Imagine it! Chef Julia Child as a spy…

First encountering Julia Child when PBS ran her cooking show as a rerun and then later spying her life’s magnum opus, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I was excited to be taken back through Diana Chambers’ artful writing style to WWII when Julia worked for America’s secret service, the OSS, and first encountered adventure and the love of her life.



Foremost, The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers is historical fiction. Chambers painted the details in color and shadow so that this was part ‘this is how it was for real’ and ‘this could have been true.’ An intriguing tale of high adventure for an unlikely heroine. I had no trouble with blending the real-life Julia Child of my mind’s eye with Chambers’ sensitive, full of joie de vivre, yet quietly intrepid younger version, Julia McWilliams.



The story begins in Washington DC when Julia is the secretary to the real-life founder of the OSS (America’s CIA predecessor) “Wild Bill” Donovan, and she dreams of becoming one of his operatives and not just a paper pusher for this war. She gets her chance when he sends her to India to set up the regional OSS office and an even more secret directive to spy on their allies, the British, to determine if they are as solid as they seem. The voyage out and first days in India are a crash course in the uncertainty of war and survival. There are transfers to exotic locales and adventures. This eye-opening first chance in the field is so much more than she expected with lessons learned coming right and left including lessons in love and relationships.



Taking its time over the course of the war in Southeast Asia, I was tantalized by her secret work, unexpected spy adventures, and Julia’s personal life which also served to showcase the perilous real life of that place and period. She was parts scared and parts shocked by conditions in the field and for those enduring war in their lands. I greatly appreciated that local flavor and the people who populated this book along with Julia’s exploits.



The Secret War of Julia Child is a brilliant star in WWII fiction and romance that readers will definitely want to pick up. As Julia would always sign off her program, “Bon Appetit!”

Wow the amount of work and research this author did is astounding and how she really brought Julia’s dynamic personality to light was incredible. Can we just take a moment to recognize Paul as the ‘greenest flag’ of men ever. Like, hello, can I marry Paul? lol. His poetry to her!!! I loved their banter and chemistry. Well done!

The Secret War of Julia Child is everything we love about historical fiction. While Diana Chambers takes some liberties with facts, she paints an immersive world around one of America’s most beloved public figures. Long before she was a household name, Julia McWilliams was a patriot, determined to serve and support the war effort. Although her height kept her from enlisting, her work ethic and meticulousness, put her at the heart of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

Scene after harrowing scene we accompany Julia and her most inner thoughts as she serves in the war office, fights for an overseas post, works as a clandestine operative and falls in love with Paul Child.
Enthusiasts of WWII historical fiction will enjoy this story that focuses on the war efforts in India, Burma and China - places that don’t get nearly as much attention as the European front.

You can’t help but fall in love with Julia’s humility, determination and adventurous spirit. I highly recommend this novel - great for young adult readers too.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Not much of the Indo-China theater of WW2 is talked about and this book was greatly informative. I’ve read other books about her relationship with Paul Child but this book delved deep into her thoughts on him and his past.

There were many action-packed moments that kept me turning the page. It will give you a different view of those cooperating in those days of American Britain intelligence gathering. I highly recommend.

*The Secret War of Julia Child* imagines the untold story of Julia Child’s early years, before she became the beloved chef. During World War II, a young and adventurous Julia McWilliams joins the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), America's first espionage agency, where she rises through the ranks to play a crucial role in the Pacific theater. The novel follows her journey from Washington, D.C. to the frontlines of Ceylon, India, and China, where she navigates intrigue, danger, and love, while unknowingly laying the foundation for the courage and independence that would later define her culinary career.

While many liberties are taken with the historical record, readers of WWII fiction will find this a compelling and unique read.

This historical novel, which is very much a homage to Julia Child, tells a story about the celebrated chef's wartime journey to Southeast Asia and the work she did there for an American espionage agency. Julia McWilliams, who hailed from a blue blood California family, is thirty years old, single and working in Washington, DC as a file clerk with the Office of Strategic Services (the first centralized intelligence agency in the U.S.) during World War II. Through ambition, tenacity and top-notch organizational skills, she manages to land herself a position that will require her to travel to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to work setting up a top-secret Registry office for General Bill Donovan in the spring of 1944. Through her wartime experience in intelligence operations across Ceylon, India and China, Julia finds purpose, adventure, self-knowledge and even meets her future husband Paul Child who is a mapmaker with the OSS.

Quite a bit of research has gone into writing this novel and it is interesting in that it shines a spotlight on Second World War events that took place in Asia - primarily Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India and China. There aren't as many WWII historical fiction novels set in this region of the world as compared to Europe and the author does an excellent job of carefully aligning the plot with actual historical events. I found the novel quite informative in that regard. Julia's adventures are entirely fiction but are skillfully tied to real events.

