Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read an ARC of this book!

I loved this book! Loved! I read it on an international flight front to back and couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed both the FMC and the MMC and spent several scenes squealing and kicking my feet or laughing out loud. I thought this book was the perfect balance of excitement, storytelling, fictionalization and realism when it came to having down to earth, believable characters put in extraordinary circumstances. I highly recommend this book and, while it is the second in a related series, I don't feel you have to read the first to fully appreciate this one!

Definitely check it out when it publishes in August!

Finally we get to hear Alex’s story, thanks to an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and Avon! I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, The Blonde Identity, Zoe’s story, and this second book did not disappoint. Told from the viewpoints of the protagonists, Alex (Zoe’s twin) and Michael, this novel alternated between POV, as well as shifted from present day to past, filling in the back story of Alex and Michael King’s relationship, from the time they met to their current day predicament. Carter wove together the past and present brilliantly, with connecting elements, although at times it was too well done, and I found myself lost and a bit confused as to where and when I was in the narrative timeline. There were moments when I needed to go back to the chapter titles to remember the storyline I was following, which distracted slightly from my reading. But most of the book was fast-paced, with just the right amount of tension. I love the character Alex, although I have absolutely nothing in common with her. I can still relate to her fleeting doubts and grappling with feelings, especially with her relationships. I wonder if there will be any other books in the series?!

Ally Carter's books are such fast-paced page-turners, and THE BLONDE WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is no exception. A perfect follow-up to THE BLONDE IDENTITY that will add color to what went on behind the scenes in that one, and give more glimpses into Alex's life, with a love story of her own. Such a fun one.

Such a fun read if you’re looking for great banter and silly moments. It was action packed and was a fun read

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold by Ally Carter
-The Blonde Identity Series, Book 2-

4.25/5⭐️
🚪*fade to black
3/3🦋

•My Thoughts•
Ally delivers again! This was James Bond meets moments from the movie Couples Retreat (hilarious)and I had so much fun! The rivals to lovers banter, the forced proximity and the mystery all came together in a story that had me on the edge of my seat and speed reading! The dual timeline/flashbacks made things a teeny bit confusing but I really appreciated how it added to the mystery feels and provided insight into their relationship. Loved the cameos from the MCs in book 1 as well! High action, high swoon and all the banter - definitely recommend!

Thank you to Ally Carter, Avon and Harper Voyager Books for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Michael Kingsley warned Alex Sterling about joining the CIA before she even got to training, which immediately put them at odds. So naturally when she wakes up in a dark, dank room with no idea how she got there, she’s handcuffed to King. Now they’re back on the same case—with trust issues, unresolved chemistry, and matching security clearances.
With multiple timelines, their current day predicament, past missions and flashbacks to their time at The Farm in training that are the just perfect blend of sorry telling that we have come to expect from Ally. And this one is just as
sharp, sizzling of a romcom with Bond-level charm and banter that could kill a man.
Rom-com? Spy thriller? Why not both. Full of witty banter, romantic tension, and undercover antics, this is rhetorical blueprint for modern-day spy romcom.

Never give anyone your real name, Ms. Sterling.
~
Out of all the idiots in all the abandoned shacks in all the world, I had to get tied up with you.
~
This book was absolutely everything, and as someone who has read everything Ally has ever written and is a self-proclaimed lifelong Ally Carter girl, this really might be her best and my favorite one yet. Truly. I read The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold in one day, because I absolutely fell in love with Alex and King and their story, and I adored the two timelines from present day to ten years ago melding into what they had gotten themselves into now. The banter in this book is absolutely top tier, as you can probably see by the quotes I finally chose to feature (there were A LOT of choices), and theres also so many so many swoonworthy moments that I just couldn’t spoil it for you, now could I? This was an ode to the love of the cool spy stuff we loved as GGs (you’ll know the exact two scenes I specifically mean!). This is an homage to the romantics who love the tropes like one bed and forced proximity and to the girls who still love to dance to Taylor Swift on Tuesday nights like no one is watching and then get up the next day and dance through life with guards around their soft hearts. This is a masterful dance through the lives of two spies who are extreme rivals to lovers and back again. I was excited by the mystery aspect, as I always am because Ally always keeps me guessing, and she had my jaw dropping until the very last page, that I wish was NOT the last page. It was so fun getting to see Sawyer and Zoe again, too. This book a tale woven from insecurity and strength and loss and love and it was so intricate that the groundwork was laid so early on and it all came together the farther we got. I truly truly implore you that if you pick up one of Ally’s books in your life, let it be this one, because this one, even though they all have places in my heart, this one has just carved out a special one and I promise you’ll love it, too. It’s never too late to be a spy.

