Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Anna Stuart

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

DNF at 10%

Just a personal preference, but I need more history and less soap opera in my historical fiction. The characters are not engaging. I have no one to root for. And history is an afterthought.

Well researched, generally good plot lines interesting characters. Three stars because it was an average read - still good, and I'd still speak positively about it if asked, it just wasn't a stand out, incredible story.

I read it in one sitting, I absolutely devoured it, I couldn't put it down. Well written with well developed characters that I loved

Code Name Elodie is the second book in the Bletchley Park Girls series by Anna Stuart, but I read this as a standalone and had no issues with the story, the characters or the history of the events. I will however, read the previous book as I liked this one and want to know more about the women featured in the story. Fran Morgan, a well off British woman, Stefania Carmichael, the daughter of a General and Ailsa Robinson, daughter of fisherfolk in Scotland are friends working at Bletchley Park. They are living in a caravan on a farm. Each of these women take a different path, do their part and help the allies to win the war. Ailsa is great at decoding Japanese messages. She marries Ned, who is sent to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to serve. When Ailsa realizes she is pregnant, she wants to be with him. She tells no one and argues and fights until the government lets her to and work for the radio service to be with her husband. Fran meets Valerie Rousseau, a determined French Woman who wants to do all she can to liberate France from the Nazis. They fall in love and it is Valerie's story that makes up a large portion of this book. Steffie is engaged to Matteo. He is an Italian working as a double agent stationed in Malta. All three of these women are excellent at what they do from breaking code, deciphering messages, intuiting what is coming and mapping areas. Their stories are not easy, but they are interesting and show the importance of women during WW2.

These women were strong, independent and extremely intelligent. Their courage, especially Valerie/Elodie, was exceptional. Of course, women were not considered to be as intelligent as men during this time, but this group were often able to convince their supervisors to allow them to take on roles that would normally go to men. The way they dealt with people and showed what they could to earned them the trust and admiration of the higher ups. Along with that, this is a story of friendship, love and family. There is tragedy as there is in any war story, but there is hope as well. I recommend Code Name Elodie to those who enjoy historical fiction, especially the role of women in WW2.

With beauty and clarity, Anna Stewart has penned another inspiring and unforgettable story about ordinary people whose courage, sacrifice, and conviction led them to do extraordinary things during the darkest days of WW2.

Code Name Elodie is the second book in the Bletchley Park Girls series. Inspired by true events events, it is a story about the code breakers and the key role they played in the preparation for the Normandy Landings. I loved reconnecting with Steffie, Ailsa and Fran as they continued to bravely perform their important duties helping with the war effort.

Well research and beautifully written, this was a wonderful story about love, friendship and sacrifice amidst the uncertainty of war.

A hearty thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this story. The opinions above are my own and this is my honest review

I am back with the girls at Bletchley Park. It is now 1943 and war is progressing and plans are being made for an advance in 1944. But there is so much to do before then and all of the three women, Ailsa, Steffie and Fran have their part to play, at Bletchley but much further afield.

Fran is still coming to terms with her choice of love, Valerie Rousseau is French, passionate and desperate to help at home on the front line, not from behind some cryptic messages in an old country house in England. Through all her passions, Valerie leaves Fran with the unknown – what she is really doing in Occupied France.

Alisa, now married to Ned is separated from him. But when a chance to go and work where he is, in Ceylon she jumps at the chance. Trouble is she might have to keep her extra passanger quiet as she knows the rules even if she is one of the best when it comes to wireless sets and finding frueqwncuies. Some things the Ministry will not overlook. But that still does not stop strong wlled Alisa from taking part in as much of the last days of war as she can.

Steffie, is in a different place in her life to other women. Her skills at languages and the influence of her father leads her to become involved in operative planning to confuse the enemy. She suddenly realises that she has quite a lot to give. So does the American solider who has been detailed off to accompany her, but she seems to spend most of time laughing at his use of the English language and not picking up on what is really going on.

All of this weaved to together as we see the planning for D-Day, Operation Mincemeat and the end of the War. The research is so detailed and thorough, that Anna Stuart brings it to life from the page and just like her first, this was a book I could not put down. In fact I was bereft when it ended, but the three women needed to go on and live their lives knowing that they had played a vital part in history.

