In Bletchley Park, the setting of this WWII novel, three young woman will find friendship and love, betrayal and heartbreak. Osla Kendall, a stunning debutante who is dating Prince Philip of Greece, and Mab Churt, a young woman determined to rise above her family circumstances, become fast friends after being recruited for the coding project at Bletchley Park. They encourage their landlord's daughter Beth to join their book club, The Mad Hatters, and soon realize her crossword skills would be perfect for working at Bletchley. Oslaa works as a translator, Mab runs the decoding machines, and Beth uses her mathematical brain to decipher intricate enemy codes. Each girl has been sworn to secrecy about their work, but a stunning act of betrayal will explode their lives and their friendship on D-Day. Three years later, as Osla's former flame is set to marry Princess Elizabeth, two will receive a ciphered message from the third who has been locked in an asylum. Filled with love and loss, bravery and treachery, this is a must read for historical fiction fans.

I thought this was an absolutely phenomenal historical fiction book. Although it is set in the WWII time period, the characters and the setting are unique enough to make it stand out among all the other books in this sub-genre. Since this is a long book, I wondered whether or not it would feel like it dragged on but it did not. I thought this book was at once endearing, emotional, suspenseful, educational, and a mystery that needed solved. The characters are loveable and you root for them during the difficult choices that they are required to make. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction.

Kate Quinn is a master of historical fiction. Fans of the Alice Network will love this epic tale of three female code breakers set against the backdrop of World War II. These three women could not be any more different, but come together to use their brilliance to some unthinkable puzzles at Bletchley Park. Post war the women are reunited to solve one more puzzle.
This book is not a light read! But it is worth it for any history buff that wants to learn more about the roles women play and the unseen marks left on their spirits.

This was another great work of historical fiction by Kate Quinn. I loved the strong and diverse female characters. The novel has an element of mystery which keeps the reader intrigued and it also has great stories of friendship, love and heartbreak. I especially enjoyed the romance between Mab and Francis - it was so well executed without being overdone. Mab's vulnerability and Francis' gentle (though damaged) nature were so beautifully described. The women's characters, while each unique were all realistic. Even the portrayal of Prince Philip seemed like an accurate representation of what it may be like to be part of a royal family. The Bletchley Park descriptions and descriptions of events during that time period of the war are well portrayed. Kate Quinn is a masterful writer and this book is exceptional. I highly recommend it!

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

Well, I am now convinced who the queen of WWII historical fiction is and that’s Kate Quinn! This lady can tell a story. The only reason The Rose Code doesn’t get a solid 5-star rating from me is that even though it is a brilliant read, I liked The Huntress better. So, Ms. Quinn, I’m sorry, but I have you competing with yourself!

The Rose Code is just terrific. It starts a bit slow as the characters are introduced. There are essentially 3 protagonists so setting the scene takes a bit of extra time. It is all worth it though. I learned so much from this novel. Ms. Quinn does a dynamite job with her research giving us a wonderfully detailed picture of the happenings at Bletchley Park where German military codes are broken and our characters work. Mab, Osla, and Beth could not be more different. Despite that, their work binds them for life, through thick and thin, through multiple betrayals and tragedies.

The characterization here is top-notch. My favorites are Francis Gray in his small role and Beth, a shy introverted code breaker. The setting is portrayed beautifully. I kept having flashes back to the movie Imitation Games, which also does a masterful job with the setting. That movie, BTW, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing who makes a cameo appearance in The Rose Code. There are a number of storylines in this novel, all intertwined and contributing to a good pace once the book takes off. Even though there are over 650 pages, I don’t really see much I would cut out. There is plentiful suspense in the second half of the novel, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the fact that there is little actual war action, which is a nice change, and allows more time with the code-breaking process and the other sources of intrigue.

We are treated to a short but welcome epilogue where we learn how much of the story is based in truth and get some follow up with our characters and Bletchley Park.

Overall, this novel is a “can’t miss” in the now glutted field of WWII historical fiction. It offers a great immersive experience with wonderful characters based in truth, a strong learning opportunity, and a suspenseful story evolving around friendship, betrayal, loss, hope, and redemption. I highly recommend The Rose Code for all lovers of historical fiction.

Many thanks to Net Galley, William Morrow, and Ms. Kate Quinn for an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

NetGalley ARC | Of course, I am not surprised how much I loved The Rose Code since beloved WW2 historical fiction author Kate Quinn wrote it.

Although the initial length seemed a bit intimidating, especially for a book blogger, I ate up every fruitful and sometimes suspenseful detail.

