Kate Quinn is the Queen of historical fiction! Everything she writes is pure gold and I was so anxious to read The Rose Code. I requested this copy in the middle of the night during a bout of insomnia and unfortunately didn't realize I was requesting an audiobook! This is only the second audiobook I've ever listened to. Where everything I've read by Kate Quinn has sucked me in to the point of not functioning in my day to day activities until the book is done, the audio version didn't do that for me. I think it was the narrator's voice. I felt myself getting sleepy listening to her and often had to rewind after my mind would wander, Many have reviewed with nothing but praise for the narrator, but her voice was so soft that I struggled.

Through this, it is safe to say that audiobooks are just not for me. That is not to say that The Rose Code isn't fantastic. The writing certainly is! I can not wait to get a hardcopy once this is released on March 9. Now that I've gotten every bit of criticism out of the way, let me praise this novel for all of the good. The Rose Code is set between two time periods and like most of her previous novels, it focuses on brave, strong women during WWII. If you are a feminist, Kate Quinn is here for you! In 1940, three women with completely different personalities come together to work as code breakers at an estate in Bletchley Park. These three women become the closest of friends even through the strict rules of secrecy within the manor. The characters are fun, serious, intimidating, genius. The type of women that you want to be friends with. They take their jobs very seriously but there is plenty of time for fun and romance. Including one exceptionally interesting relationship between Osla and Prince Phillip

Skip to 1947, post war England and the three women are estranged. So much has changed in the seven years since the story began. They are brought together to try to crack one last code.

My many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the free E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will be purchasing this book and will most likely re-review after reading. There's just something about holding a book in my hands that transports me to right there in the war with the women, that the audiobook didn't do.

I love reading about the women behind the scenes who helped shape the face of war. Knowing this, I eagerly downloaded The Rose Code and began to listen.

The narrator is the same as from The Alice Network - and I love her! The writing is similar and interesting.

What I struggled with was grasping at the plot. Without that, it just felt like a soap opera or a train going in circles with no idea when it might end or what the point was. Kate Quinn wove snippits of a more current timeline into the book, but it wasn't enough to establish a plot or to create tension/conflict for me.

I finally gave up and did not finish. I wanted to love it and I'm sure those that can sit and read/listen for longer periods of time than I might truly enjoy this.

England’s famous Bletchley Park is the setting for this WWII spy drama, coming March 9. Three women, Mab, Osla and Beth are an unlikely trio. Mab is a working class girl whose main ambition is to lose her East End London vowels and nab herself a nice middle class husband. Osla keeps getting typecast as the ditzy debutante but charm and beauty belie her facility with languages. And Beth Finch is a mouse of a woman with a brain for puzzles, dominated by her overbearing mother. When all three answer the call to serve their country, they join in at “BP’ (Bletchley Park), which had become a village of female codebreakers, mathematicians and cryptanalysts. But secret have a way of multiplying and the three friends become enemies. Years later, when Mab and Osla receive mysterious coded letters on the eve of Princess Elizabeth’s marriage, they have to put aside old hurts to help their old friend. Beth was committed to a mental hospital for treason but Beth knows someone else was selling secrets during the war. If Mab and Osla can help her get out and if Beth can crack the code, the three women can uncover the BP traitor.

Holy smokes this book is long. I love historical fiction and especially spy stories. It took me DAYS to get through this audiobook. The characters, loosely based on real people, were fascinating and I enjoyed the suspense of the story. It started a little slow, as Quinn took a lot of time (maybe too much!) building the three characters. The audiobook narrator was not my favorite because her male voices weren’t great, but she handled the various English accents of the women well. It was easy to distinguish them from one another. Overall, it doesn’t quite have the pizzazz for a 5 star rating but I enjoyed the intricate plot, the back-and-forth timeline and the details about the codebreaking.

Trigger Warning: Forced drug use, rape, death of a child, death of a spouse

This ARC was provided by @netgalley and @harperaudio. The opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story. While the topic of Bletchley code breakers has been written into a novel many times, I really liked how this book explored the personal lives of the characters. I also like the back and forth timeline that was only a few years down the line. The childhood to adulthood flashbacks so overdone in novel writing have grown old, but this short period of time really is a useful tool to tell this story.

This book felt like it was trotting along on a very middle of the road path, with the characters developing some, but without any real tension. That all changed with the author killed Lucy. At that point, I audibly reacted, and could not stop listening until I reached the end. I was weary of the inclusion of Prince Phillip into this story, but it grew on me and I think the author used his occasional presence in smart ways.

As for the audio itself -- I think the narrator did a great job with voicing the different characters convincingly. She did not distract from the story, but was also able to add a bit of drama in her telling.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: March 9, 2021

How excited was I to receive this audiobook ARC?! As a fan of Kate Quinn’s other novels, this one was highly anticipated on my 2021 release list!

Let’s start at the beginning with great introduction music that really set the tone and had me excited to get into the story.

