What a ridiculously fun and entertaining book! I absolutely LOVED "The Blonde Identity" right from the jump. Each character was so well developed and realistic, the storyline was top-notch and exciting, and the novel as a whole was sexy, funny, and kept me turning pages well into the wee hours of the night. I was completely hooked by this story and can't wait to read more by Ally Carter!

Okay, this was an ABSOLUTE BLAST!!!!! From the first page I was hooked! I didn't read the synopsis and went in completely blind and enjoyed the wild ride! It was mistaken identities, a hot spy guy, lots of action, fake marriage! It was just so fun and addictive. It was light hearted and the perfect beach read.

I loved how fast paced and adventurous it felt! There were twists that were so well done I didn't see them coming!!! The romance was absolutely precious too! I feel like the main character was a hoot and reminded me of myself sort of. Sawyer was such a protective babe and I LOVED him!!!! I couldn't get enough! Definitely recommend if you're looking for something fun, fast paced and different! It's like Jason Bourne meets 007 but make it a funny blonde!

"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.

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..."

Because everyone has wanted a rom-com version of The Bourne Identity right? I know I have. Jason and Marie deserved their HEA!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! The Blonde Identity was a super quick read - I was able to read it in one sitting, which I thought was great! This book was also pretty quick-paced and left me wanting to know what happened next. I found myself wanting a little bit more depth throughout the book, but nevertheless, it was a fun, easy read!

I have been waiting YEARS for Ally Carter to publish another book. The Gallagher Girls Academy was (and maybe still is..) a huge part of my identity, so I was really looking forward to the adult version of it and this book delivered. I was concerned this could be a men always save the girl type of book, but I should have never doubted Ally, as the main character is completely relatable but so resourceful. This book is complete with just enough action, romance and comedy. I can't wait for what I think may be a second book in a series based on the ending!

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

Sure to make you smile, The Blonde Identity is a fun and fast-paced spy rom-com that is perfect for lovers of the grumpy/sunshine trope!

Amnesia, spies, and fake marriage! It all starts with our main character waking up on a snowy street in Paris with no memory of who she is or how she got there. So, of course, my brain started spiraling with all the possibilities of where this story could go. There were plenty of cute and hilarious moments, and I probably looked like a smiling idiot while reading this on the subway. The action scenes were also mixed in well, tying in the “serious spy stuff” with the romance.

Although I wouldn’t call this book “spicy,” I do want to emphasize that this is an adult rom-com (not YA). As someone who first read the Gallagher Girls books years ago, however, I think fans who grew up with Ally Carter’s writing will really enjoy reading about these two lovebirds. Now, if you want to learn more about who this couple really is…you better read for yourself!

Thank you Avon Books for providing me an early NetGalley copy in exchange for an honest review! The Blonde Identity is set to pub on Aug. 8 and is currently available for preorder.

I come to you in my official capacity as #1 action/adventure romantic comedy enthusiast to inform you that this was everything I wanted it to be.

Our heroine wakes up in the street in Paris with no idea who she is or how she got there in the first place. What she does know is that an extremely hot guy is calling her Alex and helping her run away from the scary men on motorcycles who seem to want to murder her. It turns out Hot Guy is a spy, and everyone thinks she's a spy too, only they might be confusing her with her identical twin sister???

Listen, if you like realism or even like, plausibility, this is probably not the book for you. I certainly don't care about those things, so I was all the way in the whole time. And I'm of the opinion that there's actually no better way to fall in love than when you're running from assassins with a hot spy who saved your life by ripping the nightgown off your body and strangling someone with it.

This is funny, lighthearted, and action-packed. If you don't enjoy fight scenes or chase scenes, this might not necessarily call to you, but the romance is of the grumpy/sunshine variety, and I really loved them together. The relationship development is really well done (although, it is regrettably fade-to-black). I truly had the best time. The vibes are in the same vein as movies like The Spy Who Dumped Me or Date Night, if that's up your alley.

**eARC provided by NetGalley and Avon

This was so much fun! Ally Carter was one of my favorite authors and getting the chance to read an ARC of her new book was such a dream come true! I absolutely loved the story, characters and premise! I’m always a sucker for a spy story! This was so good and I cannot wait to see what comes next!

My fourteen year old, Gallagher Girl loving self was SCREAMing when I heart Ally Carter was releasing a spy romcom for adults— literally what my dreams are made of! As a young teen I remembered being obsessed with her sassy, likeable characters, brooding love interests and fast paced plots and couldn’t wait to see how that carried forward over a decade later.