If you love books about women's friendship and their hidden roles during the war, you'll devour The Rose Code. Osla, Beth, and Queen Mab are all strong and intriguing women who you'll cheer for in every way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You can find the full review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/march-2021-book-releases/

What do a debutant, impoverished Londoner, and a village spinster have in common? They were all recruited to Bletchley Park to train in German codebreaking. The secrecy surrounding BP will ultimately tear the trio apart, but they will reunite years later to crack one final code in order to bring a traitor out of the shadows. But which one of their coworkers is it?

Kate Quinn never disappoints. I love anything WWII, especially if it highlights women's contribution to war efforts. I didn't think this would measure up to the Alice Network but I was wrong...it is SO good.

Each of these characters were impeccably developed; even when you hate them, you love them. I had so many emotions while reading because you could feel their happiness and despair just dripping off the pages. And the ending. Oh, the ending. I just love when everything is wrapped in a neat little bow.

Oh, and as someone obsessed with The Crown -- the royal families involvement was an added bonus!

Three very different women are brought together during WWII while working at Bletchley Park, a secret intelligence base in England where they broke codes to stay ahead of the Germans.

This is now my favorite Kate Quinn novel. Mab, Osla, and Beth were all so interesting and I enjoyed reading each of their stories; there wasn’t one that I wanted to skip to get to the other. Osla is a high class woman looking to prove that she's more than just a “ditsy deb” by joining the war effort. Her language skills find a purpose at Bletchley Park, but she’s always looking for something that will make her stand out. Mab is a tall working class woman looking to snag a husband. Unlike Osla, she is invested in each monotonous job she is given because she feels like she’s making a difference. Beth is the genius of the group, but her whole life she’s been told that she’s stupid. Working to break codes soon becomes her obsession and opens up a new world for her. By 1947 these friendships are in tatters, but the women reunite to break one more code to find out who betrayed them.

It’s difficult to process why I love this book so much-- 3-4 star books are easy to understand, but when a book completely captures me and leaves me on a book high it’s hard to put into words why. I think what really makes this book special is how Quinn balances the highs and lows in the lives of her characters. Historical fiction can often be pretty bleak, and there are certainly dark nights of the soul in this book, but it also has moments of great joy. Those moments of joy are what make the devastating moments worth reading. I also love that there’s a level of suspense as the book slowly reveals what happened to the characters during the war to get them to the places that they are as well as a need to catch the traitor who was in their midst. These things plus characters that came to life on the page are what make this book amazing to read.

“The Rose Code'' is a fantastic historical fiction that is both character-driven and suspenseful. It highlights the work of code breakers, translators, and typists in the war effort while telling a thrilling and emotional story about these three women. It is a novel of friendship and betrayal, romance and heartbreak, and the isolation of secrets and the discovery of home.

The Rose Code was on my list of most anticipated books of 2021, and it did NOT disappoint!! This story follows Mab, Osla, and Beth three unlikely friends who meet through work as codebreakers at Bletchley Park in WWII. Something shatters this strong friendship, and it was a thrill to read on to find out why and to see how their stories unfolded. This book is on the longer side so I was able to savor this read, but I got to the end and wished it went on forever!! I loved that there were characters from the Royal Family in this one as well. This book will be released on March 9th (you can preorder now) and I HIGHLYYY recommend this for any Historical Fiction fan!!

The Rose Code follows Osla, Mab, and Beth who are all invited to work at the mysterious Bletchley Park. They are hired as code breakers, working in different departments, and work to decrypt intercepted messages from Germany. We follow the three girls as they take on their roles and try to keep the secrets of BP while living their lives. The story goes between the height of WWII and several years after the war, where we learn that Beth is in a mental institution and trying to get Osla and Mab, who no longer speak to each other, to help her get out.

This was a fantastic story. I was immediately drawn to the three women and loved reading about each of their stories, which were all very different. It is exciting and heartbreaking all at the same time and it gives the reader a lot of appreciation for the code breakers who worked so hard and had to keep this secret for most of their lives.

If you love WWII historical fiction, I highly recommend this book.

Kate Quinn has done it again, giving us a piece of historical fiction that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Osla and Mab meet on their way to Bletchley Park, after being summoned to appear for service during WWII. Billeted in a local home, they meet Beth, a crossword puzzle enthusiast, shy and beaten down by her mother. All three become codebreakers, taking an oath of absolute secrecy. Starting in 1940, and ending in 1947, the story follows their relationships, their work, based on actual English men and women who served. The story reveals early in the book that Beth is an asylum, and as the story goes back and forth, more will be revealed about how she got there. There are tense moments, tragic moments, and I could not put the book down. I highly recommend to lovers of historical fiction, Anglophiles, and readers who appreciate great writing. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, put it on your TBR list immediately.

