The Blonde who Came in from the Cold is the second book of a series but could easily be read as a stand alone. It is the story of Alex and King, two strong willed people who met in "spy school" and have been paired up on missions and off throughout the 10 year time span of the book. There is obvious attraction between them and the banter and relationship is fun to read on the page, and the combo of romance and mystery is done very well.

I usually don't have trouble with multiple time lines but in this one I got a bit confused. We have both Alex and Kings point of views, but we also keep jumping back and forth in time to explain both their relationship and the mystery, but it happened so often and some of what was happening was so similar that I found myself getting confused at times. Since the author did bring it home in the end and it became easier to follow as the book went on, I still felt it was another win by Ally Carter.

Thank you to net galley and Avon and Harper voyager publishers for the e galley .

This is potentially the most excited for an ARC that I’ve ever been.

As an avid fan of Carter’s spy books since the ripe age of like, 12, I was so excited for her adult books. They have the same banter and cuteness, and the dual timeline was really interesting (though, it was jarring at times because it didn’t always alternate between chapters).

I loved all the mentions of spy school that Carter wove throughout the story, and showing the relationship between the two characters - and how it looped back to the first book.

I had a lot of fun with this one, and I will absolutely continue to read anything Carter has written.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 ⭐️

This book, like its predecessor, SCREAMS 2010s spy rom com. Comedic. Double crosses. Multiple twists and turns that keep you guessing. “The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold” is a past/present timeline enemies-to-lovers / second-chance romantic comedy that packs in peak spy movie nostalgia.

If you enjoyed “The Blonde Identity” I have no doubt you’ll continue to enjoy this continuation. Ally Carter’s characteristic quick wit continues in this easy read with succinct, short chapters that keep the story fast-paced while being both plot and character-driven.



Thank you to NetGalley and Avon | Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read this if you love...
💙 rivals to lovers
🖤 dual POV
🤍 spy intrigue

Alex and King have been in and out of each other's lives for a decade as CIA operatives. When they aren't taking down mobs or terrorist cells, they're arguing. Their history makes waking up handcuffed together with no memory of the past 48 hours even more complicated.

Before we get into the thick of it, The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold is a companion to The Blonde Identity. I think you could read this one without reading the first, but you'd be confused and miss some references. I recommend rereading before diving back into it.

If you know anything about my reading taste, you should know that I've been a massive Ally Carter fan for ten years. I'll read anything she writes and TBWCIFTC has the classic Ally sparkle. It's compulsively readable with a driving plot that kept me up until 1:30AM. I tried to sleep, gave up, and grabbed my Kindle again. Books that start with a Veronica Mars quote are hard to put down.

Alex and King's relationship? 10/10. I loved their banter and how their connection developed over the years. This is dual timeline and dual POV that takes place over ten years, so readers get to enjoy every last drop of tension and growth. I'm usually not a fan of dual timeline or dual POV, but the way Ally writes it works. We're unraveling the present mystery (who kidnapped them?) while popping back in time to build the foundation of their relationship and uncover new twists. All of the undercover operations and fake dating for the cover made me chuckle. This book is self-aware of its genre, leaning into the tropes without it feeling ridiculous.

And that ending? Ally, you're so devious.

For the closed door girlies, some might call this closed door and others might consider it fade to black. There is some language and innuendo throughout, but it is much milder than The Blonde Identity. There's also some violence since these characters are, you know, spies.

Thank you to Avon Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is even better than the first book in this series. The angst, the sex, the mystery men, and the settings are so captivating. I love that it starts in Washington, D.C (my hometown). The book even mentions the spy museum, which is a very fun place. I loved the pacing of this book more than that of The Blonde Identity, and I feel like the amnesia trope threw readers off in the first book.

Ally Carter is a pro at writing YA and adult romance books. I don't know what magic she puts into her male characterization and dialogue. It's not too much smut, but it's intriguing where you don't know which direction the relationship is going.

I gave this book 5 stars, whereas I gave the 1st book 4 stars.


Check out my IG post: @asian_bookstorekat for my review and photo.

Alex and Michael meet in spy school, both with chips on their shoulders and an almost instant distrust of each other. But, of course, they're paired together for a mission and find a grudging respect for each other -- and sparks fly.

