Finding historical fiction books on World War II is the easiest thing in the world. Finding one with a unique perspective that brings light on a previously unknown aspect of the war, that's a lot harder - and exactly what Quinn has done here. She has an amazing mix of facts about the environment in Britain during the war, personal development, and intrigue. My only wish was that the epilogue made it more clear how much of the story was historically accurate and how much was fictional.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel and highly recommend it. The narrator does a great job keeping all the characters straight and completely drew me into the story. Exactly what I'm looking for with an audiobook.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an EXCELLENT book. At the beginning I was pretty sure one of the characters was going to drive me nuts but it didn't turn out that way. All three main characters are very well-developed and the story is very engaging. I was riveted the entire time and I can't wait for Kate Quinn's next book. I'm already recommending this one to friends as a must buy when it is released.

The audiobook is quite long but I was interested the whole time. In fact, I had a couple late nights because I wanted to keep listening instead of going to bed. The narrator does a fabulous job and is very good at conveying the different personalities of the characters with her changes in accent, tone, and inflection. I highly recommend this book, whether in print or audio.

This book. THIS BOOK!

I generally turn away from WWII fiction because I've just read so much of it, but thought I would give this one a go. I am so glad I did. This book has it all: mystery, strong women protagonists, an enthralling plot, meddling families and just enough romance.

The story is told in alternating time-lines. The first is set in 1940 as all three girls enter the code breaking world of Bletchley Park. Osla comes from a wealthy background and is anxious to prove she is more than a dizzy deb. Mab is desperately trying to leave her life of poverty behind her and move up in the world. Beth is the abused daughter of a local family who is told she is simple minded and not worthy of anything better than being her mother's "helper". They all find that there is more to each of them than anyone has given them credit for. The next bit is set in 1947 during the days leading up to Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip. Here we learn that the girls are not only no longer friends, but have each betrayed the others in ways that have forced them apart for years.

Ever have a book that is so well written and engrossing that it haunts you? This is one of those for me. I want more. I want to know what happens with Mab, Osla and Beth. I will miss reading about their lives because the feel so real to me.

Who do I recommend this to? Pretty much anyone. ESPECIALLY the audiobook. The reader was amazing. It is LONG though, so be forewarned. But so worth the time.

The Rose Code was amazing! I have been a fan of Kate Quinn for some time, and was anxiously awaiting The Rose Code to be released. Just like in The Alice Network and The Huntress, Quinn creates an entire world during WWII for her novel. All three of the main characters (Beth, Osla, and Mab) worked in the top secret Bletchley Park where the British were trying to decipher German codes. IMO Quinn is one of the best authors at creating a past, present, and future for all of her main characters. You know their backstories, what they like/dislike, their full personalities, etc. Her characters face challenges and grow along the way.

My favorite character in this story was Beth. A young, timid girl, turned code breaking machine. Beth's character had the largest arc, and she was able to become so much stronger with the help of the women around her, namely Osla and Mab. She learned to stand up for herself and proved to herself her intelligence and worth. I loved the support the characters provided one another throughout the novel.

This is a great work of historical fiction and I loved reading the behind the scenes work done during WWII. Highly recommend!

I am so thankful that NetGalley and William Morrow granted me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good historical fiction book- especially one with a lead female character! This book has that- times three! The story follows Mab, Oslo and Beth- three very different women, all working at the highly secretive Bletchley Park during World War II. The book goes back and forth between their time at Bletchley Park and their futures after Bletchley Park and the war. The plot lines are well developed and inspiring, intriguing and, at times, heartbreaking. Kate Quinn’s research into her subjects/time periods is evident and adds so much to the book.
(Trigger warning (spoiler) at the bottom of my review...)

I listened to the audiobook version of The Rose Code, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. The audiobook is very well done! It kept me engaged and interested. Saskia was a great choice! I will say that with the three different women, I think it would have been beneficial to have three different narrators to differentiate the storylines, but after a few chapters, I was able to keep track fairly easily.

This book definitely makes me want to dive into more of Kate Quinn’s books! It would make a great bookclub book as well.

A five star read for me! I definitely recommend reading it when it comes out March 9, 2021!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.





