A wonderfully interesting and well-written novel. I had no idea that Julia Child had even been in WWII, never mind being in clandestine services. I know that it is a work of fiction, but the author did so much research and the story is so captivating that I found myself wondering about all of Julia's time during the war, and what was fact and what was fiction. She does meet her future husband Paul Child during the war and we do know that she had no interest in being a chef at that time. I found it all fascinating. She was also a tall woman which caused some concerns for her and she was very determined to make her mark in the world. I'm interested now in reading even more about her life and I can't wait to read something else by the author. I really enjoyed her descriptions of India and China as well as her characterization. Masterfully done.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy and a chance to give my honest review.

In reading The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers, it was obvious that the author had done a great deal of research. The book begins in Washington DC, and takes the reader through Julia’s OSS journey all the way to China. The story is immensely interesting, and though the author took a few liberties with actual events, it is a compelling and page turning story. We encountered double agents, Lord Mountbatten, a wounded Indian soldier who had escaped the Burma Railroad and Japanese soldiers just to name a few. If you have a love of Julia Child (I do), you will likely enjoy this book. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of this book.

This was absolutely amazing! I was totally enthralled with this story from beginning to end, I could barely put it down, and when I finally read the last page, the house was dark, I was hungry, thirsty, needed to pee and my neck was stiff. But damn, it was worth it!

This was my first book by Diana Chambers. The Secret War of Julia Child is an enjoyable fictional account of a lesser known period of a very well known and admired Julia Childs. The story while imagined is very well researched. It was very intriguing to watch how Paul and Julia Childs may have met while serving their country in Asia during WWII.

I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction, especially WWII on the Pacific front.

Thanks NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for an advanced copy of The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana Chambers. One of the things I love about Julia Child is that she worked for the OSS during World War II so I was excited to see this historical fiction about her time with the OSS.

Unfortunately, I struggled a bit with this one for two reasons. I can tell the author did her research -- the beginning of the book states this is a work of fiction inspired by her admiration of Julia Child and is only a story but I feel like this was so fictional, that it was hard for me to really get past that aspect. The other is the writing style - I was bored through most of the book, especially for all of the things that happened. Plus the romance between Julia and Paul was not convincing at all.

I did like that I learned about areas of the war I didn't know as much about in the Pacific with Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India and China. If you can read this book as a fiction you might enjoy it.

The Secret War of Julia Child comes out today.

This is a fascinating historical fiction novel based on true events in Julia Child's life. I had heard that she was involved in the war effort. However, I would have never expected the roles she played. The descriptions of her travels are very detailed and seem thoroughly researched. Sometimes so many details did cause the trajectory of the story to slow down; they needed to be tightened up a little more.

The author has a wonderful way of having Julia Child's personality shine through the story while telling her life before she became the Julia Child we know and love.

Fans of Julia Child will enjoy this look into her life "before". Many thanks to #Netgalley and #SourcebooksLandmark for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! What a shockingly brilliant book about a celebrity chef I heard all about growing up. Imagine my surprise when I discovered she had been a spy for the OSS and ended up in the Asian theater during WWII.

The detailed narrative contained many surprises, particularly the scenes depicting her initial disdain for Paul Child, whom she later married. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The book is captivating, filled with adventure, spycraft, and plot twists. The dialogue is so believable that I felt like I was in the makeshift huts alongside Julia and her colleagues. I found the characters relatable and appreciated the vivid settings. I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the transition of Julia and Paul's relationship from a slow burn to passion, which made the experience of finding romance in such circumstances feel like the stuff dreams are made of. As I read, I felt like a WWII spy working for Wild Bill Donovan.

I can’t say enough good things about this novel. Five stars all the way around. Pick up a copy. Get lost on a rainy weekend and join the Greatest Generation in a tale of life as spies serving the OSS in the China, Burma, and India theater during WWII. Put on the kettle, get the vino and snacks, and relax in your favorite reading spot. Enjoy.

I want to thank Diana R. Chambers, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC for free. This review is mine and mine alone.

This novel imagines the transformation of Julia McWilliams, a single 30-year-old Pasadena socialite, from a file clerk to the head of the secret File Registry for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Her wartime espionage takes her to remote Asian frontlines where she finds purpose, self-discovery, adventure—and love with mapmaker Paul Child.

This book was a fun read, although it started to get repetitive with Julia bouncing from one disaster to another. I wish it had been written as a series rather than a single book. There’s enough plot here for four books, which would have allowed more space to develop the characters and relationships. As it is, this reads more like an adventure novel than the women’s fiction I was expecting from the early chapters. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Before she was the JULIA CHILD and taught millions of Americans the art of French cooking, Julia McWilliams worked for the OSS during WW2 in India, Ceylon and China. This is a fictional account of her WWII spying and captures her feistiness, her intelligence and her incredible instinct for capturing traitors. It is a fantastic WW2 story. Diana Chambers does an excellent job of describing each exotic location. Treat yourself by reading this book especially if you are fan of Julia Child.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark paperback for an early read in exchange for a fair review. I really enjoyed this book.

