The Blonde Identity
Author: Ally Carter
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
The Blonde Identity is a laugh out loud, adventure-filled rom-com that left me wanting more adventures. Carter creates an outrageous story with over the top action and silly situations.
Zoe wakes up on the snowy streets of Paris with no clue who she is, how she got there, or why multiple people are trying to kill her. She has little choice but to trust Sawyer who explains that Zoe must be the twin sister of his former partner, a spy for the CIA. With so many agencies and people after Zoe, Sawyer tries to whisk her to safety.
The story is shared in the often quickly alternating third person POVs of “Him” and “Her,” which comes across a bit impersonal. At first, the combination of Zoe not knowing her name and the speed of the POV shifts gave the story a choppy feel, and it was hard for me to connect to the characters and follow the story. However, once I got used to the writing style, and I learned more about Zoe, these issues went away.
The action is 100% over-the-top, but shared with a lot of humor, so it’s easy to ignore the unrealistic nature of the adventure. It reminded me of some of the fun big action movies that don’t take themselves too seriously.
The romance is nearly insta-love, as the entire book takes place in a matter of days. However, right from the start, Carter makes the case that their connection is more than just due to a savior complex or the dangerous situation. I love Sawyer’s view of Zoe:
“Alex always looked like she was in on a secret. But Zoe looked like she was in a on a joke—like at any moment she was going to say knock, knock and the whole world was going to lean close enough to whisper who’s there?
He’d never known anyone so alive, and he suddenly felt it like a weight in his chest—like he’d never be able to forgive himself if he couldn’t keep her that way.” (Page 75)
The Blonde Identity is a quick, fun read. I enjoyed nearly every moment.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Jen
About the Book:
A fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.
It’s the middle of the night in the middle of Paris and a woman just woke up with no memory.
She only knows three things for certain:
1. She has a splitting headache.
2. The hottest guy she has (probably) ever seen is standing over her, telling her to run.
And oh yeah…
3. People keep trying to kill her.
She doesn’t know who. Or why. But when she sees footage of herself fighting off a dozen men there’s only one explanation: obviously. . . she’s a spy!
Except, according to Mr. Hot Guy, she’s not. She’s a spy’s identical twin sister.
Too bad the only person who knows she’s not the woman they’re looking for is this very grouchy, very sexy, very secret agent who (reluctantly) agrees to help her disappear.
That’s easier said than done when a criminal organization wants you dead and every intelligence service in the world wants you caught. Luckily, no one is looking for a pair of lovesick newlyweds on their honeymoon. And soon they’re lying their way across Europe–dodging bullets and faking kisses as they race to unravel a deadly conspiracy and clear her sister’s name.
But with every secret they uncover, the truth shifts, until she no longer knows who to trust: the twin she can’t remember or the mysterious man she can’t let herself forget…
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Publisher: Avon
Series: Blonde Identity #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, rom-com, adventure
Format(s): hardcover (304 pages), paperback (320 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: Purchased with my own funds
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)