This was an absolute 5 star read for me! This is the historical fiction during world war 1/prohibition/world war 2 wrapped up in 1 novel in a way I’ve never read before. Grace was very real on the page. She was such an incredible woman that I had no idea existed! I loved the minor characters in this book so much too! The character, Kangaroo, was perfection and taught me about an event I had never heard of before that I don’t want to spoil. The character, Nellie, was so much like my great great Aunt Nellie (who was also friends with Eleanor Roosevelt and lived in Indiana) which was amazing to read about in such an accessible way. So grateful I got to read this ARC! I’ve recommended this book to several friends and family members already. First 5 star read of the year for me!

Cheers of endless coffee cups to this feminist read with a historical spy fiction focus.

✨Book Review: LADY CODEBREAKER by K. D. Alden ✨

☕️ Spanning the Great War, prohibition, and World War II, Grace Smith, one of the nation’s first cryptanalysts, has a front-row seat and direct hand in history. She and her team take on gangsters, Nazis, and misogynist bureaucrats with code breaking skills, dedication, and determination.

☕️ Based on the real-life story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, this book was a fascinating and clearly well-researched look at history. I hated how much crap Grace had to deal with as a working woman in the 1910s-1950s, but I also loved seeing how she grew to create her own rules and path. Only critique is that the pacing sometimes felt off as the historical specifics stifled some of the suspense and overall story arc.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5 stars)

👩🏻‍🏫 Heads-up that there’s a lot in this book. I’m not going to get into all the possible trigger warnings, but do know that this takes place when women were belittled and harassed in the workplace and during wartime before mental health was understood or prioritized. Take care of yourself.

😘 Thanks to @ReadForeverPub, the author, and #NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Kate Quinn and Historical Fiction will ADORE this story! Grace is the ultimate character and skilled codebreaker. This story was not only astonishing but heartbreaking. Grace was so admirable as the main character, but I also enjoyed the love story between her and Robert.

The author did a phenomenal job at taking you through this historic piece and all the emotions she brought to light. I really enjoyed this one and will definitely recommend to all my Historical Fiction loving friends.

I was up all night with my face glued to my Kindle. This novel is beautifully written and has all the makings of a five-star read! This book was inspired by real events during WWll which was very intriguing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction and WW2 history.

Loved the chance to read this book. I’ve been craving more from the historical fiction genre lately and this did not disappoint. Following Grace’s story was both intriguing and emotional. Thank you for the chance to read!

Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden is based on codebreaking work done during both World Wars. Grace Smith doesn't want the traditional woman roles of her time. After losing her job in Chicago, she knows she can't go back home to Indiana. Grace is smart and driven. She has to deal with men, usually thinking less of her abilities because she is a woman. She does earn the respect of some interesting characters through her life. I appreciate her determination and desire to help not only her family but also her country too.

The author's notes at the end explain which of the elements in the book are based on true events. It's fascinating to learn about the true heroine.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this advanced reader copy.

Great read for all WW lovers! I knew about the WWII codebreakers but not really the WWI, and about Navajo code, but not Choctaw. What an interesting woman and an amazing life!

Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden
Historical fiction. Stem.
Grace Smith doesn’t want the expected husband, children and dreary housewife role. She knows she has no way to escape that life so flees Indiana, tries job hunting in Chicago and ends up hired to find codes written in Shakespeare’s works. That soon leads to her learning cryptanalysis with coworker Robert. Soon the two are helping the government decode notes and coded letters during prohibition, and through the war. High stress and long hours of deep concentration.
Grace is on a path of expertise against foreign governments while juggling family responsibilities. It’s a unique position of importance reporting all the way up to the white house and war rooms.

Grace is determined and smart. She spends her whole life fighting against men trying to put her into a lessor position. She’s not one to just smile and demure. I admired her fortitude and her dedication to the cause and often felt grateful to live in more equitable times. She breaks code after code, she teaches others how to learn the process while conforming to dress and social codes.
I’ve read a few books recently about amazing women whose stories are all but lost to history and I’m just in awe of them as I live an easy life. This book is a wonderful addition to the genre of historical female heroes.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I’ve also purchased a copy to donate to my local library.

