The Rose Code is a historical fiction novel with two alternate timelines (1940 and 1947) and three narrators. The novel follows Osla, Canadian socialite, Mab, the self-made tall beauty brought up in the poverty of east-end London, and Beth, the village spinster with a genius streak as they are called to serve their country in the Bletchley Park, the most secrete location in Britain where best minds are working around the clock to break German codes. The novel centers around the subjects of friendship, female empowerment, sacrifices one is willing to make for family/loved ones, and duty to one’s country.

Saskia Maarleveld did a splendid job narrating The Rose Code, especially Osla’s parts in my opinion. Would I have enjoyed The Rose Code in a book form? I do not know. I hesitate to say that the audio is the only way to go with this one. I have a feeling it’s one of these books that are equally good in both physical form and audio.

The Rose Code is an excellent choice if you want to read a historical fiction novel about WWII that does not center around front-line battles, and concentration camps. This book focuses largely the efforts of the civilians that are so often overlooked. It has been estimated that the intelligence work at Bletchley Park (including the code breaking, decoding, and the translation of the messages featured in The Rose Code) shortened the war by approximately two years (!).

While the book was not as impactful for me personally as say Lilac Girls, it is also far less graphic (it has it’s moments mind you, but overall for WWII fiction it is very mild in the gore department), almost entirely void of trauma porn, and overall is very easy to read. Despite it’s hefty size (the hardcover is 656 pages long) I would categorize it as a fast read, and a page turner. The romance parts are easy breezy and entertaining, and the spy/mystery aspect will keep you on the edge of your seat.

One aspect of the book that I was disappointed with was the development of Beth Finch’s character. In the beginning of the book the author seems to insinuate that Beth is on the autistic spectrum. While I will be the first one to say that we have WAAYYY too much representation of the Asperger's/genius types in the books/movies, etc., and NO representation of the people on the more severe end of the spectrum whatsoever, I was still excited to read about the contributions of “people like Beth” during the WWII. But…alas, even that kind of …did not happen? As far as the character development goes Beth starts of as pretty much a textbook case of the person on the high end of the spectrum: extremely inept socially, considered “feeble minded” as a child, does not like to be touched, genius level splintered skill in math/pattern reading, etc. But then suddenly, the author decides to make her...oh I don't know, just a very very smart person who is a little “odd”? Beth is very much able of having meaningful friendships, taking care of a pet, and being in a romantic relationship all seemingly with a very little effort. Sure, there are a lot of people like a "later" Beth: just very smart scientifically minded women who blossom when they are put in a position where they can be successful. However, I was perplexed by the author's choice to make Beth so obviously autistic when describing her life before Bletchley Park if she was not going to pursue the “neurodiversity trop”. For example, one of the more tragic subplots in The Rose Code is that of Beth being locked up in an asylum. (This is not a spoiler, it’s in the description of the book.) And indeed, the possibility of ending up in an asylum for the person on the spectrum in the 1940s was, well…significant. In fact this is one of the reasons why Hitler was able to annihilate such a horrifyingly large number of the people with the developmental disorders. However, the author places Beth in the asylum NOT because of her erratic behavior due to, say, the sensory overload, obsessions, extreme rigidity, or inability to read social cues. She is there for entirely different reasons!

Furthermore, the author seems to insinuate that the reason that Beth started to “blossom” after leaving her home and starting to work at Bletchley Park was at least partly due to the fact that she was no longer controlled by her extremely authoritative, abusive, and all-around horrid mother. This is a dangerous “old school” stereotype that has been disputed for decades. The idea that the “refrigerator mother” is a reason for a child's inability to thrive. Agh…why? Just why? This is so damaging, and unfortunate, and sure made me knock off a star. Or two.

