Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and author Gosia Nealon for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

In high school, I can remember learning about the Enigma code-breaking machine. It was a bit vague on the details, just that it won the war and the intimation was that it was the Americans who did it. Later on, I learned it was not the Americans, but the British under Alan Turing at Bletchley Park. After reading The Code Breaker Girl, I now know the truth that it was actually Polish cryptologists and mathematicians who first cracked the code in the 1930s and began to build machines to enable them to crack the code faster.

Beata is a Polish orphan who has set her mind on achieving all that she can in a man’s world. She is multi-lingual which gets the attention of the Polish Cipher Bureau to help crack the codes the Germans are using. The Germans are building up their military and the Polish authorities are nervous. One night when she’s out with her roommate, she encounters a British man who seems to have certain opinions about Polish women, not realizing this woman sitting near him can understand the conversation he is having with a friend. When he tries to make nice to Beata, she freezes him out.

It turns out that Harry is from British Intelligence and is in Poland to see if they have really cracked Enigma as well as the machines being built to do it. He is impressed with what he sees, and while spending time there gets to know Beata better. She also learns he is much different than his first impression. Harry is back in England when Hitler finally invades Poland, setting off the chain reaction of World War II. Beata and the rest of the cryptologists decamp to Hungary and then Paris. Harry visits her there, having volunteered to be a British spy, but it must be a secret. When Hitler invades France, the remaining members of the Cipher Bureau decamp to the area where the Vichy government is holding out. Harry comes up with a plan to get Beata across the border to Spain, and then England, but it fails and she is captured by the Germans.

I always love learning more about history, and when it’s in a book that’s entertaining as well, all the better. I had no idea before reading this that Polish mathematicians were the first to crack Enigma. Once I started reading, I verified that some of the characters in this are actual historical figures who were involved in that. At Bletchley Park in England, there is a plaque commemorating their efforts that helped win the war.

The fictional characters here are great. It’s easy to root for Harry and Beata and their relationship. Both are kind people with a strong moral compass, and both have suffered great losses in their respective lives. Harry lost the mother he adored at a relatively young age. Beata never knew her parents as she was found on the steps at the orphanage where she grew up. Despite there being an attraction early on, their relationship is slow to develop which is nice. Both are on their guard against getting hurt as well.

The Code Breaker Girl also did a great job depicting what it was like in occupied France. No one knew who they could trust, and that is part of the problem Harry faces when trying to get Beata to safety. There is also a German officer who may be sympathetic to Beata, but she isn’t sure. The depth of these characters and the challenges they face are very well-crafted.

Yes, it’s historical fiction, but there’s enough real information here about the Polish mathematicians and cryptologists who historically were the first to crack the code that it’s educational as well. There was a good balance between the romance of Harry and Beata and the historical events they were living through. I highly recommend The Code Breaker Girl.

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

This novel by Gosia Nealon digs deep into some great true historical events during the World War 2 which is a page turner every historical fiction readers must consider about pondering.

The story follows an Orphan girl Beata, a brilliant and determined young woman who defies the odds as the first female graduate of her university. Her ambition to join the Cipher Bureau and crack the Enigma code represents not just a personal triumph but a crucial effort to protect her country from impending doom. As the Nazis decided to attack her country Poland and when her orphanage is bombed, Beata’s mission becomes ever more perilous, and her resolve is tested in ways she could never have imagined.

It was a surprise to find from this novel that the British, French and Americans tried to tackle the Enigma cipher but failed to break it. One country, however, desperate to monitor German secret messages, achieved considerable results. This was Poland. Among them were the main code breakers Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski. It was Rejewski who first cracked the Enigma code, in short weeks. His excellent mathematical education, fluent command of German, exceptional intuition and completion of a course in cryptology, together with the intelligence information he received from the French Secret Service, led to his success. The first messages were deciphered as early as the year 1932.

The novel takes a turn when Beata flees from Warsaw to Paris leaving behind Harry an agent who interests her with his sparkling eyes. And as the German troops are soon to take the Paris city by Air Bombardments her mission is to leave Paris and continue to break codes and decrypted messages with the three others so that they could escape from the troops. It was the plan of Germany to knock down most of Warsaw and create a modern city where only Germans can live and remaining poles will be slave.

Beata along with the three genius mathematicians fled Poland and later joined the French cryptographers in France. The knowledge they had provided considerably contributed to the cracking of the more complicated wartime Enigma codes used by the Germans. This happened at Bletchley Park. The breaking of Enigma had a significant impact on the course of the Second World War. It is believed that it shortened the war by two years and saved countless lives.

