This book was very enjoyable! I would have found this book entertaining no matter who the female main character was, so the fact that it was Julia child was even more fascinating. Her early life was so interesting and I love reading historical fiction books like this that teach me new things. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review

As a Julia Child lover, this was an interesting look into her life before becoming the chef we love. I knew she had done things during WWII so this was intriguing to get some insight into that time. It did have some parts that were overly descriptive that made the book drag a bit, but overall a very interesting listen into that period and Julia's part in it. The narrator really brought that Julia voice as well, which I loved.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook for review.

What an intriguing story!! Never knew this about Julia Child - it was well told and just a really great listening experience!!

Thank You for the opportunity to listen to The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers.

I was really interested in this book and in learning more about Julia Child.

I felt there was something lacking in the narrative, the heart or maybe the glue was missing.

I really tried to like it but it was slow or disconnected for my taste.

Or maybe I was expecting a little too much.

What can I say?

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Secret War of Julia Child. I have always been a fan of Julia Child and found her time during WWII interesting. Overall, I found the book hard to get into. I found the narrative moved at a very slow pace, it’s very easy to lose interest in the novel and despite being about a wonderful and inspirational woman like Julia McWilliams Child. The first parts were slow. Part 3 and 4 with more action and her falling in love with Paul Child were more enjoyable. Perhaps I have trouble with the technical descriptions of units, cities and missions. My book club chose this book for our December choice and I am looking forward to discussing and hopefully I will see this book in a different light. Thank you again!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
I love historical fiction and this was super fun. I had no idea about Julia Child's wartime service and adventures and I feel this does a good job blending research and fleshing out details to paint a picture of Julia Child before she was Julia Child.

The narrator, Candace Joice, did a spectacular job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, with what expression/intension, and the appropriate accent, especially Julia's.

Thank you to TantorAudio, NetGalley, and author Diana R. Chambers for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The Secret War of Julia Child is out October 22, 2024.

The only facts that I ever knew about Julia Child was that she was known for her talent as a masterful chef. That was before I listened to the audiobook of The Secret War of Julia Child by Dian R. Chambers. Little did I realize, that in her thirties, Julia made contributions to the United States as a codebreaker for the OSS during World War II. Diana R. Chambers delved into her service years, into the insecurities she had with her height and her unmarried status when she served her country in both the Pacific and in India. I enjoyed the romance that eventually embraced both Julia and Paul Child, the mapmaker, who had also been commissioned by the OSS and served along side Julia and others. I found this newly found information about Julia’s service years, her family, her goals and desires very inspiring and informative. I enjoyed learning all these new things about a woman who I thought of only as a master chef. If you would enjoy learning new aspects about the woman called Julia Child then I recommend this book/audiobook to you highly.

Thank you to Tantor Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Long before she became the beloved culinary icon, Julia Child lived a life steeped in espionage, adventure, and unexpected romance. The Secret War of Julia Child offers a fascinating glimpse into her wartime service in the Far East and her budding relationship with Paul Child, a love story forged in the midst of global conflict.

While the premise is captivating and Julia’s journey is undeniably compelling, the novel’s slow pacing made it challenging to stay fully engaged. Despite the rich historical setting and the extraordinary figure at its center, the story felt like it lacked the dynamic spark and emotional resonance I had hoped for. For a woman as vibrant and larger-than-life as Julia, I was left wanting a narrative with more intensity and depth.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

3.5 Stars

I think for the right person this could be a wonderful book. If you love a historical fiction that really digs in and goes into a lot of details this is for you. For me it fell a little flat and was kinda boring. I can tell the author did a lot of research which was appreciated. The narrator was so good at doing Julia's voice. I give her 5 stars!

Thank you to Tantor audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book.

This book imagines Julia Child's(nee. McWilliams) life as an OSS research assistant during WWII, including the time she met her future husband Paul Child. I love the premise! I found the background information interesting and very well researched. I enjoy that the author thought to delve into the detail of senses Julia experienced in her travels (particularly the food!) as an allusion to he future career in the culinary arts.