Very descriptive and excellent at conveying a sense of place, however, the novel is a bit slow-paced with a lot of characters to keep track of and some of Julia's exploits seem more than a little farfetched. Definitely keep in mind while reading that this is an imagined story of what Julia Child could have experienced during her wartime service in Asia based on the limited facts available about that time of her life. Julia herself always maintained that she was only a clerk during the time she served in Asia, however, it is also true that she would have signed an oath of secrecy as an employee of the OSS. The author uses that to construct a tale of espionage with Julia Child as the starring character. The Secret War of Julia Child was an enjoyable read and interesting portrayal of a woman who became a public figure after the war although I tend to enjoy historical fiction more when it's more fact-based.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for sending digital and physical ARCs of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Excellent! This interesting and beautifully written novel chronicles "French Chef" Julia's time working for the OSS during World War II. Much of the novel is set in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) as Julia is tasked by Wild Bill Donovan to keep an eye on the British and on Mountbatten himself. She meets Paul Child there, but they can't stand each other when they first meet. The reader is left wondering how in the heck these two will ever get together.

Hints of the famous foodie Julia Child will become are in this book, but they are only delicious glimmers of a future the reader knows but the main character is completely oblivious to. This Julia Child is still uncertain, insecure, and dedicated solely to doing her part to win the war. This is a marvelous "prequel" to the life of a beloved figure in American culture that most of us would never imagine.

Highly recommended.

When my son was growing up, we used to play the What if?" game all the time. What if that one thing didn't happen in a story? Or what if you made a different choice on a given day or went a different direction? This book is a perfect example of this sort of thinking. An excellent blend of thorough research and strong imagination, I found this novel fascinating. The descriptions of the locations in India and China, the people, the weather, and the food made me feel like I was right there with Julia and her companions. The situations Julia found herself in were often terrifying and wonderful at the same time. While knowing that many of these situations were sheer speculation, I think the author did an excellent job of capturing Julia's personality. Some of her dithering back and forth about Paul Child was annoying at times, but I was so hooked on the storytelling that I could forgive that.

Before she became a household name, sharing her skill and love of French cooking Julia Child lived another life as a high level security OSS clerk I. The Asian theater of WWII. This fictional account, based on extensive historical research, explores Julia’s life asmidst the beauty of India and China, and the horrors of war that damaged that country. It is also here that she meets Paul Child, enigmatic map maker, who will be the love of her life and the catalyst for supporting Julia to become the famous face we know today as the French Chef!

The Secret War of Julia Child is the fictionalized version of the life Julia led prior to her becoming a national treasure on the small screen. During WWII, Julia worked with the OSS. Diana Chambers did incredible research to piece together what could have happened during that time and to create a narrative based upon that research. For me, it fell flat never really taking off. The discourse felt simplistic and did not seem to well represent the woman we know Julia Child to be. I am sure that her story could be told in an intriguing way, but this was not it for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I did enjoy parts of this historical fiction novel that was based on the early life of Julia Child.

It took me a bit to really get into the story but once it picked up for me I found myself really enjoying the story.

I’ve always loved reading and watching things about Julia Child so I was excited to read this book. I thought the author did the appropriate research and even though this is a fiction novel I could certainly imagine Julia Child living this story.

I liked that we got to see her relationship with Paul develop and blossom. I think that was my favorite part. However, she had some struggles throughout the book and it was interesting to experience those with her and to see how strong and resilient Julia Child was.

The Secret War of Julia Child
By: Diana R. Chambers
Review Score: 3 1/2 Stars

Yall. I went into this book with high hopes. It seemed like something that was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I really struggled to stay engaged. I also felt constantly frustrated by Julia and her lack of communication with Paul. Maybe this is just a true character trait of the actual Julia Child, but man, it drove me crazy.

I know Julia Child for chopping the head off a chicken with a weighty cleaver and wishing us "Bon Appetit"! But little did I know, she lead another life, a secret filled life, before she recreated herself as a french chef extraordinaire, bringing fancy home cooking to the masses.
Julia McWilliams took a job working for America's first espionage agency as a filing clerk, which took her to the Far East theatre of WW2. While it is unclear exactly how high level her activites were there, we do know for sure, she met her future husband Paul Child.
"The Secret War of Julia Child" is "only a story" as Diana R. Chambers says. But is it heavily based on her extensive research of Julia. Tall and rather obvious, Julie was organized, dogged and ambitious, had nerve and brains and wasn't scared to ring the bejesus out of life. Historically accurate people, places and events are intertwined to provide an immersive experience.
Events happen quickly in the book - alot is packed in. Julie as brave in her wartime work as she was in conquering french recipes! This book is a homage to her great spirit and exists in the realm of possibility, full of surprises, agendas, double-crosses, heroism and a great deal of team work between Julia and Paul (once Julia could bear to be around him!).
An exciting read, which paints Julie is situations she definately could have handled! Improved imaging her saying the lines created for her....as we all know her rather high pitched warbling voice.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diana R Chambers and Sourcebooks for my copy.

