
Member Reviews

⭐️⭐️⭐️From Sourcebooks Publishing: Single, 6 foot 2, and thirty years old, Julia McWilliams took a job working for America's first espionage agency, years before cooking or Paris entered the picture. The Secret War of Julia Child traces Julia's transformation from ambitious Pasadena blue blood to Washington, DC file clerk, to head of General "Wild Bill" Donovan's secret File Registry as part of the Office of Strategic Services.
The wartime journey takes her to the Far East, to Asia's remote front lines of then-Ceylon, India, and China, where she finds purpose, adventure, self-knowledge – and love with mapmaker Paul Child. The spotlight has rarely shone on this fascinating period of time in the life of ("I'm not a spy") Julia Child, and this lyrical story allows us to explore the unlikely world of a woman in a World War II spy station who has no idea of the impact she'll eventually impart.
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My review: This book was much less historical fiction and more a historical person (Julia) put into fictional happenings. Yes, Julia Child worked intelligence during the war. But much of this book was fiction, the author discusses that in the end notes. I was aware of this as I read and was able to push through without feeling "cheated" as other readers complained. That being said, much of the intelligence and spy talk was confusing. I skimmed some because it was difficult to follow, so I can't say it completely held my attention.
Julia Child, in real or fictional settings, was fascinating, strong, and brave. I enjoyed the more personal parts of the story...meeting Paul, her friendships with the other women in Asia, and her family.
⭐️⭐️⭐️. 2.5 rounded up to 3 because obviously the author put a lot of work into her research. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

****Publishing October 22, 2024****
Did you know Julia Child was a spy in WWII? This book details Julia Child’s experiences during the war. Julia Child was a supervisor of the OSS Registry of documents and files. She often overstepped her boundaries, which didn’t make her boss happy, but she earned respect and led her to be successful on the job. Julia met her husband on assignment in Asia.
A fascinating read that provides a comprehensive account of Julia Child’s
service in the war. Diana Chambers took 10 years to research Julia’s Child’s OSS Service in WWII. This author took her interpretation and research in order to create this story. If you love history and are a fan of Julia Child, then this is a must-read! A perfect book for book clubs as it will lead to many interesting discussions!
Thanks to Sourcebooks (Sourcebooks Landmark), I was provided an ARC of The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Some of my favorite historical fiction books have sparked interest in a topic I hadn’t thought of before. This is one of those titles. I did not know of Julia Child’s involvement in Intelligence before her fame as a chef.
Chambers did a wonderful job of making this story memorable. I was intrigued from the first page, and I did not lose curiosity or interest through the end.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for my copy of The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers in exchange for an honest review. It publishes October 22, 2024.
This was a fantastically written WWII novel that felt fresh and different from others on the subject. I loved the fact that different areas in Asia were covered, to bring awareness of the history that was happening in various parts of Asia during WWII, which is just as important to learn about as what was going on in Europe at the time. I loved Julia as the main character, and although it was technically fiction, I felt like her character shone throughout this book. I just loved her in this book, as I have loved learning about her and watching her show previously.
The espionage and all the back and forth stuff was very interesting, and made it more accessible than other spy-heavy books that I've read in the past. This book is totally worth the read!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱
𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗥.𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀
October 22,2024
I first heard about the infamous TV chef from my grandmother who loved to watch The French Chef show. Then, a few years ago, I watched Meryl Streep in the movie Julia and Julia and loved. So, I was excited to get the historical fiction .
Sadly, I found it disappointing. The opening paragraph instantly had my attention, and I was thoroughly enjoying the story.. it then began to drag, and I found myself skimming. It continued like this for 45 chapters with irregular pacing, and I kept losing interest..
The huge cast of characters was difficult to keep track of, although some side characters had interesting stories.
I did love how Paul Child showed his wife how to feel beautiful and, through his eyes, began to have more confidence.
I also loved the vivid imagery of China and other surroundings.
Overall, I think this could have been an exceptional book had there been more factual accounts of her life included..
Thank you to Netgally and the publishers for my copy. My review was voluntary.