In short, The Rose Code is a fun and fast read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is probably not the best historical fiction novel, but while it lacks on the character development front, it is brimming with very well researched, fascinating facts from the 1940s' era. I think you will enjoy this novel if you:

1. Like WWII historical fiction centered around civilian efforts
2. Have enjoyed In Farleigh Field by Janet Quin-Harkin
3. Are fascinated with the British Royal Family (who isn’t nowadays anyways?)
4. Love books about female empowerment
5. Fascinated by patterns, codes, and the history of the code breaking

I absolutely loved the story of Osla, Mab, and Beth. These strong women proved that women are more than silly debutantes. (not that debutantes are necessarily silly) I found the audio version to be a bit slow at the beginning and had to start completely over at one time but once I got the characters straight in my mind, I hated to stop listening. I hope you love this WWII story of espionage, secrets, and female friendship as much as I did. Clear your calendar... this one deserves your full attention.

Three women, smart and creative, have been called to be code breakers. Beth, Mab and Oslo, all from different backgrounds. They become fast friends and then they become enemies, all because of a traitor.

This is Kate Quinn’s best book yet. I love the way she managed the timelines. And her characters…wow! I love Oslo and Mab, but Beth is my favorite. Most likely because she received the most emotional response from me. Plus, the story itself had me mesmerized. I had no idea where it was going. I love a story which keeps you guessing and this one did…NO DOUBT!

And the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, she struck the right note with intensity and emotion. She pulled me in and kept me there. I do not think I have ever listened to a book narrated by her before. But, I will definitely be on the look out for her!

Grab your copy today…FANTASTIC!

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.

Three women from very different backgrounds become friends after coming to Bletchley Park, the top secret home of the WW2 codebreakers. There's vivacious Osla, who works as a translator and wants to prove she's more than just a debutante, street-smart Mab, who works the codebreaking machines and is looking for a respectable husband, and shy Beth, who they all soon discover has a knack for codebreaking. ⁣
⁣
Picking up years after the war ended, we find out that Beth has been falsely imprisoned in an asylum since D-day. She manages to smuggle out a message to Osla and Mab for help, but doesn't know if they will come because she betrayed them and they haven't spoken to one another in years. Finding out there was a possible traitor at Bletchley, Osla and Mab decide to set aside their feelings and come together with Beth to solve one last code.⁣
⁣
This book quickly captured my attention. What could have possibly happened to make them despise each other? Who put her in the asylum? What is the Rose Code? ⁣
⁣
I enjoyed learning more about how Bletchley Park operated during that time. I always knew they couldn't talk about their work, but I never really considered how they were treated by the community, to be thought of as cowards. The Rose Code was wonderfully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. It was easy to listen to and to distinguish between the many different characters of the story. This book has everything: history, mystery, strong female characters, and romance. Kate Quinn does it again! ⁣
⁣
Thank you to @Netgalley and @HarperAudio for gifting me a copy of The Rose Code.⁣
⁣

This was a bit of a disappointment. I'll start by saying that I've read and enjoyed Kate Quinn's books in the past and do think she's a remarkably skilled voice in historical fiction, but this one missed the mark for me.

Despite excellent narration from Saskia Maarleveld, the 15+ hour audiobook (over 650 pages) felt excessively long and it was a challenge to stay invested at times. The three leads were all interesting and distinct characters, but I didn't feel like their relationships were well enough developed over the course of the story. I was most interested in the code breaking and interpersonal dynamics between the three main characters, both of which were certainly featured, but for a book of this length, I'd have liked more exploration of both.

My interest in this book also suffered dramatically for it having included Prince Philip as a prominent love interest, which felt entirely unnecessary to the plot and distracted me greatly throughout. I truly can't see the point of it.

TW: war, forced institutionalisation, abuse, racism, sexual harassment and assault

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for providing this advance copy of the audiobook

The Rose Code

I was SO excited and honored to have the opportunity to review this book before it’s publishing date and I was NOT disappointed. Kate Quinn’s writing is passionate, mysterious, perfectly detailed (but nothing overly so)and she does an exceptional job of developing the characters and plot line.

This book was based on three women code breakers during WW2 and their, at times, complicated friendships with one another. By the end of the book I truly felt apart of it and I was not ready to move on. I have already pre-ordered the hardback as I know I will want to revisit it in the future and of course, for it to have a place on my “favorites” shelf.