The Blonde Identity follows the story of Zoe— identical twin to her spy sister, current amnesia sufferer and presently on the run from multiple intelligence organisations. When she wakes up alone in Paris with a head injury, all she has is a few tissues, some chapstick and a mysterious card that may or may not unlock something valuable. That, and Sawyer: an inconveniently handsome spy who trying to… maybe… help her. Newly armed with the knowledge her twin sister Alex is currently on the run with a stolen hard drive, the two traverse Europe trying to locate said hard drive before their enemies get there first. But everything isn’t as it seems and it looks like Zoe is in for a lot more than just an international goose chase, especially when feelings start to crop up between her and Sawyer.

I really loved the humour in this story and how quickly the plot moved, and especially loved the fake-married interlude around the middle! The chemistry between Zoe & Sawyer was palpable and even if the story didn’t span that long, I found their journey to love to be fairly believable. The spy antics were especially entertaining and definitely reminded me of all the heists, cons, and near-misses of Ally’s Gallagher Girls days.

That being said, I was definitely expecting… more. As it was pitched as an adult romcom I was really hoping for a plot and romance more befitting an adult audience, but overall, the writing style and content (with the exception of a few bits of language and some veiled sex jokes) felt very YA. The characters could have easily been 16-17 and the story could have remained the same, which was a little bit disappointing for me personally. Also, as much as I enjoyed the spy shenanigans, I do wish it would have been a *little* more realistic. I never really got the sense they were in danger or got a feeling for the enemy, which I think is necessary if you’re trying to create a sense of urgency in the plot.

Overall, The Blonde Identity was a quick, entertaining read, and if you go into it expecting a few hours of fun with Ally Carter’s specific type of witty humour, I think you’ll like it!

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this title.

This book was bonkers, and I loved every minute of it! It was so fun, with a nice little emotional twist at the end. I rarely finish a book in less than 7-8 hours because I am a slow reader, but I devoured this book in about 5 hours. I just could not stop reading it. Fun, light, crazy, and sweet with enough adventure and romance to keep everyone happy. Highly recommend.

OMG my middle school heart is SINGING that Ally Carter writes for adults now!!!! This is fast paced and sexy and funny and adventurous. I wish the spy part was lightly less complicated and that it wasn't closed door but this book was so MUCH FUN!!!! Praying there will be a second in the series!

Thanks to author, publisher and netgalley for the ARC

Ally Carter has once again knocked it out of the park. No one does the spy genre quite like her. Fans (such as myself) who grew up on her 'Gallagher Girls' series and now find themselves grown up will love The Blonde Identity. It's the book equivalent of the feeling of coming home and a natural progression for Carter and her fans. Prior fans will enjoy the male lead, Jake Sawyer, and recognize a lot of spy terminology from Carter's other books (if they've maintained their clearance of course). New fans will relate to Zoe as she comes to learn what it means and takes to be a spy. The pair of main characters truly reflect either side of the journey the reader will find themselves on. Are they learning about Zoe like Jake is or learning about both Zoe and the world of espionage just as she is? Can they find Zoe's sister before the bad guys? Should they even try to find her? And can Zoe and Jake even trust each other? Should Zoe's natural instincts be trusted, considering all she's been through?
Their adventure is action packed as they travel, con, and banter their way through every problem thrown their way. Come for the action, mystery, twists, and turns. Stay for the characters chemistry, development, and relationships. (And potential sequel set up at the end maybe).
Ally Carter knows how to use tropes the current market loves in a way that feels natural for the story. I can't wait for the general public to get their hands on this. If you haven't read her prior works I assure you, you're in for a fun time.

I didnt expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I'm usually not a big spy book person but it was actually really good. I really enjoyed the romance and the plot itself was interesting enough to keep my attention and not bore me at all. I think the plot twist was well done and overall I really enjoyed it. Im really excited for the sequel.

This is exactly the pure escapist joy I didn’t know I needed. Thoroughly, THOROUGHLY, enjoyed.

I knew I’d need to read this from the moment I saw that it existed. I was a big fan of Gallagher Girls as a kid and am currently a romance fanatic. Thus: perfect fit!

The Blonde Identity is absolutely what I was signing up for. The plot is simple but not at all boring. 90% banter, chemistry, and spy tropes, with a 10% low intensity yet high stakes espionage mystery in the background. This is absolutely romance and comedy-centric, so very light reading. The characters have only basic backstory development, still, there lots and lots of personality and quick dialogue throughout. The writing is filled with humor and the story is fast paced, I genuinely flew through this without a care and enjoyed every single moment of it!

