After The Blonde Identity, I have been eagerly waiting for The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold, and it did not disappoint! Ten years ago, they joined the CIA; six years ago, King left the game; five years ago, he and Alex fell in love; and one year ago, she disappeared..until they wake up handcuffed together, not knowing where they are or how they got there. The only thing that’s clear is their chemistry is still there and they have a mission to complete. This is a second chance, enemies-to-lovers told over multiple timelines to tell the story of their past and present, and it is so fun. It’s action packed and filled with romantic tension and banter! I loved these characters! There were times it felt like it was jumping around, timeline-wise, but even so, I loved it. I loved the history of them, the romance of them, and mystery of the missions. It’s fast paced, with so much good banter! Ally Carter’s writing is just so much fun! Just such a treat of a read!

Alex is back!

Oh my goodness I didn’t realize how much I needed this book. I loved Zoe and Sawyer and was kind of meh on Alex in the first book. Alex and King though? And their backstory? Adored!

This is a fast pace, twist and turns, second guessing, and so many *gasp* moments story. But not over done. I loved it. And just when I thought oh I’ve solved it. I hadn’t.

Audiobook is done amazingly. The back and forth narrators as well as back and forth in time both worked so perfectly for this book.

And yes. We get more Zoe and Sawyer!!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! It is my first book by Ally Carter and I went in pretty blind after seeing it mentioned a few times on social media. 5 minutes in and I was already messaging my sister in excitement after Veronica Mars was quoted and Taylor Swift was mentioned. From the start I was hooked on this spy vs spy adventure full of action, tension, second chance and enemies to lovers vibes. The story travels the world while two spies attempt to piece together missing moments and why they are under attack. There are multiple timelines in this book, following the beginning of their relationship and various encounters throughout 10 tumultuous years. It is low spice, high action with a solid plot. Lots of humor and keep it lighter. The duel narration/duel pov added to the quality, showing what each of them missed about the others motives over the years. As soon as I finished I went back and found the other book in this series. 100% a great read!

The perfect follow up to the first in the series. Comical, heartwarming, and investing! The perfect beach read

Alex always wanted to be a spy. She was a top CIA until she disappeared a year ago after an intense undercover operation. She wakes up handcuffed to King, who was in her original CIA training class. He is a legacy having a dad who was a CIA legend. He left spying behind a few years before but now he and Alex are trying to figure out why they are together and who put them there.

The book jumps back and forth in time which is occasionally hard to follow. I was listening to the audio book and although the narrators told me this was five years ago or one year ago it would take me a moment to think what was happening then. Essentially Alex and King have been paired up occasionally for missions in the past but mostly work alone. Alex and King have great banter when together and you know they care for each other long before they share their feelings. He is who she runs to when she is hurt.

This is the second in the Blonde Identity series. The first book had Alex’s identical twin sister Zoe being mistaken for Alex. Zoe is a romance writer and so much of the humor was her using romantic tropes to describe spy situations she was found in. That humor sadly is missing in this book. Alex and King are experienced spies and there are no fish out of water moments. In fact the line that actually made me laugh out loud was when Zoe makes an appearance. That being said I did enjoy this book but not to the level of “The Blonde Identity” (Aug 2023). I liked the duel POV’s and especially love the cover. I think this series is done but I will be watching for what Ally Carter writes next.

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold was a delight of a dual POV, multiple timeline spy romance story. It absolutely hooks you from the first page and doesn’t let up until the very end. Banter is one of my favorite things in a romance read, and the banter Carter brought in this book was top tier. I tend to be indifferent on multi timeline books, but this was done in a way that made perfect sense. The story felt richly layered while building up the chemistry between Alex and King. It also helped with the character development and building the backstory for why Alex and King make certain decision. I also enjoyed how cozy yet action packed this story was while packing in plenty of twists and turns. I felt that the pacing was great which kept me invested from start to finish. I also want to comment on how satisfying the story’s conclusion was. The audiobook narration made the story even more enjoyable. Emily Ellet and Andrew Eiden absolutely brought Alex and King to live. Not only did they capture the characters’ personalities perfectly, they amped up the already great chemistry between their characters. I especially loved how they could both easily bounce between their comedic banter moments to more vulnerable scenes without missing a beat. Overall both this story and the audiobook were great, and I highly recommend them.

Another fun escapade from Ally Carter. The Blonde Identity is such an enjoyable series. The Blonde who came in from the cold is another fast paced and suspenseful story. Great use of flashbacks to tell the story and keep the plot suspenseful. The narration team of Andrew Eden and Emily Ellet do a great job.

Thanks Harper Audio and NetGalley for the early audio book. All opinions are my own.

I really loved The Blonde Who Came In! The story hooked me right away, and the narrators did such a great job—it really felt like the characters were coming to life.

Both sisters’ storylines were interesting, but I have to admit, I think I loved Alex’s story just a little bit more. There was so much heart in her arc, and I couldn’t stop listening to see how things would unfold.

The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold by Ally Carter was such a fun ride! I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperAudio, and it totally delivered. It felt like slipping back into the exact tone, twists, and character charm I loved in the first book—maybe even dialed up a notch. I’d call it a cozy thriller (if that’s a thing?), because it was super enjoyable without being high-stakes stressful. I could listen while running errands or doing chores and still stay hooked. Perfect length, solid pacing, and another reminder of why I know I can rely on Ally Carter for a fun read.

