This book was everything I hoped it would be and more.

Alex is such a fun protagonist and her banter with King is next level. I loved the dual timelines and perspectives. Even though it bounces around a lot, it’s easy to follow and it was the best way to lay out the story. We get just enough information to stay in the moment and try to untangle the puzzle with the characters through their backstory and current situations. I’m excited to reread the series back to back because of how seamless the two will fit together. Just a really clever way to connect the stories and timelines. Definitely hoping we get more stories in this world because honestly, anytime Ally writes a spy novel I will run to it. You can take the girl out of Gallagher….

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

My middle school heart screaming because I grew up reading and loving Gallagher Girls and Heist Society. This was also my first venture into spy romance, and I love love loved it. It's fun and unserious with some moments of intense longing, emotions, and action. I laughed and cried (love a good yearning). Alex and Michael were a great couple who work well with each other as bada** spies but also have this great tension since day 1 that plays as a rivals to lovers and grumpy/sunshine situation. It also helps that they are constantly placed in situations where they have to "pretend" to be a couple in love for the mission. I loved their characters individually and together. They are inevitably drawn back to each other throughout the 10 years that they know each other, but their love and care for each other endure despite their efforts and heartbreak. We do get a dual POV with Alex and Michael and jump between the present timeline and the past. It got a little confusing with the timeline jumps and missions, but nevertheless, it was a pretty easy and quick read.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so great! It was well written and the characters were so relatable. I really enjoyed it and will definitely recommend it to others!

always love reading an ally carter book — they're always fun, fresh and fast-paced! perfect for if you're slumping because her characters are always so fun and have such great chemistry and banter and the plot is always intriguing and very quick to read, you can read it in one sitting! i adored this and cannot wait for a new book by ally!!!

Michael Kingsley the man that you are!!!!

Ally Carter is a master at pacing. There’s never a dull or droning moment in any of her books and this one was no exception. It was fun the whole way through.

Both Alex and Michael were surprisingly nuanced characters for what this was, and their story was cute. I loved the present day/flashback format. And I was really glad we had no idea what exactly happened between them until the last 90% of the book.

Bonus points for King being embarrassingly downbad… that shit was *chef’s kiss*

This book was clever, light, and fun… 5 stars would absoluuuu read again

Thanks to NetGallet and Avon, I got an e-arc of this book, and I was excited because I loved the first book in the series called The Blond Identity. I did not think this book lived up to that first series.

Though I usually love books written in dual timelines and with multiple POVs, I find this one a bit confusing. Sometimes the timeline would switch before the reader could really understand what was happening. This led to holes in the plot, which were not cleared up in the end. Yes, we know partly how Michael and Alex end up in Las Vegas, I mean we know how they were lured there, but we still don't understand why/how two such competent spies ended up handcuffed together with temporary memory loss. I am not sure it was the jumping POVs or timelines or a combination of both that led to the confusion and loss of plot, but this did happen.

Also, the end just tied up too neatly and easily, yes the idea of identical twins is useful and yes, I read the last book so I know that Zoe is not the frail human that she is described as in this book, but still the role that she played in this story didn't fit. And then at the end, I was glad that everyone ended up happy, but it was just a little too tied up in a happy bow for me.

That being said, I look forward to reading more by Ally Carter - and maybe even another book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I loved the first book in this series and this follow-up did not disappoint. The characters were interesting and the story action-packed. There does need to be a good polish with editing as I found a few words missing and a couple instances where one of the characters full name was listed incorrectly (listed as Michael Sterling instead of Michael Kinglsley). The only other issue I had was sometimes the back-and-forth from past to present was confusing, especially if the characters were in the same location. I would love more in the series but would happily read anything written by Ally Carter, especially her spy stories. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the Ally Carter for an advanced copy of The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold (August, 2025). This book picks up where the Blonde Identity left off following Alex Sterling and her life as a spy. I love the genre of romantic suspense and ultimately enjoyed this book. The book is told in flash backs and present day from dual POVs between Alex and King. The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold is a slow burn in all the best ways with all the angst, banter, and all the longing a reader could need. This book is a closed door romance, that hints at something spicy but doesn’t go into detail. I felt that the plot moved quickly and succinctly, but the ending felt rushed. I would have liked more expansion on the final takedown and Alex’s relationship with her twin sister. Overall, this is an action packed read that will keep you wanting more. If you haven’t read The Blonde Identity, do so before this book comes out!

I've read pretty much everything Ally Carter has ever written, and somehow every one of her books is on my "favourites" shelf. So, maybe I'm a little biased when I say this, but this may be one of her best novels.

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold was a fast-paced novel, but it had just enough soft moments that it didn't feel rushed. The plot was well thought out, and the settings were well-written and realistic. The best part of this book, however was the characters.
Both Alex and King felt real and complex. I'm a sucker for dynamic duos, and this book didn't disappoint!
The one criticism I had was that sometimes it was a little unclear as to which timeline the chapter was a part of, and I found myself flipping back to check pretty often.

Overall, this was an excellent read (not that I'd expect anything less). If you've enjoyed any of Ally Carter's books in the past, you'll absolutely love this one.

Ally Carter’s books are so fun, which makes them easy to read. I loved how the two MCs met and how their relationship evolved over the years. There was a lot of flash backs, but it was done really well in this book and it flowed perfectly.
Anyways, another fun read! grumpy x sunshine, spies!

Thanks NetGalley and Avon Books for this advanced readers copy! As someone whose middle school reading experience was heavily influenced by Carter's Gallagher Girls series, I was thrilled to receive this ARC.

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold by Ally Carter is the follow-up to her 2023 book Blonde Identity, following Alex, the other sister, and her career as a spy and the complicated feelings she has for her coworker. Don't go into this expecting a super serious spy thriller, because you won't get that here. Expect fun and flirty and adventurous.

