Review: "The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold" by Ally Carter

The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold by Ally Carter
Published August 2025 via Avon
★★★★

Book two! In The Blonde Identity, a woman woke up in the life of a spy, with no idea how she got there...but in The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold, we're following that woman's sister, who is, you know, actually a spy. This is something of a then-and-now story: in the now, Alex and King find themselves unexpectedly in danger and on the run. In the then...well, they spend a lot of time finding themselves expectedly in danger and on the run.

It is predictably unlikely. And it is a delight. You have to pay attention to what section you're in, timing-wise, because the now is now but the then moves through the past ten years, and since so many of the scenes focus on the same two characters in the same types of scenarios I sometimes needed a moment to think. But I love this sort of spy-life-as-is-only-seen-in-Hollywood book, and Carter knows what she's doing with it. Think lots of action, high octane, gadgets, jewels...oh, and a will-they-won't-they romance, of course. It's a naturally low-sugar dessert in book form—not all that nutritious, but not too sweet and completely delicious.

It's worth reading The Blonde Identity before The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold; the books are functionally standalone, but there's some significant context that will make more sense if they're read in order. Plus...that's double the fun, no?

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.