✨ Guess who's back! The blondes are making their grand return, and honestly, I've missed them since that epic conclusion in book one!

This time, we're diving into the world of Alex, our bold and fabulous spy leading the way in the action-packed rom-com spy thriller, the second installment of the Blonde Identity series!

💥 And let's talk about an epic start—Alex wakes up handcuffed to a rival spy with whom she shares a tangled romantic history, and she has NO clue what happened in the last 48 hours! Talk about a wild ride! 🚀 The story flips between past and present through Alex and King's perspectives, unraveling their complicated relationship and current chaos.

I indulged in this entertaining tale via audiobook, and wow, Emily Ellet and Andrew Eiden took it to another level! Their dual narration is pure magic, and they brought so much chemistry to the table as they portrayed the romantic tension between our leading characters. 🔥 And while I still have my pet name pet peeves (ugh, why? 🤦‍♀️), King's delivery made it a bit easier to stomach this time around.

I think I might even love Alex and King’s journey the most out of the duo!

If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted, fun read, look no further—this book is your new BFF! 🌟 Four stars all day long!

Big thanks to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the chance to experience this delightful story! ❤️📚

The Blonde Who Came In From The Cold is a fun sequel in a fun series. If you loved The Blonde Identity then you will not be disappointed by its follow-up. Ally Carter is so good at revealing secrets in her own time. The dual timeline is perfect for a second chance romance, especially one about spies.

This is a series that demands to be listened to in audiobook format, because Emily Ellet and Andrew Eiden do such an extraordinary job with the dual narration.. Not only do they voice their own roles really well, but they each capture the other's inflection so skillfully.

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a fast-paced, fun read that's filled with snark and action.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to review The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold.

This book was so enjoyable! It was truly everything a good spy book should be, in my opinion. I loved the dual timelines and flashbacks. Enjoyed the mystery and twists that I didn’t see coming. The narration was perfectly done.

I am a huge Ally Carter fan and I couldn’t wait to read this book! If you love The Blonde Identity, you will enjoy reading about Zoey’s spy sister in this sequel. This is a true Enemies to Lovers story with a ton of tension between the two main characters. The only challenging part of this story was the constant back and forth between present day and the past. Sometimes I lost track of the storyline and it was a bit confusing. I still recommend this book if you love a spy story or Ally Carter.

Great audio! I loved being able to listen to this on audio because the narrators were fantastic. A really fun followup to The Blonde Identity. I don’t think you really need to read/listen to the first one in order to read this one. I did, but it’s not a necessity.

The timelines were tough but I really enjoyed the dual POVs.

“One word mercy”

I’m so thankful I got access to this book early so thank you Ally Carter for this amazing ride. We finally get to see things from Alex’s perspective and the problems she has dealt with over years that drives her to think of herself in a negative light ultimately leading her down to her career path.

We finally get to meet her love interest that she was hinting at in the first book so if you're into a soft launch of enemies to lovers/miscommunication with spy high jinx situation then this book is for you.

One thing I would have loved to see more of is Alex and Sawyer dynamic when they were in deep cover for 5yr.


I give this book 5 stars

I really need to stop getting excited for sequels…
I loved the first one so much and was so excited for another spy novel. Unfortunately I could not keep the different timelines straight no matter how hard I tried. There was no flow and i honestly don’t know the point of this story.
I had to Dnf at 40%

Ally Carter has another winner with The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold. I listened to the audiobook and greatly enjoyed it.

I was excited about this ALC because I just finished the first book: The Blonde Identity, which I loved! (I was happy that I just finished that or I think I would have forgotten some things since both books are connected.) Not only is this story itself great and fun, but the audio version just takes it to the next level! The narrators are phenomenal! The way each line is delivered it perfect, especially with the light-hearted nature of the story. This is the third book by this author and I have loved all of them! I have also listened to each of them and my experience has been top tier! -highly recommend the audio versions!
This is a rom-com suspense where two rivals spies have to work together. I love two Main characters Alex and Kingsley. They are a great grumpy sunshine couple. I also now really want a “future spy” sweatshirt!

Review

“Why? Just why?”

“Because it made you smile”

Finally we get to hear Alex’s story! I loved seeing the relationship between Alex and King grow. I loved the spy operative missions. I love Alex’s humour.

The Blonde Identity was the first audiobook I listened to, and it made me fall in love with audios. I’m so glad I got to listen to The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold. I’m so glad it was the same narrators. They are amazing and I’m going to listen to more from both of them.

I hope Zoey, Sawyer, Alex and King’s stories aren’t over! I love these 4 characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing the ARC of The Blonde Who Came in With the Cold!

This engaging story follows rival spies Alex and Michael as they navigate crime and their complicated feelings for one another. It’s an adorable, action-packed second chance romance that flips the script on enemies to lovers!

I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple points of view and dual timelines presented in this book. However, the similarities between the timelines sometimes made it a bit tricky to distinguish whether we were in the past or the present. The witty banter and well-developed characters truly stood out! Overall, this is a delightful, fast-paced read that’s sure to entertain!