Thank you for the chance to read and review "The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold" by Ally Carter.

Ally Carter has been a favorite author of mine for years, from YA books to the move into Thrillers. One thing I loved was that the fun caper with strong, capable females continued to the adult books.

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold continued the mystery that began in The Blonde Identity. The story was engaging, the characters heartfelt and I really hope this series continues.

The Girl Who Came in from the Cold is a fast-paced, clever spy thriller with sharp banter, sizzling chemistry, and plenty of twists to keep you hooked. Ally Carter’s writing shines with her trademark wit and suspense, making this book impossible to put down. The dual timeline reveals key moments in Alex and King’s complicated relationship, showing how they went from reluctant partners to a fiercely loyal team.

Alex is a fantastic heroine—bold, smart, and determined to forge her own path despite her complicated past. King is the perfect balance of protective and supportive, never controlling but always by her side. The stakes are high and the action is nonstop, with plenty of fun moments that balance the tension. Fans of spy rom-coms and second chance romances will love this one. I can’t wait to read more from Ally Carter.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I think that this book was good. I liked Alex and King as characters, but their banter just got a bit stale after a while as it seemed to not have any development over time? There was a lot of time jumps and while not super confusing, it did make it a bit harder to keep track of present day vs past. I loved the concept though.

Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC!

OMG I am obsessed with this series. Carter's writing style is so fun, lighthearted, witty, and addicting. Once I started reading I could not put it down!

The plot jumps between past and present day, with the past spanning 10 years and expanding upon Blonde Identity, providing greater detail into Kozlov's criminal history and everything that led up to Alex's decision which kickstarts the first book. Present day is set a year after the end of book 1, but progresses up through the epilogue and wraps up all the loose ends.

Ever since the cliffhanger of Blonde Identity I have been dying to learn more about Alex and her backstory. Alex and King were giving all the angst, longing, and yearning. This man was obsessed with her from the beginning and I ate it up. Plus the cameo of Zoe and Sawyer at the end was everything.

I've been reading Ally Carter books since middle school and she only continues to wow me!

I enjoyed The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold as a follow up to The Blonde Identity. This was fun and fast paced and I really enjoyed Alex and King as the FMC and MMC, respectively. I also enjoyed the supporting characters and how this book filled in some of the questions we were left with after The Blonde Identity.

It was really fun to get to catch up with Zoe and Sawyer as well.

The only reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me was sometimes the time jumps/settings were unclear. I struggled with whether it was a flashback or the current time at these common settings and would have to go back to clarify where in time the book was.

Overall, this was a fast, fun spy book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC of The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold.

The banter?! Top tier. The spying?! Amazing. The locations?! Remote and technically, they don’t exist… This was so good, and I ADORED getting a story from Alex’s perspective. I loved the first book so much, so it was great to get back into this world of spying and mystery.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC!

2.5 stars for 'The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold' by Ally Carter. I'm just not 100% sure if Carter's writing style works within the adult crime genre.

This started off incredibly strong. The characters jumped off the page and the mystery was incredibly intriguing. The romance seemed like it was going to be a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, the timeline jumped around so much it became nearly impossible to keep track of where we were. They were going to the same remote locations in the past and in the present within a few pages of each other. I found if I put the book down in one of those flashbacks, I'd have to backtrack to figure out where I was in the story.

By the end of the novel, the romance itself was no longer fun at all. Because of the jumping around it didn't feel fully fleshed out and King (our male love interest) was incredibly toxic - to the point I could no longer root for them to get together.