Many thanks to the Kate Quinn, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for a audio copy of this book. I read/listened and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase on March 9th, 2021!

#netgalley #therosecode

Instagram: @theboujeebookess

I absolutely loved it. I really loved The Huntress, this one doesn't hold back, there's another three people to keep track of, their lives, their loves, it has an absolutely smashing final fifth where everything comes together so smoothly. A banger, it really is. Blog review to come.

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for a gifted audiobook copy of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. All opinions are my own.

Three very unique women come together in this story about WWII. Osla, Mab, and Beth come from different backgrounds but they are all three hired as codebreakers and required to keep the secrets of Bletchley Park. No one, not even their families, know what they are doing at Bletchley Park.

I loved The Rose Code. The women are each strong in their own way. Osla comes from a wealthy and well connected family. Mab comes from a poor and broken family. Beth has a very overbearing mother and has been sheltered from the world. At times is was heartbreaking but the story is fascinating and inspired a few visits to google facts, especially about Osla's life.

It is a dual timeline which alternates between 1940, as England prepares for war, and 1947, in the days leading up to the royal wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Audiobook: I received a gifted audiobook from Netgalley. The narrator is Saskia Maarleveled. Her voice is clear and easily understandable. 1.75x was a very comfortable listening speed.

This is my first Kate Quinn book and now I want to read them all.

General Fiction (adult)
Historical Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: March 9, 2021

Excellent! By far the best book I've read so far this year. I read this book on audio and the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, does a superb job as well. I was mesmerized by the story and could not stop listening from start to finish. Most of the time I only listen to audiobooks in my car but found myself finding excuses to listen to this one every extra minute I had throughout my day. I was familiar with the history of Bletchley Park, having watched The Imitation Game, and this book brought that history to life in an amazing way. Kate Quinn does a wonderful job of weaving suspense, intrigue, love and friendship into her book. I am sad to say I had not read any of her books previously but am rectifying that now! I immediately checked out "The Huntress" on audio (so far, it too is excellent) from the local library and also have "The Alice Network" on hold. With this book, Kate Quinn has become one of my new favorite authors!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audiobook of "The Rose Code" by Kate Quinn in exchange for an honest review.

"1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer..."

I loved getting to know Osla, Mab, and Beth through their stories and the adventures at Bletchley Park. Having not known much about Bletchley Park or The Rose Code, I didn't know what to expect, but I was hooked throughout the whole story. After finishing the book, I went and did a bit more research on the history of Bletchley Park and it's significance to England and WWII. I don't want to spoil anything from the plot, but I will be recommending this to my friends and family. The narrator was fantastic and really brought the characters to life better than I could have imagined myself.

•
Mab is a fierce, practical woman from London’s East End. She just wants a better life for her and her little sister.
Osla is a Canadian born debutante, heiress and the war-time girlfriend of a prince. She’s determined to prove she’s more than a pretty face.
Beth’s a shy young woman who has always been under the thumb of her overbearing mother. She’s incredibly brilliant and a natural code breaker.
These three women become roommates while working at Bletchley Park, a top secret facility trying to break the German’s coded messages. They’re sworn to secrecy and take their jobs seriously. In a later timeline in 1947, the three friends are estranged when it’s discovered there may have been a traitor among them at Bletchley Park.

Three women, three love stories and I was here for it! This novel is so compelling. It is largely character driven and then the suspense hits hard towards the end as it all comes together so ingeniously. It has secrets, betrayal, friendship, love and forgiveness and hit all my emotions.
I received an advanced listening copy and the audio is brilliant. I loved the narration and it enhanced this incredible story.
•
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