There were a few things that pulled me out of the story. First, Julia found herself in too many fantastical close calls. Even if she had several "missions" beyond her normal duties, I can't see her avoiding certain death so many times. It seemed too much like an action movie or like the stories of several WWII spies strung together.

I couldn't stand how Paul Child is portrayed. He is simultaneously insensitive and a womanizer. He is somehow conventionally unattractive, yet attractive to most of the women he meets. He sometimes acts like he likes her and other times is ambivalent towards her. It makes Julia, an otherwise strong character, seem weak and easily manipulated when she continues to pursue him. I really wanted to see her as a stronger more feminist character in this.

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.

Candace Joice does an excellent narration, even capturing Julia’s unique, signature sound.

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.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

It was an interesting story, got me pretty emotional at times, I just think it was a bit political for me but I mean spy’s during the war should’ve told me that. At some points I just couldn’t understand what exactly was happening and I was sad that the parts I enjoyed most were most likely or were not real, when I heard that in the authors note I was like noooo hahaha. Though I actually hadn’t heard about Julia child before and I asked my family who all knew who she was so it really was great to learn a few things too! Just a very sad book as well.

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 7th December and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of January

I rarely listen to audiobooks. I’m a visual learner and sometimes my attention wanders away from the spoken word (don’t tell my pastor). But, I decided my walks needed a little jazzing up. I was podcasted out. Bring on Julia Child, who—and I may be the only one who didn’t know this—was a spy during WWII. She was one tough lady! But tender, too. And I thought the voice actress did a wonderful job with a variety of accents. Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

This was an interesting listen for sure. I think it would be better if read instead of listened to only because of the many characters and locations. It’s important to note and keep in the back of your mind that this is not fully based on the facts of Julia’s involvement in WWII, but an enhanced or dramatized possibility of what her life and work were like. Despite this, I found this to be enjoyable! I would recommend this to others for the drama, slight romance, and for the sheer bit of Julia Child working undercover in the midst of WWII.

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.

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 love the narrator for this book, but I felt that the book proceeded too slow slowly for my liking..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved everything about this book. The narrator did a fantastic job of sounding like Julia Child & kept the perfect pace of reading. This was my first Diana R. Chambers read & am glad for it. I looked into her other books & can't wait to begin reading those. I am also hoping that Chambers will continue with this idea of writing. I'd love for her to write a fiction story about Amelia Earhart, or Ursula K Le Guin, I have already recommended this book to a few friends.

Although I picked up this book with Meryl Streep's memorable cinematic portrayal of Julia Child in my head, I found the first 20% of the book decidedly less than exciting. I had begun to worry about whether I would enjoy it at all, when things started to improve.

As it turned out, I need not have worried.
As soon as Julia McWilliams begins her journey out into the wider world, the book picks up the pace and holds the reader's attention throughout until the very end.

Julia's experiences as a spy in a man's world, her struggles with being so tall and ungainly, the roller coaster relationship that ultimately let her to marry Paul Child, and her excitement in encountering different cultures and individuals is both richly imagined and brought vividly to life in this story.

The narrator does wonderful justice to the words of the author, and Julia's (quite literally) somewhat unusual voice comes through loud and clear. But the book is very much about her life before she became a world famous cookbook writer, and therefore provides many insights into other aspects of her personality.

This book will be a great hit with admirers of Julia Child, as well as those interested in the relatively lesser known Asian war theatre of the Second World War. Recommended reading for those whose interests lead them towards such books. I enjoyed it very much. It gets 3.5 stars.

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.

The audiobook narrator, Candace Joice, did an excellent job bringing Julia’s trademark voice and courageous spirit to life. That coupled with the detailed descriptions of various South Asian countries, made the audiobook experience very enjoyable.

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!