I listened to Quinn's The Alice Network last spring and absolutely loved it. So I was excited about reading her new book. It is probably one of the longest books that I have read in a while - more than 650 pages. I enjoyed it, but I think it could have been a bit shorter.

There have been a few stories about the intelligent activities at Bletchley Place during WWII. You may have seen the 2014 movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game, or the television series The Bletchley Circle. While I've only seen a few episodes of The Bletchley Circle, I found myself thinking of that show several times while reading The Rose Code.

It felt kind of ironic that I was reading this book when Prince Philip died. He has a number of scenes in the story as he is dating one of the women who works at Bletchley Place.

This isn't really a dual timeline story. Instead, it is more of a story told in flashbacks. The "present" time is 1947 - Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth are just a couple of weeks away from marrying when the story begins. Then it flashes back to 1940 when the main characters of Osla and Mab are recruited to work in the highly secret branch of the British military at Bletchley Place. The German code machine called the Engima has been broken and at this country estate, the country's brightest (and yes, many were women) spent their days intercepting and translating the messages unbeknownst to the enemy.

In the WWII chapters, the reader gets immersed in the day-to-day operations and lives of Bletchley Place. We feel the frustrations of the women who are being entrusted with the world's most guarded secrets, who have taken only high-skilled jobs (breaking the code, running the machines that run the code, translating the code into English from German and Italian), but are constantly being told they are "silly debs" by their male superiors. At least their male counterparts are more accepting and recognize that these women are brilliant.

I should probably point out that The Rose Code is not your typical WWII story. The fighting is very much on the periphery. Yes, there are some bombings and mentions of Navy skirmishes. But Bletchley Place is far removed from the war front. So if you are thinking a war story isn't your thing, you should still consider this book for your next read. These men and women are having book club meetings - I love they call themselves the Mad Hatters.

In the 1947 chapters, we see their lives after the war. But there are secrets from the war that is overshadowing those lives. When Osla and Mab receive an encrypted letter from their billet mate, they must return to a time they can share with no one else - not even their families and confront what ended their friendship. Was there really a traitor in the most guarded place on earth or is it just the imaginings of a person who cracked under the pressure?

I really liked all the characters (who are real-life people). I enjoyed the story. I even enjoyed the details, though I feel like maybe there were too many. I felt pretty fatigued by the end of reading this book. While the ending was satisfying, I didn't feel WOW! THAT WAS GREAT! Instead, I felt more like good, it's over. Am I glad I read it? Yes. It makes me want to read the memoirs and biographies written by/about the women featured in the book.

I read a lot of WWII fiction, and I'm really loving all the books focusing on the role of women during this period. If you also like stories highlighting the often-overlooked stories of women in history, then I recommend adding this book to your reading list.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/04/females-featured-in-two-new-books-for.html

Kate Quinn does it again and leaves us with a amazing historical fiction! Beautifully wrote with great character development. I loved the 3 leading ladies.

Another knock out from Kate Quinn. The blending of the historical details along with the fictional liberties make for a great story. Too many stories about the role of women during wartime have been forgotten and I love the way Kate Quinn brings these details to light.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a story about three young women who are recruited to work at Bletchley Park, the famous code-breaking location in England, during World War II. The women came from different backgrounds: Osla, a debutante, working-class Mab, and extremely extroverted local girl Beth. This historical fiction follows the women from 1940 through 1947; working for this highly secretive agency breaking the German Enigma codes, as well as several other code types. Osla, Mab, and Beth each have a story to tell about their work and personal journey through the war. Historians believe that the work of these codebreakers helped to shorten the war by two years. Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.

This book took me a while, I love it! However it was slow to start with, and it seemed some of it could have been summarized in to shorter paragraphs or left out. I read a lot of historical fiction and always learn something new about what happen in that time so it’s always great to see how women got together and fought the war, their friendship was so tight in till D-day and devastation hit. This show just how fast it can all change. I highly recommend this book... however could have been a bit shorter but still great!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Kate Quinn has done it again. She's created vibrant characters and a compelling plot. It says a lot about her skill as a writer that she's taken a subject that has been done before and gave it a fresh spin.

