As expected, Kate Quinn has done it again! This is a long one, but every book she has written so far is worth the journey. Three totally different women are at the heart of the story. Mab, the strong, determined one, Osla, out for a good time, and Beth, the quiet introvert. We get several stories in this novel. Of course, the secret decoding during WWII is the main focus, but there is also a royal wedding, romance, Bletchley Park, and even a book club! And then we have a traitor who puts one of our ladies in a sanitorium, planning on a lobotomy to reward her for her service. A seriously creepy place. The information surrounding all the machinations needed to break code was fascinating, and the history of Bletchley Park amazing. There are lots of plot twists, and you will be on the edge of your seat throughout. I listened to this book on the NetGalley app and thank #NetGalley Kate Quinn and the publisher for this fascinating read!

I have read a few of Kate Quinn's books, and I am a fan of all of them. I will say this one took a bit longer for character build up, but I enjoyed the book still, and was happy I stuck with it. I liked the story line of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. I love hearing these stories of women playing an integral part in the war. I am very thankful to Netgalley for the advanced audio copy.

Wow. I had high expectations for this book, having thoroughly enjoyed Kate Quinn’s other books (The Alice Network and The Huntress). This novel did not disappoint.

The characters are compelling and the storyline pulls you in from the beginning. Only to continue to tug you deeper and deeper into this code breaking world. The twists and turns the novel takes make for a truly engaging read. I was close to tears in several parts and bursting with joy in others. Quinn writes in a manner that makes you feel deeply for the characters.

My only real gripe... I found Beth to be annoying at first. Too spineless and too full of self doubt. How can she really think she is so stupid? It’s clear her mother is very abusive and Beth suffers so much for that. Especially as the book goes on, it’s heartbreaking.

I love reading about this period in history and this novel offers a great twist. It is fun to learn more about the essential work of code breaking.

🎁Thank you, NetGalley, for the gifted audiobook.

📖Pub Date 09 Mar 2021📖

The Alice Network and The Huntress are two of my all-time favorite historical fiction books, so I started The Rose Code with very high expectations. Kate Quinn did not disappoint! This WW2 novel depicts three brilliant British women who work at Bletchley Park where military secrets rule every single hour of their days. The work of cryptanalysts at Bletchley Park must be protected at all costs. Love, mystery, betrayal, and strong women's friendships make this historical novel outstanding. Five stars are well deserved!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5/5⭐️⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫: women in STEM, strong female characters
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝: I’m typically intimidated by books that are 500+ pages, but I always find a Kate Quinn book to be worth its weight. Once again, Quinn has found an under-known story that highlights the accomplishments of women during WWII. The Rose Code follows three young women who worked at England's Bletchley Park, a country estate converted to a code-breaking facility. One thing that I missed from my advanced copy that I can’t wait to see in the finished copy is the Author’s Note—I always love the details of an author’s research of historical fiction.

As has been the case with her other books, the pages in this one flew by. It was fast-paced and told a captivating story that delivered on friendship, romance, grief, loss, violence, and betrayal.

In addition to the ability to tell an incredible story, Quinn has a knack for developing characters that feel real and relatable. Lastly, I’m a sucker for alternating storylines and loved how this one jumped back and forth between past (1940) and present (1947), which kept me on the hook and eager to see how it would all tie together in the end.
⁣⁣⁣
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞: I’m so thankful for the opportunity to get my hands on this one early via an ALC, but felt like I may have enjoyed the physical book more? With a wide cast of characters, it always takes me longer to catch onto names if I’m not looking at them. There were also parts in the middle that dragged a bit.

Wow. this book is intense. It was a journey from start to finished. I love how the characters weaved together and how complex the characters were. The book was well done. It was a bit slow but I still enjoyed it and felt the pain and triumph of the story
I loved the mystery woven in and the two timelines. This is a great read for lovers of war time stories

This was a different type of WWII historical fiction. I actually picked this audio book out because Kate Quinn interviewed Marie Benedict after I read THE MYSTERY OF MRS CHRISTIE. I thought her book THE ROSE CODE sounded intriguing.
I did find myself getting a bit bored with the story overall. There are very intriguing parts, and I wanted to understand how the future and past story lines would connect, but overall I was ready to be done with this one. I always attempt to give WWII historical fiction novels a try, but find them to be repetitive and a bit dull. That is just my personal preference and not the norm at all.
This was a very well written novel with engaging characters. If you are a historical fiction fan I would recommend!

Bestselling author Kate Quinn brings to life the long-kept secret of Bletchley Park, an estate that housed Great Britain’s code-breaking team during WWII. The novel switches back and forth between the years of WWII and 1947, following the lives of three women entrenched in different aspects of German military code-breaking.

