Currently in my WWII historical fiction era and this one fit the bill. I imagine this one has a Saving Private Ryan but with a female as the lead! This is told in dual time lines. We are in 1943 in the heart of the war when Kat's brother Gavin goes missing behind enemy lines. Kat takes a position with the OSS to go into France to find him. Fast forward to 1951-1952 and Kat is in France and has agreed to team up with Captain Gerard Fontaine and even marries him to work together and find Gavin and maybe love? Saskia Maarleveld narrators this one and she is quickly becoming a favorite narrator of mine having also done The Alice Network

This is the 2nd book I’ve read by this author. I enjoyed the dual timelines in this story (1943 and 1951) with multiple POVs and flashbacks. There is a slow burn romance and a satisfying sweet romance, betrayal, survival, perseverance (Kat searching for her brother Gavin), lots of secrets, bravery, French cuisine (Julia Childs!) and all the elements of an emotionally and well written, detailed historical fiction book with rich character development and several plot twists. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of The French Kitchen, it was engaging and fascinating, very well done, the narration was easy to follow and the narrator's voice was a really good choice. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical suspense with romance.

The French Kitchen by Kristin is a richly detailed WWII novel that follows Kat, an OSS recruit sent into occupied France in 1943 while searching for her missing brother. Her undercover work in a kitchen serving Nazi officers creates a unique and tense backdrop as she becomes entangled with the resistance. Nearly a decade later in 1952, Kat is still chasing answers while navigating a complicated marriage to Gerard, built on necessity more than love.

This is not a quick read—multiple timelines, shifting identities, and different POVs require attention—but the payoff is rewarding. Kristin’s atmospheric writing, the vivid food and kitchen details, and the inclusion of Julia Child bring something fresh to the genre. The ending ties threads together with both closure and a hint of romance, making this an immersive story perfect for readers who love historical fiction with espionage, intrigue, and heart.

I loved that this was a unique story line I haven't read before, but I did find the beginning to be a little confusing. It felt disjointed and somewhat difficult to follow. However, I found myself more engaged by the middle of the book, and I am glad I stuck with it. I did hope for just a little more from the story, but overall it was good.

I did think there was going to be more of Julia Child in the story. She was a very minor character, and honestly it could have been anyone. I really would have loved to see more of her in the book.

Saskia did an excellent job narrating. Her voice is calming, and she does different voices for each character. She really drew me into the story with her narration.

3.75 ⭐ rounded up to 4.

👩‍🍳 Book Review: The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Summary:
The French Kitchen is a dual-timeline historical novel set in Nazi-occupied France (1943) and postwar Paris (1952). It follows Kat Fontaine, an OSS agent who infiltrates the Nazi elite by working in kitchens, and later, an ex-pat wife in Paris whose marriage and memories of the war hold dangerous secrets. Alongside her story runs that of Manon Altier, a French chef working undercover in a Nazi stronghold. With themes of espionage, hidden identities, and the shadow of war, the novel also weaves in the unexpected presence of Julia Child as a side character in 1950s Paris.
🎧 Audiobook Notes: Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, whose performance was clear, engaging, and added depth to the characters. Her narration kept me listening even when the story became hard to follow.
💗 What I Liked
Immersive Paris and French settings, both wartime and postwar
Attention to culinary details—kitchens, food, and cooking as part of the spy craft
Strong, sharp heroine in Kat and her tense undercover missions
The added thread of Julia Child brought charm and historical color
Beautiful prose and descriptive writing
Saskia Maarleveld's narration elevated the experience
❌ What Didn't Work for Me
Dual timelines and multiple POVs were confusing to follow
Too many code names and identities made it easy to lose track
Action and suspense felt muted compared to expectations for a WWII spy novel
Romance elements were weak and underdeveloped
Pacing slowed the momentum, making it harder to stay engaged
💭 Final Thoughts:
The French Kitchen had a brilliant premise—a mix of espionage, hidden identities, and culinary intrigue set against the backdrop of war-torn and rebuilding France. While the atmosphere and narration were strong, the structure was challenging and often pulled me out of the story. This is one to read (or listen to) slowly, and fans of layered WWII fiction may still appreciate its richness. For me, it was a solid but uneven read that I'm glad I experienced on audio.