Lady Codebreaker is historical fiction based on a real person, cryptanalyst Elizabeth Smith Friedman. The story spans World War I, prohibition and World War II. The author depicts the disrespect and misogyny some women faced in the workplace, especially in fields considered only for men.

In the novel Grace shows not only her skill in code breaking but the long hours, family sacrifice and persistence the work entails. She faces a lot of criticism as a mother who works outside the home. The book also touches on the stigma of mental health and how it was handled during this time as her husband Robert, and army code breaker, deals with ongoing depression.

This was a fairly quick read as Grace and her team race to decrypt transmissions and piece information together to help the war effort, catch a spy or stop a bootlegger. I enjoyed learning more about this part of history. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

This is a well written book about the code breakers from both world wars, many of them women. Initially I did not even think about people doing this but it makes sense that instructions, etc were sent with code. The book is based on the life of a true codebreaker, Elizabeth Smith Friedman. Elizabeth and her husband were trained to be some of the first codebreakers and later taught others to do the same work. They can be credited with deciphering codes and obtaining advance knowledge of attacks that may have saved many lives. This book has lots of details about how codebreaking worked and some of how they broke the codes. If you like historical fiction about WW I and WWII you will probably like this book.

This was a fascinating book. It’s historical fiction based on facts. There was a genuine lady codebreaker, which Grace Feldman is based on. I’ve read books of some of the heroic groundbreaking women of WWII but Grace Feldman was long before that. This book spans 1917-1958. The incredible courage it must have taken in 1917 to defy her parents and head out on her own. Code breaking was not her initial goal. It wasn’t anyone’s really because it was a such a new field. The character, Grace Feldman is a pioneer. This book is not only about her work but is also a love story.
I highly recommend this book to any lover of historical fiction. I’m going to go look up the real life Lady Codebreaker and see what I can find out about her.
I received this as a free ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review

I throughly enjoyed this book and it has me wanting to do research to learn more about what the lady codebreakers did throughout history!

ARC READ THROUGH NETGALLEY. I loved this book. Codebreaking and women involved are automatic reads for me, but this book was just something else. I loved Grace and I loved Robert and I was immediately pulled into their story and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I thought that the story was well told and mostly easy to follow. There were a couple of jumps in time where I was like wait what, but otherwise the plot all made sense, which is impressive considering how much time it spans. I also liked all the talk about mental health that was in the book. I learned some things and the book also gives me some things I want to research.

When a book keeps me eagerly flipping pages until the wee hours of the night then sends me scurrying down internet rabbit holes to uncover all the information I can find about the real woman upon whom it's based, that's a book I'll be encouraging all my friends to read.

Spanning four decades (1917 - 1958), Lady Codebreaker is a seamless blend of fact and fiction based upon the life of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, widely recognized as American's first female cryptanalyst and instrumental in key events within 20th century American history. Opening the book in 1958 with a startling scene that hooked me immediately, the book then goes back to 1917 where it all began for main character Grace (and real life Elizebeth) and takes readers on a fascinating, sometimes dangerous, frequently suspenseful, ride through two world wars, Prohibition, inter-agency intrigue, and the evolution of a unique marriage (for the era) as well as an extraordinary career. One of my favorite parts of the book was watching how Grace and Robert evolved over the course of four decades, both in their personal relationship as well as their individual careers. This is not only a story of intrigue and suspense. It is also a complex, deeply emotional love story told in such a way that I felt as if I was right there with them through every peak and valley, wholly invested in their love, their health, their happiness, and their success.

Alden brought both the characters and settings to life on the pages of this book, immersing me into the smoke-filled decoding rooms, tense family altercations, sparkling dinner parties, danger-filled Coast Guard raids, hospital psychiatric wards, and much more while shining her spotlight on a variety of topics including mental illness, inter-faith marriage, power hunger, and the inequality between women and men of the time. Key among those topics is the hurdles Grace, and other women in her field, were constantly forced to overcome simply because they were women; how they were patronized, dismissed, yet continued to give their all in support of their country when they knew they would not be the ones credited for their work. Alden took her time with each of them, giving the women - and some men also - distinct personalities, layers, and texture, making me care about them. The villains (both fictional and real) are also vividly portrayed, eliciting emotions in Grace (and me) that ranged from distaste to fear to outright revulsion. There may also have been cheering when justice prevailed, especially when due to Grace's efforts.

