I dnf’d this book at 19%. I really was looking forward to this but I it was just too slow paced for me and didn’t hold my attention. The premise of this book sounded very interesting. Women decoders in war time....

Wow! Really, really good. This one will be on the GoodReads final selection list for best Historical Fiction.

History with intrigue with a bit of romance. Really great characters.

I can’t believe how much I enjoyed this book!

This book is very difficult to describe without giving away the plot. I love how this book was written; how the dates and plot all intertwined. Just read this book, you won't be disappointed!

The audio is very, very good; I really can't believe that it was narrated by only one person, Saskia Maarleveld. She really does an awesome job!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/Kate Quinn for the opportunity to review the advance copy of The Rose Code in exchange for an honest review. Publisher is Harper Audio and the release date is 09 March 2021.

The epilogue indicates that the Duchess of Cambridge reopens Bletchley Park in June 2014. The Duchess has a personal link in that Kate Middleton's grandmother Valerie Middleton was employed in Hut 16. Very cool that Bletchley Park has been restored to their wartime appearance after falling into quite disrepair.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks, but I’m really glad I gave this one a chance. I’ve liked everything I’ve read by this author (The Alice Network was fabulous)’ so I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be disappointed. I wasn’t. This is an excellent story, about British female codebreakers during WWII. At first the narrator was a little hard to understand, but once I got used to the British accent, she was fabulous.

Would definitely recommend this book—in either print or audio—but I’m really glad I opted for the audiobook on this one.

I'm not typically a fan of historical fiction, but Kate Quinn's novels are exceptional. The level of detail is incredible--it feels like you are transported back in time and are right there with the amazing female spies she writes so well. Thank younto Netgallery and Harper Audio for the ARC of this delightful novel!

Guys, I love this book! And its release date is my birthday (March 9)! I’ve already pre-ordered a copy of The Rose Code for my mom and I’ve been raving about it to anyone who will listen. This historical fiction book has ALOT: lady code breakers, a double agent spy mystery, romance, a royal wedding, amazing 1940s British slang!
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What’s it about? The Rose Code follows three very different women working as code breakers for England during WWII. Their work and the war bring them together as friends then drive them apart as enemies. Once the war ends, the women must put their messy shared past aside to work together again to solve a mystery and catch a traitor. (Oh, and there’s a royal wedding!)
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What did I like? I loved getting to know Osla, Mab, and Beth. They are funny and feel like complete people. Their friendships with each other and their respective romances felt organic and natural. The characters (both the main characters and side characters) felt deep and very fleshed out. The action in the second half of the book is fantastic. I felt like I was watching an action movie or a thriller. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic.
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What I didn’t like? Not much! Kate Quinn’s books are looonnnggg. This doesn’t bother me at all because nothing in the story feels extraneous. However, if you’re looking for a book you can get in and out of in a day or two, this probably isn’t for you. (This author’s other two books The Alice Network and The Huntress are also excellent and long!)
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Tl;dr - This book perfectly mixes together so many elements from historical fiction, romance, and thriller. I really loved it! (Thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrow for the advance listen!)
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Sometimes it feels like the books world is saturated with books about WWII. But then you come across one like this and it reminds you about why you like historical fiction. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were so unique and so different from one another and yet became the family they needed while working at Bletchly Park. I loved the royal family connection and the mystery of the traitor. I love historical fiction based on real people, and this was an exceptional example of that. I had an ALC and the audiobook was fantastic as well. Highly recommend this book!

Another phenomenal historical fiction book by Kate Quinn. It's a long book but so worth the read. I sometimes had difficulty with the audio version flipping back and forth through time and narrators, but it wasn't so much trouble that I didn't enjoy the audiobook. I absolutely loved this story and am grateful Kate Quinn brought the stories from Bletchley Park to life. It's incredible really that we don't hear much about these war heroes.

Okay, give me ALL the Kate Quinn books! Seriously, each one is better than the next! I absolutely loved The Rose Code and was so excited to receive an audiobook ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

The narrator of the audiobook version is spectacular. Her voice was so melodic and her command of all of the various genders and accents made the story come to life. Three women converge at Bletchley Park, a country estate in England, where they work in various capacities to break codes to help defeat the Nazi’s in World War II. A traitor to king and country is in their midst and the women must work together to find and turn him in.

Osla, Mab, and Beth were each so different, yet found such a bond together and I loved each character so much. My heart broke during the parts in the book that they were at odds. I was wondering how Quinn would write the characters back to each other after some pretty steep betrayals, but she managed to write a very satisfying conclusion to their story.

If you enjoy historical fiction during WWII, this is a must read! I so enjoyed the code breaking and cryptographic nature of the book. Well done, as always! 5 huge stars!

The Rose Code was my first Kate Quinn book and definitely will not be my last! I enjoyed this historical fiction novel about the female codebreakers at Bletchley Park during World War II. The story was immersive and the characters were extremely likeable. This is not my usual genre so I was excited to try something new, and this did not disappoint.

