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.

This is a great read for fans of Julia Child and historical fiction. An exciting tale describing adventures in India and Sri Lanka.

I loved this really enjoyable, super interesting story of Julia Child and her time as a spy during the second World War. It’s a snapshot of that time in her life, not a biography, but its very readable (and very hard to put down!). We learn about her strengths and her fears, how she met her husband, and her relationship with the head of the OSS. I won’t give anything away (there are lots of surprises and secrets in this book) but it’s well written, well researched and very engaging. A very good read!

I didn't vibe so well with this. I really wanted to love it but the book didn't hit me where I needed it to.

The characters were a tad bland and the story moved too slowly to really engage me but I also learned from recent experience that audiobooks are better for books like these so I have the audio now and I will give it another go.

Right now it was a 3. I really did like the ending though

During WWII, Julie McWilliams served as a clerk for the OSS, first in Washington, DC, then in Asia (India, then China). The Secret War of Julia Child is a fictional account of that time, presenting Julia as not only a clerk but also an OSS agent. Julia meets her future husband, Paul Child, while in India, and the story is not only about Julia's service and adventures but also her friendships and romances. I enjoyed the descriptions of the regions Julia lived in and her big personality. Once the story got going, I found the action compelling and it was hard to put the book down.

Although a work of fiction, this story is based on Julia Child’s time during and involvement with World War ll. It showcases her strength and determination…and the backbone and backstory to her successful cooking career. It hints at her bourgeoning romance with Paul Childs and her resilience in finding her purpose in life. It was an enjoyable historical fiction that sheds light on a strong, female icon. I was able to tandem read and listen. As the story is told from Julia’s PoV in third person, the narrator did a great job with emotions, replicating Julia’s unique accent, and helped with some pronunciations.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark publishers for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I’ve read a lot about Julia Child the famous chef, the writer, and the television personality recognized for bringing French cuisine to America. I was even fortunate enough to meet her in her later years. We all knew the rumors about her work during World War II, and how she always denied that she was a spy.

So I was eager to read about Julia’s experience during those “secret” war years, and even though it’s fiction, the story seemed so realistic I was on the edge of my seat, reading just one more page, just one more chapter.

While she was in Asia during the 1940s, the book intensely describes Julia’s experiences: the danger, the uncertainty of who to trust, the treachery. We also hear the sounds, feel the climate, taste the food. I was surprised at Julia’s insecurity. She was sensitive about being taller than most women, with large feet and a sometimes-uncontrollable voice. She was often full of self-doubt, yet also fearless, clever, and strong-willed.

In addition to learning about this period when Julia is struggling to find her own path, and which ends up providing a foundation of strength and perseverance that serves her for the rest of her life, this is where she meets and falls in love with Paul Child. The book spends a fair amount of time on their developing relationship, which isn’t straightforward. It also shows Julia’s insecurity about the relationship, which is juxtaposed with her bravery, dedication and commitment to the United States’ newly formed Office of Strategic Services.

One helpful item readers are sure to appreciate is a reference page of WWII acronyms and abbreviations that were mentioned throughout the novel.

Author Diana R. Chambers explains that the book is “an homage to Julia McWilliams Child, her great spirit and achievements. I must emphasize that it is a work of fiction, a product of creative imagination, based on ten years of deep and wide-ranging research, as well as a lifetime of Asia study and travel. From this treasure trove I extracted many thought-provoking hints, allusions, and suggestions – like thousands of puzzle pieces – that came to shape my depiction of this formative, yet little know period of Julia’s life during which she performed her WWII duty in the clandestine services.”

While there is an enjoyment of food in the novel, this is predominantly an imagining of Julia’s war experiences in Asia. I had to remind myself as I was reading that not everything actually happened to her. For instance the survival section after Julia's boat explodes was both traumatic and unbelievable. It reminded me of Disney’s movie “The Jungle Cruise,” without the humor. The novel is a story of danger, death, and adventure as the author seeks “to find [Julia’s] truth, to portray her struggles, achievements and strength of character in navigating an unknown, often dangerous landscape.”

I was really looking forward to this account of Julia Child’s early years as an OSS spy. There were too many characters, and they all lacked depth. I felt like the story was being told but without really showing me what motivated Julia. I do think the book could have been edited more. Not recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers was another beautifully written book from start to finish and I loved diving into this book especially as Diana is a new author to me.

Julia Child found herself working in the secrets trade in Asia during World War II, It is set in so many places from Washington, D.C. in United States, 1943, Bombay in India, 1944, Kandy, Ceylon in Sri Lanka, 1944, Burma in Myanmar, 1944, to Kunming, Yunnan Provence in China, 1945.

So who is Julia McWilliams / Julia Child?

She was Single, 6 foot 2, and thirty years old was very ambitious, Julia McWilliams took a job working for America's first espionage agency, This wartime journey takes Julia to the Far East, and then she fell in love with mapmaker Paul Child. But we all know Julia as the the famous and beloved chef, she mastered the art of French cooking in midlife, and famous for her cookbooks and love of French cooking,

What an amazing woman she was.........

I loved these books, plus own them. I have been fascinated in her life but knew nothing of her work in World War II so this was a very interesting read and so glad I had a chance to read it.

I was completely engrossed in this historical fiction story about Julia Child. I knew nothing about her time in the OSS stationed in Asia during WWII. I love spy stories and she is such a strong, fascinating woman.

Never knew this fact of Julia Child. Enjoyed this fictionalization of her life during WWII. Makes me want to do more factual reading about her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author for the arc!

When I saw the synopsis of this one, I knew I just had to read it! Julia Child? Working for the OSS during WW2? Ok, yes please … gotta know more about THAT! Although the part about her position in the OSS and work overseas during the war is true, the author does make it clear in her notes that the accounts in this book are things that “could have” happened … but that doesn’t make it any less exciting and fun!

If you love Julia Child and want to see her in a brand new light … this book will take you there!

I enjoyed much of this book. It was fascinating to read about espionage during World War II, and about the war from the point of view of someone working in India and China during the war. Some of her experiences were quite hair-raising! However, I did not appreciate the extra-marital affairs and the bedroom scenes described between Julia and Paul a couple of times. Had I known those would be part of the story, I would not have chosen to read this book, even though it is otherwise a wonderful story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.