I was drawn to this book by the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, and I’m glad I did. The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron is a historical fiction novel about Kat, a former American spy, who searches for her missing brother during World War II. She finds answers in a cooking class with Julia Child. This dual-timeline novel explores secrets, betrayal, and second chances in occupied France and post-war Paris. Well-written, with good character development and a captivating plot. Saskia Maarleveld’s voice brings her special touch to the story. Really enjoyed this one.

4.25 stars "As Paris rebuilds in the aftermath of World War II, one ex-pat uses the skills she learned in French kitchens during the war to bring long-held secrets to light."

This brilliant historical fiction novel weaves true events, secrets, spies, betrayal, romance, and French cuisine in Vichy controlled France. Told in dual timeline in 1943 and 1952, we meet Kat, an American OSS operative, Mason a spy operating as a chef in a French kitchen, and Julia Child who did teach cooking classes in Paris in 1952 amd had also worked for the OSS.

All their lives are inextricably linked when Kit is assigned to cook in the French Kitchen with Manon in 1943 and then takes a cooking class from Julia Child in 1952 when France is still recovering from the aftermath of the war. Over the eight years, Kit is determined to find out what happened to her brother Gavin and get to the truth of those who betrayed them. This book is so engaging and immersive, and fans of Kate Quinn and Kristin Harmel will devour this delicious story. 🇫🇷

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson - TNZ fiction, UpLit Reads, and Kristy Cambron for an advance listening copy, advance reader's copy, and finished copy in exchange for my honest review. The audiobook performance by Saskia Maarveled is pure perfection as she voices two FMC's, multiple men, and the iconic Julia Child herself.🎧

#TheFrenchKitchen #KristyCambron #UpLitReads #giftedbyuplit #NetGalley #ThomasNelson #TNZfiction #ARCreview #bookreview ##bookrecommendations #Bookstagram #2025TBR #booklover #historicalfiction #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #NetGalleyReviewer #bookinfluencer #booklover #booksofinstagram #beyondoverbooked #read

A wonderful dual-timeline WWII novel of espionage, betrayal, courage, strength and resilience that drew me in from the very first chapter. Well narrated, it was hard to press pause on this one. It's full of historical tidbits and features Julia Childs, touching on her role in WWII. A great lineup of well-developed characters and a great plot that had me guessing until the end who the double agent was. I highly recommend you add this to your list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Kristy Cambron for the advance audio copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the two timeline storylines, but I never truly understood how their worlds collided. It seems the only commonality between them was the cooking. But it was just like 2 enjoyable separate stories to me. I also really struggled with the narrator, Her soft accent was so difficult for me to understand and I found myself rewinding back to try to hear what she said.

Mysterious, romantic, & magnificently written! With her characteristic beautiful prose, Kristy Cambron brings France to life in this suspenseful, intriguing, dual time line WWII historical romance. The French Kitchen is a book that needs to be read twice; once for the immersive experience, & again to appreciate all the subtle clues & nuances. Set in 1943 & 1952, this stunning adventure follows the missions of Kat Fontaine as she enters war time service to find her missing brother, & Manon Altier, a French chef who works for the Resistance right under the nose of the German occupiers.

More comfortable in her deceased father’s automotive garage than her mother’s society parties, Kat Fontaine gives up everything to serve in WWII & find her missing brother. When approached to work in the OSS, Kat accepts & soon finds herself in a tangle of lies, subterfuge, & danger. When she returns to Paris after the war, she enters a marriage of convenience with a wealthy Parisian to finally learn the truth about her brother. Mixing with Paris high society & taking cooking lessons from the famous Julia Child, Kat risks everything including her heart to unearth the past.