This was another stunning performance by Saskia Maarleveld (who also narrated The Huntress and The Alice Network by Quinn). It was like listening to an old friend reading to me after many hours spent together with the other novels. She is one of the few narrators who can keep me interested in fiction via audiobook.

This is also another great WWII historical fiction from Quinn focusing on a new group of women who were instrumental in the war efforts. While some of the dual timeline and different characters were hard to follow via audiobook at the beginning, once we got into the heart of the story, I was hooked. As always this is historical fiction inspired by true events/people which always makes it more fascinating. Definitely recommend to any fans of historical fiction! I’m already excited for whatever story Quinn tells us next!

Five enthusiastic stars!

Kate Quinn has delivered another thrilling historical novel with The Rose Code. The book is set at Bletchley Park during WWII and follows three very different women who were recruited there to learn how to break codes. They are:

Osla: a debutante who has beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses, but who only wants to prove herself.

Mab: a product of East End London poverty who is looking for the security that a husband will bring.

Beth: the local village spinster, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles.

This book has everything I love: smart, badass female characters, strong female friendships, romance, top-secret government institutions, asylums, and crimes and mysteries galore. There’s even a dog, Boots!

I listened to this on audio and it was beautifully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. She did a marvelous job with all the various characters, even the male voices (one of my pet peeves is when narrators can’t do the voices of the opposite sex). Even though this was almost 16 hours, I was riveted the whole time.

It helped that I’ve read a couple books on code-breaking already (The Code Girls and The Woman Who Smashed Codes, both excellent nonfiction books – highly recommended) as well as watched Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game (swoon), so I was somewhat familiar with the codebreaking process. It’s not necessary to be knowledgeable about codebreaking – the author included a lot of information – but I feel like it enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

WOW!! Kate Quinn does it again, and I think even better this time! This remarkable story about 3 girls working for the British Government, called to break code and translate for the war, was inspiring and very educational (even though it was fiction) This story is dual time line (kind of- between 5-10 years), showing what happened during the war and all the secrets kept and why, and after the war in their effort to keep the promises they had made years before.

Osla is a high end debutante, trying to find a proper place in the world. Mab, is a family girl, trying her best to take care of her family, but desperately wanting better for herself and her little Lucy. Beth, a very intelligent girl who is trapped at home due to her families demanding ways and lack of respect for her. They are all called by the British Government to perform top secret work in order to help with the war efforts during WWII.

I LOVED this story so much. Like Quinn's other novels (The Alice Network and The Huntress), it not only shows the jobs women did during the war to help their country, but also their bravery and commitment. I loved all three main characters and their completely different personalities. They all played such a different role in the story, but I very important one. They all played off each others strengths and weaknesses in such a beautiful way. Although the romance wasn't the main focus in this story, I am always a sucker for any type of love story in any book. Mab, Osla and Beth all find love in unexpected circumstances. The romantic relationships at some points made me so happy and giddy, and other times made me cry and feel heartbroken. This was the person combination of adventure, friendship, bravery, love, honor, and trust you can have in one story.

This book had me until the very very end, even during the epilogue. I loved every second of it. The narrator did an amazing job with the story as well, which can make or break an audiobook. I can't want for everyone else to read this so I can talk to everyone about it !! Thank you Kate Quinn, once again ,for such an amazing historical fiction masterpiece.

Thank you Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced listening copy of the Rose Code, through Netgalley. #TheRoseCode #NetGalley

Must read for historical fiction lovers! This book had me all over the place. I was never sure what was going to happen or who could be trusted. The story goes between two time periods and does so beautifully. There are a couple parts that were hard to get through. (I literally was bawling in my kitchen cooking dinner.) I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was incredible. I would have put money it was multiple narrators. This may be one of the best historical fiction books I’ve had the pleasure to read.

What I loved:
📔 the reader follows 3 very strong women
📔 the relationship and banter between the women
📔 the growth of each of the women throughout the book
📔 learning about the code breakers and how important their job was

This book definitely took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I felt the highs and lows so deeply with these characters.

If you like historical mysteries then snatch this one up on March 9th!! Such a good read/listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this audio Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Quinn’s latest World War II fiction novel brings Blechley Park to life. The Rose Code is about three women from very different backgrounds who become the unlikeliest of friends while working and living together. Quinn masterfully develops these three characters along with the sadness and challenges that come during wartime. Quinn’s meticulous research and well-paced story telling had me listening at every opportunity. She examines the ethical choices that come with access to confidential information. Quinn also develops the sense of physical and mental challenges that come with handling detailed and time-sensitive work. We also get a glimpse of psychiatric care and gender roles during this era. Saskin Maarleveld’s narration is fantastic. I highly recommend reading or listening to The Rose Code!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Audio for the advanced audio copy.

I know that sometimes World War II can be over done in historical fiction- but this one is worth moving to the top of your list. . THE ROSE CODE is based off the real life code breakers at Bletchley Park and features three very distinct, strong female protagonists as they overcome hardship and heartbreak while navigating friendships, betrayal and secrets under the backdrop of war. Oh- and there is a traitor in their ranks.