If you enjoy compelling historical fiction that incorporates a fascinating blend of actual events and people with those of the author's imagination, that immerses you in our nation's history, and puts a human face on events you may have learned in class as well as those you discover in this book, give Lady Codebreaker a try. I couldn't put it down.

Note: Once you finish reading the book, do look up the real Elizebeth Smith Friedman and William F. Friedman upon whom Grace and Robert are based. What they accomplished in support and defense of the citizens of the United States was amazing.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

Very entertaining read! The characters are interesting with unique perspectives. A must read for historical fiction fans!

A huge thanks to Forever for a copy of Lady Codebreaker by KD Alden which comes out tomorrow!

Lady Codebreaker is a historical novel based on the true story of the woman who used her codebreaking skills to bring down Prohibition gangsters and WWII Nazis, and who ultimately helped found the present-day NSA. The main character Grace is based on the fascinating Elizebeth Friedman who I find absolutely fascinating!

So I enjoyed this story and how the author brought to light a lot of the amazing things that Elizebeth did with a fictional twist. I liked that she changed her name so I could believe this was a historical fiction vs a biographical fiction.
I am fascinated by cryptology and have read so many historical fiction and non-fiction about so many amazing women who were pioneers in this field!

Thank you so much to @Netgalley and @readforeverpub for the chance to read Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden. This book was absolutely amazing. While a work of historical fiction, the story is based on Grace Smith, the woman from a small town in Indiana who developed and used her codebreaking skills to bring down Prohibition gangsters, WWI spies and WWII Nazis. Her work and the work of her husband helped found the present-day CIA.

Give yourself a minute to start and settle into this story and you will be so thankful. Once I was in, I could not stop reading and admiring Grace. Alden weaves many decades of stories together seamlessly, jumping between the past and 1958. I really didn’t know much about the codebreakers so the research Alden put into this was fascinating. I also was totally absorbed by the story of Grace’s life–her marriage, her children, her balance of life and work in a time when a working woman was frowned upon. I’m so glad to know her story–it deserves to be told. Alden also beautifully handles the mental health themes that really aren’t told about that time period. I know I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. 5 golden stars.

Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden rich in detail, beautifully written and hugely absorbing for those who enjoy good historical fiction.
The writing and pacing were excellent. The sense of time and place was spot on. The character development was superb. I was completely invested in the life of Grace.
Lady Codebreaker is one of the best books I’ve recently read, and if you love historical fiction and great stories, I highly recommend it!

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Title: Lady Codebreaker
Author: K. D. Alden
Length: 432 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: closed door
Summary:
In this riveting historical novel, Grace Smith defies societal norms by becoming a skilled codebreaker. From battling Prohibition gangsters to thwarting WWII Nazis, she plays a pivotal role in founding the CIA. Grace's journey unfolds with wit and grit as she navigates espionage, motherhood, and impossible choices in a world consumed by war. A gripping tale of one woman's defiance and courage against powerful adversaries.

Thoughts:
When a historical fiction novel prompts you to learn more about the actual events that happened in the book, you know it’s a good one! I had never heard of our Lady Codebreaker and her husband before reading this book. Their story is both amazing and heartbreaking. This is a story of war. Yes, WWI, WWII, and prohibition, but also war against societal norms, war against mental health struggles, and war against family. Grace was such an admirable FMC. She fought so hard. But this was also a love story. Grace and Robert’s love for each other and for their country. I think the author told this story in such a wonderful way because I went through such a roller coaster of emotions while reading this. And she finished off the story on such a high note. I was wondering how it was going to end because it was looking pretty grim there, but she wrapped it up really nicely!

Read if you love:
Kate Quinn novels
Historical fiction
Friends to lovers
A bad*ss FMC

Special thanks to the @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

This is a great historical novel that holds your attention from the first page until the last. The story is based on real women who were codebreakers during the war. I love how the author wove fact with fiction to make a great read that you hate to see end.
I received a complimentary copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.