My critiques - the book is LONG, bordering on too long. The audiobook was 15.5+ hours long and at times the book seemed to slow way down. I enjoyed the audiobook (the narration was fantastic) but at times it was hard to follow the plot, because it felt like it was jumping around a lot. This might be because it is told from different points of view, which is a hard adjustment with an audiobook.

3.5 rounded up

Thank you to the author, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for providing an audiobook copy to review!

This book, This book, This book mind-blowing and you won't see it coming. when I started listening to The Rose Code I was a little lost, getting to know each character and where the story was heading, at one point I was even questioning myself if this was going to be any good but as soon as the question popped up in my mind around 30% BAM everything started to change so dramatically, believe me, you will keep holding your breath for the rest of the book.

The story of Beth, Osla, and Mab tree friends who were brave and fought even with their own families to be able to serve and help when things were so crazy and chaotic around the world even if that meant losing your friends and maybe even losing your own sanity.

Beth, Osla, and Mab were so different from each other but what really brought them together was their work, their help to conquer a war that was destroying so many lives and families all around.

one of my favorite things about Mab and Osla was that they were always trying to help Beth to come out of her shell and making her believe more in herself, to trust more in her, and stop listening to the mantras her mother kept feeding her mind.

Beth a very quiet character that was so afraid of life, thanks to her parents that were not so kind or nice to her, her mother was constantly playing mind games with Beth making her feel less than and even very insecure. but life was about to change everything for Beth, she didn't expect to be accepted or that her work was going to be so important to save lives but soon she will find many answers that will help her finally to grow and move even forward.

Osla was a great character she was one of my favorites because she was so bold and very strong, she didn't suffer for any men, if her princes were not going to be with her then she will practically move on and continue with her life. she was the one who will take control and will never break until things started to collapse something terrible happened and suddenly her friends were no longer the ones to help her, she was all alone and she needed to get out of her own mess.

Mab's story was very sad, I cry so much with her through chapters, I really cry so much for her, she really deserves so much more, it was not right for her to see the things she saw that left her almost without a soul, I totally understood her rage, her anger, her sadness, I think anyone in her situation would have acted the same way.

even if the three of them were very different and were fighting their own internal battle as well as helping with the war, they were the best friends anyone could need and have in situations like that.

I love how in the end they really understood what happened and how they united to be successful and take vengeance after so many lies and atrocities they went through.

so many great secondary characters like Prince Philip, Peggy, Lucy, Harry, Francis all gave so much to the story and made it even more heartbreaking.

The narrations by Saskia Maarleveld, I love her work this is not my first book narrated by her, she is definitely a favorite one, she always brings so much to the story and gives so much depth to the characters. I love how she puts the right voice and energy for each character so we can understand who is talking and what characters are answering. great work and a great narrator.

The Rose Code faith, empathy, and how humans will do everything they can to be successful with their plans no matter if some of those plans meant to hurt someone who was not so kind in the process, The Rose Code show us, the humanity and humility of three women trying to survive the worst parts of their lives, a war that will test them over and over again until they can survive victoriously and finally recognized the true potential of their own.

I recommend this book so much, the last chapters will break you but at the end, they will put your heart back together making you feel the ride was so worth it.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Kate Quinn is a true wordsmith, able to weave a story with engaging characters, an intricate plot, and pacing that makes her books impossible to put down.

"The Rose Code" may be my favorite book by her thus far. The three main characters are all strong and three-dimensional, with striking characteristics and flaws. You're drawn into their lives so fully that you almost feel like you're the fourth member of their sisterhood. I loved being pulled in like that.

I also love love love the fact that this looks into the lives of those who worked at Bletchly Park. I have always been intrigued by it, and I feel like Quinn truly did her research and created something which felt authentic.

I did not want to put this book down, and it didn't feel like it was the actual length that it is. Totally recommend it.

The Rose Code was so scrummy (in the words of Oslo). This book was one of the best women in WW2 books I have read. The women, so different, all had such important jobs. I wasn't quite sure about the mystery aspect of this book, since it is also a WW2 historical fiction, but it was the perfect layer to an already complex and breathtaking story. Kate Quinn does a fantastic job telling the story through the 3 main characters, all with such different personalities. The war aspects were spot on. The relationships were to die for. The narrator does not disappoint either! She was great voices for the characters and their different accents. Beautifully written. Beautifully performed.

We follow the story of three women in England during WWII. They work at Bletchley Park as code breakers. These three women are great characters...coming from such different backgrounds but brought together to work to break German codes. We see how they are affected by the war and being away from their homes. Osla, Mab and Beth are working to do their part to help in the war effort but are also navigating romantic relationships, familial relationships and their friendship. The war, loss and pressure of leading a secret life tears these three women apart leaving one of them in an asylum after the war. The women receive an encoded message and must come together to try to solve their last code together.

Quinn just writes such amazing stories with unforgettable characters. I loved the relationship between these women and I laughed and cried with each one of them. Just a great read!

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Something for every reader!

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn has something to entertain every reader. Whether you like historical fiction, mysteries, spy thrillers, relationship/love stories and/or a bit of the royals, this book will not disappoint.

