jessgj's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of my favorite reads this year. Carter is one of my comfort writers and she didn't miss with this one.
First of all, if you get the chance to listen to the audiobook for this, I HIGHLY recommend it. it took me a second to enjoy the male narrator but they both knocked it out of the park. The voice (Both metaphorical and literal) reminded me of Sarah Michelle Gellar which made it even more fun and nailed the attitude of our titular Blonde (Yes, you find out her actual name in the book but I don't want to spoil it.
In case you were worried this was a book where the FMC is a helpless, brainless damsel, you couldn't be further from the truth. (Yes, she's woefully over her head and a little naive but hey, she lost her memory. Can you blame her?) She's quick-witted, is making as many plans and strategies as our MMC and her different view on things is her strength in this story, not a weakness. I adore her and loved seeing how nearly everyone underestimates her before realizing how much of a boss she is.
If you know Carter more from her YA/MG books, yes, this book is more adult. Blood, death, swearing, sex (Although mostly closed door), it's here. I don't think that'll be an issue for most fans but I'm just letting you know.
So if you're looking for an action-adventure/ romance book a la Romancing the Stone, The Mummy and Agnes and the Hit Man, I highly recommend it!
TW: Gun violence, violence, kidnapping, brief drug use, panic attacks and details of injuries and blood.
First of all, if you get the chance to listen to the audiobook for this, I HIGHLY recommend it. it took me a second to enjoy the male narrator but they both knocked it out of the park. The voice (Both metaphorical and literal) reminded me of Sarah Michelle Gellar which made it even more fun and nailed the attitude of our titular Blonde (Yes, you find out her actual name in the book but I don't want to spoil it.
In case you were worried this was a book where the FMC is a helpless, brainless damsel, you couldn't be further from the truth. (Yes, she's woefully over her head and a little naive but hey, she lost her memory. Can you blame her?) She's quick-witted, is making as many plans and strategies as our MMC and her different view on things is her strength in this story, not a weakness. I adore her and loved seeing how nearly everyone underestimates her before realizing how much of a boss she is.
If you know Carter more from her YA/MG books, yes, this book is more adult. Blood, death, swearing, sex (Although mostly closed door), it's here. I don't think that'll be an issue for most fans but I'm just letting you know.
So if you're looking for an action-adventure/ romance book a la Romancing the Stone, The Mummy and Agnes and the Hit Man, I highly recommend it!
TW: Gun violence, violence, kidnapping, brief drug use, panic attacks and details of injuries and blood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Drug use
hailstorm3812's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Ally Carter wrote books that made me squeal at 15 and it appears she can do it at 25. She can blend spy thriller with heartfelt romcom like no other. I really liked REDACTED and Alex, even though she's only in like a quarter of the book if that. I am a sucker for a romantic lead that is just a bit of a freak. I even liked Sawyer, if he is a bit of a genre stereotype. I also stand by my theory that YA authors can write sexual tension better than anyone since they can't jump straight into it. Though I will warn you it is fade to black. I had a hell of a time and I'm looked forward to the presumable next book.
Spoiler
Banger hilarious ending line also.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Sexual harassment, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
megcarrick's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Violence, Medical content, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
ciwanski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The dedication literally made me sob. Thank you Ally Carter for writing this book (and all of your books) for me.
While romcoms tend not to be the most prestigious examples of literature, this book was certainly a damn good time. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has made my heart burst in every single chapter, but this book hit the mark. Ally even made me not hate a man calling a woman “sweetheart.” Not to mention she gave a great addition to the classic “I’ll kill anyone who hurts you” line.
This book made me giggle and blush and kick my feet and occasionally check my pulse. It also made me very sentimental. For these reasons it is my first 5 star read of the year (almost 9 months in oops). I’m an Ally stan through and through.
While romcoms tend not to be the most prestigious examples of literature, this book was certainly a damn good time. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has made my heart burst in every single chapter, but this book hit the mark. Ally even made me not hate a man calling a woman “sweetheart.” Not to mention she gave a great addition to the classic “I’ll kill anyone who hurts you” line.
This book made me giggle and blush and kick my feet and occasionally check my pulse. It also made me very sentimental. For these reasons it is my first 5 star read of the year (almost 9 months in oops). I’m an Ally stan through and through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death, Medical content, Blood, Gun violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
charlieweasley's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I am completely biased, I love Ally Carter and her spies, and to put it simply nostalgia gives it like an extra half star.