Beata's courage and strength and her love for her country Poland makes this novel even more interesting to read for History loving readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.
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Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The codebreaker girl gives us a mixture of fiction and fact. it tells the story of these brave, intelligent girls who risked their lives during World War 2. As this love story develops some of the characters we warm to while others make the hair on the back of your neck prickle and you are glad that you can't meet them on a dark night.

I liked the way this book eased us into the war years by helping us to relive these days of September 1939 when the world was turned upside down for so many people.

It is well written, so thanks to Gosia for bringing it to life and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to write this review, which reflects my honest opinion.

In this fascinating and complicated World War II historical fiction novel, Nealon brings the tension of World War II code breaking to life. Focusing on the Polish efforts to break the Enigma machine in the 1930s, readers follow orphan Beata from Poland to France and elsewhere in Europe as she and the Polish Cipher Bureau, along with their equipment, try to outrun the Nazis as they conquer and invade Europe. Inspired by real codebreakers and events from the war, Nealon highlights the British-Polish code breaking alliance and the terrors of the Nazi advance through Beata’s eyes. Beata is a fascinating and complicated protagonist, and the circumstances she finds herself in add to the tensions of the novel. With so much at stake, Nealon draws on historical information and vibrant detail to build up this novel and the world that Beata, Harry, and the other Enigma codebreakers are entangled in. An excellent piece of historical fiction, Nealon’s book is a fantastic expansion of the World War II female protagonist subgenre, introducing a new side to the Enigma efforts of the British. With incredible action sequences, a strong emotional throughline with Beata’s strength, alternating perspectives with Harry, and incredibly high stakes, fans of the genre have to read The Codebreaker Girl.

The Codebreaker Girl is an outstanding work of historical fiction. Just when one thinks that there cannot possibly be a new angle with which to explore World War II, Gosia Nealon pens a book that has readers discovering all over again why this time period is the inspiration for so many meaningful books. The characters are so real and the writing is so extraordinary that I found myself moved to tears. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction and for those who want an engrossing read.

"The Codebreaker Girl" is a gripping historical novel that sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of Polish code breakers during World War II. I honestly didn't know about their contribution, and the story is told through the eyes of a young woman named Beata. The book seamlessly blends historical fact with a compelling narrative, offering readers both an educational and emotionally resonant experience.
The novel vividly illustrates Beata's journey, highlighting her resilience and courage in the face of unimaginable adversity. One of the book’s most commendable achievements is its focus on the critical role Polish code breakers played in decrypting the Enigma Code. While popular narratives often spotlight the efforts of scientists at Bletchley and other Allied institutions, "The Codebreaker Girl" brings to life the unsung heroes like Beata, whose contributions were pivotal in the Allied victory. The author skillfully details the intricate processes involved in code-breaking, making complex mathematical concepts accessible and engaging for the reader. Her capture and the story of her time in the concentration camp were well written and interesting. Beata’s story is a must-read for anyone interested in World War II history, cryptography, or stories of extraordinary individuals who made a difference against all odds. And besides, you just can’t go wrong with a strong, inspiring female protagonist! What a true gem of WWII fiction—highly recommended!

Thanks NetGalley for the ebook to preview.

Reverting page-turner. Gosia Nealon has written an inspirational novel set in Poland. As an avid reader of WW2 books, I was surprised to learn so much from this book. The Codebreaker Girl is a heart breaking and heart-warming novel, filled with courage, bravery, honour, love, loyalty and to appreciate life and try and find beauty in the smallest things. It’s an unputdownable highly recommended read. 5 stars.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheCodebreakerGirl #NetGalley.

I majored in history and thought I knew much about the Allied effort to break the German coding in the Enigma Machine. But this tale was a love story and history lesson wrapped with a WWII historical fiction bow.

I had always believed that the British at Bletchley deserved honors for cracking the German codes, saving thousands to millions of lives on both sides of the war.

As the story begins, Beata is a young Polish girl working for the Polish Cipher Bureau in the 1930s during Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. This intense tale of a group of Polish codebreakers, Beata being the only female, revealed how the Polish worked to break the German codes via the Enigma Machine long before Bletchley. It is a story of perseverance in the face of unparalleled human horrors.. The story captivated me from the beginning.