It was like a gourmet meal. It starts off with a fabulous story, alternating between past and present in developing the characters backstory. Then moving deeper into the meaty, thrilling main course as you start to decode the cipher. Just when you think you can’t eat another morsel- the dessert is served in the form of a satisfying conclusion.

The novel isn't short- 656 pgs./15hr40min audiobook. But the engaging writing, well-researched historical elements and stellar narration kept my interest over every page and every minute. Near the end the tension and action picked up so much that I found myself unable to stop listening.

Now that I'm done I've fallen down the rabbit hole to learn everything I can about Bletchley Park. And to see if Prince Philip was really handsome when her was in his 20's :)

LISTENED: Snowblowing/Shoveling, laundry, puzzle building, treadmill, tidying the house.

This book is not so much "for me," as anything in which Prince Phillip, renowned racist and literal 100 year old man, is the object of desire, just isn't my steez. HOWEVER, let me say that the narration is on point, I'm sure that the book will be well-received bc Bletchley + Royals = Success, and I still want to try The Alice Network.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to listen to and review.

I love Kate Quinn's writing. She easily sucks you in to the lives of the characters and creates an air of mystery that you just can't wait to dive into. In the Rose Code we are introduced to Osla, Mab, and Beth - three women of different breeding and temperament who end up working together on code breaking during WW2. I loved every bit of this story and highly recommend it.

Kate Quinn, code breaking & Bletchley-- this book was everything I hoped for and then some! Masterfully crafted, this riveting tale of a peek behind the scenes at Bletchley Park with the code breakers in WWII. Throw in a spy and prepare to be hooked. Additionally, the narration by Saskia Maarleveld was an amazing performance.

I received this ARC from NetGalley. Having loved The Alice Network, my hopes were high for this novel and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it as an audiobook, the narrator was very clear and had great expression. The characters were all complex and the women were strong and brave. I also love that it is based upon some historical truth. I enjoyed how the author wound Prince Philip into the story. The suspense and mystery was superb and completely unpredictable.

Kate Quinn turns her head once again to WWII, this time to the women of Bletchley Park. The story follows three women, Osla, a debutante, working class Mab and local village spinster, Beth, from 1940 through 1947, the year that Elizabeth marries Prince Philip of Greece. Turns out, Osla had dated Philip for the first few years of the war. Something has happened to turn the three friends into enemies.
The story is told from the viewpoints of all three women. I was enchanted by each of them and wild to find out what turned them against each other and how Beth ended up confined to a sanitarium. The underlying mystery concerns a traitor in their midst and which of their many coworkers it might be. This was a story that grabbed me and never let me go. Other things went by the wayside as I tried to listen to this spare minute.
I was well aware of Bletchley Park, between The Imitation Game and the PBS show The Bletchley Circle. This book added to my knowledge of that time and the work done there. It was very atmospheric, grappling with everything from the rations to the death of loved ones. And not just the time at BP, but also while Beth is trapped at Clockwell, the sanitarium. It’s got a great, suspenseful ending that totally satisfies.
Brava to Ms. Quinn for providing me another five star historical novel to sink my teeth into. She has yet to disappoint.
I was also totally impressed by Saskia Maarleveld as the narrator. She did an amazing job distinguishing the different accents and characters and added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
My thanks to netgalley and Harper Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

Beautifully written, great story, each character more compelling than the next....I couldn't decide which of the girl's story I liked best...all three so different and yet just as entertaining. I have read a lot of Historical fiction and, usually, the female character plays the role of passing notes. I really enjoyed learning about Bletchley Park's history and the role women played there. I enjoyed the epilogue and how it brought it back to present time. Definitely recommending this book to my historical fiction friends.

The narrator did an excellent job as well.

Thanks NetGalley, Harper Audio and Kate Quinn for the ARC

Kate Quinn is good at turning historic events into living stories, but somehow I always feel disconnected in some way to the full emotion of what is being spelled out on the page. The twists and turns of her plotting kept my interest, but I was still left wishing there was that something more that makes a book great. I did love getting to read more about the female code breakers, and am glad more is being written about them. If that part of history is at all interesting to you, it's worth reading this novel. Quinn is a good writer, I just wish she was a great one but the stories she chooses to write are of great interest to me.

Kate Quinn's beautifully written book about top-secret work done during World War II. This book highlights those who sacrificed for the war by wielding a pencil instead of a gun. The brains behind the operation and the many secrets they needed to protect, no matter the cost. However, there is a traitor among them.
This book is a wonderful, slow burn. Excellent character development and excellent plot with well researched details. I absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend you read it. It does start slow, but I could not put it down once I got into the story.

I loved this book!. The Rose Code tells the story of three young women who work at Bletchley Park in England during WWII as code breakers. The story jumps around during different time periods from when they just began working at BP to when then-Princess Elizabeth married Prince Phillip in 1947. No spoilers, but it is a very enjoyable story and I'm a sucker for a happy ending, which this book delivered. The phenomenal narrator had me hooked from the very beginning and shea really brought the characters to life for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Harper Audio, for an advance audio of this book in exchange for an honest review.