**Spoiler**




I won’t begin to try to list all trigger warnings, but one that really caught me way off guard and I think should be mentioned was the death of a child. 💔

Engaging and hard to put down. The book tells a story of three different ttpe of women, each fighting their own battle amid the WWII and each playing an essential role.
Very well written and beautifully depicted.
Thanks for approving my request. I will highly recommend this one to my bookclub.

The Rose Code follows the story of three women of very different backgrounds Mab, Osla and Beth who worked in different units at Bletchley Park, in England; a facility used for code breaking during WWII where only the most brilliant minds were employed.

It is a dual time story that alternates between the war era of 1940-45 and the postwar year of 1947.

There is a little bit of everything in the story: Friendship, camaraderie, love, some sex, violence, great losses and big wins, treason, loyalty and reconciliation.

This is a truly historical fiction novel with multiple protagonists taken from the real life. The characters are fantastically developed, and the plot is powerful. It is refreshing to see credit given to these complicated women, the heroines of the novel.

I listened to the audiobook which is brilliantly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. My only regret is not having read the book instead of listening to it. At six hundred fifty six physical pages, the audiobook is a real time investment with almost 16 hours from beginning to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this audiobook. I hope others enjoy this book as much as I did.

#NetGalley #KateQuinn #HarperCollins

I had no idea how many of Kate Quinn’s books I have actually read until I looked up her other titles. This author writes historical fiction in a way that draws you into the story and leaves you begging for more. The is a time in history which many of us seem repeatedly drawn to.

I listened to the Audiobook of the Rose Code. The beginning was a little hard for me to follow the characters but once they were developing I was hooked. The three girls in a time of war who became unlikely friends until D-day when their friendship was shattered. They come together a few years later and become unlikely friends again.

I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to see where this author takes us next. I received a free advanced copy of this audiobook from netgalley and the publisher but the opinions are mine.

🌹🌹𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬🌹🌹⁣
⁣
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️holy moly stars!!⁣
Ok firstly Kate Quinn you have done it again! Author Kate Quinn’s books just seem to get better and better and The Rose Code has been my favorite by far! An auto-buy author if there ever was one! An author who knows how to write intriguing multi-faceted female characters that you feel you could know in real life!⁣
⁣
🌹🌹😊😊😊🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😊😊😊🌹🌹⁣
⁣
Do you like WWII historical fiction? Check☑️⁣
⁣
Do you like interesting characters? Check☑️⁣
⁣
Do you like intrigue & drama? Check☑️⁣
⁣
Some murder & mystery perhaps? Check☑️⁣
⁣
The Rose Code literally had everything I love in a really good story! I listened as an audiobook and was enraptured by the narrator & plot. Don’t you dare take my headphones off! ⁣
⁣
Run to your local bookstore and buy it, out March 9th, 2021!⁣
⁣
🌹🌹😊😊😊🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😊😊😊🌹🌹⁣
Synopsis:⁣
The hidden history of Bletchley Park comes to life in 1940 England, 3 woman from different walks of life become friends while breaking the Nazi Enigma code..until war, secrets and a traitor tear them apart! 7 years later, 1947 the three friends turned enemies reunite as they to find out who was the traitor at Bletchley Park selling secrets. ⁣
⁣
Thank you NetGalley Audiobooks and Harper Audio for my audio review copy!⁣
⁣
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹⁣
Happy Reading Everyone!⁣
⁣

This is my first Kate Quinn novel. The Rose Code was a great historical fiction story with friendship, mystery, and intrigue. While this was a long read, it was so engaging. Three unlikely friends helping the war effort and looking out for each other. Not my normal genre, but glad I did not miss this read and will highly recommend.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

A way into the visionaries of the past. It is amazing to read such harrowing tales of women during this time period. I really enjoyed getting to hear this book on audio as I think it added a bit to the story. I became a fan of Kate Quinn with The Huntress but I was truly blown away by this story and the tales each of these women had. Well done!

This new historical fiction novel centers around three code breakers at Bletchley Park during World War II. Mab, Osla, and Beth come from very different backgrounds—Mab from a rough background in Shoreditch; Osla is a Mayfair socialite in a long-term relationship with Prince Philip (before he was Duke of Edinburgh); and Beth, the small-town girl with the spiteful mother. But they come together at Bletchley with a well-drawn ensemble cast of characters to break German codes.

