finalllllyyy a book with banter that doesn’t make me cringe. the banter between these enemies to lovers is INCREDIBLE. these main characters (grumpy boy and sunshine girl) had me giggling and kicking my feet, and i was cheering them on the entire time.
Carter was able to pack so much in (spies! forced proximity! second chance romance!) and make it fun and sometimes spicy in the best way. i will say, the multiple time lines did get confusing, but i think it was because i was listening to the audio book and got a little confused. but other than that, incredible.
thank you #netgalley for the ARC!

Fun, flirty, light and full of spy-based shenanigans. Looking to shake up your tbr with a funny romance? This may be the series for you!

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. 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, who is after them or what this nameless, faceless villain wants. The only thing that’s clear is that these two rival spies have been sucked into their greatest mission yet, and now they’re going to have to team up to stay alive - if they don’t kill each other first.

I loved going back to this world and getting a whole new piece of it. Alex is such a mystery and getting to know her adds so much to the series. Her character growth really adds some heart to the humorous series. I hope to see more of the sisters together in the future. I would also recommend the audio for this one!

Great for people who love: forced proximity, self-growth, spy fiction, and fake marriage.

Ally Carter is the queen of spy romance. This book had the perfect balance of action, romance, hidden rooms, heists, and FUN. I didn’t want to stop listening to it, and Emily Ellet and Andrew Eiden (🤩) brought the banter and tension to life so well.

I recommend reading this after The Blonde Identity to fully appreciate the references and characters.

I’m so excited to discuss this one with my book club later this month!

Thank you to Hachette for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

Ally Carter's books lend themselves so well to audio and The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold is no exception. Andrew Eiden's gravelly, slightly annoyed narration is perfect for King, and Emily Ellet gives just the right edge of vulnerability to her portrayal of Alex. My only quibble with this book lies with its structure. By using alternating timelines. Carter loses some of the he said/she said tension that is such a hallmark of some of her other books. I still enjoyed The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold audiobook and do recommend it, but I hope future books return to the alternating narrator structure. A thoroughly enjoyable spy caper with cameos by Sawyer and Zoe from The Blonde Identity.

Just as much fun as The Blonde Identity, the sequel was told in dual timeline leading up to the present day, dual him/her view point, and the enemies to lovers trope, which is a running joke. The ending was ambiguous but cute.

I received the audio book to review, and I have to say that I really didn't love the female reader. It wasn't her voice exactly that I hated, she spoke clearly and slowly. It was the cadence, inflection, and tone and her gruff imitation of a man's voice that literally had me cringing. I barely got through about 5% before I downloaded the actual book to read. I don't think audio books are for me😟

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

This story had so many things wrapped up in one; action, romance, mystery, and so much more. I had not read the first one in this series, but I did not feel like I missed out on too much. The multiple timelines were a little hard to follow. King was not my favorite character and I do feel like he thought that Alex did not deserve to be there because she was a woman which bugged me. Regardless, it was a quick read but just not my favorite.

This was FUN. I loved the blend of humour, action, and romance all wrapped together in lighthearted spy story. Like the first in the series, this had me smiling like a dope as I listened (and I think this one is even better!) I enjoyed seeing the progression of their relationship over 10 years, and as always, Ally Carter knows how to bring the swoon.

The audio was well narrated. However because of the time jumps/location changes combined with the audio format, I did have some issues following which timeline each chapter was taking place in. Overall, would still recommend the audio version!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for this ALC.

First off, Zoe is still the best at coverting of all the spies.

I really loved King and Alex....but...

I usually love multiple timelines, but this one was just so split that there were times I had to rewind the last chapter to get back in. This was not due to the narrators who were (again) amazing.

Also, there were some things I just... didn't like (I wanted to five star this book so bad)

<spoiler>

I'm betting that it wasn't supposed to come off as this, but the fact that King IMMEDIATELY doesn't want Alex to even go to spy school feels like "she's too pretty" misogyny. And then his need for her to always not be her best agent, and then doesn't want her to go save her sister - the entire book is based off King wanting to "protect" one of the most dangerous women in the world. I get it, he loves her - and if he ENDED UP THERE instead of starting there by underestimating her, I would have accepted it.