Flash forward, and they're waking up tied to chairs with no memory of how they got there and no idea of who to trust. Cue the adventure!

The story is told through multiple flashbacks, which became confusing. I honestly wasn't sure by the end what or who they were searching for. But the characters and banter were entertaining.

This book is pure FUN!! You don’t have to have read The Blonde Identity, as it stands in its own. But having read both, you’ll notice little details that align the two stories. I’ve been a fan of Ally Carter since the Gallagher Girls, and it’s so fun to have new books that have the same fun-spy-espionage-light-hearted-but-interesting feel. Definitely recommend!!

Another killer Ally Carter novel that I absolutely loved! I'm really enjoying this foray into the adult fiction scene, so keep 'em coming!

Alex Sterling got on the bus to spy school even after she was told not to by the hottest guy she'd ever met and then spent the next ten years pissing him off and making him fall in love with her. But she'd gone dark for a year where Michael Kingsley couldn't find her, no matter how hard he tried. So when they both wake up with no memory, handcuffed together in the dark, they have to figure out their differences sooner rather than later.

I loved this one more than Blonde Identity! I think it can be read as a standalone, but definitely makes more sense if you've read Book One first and recently. The only reason this isn't getting higher stars is because I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope and I would've liked more backstory to a lot of things. However, I am a diehard Ally Carter fan so you won't hear anything else but praise from me. I was rooting for our heroes to the bitter end and can't wait for another installment for our favorite identical twins.

Thank you to Ally Carter, Avon & Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not tortured out of me (though the same can't be said for some of Carter's heroes).

ten years ago, they joined the CIA.
six years ago, he left the game.
five years ago, they fell in love.
one year ago, she ran out into the cold with absolutely no intention of ever coming back.

and two minutes ago, they woke up, bloody and bruised and handcuffed together in the dark.

they don't know where they are, how they got there, or who is after them and why. the only thing that's clear is that after a decade of covers, chemistry, secrets, and lies, the two rival spies are about to embark on their greatest mission yet. if they want to survive, they'll need to work together - if they don't kill each other first.

dual perspectives, dual timelines, and unforgettable banter will have readers turning the action-packed pages late into the night. I absolutely adored the way this was written, and the back and forth between alex and king was so much fun.

the book starts near the end of the story - and knowing what happens drives the tension through each vignette and memory. it picks up a year after the end of the blonde identity, and it might be worth a refresher so the timeline and references make more sense.

while the story can stand on its own, readers will get more out of it (and avoid spoilers) by reading the blonde identity first. there is less explicit language and romance than the blonde identity as well - the blonde who came in from the cold could be considered fade to black/closed door.

this may be the best of ally carter and is perfect for fans of miss congeniality, ocean's eight, and a good spy gadget. scheduled to hit shelves on august 5, 2025, there's only two more months to wait - but you should add it to your tbr today.

thank you to netgalley, avon, and harper voyager for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The book is told from both of their POVs while also providing a timeline of how the characters got to where they are currently in the present. The descriptions were fantastic and the book as a whole was entertaining. The characters were developed and flawed, but did their best to redeem themselves. I really loved this book. I recommend getting this book when it comes out in August!

I have enjoyed every Ally Carter book that I’ve read and this was no exception. If you are looking for a James Bond spy thriller, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a will-they / won’t -they, then this will be something you like. The spy aspect of this book is way too difficult to follow, with all the back and forth in the timeline. The spy angst is meant to showcase the relationship between the main characters, and that is what it does. Bottomline, there’s a bad guy and they are either trying to find him or trying to not be found by him. I did find that the twin-sister guilt became a bit overpowering. I read the initial book in this series when it first came out, so there was a 2 year gap. If I had read book one and book two back-to-back, I might have a different opinion. All in all, another winner by Ally Carter and I look forward to more from her.

I received an Advanced Reader copy via NetGalley.

Ally Carter writes the BEST romcoms with suspense. I’m in awe of her craft and hope she continues to give us these amazing stories!

After reading The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year last year I’ve become a huge Ally Carter fan. Why did it take me so long to read her amazing romances that pull in the best suspense? I love that this book is a rivals to lovers, second chance romance that gave us Alex’s story that began in The Blonde Identity.