Although the story becomes more of a love story with the typical romance and happy ending that I was not expecting, the author’s style and voice carried the love affair between Beata and a British spy, Harry, to its natural conclusion. Through the narrative, readers caught a glimpse into the lives of many during wartime, learning about the dangers of love and the fleeting nature of life.

The prose was simple and easy to digest, and the settings were vivid and detailed, keeping me engaged and reading deep into the night. The characters brought to life individuals my parents and grandparents could have known, facing and overcoming this era's prevalent dangers and fears.

As Beata gets separated from the male members of her code-breaking team as they flee the Nazi invasion of Poland and later France, readers get an insight into the strength and courage, the fear and resilience of the protagonist as she makes split-second decisions to survive. I walked beside Beata with her guardian angel as she met a few friends and fellow resistance fighters who came to her aid. However, when the Gestapo captures her while attempting to cross the Pyrenees into Spain on her way to Gibraltar and Britain, the author shows her ability to create authentic characters like Leon.

Leon is a man who will do anything to protect his family and survive. When they capture Beata and Leon at the Spanish border, they later free Leon but send Beata to a concentration camp in Poland. There, she meets another friend and a mother and son whom she befriends.

The way the author showed both the compassion of some and the evil of others, like the Nazi who forces himself upon Beata, held me riveted throughout the tale.

The book was well-researched (I had to study the Polish history of the Enigma Machine) and beautifully written, taking me inside the lives of those who lived through WWII.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and will read more of Gosia Nealon’s work, I was unsure why she added Harry’s penchant for writing letters to his dead mother. It seemed like a side story that needed more development and explanation.

This book captivated me from start to finish. I would have liked to see a more robust and justified ending for the Nazi soldier who stalked and toyed with Beata, but the tale ended as most romances do with its HEA.

This is a 4.5-star book. I want to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for the free advanced copy. This review is voluntary and mine alone.

📟 Title: The Codebreaker Girl
Author: Gosia Nealon
Published: August 13th, 2024 📟

🧑‍💻 Synopsis:

This novel sheds light on the often-overlooked Polish mathematicians who played a crucial role in cracking the Enigma Code during World War II. Set just before the war, these brilliant minds helped British and French officials decipher the complex German code. Beata, an orphan and interpreter for the Polish officials, meets Harry, whom she initially mistakes for an arrogant foreigner. However, their relationship evolves from friendship into a deep love, tested by the relentless war. 🧑‍💻

✨️ My opinion:

The novel offers new insights into this critical historical moment, and I hope these Polish mathematicians receive the honor they rightly deserve—without their contributions, the war might have lasted much longer. Initially, Beata was a challenging character to connect with, but her growth throughout the story is compelling. Her evolution reflects the harsh realities of wartime, where survival often blurs the lines between right and wrong. The devastation of Poland at the hands of the Germans is portrayed with heartbreaking clarity.

Overall, this novel is a poignant blend of historical insight, emotional depth, and the stark realities of war. It’s a story that will linger with readers long after the final page. ✨️

I am becoming a fan of historical fiction and particularly from this era. Here we have a fantastic story which is inspired by the true story of the Polish mathematicians who worked on the Enigma code. I had no idea about how much these brave and brilliant Polish were instrumental in the cracking of this code so this was a revelation to me and whilst this is a work of fiction, there are lots of events that actually happened.

This is a really well written book that flows perfectly and with a good pace. The characters are so well developed with interesting back stories. I would love to have learned more about what Harry was doing in France; maybe this could be another book???

I really enjoyed the story - it was full of suspense, heartbreak, bravery - and the way Gosia sucks you into the lives of the characters and their situation is an art and I was hooked from start to finish.

Highly recommended to lovers of historical fiction and many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this riveting book.

The Codebreaker Girl by Gosia Nealon.
I loved the cover. I really did enjoy this book. I loved the story. I did like Beata and Joanna. I liked Harry. I liked their friendship. I really didn't like Georg. He gave me goosebumps. I couldn't put it down. Read in three days. I'm slowly starting to really enjoy historical books. I loved it when Harry and Beata find each other again. I did love the ending.


Blurb.
After graduating as the first and only woman on her university course, orphan Beata is set on joining the Cipher Bureau. She’s determined to save her country from invasion by cracking the Enigma code. But, as gunfire rings across the rooftops of her hometown and Nazi boots sound on the cobblestones, Beata and her team are forced to work in secret.