Mason Altier’s a brilliant chef who lost everything in the war. Putting aside her fears, she risks her life to work for the Resistance. The stakes are high & every day she walks a dangerous tightrope serving delicious meals to the German elite, evading the Vichy regime, & trying to discern the traitors within.

This story captivated me from the beginning. I loved both time lines & how they intersected throughout. The mysteries completely pulled me in & discovering the truth about Kat’s brother is at the heart. The pulse pounding suspense had me on edge with cat & mouse games, double agents, & hidden identities.

I loved Kat’s & Gerard’s romance! Marriage of convenience is such a favorite trope. I enjoyed the undercurrent of attraction between them as secrets need to be unraveled. The romantic tension is palpable as Kat must decide whether to trust Gerard. Julia Child makes a fantastic cameo & I enjoyed seeing a new side to her.

The audiobook is fantastic! The narrator did a beautiful job bringing this story to life. I loved how she voiced both male & female characters. Her French accent is wonderful.

Highly recommend this amazing story! I received advanced copies from the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are completely my own & provided voluntarily.

Had a great time reading this book. It was enjoyable,
I was cleaning more so I could have more audiobook time.
Highly recommend reading this if you like this genre.

Absolutely loved it! The story has an intricate and layered plot line that hooked me from the opening paragraphs. The writing and pacing are excellent, the character development is fantastic, and I was easily swept back in time.

WWII historical fiction is so compelling to me, and The French Kitchen skillfully blends that with mystery, espionage, intrigue, danger, complicated family relationships, and romance.

There are multiple POV’s, a dual timeline (1943 & 1952), and a lot of twists and turns. The book ends with a twist that took me completely by surprise. It was an emotional read with a lot of tense moments, a few heartbreaking ones, but also happy ones with the romance element and the culinary cuisine that had me craving French food.

A highlight of the book were the appearances of Julia Child. She doesn’t play a large role, but the scenes she’s in added to the story.

I alternated between reading the book and listening to the audio, which made it an even better reading experience. With the complex storyline and the dual timeline, it was helpful to go back to the physical book and see what I might have missed.

The narration by Saskia Maarleveld was exceptional! She does an amazing job at giving voice to a variety of characters and accents. When she was the voice of Julia Child, I had to remind myself that It was the same narrator, because she really nailed it.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a lot of depth and feeling, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you so much @kristycambron @tnzfiction and @uplitreads for the #gifted copy, and for having me on this tour! Thank you @netgalley and @zondervan for the audiobook!

Thank you Netgalley for the audio arc. I was pleasently surprised by this book! I really enjoyed the story and found myself lost in it. The only down fall for me was all the names - kept getting confused on who was who and which timeline I was in. Overall I loved the story and the characters and couldnt get enough of the story.

The French Kitchen is a dual timeline store. The first couple chapters were a little confusing, but once I got into the story, everything clicked. Kat is a young, strong independent woman, not willing to be a Boston socialite. When she hasn’t heard from her brother, she joins the OSS to look for him. This story is full of twists and turns. You’re never quite sure if a character is part of the Resistance or a Nazi sympathizer. I thought the characters were all full developed and I felt as if I actually knew them. I loved the ending. I loved that Julia Child was a character in the story. I really liked the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld. She really drew me into the story. This is the first book I have read by Kristy Cambron and it won’t be the last. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson/Zondervan Fiction Audio for the recording. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 rounded up

Thank you NetGalley, Kristy Cambron, and Thomas Nelson Audio for the opportunity to review this ALC. I’m a huge historical fiction fan and love all things romance and this had all of that. For me though, as absolutely strong as this story ended, it started just as slow and I just couldn’t vibe with the characters until about 60% in which makes it hard for me to rate higher. I think if the pacing was a little more even instead of starting slow and ending more deeply I may have gravitated to it sooner. That said when I look at it in totality, I really did enjoy it. I thought the narration and production was also quite well done as well.