If you love watching The Crown and enjoy World War II novels, this book will appeal to you. Three vastly different women answer the call to help Britain. In 1940, they join the supersecret work at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. They are working on decoding the Nazi military messages. Moving back and forth between 1940 and 1947 where the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip is the news of the day. Its personal, because Osla, one of the Bletchley Park women working on translating the German messages into English, has dated Prince Phillip. Beth whose parents despise an education for women, turns into one of the top decoders and finds herself spirited off to a mental institution because she has been decoding Russian messages which show a traitor is working at Bletchley Park. Meg, the third of the women, lost her husband and child in a German air raid and deals with coming to terms with her future. After the war, with Beth held captive in the mental asylum, Osla and Meg go their own ways only to reunite with Beth to catch the traitor who is still working for Russian intelligence. And it all comes to a whizbang of an ending, during the Royal Wedding in London as they capture the traitor. I listened to the audio version. With the number of characters with dialogue, Saskia Maarleveld was the right narrator for the story. She’s up to the task of creating both female and male voices.

Kate Quinn is now on my list of favorite authors of all time. This book is over 650 pages and 15 hours on audio which sounds really daunting but trust me it is not. I was bummed that it was over because I was so engrossed with the characters that I wanted to hear how their lives turned out in years to come.

I would highly recommend listening even if you tend to avoid audiobooks. The narrator of this book is amazing!!

This is a book about three women during WWII who work in Bletchley Park that learn to become codebreakers. They are sworn to secrecy to anyone outside of Bletchley Park for the fact that they are intercepting messages from the German Enigma machine (watch ‘The Imitation Game’ film). Throughout the story there is love, loss, secrets and betrayal. The mystery of the traitor is one I did not see coming until the person was actually revealed.

Real historical figures are woven in the storyline, such as Princess Elizabeth, Prime Minister Churchill, Alan Turing are just to name a few. It is told in a dual timeline that spans 1940 - 1947 leading up to the Royal Wedding plus the POV from each woman - Osla, Mab and Beth.

This book is amazing! The character development is on point and the plot is gripping.

While reading see if you can find all the references to Alice in Wonderland that are sprinkled throughout the book. 😉

Side Note -
Watch BBC’s series called Bletchley Circle and The Imitation Game movie if you want to continue learning about the historical background for this story.

In the 1940s during the war, Mab and Osla are summoned to Bletchly Park but for a reason in which not only are they unaware of, but one that will change their lives forever. They are to be trained to break German military codes. The two stay at a house where they meet Beth, quiet, shy and mousy Beth who soon joins them at Bletchly becoming one of the top cryptanalysts. The three endure secrets, heartbreak and betrayal which tears their relationship apart. One betrayal proves to be bigger than any of them imagined, landing one of them in an asylum. After 3 daunting years, in a final attempt to unravel the mystery behind the traitor that individual is able to reach out to the other two for help. With the clock ticking they reach out to their Bletchly Park family one last time to crack their biggest message yet. Will they be able to crack the code and clear the individuals name before it's too late?
This was an audio ARC that I was fortunate enough to receive from Netgalley and Harper Audio. I absolutely loved this book! This book had me sucked in the whole time. It had romance, betrayal, mystery and more. So many emotions as I read this book and I sincerely loved every minute of it. The narrator did an amazing job and in my honest opinion was a great pick. This is my first book by Kate Quinn and it definitely won't be my last! This is a must read for sure! I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is such an entertaining and intriguing historical fiction that towards the end felt like a fast paced mystery. It follows three women: Mab, Beth, and Osla as they decipher coded messages during WWII.
There are so many twists and turns along with spin-off plot lines throughout this nearly 700 page book. It took a while but this was thoroughly enjoyable.

What an amazing story about 3 extraordinary women who became code breakers during WWII. I love the way Kate Quinn weaves the lives of these women together. They had many hardships in their lives and relationships with different men but were true to each other in the end when it mattered. I also enjoyed the fact that Prince William dated Ozla the beautiful society girl. He does ditch her to marry the now Queen Elizabeth who he called Lillibeth. Then there is Mab who comes from poverty. They meet Beth when they rent rooms from her Mom. They get Beth to break code with them and she becomes one of a few female cryptanalysts. You find out many secrets from their pasts but they keep the secrets of their job until they die. They find there is a traitor amongst their men friends. Danger exists trying to break the Rose Code to find that traitor. The book is long and with all the characters you really have to pay attention and you may get lost in everything that is going on. All in all I would recommend this book.
Thanks to #HarperAudio, #netgalley and @KateQuinn for an ARC of this audio book.