To people who are interested in this series, I would stress that this is a romcom first and a spy novel second. To be honest, if you're a fan of Ally Carter's YA novels I wouldn't actually recommend these. That being said, if you want a page turner romance with a little action, maybe this is for you.

I loved this book! The hight stakes, the mystery, the world jetsetting, and the romance. I read the first one on KU and I automatically knew I had to read the second.

5/5 stars

Have I ever mentioned my love for spy romcoms?

I discovered Ally Carter this past year when her book The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year came out and loved it for a fun christmas read! I DEVOURED it on my airplane ride and immediately read The Blonde Identity, which reminded me how much I love an action packed, thriller rom-com. Both of those books had me hooked, and I knew I was going to love the next book in the series as well.

I love Ally's writing in this book and the yearning was FELT!!! I adored the banter between King and Sterling and this just felt fun, fast paced, and addictive.

I would have enjoyed the ending to be a little slower, but overall I loved this book! I definitely will be continuing this series if Ally writes more books, and I hope she does!

reccomended for fans of:
- the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith
- rivals to lovers
- "who did this to you"
- second chance romance
- forced proximity

A quote I loved: "'Give me two mothsn and a credit card and I could build this thing.' That's my girl. He didn't say it - wouldn't say it. But he though it. He was going to think it every day for the rest of his life."

4.5 stars

Listen, Ally had me SOLD on this book when she made the epigraph a quote from Logan Echolls.

The first book was fine, BUT ALLY REALLY HIT HER STRIDE WITH THIS ONE. She fit in the “who did this to you” AND the hair washing mini-tropes? What a queen.

Let’s just talk about how down bad King is, but in a hot sexy spy way. “I needed you then. And I’ve needed you every moment since then. I will need you until the day I die.” SIR EXCUSE ME??? 🥵

If you loved Ally’s Gallagher Girls series, this is the grown up version with spice made just for girls like me. 🫶🏻

Only knocking off a star because I didn’t actually quite follow the mystery part of the plot, but honestly that may just be because I never care about that part. 🤣

Aw… This was so good! I loved the enemies to lovers and the flashback scenes provided good context without being too long. I was a little confused on what made the bad guy do the bad things and wish that side plot was a little more fleshed out. Otherwise, a great follow-up to the first book.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I am a longtime Ally Carter fan since the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society days. I ADORED The Most Wonderful Crime of the year in December and it is one of favorite holiday books.

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold is a witty, funny, fast-paced, mystery romance. This is perfect for people who are looking for a silly good time spy book with a romance between spies. It really excels in the relationship between the two main characters and delivers that ~longing~ everyone is looking for.

I did struggle a bit with how much time/location/POV jumping there was and honestly felt the ending could have been longer and more flushed out.

Overall, it was such a fun and quick read. I'd recommend for anyone who is looking for a book that is a good time!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ally Carter, Harper Voyager and Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A review will be posted on my TikTok @alireadsanywhere closer to the release date! It is briefly featured in a TikTok in a video linked below.

The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold is another fast-paced, whip-smart spy rom-com from Ally Carter that absolutely delivers. Alex and King’s rivals-to-lovers arc is full of sizzling chemistry, sharp banter, and deep emotional payoff. Their relationship unfolds through a clever dual timeline that slowly reveals how they fell in love—and how it all fell apart.

The action is high-octane, perfectly paced, and Carter’s signature phrase “And then all hell broke loose” had me grinning every time it signaled another chaotic, cinematic sequence. I loved the mystery at the heart of the story: who’s hunting them and why? The suspense kept me flipping pages late into the night.

Alex is a standout heroine—bubbly, bold, and complex. She’s determined to carve her own path, even when it mirrors her twin sister’s more than she’d like to admit. And King? He’s the ultimate quietly devoted love interest. He falls first, falls hard, and never tries to control Alex—just supports her, protects her, and reminds her she can be vulnerable with him. Together, they’re an unstoppable (and often hilarious) team.

If you love second chances, spy hijinks, and romance that’s equal parts swoony and smart, The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold is a must-read. Ally Carter does it again!

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for the eARC of The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter in exchange for my honest review. I honestly loved it!