Thoroughly fascinating, engaging and a must for all fans of historical fiction.

Blending fiction with historical figures, Code Name Elodie follows directly from its prequel The Bletchley Girls, documenting the latter half of the war, including the Italian Armistice and its dreadful repercussions, and the Normandy D-Day landings. In 1943, Fran, Ailsa and Steffie are living together in a caravan, overseen by a delightful surrogate mum who looks after their off-hours welfare. Fran, originally sent to the naval department as a typist, turns out to have a flair for file organization. Against air force rules, Ailsa, a telegrapher, is able to join her husband in Ceylon, where she decodes Japanese morse. Once again, the war has stepped between Steffie and her fiancé, preventing their marriage, as he is sent into Italy and she joins Double-Cross or XX. Fran’s partner, Valérie, complains unceasingly about the boring work at Bletchley Park and longs to return to ‘La France’ to walk in the footsteps of her grandmother, Elodie, a resistant in WWI.

This is a well-told tale of love, friendship and sacrifice amidst the turmoil and uncertainty of war. Characters are well-drawn, and relationships between the girls are realistically solid as they lend support to each other through difficult times. I was half-expecting a story about the resistance but, it turns out, it is not what this is. However, it is an interesting read, packed with information about the laborious work done behind the scenes to win a war, including fake radio signalling, mocked-up planes and tanks, double agents, and misinformation. The section about postcards is particularly intriguing. Valérie seems to be the fish out of water. She is erratic, highly strung, and given to outbursts, which does not seem conducive to the temperament one imagines Bletchley Park officials looked for in their personnel. Readers who like romance blended into their war stories will enjoy this.

A great book with a strong female cast of characters. Set in Bletchley Park and describes how important the work they did was towards the winning and end of the war.

I have read a number of books set in and around WW2 and enjoy the different angles these books come at. I find the work which went on a Bletchley Park fascinating and this book gives you an insight to the women who worked there and the difference they made to the war. Great characters and you felt the peril of their work when they went overseas into the field.

A great read.

I just reviewed Code Name Elodie (The Bletchley Park Girls) by Anna Stuart. #CodeNameElodie #NetGalley

I must admit that, although I prefer more Victorian era books, I do love the Bletchley Park era and this book is really good at describing all the work that women did during WW2.

The decoding and intercepting messages is so well described and very interesting.

A good story with the added bonus of highlighting the great work that women did to keep the country safe.

Code Name Elodie Book 2 in the Bletchley Park Girls Series by Anna Stuart is a thoroughly enjoyable book. It was so nice to pick up where the first book left off with these best friends and co-workers Steffie, Ailsa and Fran along with their love counterparts Matteo, Ned and Valerie. They each continue fighting the war on various fronts, With D-Day in their sights, they gather every ounce of strength they can to see victory. But victory will come with a cost.
It’s also brilliant to see women having such a prominent and important role in war work. The plot in the novel showed how they stepped outside of their expected roles, as viewed by society, that being the homemaker and primary care provider for the children. Then they stepped up to the mark when needed.
The main focus of this book are the plans by the British and Americans to invade France in order to overthrow the Germans. The technical terms and detailed descriptions of the work carried out by the girls was fascinating. The girls worked as wireless operators translating and decoding messages. This should be made into a movie!!!
This is a beautifully written, thoroughly researched WWII novel and a great addition to her Bletchley Park Girls Series.
Thank you to Bookouture Publishers and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy

Code Name Elodie is the 2nd book in Anna Stuart's Bletchley Park Girls book series, but it can read as a standalone.

Personally I haven't read the first installment (though wish that I had, simply because the writing is so good).

This is the story of Fran, Steffie, Ailsa and Valerie, all doing their bit for the war effort, in varying degrees of secrecy and danger at Bletchley Park (BP as it's affectionally known).

Each woman is exceptional at her job, and with war time comes opportunities and challenges that they may not have had to think of previously. Each of them in turn is forced to make a decision that will impact their future. But if they don't make it, they could impact the war.