2.5 stars. This was clearly a well-researched book, and will likely hit home for those looking for this specific type of historical fiction. The book focuses on many women in WWII as they work for the American warfront, with Julia at the center of the narrative, of course. There are lots of spy happenings and suspicions, which were fun and exciting aspects of the novel! I think if you're looking for a women-focused spy WWII historical fiction, this would satisfy.

I think when I picked this up, I was expecting more of the book to be Julia Child specific. While there were many tidbits about her real life in there, this read like it could have been really any woman working as a spy in the war. Julia also frequently frustrated me; she was selfish and childish quite often in how she viewed men and reacting to how her "friends" did as well.

I also really struggled to keep up with what was going on. I sometimes feel like the pace of a book is sluggish...this one FLEW, but only in the sense that there were far too many details about so many events. There were also so many side characters to keep up with that by the end, I found myself a bit frustrated and that it was impossible to understand all the details of the story.

Overall there is definitely a reader out there that's perfect for this book, someone who is looking for incredible detail, the ins-and-outs of these aspects of war, and appreciates a character that's a little unlikable at times.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark publisher and NetGalley for the eARC, and for the opportunity to leave an honest, voluntary review.

At thirty years old, Julia McWilliams wants to make a name for herself, even if ambition is considered a bad thing for women in 1940s America. She signed up with the newly formed US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) after America got involved in World War II, and is chafing to prove herself as a field agent to her boss, the legendary General William “Wild Bill” Donovan. While she’s proven invaluable in her position as supervisor of the OSS Registry of Documents and Files, patriotic fervor – and perhaps a longing for adventure – has her wanting to make a bigger difference out in the field.

She gets her chance when Donovan decides to collaborate with his British counterpart Lord Louis Mountbatten in staffing a South East Asia Command to oversee intelligence on that front of the war. Julia leaps at the chance to go, little knowing the path it will lead her down. While she’s originally stationed in Delhi, her work will take her to Ceylon, Burma and China, where she and her colleagues will do whatever it takes to win the war for the Allies. After hearing rumors of a Japanese push into India, for example, she sits down with her friend and co-worker Betty MacDonald who assures her:

QUOTE
“This is propaganda, to pump up their troops. And the waiting families.” She narrowed her eyes. “We need a counterpunch.”

Julia handed her the mailbag. “Taken during a raid of one of their Burma bases.”

Betty riffled through dozens of soldiers’ postcards–cards to be sent home to Japan, all with handwritten addresses, an Imperial Army star, and a censor’s chop. “These must be young recruits, by the simple language and rough characters.” She passed Julia one of the cards.

Julia regarded it, an idea dawning. “They’re in pencil. And I bet you have an eraser.”

A quick smile lit Betty’s face. “The censor has approved them, so they’re ready to be dispatched–after my little rewrite. We’ll get an agent to mail them at an occupation post office.” She handed Julia some paper. “Be creative.”
END QUOTE

Assisting in creative propaganda efforts is the least dangerous of Julia’s many tasks, which eventually grow to include ferreting out spies, at great risk to her personal safety. But it’s the peril to her heart that she perhaps feels the most. While she’s initially drawn to the charming Irish Lieutenant James Mack, she can’t help but pay attention to the almost prim and certainly infuriating mapmaker Paul Child. Her mother had always taught her to wait for The One and not settle into marriage simply because society tells her to. But could her One possibly be such an exasperating fellow?

It’s no secret that this novel is a fictionalization of the famed Julia Child’s time working for the OSS, primarily in Asia, where she not only met the man who would become her husband but also had her eyes and tastebuds opened to the delicious possibilities of world cuisine. Given how Julia herself always downplayed her role as an OSS employee, author Diana R Chambers has definitely taken liberties with what we know to be true and what we can only suspect. Her book is, however, anchored in some fine historical research, accompanied by an afterword that helps sort out fact from fiction.

The narrative itself takes a leisurely pace through the action-packed set pieces that pepper its standard romance novel structure. Not being the most informed regarding Julia’s personal life, I don’t know whether Paul was really the Mr Darcy-like figure he’s portrayed here as being. I did, however, very much warm to Julia’s spirit and determination throughout:

QUOTE
She’d always known she was meant for something, a belief she had confided to her girlhood diary but not dared proclaim aloud. Now she had crossed into the twenty-first century, where it was normal for a young woman to be ambitious. Few could imagine the shame she’d felt at wanting to achieve[.]

How hard she’d worked. But she did it. Imagine, mastering the art of French cuisine–and bringing it to the world. Yet she would not have become that woman without her experiences in the cauldron of WWII, where she’d learned what she could really do.
END QUOTE

It isn’t hard to imagine that the Julia Child who popularized and demystified French cooking for the masses had such an exciting and formative time in World War II Asia. The chef, author and television personality is well known for her upbeat nature: her declassified OSS files even cite her “drive and inherent cheerfulness.” The Secret War Of Julia Child is certainly a plausible account of what she might have gone through on the road to both romance and, far more importantly, learning her worth and capabilities.

I never knew this aspect of Julia Childs life. I only knew her for her gastronomy skills and that was it. This
was an absolute surprise and I loved her description of Sri Lanka where she had her initial foray into her training as a spy, because I myself am Sri Lankan. She spoke of an era before my time of a colonial past, rich and evocative and many of the places she speaks of are very much part of Sri Lanka today.

A tall according to her ungainly woman, from Pasadena’s elite Julia started her career as a clerk and then graduated to a secret Fire Registry before her transfer to India, Sri Lanka, and then on to a fiery baptism to China. Her efforts and very successful work wherever she was employed was muted, though the contributions she made were vast and impact immeasurable. She who had never thought she’d find love, did so in China with Paul Child and this formed an integral and beautiful part of the story.

Descriptive not just of terrain, but people and food of course, the story was a page turner and so detailed in its description of day to day life during the end of WWII especially the dangerous expansion of Japan towards the end of the war.

As a fan of Julia Child the culinary icon, I was very excited to explore what her life may have been like before the cookbooks. This novel painted a vivid picture for me thanks to impeccable research, highlighting the role of women working abroad during WWII.

I did find myself getting through this story at a slower pace, though. It packs a lot of content into 400 pages, with a large amount of time dedicated to conversations about war strategies and espionage. For WWII fans, this may be a win! I, however, found it tedious at times.

And never fear…Paul Child is a featured character! I enjoyed his and Julia’s slight enemies-to-lovers romance and felt their plot line helped bring balance to the WWII-centric narrative.

If you’re a fan of Julia Child, I definitely recommend this book. It was so much fun spending time with her in another era!

The Secret War of Julia Child is a historical novel set during the late years of World War II. Before she was chef Julia Child, Julia McWilliams worked with the OSS in the Pacific Theater. This richly nuanced novel tells about her work overseas and her romance with Paul Child.

I wanted to read this novel because I am interested in Julia Child's life. The World War II setting was also intriguing, as I love reading about this time period.

This was such a beautifully told book with a wealth of period details and strongly realized characters. I cannot recommend The Secret War of Julia Child highly enough for other fans of historical fiction. Five stars!

This book is the perfect example of what makes historical fiction fun.

Julia McWilliams is an ambitious admin during WWII. She delves into spying for America and is sent to India and the surrounding areas to run a branch office and spy. She meets Paul Child, a mapmaker, and they and their co-workers have many adventures as they help with the war effort in the Pacific theater.

I loved the premise of this book. The writing was not as great as I'd hoped (I'm spoiled by Beatriz Williams, Gill Paul, Shana Abe, and many other great historical fiction authors), but I enjoyed this book and Julia's adventures. It was a bit slow and unnecessarily tedious, and I wished that the author's note would have been clearer as to what was fact and what was fictionalized, but overall, I liked this different and interesting look at Julia Child's youth and involvement in WWII.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I grew up watching Julia Child on television and was fascinated by her cooking skills but unaware of her earlier life. Although this is a work of fiction it covers her journey from Washington D.C. to Ceylon and China during WWII. Working for General William Donovan in the OSS, Julia McWilliams was in charge of his top secret Files Registry. When a position opens in India she asks Donovan for the transfer. She is sent to handle classified documents and keep an eye on Lord Mountbatten’s operation. While the Americans and British were Allie’s, there was a rivalry on the acquisition and handling of information. Posted in Ceylon with SEAC (South East Asia Command) she first encounters Paul Child. He is a talented artist and precision map-maker who she considers insufferable. It is over time that their relationship develops and he becomes the love of her life. From Ceylon to China Diana Chambers imagines the trials and dangers that Child may have faced and gives her readers a look at WWII in Asia. She captures Child’s determination, strength and sense of adventure. While she and Paul have an opportunity to sample some of the Asian dishes, the story is centered on her war service and ends before her culinary career begins. It gives you a sense of who Julia Child was and is a true homage to an American who was loved by so many. I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book.