"The French Kitchen" is a historical suspense and romance. While there were 2 main perspectives (Kat and Manon), we also eventually got point-of-view scenes from their love interests. The author initially switched between three timelines: Boston, USA in 1943, where Kat's brother disappears after stating he's going to join the war efforts. Kat's recruited into the OSS as a field agent lured by promises of helping her find her missing brother. Rue, France in 1943 where Manon works for the French Resistance as a chef in a kitchen feeding high ranking German officers. Kat ends up working with her. Paris, France in 1952, where Kat returns to find her missing brother and marries a Frenchman who worked under the Germans during the war. Kat's not sure if he was also helping the Resistance. It was a little confusing to keep track of everything until the 1943 timelines merged.

As people working for the OSS were caught, it's clear they needed to uncover who's leaking OSS information to the Germans. The unexpected third traitor at the end didn't really make sense, partly because the motive was rushed over, but the story otherwise held together once all of the pieces were revealed. Incidentally, Julia Child and the cooking classes were only a very minor part of this story.

Manon's a very determined woman willing to risk her life to get revenge for her family's deaths. Kat's courageous, observant, smart, able to read lips, and prepared for dangerous situations. Two men come to admire and love these two women, but secrets from the wartime cause rifts until the secrets were uncovered by Kat. The main characters acted realistically and were complex. It felt like they could have been real people. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. The suspense was created by the constant danger of being found out by those quite willing to kill anyone working against the Nazis.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful, interesting story.

I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down, once I started reading it I couldn’t stop and then I didn’t want to finish it!

Oh the twists and turns in The French Kitchen we’re delightful. The imagery and the connection to my senses were spot on. The story kept me turning the pages. Loved it would go in a direction I never imagined. The surprise character towards the end was a sweet treat! This is a shelf keeper read. Recommended read.

The story jumps back and forth between time and characters .: 1943, 1952. The main character: kat joins the resistance in France with her brother but then he goes missing. She attends cooking classes with Julia Child . I would have loved some recipes !
She goes undercover as Celene at the Château du Broute trying not to burn the latest creation.
There is suspense, romance , intrigue and more.
The head chef at the Chateau is Manon Altier, a French chef-turned-spy. Nothing is what it seems. Who to trust , even who to marry …
I was intrigued by the plot and what would happen. At the same time sometimes it was confusing and I wasn’t sure who was who.
Loved the overall picture and suspense of the book.
Thank you to netgalley for the download in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a review for The French Kitchen by Kristy Cabron that will be released on August 5, 2025.  This book was an absolute page turner for me!  I was hooked from the beginning, as it was like putting together a puzzle that just kept getting better and better as each exciting and unpredictable piece was placed. Man I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I read 2/3rds of it in one sitting because I was so gripped by the story that I just had to keep reading!  The book really came together in the end, and I was shocked by the finale of the story, as I never guessed the ending in a million years! I don't like it when a book ending is predictable, and this one wasn't!!  I really love this historical fiction story, loved that the author included Julia Childs, and am going to research her part in WWII!  The characters blended together so well, and usually I don't care for a dual time story, but this one made the story exciting and flow so well I kept turning the pages! So this gets a 5 star rating, and I highly recommend it!!!

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This is a book that I have mixed feelings about. First, it is not a book about Julia Child. Yes, she is in it, however we don't meet her until about a 3rd of the way through and she has little more than a cameo appearance until almost the end. It is a complicated book to read. It has 3 timelines, Boston 1943,France 1943, with at least 2 pov's in this time line, and France 1952.The timelines are well marked, however, it was still difficult to follow for the first several chapters. It is the story of Kat Harris, who lives in Boston. Her brother, Gavin, has gone to Europe, she thinks to enlist in WW2. He promised to write , but she doesn't hear from him.She joins the OSS and goes to France. And quite frankly, I am still trying to sort out the rest. The France 1943 storyline is a story of the French Resistance.It is interesting, if convoluted. The 1952 storyline is Kat and Gerard Fontaine, who was a officer for Vichy France, but now join forces. There is a lot to unpack in this book, and a twist near the end that really came out of left field. The characters were compelling, and well written. There was just too much plot stuffed into the story.

I consider Kristy Cambron the queen of WW2 Christian fiction along with Sarah Sundin. The author brings another beautiful dual time-line novel set during WW2. The French Kitchen is an enjoyable read that highlights the struggles and triumphs during the time period. Having lived in easy times, I cannot imagine what sufferings ordinary people went through during the war.

At first, the two times were difficult to keep up with, but gradually I figured out the characters and where they belonged. The plot-line is exciting and the characters are likable. It really is a great book! I enjoyed it very much! I look forward to future books by Kristy Cambron!

Kat is living with her husband in post war Paris. She is taking classes from Julia Childs. This will eventually unravel secrets that took place during the war. I loved this book.

