So, the cover of this book looked interesting, so I requested the ARC from NetGalley. I downloaded the book, and I was disappointed to discover that this book is fiction, not non-fiction, as I had presumed. The author obviously did a lot of research, but she clearly states that the book "is a work of fiction inspired by my admiration for Julia Child." The author further explains that the book "is a product of my imagination, based on ten years of extensive research across a myriad of disciplines and historical resources."

That said, I did enjoy most of the book, primarily the first half. Later on, strangely enough, after she became involved with her future husband, Paul Child, I got less interested in the story. I did appreciate the author's obvious enthusiasm for her subject, and I learned a lot about India and China's participation in WWII. Julia Child is known to have insisted she was "just a file clerk" in the Office of Strategic Services during the war. From the author's research, it is probable that Julia did much more than simple filing. If prospective readers are content with the fact that the book is historical fiction and not a biography of Ms. Child's time in the OSS, they will enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

I was looking forward to this novel based on the main character. I did not know much about Child's war background, so that got me very interested, but I found it hard to get into the story. It didn't reel me in... I might try to give it another try some other time.

Two and a half stars.

I loved Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and the recent TV series about Julia Childs so when I saw this fictionalised account of Julia's WW2 experience in the OSS and meeting Paul Childs I was eager to request an ARC from NetGalley.

Julia McWilliams was working as a Washington file clerk during WW2, in control of the File Registry for the head of the OSS "Wild Bill" Donovan. Eager to become an agent, successfully petitions/manoeuvres Donovan into letting her set up the File Registry in India, which leads her to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Singapore, Burma, and China.

All I can express about this is disappointment. I feel like Diana Chambers has done a lot of research, reading biographies and autobiographies of many of the characters in this book, but then in the afterword she says Julia might have done X, or seen Y, or could have done Z - so the reader feels like basically all the interesting things are totally fictitious. Added to which this reads like a slightly superficial factual account, maybe an outline for a film, or a historical text written for a younger audience. So now I don't know how much (if anything) is real and how much is fiction, and if its fiction why is it so dry? The 'romance' between Julia and Paul is dreadful, he comes across as having a superiority complex and she comes across as desperate. Overall, this felt like it missed the mark on both fact and fiction, I didn't learn anything about Julia Childs' earlier life because I can't tell what the author made up, and the fiction wasn't enjoyable.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Yes. Julia Childs is a fascinating; I've always been intrigued.

I was hoping that The Secret War of Julia Child would be based on more than just "might have happened".

As an advance reviewer, if I don't finish a book ... then I don't provide a review. The Secret War of Julia Child is 400 pages; I had constant doubt as I was reading.

One chapter in particular drove me up the wall, but I'll provide that feedback to the publisher and hope it might be corrected in time for publication, scheduled for October 2024.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Diana R. Chambers the author and Sourcebooks for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The Secret War of Julia Child in exchange for an honest review. Rounding down to two stars.

Editing rating ... specifically removing a star because an event in the book didn't happen, based on the authors note.

Ceylon/Sri Lanka, OSS, nonfiction, romance, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, women-in-history, personal-isolation, gender-inequality, agents, cartography, WW2, espionage, due-diligence*****

I was somewhat aware of Julia working with the OSS which led to her meeting Paul Child because of nonfiction reading some years ago. This historical fiction account was a lot more interesting presentation and really filled in the spaces with clear imagery of places and known historical figures. I did double-check the history as documented and was pleased to find that the author really did do her due diligence. Many things were sealed by the NDA of the day, and she always said she was a file clerk with a wink.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley. I thank you and so will my local public library on the publication date Oct 22, 2024

The richly vivid and detailed writing pulled me in right away and I really enjoyed learning more about Julia Child and her younger years (I grew up occasionally watching her PBS show in reruns and not knowing anything about her other than her cooking talent). The descriptions allowed me to visualize what I was reading with ease and I really appreciated that.

A highly enjoyable historical fiction read and a definite recommendation.




Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC

Historic fiction is my jam, so I was eager to get an ARC of the Secret War of Julia Child. Overall I enjoyed reading this fictional account of Julia Child's OSS career. It was well researched and covered aspects of WW2 (India and China) that are rarely covered in historical fiction. But I was disappointed by all the introspection attributed to Julia a man to fall in love with. It really distracted from the story of her work as a spy. That said, Ms Chambers' impressive research is evident and she introduced us to the human side of famous characters like Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“The Secret War of Julia Child” by Diana Chambers, is a fictional account of Julia Child’s OSS career. Ms. Chambers did her research well, trying to ferret out what Ms. Child could have done while in India and China. It also includes her falling in love with her husband, Paul Child, who she met while abroad. This book’s opening section immediately grabbed my attention - Julia must meet someone and deliver a package before a train departs. It slowed down a bit and then picked right back up once she was aboard a boat bound for India. Then the book crawled a piece … then came to the hate to love love story with Paul Child … and I found myself skimming. There were a number of characters to keep track of - so many that I did lose track quite often. Although some of the side characters were interesting, some times they were introduced so abruptly that I wondered if I’d missed them previously (nope, hadn’t - and searching the book for the name confirmed that). I think Ms. Chambers is correct when emphasizing that this is her interpretation of what Julia Child might’ve done - we’ll never know for certain - with the OSS. I found the idea of this book interesting (and how about that cover?) but the pacing was a bit inconsistent for my taste.

If you’re a fan of Julia Child (née McWilliams), or if you don’t know anything about her at all (other than her French cooking, that is), you’ll like this book. I enjoyed spending time with Julia and her friends as she emerged from her college years in California and traveled the world as part of the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in World War II. Her role transcended that of her formal clerical assignment in the “Registry” (mail documentation) to an envisioned espionage one that saved many lives. The sights and sounds of Sri Lanka, India, and China are described so vividly that you’ll experience their mountains and wildlife, taste their foods, and experience a bit of the ravages of war. You’ll also learn how Julia met her future husband, Paul Child, about his personal past, and of his tremendous service to our country as a mapmaker. The author spent 10 years on research for the novel, and it shows in this thoroughly enjoyable account of Julia’s years in service to her country.

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R Chambers

The name of Julia Child is synonymous to most as a celebrated American chef and media personality, portrayed on film by the incomparable Meryl Streep. However, it’s Julia’s feisty character and spirit of adventure which evidently inspired Diana R Chambers to create this fictional — but eminently possible — story of Julia’s involvement in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Like Chambers, I too am engaged in writing ‘between the gaps’ of my historical subject, and her integrity in sketching the areas where her imagination may have taken full flight is to be respected.

Despite a leisurely start, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this creative iteration of Julia Child’s formative years. The Julia we meet in this engaging novel is a talented woman who, notwithstanding her endearing complex about her tall stature, is generally loyal, patriotic, great fun to be around, and strikingly independent. While Julia’s mother, Caro, doesn’t appear directly in the narrative, she’s an ever-present influence in spurring Julia to push through the gender barriers of her day and pursue her considerable ambitions.

When Julia turns her innate intelligence and organisation flair to the service of her boss, ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan, she finds herself being dispatched from one exciting covert mission to another. From the former Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to India and China, Julia learns, grieves, and grows. Humour and romance are counter-balanced with intrigue, pathos, and high drama.

The world building in this novel is excellent — evidence of the author’s extensive research and travels in South East Asia. I found it never overpowered the narrative, into which Chambers deftly wove the interpersonal relationships of the American, British, and other allied forces whose lesser-known secret warfare in Asia.

The author’s decision to open with the Julia Child the world knows best is an interesting and understandable one. And although this presents an inevitable ‘spoiler’, in revealing her ultimate life partner, Chambers manages to keep the reader on their proverbial toes, offering many thrilling twists throughout this highly entertaining story.

I also enjoyed fresh portrayals of well-known historical figures such as Lord Louis Mountbatten (who knew he was such a handsome charmer?) and gaining a deeper understanding of security activities in this theatre of war.