I will also just quickly note that in many ways this felt very similar to Ally Carter’s YA writing, just featuring adult main characters. There’s nothing inherently “adult” to the content, style, or storylines. Just older characters and a few very veiled references to a sexual relationship, all of which is closed door and fade to black.

Here’s hoping the end of the epilogue is a tease towards a sequel! I’ll be picking it up in a heartbeat if so!!

I loved this story! It was so much fun, takes place all over Europe and is non-stop action. I don't want to spoiler her name, but I can't keep calling her "Main Character" so she will be MC for short. MC is a lovable, definitely-not-a-spy heroine who uses her head to get out of dangerous situations while Mr. Hot Guy (Sawyer) tries to get them somewhere safe. The banter between MC and Sawyer was spot on, and had me laughing out loud more than a few times. Not one to miss, especially for readers who love action, mystery and grumpy/sunshine couples.

One small thing I would change would be the terms of endearment Sawyer uses, whenever he used "lady" it would throw me out of the book because I always read it in an annoyed/irritated tone, not a loving/caring one. I think "love" would have been more appropriate, considering which spy agency he belongs to.

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

I was ridiculously excited to get this book after reading the synopsis, but unfortunately it fell very flat for me. The book tried so hard not to have insta-love, and somehow it still did. It had truly unbearable inner monologues from both of the point of views. The FMC's was particularly also very juvenile. There was absolutely no room left for readers to infer meaning or critically think about actions, the book just flat out tells you what everyone is thinking and feeling.

I've never read any Ally Carter and I know she has quite the following so I may just not have been the target audience. I will say, I laughed out loud quite a few times reading jokes in this book, I thought parts of it were really fun, and this is a super fast read.

<b>”What gives you the right to give certifiable movie kisses and certifiable hero lines and stand there with your certifiable hot guy smirks while telling me you just wanted to save my life? What gives you the right ... you absolute jerkface!" Sawyer gave it a second then shouted, "I don't know what that means!" </b>

Alex (Not Alex) & Jack Sawyer. Sawyer and… the denominator. GASP! This was SO much fun! Charming and witty. Yoo-hoo readers! You *need* The Blonde Identity! 10 out of 10. Would read again.

✨THINGS AND STUFF✨
-him & her dual pov
-Paris 🇫🇷
-amnesia: I don’t remember anything
-gasp, I’m a spy! (Operative). (Or am I?!).
-interpol, cia, mi6, mossad, the Russian mob
-evil twin & not so evil twin: the classic parent trapping trope
-hysterical, LOL banter
-grumpy bear x actual sunshine
-the classic enemies to lovers situation
-undercovering: Mr. & Mrs. Michaelson aka the classic fake marriage trope
-emotional support goat
-touch her and you die
-the classic only one bed scenario
-#IsThisAKissingBook: closed door (ftb). “Oh! Are we going to make out so no one gets suspicious?”… "You know?" she said with exaggerated patience. "When two people are about to get caught, so they kiss suddenly and-" "No!" he said a little too sharply. "We're not doing that." "Oh. Well. We could. If we need to. For our cover. I'm here for whatever we need to do, cover-wise."

Thank you Avon Books for the advanced copy!

Song: Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande

As a book that didn’t take itself seriously, this was a ton of fun. If you’ve read any of Carter’s YA novels, you’ll sure to love this. Set in Europe, our main character wakes up on the street with amnesia. Right away the action starts with people trying to kill her as they think she’s her identical twin who happens to be a spy (possibly a rogue one). Enter a man she dubs Mr. Hot Guy who insists he knows her sister and begrudgingly helps her. From there begins a game of cat and mouse with hijinks, silly moments, and of course, some romance. There’s even a twist or two. Our MC and companion try to get her memory back and solve the mystery before it’s too late while falling for each other in the process.

I loved this book! The story grabbed me from the first page, and I could not put it down! The pacing was perfect, and the romance between the main characters was compelling and believable, unlike some I’ve read recently. I will definitely look for other books by this author!

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC.

Heartbroken that this wasn't for me. I've loved Ally Carter's other books and this one just did not hit for me. It's very choppy and a little too cute. It feels less like blockbuster action movie and more like a Hallmark movie. Maybe it was the male POV chapters? I'm sure that it will find its audience, but it's not me.