The story is set in early WWII, where three women with very different backgrounds meet through their employment as Bletchley Park codebreakers. I know I am not alone in my admiration and fascination of the genius club that was Bletchley Park. The dedication, intelligence and tenacity for cracking enigma codes saved countless lives of the allies. Yet these unsung heroes were rarely celebrated until years after the war.

This story delves into some of the more important work done at BP and the impact of how this stressful and secretive work changed the lives of the staff and their families. We see these experiences through the eyes of the three friends who found and lost each other by the end of their time there. Years later, they reunite to rescue one of their own and unmask a traitorous spy from their BP past. The story is also paralleled with the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, adding another layer of interest and verisimilitude to the story.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, was spot on with her characters, their accents, moods, etc. I could ‘hear’ the tension, emotion and engagement among the various characters. She brought them to life, and I was fully immersed in this story. Both the pace and flow were perfect, never dragging or needing to go back to replay for clarification. The characters were clearly differentiated, consistent and the story was very easy to follow. I felt their losses and triumphs as if I were an observer in the room.

This is my first Kate Quinn book, but definitely not my last! I look forward to checking out The Alice Network and The Huntress, both also narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. What a great partnership this author and narrator have together! I look forward to more from this team!

This book was amazing! The narrator was outstanding! I think anyone that enjoys historical fiction will devour this book just as I did. Overall a smashing book with strong characters, a great story, and wonderful narration. Kate Quinn has really knocked the one out of the parK!

Three women become sisters in the top secret code breaking huts of Bletchley Park. Three women fall apart in the rubble of war.
Fantastically written, as all of Quinn's books are. Great plot twists. Amazing dialogue and perfect characters.
Thank you so much for a review copy.

Kate Quinn is one that never disappoints when it comes to stories about World War II and uncovering remarkable women for us to meet and events for us to know. The Rose Code is another winning novel that tells us the story of Bletchley Park and the women code breakers who were invaluable to the war effort. BP brought together women from all walks of life and honed their remarkable skills to defeat Nazi Germany.

1940: Osla is a debutante and current girlfriend of Prince Philip of Greece (yes, that Prince Philip, look it up). She also has complete command of the German language, both common and proper. Mab grew up in extreme poverty and is determined, tooth and nail, to climb out and nab herself an advantageous marriage while she's at it. Beth lives at home near Bletchley Park and is the stay-at-home daughter to a strict god-fearing mother. She is socially awkward but she can complete a crossword in under 7 minutes.

1947: The war is over. Just days away from the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh - Osla and Mab receive a coded message from Beth. Beth has been locked up in an Asylum for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act. According to her coded message, there was a traitor at Bletchley Park and Beth was on the heels of discovering who it was, that person got her locked up before she could make the discovery. Now she needs Osla and Mab, who haven't spoken in 3 1/2 years, to get her out and help her decode the final message to uncover the traitor.

The journey of these three remarkable women is not one to be missed. If Kate Quinn is new to you then read them all. I would love to see her tackle a story from the Russian Revolution.

This audiobook ARC was provided by NetGalley.

My thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio allowing me to listen to this excellent story.

This is the tale of three friends, Osla, Mab, and Beth , who are recruited by Bletchley Park to work as coders for the war. We get all their separate stories with their men and families. In between all of this is the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth, AND and alternate story of one of the friends in an insane asylum framed as a traitor. Which friend is it? Who framed her? Will she get out? This will keep you hooked . Excellent chapters with many dimensions. Well constructed story.

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for an advanced listener's copy of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. I have been a fan of Quinn's since I read The Alice Network several years ago and this new historical fiction of hers lives up to the anticipation! The narration of the audiobook was fantastic, her cadence was very smooth and kept the listener engaged within the story, which is a hard feat sometimes when you have the audiobook playing in the background while doing other tasks. Her newest novel does something her other novel, The Huntress, so much better and that's tackling the different timelines between the present day and past without leaving the listener confused or flat out bored. And I always appreciate the strong female characters that Kate brings to life within her stories!

Kate Quinn once again has delivered a 5 star masterpiece that will knock readers' socks off.

I will admit that The Huntress did not hit a high mark for me which was so hard for me to reconcile after being blown away by The Alice Network. Well for readers that felt like me, get your preorder in now because you will not want to miss The Rose Code.

Set during World War 2 in England, this book takes you on a fast-paced spin that will make you want to know what happened. There are three main characters who end up becoming friends and working together during the struggles of war. You will laugh and you will cry with what these women experience.

I will admit that the three points of view with some alternating timelines did make it a bit of a challenge listening to the audiobook. I had to pay close attention to familiarize myself with who was whom. But don't let that little fact sway you from choosing the audiobook version. The narrater does a fabulous job and I know I would have butchered so much if I had read the book.

Quinn is an expert at carefully and an slowly peeling back layers to reveal details in her story that you did not see coming. I love that she masterfully weaves in true facts to her stories that allows the readers to learn while enjoying fiction.

I would give the story and the audiobook more than 5 stars if it was possible. This most definitely will make my favorite books of the year and quite possibly of all time.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley. All thoughts & opinions are my own.