This is the adult Gallagher Girls book of my dreams, and I loved every page! It had the same puns, humor, and rom-com vibes as the Gallagher Girls books but as an adult novel. If you are looking for a serious spy novel, this is not the book for you, but if you want a hilarious enjoyable rom-com race throughout Europe, this is perfection! I love that even though this is a sillier spy novel, the twists kept me on my toes, and I could never guess what would happen next! I have been obsessed with Ally Carter since the early 2000s, and I'm so glad she decided to start writing adult rom-coms. This book was a blast, and I cannot wait for the second book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book! It is perfectly paced, and the characters are easy to enjoy. The action just sucks you in from page one and will keep you engaged all the way to the end of the book. It is the perfect read if you want adventure and action, with a lovely romance thrown in. I can’t wait to recommend this book!

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyage and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

ahhhhh this was seriously so GOOD. 😭 there was not ONE dull moment. i was literally hooked from start to finish. it felt like there was a live action movie playing in my head as i was reading. there were moments that made me crack up and moments that felt like a knife to the chest. but i absolutely our main characters (i don’t want to say names bc that is kinda part of the story) and their chemistry was insaneeee. 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨🫂 and that ending?? ms carter am i sensing another book? bc that would eat. 🤭😩🤞🤞

This book was a wild ride! It follows a woman who wakes up in the middle of Paris with no memory of who she is. Oh did I mention that several people hunting her down? In an attempt to learn who she really is and escape, she tags along with the cute spy who is trying his hardest to keep her alive... and to not fall in love with her. Sparks and bullets fly as this duo try to survive in one of the most romantic cities in Europe!
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I cannot put into words how much I loved this book! As a huge fan of Ally Carter, this adult spy novel is exactly what I needed. The book has everything as it is hilarious, suspenseful, shocking, and swoon-worthy.
At first, I thought that the the premise of spies in Paris may be a bit cliché, but it is done in such a fun way that I was hooked and read it as fast as I could. I enjoyed how fast-paced the plot was. I never felt that it dragged at any point. The mystery of who the main character is also surprisingly full of twists. You feel for her as she tries to navigate this world of espionage that everyone around her remembers but her. I will say that the plot is centered more on the characters relationship and connection than tense espionage plot points, but for this book, it really worked. I appreciated all the side characters and how they kept coming back into play in the most unexpected ways. The only thing that I wished had been different is more detail on how the evil character that is trying to kill them. I feel there was a missed opportunity to make this book a bit more serious and in-depth. Since it didn't, I wasn't as tense as I feel I could have been at certain points because I didn't know the real danger. This, of course, could be intentional to have the book be more light-hearted spy romance. Regardless of this critique, I really enjoyed the plot!
Speaking of characters, I couldn't get enough of them. They were funny, endearing, and relatable. I appreciated that the main character still had a strong personality that shined through despite the fact she didn't know who she was. Even if she wasn't aware of it, her mind knew what to do. Other books who have similar tropes make the amnesiac to be this boring zombie-like character without any personality, so I appreciated that this was not the case here. I also appreciated that the main characters had flaws and made mistakes. While the male protagonist was this smart super spy, he was human and made mistakes. I thought that the inclusion of this made the book more realistic and the characters more likable.
I think the strongest point of this book was the two main characters and their relationship as they had awesome chemistry. Their banter flowed really well in a way that had me chuckling. It never felt stilted or forced. As a fan of romcoms and spy novels, it's rare to see both genres come together in such an fun way.
Do I think that this book is a realistic version of spy life? No... Did I love absolutely every minute of it? Yes! I cannot recommend enough!

Waking up in the Parisian winter with a concussion, no shoes or coat, and a bad headache is not fun. And it's not even because of tourist stuff; this woman finds out that she has been mistaken for a spy, who happens to be her twin sister Alex. Her only hope is Alex's ex-partner Sawyer, who has a vested interest in keeping Alex's sister alive. It's not for any altruistic or sentimental reasons; Alex has vanished with a USB flash drive that can take down a mob boss, and her sister is the only lead that Sawyer has. At least, that's what Sawyer tells himself before he and the amnesiac woman pose as a married couple to hide from everyone who thinks that she is Alex.

This is a fun romance novel, with plenty of twists and turns. I've been following Ally Carter since high school and was honored to receive a review copy.