A most enjoyable read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.



SHARON BARBA

This is one of those books that you haven’t heard much about, but I think you will start to when it is released! I love Julia Child I miss worse a totally different take on a different time of her life. A beautiful historical marvel that I couldn’t stop talking about or reading! Add this to your list!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I loved it!. The story takes place in Asia during WWII. Although I’m well-versed in the European theater, I’m not very familiar with the events in Asia and learned many new and interesting facts. Initially, I selected this book because it was about a side of Julia Child I wasn’t familiar with and was a tad disappointed when I found out that it was a mix of fact and fiction. However, the author does a fantastic job describing what life was like in Asia and the world of espionage. As a reader, you get so caught up in the story that it doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not. I believe the author captured the essence of who Julia Child was, even if the events might not have all taken place as described in the book. It’s a substantial read with vivid descriptions and WWII facts integrated into a story of (mostly) regular people who found themselves in the midst of a major war. We get to know them, their quirks, their weaknesses and their friendships. I feel as if I have traveled the streets of these places. Indeed, as another reviewer already mentioned, there’s a small editing error where Jane is in, out and back in the hospital which I assume will be fixed before publication. The research is impressive and quoted at the end of the book. Very well done! It’s a wonderful treat for historical fiction lovers and I’d highly recommend adding it to your “to read” list.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As a history major, I love a great book that holds history ad this book was incredible!! I loved it from the first page, and I think I talked my husbands ear off about it. It was so descriptive, interesting, and entertaining. It was beautifully written. Add this to your TBR list! A wonderful book.

This was a really well done historical fiction novel, it had that element of everything that I was hoping for from a young Julia Child. The concept worked well overall and thought the characters felt like they were supposed to. There was never a boring moment and I’m glad I read this.

The Secret War of Julia Childs by Diana R. Chambers should be a must read for lovers of WWII stories as well as those like this reader who only knew of Julia Childs through her cookbook. This fictionalization of some actual events finds Julia working undercover for the OSS in India, where she also met and fell in love with Paul Child’s. The author does a great job bringing the characters and the period to life. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

I went into this book with different expectations than what developed over the course of story. I was hoping for more of Julia and her relationships, particularly with Paul Child. The vast majority of the book was a rather hard core war story featuring detailed descriptions of landscapes and espionage. I must admit I skimmed quite a lot of the middle content but came to enjoy things more in the last quarter of the book. I don't believe this is a terrible book; it simply wasn't for me and my personal expectations were not aligned with the author's intent.

The beginning of this book could use some work. The author took "show, don't tell" a little too seriously, and the first pages are almost frenetic with descriptive words. Once it calms down, the writing flows very well, and it's a fun read. The plot could have been done with one less long, near-death experience, as it seemed overdone by the end, and I was burnt out by them. The intrigue and detective work scenes were brilliant, and the characters were well-defined.

The description of this book sounds wonderful and as someone curious about Julia and her life at this time it was definitely an appealing topic. Unfortunately I found myself struggling with the blurred content between fiction and reality and would have preferred that it was written as fiction with the Child’s story as only the spark of inspiration, rather than giving this fictionalised account. I’m thankful the author took the time to do so much research into the Child’s background and the events at this time, and it really is a fascinating story; which I think many would enjoy, it just wasn’t for me and I was unable to complete reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are based on personal opinion and reflection of the reviewed book.

I've read much about the life of the beloved chef, Julia Child, but not much about her time in the OSS during WWII, where she met her husband. Diana R. Chambers has captured Julia's indomitable spirit, intelligence, and fearlessness with heart and grace in this compelling narrative that will make histfic lovers cheer. Highly recommended!

I am always on the lookout for fresh historical fiction and this book fit the bill. Julia McWilliams (aka Julia Child) was a woman who was determined to make her mark and she certainly did-- in a multitude of ways. Having read her autobiography, I wasn't sure what I could possibly learn that was new. From the first page, I was hooked on her story and her voice the author brought to life. The writing is spectacular and I look forward to reading more from Diana R. Chambers.