An engaging story, full of intrigue, mystery, and twists and turns - and featuring Julia Child. 🙂 Kat and Manon especially kept my interest, with several other side characters also intriguing me.

“The French Kitchen” by Kristy Cambron is a story from inside France during and after WWII, and I have to say, this was such an intriguing story! The plot kept me wanting to read more, and I had a hard time putting it down. Kristy Cambron has taken Julia Child, someone we all recognize from our American culture, and inserted her into this story, shedding light on a part of Julia’s life I was not aware of, and that is her role in an intelligence office during WWII! The author also has written some very rich characters in this story. They are people you would love to sit down with and listen to them share their life story, and it would be riveting to hear. Kat is the main female lead in this story, and her experiences going from Boston to life in the war zone of France is harrowing at times and the dangers seem to continue even after the war ends. Gerard is the main male lead in this story, and he is a puzzle. He serves as a captain in the Vichy French police, and Kat is never sure which man he is: the personable caring man she met first or the stoic and cool police captain who follows Nazi orders. One other excellent part of this book are the secondary characters. They are vital to this story, and they are so well developed and I felt such deep emotion as the plot unfolded around them as well. This book kept me guessing the entire time. Someone in the resistance forces was a double agent, and though I had one of them pegged early on, I never would have guessed the true double agent. I love that this story shows us the beauty that can come through tragedy. I love that, although truth and right take severe hits during the horrible war and its aftermath, in the end, truth and right prevail or at least something good can come from those horrible circumstances. I highly recommend this book. It takes a different approach to a WWII novel, and I enjoyed the way the author alternated the time of events from during the war and after the war to create a well-crafted story. Read it. You will not regret it.

The French Kitchen
by Kristy Cambron
Pub Date: August 5, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From the heights of culinary cuisine in 1950s Paris society to the underbelly of a WWII spy network embedded deep within Nazi-controlled Vichy France--and the spy backstory of the world's most famous would-be French chef, Julia Child--The French Kitchen turns up the heat on the pasts of women whose worlds collide, and forces each to question what she thought she'd planned for a perfect future.
This is one of Cambron's finest!! I highly recommend for historical fiction readers! The dual time line was executed perfectly.
5 stars

I couldn’t put it down! This dual timeline story involves the lives of Kat, Gerard, Manon, Dominique and others during WW2 France as well as post-war France. As the author weaves the two parts of the story together the reader is left with both an aching sense of the losses caused by war and the victories that come from never looking back. The changing timelines were sometimes a challenge for me as the reader, but eventually I got accustomed to the back and forth. The inclusion of Julia Child and her kitchen was a delightful surprise and added to the complexity of the story. I had mostly figured out the ending, but I always like it when the author includes a twist at the end takes me by surprise.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own

I am not usually a historical fiction reader, but when one travels to Europe, one needs a book set in Paris! The French Kitchen may have converted me to read more historical fiction.
This is a dual storyline telling multiple stories and I was confused at first, but stories quickly blended together. In 1952 we have Kat who has married with the only purpose to have help in finding her brother who went missing in 1943. The couple live in Paris where she takes cooking lessons with Julia Child. In 1942 Kat's job is a chef assistant at a chateau in France helping as a spy for the Allies. Through both storylines we question if Kat's husband, Captain Fontaine, can be trusted and remember how horrific this war was to all involved.
What I loved about this story was the setting in beautiful France and Paris, the bravery of Kat, and that the ending took me by surprise. It was the perfect addition to my European tour.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

Certainly! Here's a **condensed 4-paragraph critical review** of *The French Kitchen* by **Kristy Cambron**, maintaining a thoughtful tone with key analytical insights:

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Kristy Cambron’s *The French Kitchen* is a richly atmospheric historical novel that weaves together romance, espionage, and the sensory allure of French cuisine. Set between 1943 and 1952, the narrative follows Kat, a former OSS operative grappling with personal trauma and lingering questions about her husband’s wartime secrets. A simple cooking class in postwar Paris becomes the catalyst for a deeply emotional journey, blending mystery with themes of identity, memory, and resilience.

The novel’s dual-timeline structure adds narrative complexity, offering suspenseful reveals and layered storytelling. However, the frequent time jumps and wide cast of characters may challenge readers seeking a more streamlined plot. While Cambron’s use of historical context, including a fictionalized Julia Child, enriches the novel’s texture, some of these elements feel more decorative than integral.

Kat’s portrayal is a highlight—her resilience, emotional depth, and hearing impairment are handled with sensitivity and nuance. Yet the romantic arc with her husband lacks the tension needed to fully resonate, and some supporting characters feel underdeveloped. The emotional stakes are present but occasionally overwhelmed by the structural ambition of the narrative.