Meeting with underground British intelligence, Beata catches the bright, sparkling eyes of one of the agents, Harry. His excitement about Enigma and how vital it is for all their futures makes her more determined than ever to do what’s right. But with the war destroying everything she holds dear and tearing them in different directions, their only hope is to reunite at the home of British codebreakers: Bletchley Park.

Carrying the final key to the Enigma code, and with the Nazis close on her tail, can Beata keep the secrets she holds safe and turn the tide of the war? And will she ever see Harry again?

#thecodebreakergirl @GosiaNealon #historicalfiction #Bookouture #ad #FreeBookReview #blogtour #bookreviewer #bookreviewerofinstagram #honestreview

The Codebreaker Girl was a fantastic World War II fiction story that had some real characters, and of course, real events. I learned quite a bit about the Enigma machine reading this book. I previously thought that the code was "broken" by Alan Turing and his fellow British code breakers, but in actual fact a group of Polish mathematicians had already broken it in the early 1930s.

I really liked the fictional Beata and Harry. They were brave and intelligent and prepared to risk their lives for what was right. I find with this genre of book there's always an element of predictability, three main characters are always very attractive and usually have some trauma in their past.

The story was well paced, and described so that I could imagine the scenes really well. The balance between action and romance was good, and the short chapters kept me turning the pages, telling myself "just one more chapter", which of course became nearly the whole book.

France, 1932; the Enigma code must be cracked and Beata must make it to Bletchley Park, that is her mission. Beata was an orphan and the first and only woman to graduate from her university course. Beata joins the Cipher Bureau and must solve the Enigma Code in order to save her country from being invaded. As the Nazis close in on the town, Beata and her team have to now work in secret. She knows that the survival thousands of people rests on her shoulders. Beata meets underground with British Intelligence agents. Beata is running out of time, she has no other choice but to solve the Enigma Code and reunite with the British Codebreakers in Bletchley Park.

The Codebreaker Girl, written by author Gosia Nealon is an phenomenal story of those that risked their lives to save others. I learned so much from this book and it kept me enthralled and flying through the pages. I was shocked by Beata’s intelligence and her compassion and determination to solve the code in order to save lives was inspiring. The fact that this book is based on true events made it completely unputdownable. One of the most touching parts of the book is the author’s acknowledgment at the end, it made my heart happy to read about those in her life that have touched her heart. Nealon writes well beyond her years and that has made Nealon an auto buy author for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book she has written and I look forward to reading many more of her stories. Do not pass up this phenomenal and inspiring treasure, I highly recommend it.

Beata is an orphan and a Polish Codebreaker working for the Polish Cipher Bureau during WWII. She is also an orphan. There, she catches the eye of Harry, who’s British and has worked at Bletchley Park. He has come to Poland to learn more about what they were doing.


I loved Beata and Harry and their romance, even though their war work kept tearing them apart. As an orphan she didn’t have many people she felt she could trust and her previous boyfriend broke her heart. Learning more about the Polish codebreakers' role in breaking the enigma during WWII was interesting. The author did a wonderful job of tying together the elements of romance in the book, as well as codebreaking. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.



Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC

This book takes us on a journey throughout Beata’s life.

In 1932, she is a nineteen-year-old young woman working at the Cipher Bureau of the Polish Armed Forces. Beata grew up in an orphanage having never known her parents, and while living there, she taught herself English, German and French.

While working at the Cipher Bureau, she feels a huge amount of pride in her fellow coworkers, who broke the Enigma Code. Enigma was a device used by the Germans to encode their correspondence before and during WWII, and according to the Germans, it was unbreakable.

In 1939, an outbreak of a new war seems more and more likely. A French and British delegation arrive in Poland, and Beata’s workplace shares its secrets with France and Britain. It is there that Beata notices Harry Smith from the British delegation.

As the war breaks, Beata travels to France with the Cipher Bureau team. Harry is always nearby…

I really enjoyed this book, especially the historical part of it. A lot of people think that Alan Turing broke the Enigma code, but the Poles did it first. They were kind enough to share what they’ve learned with the British, and the British took it from there.

The attraction between Harry and Beata was palpable, but they kept skirting around each other. There were moments when I was shouting, ”Just tell each other the truth!”, or ”Stop going in circles!”.

This book takes some unexpected turns. I was shocked about Beata’s fate and absolutely horrified by the experiences of the people around her. I won’t give the plot away, but you can expect heartbreak and a lot of sorrow.

I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Bookouture for my NetGalley widget.