The story skips around a little, with the main action taking place at Bletchley during the war then wrapping up after the war with one last code to break, the Rose Code. Sometimes this kind of jumping back and forth could get a little confusing and frustrating (I always find myself saying, “Wait! Don’t jump ahead now, I need to see what happens.”), but after a little bit of a slow start, that didn’t bother me this time. Quinn weaves the story together well so that you can piece together the puzzle along with the characters. These ladies are tough, loyal, and determined, even a little scary sometimes. There were plenty of sad moments—it is a war, after all—but the overall mood is triumphant, and I found the story engrossing. The voices are great on the audiobook, but if the jumping back and forth in time gets to you, or you balk at a listening to a 15 hour plus book, you might prefer the print version. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book, The Rose Code, was one I had been excited to read. Kate Quinn did not disappoint. I enjoyed the story of the female code breakers and all the friendships, romances, trials, and twists they faced. Having the timeline go back and forth from after the war to during enhanced the storyline. It made me think while reading parts from the past how could things get to what we were reading about in the present (after the war). The characterization and how what can appear to be simple minded females who turn out very different was fun to read about. When I thought I had the story figured out Quinn threw in another twist and I was drawn deeper into the story. By the end I felt like I was Beth being drawn into the Rose Code and unable to put it down. If you enjoy to read about strong female protagonists and World War II then this book is absolutely for you.

Other then a couple of Kate Quinn's anthology's I have read everything she has written. Needless to say she is one of my go-to authors. Her last books vividly portrays strong women in history during WW2 and that's right where The Rose Code takes place. I'll confess the only thing I knew about this book was Bletchley Park and was pleasantly surprised to the role Prince Philip and the royal wedding played.

Told in two time periods, initially separated by 7 years I loved getting to know these women and the role they played at BP. Three vastly different women with a common job of decoding secrets and keeping secrets. I listened to the audio which was narrated by Saskia Maaleveld, she did a great job bringing life to this story, coming in at almost 16 hours it's long enough for the depth that I crave. There is time to really get to know the characters and for the story not to be rushed.

The Rose Code is a story of secrets, friendship, betrayal and heartache. There is intrigue and mystery that kept me on my toes. Kate Quinn's research is evident and knowledge of the history shines through, which is one of the reasons I love her books. Her respect for history and filling it in with realistic story that drew this reader right in.

The Rose Code releases on March 9th and available for pre-order now.

My thanks to Harper Audio (via Netgalley) for an advanced audio-arc in
exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read Quinn in the past and I do like how much research she puts in her novels. I do think this one dragged a little bit and was too long for me. I did like the characters but it wasn’t enough to keep my interest. I thought the Prince Phillip romance was too much. Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook!

Another great WWII historical fiction.  At this point, I can't even count how many books I've read from this time period, so any that have a new spin get high marks from me. I loved reading about these code breakers and the work they did. My only complaint with this book is that it was LONG. I do feel that we could have cut some out in the middle and been ok.

I listened to this in audio and the narrator was great. ⭐⭐⭐⭐  I recommend for those that enjoy reading about this time period.

Wow. Now I know why this has been on so many "Most Anticipated Reads" for 2021 lists. What a remarkable story! A debutante, an impoverished dreamer, and a spinster, the most unlikely of friends, come together to work in Bletchley Park: Britain's best kept war secret. As the war drags on, their jobs become more important, more strenuous, and more secretive. Just when they think nothing could sever their bond, D-Day arrives, and blows their friendship apart. The war ends and years go by. When one of them reaches outside the walls of her prison, asking for help, will the old friendship they'd rather leave behind be strong enough to save her?

PRE-ORDER this book RIGHT NOW. It was an incredible read. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Audio for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy an advanced audio copy of this book. As always, Saskia Maarleveld did a wonderful job narrating.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - Book Review 4.5 Stars

Kate Quinn has done it again! She has pulled me into wartime England with such detail and precision that I feel like I am right there with the main characters.