What I really liked about this book:
-Alex and King's relationship was so fun and sweet. We love a man who yearns.
-It was so fun! The hijinks and adventure were a blast.
-Carter's writing style is so fun; I laughed out loud a few times.
-Connecting the story to her sister toward the end. TBH, I wasn't even entirely sure this was a follow-up until we got the the part about Zoe going to Paris.

What could have been better:
-The time jumps were confusing and often happened to quickly that I didn't always know what time period we were in
-Alex and King's individual POV chapters were virtually indistinguishable, to the point where I don't think they even need to be separated at all.
-This is more a fade to black type of romance, but I would have loved to have seen a dash more spice. (probably a personal preference, but still)

Overall, I really enjoyed it and basically binged like 3/4 of this book in one night. Will read any and all of Carter's future books, please and thanks <3

Cozy spy thrillers with a side of swoony romance? Yes, please. Nobody does it better than Ally Carter.
This book was such a fun read. There are a lot of moving parts in the story, but Carter keeps things interesting and ties it all together perfectly in the end. I love the romance in her books. It’s still super swoony and sexy while keeping things closed-door. The perfect blend of thrilling and heartwarming!

This sequel was an entertaining "enemies-to-lovers situation" to quote Alex. When we first met Alex she was a wanted fugitive, now she gets to tell her story. As the stronger twin she's always trying to prove herself, so naturally she butts heads with the mysterious guy who thinks she doesn't have what it takes to be a spy. The main male character, Michael King, has an emotional depth often glossed over by many contemporary writers as they tend to focus on developing only one main character. And bonus he is also a spy! Until he wasn't. And Alex was in the wind for a year. But we find them handcuffed together with no memory of the last two days trying to find out who wants them dead. The action-packed moments spliced by past and future gave this book an added layer of tension and mystery as we look at when Alex first became a spy. And the rivalry only gets more delicious as they continually get put on missions together. I felt like the banter wasn't as strong as the first book, but that just isn't Alex's personality.

The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold doesn't have any of the main characters from the first book in this series (The Blonde Identity) or at least it doesn't as far as I can recall. And I'm happy to report that it is better than the first book as well. In fact, the first half of the book is downright, super entertaining as we bounce back and forth between the past and present, learning more about our two main characters Alex and King.

Unfortunately, the second half leans way too heavy on cheesy/slightly cringe romance that just didn't work for me personally. It wasn't awful but it wasn't my favorite. The other issue I had was there are two bad guys with Russian names and I kept on getting them mixed up while at the same time not fully understanding the story surrounding each of them. It was cleared up at the very end but I honestly wished that the book focused on only one of them. I also wished that there were more flashbacks, more depth shown in regards to Alex and King's relationship. I won't go as far as to say that it felt like insta-love but I wish we had just history (the flashbacks) to help make the present chapters more believable.

All in all, it was a very fast read and for the most part it was pretty entertaining and definitely an improvement upon the last (first) book in the series. If you enjoyed The Blonde Identity then you will likely enjoy this one as well.

I have loved all of all Carter’s books and this is no exception. It’s so well written I set it down and then was doing my dishes and thought “oh what was I watching?” And remembered it was actually reading but it was so good I could fully imagine exactly how the author wrote each scene. I very much recommend to anyone

If Mr. & Mrs. Smith had a baby with The Bourne Identity and then sent that baby to spy school with a side of unresolved feelings and sizzling banter… you’d have The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold. Ally Carter delivers a rom-com that’s equal parts high-stakes espionage and second-chance swoon, and I was so here for it.

Our two leads—ex-CIA rivals with a shared romantic past—wake up battered, handcuffed, and with no idea what fresh chaos they’ve landed in. What follows is a globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse (but make it sexy), filled with snappy dialogue, genuine emotional stakes, and just enough double-crossing to keep you guessing who to trust. The chemistry? Off the charts. The action? Blockbuster-worthy. The backstory? Packed with just enough angst to make every lingering glance feel earned.

Carter strikes that rare balance between witty and heartfelt. One minute I was laughing at a perfectly timed one-liner, the next I was clutching the metaphorical pearls because feelings. This isn’t just a romance set against a spy backdrop—it’s a love story forged in danger, deception, and one very complicated shared history.

I docked a star only because the plot occasionally zigzagged so fast I needed a mental seatbelt, and I wanted just a bit more resolution in the final chapters. But honestly? I’d follow these two into any mission, and I hope there’s more to come in their chaotic, covert universe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this action-packed delight early! You had me at “handcuffed together in the dark.”

Alex and King have known each other since Spy School. They don't like each other. Now they are on a mission together because someone is after them. Will they be able to work together? Trust each other? Find out in this exciting sequel to The Blonde Identity.

Loved this one! So much excitement. So much banter between characters. So much restrained romance! I truly enjoyed this one a bit more than the first one. I will admit that I got lost sometimes with the changing of timeframes, but no worries as it all wrapped up beautifully. I swear I heard action hero music playing throughout the story as I read! Author Ally Carter is known for her strong female characters and Alex did not disappoint! If you enjoy adventures, things that go boom and a bit of romance you definitely need to check this out! It won't disappoint!

I love this series! This sequel was more series than its predecessor, but the romance was more swoon worthy in my opinion. That ending though…you can’t leave me hanging! I need a third book with all 4. Characters, stat 😂

Ally Carter has done it again! This book is a fun and exciting read that had me hooked from the start. The main character is smart and fun of surprises, making the story so entertaining. I loved how the plot was full of twists. If you love adventure, cleaver characters and suspense, then you will love this!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter

Such a fun sequel! I loved the further character development and the plot kept me engaged throughout.