This book was a different spin on the code breaking of WWII. This is the first book I’ve read about a Polish code breaker. It’s different than the work done at Bletchley, but Beata tried to get there to work with them. A great deal of this story is about Beata trying to get from Poland to England. And about her relationship with Harry. I really liked Harry’s character. He was a dedicated British agent but his feelings for Beata help him do everything he could to save her.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

I simply could not put this book down. My goal reading a historical book is to learn as much as I can about the subject. It's an extra bonus if I learn something I hadn't known about a subject I'm familiar with.

Based on fact I had a hard time putting this down as it was so informative.
I'm going to say it again about the author, she puts an impressive amount of research into her books and for this I'm grateful. I love descriptions and details in historical books, it helps me learn new facts.

The writing is divided into two time periods, the first part focuses on codebreaking and a romance with a man Beata meets Harry who is taken with her from the start. I thought it was sweet he continued to write letters to stay close to his mother though she no longer is with him.

The second part of the book focuses on Beata's stay in a concentration camp. The author portrays the character's emotions so well: the fear, anger. hopeless despair. In your mind as you read you can see the character's skeletal form as they are deprived of proper food and hygiene, and you celebrate with them as they see a ray of hope in their situation.

Despite the characters experiencing dark situations there is hope, love and encouragement after all.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.


























There are two parts to the story, Beata
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Although Gosia Nealon grew up in Poland and heard wartime stories in her native language from those around her, she currently lives in New York. I found it quite remarkable as I was reading this novel that she is so fluent in writing in her second language. The idea that prompted her to write this story was a desire to give credit to the Polish mathematicians who were working on understanding the German enigma machines well before war began and were willing to trust Great Britain with the knowledge they had accumulated in the hopes it would help shorten the war that they believed was on it's way.

Fictional Beata is a young woman, abandoned at birth and raised in an orphanage. Out of a desire to be more adoptable, she worked hard while growing up to learn 3 languages. She never was adopted, but her language skills made her suitable to work with the Polish Cipher bureau on their code breaking efforts. Through this job, she met Harry, an Englishman sent to liase with the Poles.

Beata maintained a connection to the orphanage where she was raised and had a special fondness for one particular orphan. On the day that war began in Poland, German bombers and fighters attacked Warsaw and her orphan friend was killed. Her work group was forced to escape the country in order to continue their vital decoding work. It was too late to go to Britain and they ended up in France in the free zone. Beata was still devastated by this loss when Harry had to return to England. She had feelings for him, but no idea whether he had them back or not. He was recalled to Britain and she continued on with her work until the Germans took over Vichy France. Harry occasionally returned in a different capacity and the feelings both help grew. When escape became necessary again, Harry could not go with her. The plan was to cross the Pyrenees and head for Britain, but this was easier said than done. Her efforts to escape took time and had unforeseen consequences. These did not directly concern her work in code breaking. Some reviewers were disappointed with that. I wasn't one of them.

The novel kept me engaged and reading when I should have been sleeping. There were major twists along Beata's way and poor Harry was at a loss to help. I really enjoyed finding out how everything unfolded and hope other readers will as well.

Happy publication day August 13, 2024, to Gosia Nealon. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

As a child in a Warsaw orphanage, Beata Koszyczek sought to add to her value by secretly studying languages in hopes that maybe one day a family would find her valuable and adopt her. As an adult in a country on the brink of war, her worth is finally recognized and her skills utilized to protect her mother country. Employed by the Polish cipher bureau during World War II, Beata meets Englishman Harry Smith when French and British delegations arrive to inspect a replica of the elusive German Enigma machine that has been built by the Polish engineers to facilitate decryption of the enemy’s secret messages and turn the tide of oppression. Through the perilous years of conflict, Beata and Harry slip in and out of each other’s orbit long enough for love and misunderstanding to spark and never long enough to merit promises of forever. Each moves carefully throughout Europe as the years of aggression stretch long and oppression threatens to crush their spirits, each one always looking toward and hoping for a time when they can live together in peace. Sweeping through Poland, Germany, France, and England, and including her harrowing imprisonment in Brzezinka, Gosia Nealon has created an honorable tribute to those who worked tirelessly and at great peril to turn back the sweep of evil and restore their families, fellow countrymen, and their homelands from the grasp of the Nazis. The Codebreaker Girl is one of those books I simply couldn’t put down, as if by turning every page I was somehow also pushing back against the forces of evil. Beata and Harry will steal your heart and your breath; you will hurt with them, hope for them, rejoice with them, and thank the author for giving you a story to remember.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.