ARC Review: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

The Blonde Identity
Author: Ally Carter
Publication: Avon (August 8, 2023)

Description: 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. Which is 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…

My Thoughts: THE BLONDE IDENTITY, Carter's first venture into adult fiction, was a fun romp. A woman wakes up in Paris with no memory and finds herself in the middle of a spy novel. 

She is rescued by superspy Sawyer and learns that she has an identical twin sister who is really a spy. She learns her name is Zoe and that everyone is after her for some reason unknown to her. 

Zoe and Sawyer have all sorts of adventures together as they run from various groups including the CIA, MI6, and Mossad and from the Russian villain Kozlov. And while Zoe isn't as kickass as her twin, she more than holds her own against the villains and with Sawyer.

Zoe falls in love. But can she trust a man who admits that he is lying to her?

This banter filled story was humorous and heart-warming and just lots and lots of fun. 

Favorite Quote:

Alex always looked like she was in on a secret. But Zoe looked like she was in 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?

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.