Bletchley Park. We've all heard of it now, but for many years its true purpose was shrouded in secrecy. Quinn takes us into BP along with three very different women: Osla, the lonely socialite heiress looking to find purpose; Mab, the East Ender fighting her way out of poverty and abuse; and Beth, the brilliant but cowed daughter escaping her mother's oppression. Over the course of several years of high stress, round-the-clock work, their friendship is tested and survival is not guaranteed.

The last twenty percent of this novel was dynamite. I couldn't put it down and stayed up way beyond my bedtime to finish it. The earlier eighty percent was good, but I found myself having to put it down and walk away a few times. Quinn lays out several mysteries early on in the book, mostly by failing to identify characters by name. But she also lays the foreshadowing on pretty thick. I guessed all of the twists (identity-related and event-related) except the identity of the villain, though I had my suspicions about that as well. It just makes for a slightly less satisfying read when you're not surprised at the moments you know the author intended you to be. But "slightly less satisfying" in a Quinn novel is still a very, very good book.

I'd recommend this book to anyone. Historical fiction readers will especially love it.

Kate Quinn does it again! This is a fantastic read! Great character development, interesting setting, and an intriguing plot with a bit of a mystery. I loved the dual timeline and the Prince Philip tie-in. Five stars! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Thanks to William Morrow for my free review copy. All opinions are my own. Kate Quinn does it again with this story about 3 female code breakers working during WWII. Beth, Mab, and Osla’s stories each could have been their own book, instead, we got an epic tale of intertwining friendship with a spy mystery to boot!

Oh, and did I mention that Osla dates Prince Philip before he marries Queen Elizabeth II AND that part of the storyline takes place in the lead-up to the royal wedding?

Absolutley fantastic! As always Kate Quinn has produced a spectacularly researched and well written novel. I could not put this down once I got going. The depth of the characters really invests you in the outcome of the story and immerses you in the drama WWII espionage.

The Rose Code is set in WWII England with a group of unlikely women and men that come together to become codebreakers in the war effort. Skills they need: math, chess, puzzle cracking, language abilities, perseverance and grit. Osla, Mab and Beth become roommates and coworkers in Bletchley Park. They each play a part in breaking the German Enigma code to bring any and all advantages to the Allied troops. Did you watch The Imitation Game? That focused more on Alan Tuering, where this focuses on the women involved.

There is so much in this book and a lot for every reader. There are historical people (Prince Philip of Greece, Winston Churchill!), places and events. It's a story of female friendship and how that friendship can form and break. It's also about family, what that means and how you can create it. It's got adventure and romance and mystery.

Enjoy this delightful read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved chatting with Kate. She is my go to histprical fiction writer. I love learning about the code breakers, Prince Phillip and all of the stories.

Here is a link to the author interview that was featured on the podcast.

I don’t have the words. This book is a master class in perfection. Like a rose, this book unfurls itself slowly with a subtle complexity that takes you by surprise. However, if you’ve ever read any other Quinn work, this should honestly not surprise you too much. Where do I begin?? The back and forth nature of “present” versus “past” and how they collide is handled expertly. Mab, Osla and Beth are such different women but are bonded for life by their experiences during WWII. Every single twist that flutters between these 3 women will have readers scouring for The Moment when everything clicks. Quinn’s use of fact blended with fiction was sublime. The first half of the book does a slow, even job of backstory building. Just over halfway through the pace picks up and just keeps going. 60% through the book the “oh my gosh” begins. The last 30% of the book was a breakneck dash for me to get to the end because I couldn’t stop reading. Make dinner? Read with a book in my hand. Eat dinner? Hold the book. My husband commented that about 85% through I started shrieking. Fans of previous Quinn books might even notice an Easter Egg subtly tucked in. Overall, incredible novel. In my top 5, if not my top 3 for 2021. Just in awe.