It felt too rushed at certain points, but the plot picks up at around 80%, in true spy book fashion. The romance felt a little too insta-lovey but I get that it is supposed to be a very intense situation.
It felt too rushed at certain points, but the plot picks up at around 80%, in true spy book fashion. The romance felt a little too insta-lovey but I get that it is supposed to be a very intense situation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood
aplain's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Murder, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Body horror, Blood, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
vj_thompson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was SO good!! It was difficult not to binge in one night. Ally Carter’s writing is 😍
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Cursing, and Medical trauma
chronicallybookish's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 16+
Spice Level: 1/5
4.5 stars
I had such high hopes for this book—and it was exactly what I wanted it to be.
I’ve been a fan of Ally Carter’s since I picked up the first Gallagher Girl book when I was 13. I’ve read all of her YA, and I was so excited to see what she would do in the adult space.
This book was fun, fast-paced, and action packed.
The Blonde Identity follows a woman with no memory, as she learns that she’s the identical twin sister of a CIA agent who is on the run—and that means she has to be on the run, too. She has no choice but to team up with another spy and find her sister.
The amnesia trope is a huge component to this book. Our FMC spends the entire book unable to remember anything before the first page. Usually, I hate this trope, however something in the execution of this book worked for me. There wasn’t a single instance where it annoyed me—which is a first. Because this happens in a such a fast-moving book, where no one is like “don’t you remember me?”, and it doesn’t fall into any of the repetitiveness that the trope usually elicits.
The only aspect of this book that I wanted more from was the emotional development. There was so much action in this book that there was very little time for the quiet moments of a blossoming relationship. Ally Carter does a good job of having fleeting moments and touches within the action-packed scenes, but I felt like I could have used just a little more reaction time to sit with the characters as those feelings grew. I was invested in, and even connected to their relationship, but I wasn’t fully convinced that they were truly in love with each other by the end of the story. I wanted them together, and I was convinced they had feelings for each other, but the development between I like you and I’m in love with you felt a little rushed. I think Ally Carter is more used to writing romances that develop over the span of several books, and I think the transition to a one book romance arc left her with a romance that was not quite as well done as those in her previous works.
That said, I really enjoyed this book. I think I’m being so nitpicky with the romance simply because I’m comparing it to the superb romances her YA series have. It is a solid romance, and every other aspect of the book was phenomenal. I truly cannot recommend this book more and I desperately want more adult Ally Carter books!
Age Rating: 16+
Spice Level: 1/5
4.5 stars
I had such high hopes for this book—and it was exactly what I wanted it to be.
I’ve been a fan of Ally Carter’s since I picked up the first Gallagher Girl book when I was 13. I’ve read all of her YA, and I was so excited to see what she would do in the adult space.
This book was fun, fast-paced, and action packed.
The Blonde Identity follows a woman with no memory, as she learns that she’s the identical twin sister of a CIA agent who is on the run—and that means she has to be on the run, too. She has no choice but to team up with another spy and find her sister.
The amnesia trope is a huge component to this book. Our FMC spends the entire book unable to remember anything before the first page. Usually, I hate this trope, however something in the execution of this book worked for me. There wasn’t a single instance where it annoyed me—which is a first. Because this happens in a such a fast-moving book, where no one is like “don’t you remember me?”, and it doesn’t fall into any of the repetitiveness that the trope usually elicits.
The only aspect of this book that I wanted more from was the emotional development. There was so much action in this book that there was very little time for the quiet moments of a blossoming relationship. Ally Carter does a good job of having fleeting moments and touches within the action-packed scenes, but I felt like I could have used just a little more reaction time to sit with the characters as those feelings grew. I was invested in, and even connected to their relationship, but I wasn’t fully convinced that they were truly in love with each other by the end of the story. I wanted them together, and I was convinced they had feelings for each other, but the development between I like you and I’m in love with you felt a little rushed. I think Ally Carter is more used to writing romances that develop over the span of several books, and I think the transition to a one book romance arc left her with a romance that was not quite as well done as those in her previous works.
That said, I really enjoyed this book. I think I’m being so nitpicky with the romance simply because I’m comparing it to the superb romances her YA series have. It is a solid romance, and every other aspect of the book was phenomenal. I truly cannot recommend this book more and I desperately want more adult Ally Carter books!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Gun violence, and Blood
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