I loved this book for the strong female characters, the masterful storytelling, and the peek into a history full of secrets. The narrator of the audiobook was excellent and really kept me engaged as the story unfolded.

Kate Quinn once again draws us into an important piece of history through this captivating novel based on the Bletchley Park codebreakers of WWII. She introduces us to three women with diverse backgrounds and personalities whose lives become intertwined as they all serve their country during the war. Weaving bits and pieces of actual history into this novel, Quinn builds a story based on these women in a way that feels historically accurate and seemingly biographical. Even though these characters are fictional representations, they become people we know and love and don’t wish to leave. I highly recommend this book/audiobook to anyone who loves historical fiction and anyone who just wants to read a really well-built story! The narrator for the audiobook adds color to the story with her British accent and ability to change characters with her vocal tone.
Kudos to Kate Quinn for another amazing book!

3/5 stars

Thanks for providing this precious arc in regards to the publisher and author!

It was a loooong audiobook but it was fine. I look forward to reading more from her

That's it - you've convinced me.. Kate is the Queen of Historical Fiction!! This is my 3rd ride with Miss Quinn and they've all been a blast, wild with twistys and turns in the most unexpected of places. I'm loving her newest work and await the next with excited baited breath 💕😻👍👏👏👏🎉

Thanks netgalley for giving me the pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

So happy to have had the opportunity to listen to this book. The audio performance was fantastic. The story was engaging and powerful. I loved it!

Note: I received a preview eARC of this audiobook in order to provide an honest review.

Book TW: rape, sexual assault, medical mistreatment, emotional abuse, racism, sexism
My first introduction to Quinn’s writing was “The Alice Network,” which I adored. While that book is still my favorite, I did thoroughly enjoy “The Rose Code” and all it had to offer.
It took me a bit longer to get into the swing of things with this novel, but by about the midway point things had picked up and I was thoroughly invested.
I tend to feel a bit weird about fictionalising people who are still alive (reasons why I haven’t watched The Crown) so the plotline with Osla and Phillip was a bit awkward for me (though written well and thoughtfully).
As far as characters go, Beth was by far my favorite in both personality and story arc. I loved watching her escape from under the wing of her abusive home where her differences were suppressed (she seemed autistic coded, though the term is never used) and turning into a brilliant code-breaker. Her storyline, though often upsetting, was by far the most engaging for me and I was just rooting for her to thrive and be happy the whole time. Mab and Osla were both interesting and well-written too, I just didn’t connect to them quite as much as Beth. But all three were very different, but capable women in their own way.
Once the mystery and intensity truly picked up in the last third or so of the book, that was the best part to me. From that point on and until the end, I was hooked. I was rooting for every good character and willing them to succeed.
I loved all the historical details and learning more about Bletchley Park and the largely female workforce there who helped to shape the tide of WWII. The “countdown to the royal wedding” in the 50’s timeline kept the pace and the tension brilliantly, even before you knew /why/ the countdown was important.
All in all, this was quite a good, detailed historical fiction, as I’d expect from Quinn. The book absolutely has the potential to be triggering, so if any of the TW’s mentioned would bother you, take note. But if not, and you want to read a book about empowering female code breakers, this one is for you!

This was a wonderful historical fiction book. The timing of the death of Prince Phillip made it seem even more real.

I love Kate Quinn's books, but this one was by far her best ... and one of the best historical fiction/female empowerment books that I've ever listened to. I can't eloquently explain how much I loved listening to this book. The audiobook is fantastic and perfect to listen to while going for walks or running errands (it does get intense though, so listen with caution! :)) Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ALC. I already bought the physical copy to reread and share with friends.

I really love Kate Quinn and I adored the Alice Network. I enjoyed the Rose Code but not as much as I was hoping to after The Alice Network. I do think this may have been due to the narration. I found it hard to distinguish between the three female characters and think this audio may have benefitted with several readers. Overall the story was good, but there were some slow parts in the beginning. The end however was fantastic.

I ADORED this book. The characters were witty and charming and all of their voices were so unique. Flashing between Bletchley Park's codebreaking huts to solving a much more personal enigma in the characters' present was handled deftly and with expert precision.
The historical elements were accurate without overpowering the story, and I loved the trio of heroines at the core of the narrative.

I loved this book!
The way she weaves her stories around real events past and present is pretty amazing,
I learn so much every time I read one of her books.
Initially I found a certain character to be off putting but the way she tied in events allowed for it to feel more organic rather than forced and I ended up enjoying that particular characters storyline and development.
I would Absolutely recommend this book and am grateful to have been given the opportunity to have a first listen.

3 women, World War 2 and a bubbling amount of secrets. That is what I found with this book.

We meet three characters, Oslo (Canadian born debutante who happens to be dating Prince Phillip) Mab (woman who wants to find a good man to take her and her sister Lucy away from her strict rude mother) and Beth (who’s basically a spinster who wants to be alone because she wants to be free of her mother). The three ladies work at Bletchley Park which was used during the war to decode Nazi Germany codes. Their lives will forever be changed after the war, leading one of them to be in a sanitarium.

This book made me laugh, made me cry and made me more interested to learn more about this whole world in WW2 I had no idea existed. The audio narrator made each character more lively and allowed me as the reader to imagine myself there in the horrors of World War 2.
Kate Quinn made a part of history come to life and made these characters seem likeable and loving through the narrator she chose. The secondary characters of Mr Grey, Harry, Boots and everyone also made the story that much more interesting and a great addition.

