

In "The Blonde Identity" by Ally Carter, we follow the story of Zoe, a girl suffering from memory loss. She makes a startling discovery that her twin sister is actually a spy. Unfortunately, due to a case of mistaken identity, dangerous individuals start pursuing Zoe, believing her to be the spy twin. Throughout the book, Zoe develops a romantic connection with Sawyer, the man tasked with protecting her.

Despite having enjoyed Ally Carter's "Gallagher Girls" series, my high expectations for this book were not entirely met. I found the main character over-sexualized and treated too childishly. The constant use of the pet name "Lady" became quite frustrating for me, ultimately leading to my disappointment with the story. The romance in this book just fell so short for me and I barely could get through it at points.

I would recommend this book to diehard fans of spy thrillers who love an exciting plot. To any readers who really love a strong female lead, I would read one of Ally Carter's other books. Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.