The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold
Author: Ally Carter
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold opens 10 years ago on the night before Alex heads off to “spy school,” when a handsome stranger tells her not to go. This man ends up being another CIA trainee, Michael Kingsley III, aka King, and the pair are destined to a long history. The story then shifts to present day where Alex and King are held captive. She walked away from the CIA and went off grid a year ago (after the climatic scene in the first book, The Blonde Identity). The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold shifts back and forth between the past and present. The flashbacks start at the beginning of Alex and King’s careers and slowly moves forward in time. The story is shared via both POVs in the past and present.
I struggled early on with the shifting time and POVs. It was difficult for me to follow the storyline. Despite the rocky start, I became engrossed with the story once I learned to follow the shifts back and forth, and I couldn’t put down the book.
Alex and King’s journey takes ten years. The pair are like two students fighting to be crowned valedictorian. They have to work together but they are oil and water. She is loud and out there and everything a spy shouldn’t be. But she’s smart. He’s quiet and observant and traditional. He thinks she doesn’t take the responsibilities seriously. She jokes too much. I like that we see glimpses of the past which help shape their relationship, without rehashing every action. Carter sets the scene and provides the emotional connections so we can watch their love develop.
While one does not need to read The Blonde Identity to follow The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold, it helps a lot. The story is a bit more subdued than its predecessor. There is a good amount of action, but due to the storytelling, there aren’t as many life-or-death moments, it’s all off page. I liked that the story focuses on the emotional aspects rather than reliving each mission. The humor is present, but again, not as in your face as the first book. Where Zoe is bubbly and living her best life, Alex is hard and punishes herself for perceived sins. She cuts herself off from anyone who may care about her, believing she is bad and unlovable. It takes time for King and Alex to give into one another, but when they do, it’s so satisfying.
The Blonde Who Came In From the Cold is a lot of fun with a few emotional moments. I would adore another story featuring all four main characters in some sort of adventure.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Jen
About the Book:
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.
And two minutes ago, they woke up, bloody and bruised and handcuffed together in the dark.
They don’t know where they are. They don’t know how they got there. And they have absolutely no idea who is after them or what this nameless, faceless villain wants.
The only thing that’s clear is that, after ten years of covers and chemistry, secrets and lies, 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.)
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Publisher: Avon
Series: Blonde Identity #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, rom-com, adventure
Format(s): hardcover (336 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: publisher/Netgalley