Thank you to Netgallery and Harper Audio for the ARC.

I already loved this book when I read it the first time - listening to it was a whole different experience that made me love it even more

A historical fiction that takes place between 1940 and 1947 focusing on the lives of three female code
breakers working at Bletchley Park. Osla, Mab and Beth become close friends and roommates while
secretly working as Codebreakers during WWII. Osla comes from a family of wealth, even dating a
prince, and wants to prove she can be helpful during the war. Mab comes from a life of poverty and is
looking to rise beyond that status through marriage. Beth is shy and timid and has come to the
resolution she will be a spinster and live under her parents' watchful eyes. That is until her talents for
mathematics are realized and utilized to break codes. When one ends up in the asylum and charged
with treason, how fas will the others go to help uncover the truth?

My Thoughts:
A story of friendship that spans the test of time. Love that is lost and found again. A time period that is well documented, but also so interesting with the Bletchley Park location. Characters that stay with you, not only Osla, Mab and Beth. A narrator that engages you and keeps the flow of the story interesting. A definite recommendation!

The Rose Code is an intelligent and engaging story about a group of British code-breaking men and women who formed what we now know of as Bletchley Park. At the heart of the story are three women from three different parts of British society in the 1940s. The novel is a blend of fact and fiction, such as debutante Oslo's relationship with the yet-unmarried Prince Philip. Never far from the plot of the story is the place of women in 1940s England. Privileged and disenfranchised women alike had less freedom than the lowliest man. This novel highlights the various ways women were socially divested of power and authority and the steps they took to legitimize themselves.
The Rose Code is an entertaining read, and I heartily recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of Kate Quinn’s writing, and this book did not disappoint! There were a few times where the story was a little slower but it was definitely worth the push through. I loved the strength of the main characters! I also loved how the story talked about Prince Phillip. It’s always fun to do a little fact checking to see what was real and what was fiction. Great story!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this book!

This book combines so many of my favourite things: WWII historical fiction, fierce women as main characters, narrator Saskia Maarleveld (for real, she's the best!), dashes of lovely romance, dual timelines, wonderfully written female friendships, enough mystery and suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat the entire read, intense emotions, and so much more.

At first, I wasn't convinced that I would fiercely love this story like Kate Quinn's previous two novels, but she quickly proved me wrong. Osla, Mab, and Beth were amazing lead characters, all shining and captivating for unique reasons (both on-page and in their work at Bletchley Park). I was equally fascinated by the events going on in both timelines, trying to notice clues that would help me figure out secrets in the 1947 chapters while also being caught up in the excitement of the rest of the happenings in the 1940 timeline. Quinn's writing is so beautiful and easily drew me deep into this amazing story.

The emotional range of this novel was truly incredible. I found myself laughing, nervous, angry, smiling, disbelieving, and of course: crying at one profoundly heart-wrenching scene. (For real, it felt like a punch to the gut...) This, along with the super well-developed characters and amazing plots, is why I think I love Quinn's writing so much. And to have Saskia Maarleveld as the narrator is icing on the cake! The depth that her voice adds to the characters, emotions, and pace of the story is phenomenal.

I have always been fascinated by Bletchley Park, all that went on there during the war, and the many secrets that surely died with those that worked there and kept it all bottled up inside for the rest of their lives. The detailed look at the efforts of those working at BP was so interesting and added so much substance to the story.

There was quite a large cast of characters, but it was actually really easy to keep everyone straight. The supporting cast was wonderfully used to highlight and bring out certain characteristics of the main three ladies, provide even more emotional substance to the story, and push the plot along. Quinn expertly planned out each scene, with nothing seeming out of place or as if it were a frivolous detail. Also, Ian Graham made a cameo appearance and I loved seeing him again.

I would 100% recommend this book for anyone who enjoys WWII fiction, stories involving secrecy and danger, emotional punches to the gut, and brave female leads.

I am typically a thriller and suspense kind of gal but I was drawn to the synopsis of this book. It takes place in the 1940's and tackles hardship, friendship, betrayal and so much more. All of the information I learned was new to me. Times were so tense back then and being involved in codebreaking only adds to the mix. I did find this book a little heavy but a different kind of heavy from my standard mysteries. This book really took me back and gave me an idea of what it would have been like to live through the 1940's. I think it's cool that I liked this and I am 28 and my grandmother who is in her 70's would like it as well.

Great book! I really liked the narrator - her accent was geographically relevant to the story and she did a great job of changing her voice appropriately for different characters. The story was well written and had complex, likeable characters. Will definitely recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3604460204

Not just another WWII book. I had never heard of Bletchley Park or the decoders who sacrificed so much. I thought the descriptions of the machines and how they worked were confusing and couldn’t picture them, but the pictures at the end of the book helped, and the author’s note about how she wrote the characters and who was based on real people was fascinating. (One of the minor characters was Kate Middleton’s grandmother!)

The three main characters, Osla, Mab and Beth, were amazing! They are all different and come from different socioeconomic backgrounds but they each have resilience and drive in spades. Each grows throughout the novel and develops into a more selfless person. Kate Quinn is a gifted author and I love all of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow books for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.