Julia Child has been having a fictional moment. She has been a detective in Paris in the new series by Colleen Cambridge and has been in a TV series as well. In The Secret War of Julia Child, Diana R. Chambers nimbly lets readers into Julia’s world.
In these pages, readers get a sense of how Julia felt about herself (too tall, for one), her parents, her hopes to do something with her life, her wishes for a relationship and more. Readers also find out about Julia’s experiences in WW II. She worked for “Wild” Bill Donovan and was stationed in India and Ceylon, among other places. Some of her work was clandestine. Some of it led to her meeting Paul Child-of course, Julia McWilliams became Julia Child in time.
This story is about much that happened before Child became known for her cooking. It offers an immersive look at her life and WWII. I recommend it highly to fans of Child and historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book is Historical Romance. Although the romance didn't start half-way, the historical part is something to look forward to. I also like the small mystery part. :) I love the description of the sights, local words used appropriately, and the "tastes" of food. I love asian foods and I feel that I'm eating it as I'm reading it.
Thank you NetGalley for early free download of this book for a review consideration.
I own this short review.
#TheSecretWarofJuliaChild #NetGalley

Thank you for providing me with an e copy of The Secret War of Julia Child. Being a fan of Julia's I was anxious to read a different perspective about the infamous cook. This book takes place during WWII when she meets her future husband, Paul Child.
However this is a work of pure fiction - not historical fiction. In the author's notes at the end of the book she lists events that never happened in India during WWII. Hence, this book was a big let down.

Julia Child's life during WWII makes for an exciting premise for a book. Her secret missions and meeting her future husband also would seem like the opening for perhaps a series of books because of elements of suspense, intrigue, adventure and romance. There is adventure, and lots of intrigue as Julia goes on her wartime missions, but she doesn't come across as a self-assured woman of her time. Diana R. Chambers draws a Julia who is obssessed with her size, age, average looks and her lack of male companionship to the point of being desperately man hungry. I have no idea if that's how Julia perceived herself or not, but it doesn't make for good reading. In this novel she needed to get over herself and get the job done. Paul Child is described in unglowing terms too: unattractive, bald, old with an aggravating hautuer that renders his character unlikable, which you really don't want to as he is Julia's "hero." The only redeeming aspect to this novel are the secret missions.

I have always loved Julia Child. I learned how to cook from her TV programs on public television. When I saw this ARC on Net Galley, I immediately requested it. The book did not disappoint. It was fantastic. The book will be published next month.
Before starting my read, I was aware of Julia's WWII work for the OSS. This part of her life was included in a biography, Appetite for Life. I was interested in finding out if this historical fiction account of her life had more information. It didn't. The author stated on her website that she spent months doing research but many details could not be confirmed. If you have never heard of Julia Child that should not affect your enjoyment of the novel. It reads like any good spy novel with some romance thrown in.
As the grand-daughter of a railroad tycoon, Julia grew up wealthy in Sacramento, CA. When WWII broke out many kids from wealthy families were able to obtain these plush jobs with the OSS. Julia was one of them. She wanted some adventure before marrying and bearing children. She initially traveled to India but was soon sent to nearby Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. It was here where she met her future husband Paul Child. After a tumultuous six months, Julia was reassigned to China where she worked under Louis Mountbatten. You can't make this stuff up! While not hired to be a spy, it was soon evident to her bosses that she had talents and she managed to ferret out a double spy. While in China Julia found that two compatriots were double spies also. One was executed for treason and the other spent the rest of her life in prison. It is around these facts that the author spun her tale. The story ends with the conclusion of the war in Japan when she and Paul become engaged.