Osla, a stylish debutante who possesses fluent German and pens love letters to Prince Phillip of Greece, meets Mab, a poor girl determined to make herself into a lady, on the train to answer a mysterious summons to Bletchley Park. Shortly upon their arrival they befriend their landlady’s quiet spinster daughter Beth. Eventually the three become an indispensable part of Bletchley Park’s operations in their respective capacities and make friends along the way, all while keeping their work top secret.

The flash forwards to 1947, just weeks before the wedding of the century between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, reveal that somewhere along the way seemingly inseparable friends Osla, Mab, and Beth have had a massive falling-out, involving betrayal and treachery. But Beth’s assertion that there was a traitor in Bletchley Park, a traitor that had her locked up in an insane asylum, brings the three women back together.

This novel is highly engaging with just the right amount of foreshadowing and mystery to keep the pages turning. The characters of Osla, Mab, and Beth are richly developed and entertaining.

I want to first thank the author and NetGalley for gifting me the audio book version of this book. I have been enjoying a lot of historical fiction books lately based on the second world war. I have heard a lot of hype about this book, so I was very excited to receive it. I thought the book was a little slow but it gets better as you read on. About the last two hours of the book it got really good. The only real thing I had issues with is the language. The language is really strong. Which kind of surprised me due to the period this book was set and it being mostly about women. So if you have an issue with strong language I am not sure this book is for you. Honestly I think the author could have done without the women swearing like sailors. But on a plus note the story was intriguing, I have really been enjoying reading historical fiction books about how women helped during the world wars. I don't think they get the recognition they should. Even though they didn't fight at the front lines they all helped in their own ways. I have no idea how they would sit for hours even days trying to break all these codes. Truly an amazing story

I didn't know much of anything about Bletchley Park other than Alan Touring, so I found this fascinating. I am shocked that Kate Quinn has done it again, but I loved this book and the narrator did an excellent job with the various characters. This might actually be my favorite book of Quinn's.

Thank you very much NetGalley for this early audio copy of The Rose Code. I loved this book. This is the second book I’ve read from Kate Quinn and it will not be the last. It took me a little while to get into all of the characters in the beginning but when I did I was hooked. Osla, Mab and Bath and the work they did at Bletchley Park will stay with me for a long time.

Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code is phenomenal.. I was lucky to receive a print copy from the publisher and devoured it. When I saw the audiobook on NetGalley, I celebrated. This book is a winner in any format. Saskia Maarleveld beautifully paced and nuanced her voice so effectively. I enjoyed every minute and was never in doubt as to who was speaking. She made me feel privileged to read this book twice.

In 1940 three women meet in a home near Bletchley Park. Two work there, one lives in the home where she is dominated by her mother and ends up working at BP.. Three women so different yet they become friends. Three women make choices, keep secrets, face tragedy, serve their country, face heartbreak, and demonstrate their strength. One suspects a spy at BP.

In 1947 the three are no longer friends. The royal wedding has London in a frenzy. One of the former friends is in an asylum. The other two receive an encrypted letter. Will the other two believe her? Can they overcome their past history to once again unite to serve their country?

Thank you Kate Quinn for a thrill ride. If I may recommend a follow up read, watch for Beatriz Williams’ next book coming from William Morrow on June first. Our Woman in Moscow is set during the Cold War and feels like the perfect segue.

Thanks a million to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to this arc in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be sharing about this book far and wide.

In the Rose Code, Kate Quinn, author of the Alice Network, once again crafted an engaging and enthralling work of historical fiction that illustrates the important and unsung role of women in England during WW2. This book contains a bit of everything- history, suspense, romance, and betrayal. As I listened to the audiobook I both laughed and gasped out loud at times. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC audiobook. My only criticism was that it was a bit long, but as the version I listened to was unabridged that might be rectified before publication.

Another great book by Kate Quinn. If you enjoyed "The Alice Network" and "The Huntress", you will thoroughly enjoy this one as well. Three very different women find themselves sharing a residence and working at a code-breaking facility outside of London during WWII. While at times it was predictable, Quinn kept you with a need to read just one more chapter as the novel progresses. The women deal with love and loss, friendships, trust and distrust, and trauma, highlighting the challenges of living when "there's a war on". These women are stronger than they know, and it is a wonderful journey of their self-discovery and the power of women working together. There are difficult scenes of domestic abuse, sexual assault, traumatic death, and institutionalization of the mentally ill throughout, so proceed with caution if those are triggering to you. For those of you who enjoy audiobooks, Saskia Maarleveld knocks it out of the park, and reminds me again of why she is one of my very favorite narrators. This book will not disappoint!

