Thanks, NetGalley for this ARC. I am a fan of Ally Carter, and she did not disappoint in this book. Without giving to much away after reading the first one when it came out, I was really looking forward to Alexs's story. I absolutely loved the banter between the main characters in this story. I fell in love with the MC in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Alley's writing and if you like books that have to do with spy's and romance as well as humor then this book is for you. I would suggest reading the first book before reading this one.

I am SO disappointed that I didn't love this book because I LOVED The Blonde Identity! I actually dnf this one at 40%. King and Alex had almost no chemistry, the dual timeline made the story hard to follow and felt disjointed, and the present day chapters felt bland. The chapters set in the past were definitely better, but not enough to keep me interested. Maybe instead of dual timeline, tell it in two parts? Past and Present? The story might flow better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my review.

Ally Carter has done it again. A fun, fast, humorous story that had me giggling, blushing and kicking my feet in the first chapter and turning the pages late into the night to finish it. She’s becoming an auto buy author for me for when I need a book that’s just fun and makes you feel good!

Follow up to “The Blonde Identity,” you do not need to read it first, but would highly recommend to get some background knowledge and not spoil the first one if you double back.
Second chance Romance, Enemies to Lovers, quick witty banter. ♥️
Duel Timeline, switches between FMC and MMC view points and also switches between dates and times.
Middle does get a little boggy, but all information is definitely needed! Hang in there!
Highly recommend! Such a fun read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & HarperCollinsPublishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book! I am honored! ❤️

I loved this sequel to "The Blonde Identity"! Reading more about these characters was a treat and getting to know more behind the scenes spy school stuff was a treat. the chemistry between the two main characters was so witty and fun.

I loved this book! The action was well paced, the humor well timed and romance rewarding in the end. The use of flashbacks to explain the relationship between the two main characters was very effective. The tie in to the first book was also very fun!

“I woke up handcuffed to you, and that what set me free.”
“What are you saying, Sterling?”
"Mercy.”

This was a great read! At times I was a bit worried that it was a problem that I didn’t remember much from the first book, even though I loved it haha, but luckily you don’t really need to read the first book in order to read this one! The chemistry between Alex and King is everything! While I’m not the biggest fan of dual timelines, I did enjoy reading their back history and how things lead up to the present time. King is everything and I am in love with him! The way that he constantly cared about Alex was so freaking swoony! The adventures were really interesting to read and I kept wanting to know more and more. And of course, the ending was perfect!

Read if you like:
Dual third person POVs
Spy romance
Forced proximity
Enemies to lovers
Only one bed
Dual timelines
Hero falls first
It’s always been you
Closed door romance
Hero takes care of heroine
All the feels
Romantic suspense

The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold
4.25 ⭐️

This series is sooo fun! And it’s even better that it’s written by @theallycarter who I’ve loved reading for YEARS!

Alex wakes up handcuffed to her spy school nemesis and the two somehow have to figure out where they are and who is after them.

This had all sorts of tie ins with the pervious book about Alex’s twin Zoe, but it would still be enjoyable if you hadn’t read it. I loved it so much I flew through this one too!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

“𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲.”
“𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀.”

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗:
Two rival spies. One shared past. Zero idea what’s going on. After joining the CIA ten years ago, falling in love somewhere in between, and parting ways with secrets and heartbreak, Alex and Kingston wake up handcuffed together and totally confused.

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎:
ALLY. Listen, I need you to write more books. Write all the books. Give me MORE.

One of my favorite things about Ally’s writing is that she drops you right into the action - & it just doesn’t stop! I mean, we literally start the book with our MCs handcuffed together. It doesn’t get better than that! (Other than the Logan Echolls quote, of course)

This book is just SO freaking fun. Alex is sarcastic & sassy & strong & King is grumpy & broody with major “will burn the world for her” energy. Then you throw in some danger & mystery & tension?! IT’S ALL SO GOOD.

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:

💕“𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙚. 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙮 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙.”

💕“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

💕“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:
👓enemies to lovers
👓second chance
👓grumpy MC x sarcastic FMC
👓slow burnnnnn
👓CIA agents
👓handcuffed together
👓flashbacks
👓mutual pining
👓he takes care of her
👓Zoe & Sawyer

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Obsessed. This was a great read. It was definitely more angsty than her other two romances, which leaned more on fun banter. You really notice it when the world of the first book collides with this one and the tone shifts. However, I didn’t think it was a bad different. I enjoyed her doing something different and the romance plot line really works. I did think the spy part of the story wasn’t the strongest, with a huge reveal just dumped at the end. But it was good enough that it served as a great backdrop to the romance, which is the main point. Will definitely always have Ally Carter as a must read.

The vibes:
Spy rom com
Rivals to lovers
Fade to black spice
Sequel to The Blonde Identity
Short chapters

Something about Ally Carter's writing makes me so happy. The way she structures sentences and the voice she creates works really well for me.

I really really enjoyed the female main character of this book. She was a hard as nails spy character who also was completely herself and didn't fit the typical spy mold.

Our male main character he was so capable and good at being a spy and that was really attractive about him.

I loved seeing them in spy school when they met and wish that part lasted longer. Seeing them working together through the years until present day was a fun way to structure the book.

The story structure with the flashbacks and present day storyline got confusing. I feel like it would be really difficult to listen to this one on audio because it was hard to figure out which year we were talking about because the perspective was changing every chapter.

I loved the short chapters and seeing the FMC and MMC from The Blonde Identity.