I listened to the audiobook of The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron, and narrated by the impeccable Saskia Maarleveld. Saskia is one of my favorite narrators because of her ability to change effortlessly between varying accents and intonation. She is truly an amazing narrator, especially when she is given such compelling material to perform.

The French Kitchen is a dual timeline story that bounces between 1943 in Northern France with resistance fighters operating undercover as a chef and staff at a Nazi controlled chateau, and 1952 Paris with the country trying to rebuild after the devastation of war. Involved in both timelines is an American woman who is recruited by CIA's predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). She basically agrees to join the OSS to find out what happened to her brother who was similarly recruited and operated undercover in the same area. Ten years later she returns to France after receiving a note informing her that her brother is alive. It is there that we get to meet Julia Child who was also an OSS officer during WWII. I really loved the exploration of post-war France and the rich descriptive storytelling. Bravo!

The audiobook was excellently done! It was narrated by one of my very favorite narrators and she did a wonderful job with the different accents and voices. When Julia Childs showed up in the story she nailed Julia’s signature way of speaking as well!

This book had my name written all over it with so many things I love to see in stories all together in one book: espionage, cooking, historical setting, strong women, and intriguing plot development. Set in both 1943 and 1952 it follows a woman who is taking a cooking class from Julia Childs in Paris while trying to grapple with her past as a spy during WWII. It also shows the perspective of a woman working as a French chef during the Nazi occupation while working undercover to gather and spread information.

I really love stories about undercover work and the complexities it creates while aiding your cause. It was really neat to have much of this story set after the war because it showed the rippling effects, the struggle to untangle the truth, and the difficulty of trusting even those closest to the characters. Both female leads were wonderful with their own unique strengths and I loved following their journey. And of course all the food content left me hungry! Definitely recommended to historical fiction fans!

Trigger/content notes: Wartime scenarios but nothing graphic or too intense. Spice level is closed door.

I am struggling to absorb this through listening to the audiobook. I think it would be much more enjoyable and engaging in print form. I am rating the 30% I have listened to and will update once I have read the book.

I love WWII historical fiction and time slip novels, but sadly this was a major dud for me. The pacing was uneven, and for some reason the back and forth was hard to follow. Julia Childs doesn't even come into the story until about 1/3 of the way through, and food/cooking are not the focus I was expecting. The twist near the end comes out of nowhere and feels rushed. I had a really hard time finishing this one, I just didn't really care what happened to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This sweeping dual-timeline novel drops readers into wartime France—and later into Julia Child’s Paris kitchen—as Kat Harris navigates an unorthodox journey of espionage, resilience, and trust.

When her beloved brother Gavin goes missing in occupied France, Kat is unexpectedly recruited by the Office of Strategic Services. With her mastery of languages from Wellesley and a knack for mechanics learned at her father’s side, she’s prepared for many challenges—except cooking. Posing as an assistant to a Paris-trained chef inside a château serving Nazi officers, Kat becomes a quick study, using her new role as cover while aiding the resistance. But in a world of double agents and shifting loyalties, she must figure out who she can trust as she is drawn further into resistance plots.

Years later, Kat’s past resurfaces in an unexpected place: a cooking class with Julia Child at L’Ecole des Trois Gourmandes. Haunted by unanswered questions about her brother—and troubled by secrets in her own marriage—Kat finds herself once again searching for truth. When an arrest threatens to unravel everything she’s built, she must decide who she can trust before the past consumes her future.

This fast-paced novel grips readers from the very first page. Kat’s journey as a female spy in a male-dominated world is both fascinating and inspiring, driven by her loyalty to family and pursuit of justice. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld once again brings the story to life with remarkable skill—seamlessly handling a wide range of characters, genders, and accents with what seems like effortless precision.
Thank you to NetGalley, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and author Kristy Cambron for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The French Kitchen is out now. All opinions are my own.