I have read a couple of Kate Quinn's books, and she really is the reigning QUEEN of historical fiction. I've got some of her others that aren't centred around WW2, and after this I'm even more anxious to check them out.

I love how Quinn takes the viewpoint of the females during the war, left behind at home, but not always just tending to children and anxiously awaiting husbands and family to safely come back from the front. The women in this story are part of a team of people, from all walks of life, who have come together at a secret government facility with the soul purpose of decrypting enemy transmissions. They assisted in many victories for Britain and the remaining Allies fighting against Germany, Italy and Japan. Mab, Osla and Beth would never have met unless they hadn't all been involved at Bletchley Park. Mab, middle-class gal with eyes at finding a husband; Osla, high society debutante with rather high and influential connections, as well as a well-known beau; and Beth, spinster living with her mother, constantly thinking she was destined for nothing, but discovering she's indispensable to the war effort. These women quickly learn that there are few bonds you create in life that are as strong as those they form at BP.

I was instantly drawn into this book. Told in dual timelines, we're following along with the action at BP and seeing all the aspects of the war these code breakers were essential to, and then 3 years after the war, when all of England has eyes on the royal wedding, but one code breaker is fighting for her life, trapped in an asylum against her will for crimes she didn't commit. Knowing that there was a traitor in the midst of the BP madness had me suspecting EVERYONE we met. The ending was truly a nail-biter, and so well done. I loved how Quinn chose to wrap up everything for our characters, and all the surprises she slipped in. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction!

Another novel about Bletchley Park, and one worth the read. Three women-Beth, Osla, and Mab- are summoned to Bletchley Park in 1940. While their backgrounds and personalities are quite different, they billet together and become friends, at least to start. The women excel in their roles, as code breaker, translator and enigma machine operator. The novel jumps ahead to 1947, just before the wedding of Prince Phillip and Princess Elizabeth are to be married, and we find Beth has been committed to an insane asylum. Osla and Mab are no longer friends, but are trying to decode a letter and decide whether or not to go see Beth at the asylum.

I liked this novel, and while I thought it might be a repeat of an earlier Quinn novel, it was not. I was easily and quickly invested in the characters, particularly Osla, Mab and Beth. Quinn builds suspense among the characters, who personify the many puzzles they are solving. With an intricate plot and page turning suspense, and fan of historical fiction, and especially in the World War II era, will be more than satisfied with Quinn's latest novel.

The Rose Code did not disappoint! Similar to The Alice Network and The Huntress, The Rose Code also features strong and intelligent women showing remarkable bravery and tenacity during World War II. This time, we have alternating POV's of three main characters: Osla, a charming and witty debutante in an on again-off again relationship with Prince Phillip (I had a lot of flashbacks of The Crown Season 1 during this book!), the ferocious Mab, who came from East-end London poverty but full of ambition and drive to move herself up and out of it. And finally, quirky Beth, who was resigned to spinster-hood, having been emotionally put-down her entire life into thinking she wasn't worth much. Each woman brings her own set of skills as they become integral parts of breaking German military code at Bletchley Park.
This book had it all! It was suspenseful from beginning to the end. I think Kate Quinn is a master at bringing historical fiction to life. I have no doubt that fans of her earlier books are going to love this one too. I already want to read it again!
Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinscanada for an ARC of this book.

I have read and enjoyed all of Kate Quinn's books, but this one was really special. It has taken the place of my favorite.
Even though WWII historical fiction is a favorite genre, I was not familiar with the history of the code breakers of Bletchley Park.
1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
Unknown to them at the time a traitor lurks among those closest to them.
I was turning pages as fast as I could and could not put this book down.
Readers of well written, fast paced, at times heart breaking historical fiction, will love this book.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know my love for Kate Quinn – The Alice Network and The Huntress were two of my favourite books. So I was SO excited to hear about her new book, THE ROSE CODE.

The book is set in Bletchley Park, a top secret home to some of the best code-breakers in WWII history. I loved this setting as it was unique and I haven’t read any other books that take place here. The book centers around three women who all played a huge role in code breaking for the Allies – all of who are unique and equally loveable. More on them later…

One thing I found with this book that I really didn’t like… It was very predictable! I could see things coming 100+ pages before they happened. However, my love for the characters and their story overpowered my distain for predictability and really helped propel me through the book and through their story.

Learning about all the secret code-breaking work that went on at Bletchley Park was an added bonus to reading this book. I found it very educational, although at some times it was a bit too technical and left me running to google for some help.