Let me just start this off by saying that this is a book I’ve been waiting my whole adult reading life for. I have been an Ally Carter fan since the early GG days when I was in middle school, so when she announced that she was writing an ADULT ROMANCE SPY 😍 book I about lost my ever loving mind in excitement, and then, when I got approved for an arc from Harper Collins, I wanted to cry. And all I have to say now that I’ve finished, is this book was everything I needed it to be and more. So, thank you Ally for this 🫶🏻

From the drop, Ally does what she does best and just pulls you into the story. Sawyer and Zoe are so funny and witty and watching them fall in love made me feel all warm and fuzzy and made me feel like I was reading about Cammie and Zach all over again (iykyk 🤪) The story was consistently moving without feeling like it was spiraling out of control or moving too slow. The mystery behind what was happening and sitting there trying to figure it out with Zoe was 😙 chefs kiss perfect. Every time more information was revealed was like a little red thread pulling the story together until the end when the cards were laid out and I was left sitting there like 😦 because I didn’t see it coming. The dynamic between Sawyer and Zoe will having rooting for the from the very beginning. In true Ally fashion, she’s brought me into this new world that I love and never want to leave and now I absolutely cannot wait for the next book 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 to come out!!

A reminder of all the reasons I love Ally Carter's YA series are on display in her new adult title. Fast-paced, action-packed, quick and quippy dialogue, and a grumpy/sunshine romance this hits all the right notes. Even though it takes place in winter in Paris, this is the perfect read for vacations, beaches, planes, trains and every thing in between.

3.5/5 rounding up

I was a fan of the Gallagher Girls series when I was younger, so I was excited to learn Ally Carter was writing another book. However, The Blonde Identity reads more as a young adult/new adult novel than a true adult mystery to me. The mystery stays pretty surface level and the reader doesn’t learn much about the threat and why they’re after the main character throughout most of the book. Additionally, the espionage didn’t have the level of detail I would expect from an adult spy novel. Overall, the characters were fun and story moves along quickly making it an enjoyable read.


Thank you to NetGAlley and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a fan of Ally Carter for years now, so I was excited to see was writing an adult thriller. The book starts out with a woman in the middle of the street unable to remember how she got there, who she was, or even why she was there. Right away the action starts with people yelling, attacking her while a guy is telling her to run. Their journey follows finding out who she is, who he is, and why people are chasing and trying to capture them. This is a fun espionage story with many twists and turns.

While I enjoyed this book, it did take me about 100 pages to get into it. The first 100 pages are so confusing given that the MC doesn't know anything. The character development is slow while the world around her is moving a fast speed. It took that long for the story to find its groove, and once it did, it was an entertaining spy story with many moving parts (in a good way) that had you guessing until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I gotta pitch this book I'd say The Spy Who Dumped Me meets The Citadel or The Night Agent and I'm aware that im using 2 spy movies/tv series but I can't think of anything else it reminds me of lol. I'd have loved this even more if it was a little more The Citadel/The Night Agent like , and the characters had more depth hence why I'm rating it "only" 4 ⭐️

Don't get me wrong - this was fast paced and entertaining, pure escapist joy, and not every book needs to be super deep and War and Peace like, I just personally get more invested in the characters and that's what matters most to me hence why I wish the MCs- Sawyer and Zoe - were more fleshed out and the book was longer.

The dual POV was perfect for this book especially considering it's only 300 pages and one of the MCs has no idea whats going on lol. It also helped with the tension and their chemistry. The story is filled with humour and banter and covert operations and fan fav tropes like - only one bed, will-they-wont-they, fake dating/(marriage? Lol), grump/sunshine.

The other thing preventing me from rating it 5 ⭐️ is the fact that this is adult and yet the romance is fade to black. That was very disappointing to me because the tension between the characters was building for more than 60% of the book, and it was great they had great chemistry and the tension was palpable so to have the culmination of that happen behind closed doors (literally!) was... pure torture, thank you very much.

The epilogue hints at a sequel that I couldn't find anywhere if it was confirmed yet or not, but if AC continues with this series I'll be picking the next one up!

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

She wakes up in the snow in Paris and doesn't know who she is. He finds her and realizes she is the twin sister of his partner and they are spies. This cinematic story is over the top and lots of fun.

3.5/5

This one was such a fun time!! The Gallagher Girls books were so special to me growing up and the fact that Ally Carter wrote an adult spy romance is everything to me!

I'm not usually a fan of romantic suspense and tbh if this was not an Ally Carter book I would not have picked it up. It is face paced and would make for a great film, but lowkey I had a hard time following what was going on in terms of the action (where were they standing? how could that work? wait what?) which is 100% a me thing bc I find action scenes to be incredibly boring so I skim.