Despite its flaws, *The French Kitchen* delivers a heartfelt exploration of grief, loyalty, and the healing power of food. Cambron’s elegant prose and vivid settings make for a sensory reading experience. This novel will particularly appeal to fans of character-driven historical fiction with a touch of culinary charm and a strong, emotionally complex heroine at its center.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

This is such a great read, and highlights those that helped bring down the evil that was dominating Europe in the 1930's and 1940's to their knees. This is also about those being brought to justice.
A dual time read 1943 and 1952. Featuring American's that knowingly risk their lives for justice and freedom.
This story kept giving from beginning to end, and we even cook with Julia Child! There is so much danger here, and I thought that 1952 would be different, nope!
We are offered some sweet romance, and some that risk their lives for those they love. There is so much danger here, and some senseless loss of life.
There are also some big surprises that drop, and no I never expected! Another great read by Kristy Cambron!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

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


Told in dual timelines, THE FRENCH KITCHEN is a complex story of love, espionage, mystery and intrigue all circulating around the delicacies created by classic French Cooking in the 1940-50’s.

Timeline one begins in 1943 when Kat’s brother joins the war from their wealthy, Boston home. It’s not long before he is lost, missing or worse. Kat is recruited and agrees to serve, using her special skills, but only if she can look for her brother when not working. Her plans go sideways from night one resulting in her meeting Manon, the head chef at an exclusive chateau where the Nazi elite gather to strategize in northern France. Manon works feverishly to train Kat to be her sous chef and maintain their cover to continue aiding the flow of information between the OSS and Resistance forces. When Kat is called out of the kitchen to attend an important event with the Captain of the French Guard, duplicitous players wreak havoc that cause life changing damage to everyone involved.

Ten years later, Kat is back in Boston, the war is over and her brother has been declared dead until she receives a puzzling note that sends her off to Paris, dropping everything, immediately. In this timeline, we are reunited with many of the characters from the first and by way of flashbacks or two characters calling each other out on lies they are or have told, the truth about what actually happened during the failed, critical mission at the chateau, is eventually revealed.

Paris isn’t recovered from the war yet. People are calling out neighbors and strangers who they think might be war criminals. Trust is low, supplies are low but hope is beginning to grow. Author, Kristy Cambron, does a good job of creating the atmosphere in post war Paris. I also enjoyed the role of Julia Child. Unlike the publisher blurb and some reviewers, I don’t think she stands out or takes a premium position at all. Current day readers know her as a lager than life caricature and therefore, she looms large. In reality, she’s a retired OSS agent, living in Paris and she happens to be a good cook at this point in time, no notoriety yet. Because of her husband, they live a wealthy life in a home that was miraculously spared any damage from Nazi bombing. All that to say, her actual life story fit this fictional perfectly.

What doesn’t fit perfectly for me is the sentence structure Cambron falls into when arriving at a new location or introducing a new character. There are so many fragments, non-sentences, snippets and starting many of these with the new favorite word: AND… This is so jarring and disruptive to the reading experience. In addition, it’s annoying to have to reread passages in order to understand them. Did Cambron use AI to write these passages? Something about them is very different and not in a good way.

If you’re a foodie, there’s plenty to enjoy here. You’ll want to dust off your JOY OF COOKING or get ready to look up recipes for classic French dishes. At the same time, make sure you’ve paid the gym membership! Thriller, mystery and espionage readers will be tangled up until the last few pages and lovers of Historical Fiction and WWII with subtle romance will enjoy the intricacies📚

I loved this book! It had twists and turns and all. The romance was sweet and the storyline was intriguing. I highly recommend if you are looking for a romance historical fiction novel that is clean!


Thank you to NetGalley and Kristy Cambron for allowing me to read this book!

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to review this book
This book is another bestseller.
Split time: France
Paris, 1952- with Kat Fontaine and Julia Child
Rue, 1943- with Manon Altier, who works as a French chef at the famous Chateau du Broutel. working for the enemy. At night, working with the resistance to defeat the Nazi's.
This book is very well written. It kept my interest til the end.
If you like reading books set in WWII, this book is for you. You will not be disappointed.

Great and intense historical fiction about food and espionage. My first read by this author but would definitely be interested in reading more. Kat was an amazing character.

This novel drew me in from the first page and took me on a journey of spine-tingling suspense, passion, and intrigue until the very end. The strength of character displayed by the main characters as they navigated heart break, suffering, and fear on a daily basis was phenomenal. I wish we could have just had the story from beginning to end without jumping around timelines so much, but it kept me on my toes as slowly more unanswered questions came to light. What a joy to see a bit of real life characters like Julia Child bring authenticity to the story. Gerard, Kat, Gavin, Manon, and others like them were true heroes who fought for freedom from oppression of the Nazi regime. All that they endured, and the surprising twist, made the ending even more heartwarming. Historical Fiction at its best! Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.