Many thanks to #HaperAudio and #NetGalleyfor an advanced audio copy of #TheRoseCode for a fair and honest review.

Kate Quinn is a fabulous storyteller who dives deep into history and creates marvelous books that are impossible to put down. That being said, I actually listened to the audio, which was incredible! Loved that narrator, she really brought the characters to life. I have nothing but good things to say about this....love, love, loved it!

Kate Quinn does not disappoint with her latest book. She uses the same elements in The Rose Code as she did with The Alice Network and The Huntress -- empowering women during a wartime setting. Quinn spins a tale of three women employed by the British government in a super secret code breaking operation.

I listened to an audio version of the book. The narrator does a fabulous job at keeping the listener engaged with the story. With three alternatiing points of view and also a time hop between the past and future, I was confused at the start of the book. I had to listen for awhile to understand the plot of the book. Once established, the story was captivating. My only minor critique is the length of the book. Some of the narrative was a bit repetitive and could have been pared down without losing the details.

This is my first book by Kate Queen. Her books typically receive high marks and with my love for World War II, I figured this would be a great place to start. I was not disappointed.

The author uses the term "casually elegant" to describe a character, and I think it is the perfect descriptor for the novel as a whole. The novel revolves around the female code-breakers at Bletchley Park. The story begins slowly only to knock you off your feet and continuing at a feverous pace until the end. The dualling time periods only adds to the tension. Wonderful!

Highly recommended to anyone that enjoys a meticulous research historical thriller.

#netgalley #therosecode

I absolutely adored this book. Give me a kickass female main characters who work at Bletchley park any day. The story was great. The characters completely understandable and you can’t help but root for them. I also loved the narrator and different voices for the different characters. This was a book I truly enjoyed and wished would never end.

The Rose Code
By Kate Quinn


EXPERTLY CRAFTED WRITING BLENDING HISTORY, INTRIGUE AND DRAMA.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
1940. Three very different women pass through the secret gates of Bletchley Park to help break German codes during World War II. Debutant Osla Kendall wants to prove herself as more than a society girl, and she puts her fluent German to use as a translator. Mab Churt works the code breaking machines as she hides a secret past. Oslo and Mab recruit a local girl, Beth Finch, who has a brain for crossword puzzles. Despite Beth’s domineering mother’s opposition, she soon becomes one of Bletchley’s few female cryptanalysts. The three women become fast friends. But soon the war, personal loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy tear the three friends apart and sends one of the women to an asylum.

1947. The three friends-turned-enemies are reunited for a common purpose. A traitor, who was responsible for destroying their friendship, has emerged from the Bletchley Park shadows. Osla, Mab, and Beth must work together to crack the Rode Code to prove the traitor’s guilt.

REVIEW
THE ROSE CODE is a captivating story of three women who set out to prove themselves during the turmoil of World War II. Osla, Mab and Beth’s characters, are delightfully well-developed and serve as the pillars of this captivating story.

Author Kate Quinn’s writing is expertly crafted, blending history, intrigue and drama. She nimbly juggles multiple time lines and delivers a story with perfect pacing. THE ROSE CODE offers mystery and suspense, fearless female characters,, a nefarious spy, and even a delightful war time book club thrown in for good measure. Quinn is a lover of history and the best-selling author of The Huntress (2019) and The Alice Network (2017).

The audio book’s narrator Saskia Maaeleveld’s performance was outstanding. Her ability to voice multiple characters, her pacing and her emotional tone elevates the story. Quinn’s dual time line is easy follow with Maaeleveld clear inflection. Her voice captures your attention and drops you into the heart of the story.

Thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperAudio for an advance copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher William Morrow/HarperAudio
Published March 9, 2021
Narrated Saskia Maaeleveld
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Thanks to Harper Audio for the audiobook of The Rose Code.

I was so excited to get The Rose Code as I'm fascinated by the female World War II cryptologists. Last year I read Code Girls, a non-fiction about the American women cryptologists so I was excited for a historical fiction across the pond.

We met 3 women as they all get jobs at the mysterious Bletchley Park, where they find out they've been recruited to break German codes at the start of World War II. Throughout the book we see their top secret work, how 3 very different women become friends and we see their love, their secrets and how they get torn apart as well.

Interspersed in is a slight jump to 1947 and the week before Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip when Osla and Mab each get a mysterious encrypted letter from Beth who has been confined to an asylum. Will they be able to put their past aside to work together again?

I really enjoyed The Rose Code, be prepared for a long book and I enjoyed the audiobook but I know 16 hours is a lot. I wish there was more of an author's note on some of the character's she based the book on. Osla is based on a real person and she really was dating Prince Philip.