The book covers operation mincemeat and the D-Day landings from a particularly unique perspective, that of the folk who were working so hard, day and night at Bletchley Park to decipher and deliver the intelligence to ensure that the troops were where they needed to be, and the enemy as far away as possible.

I'm not 100% sure that the title fits the novel to be honest, though I can offer no more sensible suggestions, I just felt that it wasn't all about Elodie (as much as that part of the story is important).

This is a brilliantly written, thoroughly researched historical fiction novel (with a sprinkling of factual information) and I look forward to reading the next in the series ... and also actually going back to read the first in the series!

I absolutely adored the first book in this series, so jumped at the chance to be on the tour for Code Name Elodie, the second in The Bletchley Park Girls series.

Continuing on from book one we catch up with friends Fran, Steffie and Ailsa and their continued efforts to code break and defeat Hitler.

The story is based on true events at Bletchley Park, it's well researched and is a fantastic story of friendship, bravery and the war efforts of women.

The characters are realistic and I fast found myself invested in them and their stories. Bletchley Park is shrouded in mystery and for me an absolutely fascinating place.

I'm already excited for book three!

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bletchley Park may be a place with many secrets within its gates, but it is also a place where friendships are made. Based on a true story, Fran, Steffie, Ailsa, and Valerie all have their part to play in preparation for the Allied invasion and D-Day.

Valerie will do anything to help her beloved France even if it means leaving the relative safety of Bletchley in the process. Fran is beside herself with worry not knowing if Valerie is safe or where in the world she may be, until she hears of an agent with the code name Elodie. She’s sure that Elodie is Valerie, and she must continue to do her work to ensure her safe return.

I’ve read several novels set in the same era and was not disappointed with this one. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in World War Two and the importance of Bletchley Park. I have also read The Rose Code and The Alice Network and would recommend this novel to anyone who read those books and enjoyed them. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #CodeNameElodie

Stars

Three friends, Fran, Stefania and Ailsa, go above and beyond with regard to their efforts towards winning the war in 1943. With D-Day on the horizon, their work was critical. Reunited again at Bletchley Park, each of them faced serious duty as well as heartbreak while the brutal war just might be nearing its end.

Fran is living unconventionally, and in fact, this is in part where the title of this book comes into play. For Ailsa, being newly married and separated from her husband due to the war, this is not the only change her life takes on. Then there is Stefania, missing her new love and facing tragedy while never giving up hope or in her efforts.

This second book in the Bletchley Girls series is just as emotional and as captivating as was the first. These women were strong and all had great value when it came to military strength and intelligence. This was also a powerful story of friendship and dedication. While individually their lives could not be more different, the strength of their friendship and the important nature of their work proved to be strong and lasting bond for all of them.

Anna Stuart has once again written a pivotal story that showed both great research as well as wonderful writing talent, thus making this book a compelling read.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Code Name Elodie is the second in the Bletchley Park Girls series by Anna Stuart which continues on the story of Fran, Steffie and Alisa. I adored the first book, The Bletchley Girls, so I was delighted to see a second book as I felt the first concluded with a lot of unfinished business. Yes, this new book can be read as a standalone but to get a real flavour for the girls and their experiences during the war, I would suggest starting with book number one. What, I love about these characters and their stories is that we are getting an insight into an aspect of the war that at the time was top secret and it’s only as the years have passed that details have been released as to the astonishing and incredible work that was carried out at Bletchley Park.

It’s also brilliant to see women having such a prominent and important role in war work.The plot showed how they stepped outside of their expected place as viewed by society, that area being the home and the role of rearing children and stepped up to the mark when needed most even if there was still an aspect of hesitancy with men viewing some of the women with disdain and not being capable of doing their job. But Fran, Alisa and Steffie are three remarkable women among many and their individual stories which come together as a whole were brilliant to discover making this book a very enjoyable read.