"The Rose Code" is an engaging work of historical fiction and once I got into it, it was a great page-turner. The framing device for the novel is the royal wedding of Elizabeth and Philip in 1947, but most of the story takes place during World War II. "The Rose Code" follows three women who end up working at Bletchley Park as codebreakers: Osla, Mab, and Beth. The friendship between the three is tested many times, and each woman faces individual struggles. Kate Quinn does a nice job of creating three unique characters with whom we become invested. Though this is a lengthy book at over 600 pages, most of it was relevant to the story and the pacing moved very quickly.

Wow! A puzzle within to boot! So enjoyed this world and quirky characters who might have felt out of place anywhere else except at Bletchley Park. Compelling storylines bound together by the common purpose and struggle to defeat the Germans. The way the story is told is masterful and kept me turning pages when I should have been sleeping. I loved all 600 plus pages of this epic story. Well done!

The drama and legends of Bletchley Park are revisited in Kate Quinn's historical thriller centered around three women; effervescent society girl Osla, risen from poverty Mab and extremely shy genius Beth, who plunge into the frantic and secret world of the Enigma codebreakers. Yet each of the women guard their own secrets from unspoken frustrations of homelife and failed romances. Quinn adds plenty of historical accuracy from cameos by Winston Churchill and Alan Turing to Germans ruthlessly bringing death by bombing London and other cities. To add to the suspense Quinn varies the narrative from British wartime years by shifting chapters to 1947 and Queen Elizabeth's upcoming marriage to Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh which is a key component to the three women's post-WWII lives. Early on readers know the women's initial thrill of code-breaking dissolves into betrayal fracturing their friendship. At times scenes fall into Quinn's tendency for cinematic writing that requires a suspension of disbelief. Nevertheless, pages turn easily in this historical thriller.

What an incredible story! Kate Quinn is one of my favorite authors and is a master at World War II historical fiction. When you start The Rose Code you will be drawn into a time of codebreakers at Bletchley Park. Just thinking about what these men and women did back then boggles the mind. I couldn't get enough of Mab, Osla and Beth. I switched between reading and listening to this audiobook -- by the way, the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is fabulous! She also narrated The Huntress and The Alice Network so if you've listened these other top-notch books by Kate Quinn books you'll be familiar with her.

The Rose Code will go down in my Top 10 of 2021 for sure!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

A few years ago, I had read author Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network and absolutely loved it – to the point that both the story and its characters continued to stay with me for quite some time afterwards. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to read Quinn’s follow up novel The Huntress (which I plan to rectify at some point) – which is why, when I was given the opportunity to read her latest release, The Rose Code, I jumped at the chance to do so, prioritizing it ahead of most of my March reads, despite the fact that, at 656 pages, I knew it would take me some time to get through. Of course, given how much I enjoyed Quinn’s previous work, I went into this one with high expectations and now, after having finished, I can say with certainty that it definitely didn’t disappoint. One of the things I loved about The Alice Network were the strong female protagonists at the center of the story – indomitable women from different walks of life (with distinctly different personalities and flaws), who are brought together in unique ways to support the war effort. This time around, the story involves 3 women who are recruited to work at Bletchley Park, a mysterious estate in the British countryside that was later revealed to be one of the main Allied code-breaking centers during WWII.

Osla Kendall is a vibrant young debutante who seems to have everything her heart desires – wealth, beauty, a good education, a handsome boyfriend, etc. – yet she longs for one thing that had been elusive thus far: the desire to prove herself as a woman with talent who should be taken seriously rather than constantly written off as a “silly” society girl. It is this desire that motivates Osla to join Bletchley Park, where she hopes to use her fluency in languages, particularly in German, to help translate intercepted messages and contribute to the war effort on behalf of her country. Mab Churt is a girl born into poverty whose impervious and determined nature helped her survive multiple hardships early on in her life. Hoping to bury her past unpleasant experiences and create a better life for herself as well as her little sister Lucy, Mab joins BP hoping to find a socially advantageous husband while at the same time, putting her self-taught skills to good use. After joining BP, both Osla and Mab end up billeting at the home of Beth Finch, a shy 24 year old who, up to that point, had been living under her strict, domineering mother’s iron fist – after a lifetime of being told that she is “slow and useless” and therefore destined to forever remain under her mother’s thumb, doing her bidding, Beth does not dare believe herself to be anything but incapable of survival outside of her home’s four walls. When Osla and Mab help Beth discover that she actually has a brilliant knack for solving the most difficult puzzles in a short amount of time, she also ends up joining BP, becoming one of the facility’s very few female cryptanalysts. As these three women become close friends and colleagues, they encounter numerous challenges in their work, with the biggest one being the requirement to abide by an unbreakable oath of secrecy – an oath that tests the limits of their friendship and ultimately tears them apart..