If I'm rating with my heart, it is a five star, but if I'm thinking critically about the story structure with the flashbacks, it would probably have to be a four. Let's give it a 4.5 star and I would totally recommend it to all romance lovers.

It comes out in August!

OMGSH this series..... It continues to be one of my favorite of all time. I will be so sad if there isn't more in this genre for Ally Carter. I never read any of Ally's back list books but I did read the first of this series. I adored it so much. It was over the top, cute, spy romance. This one is the same.

Ally kills it with the humor and characters. Both characters are so enjoyable and loveable. I really appreciate that Alex, is almost this legally blonde type character that 100% kicks so much butt. She is witty, charming and incredibly dangerous. While King broody, protective, but has moments of sillyness. Both characters complement each other so well.

This story is told is dual pov and dual timeline. We get flash back chapters of Alex and King, meeting each other and begrudgingly going on missions together where they have to be fake couples. Over that time we see their friendship grow. In present day, we start off of them now hating each other again but find themselves kidnapped and handcuffed together. Just like the first book, its self aware and understands its silly, fun and intense at a times. It doesn't itself too seriously and does a great job sneaking in snarky/funny dialogue. I love this about this book.

This awesome follow up to Ally Carter’s first spy romance The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold is a rompy good time with excellent banter perfect for fans of sleuthing and spies!

Told in dual timeline I did find myself confused or pulled out of the main story at times when we had the flashbacks but it did help provide context to their history I’m just not sure we needed all of it.

Solid, fun read for anyone who enjoys some mystery and cozy intrigue with their romance

Didn't read the first book, but didn't need to. This book has banter and witty moments that I just adored!!!! This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last!

Oh my goodness. I adored this from start to finish.

I hadn’t read book one yet, so I got to read them back to back… it was amazing! Now I want so many more books just like them.

I’m a romantic suspense / adventure romance gal- and these books are that but in a completely endearing and lighthearted style. Just so much fun to read.

The travel and danger and romance together was amazing. The use of flashbacks kept me locked into the story, desperate for the full story on their history. Masterfully done.

Ally Carter is definitely a new auto buy author for me! I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Thank you to publishers for the chance to review an advance copy.

This book takes place a year after The Blonde Identity. I loved how the book did have a different feel to it than the first book. The Blonde Identity is definitely a spy rom com and we don’t get a lot of background on our character, mostly because Zoe has amnesia. The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold is not so much a rom com but it is a spy romance with dual POVs and dual timelines. I loved having more background on not only the events in this book, but it also helps so much with the events of The Blonde Identity.

King is not your typical spy and I just loved it. He’s the “softer” of the couple, though he is definitely a bada** spy. He falls first, but the tension is high from their very first meeting. Alex feels like she has a lot to prove despite being one of the best spies out there. The complement each other so well!

I think these books can be read in any order or by themselves, though both need to be read to have a full picture of what has happened. These are such fun reads!

Review goes live June 19

I’ve been a huge Ally Carter fan since middle school, and this book did not disappoint. This dual pov and dual timeline spy rom-com had a more similar vibe to Carter’s Heist Society Series in places than her Gallagher Girls Series, which surprised me as it is about spies, but I’m always down for for the heist vibe. I did get confused in a few places trying to remember what happened in the past vs the present timeline, but life has been busy and I didn’t get to read this book very fast so that probably contributed to the confusion. However, it is a very fast-paced story and I wouldn’t have been able to put it down if I’d actually had the time to just read all day. Highly recommend for fans of spies, heists, female main characters who carry the world on their shoulders, and good old-fashioned chivalry.

So I don't know about the mystery in this book, but the romance was chef's kiss. Literally swoon worthy. I love the tension and chemistry between Alex and King, right from the beginning when they started training. The friendship, the drama, the will-they-won't-they aspect of it all as they flit through different assignments even playing a fake couple was all awesome. The dialogue is so darn good I loved it so much.

Here's what didn't sit right with me. The mystery didn't feel as well fleshed out, maybe a little abrupt too with the cuts to different timelines. I'm not sure if reading the first book Blonde Identity (which I haven't read) would make much of a difference, because I adore the MCs just not the odd pacing of the story and weirdly staged plot.

Spy romance isn't a sub-genre I read much, but I am obsessed with romance, and I know Carter nailed the characters of Alex and King in this one, their duo is impeccable and keeps me yearning for more.

I was so excited to read The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold after reading The Blonde Identity. I loved Alex and King. They were so cute. Alex is diving off Legally Blonde vibes but paired with Spy skills. My only issue was at times the dual pov and timeline was a bit to help up with but the banter and humor in this book was top tier. We get Alex and King's backstory and how in old missions they had to pretend to be a coupleand how their friendship grew. Though presently, they can't stand each other after getting kidnapped and being stuck handcuffed together. This book was one of the most fun and refreshing reads that I've read on the past few months. After reading this one, it reaffirmed his great Ally Carter's writing is and want to go back and read the rest of her books.

A big thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review .
Expected publication August 5, 2025

I enjoyed this book SO MUCH. I liked the first book in this series about Zoe and Sawyer, but I loved this one about Alex and Michael. The not quite enemies to lovers was on point, the timelines and flashbacks were done well, and I really enjoyed the pacing. I did get a little bit confused near the end when Alex and Michael finally got together, I was having some trouble following and not everything was making sense so I had to reread those pages a few times. But it didn’t really affect my overall enjoyment of this book! I hope there is another one in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC!