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The Bletchley Women
From debutante to farmer’s daughter all roads lead to Bletchley…
In a different world, Evie Milton would have accepted her fate, married an aristocrat, and become the doyenne of one of England’s finest estates, just like her mother.
In a different world, Rose Wiley would have married her fiancé, David, established a modest homestead, and brought up a brood of babies, just like her mother.
But this isn’t a different world and these women are not their mothers. Rose dreams of a life filled with more than family and duty to her husband – a life of purpose – and Evie dreams of a life far away from her rarefied existence. Now, as they perform vital work at Bletchley Park decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages, their role in turning the tide of war in the Allies favour shows Evie and Rose they don’t have to settle for the life once laid out before them.
In a different world, Evie Milton would have accepted her fate, married an aristocrat, and become the doyenne of one of England’s finest estates, just like her mother.
In a different world, Rose Wiley would have married her fiancé, David, established a modest homestead, and brought up a brood of babies, just like her mother.
But this isn’t a different world and these women are not their mothers. Rose dreams of a life filled with more than family and duty to her husband – a life of purpose – and Evie dreams of a life far away from her rarefied existence. Now, as they perform vital work at Bletchley Park decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages, their role in turning the tide of war in the Allies favour shows Evie and Rose they don’t have to settle for the life once laid out before them.
384 pages, ebook
First published March 10, 2022
About the author
Patricia Adrian
1 book6 followersHistorical fiction. Author of the USA Today Bestseller The Bletchley Women
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
May 16, 2022
EXCERPT: 'Where are we?' I ask the army officer, while he pushes me towards the guards hut. I brush by the other two girls I came with, not registering their faces. 'Where are we?'
'Move inside,' he barks, hurrying me along. 'You talk a lot, miss.'
'Welcome to Bletchley Park,' says one of the guards, a man about my father's age with a drooping moustache.
Bletchley Park? Hmmm.
I am still none the wiser.
I may have no clue about where I am, but I certainly know what brought me here.
Aunt Mavis, of course. Last Christmas.
ABOUT 'THE BLETCHLEY WOMEN': From debutante to farmer’s daughter all roads lead to Bletchley…
In a different world, Evie Milton would have accepted her fate, married an aristocrat, and become the doyenne of one of England’s finest estates, just like her mother.
In a different world, Rose Wiley would have married her fiancé, David, established a modest homestead, and brought up a brood of babies, just like her mother.
But this isn’t a different world and these women are not their mothers. Rose dreams of a life filled with more than family and duty to her husband – a life of purpose – and Evie dreams of a life far away from her rarefied existence. Now, as they perform vital work at Bletchley Park decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages, their role in turning the tide of war in the Allies favour shows Evie and Rose they don’t have to settle for the life once laid out before them.
MY THOUGHTS: I expected more than what I got from The Bletchley Women. It's very vanilla. I have read and enjoyed several other books set around the code breaking work of Bletchley Park. This had many subplots based on family and relationship issues and petty rivalries within the workplace. It was too long with too many irrelevancies and lacked intrigue.
We never really get to know the characters in depth, but I really did get fed up with Rose blethering on about her 'darling David.'
I would have liked more focus on the work the decoders did and the problems they faced. What we learned was very superficial and I finished this feeling both disappointed and frustrated. It's a nice, light read, but not what I was looking for.
The narrators, Imogen Wilde and Antonia Whillans, narrated well with good range of tones and expression.
⭐⭐.5
#TheBletchleyWomen #NetGalley
I: @onemorechapterhc
T: @P_Adrian_Writer @OneMoreChapter_
#historicalfiction #romance #WWII
THE AUTHOR: Patricia Adrian always wanted to write books, ever since she penned (literally, with a pen) her dozen-page long ‘novel’ in fifth grade. Her interests also include history (especially women in history), skulking around social media for much longer than she should, and reading, particularly when she’s on a tight deadline and should be writing instead.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of The Bletchley Women for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Move inside,' he barks, hurrying me along. 'You talk a lot, miss.'
'Welcome to Bletchley Park,' says one of the guards, a man about my father's age with a drooping moustache.
Bletchley Park? Hmmm.
I am still none the wiser.
I may have no clue about where I am, but I certainly know what brought me here.
Aunt Mavis, of course. Last Christmas.
ABOUT 'THE BLETCHLEY WOMEN': From debutante to farmer’s daughter all roads lead to Bletchley…
In a different world, Evie Milton would have accepted her fate, married an aristocrat, and become the doyenne of one of England’s finest estates, just like her mother.
In a different world, Rose Wiley would have married her fiancé, David, established a modest homestead, and brought up a brood of babies, just like her mother.
But this isn’t a different world and these women are not their mothers. Rose dreams of a life filled with more than family and duty to her husband – a life of purpose – and Evie dreams of a life far away from her rarefied existence. Now, as they perform vital work at Bletchley Park decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages, their role in turning the tide of war in the Allies favour shows Evie and Rose they don’t have to settle for the life once laid out before them.
MY THOUGHTS: I expected more than what I got from The Bletchley Women. It's very vanilla. I have read and enjoyed several other books set around the code breaking work of Bletchley Park. This had many subplots based on family and relationship issues and petty rivalries within the workplace. It was too long with too many irrelevancies and lacked intrigue.
We never really get to know the characters in depth, but I really did get fed up with Rose blethering on about her 'darling David.'
I would have liked more focus on the work the decoders did and the problems they faced. What we learned was very superficial and I finished this feeling both disappointed and frustrated. It's a nice, light read, but not what I was looking for.
The narrators, Imogen Wilde and Antonia Whillans, narrated well with good range of tones and expression.
⭐⭐.5
#TheBletchleyWomen #NetGalley
I: @onemorechapterhc
T: @P_Adrian_Writer @OneMoreChapter_
#historicalfiction #romance #WWII
THE AUTHOR: Patricia Adrian always wanted to write books, ever since she penned (literally, with a pen) her dozen-page long ‘novel’ in fifth grade. Her interests also include history (especially women in history), skulking around social media for much longer than she should, and reading, particularly when she’s on a tight deadline and should be writing instead.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of The Bletchley Women for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 4, 2023
It all began with a conversation with my brother, who loves to read as much as I do, about if I knew what happened in Bletchley Park during WW2....I told him that I ran across Bletchley Park in some of the WW2 books that I read but nothing specific as to what happened there. He smiled and said, " I'm gifting you a book." Then we went on to other things. He sent me a book, not this one, but another one about Bletchley Park which I will read asap.
I truly loved this book and was completely, utterly glued to it! If I could've stayed up day and night to read it, I would have. This amazing book talks about the ground work taken to make Bletchley Park what it became. The main characters are Rose, a 19 year old girl who comes from a farm. She's a hard worker, raised to be a "nice girl" and stay home to marry her fiance' who is a RAF pilot. She is raised to never question anything. This isn't enough for Rose, especially when there's a war raging around her. Then there's Evie. She's in her early 20's, rich, seems as though she's spoiled and living an easy life, drives a Bentley and is looking for her brother who is MIA since Dunkirk. There's more to Evie. Lucy, a young lady who seems to live a carefree life, enjoys dyeing her nylons green, orange, blue and purple. What do these three have in common? What draws them together to become close friends? They speak German fluently and work at Bletchley Park. I really enjoyed reading about these 3 friends and watched as their characters developed and loved them even more! This authors writing style is fantastic! She draws you in right away and the chapters flow flawlessly from one to the next. If you like a good book with strong female characters, you need to read this. Once you're in, you are hooked. This is one book that I didn't want to end because I really felt like they were my friends.
I want to include a conversation that took place between Rose and a gentleman from the Admiralty at Bletchley Park. Rose said: " You see young women here, academics, a refugee, a farmer, and teacher. A girl who grew up in the country. I see women with extraordinary skills; they have a knack for cracking codes, they can speak German. And what an asset during these troubled times, don't you agree?" More than anything," I continued, " these are men and women who gave up everything to come here, work through days and nights to provide you with information. Information that can save lives."
I want to thank my brother for telling me about Bletchley Park! I may have missed this important part of history.
I very highly recommend this book!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
I truly loved this book and was completely, utterly glued to it! If I could've stayed up day and night to read it, I would have. This amazing book talks about the ground work taken to make Bletchley Park what it became. The main characters are Rose, a 19 year old girl who comes from a farm. She's a hard worker, raised to be a "nice girl" and stay home to marry her fiance' who is a RAF pilot. She is raised to never question anything. This isn't enough for Rose, especially when there's a war raging around her. Then there's Evie. She's in her early 20's, rich, seems as though she's spoiled and living an easy life, drives a Bentley and is looking for her brother who is MIA since Dunkirk. There's more to Evie. Lucy, a young lady who seems to live a carefree life, enjoys dyeing her nylons green, orange, blue and purple. What do these three have in common? What draws them together to become close friends? They speak German fluently and work at Bletchley Park. I really enjoyed reading about these 3 friends and watched as their characters developed and loved them even more! This authors writing style is fantastic! She draws you in right away and the chapters flow flawlessly from one to the next. If you like a good book with strong female characters, you need to read this. Once you're in, you are hooked. This is one book that I didn't want to end because I really felt like they were my friends.
I want to include a conversation that took place between Rose and a gentleman from the Admiralty at Bletchley Park. Rose said: " You see young women here, academics, a refugee, a farmer, and teacher. A girl who grew up in the country. I see women with extraordinary skills; they have a knack for cracking codes, they can speak German. And what an asset during these troubled times, don't you agree?" More than anything," I continued, " these are men and women who gave up everything to come here, work through days and nights to provide you with information. Information that can save lives."
I want to thank my brother for telling me about Bletchley Park! I may have missed this important part of history.
I very highly recommend this book!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
March 8, 2022
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.
August 4, 2023
“The Bletchley Women” are:
Rose is a farm girl who happens to have some German language. Her fiancé David is in the RAF and she misses him terribly but she feels she must do something to help the war effort. She gets into Bletchley via her aunt who works for the Foreign Office before she even knows what her job will be.
Evie comes for a very upper class elite British family with a father that is a bit of a tyrant. Her brother Will has been reported missing at Dunkirk and his girlfriend was sent away by their father who reported her as an enemy alien. H/ever, there has been news of someone in Bletchley who may know where she is. Evie manages to wrangle her way into a job at Bletchley Park when all she wanted to do was find her brother’s girlfriend.
One focus of the book is the misogyny the women of Bletchley are faced with when in fact they are as good as or even better than the men at what they are required to do which is to break German codes.
The writing flowed easily and gave a good account of Rose and Evie and I immediately liked them both, Evie is the spunky one and Rose the quiet uncomplicated one who form a friendship.
As a historical fiction novel about WWII this is a light read. And as the title suggests the story is about the women who work at Bletchley. In particular Rose and Evie and their personal lives.
There are many books about Bletchley Park both historical fiction and non-fiction, in fact there are also TV shows and movies. For the reader interested in something more serious there are numerous books that would be more to your liking.
Rose is a farm girl who happens to have some German language. Her fiancé David is in the RAF and she misses him terribly but she feels she must do something to help the war effort. She gets into Bletchley via her aunt who works for the Foreign Office before she even knows what her job will be.
Evie comes for a very upper class elite British family with a father that is a bit of a tyrant. Her brother Will has been reported missing at Dunkirk and his girlfriend was sent away by their father who reported her as an enemy alien. H/ever, there has been news of someone in Bletchley who may know where she is. Evie manages to wrangle her way into a job at Bletchley Park when all she wanted to do was find her brother’s girlfriend.
One focus of the book is the misogyny the women of Bletchley are faced with when in fact they are as good as or even better than the men at what they are required to do which is to break German codes.
The writing flowed easily and gave a good account of Rose and Evie and I immediately liked them both, Evie is the spunky one and Rose the quiet uncomplicated one who form a friendship.
As a historical fiction novel about WWII this is a light read. And as the title suggests the story is about the women who work at Bletchley. In particular Rose and Evie and their personal lives.
There are many books about Bletchley Park both historical fiction and non-fiction, in fact there are also TV shows and movies. For the reader interested in something more serious there are numerous books that would be more to your liking.
February 26, 2022
In a different world, Evie Milton would have accepted her fate, married an aristocrat, and become a doyenne of one of England's finest estates, just like her mother. In a different world, Rose Wiley would have married her fiance, David, established a modest homestead, and brought up a brood of babies, just like her mother. Rose dreams of a life filled with more than just family and duty to her husband. Evie dreams of a life far away from her rarefied existence.
The Bletchley Women worked as decoders during WWII. This is a most informative and interesting read set around the era. Rose and Evie could speak German so they were taken to Bletchley Park to work, decoding messages from the "Luftwaffe." The story is told from Rose and Evie's perspectives. The women come from different backgrounds. This is a very well written story, with a steady pace, and it held my attention throughout. I admire the women who had to keep secret from their families the important war work they were doing.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HaperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #PatriciaAdroan for my ARC of #TheBletchleyWomen in exchange for an honest review.
The Bletchley Women worked as decoders during WWII. This is a most informative and interesting read set around the era. Rose and Evie could speak German so they were taken to Bletchley Park to work, decoding messages from the "Luftwaffe." The story is told from Rose and Evie's perspectives. The women come from different backgrounds. This is a very well written story, with a steady pace, and it held my attention throughout. I admire the women who had to keep secret from their families the important war work they were doing.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HaperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #PatriciaAdroan for my ARC of #TheBletchleyWomen in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2022
The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian, is a interesting read for all war history buffs. Set in the beginning of the 1940's during WW2, this historical fiction details the secretive work of the Bletchley Park decoders of the "Luftwaffe" messages. The women left their families and took a vow to never speak of their work at Bletchley Park. Through their exemplary sacrifices they saved many lives. This book represents some of the many unsung heroes of that era.
Lets take a look at the main characters:
Rose Wiley loves her fiance David, but wants more for her life. Rose has been raised in a traditional home environment with parents that believe a woman's place is to marry and have children. Will Rose marry David and give up her personal dreams?
Evie Milton is from a high-born family. The women of her family are to marry someone nobel and carry on their upperclass lifestyle. Evie dreams of a life far different from what is expected of her. Will Evie follow her dreams or conform to high society?
The Bletchley Women will be published March 10, 2022.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for the honor of reviewing this extraordinary e-book.
Lets take a look at the main characters:
Rose Wiley loves her fiance David, but wants more for her life. Rose has been raised in a traditional home environment with parents that believe a woman's place is to marry and have children. Will Rose marry David and give up her personal dreams?
Evie Milton is from a high-born family. The women of her family are to marry someone nobel and carry on their upperclass lifestyle. Evie dreams of a life far different from what is expected of her. Will Evie follow her dreams or conform to high society?
The Bletchley Women will be published March 10, 2022.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for the honor of reviewing this extraordinary e-book.
February 21, 2022
Code breakers
Interesting, historical and Romantic. During the war many jobs came open in the services for women. Some men didn't think women should be working those jobs and the women often had to prove themselves. This is the story of a few of those women.
Not only did women have to prove themselves at work, they had to do it over the objections of their families. Often these brave women had to choose between a romantic interest and their war work. It was often a hard and heartbreaking choice.
The women code breakers worked extremely long hours staring at sheets of paper containing messages from the Germans to break the code and translate them to English so the ships and airports could be warned of an impending attack. Sometimes they were successful and saved lives and sometimes they were too late.
It was a demanding job and they could not tell their families, nor their boyfriends what they did, everyone thought they were typists.
I enjoyed the characters in the story and the ways they worked together even though they were from very different backgrounds. They found ways to make their job more efficient even when the males in the room did not listen to them. They stuck together and they made the repetitive job more enjoyable with their friendships.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Patricia Adrian for writing a great story, to Harper Collins U.K., One More Chapter for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
Interesting, historical and Romantic. During the war many jobs came open in the services for women. Some men didn't think women should be working those jobs and the women often had to prove themselves. This is the story of a few of those women.
Not only did women have to prove themselves at work, they had to do it over the objections of their families. Often these brave women had to choose between a romantic interest and their war work. It was often a hard and heartbreaking choice.
The women code breakers worked extremely long hours staring at sheets of paper containing messages from the Germans to break the code and translate them to English so the ships and airports could be warned of an impending attack. Sometimes they were successful and saved lives and sometimes they were too late.
It was a demanding job and they could not tell their families, nor their boyfriends what they did, everyone thought they were typists.
I enjoyed the characters in the story and the ways they worked together even though they were from very different backgrounds. They found ways to make their job more efficient even when the males in the room did not listen to them. They stuck together and they made the repetitive job more enjoyable with their friendships.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Patricia Adrian for writing a great story, to Harper Collins U.K., One More Chapter for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
March 6, 2022
The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian follows two women as they leave their homes in 1940 and start working at Bletchley Park. Both women know German, but they are from opposite walks of life. Rose is an educated woman, but she grew up on a farm and expected to marry soon. Evie is the daughter of a an English lord who is expected to marry well and spend her time doing good works. Another offer comes their way. The two women can help the war effort by decoding messages of the enemy. They cannot, though, tell anyone the true nature of their work. The ladies become close during the long days spent translating missives. The Bletchley Women is told from Rose Wiley and Evie Milton’s point-of-view (for the most part). If the war had not happened, they each would have married and led lives similar to their mothers. The story has a slow start. The book becomes more interesting when Rosie and Evie begin working together at Bletchley. I felt that the characters lacked development. I wish the author had taken the time in the beginning to introduce them properly instead of diving into the story. We meet Lucy Stevens later in the story. She joins Rose and Evie in the German Air Section. The Bletchley Women is easy to read, but the pacing is a little slow. The author is wordy with her detailed descriptions. Some of the sections on decoding the messages are confusing and I found them to be dull. I ended up skimming through those areas. There is a lack of action in the story. I tried, but I could not get invested in the story. The lackluster main characters, the dull decoding room, and the officious men left me yawning. I believe that The Bletchley Women is too similar to other novels set in this time period. It needed some intrigue to give it some zip. The Bletchley Women transports readers back to 1940 inside Bletchley Park where three women work to decode enemy transmission.
March 10, 2022
3.5*
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.
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.
March 12, 2023
I enjoyed this book. My first historical fiction book about Bletchley Park during WW2. Very interesting reading about what went on there and I would definitely like to read more about it.
3.5 stars. Rounded down to 3 stars as wasn’t quite a 4 star read for me.
3.5 stars. Rounded down to 3 stars as wasn’t quite a 4 star read for me.
May 19, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up: The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian follows two women as they leave their homes in 1940 and start working at Bletchley Park decoding German messages that have been intercepted. The war ministry needs people who can speak German and both Rose and Evie fit the bill, however they come from very different walks of life. Rose is an educated woman who grew up on a farm and expected to marry soon. Her fiancé is in the military so she feels strongly about her work. Evie is the daughter of a an English lord who is expected to marry well and spend her time doing good works. Her parents are not happy at all thinking she has gone to work as a secretary, you see, they cannot tell anyone the true nature of their work. The story is about this highly necessary job, but also about the friendship of the women and the pettiness and disregard the men have for the women when they make suggestions or draw conclusions.
I have read several stories about Bletchley Park and the codebreakers and this story seemed to concentrate more on the life of the women and less on their jobs than I would have liked. The story is told from Rose Wiley's and Evie Milton’s POV. Both women have issues in their own lives that are shared, as well as the difficulties they face in their role at Bletchley or with their billets. I was not surprised at how the women were treated by their male colleagues, but it sure is frustrating. They often had to run to their superior who was a family friend of Evie's. I know this is historical FICTION, but if any of the situations where ships or airfields were bombed because the males wouldn't listen to the women is based on an actual event, that is shameful. I found the story to be overlong and with a very slow pace, which caused me to set this book aside for a few days. Overall this is a story to highlight the role women played in the secret military organizations, the prejudice they faced as well as the fact that these women also had lives. I did a read/listen of The Bletchley Women narrated by Antonia Whillans and Imogen Wilde. I always enjoy when there is more than one narrator giving voice to various characters. They did an excellent job portraying the different voices and emotion with expression, tone and inflection. I didn't have a clear cut preference for either format.
I have read several stories about Bletchley Park and the codebreakers and this story seemed to concentrate more on the life of the women and less on their jobs than I would have liked. The story is told from Rose Wiley's and Evie Milton’s POV. Both women have issues in their own lives that are shared, as well as the difficulties they face in their role at Bletchley or with their billets. I was not surprised at how the women were treated by their male colleagues, but it sure is frustrating. They often had to run to their superior who was a family friend of Evie's. I know this is historical FICTION, but if any of the situations where ships or airfields were bombed because the males wouldn't listen to the women is based on an actual event, that is shameful. I found the story to be overlong and with a very slow pace, which caused me to set this book aside for a few days. Overall this is a story to highlight the role women played in the secret military organizations, the prejudice they faced as well as the fact that these women also had lives. I did a read/listen of The Bletchley Women narrated by Antonia Whillans and Imogen Wilde. I always enjoy when there is more than one narrator giving voice to various characters. They did an excellent job portraying the different voices and emotion with expression, tone and inflection. I didn't have a clear cut preference for either format.
February 1, 2024
I’m glad I listened to this. I engaged more with the story than I think I would have if I’d read a print version. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this story, but I have some quibbles. First (and most) of all, I absolutely LOATHED the “my David” and Jasper storylines (If I had to hear “my David” one more time my head would have exploded!). And I didn’t enjoy the ending. Evie leaves all her important work (and growth) behind to go be with her man in America, and it seems that Rose really grew into herself, but we don’t get to see that happen. Supremely frustrating. I would have liked the book a lot more if it focused on the work the women did at Bletchley Park. It’s such a fascinating topic, but we barely learn anything about it. Instead, their time at Bletchley mostly focuses on interpersonal relationships. It would have been great to get more Lucy. She wasn’t in the story nearly enough. And I liked how much my opinion of Eleanor (Nell) changed as we learned more about her. If you would have told me at the beginning of the book that I’d actually really like her, I wouldn’t have believed it. I will never understand why she married that lout Tom. She’s so much better than that.
March 20, 2022
What a fascinating read this proved to be
Steeped in World War 2 and history
Sharing an insight into the roles of women at Bletchley Park
And the code breaking there in which they played a key part.
Told mainly from the points of view of Evie and Rose
It tells of the new roles for which they were chose.
Their upbringings are different but both are bright
And their knowledge of German puts them into this fight.
Their work involves breaking codes to help spot
What needs defending and where does not.
However, this is a role filled with prejudice, too,
As they're unable to share just what they do.
The Official Secrets Act is what they had to sign
Pretending to be typists, it should be fine,
But families make assumptions that aren't true
And don't realise the importance of what they do.
Not only that, but they're having to fight
To be recognised as important at work - that's right!
Some male colleagues don't think this is work for women
Even when they're more able than them!
I really enjoyed this fascinating story, I have to say
Gaining an insight into the roles of women in that day.
These brave women were heroes who
Worked hard to crack codes and save lives too.
I liked the author's style, describing people, places and events, too
Bringing them to life, sharing what important jobs they do.
I also liked the sharing of their lives in those days
As women had choices to make, changing expectations and ways.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A great wartime story and this is my honest review.
Steeped in World War 2 and history
Sharing an insight into the roles of women at Bletchley Park
And the code breaking there in which they played a key part.
Told mainly from the points of view of Evie and Rose
It tells of the new roles for which they were chose.
Their upbringings are different but both are bright
And their knowledge of German puts them into this fight.
Their work involves breaking codes to help spot
What needs defending and where does not.
However, this is a role filled with prejudice, too,
As they're unable to share just what they do.
The Official Secrets Act is what they had to sign
Pretending to be typists, it should be fine,
But families make assumptions that aren't true
And don't realise the importance of what they do.
Not only that, but they're having to fight
To be recognised as important at work - that's right!
Some male colleagues don't think this is work for women
Even when they're more able than them!
I really enjoyed this fascinating story, I have to say
Gaining an insight into the roles of women in that day.
These brave women were heroes who
Worked hard to crack codes and save lives too.
I liked the author's style, describing people, places and events, too
Bringing them to life, sharing what important jobs they do.
I also liked the sharing of their lives in those days
As women had choices to make, changing expectations and ways.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A great wartime story and this is my honest review.
March 17, 2024
3.5 stars. This was based more on the personal lives of the main characters, like the title suggests, rather than going into much detail about the work of Bletchley Park. The writing flowed well and kept me engaged.
September 9, 2022
THE BLETCHLEY WOMEN
Patricia Adrian
A lite read for historical fiction in the WWII era. It was a satisfactory read, but it lacked some meat that many historical fictions have.
It is a multiple POV story told about three main decoders stationed at Bletchley Park. I liked the diversity of the women and how they pulled together to work for the good of their county. But I thought they were a bit (just a little bit) fluffy. I had expected more about battles, and the challenges of the German code.
In addition, as many have mentioned, the first part of the book was a slow read that got better about halfway. If you are a super serious historical fiction reader, this is good but lacks pazazz.
3 stars
Happy Reading!
Patricia Adrian
A lite read for historical fiction in the WWII era. It was a satisfactory read, but it lacked some meat that many historical fictions have.
It is a multiple POV story told about three main decoders stationed at Bletchley Park. I liked the diversity of the women and how they pulled together to work for the good of their county. But I thought they were a bit (just a little bit) fluffy. I had expected more about battles, and the challenges of the German code.
In addition, as many have mentioned, the first part of the book was a slow read that got better about halfway. If you are a super serious historical fiction reader, this is good but lacks pazazz.
3 stars
Happy Reading!
February 27, 2022
I enjoy reading Historical novels in WW2 and I was glad to receive The Bletchley Women by Patricia Adrian. Her debut novel.
The is based on three women from different backgrounds. But told by the views of Evie and Rose. Evie Milton is a debutante and would happily marry into a wealthy family and Rose comes from a normal background and in love with David who goes and trains as a pilot for the RAF. As they both speak German, they are whisked off to Bletchley Park to decode messages from the ‘Luftwaffe’ The girls strike a bond with each other during the long hours they must endure to decode the messages and the heartache when they do not get the messages decoded in time which ends ups lots of people being killed.
The girls even though they have signed The Secrets act and even lie to their own families what they do. The girls because of them being females are always not be trusted with the hard work that they put in.