I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.


Even tho’ I took the time to read the author’s note prior to starting the book, it wasn’t enough to prepare me for the amount of fictionalization author, Diana R. Chambers, foisted upon THE SECRET WAR OF JULIA CHILD.

It’s clear Chambers did a massive amount of research for this project. Unfortunately, she tried to fill in too many gaps and blow the story up to Gone With the Wind proportions; neither technique worked. All of the expansion caused a large cast that was difficult to keep sorted Add to that the need for relationships, plots, subplots, etc. and the entire construction became hyperbole. Julia was more of a super spy in a Marvel Universe adventure than an OSS head file registry clerk in a clandestine, WW2 spy station. Seriously, her abilities at thwarting death became laughable.

When it takes me 10 days to read a book, that’s not good. I’m wondering where the editor was. The subject and storyline has great potential; rough execution.

I just had to read this book. As a fan of Julia Child, of food and cooking, of recipe books this one really did grab my attention and I am so glad I read it. And wow.... What a reveal of a little known history of a well known woman. This book took my on the journey of Julia Child and brought to life how she became the person, woman, celebrity she is.

This is such and interesting read and once I got started I just couldn't stop. It is all very interesting and intriguing, This brings out all the secrets of Julia Child's past, it is a book that will astound you and amaze you. Well researched and well written I enjoyed this book for the historical aspect as well as finding out more about the life of this well known woman.

My only complaint is that there were so many people in this book I lost track of some of them. It was hard to keep them all in a line and rememebr them. But other than that it is a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Julia Child most everyone knows from cooking and it is interesting to learn she was never a good cook in her early years but still she learned. Little known maybe Julia Child as a spy, giving back to her country and risking life and limb in her pursuit to assist the cause. This novel takes the reader on a world tour following Julia and her travels to assist in World War II. This book is a deep dive into the Forgotten War in Southeast Asia that was brutal and lasted far longer than the war in Europe. The story is action-packed as Julia sails to India with some OSS compatriots for her first overseas posting. The descriptions of the sights and smells that caused Julia's senses to explode are beautifully detailed. She continues to Ceylon where intrigue and treason are brewing in the intelligence community. From there she goes to Burma and finally over the Himalayas into China where the politics of Chiang Kai Shek, Chairman Mao, and the warlords complicate the allies' war plans. The writing is exquisite, with detailed observations of each country's beautiful landscapes, biodiversity, incredible culinary dishes, and the local people. Julia loved it and thrived, never settling for anything less than a life well-lived. As spectacular as the settings are, this story is character-driven with the unique men and women who served in the OSS in far-flung places during World War II. The author's detailed, diligent research and superb writing skills made reading this book a privilege. The book is a very interesting and well-researched window into the Allied war years in India, Ceylon, and China. I did feel the story lagged a little bit at times and I found myself loosing interest and had to push myself back into the book. My thanks to NetGalley, the author and Sourcebooks Landmark.

Fans of Julia Child, famous chef and TV personality, will be intrigued by this just released historical fiction novel, “The Secret War of Julia Child,” by Diana Chambers. From an imaginative childhood growing up in Pasadena, California, this tall gawky young woman found her way to Washington, D.C. and became a documents supervisor and then an “asset” in the newly formed OSS. This fascinating story tells of her experiences in the Southeast Asian Command, out of Delhi, India. Her intellect and spirit of independence there gave her the confidence to excel in her endeavors—it was said, “The war made her.”
I enjoyed learning about her journey in the wartime and post-wartime years. The author’s skilled prose especially shines as she describes the Asian locales, culture, and food that Julie experienced.
As the author says, this well-researched volume is her “personal interpretation inspired by her admiration and respect” for Julia Child. This is a perfect read for those who are curious about the earlier years of her life and wartime experiences that informed her later success!

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

For as much action is described in this book and as many spy adventures as Julia Child has, this book comes off as dull. There are so many people and places to keep track of that it is a big jumble and my mind wandered frequently, making it more difficult to follow. This had a great premise but it didn’t quite deliver for me.

I can tell the author put in a ton of research into this novel.
Most people recognize Julia Child’s name from her cooking show. However she lived a life of subterfuge and deceit during WWII.
I love stories about renowned people who have hidden pasts.
We all have secrets dont we?
You won’t go wrong with this one!

I loved this look at Julia Child’s life during the war and before she was famous for cooking! It was a really enjoyable read and definitely a facet i hadn’t heard about or read about before.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

A really interesting look at Julia Childs life before she became a world famous chef.I really enjoyed learning about her world her interests historical fiction at its best.# netgalley #sourcebooks.