While this book could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading The Blonde Identity first to get a really good idea of Alex’s struggle and personal history for this book. Plus, it’s just a really fun romcom that is too good to pass up. After finishing it you’ll be eager to dive into this one!

The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold starts off with a bang where Alex wakes up handcuffed to Michael- the man who she joined the CIA at the same time as her and who she’s sparred with for over 10 years. You could instantly feel their connection and the tension that underlined their relationship while they tried to stay one step ahead of whoever was after them.

From there the book alternates between the present, where Alex and Michael are trying to figure out their predicament and uncover who’s after them, with chapters from the past that gives great backstory to their history of working together and how their current feelings developed.

These past chapters were really helpful and it was fun to see them return to parts of the world that brought back so many memories for them.
I loved Alex because she was such a strong woman- an amazing and smart spy, but someone who was always trying to escape the feelings that haunted her since childhood.

Michael came from a long line of spies but despite his amazing spy skills, it was obvious how much he cared for Alex over their long history.

If you like slow burn romance, romantic suspense and a caper that has you hooked from moment to moment then I think you’ll enjoy this romance.

*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

What a fun read! Ally Carter is always a fun and cozy read for me. I loved the dual point of views and back and forth setting. The banter between the two main characters? Top notch! Also, the ending, always leaving us on a cliff hanger, but can’t wait for the next book?

I really enjoyed this! I was excited to read the sequel and it did not disappoint. Lots of great banter between the two main characters, and the spy element is always interesting. I did find the dual timelines a bit hard to follow at certain points, but nothing that I couldn’t flip back and confirm.

I loved this one! Loved the banter, and silly moments. Very fast and bingeable read and I would say it was even better than the first!

Thank you to Avon for the earc of The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold by Ally Carter!

It was EASILY a five star read for me! I absolutely have LOVED the previous books I have read by Carter (The Blonde Identity and The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year), but this one EASILY became a top favorite of mine.

Go in blind? YES, absolutely! It's so fun, but if you want a *few* thoughts. I would ship King & Alex forever and ever. They are down bad for each other even if they won't admit it. The angst. The pining. THE HUMOR. Oh, Carter makes you laugh throughout the book! Are they in peril? OF COURSE. Will you also laugh and swoon? OF COURSE.

This one kept me reading until 11:40pm last night which is QUITE the feat for this exhausted mama so if I don't have you convinced to try it yet, that should do it!

If Ally Carter writes it, you bet I am reading it! Bingable, addictive, fun reads! :) Also, please come back to STL so I can meet you someday?!

💋 Kissing to hide
🔪 “Who did this to you?”
👯‍♀️ Twin shenanigans
🏆 Rivals-to-lovers
💍 Fake Marriage
🛏️ Only one bed

Alex is on the run and has been her entire adult life. But when she wakes up with no memory in Las Vegas handcuffed to her eternal rival/“it’s complicated” lover, now they must work together to discover who is hunting them and why.

The biggest bummer is that I didn’t love this book until the last 20%. There were so many time jumps, it was so hard to keep track and keep up with where the characters are emotionally (and in every other way too). Alex’s sharpness & sarcastic remarks were really only in the beginning, and were no substitute for the funny earnestness and quips that we’ve gotten in the first book.

The spy-ness was very on-point though. Then in trademark Ally Carter, the ending got me and I love that she brought more Zoe and Sawyer in. It just maybe should’ve been a bigger part of the book!

Fast-paced, flirty, and full of espionage twists, The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold is a thrilling follow-up that delivers all the charm and chaos fans loved in the first book. Alex and her mysterious spy partner are back—still running from danger and maybe toward each other. While some plot points feel a bit over-the-top, the banter, action, and romantic tension more than make up for it. Perfect for fans of rom-coms with a side of adrenaline. A wildly fun spy caper with heart.

Gasp! Another knock out spy rom com from Ally! Loved these two and definitely noticed (and appreciated) the Chris Evans inspo in King. The little details in this were everything.

ARC review: 4.75 ⭐️
Teen Alicia who grew up on Ally’s YA Spy novels is LIVING HER BEST LIFE RIGHT NOW.
Fast paced spy shenanigans with a hot YEARNING (!!) man?!?! I simply cannot. (I can).

For my spicy pals: this is technically closed door- but it packs a swoony punch!