Overall, this book had a little shortcomings, but it well made up for them in other areas. This isn’t my favourite Kate Quinn novel, but I will be suggesting it to true fans of WWII historical fiction!

Author Kate Quinn's newest book The Rose Code immerses readers into Bletchley Park and the many individuals who worked on decoding messages during World War II. Their tireless work helped to secure the victory for the Allied forces. While their work was immensely important to the war effort, these individuals were also fighting many battles of their own. Quinn masterfully depicts these battles.

The Rose Code focuses on three women from vastly different backgrounds who work at Bletchley Park in various roles and room together. Their stories intertwine along with the stories of the gentleman with whom they are involved and their families. Quinn tells part of the story in 1947 in the two week leading up to the Royal Wedding of then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. She then returns to Bletchley Park where the bulk of the story takes place during the war. However, the story does lead up to an event that takes place in 1947. Not to spoil the story but Prince Phillip does have a substantial role throughout the book which makes this book of particular interest to viewers of The Crown. As the story progresses, there is a mystery involved and several plot twists that keep the reader engaged until the very end.

Quinn does a spectacular job of developing the the three main characters and the separate story lines of each character that become inseparably intertwined due to their work at Bletchley Park. In addition the historical research and attention to detail is impeccable. Quinn also includes information demonstrating how the addition of women to the work force and the changing social mores impact the characters and England as a whole. While focusing primarily on the three women, this is a war novel and as such there is some mild language and references to sexuality. All in all an enjoyable look at an often overlooked aspect of World War II.

I received a complementary copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks via NetGalley. I am not required to provide a positive review.

Since I loved both The Alice Network and The Huntress, I was thrilled to see that Kate Quinn was publishing another WWII story. I got my hands on a copy as soon as I could! I'm pleased to say that I enjoyed The Rose Code just as much as her previous two novels.

I enjoyed learning about Osla, Mab, and Beth's lives. They all were interesting and sympathetic characters. I like how Kate built up some mystery within the story and revealed information along the way, especially as she went back and forth in time. I didn't understand codebreaking and how it worked (thanks to falling asleep while watching The Imitation Game), but it didn't take away from my enjoyment and this novel definitely kept me awake! I'm sure it was just as complex for the people involved if it took so long for them to break the codes to begin with. Some parts of the story were sad and other parts were uplifting. There was a nice balance between the two emotions and the story flowed really well throughout.

Fun side note: I learned through a post of Kate's that I was pronouncing Mab's name wrong. Kate intended it to sound like "slab", but I had pronounced it to sound like "babe" since it was derived from Mabel. Hope this helps when you are reading it!

I recently saw a meme that said my astrological sign likes historical fiction the most. With novels like Kate Quinn's around, I can easily agree with this assessment!

Movie casting suggestions:
Osla: Adelaide Kane
Mab: Lily James
Beth: Mia Wasikowska
Harry: Gregg Chillin
Giles: Ed Speleers
Philip: Joe Cole
Francis: Clive Standen
Beth's mom: Olivia Colman

An incredible read! For those who are unaware of the fantastic tasks performed at Bletchley Park, this book paints a vivid picture of the well-kept secrets of the code breakers and their importance to the war. For those who are familiar, this book creates a lovely narrative of the lives of those who worked there. While some of the technical details where difficult to follow and picture, the story was well-written and beautifully paced.
The alternating time frames and perspectives kept me intrigued and guessing throughout.
I can’t wait to introduce this one to my book club this summer!

WOW. What a book. I’m pretty intimidated by books that are longer than 500 or so pages, so I was a bit apprehensive when I saw that The Rose Code comes in at a whopping 656 pages long. But let me tell you - this book doesn’t drag its feet. Despite the high page count, this book is fast-paced and tells a riveting and utterly addictive story that’s a study in contradictions. There’s devastation and glory; there’s camaraderie and betrayal. There’s grief, loss, and violence...and comfort, love, and victory. It’s all here and you won’t be able to put this book down, bathroom breaks or ‘work responsibilities’ be damned. It’s the kind of book that carves your heart straight out of your chest and serves it up to you on a platter like ‘hey! do you like?!? :D’

Aside from the ability to tell an incredible story, the author also has a knack for developing characters. Beth, Mab, Osla, and the rest of the characters were just as real to me as the actual historical figures who popped up throughout the story; I felt their emotions as if they were my own. I like how this book was written - you have chapters jumping from 1940 to 1947 and back again, and the chapters feature the points-of-view of several characters. This was a tricky plot device to use - it could’ve gone wrong so quickly and devolved into an overwhelming and confusing mess - but I think it was executed perfectly here and adds even more to the story.