The first few chapters helped me to refamiliarize myself with the characters of Fran, Steffie and Alisa who all do vital war work at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. Security is of the utmost importance and the Nazi’s musn’t discover what work goes on there. Fran comes from a family of medics. Steffie is the daughter of the military attaché to Rome and Alisa hails from a remote Scottish island where her family are fisherfolk. So each of the young woman comes from a very varied background but they all have special and unique talents which add so much to the crucial work that is carried out day in day out at the park in order to thwart the continued domination of the Nazi’s.

The main focus of this book is the plans by the British and Americans to invade France in order to over throw the Germans. This goes on to be D Day which occurs in the later stages of the book. I loved all the technical terms and detailed descriptions of the work carried out by the girls. Be it working as a wireless operator or translating decrypts and turning them into messages or simply the brilliant organisational work carried out by Fran. The whole system of operations was riveting and just gives a greater appreciation for how vast the entire war effort was. That plans were always afoot and even if the results of said plans may be months away from coming to fruition the girls and the team around them never rested on their laurels as they were all so closely united with one common aim.

I felt in this book both Steffie and Alisa really stepped up to the mark in terms of the work they carried out. I felt Fran, although extremely good at her job, seemed to have her mind on other things, most notably Valerie, the French lady whom she has found love with. Don’t get me wrong she did do her job but I got the sense that Valerie was dissatisfied with being at the park that she would much rather get in on the action in her home territory of France but that her love for Fran was holding her back. Valerie was restless and had a wild spirit about her and her love and dedication to her country and to the cause deserves nothing but admiration. Yet, she does have to choose between Fran or France and I felt they went through a tumultuous time especially towards the end as mentioned in the blurb. I did feel the blurb focused rather on the later section of the book rather than giving an overall picture of the themes, life stories and issues being explored. I think the blurb could have been edited a bit and a more general overview given. But my enjoyment of the book wasn’t spoilt by this.

For me, it was Alisa and Steffie who were the stand out characters this time around. I felt they both matured in different ways both in terms of both their personal and professional lives. Alisa is now married to Ned and I think she epitomised women at the time who were willing to step outside of their comfort zone and do their bit for their country. Having done this Alisa had the taste and passion for wireless operating and she strived to make her way in a male dominated world. A world where she was just as good if not better than some of her work colleagues and although there were innumerable rules and stipulations put in her path she broke down barriers time and time again. I loved this about her and that she went against convention and kept forging forward doing what she believed was right even if it did go against rules and at times her life was put in danger. Her bravery, courage and determination are such admirable qualities to have and she had them in spades. She wanted to be an equal along side Ned and his colleagues. She felt it was almost a sense of injustice that it was against the rules for married women to go abroad to work. But I loved how stubborn she was and dare I say it a little bit underhand in what she did but she had her love for both Ned and her job at the centre of everything she did even if she was hiding a little secret which she almost refused to accept herself. But truly I thoroughly enjoyed how her aspect of the story was developed. It showed how resourceful stubborn, forceful she was and how she was made of very stern and tough stuff.

As for Alisa, I could see where her aspect of the plot was going to go from a mile off but the journey to get there was interesting, emotional and heartfelt. She has come a long way from being an officials daughter and I loved how she stepped up into even bigger parts that ultimately played a crucial role in the much larger machine that was forever evolving and turning. There is plenty of heartbreak and emotional change for Alisa and she weathered the storm with grace and integrity as do all the girls really. The destruction, sacrifices, loss and pain they all experience alongside moments of pure joy and happiness amidst the darkness are all nicely balanced and help make this an important read.

Admittedly, similar to the first book, I did find the first half of the book quite slow and you are left wondering when something exciting or twist turning will happen? As with the last book it was in the last 25% or so that things really heated up and made my opinion of the book as a whole change. I felt like the last section of the book more than made up for the slow start and in fact middle too. The last section detailing the different viewpoints of each character as D Day was launched was just astounding and in fact spine chilling to read. The author really made it feel like you were there alongside the characters and the vivid and detailed imagery was so remarkable that as I was reading I felt like a movie scene by scene was being played out in my head. Such sheer emotion was spilling from the pages and to read of all the different perspectives was just fascinating and really awe inspiring as you realised how each and every person put their heart and soul into a plan determined to read to rid the world of the evil of Hitler once and for all.