The Rose Code introduces us to three unique, complex and dynamic women who devote their talents to the wartime effort by working as code breakers at Bletchley Park. The hallmark of Kate Quinn’s books is intricate character development and the revelation that every day people can become heroes and heroines.

The story begins in a mental institution in 1947. A woman claims she has been trapped in the institution after being betrayed by her two best friends and a traitor at Bletchley Park. In dual timelines between present day 1947 (days before the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip) and 1940-1943 we follow debutante Osla (who happens to be dating Prince Phillip), young spinster Beth, and London shop-girl Mab, as their lives intersect and intertwine at a crucial moment in their lives and history.

There are two mysteries to be revealed: how did three best friends become enemies and who was the traitor at Bletchley Park. This is my favourite type of historical fiction because it seamlessly grounds historical events and public figures with believable fictional characters and storytelling. There is also a delightful amount of romance and genuine love stories.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction and strong women characters, you will love this book. The characters will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Harper Collins for an advanced reader's copy.

#Historicalfiction :#History #Herstory #BletchleyPark #WWII #Codebreakers #KateQuinn #HarperCollins #Strongfemalecharacters

The Rose Code follows three young women who worked at England's Bletchley Park, a country estate converted to a code-breaking facility during World War II. Employees at Bletchley Park deciphered encrypted Nazi communications, providing vital information to the Allies.

The story alternates back and forth between the war years 1940 to 1945 - when England was imperiled, and the postwar year 1947 - when Britain was agog over the upcoming marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

The main characters are Osla Kendall, a beautiful wealthy socialite with ties to the royal family; Mab Church, a go-getter who grew up poor, but means to better herself; and Beth Finch, an unsophisticated country girl who's bullied by a selfish mother.

In 1940, Osla and Mab meet on the train to Bletchley Park, which has recruited them for war work. After accepting their positions and signing the Official Secrets Act, the girls are billeted at the Finch family home, where they meet Beth. Though Beth is almost pathologically reclusive, Osla and Mab note her facility with puzzles, and Beth is soon working at Bletchley Park as well.

Each of the girls is assigned to a different unit. Osla's fluency in German eventually lands her a translation job; Mab maintains the Bombe machines used to decipher messages encoded with German Enigma devices; and Beth is a gifted cryptanalyst with an almost preternatural ability to decode covert transmissions.

Working and living together fosters close friendships among Osla, Mab, and Beth. This camaraderie is important because the ladies are forbidden to talk about their jobs to outsiders, and must tell family and friends they're file clerks. The women can be more honest amongst themselves, but are nevertheless prohibited from revealing classified information even to each other.

The work at Bletchley Park is difficult and stressful, and England is being bombed by the luftwaffe., but the girls still manage to have some fun and search for romance. Mab meets a war poet, Beth gets involved with a fellow cryptanalyst, and Osla dates Prince Philip, who's an eligible bachelor in the early 1940s.

Skip to 1947, and Osla, Mab, and Beth are angry, estranged, and haven't spoken since the end of the war. Beth is a mental patient in Clockwell Sanatorium; Mab has a husband and children; and Osla is preparing to attend the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Osla is hurt by Philip's engagement to another woman, but knows she must present a brave face and carefree attitude.

As the royal nuptials approach, Osla and Mab each get a letter from Beth. Beth claims she discovered a traitor at Bletchley Park, who - fearing exposure - got her committed to Clockwell asylum. Beth writes that Osla and Mab 'owe her', and asks them to get her out so she can expose the Judas.

The book contains fascinating details about England breaking Nazi codes, leading to the discovery of German plans. The Brits then have to use the information in way that doesn't alert the enemy to the exposure of their secrets.

There are also appearances by real historical figures, including naval admiral Lord Mountbatten, codebreaker Dilly Knox, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, computer scientist Alan Turing, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and others.

This compelling and suspenseful historical novel is an excellent example of the genre. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Quinn, and William Morrow Publishers for a copy of the book.

Thank you Net Galley and Harper Audio for audio ARC of The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. This was an historical fiction based on fact. I thought it was really well done, Bringing 3 women together, friends, and weaving the story around them. Very enjoyable listen!