I always love books about Bletchley Park and this one doesn't disappoint. The story works well being told by the girl's two different view points and they are great very different characters from very different backgrounds. A good storyline that delves more into the characters than the history than some books that I have read on this subject but still a good story

“The times are changing and we don’t know where it will toss us. All that we know is that it’s time to take matters in our own manicured hands and handle them.”


If you’ve read The Rose Code, you are familiar with the history of Bletchley Park— the famous mansion outpost outside of London involved with decrypting code and cracking Enigma.

Patricia Adrian has written her own historical fiction novel set during this time. Whereas The Rose Code focuses more on sticking to the historical figures and events with its own mysterious spin of espionage, The Bletchley Women is more drama than mystery.

The story surrounds a group of women: Rose, Evie, Elinor, Lucy, and Esther. They form a sisterhood of women working in a man’s world when all the men are off to war. They’re pushing back on society’s expectations and standards for women during that time.



Our two main protagonists are Evie and Rose and the story rotates between each of their POVs.

Evie, sassy, bold, and entitled is from a wealthy family but at odds with her controlling father who is blackmailing her to keep her from her low-class lover. Her brother is also MIA and not speaking to her because of a dark family misunderstanding and if she has to work her way to get some answers and find her brother, she will!

“I’m rich, spoiled, and educated. Why would I want to throw away all of this? For love, I think. I’d throw away all of this for love.”

Rose, quiet, obedient, and people-pleasing is from a farming family, betrothed to a man training and fighting as a pilot. Rose wants to do something with purpose to help her fiance and the boys in the air, but her mother will do anything to keep her on the homefront where she can better ‘protect’ her future marriage and life as a housewife.

“I wasn’t expected to have an opinion about what was best to do with my own life.”

They find each other at Bletchley Park and the sisterhood helps each other navigate the pressures of family, war, sexism, the fact that they have to keep their work a secret from even their closest friends and family, and of course, the oh-so-punchable Henry Thornton.



Comparing this novel to The Rose Code, I would have to say that I liked The Rose Code better. I liked the adherence to historical events and people more engaging and the handling of describing the decoding process better (I think maybe they were doing different kinds of decryption), and of course the mystery entangled with it all.

Since this book was more about the drama at a specific time in history rather than the history itself, I would have liked to see some more character depth and development from some of the other women, but I suppose that would have lengthened the book quite a bit.

But regardless, if you like the setting of WWII and top secret work, I think this book is still worth reading! The author did a good job of portraying how the women were torn between duty and purpose, themselves and their families.

And I would definitely check out my review for The Rose Code HERE to see some YouTube videos I found of how decrypting worked at Bletchley Park.



The Sisterhood found purpose at Bletchley Park, but at what cost…

“I hope they see the piles of papers, our exhausted faces, how we all are a giant pulsing heart, beating for Britain, for each other, for our families, for everything we’ve ever cherished and loved."



[Sidenote: I feel like the cover should have included their colored stockings…]


**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

The Bletchley Women is about three women……. Lucy, Rosie and Evie during WWII. They are brought together by chance and find heartwarming friendship amongst each other.
The threesome end up at Bletchley Place where they find themselves doing something they never expected to do. The job of breaking Luftwaffe codes which is considered a “mans” job. They have to overcome what society expects from women and family who do not understand their need to help out with the war efforts. To top it off, the men they work with are not very happy having to work with women…..how can women handle such an important job?????
I have to say I quite enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel. Gaining knowledge about the challenges women had working along men is always interesting.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

A highly enjoyable story set in Bletchley Park, which I had never heard of before. Of late, I've read quite a few books out of the UK regarding the role women played in the war efforts, and this is another solid addition to the trope.

The two main characters are Evie and Rose, who each come from vastly different backgrounds, yet end up working together in their unit and becoming close friends, along with another woman named Lucy. The sisterhood they form as a way of dealing with the misogyny of some of their colleagues is a blessing to each of them.

In addition to finding themselves in the same place, doing the same work, Rose and Evie each are bucking against the expectations of their families to do what they believe is right.

I truly enjoyed the strong female characters in a war-torn world doing fascinating work and would certainly recommend this book to other readers who prefer that type of storyline.

Thank you to Patricia Adrian, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an advance review copy.

I have read quite a few books set in Bletchley Park. This is the first one that really emphasised how women were treated there. Rose is very good at her job , better than the men she works with but is told yes, you're great if only your name was Robert. I was really taken aback at this. A visit from someone from the Admilitary makes it worse when he is scathing towards women working together that they will talk all the time and not work.
These women were all dedicated to the job and working long hours in either freezing or boiling conditions inside the huts and the powers that be thought so little of them.

