I thought the first book was amazing; this one was even better! I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time and wishing I could read it again for the first time!

I really enjoyed The Blonde Identity—it was fun, romantic, and super entertaining. But The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold didn’t grab me in quite the same way. The flashbacks, while meant to add depth, kept pulling me out of the story and made it harder to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure this one will still hit the mark for readers who love spy games with a touch of romance. Just didn’t fully work for me this time.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @avonbooks for an early copy of The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: August 5th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221345606-the-blonde-who-came-in-from-the-cold?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Q3IBtgWZ43&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold is the sequel to The Blonde Identity and tells about Zoe’s sister Alex, a spy, and her romance with King, her fellow spy. Told in dual POVs and timelines, both Alex and King were assigned together in different missions throughout the years.

To be honest, I had high expectations for this sequel given how much I loved the first book, sad to say I was a bit disappointed. This time around, there were lots of high-stakes missions assigned to Alex and King, and while I enjoyed their banter and chemistry and how much they tease each other, it was quite difficult to distinguish their dual POVs’ tones. Additionally, while I found their missions exciting and thrilling, I found the switch between timelines past and present too quick and often that it was difficult to keep track of.

TBWCIFTC is still a fun read though! If you enjoy spy novels that are light with a tad bit of romance, then this one is worth picking up!

As a fan of Ally Carter this was another hit in my book. I love Ally's unique blend of mystery, adventure, and romance. If you enjoyed Most Wonderful Crime of the Year or The Blonde Identity you are sure to enjoy this one.

The story follows Alex and King and is an adversaries to lovers story. It does a great job of going between present time and what happened in the past. It's full of fake relationships moments, taking care of each other moments, and even those moments where you can't stand the person that you love.

I love the cliffhanger and can't wait to see what is next for these crazy twins.

The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold, is the follow-up to The Blonde Identity, and it follows the other twin Alex who is a spy who when off the grid a year ago and then woke up tied up to King another spy, and the love interest. It's a dual pov, and I love how this ties into Zoe's and Sawyer's story. I am a huge Gallagher Girl fan, so this was right up my alley.

I'm pretty critical when it comes to twins because I am one, and a lot of people don't get it right, but it was done right here. Zoe and Alex have similarities and differences, but they aren't one person, they are two, and that is what I like about them, and how this was written. Sawyer and King are also very different, and that is great. This was such a wonderful follow-up, and the interactions between all the characters, including Alex and King were perfect. I loved the mystery that came together at the end and the ending! I really hope there is another book because this series is that good.

Thanks to Avon for the ARC.

oh my gosh, I LOVED this book! Even more than the first one which I really enjoyed! It was such a fun book to read especially at the beach! It's packed with so much spy adventure/action, SLOWBURN, enemies to lovers angst and witty banter! I just found myself reading this with a big smile on my face and not wanting to put it down!

This was just so much fun and different feeling! I thought it felt a little more believable (for a spy book) than the first one. I loved their spy missions and all the fake married scenes. plus we have several sick/taking care of you scenes that I was literally dying over! *SWOON* I absolutely ADORED both of these main characters so much! I think I loved Alex even more than Zoe. She's so feisty and independent but yet so relatable!! I found myself bonding with her! and then King is just so darn dreamy!!!! like no notes. I love them.

I am sad I finished this because it was such a wonderful distraction and spunky read! highly recommend! I would say it's best to read the first book about her sister to get the full picture but not completely necessary. absolute perfection!!!

I absolutely adored this novel! An amazing sequel overall- the plot was engaging, the characters were all lovable, but Michael? *swoons*

On a deeper level, I related to Alex’s difficulties being a sister. As an older sibling, it sometimes feels that there are standards I just fail to live up to. That was something I saw reflected in Alex’s character, and it made me understand and like her a lot more.

This novel also brought back a lot of memories of when I read the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series as a kid- those were treasured stories for me. To read Ally Carter’s stories as an adult is just as riveting and magical! Highly recommend.