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. Or in my case, listen. The audiobook is excellent and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld.

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

I really enjoyed this book. I have grown a bit tired of WWII fiction, simply because I have read so many books from this era recently but this author has the ability to draw me into every single story she writes. This book follows a group of three friends who become involve in breaking Nazi codes in England during WWII. We watch them as they mature, work through new and old heartbreaks, and the stress that comes with war. The book also gives us a glimpse into their lives seven years after the war where one of the three women is in an insane asylum and the former close friends all despise each other. The story unfolds perfectly. This book isn't as dark as The Alice Network or The Huntress but it is just as exciting to read. I will read everything this Kate Quinn writes in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader's copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Kate Quinn book but I’ll absolutely be reading more of her work after enjoying this one so much.

I’ve been obsessed with codes for as long as I can remember, and I spent many an hour after school devising my own codes or writing letters to my friends in lemon juice or hieroglyphs for them to de-cypher. We even installed a little mailbox on the fence between our house and the neighbors so the girls next door and I could pass notes back and forth each day. Of course, the codes the characters in this book were trying to crack at Bletchley Park were quite literally the difference between life and death, versus me complaining about my annoying little sister.

Not only is this book a glimpse into the past and the fascinating code-breaking work that was being done in the UK during WWII but it’s also an intimate story of three very different women, who you get to know in such detail that you’ll be thinking of them long after you’ve finished this book.

Osla is beautiful, rich, and has Prince Philip of Greece courting her, but is determined to prove her worth. Mab is from the east-end and pulling herself up by her bootstraps. Beth is the shy, quiet daughter of their landlady who they are determined to bring out of her shell, and who ends up becoming one of Bletchley’s few female cryptanalysts.

All three are so different, but together they have the ability to solve more puzzles than they realize, and they’re going to have to rely on each other whether they like it or not.

The audiobook is performed by Saskia Maarleveld who brings the story to life beautifully. You might recognize her voice from The Alice Network, Secrets We Kept, Serpent and Dove, Other People’s Houses, The Golden Hour, and so many other amazing works. The audio comes in at 15 hours and 39 minutes, but once you get going I guarantee you won’t want to stop and it will fly by before you know it.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Pub Date: March 9th,2021
.
It was year 1940s and as England prepares to fight the Nazis, three different women were invited and called to the mysterious Bletchley Park and on to a different kind of fighting sans the guns and bombs against the Nazis. Bletchley Park or BP is where the brightest brains of Britain come together and train to break German Military Codes. Dashing debutante and socialite Osla, smart, strong willed and self-made Mab. Both friended the conservative local village spinster Beth, who possesed a briliant mind and an asset among the best cryptanalysts. These three young women navigated their lives and relationships as they fought the war just like the men on the front lines.
.
The Rose Code is another spectacular and riveting historical fiction ever written by Kate Quinn. These women has given me goosebumps as they navigate and deal with their personal lives despite the awfull and difficult situation the war has brought while maintaining true to the oath of secrecy in the line of their job. I love how the conflict was slowly built as the book moves back and forth with timelines and between voices. The characters were majorly readers and lovers of books that they actually have a book club! The more reason for me to love the book aside of course from the very fact that this screams of girl power all through out! Yay heroines!! The twist --that is finding out who the traitor was, simply made the plot even more frantic, rousing and gripping which lead to a wild chase of sensational ending.
.
Thank you to #Netgalley, #williammorrow and #harperaudio for the advance audiobook copy narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. I had a hard time at the start since the accent was so rich. Nevertheless, it was narrated beautifully just as magnificently written. I am excited for this book to be available for the general public to enjoy.
.
#katequinnauthor #katequinn #therosecode #advancedreaderscopy #advanceaudiobookcopy #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreview #netgalleyreviewer #williammorrowbooks #williammorrowpublishing #harperaudio #harperaudiopresents #bootkstagram #bookstagramphilippines