I found this historical story a bit long winded at first but, them enjoyed the story of the three girls and the time they spent together at Bletchley Park. I found this a bit different to other stories of this type I have read before, I felt it a bit more realistic and not the hearts and roses type that it usually is. 4 stars from me.
The is based on three women from different backgrounds. But told by the views of Evie and Rose. Evie Milton is a debutante and would happily marry into a wealthy family and Rose comes from a normal background and in love with David who goes and trains as a pilot for the RAF. As they both speak German, they are whisked off to Bletchley Park to decode messages from the ‘Luftwaffe’ The girls strike a bond with each other during the long hours they must endure to decode the messages and the heartache when they do not get the messages decoded in time which ends ups lots of people being killed.
The girls even though they have signed The Secrets act and even lie to their own families what they do. The girls because of them being females are always not be trusted with the hard work that they put in.
I found this historical story a bit long winded at first but, them enjoyed the story of the three girls and the time they spent together at Bletchley Park. I found this a bit different to other stories of this type I have read before, I felt it a bit more realistic and not the hearts and roses type that it usually is. 4 stars from me.
June 19, 2022
I liked this book a lot. The women codebreakers at Bletchley came from different backgrounds, from wealthy families to farmer’s daughters. They were intelligent, spoke German, and they sacrificed friends and families to keep the project secret. They were also underestimated by the men around them. This was a good read, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
February 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
This is my first read by this author and I began reading not knowing quite what to expect. I did enjoy this book although I found the first quarter a bit overly long and drawn out. The book follow three ladies who work at Bletchley decoding German messages. They are from very different backgrounds and slowly a friendship forms between them. The book is told mainly through Evie and Rose and I thought it became more enjoyable when the ladies met up and began working together. I liked that the book was told through the two main characters who were on the whole believable and likeable, and most of the other ‘side’ characters in the story were portrayed realistically. I also liked the author’s writing style and thought the book flowed really well and came together beautifully at the end. I enjoyed reading of Rose, Evie and Lucy’s war work and found it very interesting, and liked the glimpses into their home and personal lives and how they struggled to live up to the high expectations set by their families and be who their parents wanted them to be. Overall this is a good read, although it didn’t wow me or have me desperate to turn the pages to see what happened next. I’d recommend this if you like historical, war time fiction with a focus on how the war affected women and the part they played in it.
3.5 stars
This is my first read by this author and I began reading not knowing quite what to expect. I did enjoy this book although I found the first quarter a bit overly long and drawn out. The book follow three ladies who work at Bletchley decoding German messages. They are from very different backgrounds and slowly a friendship forms between them. The book is told mainly through Evie and Rose and I thought it became more enjoyable when the ladies met up and began working together. I liked that the book was told through the two main characters who were on the whole believable and likeable, and most of the other ‘side’ characters in the story were portrayed realistically. I also liked the author’s writing style and thought the book flowed really well and came together beautifully at the end. I enjoyed reading of Rose, Evie and Lucy’s war work and found it very interesting, and liked the glimpses into their home and personal lives and how they struggled to live up to the high expectations set by their families and be who their parents wanted them to be. Overall this is a good read, although it didn’t wow me or have me desperate to turn the pages to see what happened next. I’d recommend this if you like historical, war time fiction with a focus on how the war affected women and the part they played in it.
3.5 stars
March 10, 2022
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
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
April 6, 2022
A decent Historical Fiction that has clearly been well researched and written. The Bletchley Women follows the lives of a handful of women at Bletchley Park during WW2 and unfortunately that's about all I remember from reading this book. It was enjoyable to read, just not very memorable!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheBletchleyWomen. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheBletchleyWomen. All opinions are my own.
March 30, 2022
I did find this book a little slow to start with whilst it was building the story around the characters.
I felt like I was looking forward to picking it up after 30% in, then it just got better and better.
Some of it was a little far fetched, but it was an enjoyable read.
I felt like I was looking forward to picking it up after 30% in, then it just got better and better.
Some of it was a little far fetched, but it was an enjoyable read.
March 12, 2022
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.
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.
March 17, 2022
This was a good book about Bletchey Park and the women who worked there.
A well researched, compelling, and entertaining story that I liked. Well developed characters and good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
A well researched, compelling, and entertaining story that I liked. Well developed characters and good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
February 28, 2022
The Bletchley Women for the most part centers around two women from very different backgrounds working to decrypt and decode messages from the “Luftwaffe” during WWII at a secret location called Bletchley Park. At this point and time, women are not believed to be able to handle this kind of work but end up proving they are as adequate if not more so than their male counterparts.
