This was a fun and bingeable read with great banter. It also felt like a good mix of romance and adventure thanks to the spy aspect! The narrators for this one were fantastic and made the banter/whole storyline come to life. The story does jump to different timelines and that threw me a little, but overall, this was such a fun read! Thank you to Harper audio and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook copy.

I received the ARC audio version of this title from NetGalley. Thank you Net Galley.

This one just was not for me. There were three issues. (Actually four.)

One: The narrators. They spoke so slowly! I had to speed the book up to 1.75. They also would go from one extreme in pitch when speaking the female narration to another when speaking the male narration. It was really hard for me to hear the male lines after listening to the way they spoke the female lines. Because they spoke the male lines so soft and deep I would have to turn up the volume. Then turn it down when they spoke the female lines.
Now, I do have hearing loss and wear hearing aids so that could have been the issue… but it was an issue for me.

Two: I did not realize this was the second book in a series. It wasn’t really a problem until the end of the book, but it caused me confusion nonetheless.

Three: The book was confusing! The timeline went back and forth. From the past to now. This confusion could have been caused by the narration issue stated before. I don’t know…Perhaps actually reading this title would have made for a better experience.

Bonus: There was absolutely NO SPICE in this book. It was an adult title but read like a YA.

While the book wasn’t for me, I could recommend it to patrons who like ‘clean’ reads. I would have no hesitation recommending it to an older teen.

This has been my favorite book of hers since the Gallagher Girls series. This one felt so nostalgic but also so entertaining. I really enjoyed it. I wish we got some more of the relationship side and maybe some action between them but overall I really enjoyed it! The narration was absolutely amazing and definitely added to the story!

This series is so much fun! I didn’t know how it could possibly strike gold twice (especially since the amnesia card had already been played) but this follow-up to the first Blonde book brings all the fun, action, romance, and memory gaps back in the right way. AND with a new couple taking lead. It’s still an action-packed romance with great banter and zany, sassy, sweet personality throughout. BUT with the added levels of emotional history and professional covert operatives!

Again, as with book one, it’s the equivalent of a feel-good summer rom-com-action blockbuster movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously in all the right ways. And the audiobook is absolutely fantastic. Highly recommend giving this series a try, audio or physical copy, whatever way you can.

I really enjoyed this story! I had no idea that it was a sequel, I'm not sure how I missed that. However, I still had an easy time following the plot and becoming invested in the story. I am so excited to go back and read book one to get the back story!

I found this to be a unique and refreshing premise, it's not every day that a spy novel lands in your inbox. It was fun, it was flirty, it felt high stakes because there was quite a bit of action too. The audiobook narration was fantastic and made it feel watching a movie. Overall such a fun book and I would highly recommend it, especially if you're in a reading slump. This book made me laugh, kick my feet, swear, blush, and feel my heart racing!

Enjoyed this one! Gritty and adventurous with romance and intrigue - it was easy to get into and lose myself. Got through it quite quickly and noted myself wanting to get back into the world Ally Carter devised. Great interplay with the first one but I think this one was somehow even more enjoyable! I liked the narrators but some times they were grating. The female narrator slightly more than the male - he played Michael very well.

This is the story of the sister who is the actual spy but is trying to quit the game. I loved her relationship with her on and off again nemesis. It was more of a slow burn built over 2 time periods and I loved the built up backstory. The hardest part about this book was listening on audio and having to keep track of all the time jumps. It took me out of the story and made this one a little less enjoyable because of the added confusion and rewinding. Overall it was a fun, unserious time and I enjoyed it — definitely was not mad I read it.

This book was so much fun and one heck of a sequel! Mystery, romance, suspense, humor and plenty of action. There wasn't a dull moment in the best way. I usually don't enjoy book series - but I am hooked on this one. It was a super fun and quick audiobook listen with excellent narration. There was nothing not to enjoy! Oh, and THE ENDING - I absolutely cannot wait for book #3 in this series!

Do yourself a favor and put this book on your TBR list, and if you haven't read book #1 in this series - yeah, do that too!

I'm not going to be reviewing this book on my blog or retail sites quite yet. I did finish the audiobook, and I think I like the story, but the narrator really put a bad tinge over everything for me. Her rendition of the male's voice was just too bad to the point of almost being a joke. I didn't believe her when she read his lines, and there were A LOT of them.

Still rating 5 stars because I love Ally and book one of this series is one of the best books I've ever read. I bought a hardcover version and will review once I am able to read that version, after this one fades out of my mind a little bit. I will mention my gripe with the audiobook in that eventual, but hope to have a better experience with the overall story in physical format by then.

Sorry about that.

i have just been absolutely loving spy romances lately, and the blonde who came in from the cold and spies don’t fall for their asset are no exception. they deliver swoony romances (with humorous banter and sweet moments) and plenty of spy-movie thrill and danger. they’re fun and flirty and do not disappoint. 
 
the audiobooks for both books, too, are well done and make for easy listening. with two narrators, it’s easy to disguise the different character perspectives. 
 
i loved both of these romances. if you want some action and adventure with your contemporary romance, definitely check them out! 
 
 
🕵️‍♂️ the blonde who came in from the cold by @theallycarter
  
“an action-packed, second-chance rom-com about two rival spies who must join forces in order to stay alive.” 
 