"The Secret War of Julia Child" delves into the life of Julia before she became famous for "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and "The French Chef." A wonderfully researched and charming historical novel that's perfect for anyone who wants to know more about Julia's life before her love of the culinary arts.

**Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

The Secret War of Julia Child aims to tell about Julia McWilliams Child’s time in the Pacific theater as an OSS operative during WWII. The story is lengthy and slow-paced and while I enjoyed parts of the story, and the author’s research is evident, my biggest problem comes from the fact that she chose to sensationalize the story of a very well-known person. This is historical fiction, so some things are embellished; that's to be expected. However, as I read/listened, I thought many times that it seemed impossible for one person to have survived so many separate events (enemy attacks on land, sinking boat/only survivor, plane crash, etc). Sure enough, the author's note reveals that most of them were not true (but they could have happened was mentioned many times). Events like this happening in a story to an entirely fictional character in order to explain what was happening in that time period, yes, but to put a well-known, real person into situations you know she wasn't a part of just doesn't work for me. Her life as an OSS operative was interesting enough without placing her in dramatic, sometimes tragic, events she simply wasn’t a part of

Her romance with her future husband, Paul Child, whom she met while they both served overseas, was also frustrating. Does she or doesn’t she like him? She acted very juvenile about the entire relationship (she’s 30+ years old, by the way). Then, when it got physical, it was a little cringy to read about.

Additionally, there were so many characters and it was difficult to keep track of them.

I would honestly prefer a nonfiction account of her time in WWII.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC of this novel.

Those who grew up with Julia Child’s cookbooks and TV shows, and those of a younger generation who were introduced to her through Meryl Streep’s performance in the 2009 film Julie & Julia, know about her status as the American chef who became an international culinary celebrity during the second half of the 20th century. Few know about her ‘before’ life as the gawky, 6 foot 2, daughter of wealthy California parents who enjoyed a privileged upbringing in Pasadena and an Ivy League education that carried her blithely through the Depression into a role in FDR’s war office. Although she initially took a job as a lowly file clerk to serve her country, her intelligence, resourcefulness, resilience, and patriotic devotion quickly saw her promotion to the inner ranks of General ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan’s Office of Strategic Services. Whereupon she became a spy. This is the Julia Child of the novel; the real-life Julia Child declared that she ‘was never a spy.’

Before the war in the Pacific ends with two atomic bombs, fictional Julia has done her bit in Ceylon, India, Burma and China. She has met her one true love, the cartographer and OSS operative Paul Child. She has worked for many of the Allied leaders, including Lord Mountbatten and the upper ranks of Chiang Kai-shek’s American-supported government, as well as the American president and his military kingpins . This is factual. More imaginary are her various death-defying feats that sometimes stretch credulity, but they do build on the tension and anxiety that were undoubtedly very real in wartime, especially for those engaged in dangerous high-stakes operations.

As historical fiction, not history, and given how little about secret service strategies is on the public record, much of this comes from the author’s imagination. She makes it clear in her epilogue that this is not so much a work about Julia Child—who is actually Julia McWilliams until the last few pages—as it is a work inspired by her that considers what she might have experienced. Much is made of her courage and intrepid action. But even more is made of her obsessive insecurities that focus on her height, big feet, small breasts and frizzy hair, but also the ‘Hollywood legs’ and athleticism that she is proud of. There are a few eye-rolling moments in which she empathizes with the suffering of American Blacks and the oppressed of the colonies as though standing out as a taller than average woman puts her in a similar position. There are other ‘tone-deaf’ instances. She expresses enormous compassion sympathy for the poor and starving, but enjoys her gin and tonic and champagne and choice foods even in the midst of starvation. But she does over-tip.

I wanted to love this book, and I was willing to buy into the ‘what if’ elements. Even in non-fictional historical writing, connections and context have to draw on imagination. There simply isn’t definitive evidence for everything. But what is possible in the imagination must also be plausible. Julia’s adventures in Asia seem to be speculative fiction more than a fictionalized account of historical reality. I also didn’t warm up to either Julia or her eventual beloved Paul. They both come across as arrogant, self-obsessed, and immature, more like teenagers than the middle-aged sophisticates they are supposed to be. Julia’s mother Caro, deceased before the story starts, is an intrusive presence far too often, as almost everything happening in front of her sparks memories about their seemingly perfect mother-daughter relationship. Her father, Pops, doesn’t appear nearly as much but sometimes literally ‘pops’ into an important scene with the comments Julia thinks he would make. The story wouldn’t suffer for their loss.

The author spent ten years researching this project, and this shows through clearly in her description of the condition of the Pacific colonies and their people, exploited by their European colonizers who put their own interests first even while under attack. The truest sentence in the book comes from Paul Child, who declares that war is an ugly beast. A couple of references to this as ‘the war to end all wars’ are off-putting. Wrong world war. This was ‘the war to save the world for democracy’. This is, overall, an entertaining read, but I’d advise reading the epilogue first.