Evie, is from a family of means. She’s been a part of the debutante balls, the society parties and everything in between. Her family has servants and she’s not used to having to do things on her own. Rose comes from a family of farmers and engaged to David, an RAF pilot. Rose has had to work for everything she has. Neither of these women knew what they were capable of or how much they were going to contribute to save lives in the war. They’ve both signed an Agreement of Secret Service, so neither can tell their families what they do, so through this they form a very deep bond with each other and help each other out as needed.
This book is fairly well written and I’m impressed with Patricia Adrian and this being her debut novel. There were a few places where I felt the story dragged on a bit but overall a definite 4 star read for me.
Thank you to #netgalley, #harpercollinsUK, One More Chapter for allowing me to read an ARC of this story for a fair an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.
Evie, is from a family of means. She’s been a part of the debutante balls, the society parties and everything in between. Her family has servants and she’s not used to having to do things on her own. Rose comes from a family of farmers and engaged to David, an RAF pilot. Rose has had to work for everything she has. Neither of these women knew what they were capable of or how much they were going to contribute to save lives in the war. They’ve both signed an Agreement of Secret Service, so neither can tell their families what they do, so through this they form a very deep bond with each other and help each other out as needed.
This book is fairly well written and I’m impressed with Patricia Adrian and this being her debut novel. There were a few places where I felt the story dragged on a bit but overall a definite 4 star read for me.
Thank you to #netgalley, #harpercollinsUK, One More Chapter for allowing me to read an ARC of this story for a fair an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.
March 7, 2022
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.
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.
September 19, 2023
Really did disappointed in this book.
What I had hoped would’ve an insight into Bletchley was little more than a pretty improbable soap opera set against Bletchley as s backdrop.
I don’t believe I got any closer to the working of Bletchley than when I did the tour - probably less so.
Very much a feminist book with very one dimensional and stereotypical characters - all women are good and all men are pompous, arrogant and out for themselves to the detriment of our saintly Bletchley women!
Simply written with all great ideas that set Bletchley apart being from our lead heroine against the. Judgement of the men who domineered.
Where a man was nit abominable they were quickly assigned to the side stage.
Not really sure what the author was trying to achieve in this novel - but for me it disappointed in every dimension- not for me.
What I had hoped would’ve an insight into Bletchley was little more than a pretty improbable soap opera set against Bletchley as s backdrop.
I don’t believe I got any closer to the working of Bletchley than when I did the tour - probably less so.
Very much a feminist book with very one dimensional and stereotypical characters - all women are good and all men are pompous, arrogant and out for themselves to the detriment of our saintly Bletchley women!
Simply written with all great ideas that set Bletchley apart being from our lead heroine against the. Judgement of the men who domineered.
Where a man was nit abominable they were quickly assigned to the side stage.
Not really sure what the author was trying to achieve in this novel - but for me it disappointed in every dimension- not for me.
March 2, 2022
The Bletchley Women is a well done historical fiction book during World War 2 about code breakers that happen to be women.
The War of course changed everybody's life and the world too was about to change its perspective on women working.
Evie and Rose come from opposite life styles and it was an interesting journey how they not only became friends but learned to work together in a job that was devastating at times and rewarding at others.
The story is told from different POV's which worked really well.
I was sorry to see the book end and I look forward to another book by Patricia Adrian.
The Bletchley Women is a very good debut novel so add it to your TBR pile.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for a captivating read.
The War of course changed everybody's life and the world too was about to change its perspective on women working.
Evie and Rose come from opposite life styles and it was an interesting journey how they not only became friends but learned to work together in a job that was devastating at times and rewarding at others.
The story is told from different POV's which worked really well.
I was sorry to see the book end and I look forward to another book by Patricia Adrian.
The Bletchley Women is a very good debut novel so add it to your TBR pile.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for a captivating read.
March 9, 2022
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.
July 2, 2022
Interesting story from two woman’s viewpoints with different backgrounds. The narration was engaging and both narrators suited their characters perfectly. Parts the story were slightly confusing and I’m not entirely sure I understand the rationale for the ending however this could have been because I was keen to finish it. Dragged from the midpoint for me.
Thank you Netgalley.
Thank you Netgalley.
October 2, 2022
This book was not quite what I expected and it was a slow read initially. Others may enjoy it but I was expecting this book to give more insight to the good work that was done at Bletchley Park during WW II much of which was carried out by women.
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