—contemporary romance + mystery/thriller 
—second in series 
—they’re both spies + have a history 
—forced proximity 
—dealing with past trauma + complicated family relationships 
  
✨ considerations:   
—language: mild  
—spice: closed door 
—content: violence, death, kidnapping

I always love Ally's stories and TBWCIFTC hit the mark 100%. It's fun, it's full of spy goodness, the romance is there but is a level that will appeal to a wide audience, and the way it all ties back to Blond Identity is perfection. The plot devices were tropey and unique at the same time. And the audiobook narrators bring it all to life.

My only issue with the audiobook was how they pronounced Cartagena, Columbia. Technically they did pronounce it correctly if it was an English word. But the point of the location is to fit the trope, and no spy movie or spy would say it as an English word, they would use the Spanish pronunciation.

Thank you HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the ARC!

I devoured the first book in the series and was SO excited to get approved for the second one as an ARC! I absolutely loved this sequel - it did not disappoint! I loved reading Alex and Kingsley's story. The enemies to lovers trope is truly one that Ally Carter has down! I also loved the audio - I love when a dual POV is narrated by two people - it always plays so well.

Thanks again for the ARC!

I have adored Ally Carter’s work for years, but this series is such a gem! It’s the perfect mix of romcom and spy thriller, and I recommend it to people constantly. The second installment lived up to the standards set by the first. I adored the characters. Really enjoyed the slowly unfolding relationship between King and Alex as ywe bounced back and forth between past and present. Just an excellently crafted romance from one of the greats!

This story was fun and funny! The characters are charming and engaging. Highly recommend this series for a fun read you won't regret! I loved book 1, and loved this book as well! I am a huge fan of Ally Carter's recent work and will likely be picking up everything she does going forward. The audiobook for this was also really well done! I love the narrators and the quality was excellent!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper for the advanced copy!

🎧𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘌𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯 (𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘛𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘏𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘰𝘯), 𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
I listened to the audio for this one and it was so well done! I will say if you listen to the audio, definitely pay attention to the timeline at the beginning of the chapter. This one jumps back and forth between the past and present day events, and if you miss that at the beginning of the chapter, it can be confusing! That being said, I absolutely loved how Ally used the dual timelines to tell Alex and King’s story. The tension and banter between these characters was so much fun and I loved all the spy action! There are no slow parts in this book-it was so hard to put down. Yet another amazing spy romance from Ally Carter! Definitely recommend reading The Blonde Identity first before picking this one up, but highly recommend both!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰/𝐀𝐋𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰)⁣⁣
⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣

"𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞."⁣
⁣
I loved this so much! Alex and King’s banter throughout the book is everything! They're both so stubborn and competitive and totally hot for each other! And the angst in this story was so spectacular!⁣
⁣
My only complaint is that with the audiobook version the jumping back and forth with dual timelines was harder to keep track of then it was reading the physical book. There were times when I had to go back and re-listen to things just to understand where I was (past or present).⁣
⁣
𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦:⁣
⁣
✈𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶⁣
✨𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✈𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘰𝘷⁣
✨𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴⁣
✈𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘤𝘰𝘮⁣
✨𝘏𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 & 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳⁣
✈𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦⁣
✨ 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴⁣
✈𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥⁣
✨𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘥⁣
✈𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯⁣
✨𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘴!⁣
⁣
A huge thank you to @avonbooks @netgalley and @harpercollins for providing me with an ALC copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own.

I didn’t read these in order, but the flashbacks were done so well that I never felt lost. In fact, this book actually made me want to go back and read the first one to get the full experience. The angst in this story was absolutely top tier—it kept me hooked the whole way through! I saw other readers mention that the first book had more language, but I honestly don’t recall any in this one. If there was cussing, it was very minimal and definitely didn’t affect my enjoyment.

What I loved: the characters, the story arc

What I didn’t love: The jumping timelines.

I don’t know how it could have been told better because at its hearts, it a fun, heartfelt story, but the jumping around just took me out of it and confused me at times. I absolutely loved the characters, Sterling is sarcastic and smart. The absolute foil to King, who is too serious (baby duke) but a goner from the beginning for her. Overall it’s a good time.

3.5 STARS!

Micheal Kingsley and Alexandra Sterling are both CIA operatives who have a storied past over their time in the agency. The fast-paced story told across multiple timeline jumps has a consistent theme - King and Alex have a tension between them that is undeniable ... and a history that only becomes more clear as things unfold.

I loved that the story begins with immediate action. It drew me in right away! I enjoyed the banter between King and Alex and it was fun to read a spy novel that had both mystery and a cozy feel. Ally creates this feel in her books so well!

The hardest part for me was the timeline jumps ... I had trouble following what year we were in and what had just happened because of the way they were written. I had to rewind the audio quite a bit to make sure I was clear on where we were in the story.

This is also book 2 in a series and I did not read the first book ... I was able to follow well enough, but I do think it would have helped if I would have had more backstory from what happened in book 1. If I could do it again, I would start with book 1.

Finally, I listened on audio and enjoyed it! Overall, I loved the premise and enjoyed the spy adventures. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of the audio for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Spice: Fade to black
Content: death, mild violence, language

I read this book and then listened to it in audio. Listening to this book was just as amazing! The narrators Andrew Eiden (also goes by Teddy Hamilton) and Emily Ellet did a fantastic job bringing this enemies to lovers spy book to life. Ally Carter did a wonderful job. The characters jumped off the page and the emotion was deep and satisfying. I adored these characters. The connection between Alex and Michael was volatile, real, raw and emotional. The character growth and journey are exactly what I needed. The time line was a little confusing at times, but I trusted the author and she did not disappoint. The wonderful conflict made me listen to this all in one sitting! I couldn’t stop! Ally Carter is the queen of spy romances. I hope we get more! I received this book from HarperAudio and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.