When I saw the title of this book, I was intrigued because I have always loved Julia Child, the French chef. I never knew about her involvement as a spy in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). Author, Diana Chambers, did a wonderful job researching to write this fiction novel. I loved the adventure and suspense of all the spy missions mainly during the Forgotten War in Southeast Asia.
Julia McWilliams is described as a very intelligent woman who has a superb attention to detail. She was described physically as very tall and not as feminine as other women, but this did not stand in the way for Julia. She starts out as a file secretary for her boss, Bill Donovan. She persuades Bill to send her off to assignments overseas which take her to India, Burma, and then China. She encounters lots of drama within her circle of coworkers that served with her. It is during this time that she meets her future husband, Paul Child. At first, his arrogant personality did not even appeal to Julia, but eventually they develop a fond relationship that turns into serious love for one another.
I enjoyed the book because of the fact that it gave me another view of the life of Julia Child that I never knew. Chambers brings out her personality and fun spirit. I know this book was about her life as a spy, but I wish at least some of the story led up to how she became a chef. I did enjoy this historical fiction story and thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, for the copy of The Secret War of Julia Child. I love Julia Child and had heard about her wartime exploits, so I’m not sure why this book wasn’t very interesting to me. There was no tension or intrigue, even during the espionage parts or the other (spoiler-free) part that should have been super suspenseful. While I liked the fictional account of Julia’s life, I would have preferred to have some reality woven in, too, so it was about Julia Child and not a fictional character. Because it was supposed to be Julia Child, I was kind of disappointed. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

After learning that Julia Child actually did work in intelligence as a spy, I was SO EXCITED to read The Secret War of Julia Child. It was super dense and dragged in parts, but it was cool to read a different "take"/POV of one of the most famous ladies ever.

In THE SECRET WAR OF JULIA CHILD, an historical fiction novel written by Diana R. Chambers, Julia begins her adventure as a clerical supervisor for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Washington, D.C. when she sees a Final Solution cable and answers a phone call from a Secret Intelligence agent in need of help. What follows is an historical fiction exploration of one portion of Julia’s life, including her relationship with her husband, Paul.
I have always admired Julia Child, the chef. Now, I also admire Julia McWilliams and her work with the OSS. Her wonderful spirit and achievements are as memorable as her growing admiration and love for Paul Child. This book is an amazing portrayal of Julia Child’s pre-chef days. Thank you, Sourcebooks and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review and advance reader copy of THE SECRET WAR OF JULIA CHILD.

3.5 stars, but I'll give it 4 for the sake of Goodreads.
First off--I felt like this book lasted FOREVER. I felt like it just never ended. It's not often you have over 45 chapters. The book was set up into four sections based on events happening in the characters life.
This book explores what MAY have happened during the time that Julia Child was known to have served in the spy landscape of the Pacific Theater during WW2 when she met her future husband Paul Child and also was introduced to her love to food.
What I did like--the more in depth look as to what was happening in China during WW2 as that isn't often discussed in any documentaries. It was not a good experience and was very informative.
I liked seeing how Julia Child was so self-conscious of her body image and how she learned to feel beautiful through the eyes of Paul. As he encouraged her to find HER artistic outlet.
It was a good book, but as I said--it felt like it lasted forever. If you would like more insight into experiences by our forces tucked into parts of lower China, I think you will enjoy this aspect.
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. :)

I liked this one as we get a look at her history before she was a household name . I thought it was a well told story and a good story
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

Great concept, and somewhat enjoyable execution at the beginning. The dialogue was pretty clunky and ruined my enjoyment by a lot.

Julia McWilliams Child was a smart, courageous and driven woman, especially for the 1940s. While we don't know what exactly her role and experiences were while stationed in Southeast Asia during WWII, the author has done an excellent job of creating a wonderful narrative of "maybes".

I really enjoyed the opportunity to gain insight into Julia Child (Julia McWilliams, rather) before she became the famous chef we all know.
There was a bit more violence and war talk than I had expected, which was a bit hard to follow at times. It was so interesting to see life in Asia from the perspectives of Americans during WWII.

Takes a look at the life of Julia Child before her marriage during WW 2. The author explains what is known but also what had to be surmised. It was interesting to look at how women contributed to the war effort.