As I was enjoying the story so much, I was disappointed when it came to what I felt was like an abrupt ending. Yes, the ending was satisfactory but it just felt like it all happened too quickly and things were wrapped up within a page or two which was a shame given generally how well developed things had been throughout the book even if the pacing had been slow. Or maybe, it’s just the selfish part of me that wanted to continue reading more of the three girls who are all such strong and fantastic characters who forged a path for all the females who followed in their wake. Pushing, my issues aside with the abrupt ending, Code Name Elodie, is another very good read from Anna Stuart and one I enjoyed reading very much. I sense that this is the end from this set of characters so I am intrigued as to what part of the war ( if any) she will turn her attention to for her next book as despite reading innumerable books set during this period I really can’t get enough of them.

I have always been fascinated by Bletchley Park & the work done there to make sure that the Allies won the war. This is the second book in the series (how did I miss the first) We join Ailsa, Steffie & Fran at the start of what will be a momentous a year for them. We follow their stories throughout the lead up to D Day & beyond.

I really enjoyed reading each of their stories & was only sorry that I'd missed the first book. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

What a wonderful piece of writing – an extraordinarily detailed insider view of wartime activities in the run-up to the D-Day landings (my goodness, the research…), wrapped around a compelling story of female friendship, both gripping and moving, as their separate lives take a number of directions they could never have expected.

I will admit that I think I might have engaged with the book rather better at the start had I read the first in the series (although there’s enough catching up to put the individual stories in context), and the characters, at first, were just a little blurred as I sorted out their relationships and became increasingly involved in their lives. As the D-Day landings draw closer, Fran finds herself in a key role at Bletchley, pursuing her dream of becoming a journalist whenever the opportunity arises. Her French girlfriend Valerie becomes increasingly involved in the activities of the Free French, and her passion for her country has consequences for their relationship and sees her making decisions that take her into considerable danger.

Steffie’s journey is fascinating too, if tragic and distressing on a personal level – involved with the secret world of the Twenty Committee and their various activities focused on deceiving the enemy on a number of fronts. I particularly enjoyed some of the detail the author draws into the story, especially the ingenuity of Operation Mincemeat – and was fascinated by Fran’s involvement in collecting photos and postcards to inform the production of booklets to be carried by the invading forces to show them the lie of the land. And then there’s Ailsa, with a significant secret of her own, overcoming the prejudice about a meaningful wartime role for married women and convincing the authorities to allow her to travel to Ceylon – where she can use her particular skill set and rejoin her husband Ned.

Their individual stories are wonderfully told – exceptionally involving, sometimes emotional – but this is also the story of strong female friendship, and of the bravery of a group of women showing immense fortitude while showing how very capable they can be. The social landscape is particularly well drawn – the ridiculous rules preventing women from fulfilling their potential and taking up their rightful roles, the misogynistic attitudes of those in charge, their constant struggle to prove their worth.

If I do have one criticism – and with apologies – I wasn’t entirely convinced that the book’s title was the right one. The story of Elodie – although edge-of-the-seat and very well told – only comes to the fore later in the book, and I felt was always subsidiary to the ongoing struggles of Fran, Steffie and Ailsa. But perhaps that’s just me – and it certainly drove home the message that “love is too painful to indulge in during wartime”, but also endorsed the fact that it’s the one key thing that keeps everyone going. Emotionally, the author just gets everything absolutely right – there are certainly tears along the way, but the conclusion of all the individual stories is heartwarming, satisfying, and particularly uplifting.

This really was an excellent read, and one I really enjoyed on so many levels – and a book I’d thoroughly recommend to others.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Code name Elodie is the second book in the series of The Bletchley park girl and I must say that author Anna Stuart never disappoints. The book is a continuation of the life of the girls who left their homes to dedicate they lives to help in the on going ww2 at the Bletchley park.

The book based on a true story is well researched by the author. The characters are loveable and its was nice to follow the journey of Ailsa, Steffie and Fran once again. The Bletchley park girls story is an inspirational story of women’s contribution to the world war 2.

Overall a great inspiring story of war, friendship and survival.

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author Anna stuart for this ARC