The Blonde who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️| 🔥

This was such a fun time. I read it in one sitting! I needed a break from romantasy and I had heard good things about this author and her upcoming book! I laughed out loud throughout the story and adored how self-aware (and at times, self-deprecating) the humor was. I had not read any work by Ally Carter before, but I will be reading her backlist now! This story was funny, thoughtful, and, for me, cozy. As someone who loved Totally Spies growing up, went to the first iteration of the Spy Museum in DC, would love to see Spy School (but be awful at … see trip to museum), and appreciates strong female character; this book was enough to pull me in from my stronghold of romantic fantasy. This is no small feat, and I asked my husband to clap for me after I finished reading.

Ok, enough rambled gushing. The use of flashbacks was the perfect structure for this book. I was equally excited to learn more about the backstory and shared experiences between King and Alex as I was to see what was coming next in the Present Day. The banter and yearning, mixed with smarts and violence kept me (and our main characters) on their toes the whole time. I did not at all see the big twist coming, although I predicted part of the conclusion to their current mission. However, the twist I did not see coming made sense considering all of the pieces shared along the way. So, it was very fun to get to the end of this Spy novel having not made the “why.”

I am not a frequent reader of this genre, but would recommend this to anyone who loves a good laugh, good (cheeky) humor, and a fast paced plot. There is very little on-page spice, but the chemistry between these two jumped off the page and made me root for them to keep on fighting with, and for, each other…even when both are fools. :)

Thank you to Avon and the author for this eARC.

OBSESSED!!! It’s very clear to me that I fall into the group of girls this book was dedicated to, because I feel like this book was written just for me. It had me at the epigraph. I knew without even reading the first chapter I was going to love it. Any characters that can bring even a fraction of the spirit of Logan and Veronica and destined to be great. And Carter sure did not disappoint.

A super fun, fast paced, funny action packed enemies to lovers spy rom com. I mean, do you really need more of a description then that? Alex and King are rival spies, loving to hate each other since their days on the farm. But being the best of the best means that they often get paired together for missions. This book perfectly intertwines their present-day predicament with glimpse of their past missions that led them to where they are now. Can they manage to work together one more time to figure out who is trying to get them? In lives where you can trust no one can they actually trust each other?

It's very clear they hate each other as much at they love each other, the chemistry was undeniable! And I thought I might die before we finally got to find out what in Scotland?!! Without a doubt the most fun you will have reading a book this summer!

this book was so fun!! I was so excited to read the follow up to the blonde identity and it did not disappoint! Why are spy romances so fun?? the tension in this one was great, with the mystery of their past being revealed slowly. This was such a fun and quick read

This book was highly entertaining! My only complaint was that the dual pov, multiple timelines was hard to keep track off and I had trouble orienting myself every other chapter. Still a fun read!

I grew up reading Ally Carter’s YA spy series (literally my favorite books when I was younger) so once I learned about this new series, I immediately knew I had to read them. I read and enjoyed the first book in the series but this one, The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold, blew it out of the water. I ADORED this book. Amazing chemistry and tension between the two characters and fun spy escapades that I had a blast reading about. This book had me hooked from the very first page. 10/10!

Oh the way I love Ally Carter's fun spy rom-com novels! The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold is book 2 of the The Blonde Identity series and follows a parallel timeline to the first book, but featuring different characters. This book is like a grown up version of Carter's Gallagher Girl series and I loved it.

It's a quick fun read that isn't too deep. It features an enemy to lovers trope and the story telling is done in dual POV toggling between flashbacks and today. My only complaint is that the flashback chapters felt too short and it made the novel read a little jumpy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own.

Handcuffed to your ex in a mystery dungeon? Sounds like romance to me. 😏

In The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold, Ally Carter serves up a second-chance romance with a side of gunfire, betrayal, and serious unresolved tension 🔥

👱‍♀️ She's the spy who ran.
🕵️‍♂️ He's the one she left behind.
🔒 Now they’re chained together (literally) with no clue how they got there—or who wants them dead.