I also hated that King became a drunk. It felt out of character and kind of gross.

Also, suddenly at 70% we're told Alex is more of a computers guy? Wait, what?

So, the continuity issues that popup outside of the timeline issues was enough to 3.75 this book. I'm really hoping there's a third because I"m loving the series and would love something that's stronger like the initial story.
</spoiler>

These narrators are fabulous. I was a little unsure exactly what branch of the CIA these two were supposed to work for. Suspend belief and you will enjoy this second chance romance filled with action and adventure. Something this author does well is end chapters on cliffhangers which keeps you coming back to see what happens next.

Occasional use of language, heavy use of innuendo. Closed door romance.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ALC in exchange for an honest review— thank you! 🤗

Oh this was good. I loved the banter, the slight enemies to lovers moment, the strong af FMC… AND THE TWISTS.

There is a lot of timeline jumping… spies reminiscing about previous missions but they’re pertinent to the current conundrum they’re in… but it’s so action filled that it all worked!

The narrators fit the characters so well and made the book a great listen! 👌

ALC Review: The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold by Ally Carter
Pub Date: August 5th
Narrators: Andrew Eiden; Emily Ellet

Thank you Harper Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Listen these books are just super fun! Especially if you turn your brain off and just vibe, which is what I was able to do while reading this one. They're a great escape because they keep you really invested in the story and the characters. I did not want to stop listening!

If you've been around this page, you know that finding second chance romances that I like has been a feat in the past but in the past year or so the number I'm liking has really increased quite a bit! Dual timelines are also tough for me since I'm usually more invested in the present timeline and I do sometimes get confused which timeline I'm in on audio if I forget to pay attention...but that's probably mostly a me problem!

And of course, I just absolutely adored the narration! I could listen to this duet read anything - my ears were quite happy.

And happy to have another buddy read with @bookswithnopictures in the books (ha) - can't wait to discuss this one at bookclub later this month! I'm sure everyone loved it.

Thank you to the publisher for the ALC and finished copy!

I don’t think I’ve ever read a spy rom-com before and I didn’t know what I missing out on! I LOVEd this. Their banter was top notch throughout the entire story.

The story spans across ten years, taking place in past and present. I loved hearing how Alex and King met and how their paths kept crossing in their spy careers. They worked so well together and I loved their back and forth jokes and comments.

I haven’t read the first in the series yet, but I am definitely going back to read it now. While I think the author did a good job trying to write this as a standalone, I do think it would have been beneficial to read the first one beforehand. Some of the characters and storylines would have been a bit more clear to me.

The audiobook is narrated in duet by Andrew Eiden and Emily Ellet. They were amazing at bringing this book to life. They were so easy to listen to and I would definitely listen to any audiobook narrated by them!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing this ARC.

Such an amazing follow up to The Blonde Identity!

This audiobook had two narrators, one for the female and one for the male character. The narrators voices were a perfect fit for the characters and helped me picture the characters in my mind. I listen to audiobooks at 2x speed and that speed was perfect for this audiobook as well. I found myself getting lost in the story and really enjoyed it.

In this book we got Alex's story, with the first book focusing on her sisters Zoe's story. Although Alex is more serious, there was still plenty of banter and humor. This story is dual timeline, which I struggled to follow. Unsure if it was the dual timeline on audio was hard for me or if I would have struggled to follow in print as well.

If you love The Bourne Identity or other espionage thrillers this book is for you.

I gave The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold 3.5 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ✨

So! Fun! I LOVED The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year and I heard so many good things about The Blonde Identity. So I had high hopes for this baby and I was NOT disappointed.