This book feels very young for an adult novel and lowkey if the characters were teens would read YA. The fact that every time Sawyer would swear, Zoe would go "LANGUAGE" really bothered me. Just don't have swearing in the book? I know some adults care about swearing but it was annoying to meeee.

It also is closed door and I prefer more open door, but it was hilarious to me bc when things start happening Zoe says "close the door" and I got a good chuckle out of that.

This book is chockfull of tropes, but it doesn't feel overdone. They have to pretend to be married. There is only one bed. They have to kiss so people don't notice them. The sunniest of sunshines and grumpiest of grumps (for a second dude is gone very quickly). Amnesia. and I'm sure there are more.

Overall, this is a fun lighthearted book that doesn't take itself too seriously. I can't wait to see if Ally writes another adult romance bc her writing is so fun.

*thanks to the publisher for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the whole, I found it delightful. There were definitely moments when I laughed out loud or got feels. But it was kind of tedious as well. It felt too long even though narratively speaking no time at all had passed and the plot was seemingly faced-paced. I also found Zoe kind of annoying sometimes.

gallagher girls assemble!!!

this was a purely fun romp that carries the same tone and energy as the original ally carter series did. the romance is super sweet (what a dreamy male lead!!!), the action is fun and easy to follow, and i’m super excited for what i assume is the next book. i absolutely flew through this one as it was super engaging and exactly the kind of fast-paced fun i was craving at this time.

i do think while the lighter, more childish tone worked for me and my nostalgia, it might not have for someone who wasn’t doing book reports on the gallagher girls in elementary school. (also - there’s no on page spice, so if that’s something that’s a deal breaker for you that’s my fyi!)

thank you sm to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced e-arc of this book!!!

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

thank you netgalley for the arc !

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 2/5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚

read if you like:
♡ there is only one bed
♡ 2000s chickflicks and romcoms
♡ grumpy x sunshine
♡ amnesia
♡ dual pov
♡ spies!!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ i’m going to preface this by acknowledging that this was not my cup of tea; it’s advertised as an adult work but besides the occasional f-bomb and some very milquetoast implications of sex (which winds up being a fade to black) i’d die on the hill that it is absolutely ya. the blonde identity was very much what i’d call ‘junk food’ literature in that it’s fast-paced, chock full of action and momentum, very light-hearted if not tongue in cheek but not really top-shelf stuff. a cute throwback to early 2000s romcoms, prepare yourself for a tidal wave of nostalgia in this espionage romance between spy and self-professed curmudgeon sawyer and our amnesiac very blithe elle woods coded main character who seems to be suffering from a case of mistaken identity as they both run from myriad enemies. whilst the dynamic between the two main characters at times appealed to me, i more often than not found them to be almost wheedling in how hard carter was trying to streamline their love story in such a compact book. in the end all that we’re really left with is more victims of the virulent insta-love — aka the bane of my existence. when considered as individuals instead, both characters hold up far better under scrutiny and do yield up many redeeming characteristics. it’s just unfortunate that they then are eclipsed in this farcical romance arc. another source of disappointment lies in how the antagonists are pretty opaque re: their dispositions or really anything about them beyond their much accursed roles. we never really glean anything about them beyond their cookie cutter existences; they are nothing more than tracery work of characters rendered on butcher paper and we are exposed to only their outlines. they’ve no substance to the point that they’re essentially immaterial in both the literal and figurative sense.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ conclusion:
all in all, if you’re like me and more of a finicky reader who won’t really suffer fools (no character here appears to be very discerning) nor juvenile language - step aside from this one. be forewarned as well that there’s no real mystery and you will not only be spoon fed but have said spoon forced down your throat till the last. now, if you’re searching for a bubbly pick me up which won’t take itself very seriously? this is just up your alley!

The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with 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.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I love Ally Carter books. Give me Gallagher Girls and other adventures and I am all in. I was super excited to hear there was gonna be another type of this book but more for an adult. That being said there is no reason a YA age range reader couldn't read this book too. It had all of her greatest hits...spies, humor, mystery, flirting, and good old adventure thrown in. I can't wait to see if there is more of the series. I loved the characters and enjoyed every minute of this book.

Ally Carter is a fun teen author. Her adult book is amazing! I couldn't put it down. It was exciting, exhilarating, romantic, and sexy! I highly recommend it.

Ally Carter does not miss! This is the definition of propulsive, with a fast-paced plot that keeps you turning pages. This felt *so* cinematic, with every action sequence playing out vividly on the page as if you were watching it on a big screen. I hope we get another one!