✅ Rivals to lovers
✅ Second-chance angst
✅ Forced proximity (like, VERY forced)
✅ Secrets, betrayals, banter that slaps

This book felt like Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a baby with The Love Hypothesis and then dropped it into an international conspiracy. 10/10 recommend letting these two ruin your life 💀💘

⚡ Release Date: August 5, 2025
⠀ #TheBlondeWhoCameInfromtheCold #AllyCarter #EnemiesToLovers #SecondChanceRomance #ForcedProximity #SpiesInLove #RomanticThriller #Bookstagram #UpcomingReleases #NetGalley #BookishChaos #SlowBurnRomance #ActionPackedReads #BookRecommendations #HarperVoyager #AvonBooks #LiteraryHavocReviews

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

"The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold" is a quick read and compliments well "The Blonde Identity", explaining Alex's backstory. The fun, sarcastic writing abounds (more so than its predecessor, as both main characters bust out great one liners) and it fills in the behind the scenes material from Book 1 in the series. The only warning I would give is to not read it too fast as the shifting from past to present can get confusing if you are not tracking. Other than that, a good story.

I absolutely loved this book—I could not put it down! Ally Carter delivered another fantastic story packed with tension, banter, and that signature enemies-to-lovers spark she does so well.

I was especially impressed with how the story was told through dual POV—but only when King and Alex were together. It kept the pacing tight and the chemistry front and center. Their character development was so well done, and even though this is a closed-door romance, the emotional and romantic tension is palpable. You can feel how much these two care for each other.

I also loved how seamlessly this book tied into the first one in the series. It added depth without feeling like a rehash. And while I’m usually not a fan of timeline jumps, they worked so well here—they actually enhanced the story. Plus, the short chapters made it such a binge-worthy read!

If you're a fan of smart, swoony romances with spies, sass, and serious chemistry, don’t miss this one!

I’ve been an Ally Carter fan since I was 12 and got my hands on I’d tell you I love you but then I’d have to kill you. I still credit Ally for my love of reading- especially fast-paced romance with an action subplot.

This was no different. I had a great time reading it and flew through it quickly. Seeing the flip side of Zoe’s experience through Alex was a great completion to the story.

I think at times the past and future chapters made it a bit confusing and I lost track of which mansion and which island a few times. And it sometimes brought me out of the relationship by pausing the momentum.

Overall a fun, well-written story as I’ve come to expect from Ally. It definitely reminded me of this quote from Out of Sight, Out of Time:
“Zach,” I said as I lay there “Where did you go? When you were looking for me?”
I shifted in his arms, looked into his eyes.
“Crazy.” His voice was a whisper against my skin. “I went crazy.”

Listen. It was really not amazing, but it was entertaining.

I liked it less than book one in the series, but it hit the mark for cheap thrills, you know? For me, the relationship in this book didn’t hit the same as the relationship in the first book.

Even suspending belief, this one was harder to buy into. If you like cheesy spy stories though, you will probably like this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved the first in the series, The Blonde Identity, and Ally Carter’s YA series were a benchmark for me in the late 2000’s. I was already so excited and she hooked me right from the epigraph - a Veronica Mars quote will get me every time!

Black cat mmc x golden retriever fmc and they’re both spies. Enough said. I absolutely loved this book and I want this series to continue on forever! Getting the male pov when he’s standoffish/rude but it’s truly him distancing himself from her because he’s already down bad. And he was was. King wanted to stay as far away from Alex as he could because he knew it would destroy him if she got hurt or worse.

Unlike a lot of written protective/overprotective male characters, King wanted to drag Alex away from danger and protect her but knew that she was strong, if not stronger than him, and she would always run towards danger. These two were so equally matched and they both had a competency kink about the other. A double competency kink is a trope I didn’t know I needed!
From King in present day: “It was all he could do not to grin because no one did that better. No one did anything better and part of him hated that he'd never told her.”

From Alex’s POV in their second year/second mission: “ But he was looking at her like she mattered. Like she was the only language he couldn't speak—the only code he couldn't crack. She was the photograph his mind couldn't hold on to and he needed to know the answer to this question. Like this small piece of information was the key to her cipher and he needed to find the thing that would finally make her make sense”

I mean!!! This is years before they get together or even tolerate each other's presence. Ally can write chemistry between a couple so well. I’m obsessed with Alex and King and would read one hundred more pages of them just bothering each other. He’s a man who answers the question why with “because it made you smile”. I cannot recommend this book and series enough!

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold is out August 5th!