Although this book had similar threads to it as other books I have read I did enjoy it.
It showed that whether we come from a rich family or a poor one the trouble we share are similar.
Eve's rich family don't care about her. Her father doesn't care for her choice of boyfriend so he more or less locks her up at home and threatens to take everything away from boyfriend Jasper if she leaves.
Rose's poorer family want her to stay and home and marry her boyfriend David who joins the RAF.
When Rose gets a job in B,etchley Park her mother moves heaven and earth to make her come home again.
There's a few different storylines in this book and all are interesting but I thought some could have went on longer or had more explanation .
I thought the ending was a bit abrupt as the storylines were suddenly tied up and finished. It's probably a book which could have done with a sequel but after the ending I can't see that happening .
Enjoyable read.

The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian is a very well-written story with a steady pace, and it held my attention throughout.

Great historical fiction, a must-read. Over the past few years, novels set in WWII about strong women rising to the occasion have filled our booklists. They are enjoyable stories, but they have become a little familiar and repetitive. Not so The Bletchley Women. Talented author Patricia Adrian has made this a unique, engaging tale filled with interesting characters and fascinating bits of history about Bletchley Park. While you can’t necessarily relate to the events taking place in this time, you can probably relate to feeling like you don’t quite measure up to expectations, frustration at not being allowed to make your own decisions, and heartbreak and sadness at having to make impossible decisions between two equally important choices.

Evie and Rose are very, very different young women, with very, very different lives ahead of them. Until war breaks out. Then, somehow, through very different means they both end up with many other young women at Bletchley Park decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages. They are exposed to events and circumstances they never even imagined, and suddenly have dreams they weren’t even aware of. Their work is vital to the war effort, and they feel a purpose to life unlike any other they have experienced. Unfortunately, this vital work is also top-secret. Not being able to share where they have been and what they have been doing causes personal problems, some that may be insurmountable.

Author Adrian magically makes The Bletchley Women different from the rest. Rose, Evie and the Bletchley Park crew feel special as she tells their stories. You may not always like their personalities or the family they must deal with or the choices they make, but Adrian makes you care what happens to them, and immerses you in the day-by-day drama and danger of the war effort.

Thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK for providing an advance copy of The Bletchley Women via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. It truly is a cut above the rest and most definitely worth reading. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this insight into the life of secret Bletchley girls. The excitement of code breaking with the secrets of their job. As an avid mathematician myself, this would have been my dream job. Two women, from totally different backgrounds grow a bond during their important new role. I didn't want the book to end.

The Bletchley Women is a really interesting read about the hugely import work carried out at Bletchley during WWII.
Rosie, Evie and Lucy are a great bunch of characters- all so different, thrown together for the common good. I loved how they looked out for one another in such a man’s world.
For all of you who love a WWII historical fiction this is a story which will tick all the boxes.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exciting new book about Bletchley women

even though this story is fictional it is based around the bletchley park and the whole secret things it was doing during the war

the fact that women were also employed there, when women were just things

rose and evie are two of those women who come from very different backgrounds but both end up working in the same section together and as things develop their friendships sees them through many trying events

i found this a very enjoyable read, it still makes me angry how women were perceived and treated back then, but to read this story and the others gives you hope plus with the hindsight of our history to know how far we have come along

an enjoyable fast read

There have been a number of novels of late centring around Bletchley Park, especially the efforts and contributions of women during WWII. The Bletchley Women is another to add to this list of interesting tales of what women achieved during this bleak and challenging period in history.

‘… you’re just the sort of girl we’re looking for. Clever, educated, someone who can keep a secret.’

The story mostly centres around lead characters Evie and Rose who come from opposing ends of the social spectrum. Both speaking German, they are recruited to decode Luftwaffe messages and there is interesting historical detail provided regarding this aspect. This is also about women breaking the barriers of both gender and class in their efforts to forge a life for themselves as they were not satisfied with the cemented social expectations of so many years.

‘That was the problem itself: I knew this wasn’t the life I wanted, but I didn’t know what to wish for instead. I was never taught what else was out there.’

The story is well written and moves at a steady (sometimes a little slow) pace and overall is a good addition to the WWII historical fiction category. With it being so similar to other novels of this specific place (ie. The Rose Code) I did find that, whilst good, it did lack the captivating intrigue of others I have read.

If WWII fiction is your thing, particularly the role women played at this time, then I recommend you add The Bletchley Women to your reading list.

‘Bletchley Park, as everything else, is a man’s world,’ says Evie. ‘If girls don’t stick together, who is there to stick up for us?’





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This was a good book for historical war time fiction hoever, for me, it was not a page turner, can't put it down book. Well written but a little slow. Just had a hard time getting into this book.

Bletchley Park is famous for housing Allied code breakers. I’ve read a few book about the woman who did this amazing work and I’m always astounded by their work. This book has several woman that become friends while working. They are very smart and very strong. When they see some other don’t agree with they do what they can to change it. This is a strong book about this part of the war. The woman are very relatable in their character and the decisions they are forced to make.

