Book Review: The Rose Code

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While, I do not always read historical fiction The Rose Code was my book club’s pick for May. When I was picking a book this month the members suggested historical fiction. While I have read some historical fiction I have loved I was not sure if I would enjoy this one. But it was perfection. The book had history, romance, and mystery. I devoured this book in just a few days and it is longer than my typical book. I want to scoop up every Kate Quinn book and read every one.

The Rose Code is by far my favorite book from 2022 and it will be hard to top.

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. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter–the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger–and their true enemy–closer…

The characters in this book are so distinct. I loved that three vastly different women could become friends while working at Bletchley Park. Osla was the fabulous one who dated Prince Philip (this character is based off one of his actual girlfriends), Mab was strong and determined to make a better life for herself, and Beth while a completely shy girl was absolutely brilliant. I loved each character in their own way.

The book kept me guessing throughout and while I had a feeling I knew the actual traitor sooner than the characters discovered it I continued reading to make sure. While the book is not a thriller, I found things to be fast paced and kept me guessing. I loved the end where a character was tied to Catherine Middleton.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and will recommend The Rose Code to everyone. I can’t wait to discuss this book for our book club. Do you want to be part of our book club? Just send me a message and I will add you to the group.