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold was a great follow-up for The Blonde Identity. I enjoyed the callbacks from the first book and getting to explore Alex's side of her sister's childhood illness. From a plot perspective, the different timelines were somewhat hard to follow since it involved all the same characters every time. That just might be a "me" thing, though. I will say that I missed out on probably a quarter of the book because no matter how high I turned up the volume on the audiobook, I could not understand the female narrator when she would voice King. I get that his temperament was that of a mumbler but I literally have no idea what "he" said during those parts.

The 2nd book in the Spy RomCom Blonde Identity Series! While the first book was focused on Zoe and Sawyer, this book follows the partnership of Alex and Jack. Though Zoe brought all the lightheartedness and humor while Alex brings the more serious tone, it is not without some enjoyable banter and laughable monologue moments alongside the espionage!

This book has a non linear timeline, alternating with the present day and various years in Alex and Jack’s past. Present Day finds Alex and Jack handcuffed to each other with no memory of how they got there… but what series of events led to it? You have to go back 10 years and work your way forward to find out.

It has all the twists and turns you would expect from a spy plot (Who’s after them? Why?) with the added forced proximity, second chance romance & a tinge of “enemies” to lovers tropes.

I really enjoyed it. I was most invested in their relationship with the mystery being more secondary. I missed Zoe and was glad she came back into the picture. Hoping a book 3 is coming with Alex and Zoe TOGETHER!

I received an ALC from NetGalley (thank you and to Harper Audio as well!) and my only slight complaint was trying to follow the timeline jumping around on audio. I think I might have preferred this one as an “eyes” book over an “ears” book - but I certainly don’t hold that against the author, that’s my deal.

4/5 would recommend!

I love this story!

This was such a a sweet and refreshing read. Perfect amount of romance, action, and intrigue.

The heroine is lovable, romantic, but not your stereotypical blond! She's smart, capable, and can take care of herself! When put on a mission with her rival, sparks fly in more ways than one! We see both characters fight their enemies, and their growing feelings for each other!

The characters are multidimensional with flaws, but still manage to be very likeable. The story keeps me wanting more and I will be going back to read the rest of the series--and any future installments. The writing is excellent, and the book feels light, but still intriguing and will keep you guessing.

A must read, and a new top author for me!

NetGalley ARC and ALC Review:

3.5 ⭐️

Ally Carter’s books are always so fun so I knew I would enjoy this. I ended up liking it more than the first book in ther series! The characters were interesting and I loved their rivals to lovers dynamic. The chemistry and tension between our MCs was palpable.

The audiobook narrators did such a great job bringing the characters to life and made the read even more enjoyable!

The main thing I struggled with in the story was all
The time jumps. I found it difficult to follow where and when the characters were. I wish they had put the timing and location and the start of each chapter, instead of just the first chapter that switch time periods.

That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and will absolutely be recommending it!

If you grew up on Ally Carter, this book is obviously for you. If you didn't, please allow me to encourage you to get swept away into Ally's fun spy novels. If there's one thing Ally Carter excels at (and there are many), it's writing a spy romance where you are just as invested in the romance as you are the stakes of the situation. Now, did I completely follow the stakes in this particular installment? Well... Maybe not. But I was giggling, kicking my feet, and screaming while listening to this audiobook whilst driving if that tells you anything. I did text my sister about how much I was loving this book while I stopped for gas on my drive. The audiobook took an already fantastic book and elevated it to sheer perfection, so I highly recommend that method of consuming the story.

In regards to the question you may have about whether or not you should reread the first book in this companion series first, I think that's entirely up to you. I think that any excuse to reread The Blonde Identity is a good one, but I didn't re-read before I read it and don't feel like I missed anything. If you've not read The Blonde Identity at all, I don't think you have to, but the appreciation for the side characters will definitely be enhanced if you do. Plus, you'll get to read another fantastic book!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager, and Harper Audio Adult for sending me the e-arc and audio arc.

This book reminded me so heavily of Janet Evanovich’s writing, which might be a compliment to some but not coming from me sadly. I struggled with the writing style and characters in this story. It just felt like borderline character personalities and very little actual plot.

I’m not the biggest fan of this book but I would like to give props to the audiobook narrators as they did an amazing job!