Evil and Rose make this historical fiction an amazing read.
Quick and enjoyable.
Thank you NetGalley !

The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian was an enjoyable read. World War Two stories are not my usual genre, but it seemed interesting and I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Collins for sending me an Arc copy. The story is told by two girls. Evie is a wealthy debutante, who is in love with Jasper, but her father forbids this relationship. Rose grew up on a farm and is engaged to David an RAF pilot. Both girls had a good knowledge of German and so obtained jobs at Bletchley Park, as code breakers. They intercepted codes from the Luftwaffe, to try to discover where their next strike would be. They are joined at Bletchley by Lucy, who was trying to earn money to support her family after her father and brother died. What I remember about Lucy was her coloured nylons, dyed with various vegetables! Bletchley was employing mostly men at that time, but now wanted to include women to help with their war effort. Some of the men were very patronising and thought that women could not possibly do this work. The girls had to make an extra effort to try to convince the men they were suited to the job.. This was an easy book to read and I found it fascinating how they worked at the codes. If you are interested in Bletchley Park, I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this fascinating book. I’ve read a few books about Bletchley but, this one was outstanding. The story was gripping and I was sad to finish it. I enjoyed all the characters in it and felt for the young women working so hard away from home and nit being able to tell their families where they were or what they were doing due to the Official,Secrets Act. This book needs more than five stars. Y thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Books about Bletchley Park usually seem to centre on three women from different backgrounds who come to work there. A good point is the distinct voice the author gives to each girl. Bad points are that none of the girls seem particularly likeable and there wasn't much sense of history unfolding. Also, there wasn't much romance, which would surely have occurred with so many young men and women thrown together away from their families. A solid debut novel that felt rather rushed towards the end.

I randomly came across this and had to request it because I have a long-standing fascination with Bletchley Park and particularly with the women who worked there during WWII. This novel is about two young women who work at Bletchley - Rose, a farm girl who is looking for ways to be closer to where her fiance is meant to be stationed after he finishes RAF training, and Evie, who is from an extremely wealthy family but whose father has total control over her life and has essentially blackmailed her to end a romantic relationship in London and come home. It's interesting to see the two young women's lives compared, both before and during their time at Bletchley, but I really wanted to know more about both characters. I wish the novel had been a bit longer and a bit meatier, but I did like the structure and I appreciated that it addressed classism and sexism in England during WWII generally and at Bletchley specifically.

The Bletchley Women is a historical fiction dealing with the women of Bletchley Park. I am thrilled that there is so much more being told about WW2 and those that worked to win the war against the Germans.

This story gives the reader a glimpse into the different people that worked at Bletchley. Not all were military. Not all were men. Not all were women assigned to different military services. Not all were rich. Not all were educated. What they all were, was people that came together to make a difference.

The Bletchley Women really got me thinking. I hadn't thought about the challenges of women working along side men. I never thought that men would try to destroy women, risking the safety of their country. Egos were more delicate than the lives of others.

The story opened my eyes to the challenges of the Secrets Act. Rose was a great example. She couldn't share her duties with her family leaving them to believe her job wasn't important. She was ordered home. How many times did this happen, risking the lives of many?

My family were working class English. They worked in the factories. They stood in ration lines. They went without a lot. They survived on very little. I did not realize that not all suffered the same.

It is books like The Bletchley Women, that teach me something new everyday. It is books like The Bletchley Women that has me researching, exploring and talking to family. We need to continue to learn what happened so it never happens again.

I often pick up a book to read by the title and do not read the summary. So, then when I begin to read, I am sometimes confused why the storyline is not what I thought it would be. That was the case with this book. I wrongly thought it was a book about the inner workings of the female Bletchley code breakers. That is correct to an extent, but this book focuses more on the lives of the women, not the actual code breaking. Code breaking is definitely a theme, but in my opinion, a minor one. The lives of the two main character women are the primary focus.

With my wrong misconception, I thought the beginning of the books was moving very slowly, however, that again, was totally my fault. Once I saw that the focus was not on the code breaking, I became more involved in the story and fully enjoyed it.

I have read several books with Bletchley as a major factor, and I think this book was a unique approach to tell story. It is from two points of view and has given me deeper insight to what these women faced during this time. Not only were they heroes in stepping up to do work they had never imagine that they would be doing in their lifetime, they fought prejudices toward them from males that thought they were worthless, and the women worked endless hours without breaks or sleep. I am glad that their stories are being told so their role in WWII will not be forgotten.

This was the first book I read by Patricia Adrian. I enjoyed the flow of the plots and her character development. I will definitely be reading other books she writes in the future.

I want to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity of reading the advance reader copy. My review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.