In a bit of a unique narrative format, the story alternates between the perspectives of each of the 3 main characters as well as 2 different timelines spanning within the same decade. The story kicks off in 1947, with the war over and a feverish joy in the air over the imminent royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. But not everyone has a reason to celebrate, as is hinted at when we are introduced to the 3 former BP colleagues whose fates took dramatically different turns after the war. We are then taken back to 8 years ago, in December 1939, and from there, the story unfolds between two alternating timelines that ultimately converge into a final act that is both compelling and explosive. Unlike both of Kate Quinn’s previous novels, which were more straightforward in terms of the role of her female protagonists in espionage, this one takes a slightly different approach by focusing on the breakdown of encoded messages intercepted from enemy forces during the war – a subject not often covered in stories about this time period. I’m not much of a math or science person and I will admit that a lot of the technical jargon in the book went way over my head, but because of the way the story was written – the way Quinn was able to seamlessly weave both the technical and historical elements into a compelling story that felt both atmospheric and approachable – made this such a refreshing read for me, one that opened my eyes to a different and intriguing aspect of the WWII time period that I’m curious to learn more about. This is actually one of the things I love about well-written historical fiction – its ability to take historical events / people / topics, etc. and make them both approachable and accessible to people like me who probably would not engage otherwise due to difficulty in approaching the content.

One of the things that had really stood out to me with The Alice Network was the way Quinn wrote her characters, which I found easy to connect and resonate with, even though the world that the characters inhabited were so vastly different from my own. The same can be said of the characters in The Rose Code, except this time around, I felt like I was able to connect with these characters (Osla, Mab, and Beth) on a much deeper level, despite the fact that the time period and the world I live in right now is so different. I love books with well-developed characters that you can’t help but resonate with on some level – this book absolutely fit that bill.

This is a novel I definitely recommend, especially for historical fiction fans. Also, I didn’t intentionally plan it this way, as I don’t typically read based on theme, but this one turned out to be a perfect read for March, with it being Women’s History Month. What a wonderful way to celebrate the importance of women’s contributions throughout history, both here and around the world!

Received ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley.

I've been reading Kate Quinn since Mistress of Rome came out (underrated, wonderful read) and read The Rose Code because she wrote it.

I admit, I'm burned out on women's fiction WW II novels...or thought I was, because The Rose Code is outstanding and a perfect example of how great this particular subgenre of historical fiction can be!

There are three main characters; Osla, Mab, and Beth, and each of them is utterly fascinating and all of their stories are compelling. I found myself sucked into the world of code breaking that they were involved in as well as the way their personal stories, from falling for a prince, a poet, and a fellow (married) code breaker played out.

It's a moving tale about the very important role many British women played in WW II and its ramifications as well as not one, or two, but three great stories unfold. It's a fantastic, fast, and wonderful novel and even if you think you're burnt out on WW II stories, when it comes to The Rose Code, you definitely aren't! Highly recommended for Kate Quinn fans, historical fiction fans, women's fiction fans--in short, everyone!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review...
Things I loved: Historical fiction based on WW2 but seemed different than typical in the genre. With it being 646 pages, there was a lot of story that was well told and never rushed. Complicated characters in a complicated situation and still felt real.
Things to consider: if you liked The Alice Network by the same author, you will like this one. If you have seen the movie: The Imitation Game, this is a parallel story to that.

Gosh I loved this book! This novel hooked me from the beginning, and I barely put it down until I finished it. Kate Quinn has definitely done her research, and setting the story at Bletchley Park was so interesting. Excellent character development, and beautifully written. I highly recommend this title-I look forward to recommending it to our library patrons.