There’s a lot packed into this novel of historical fiction about France under and following the German occupation during WWII. It is populated with resistance fighters, OSS, and German/Vichy officers, and, surprisingly, Julia Child in the early years of her introduction to and infatuation with French cooking.
The story has something of an identity problem, since the Julia Child storyline is one thing while Kat/Celine’s search for her missing brother is another. The author goes to great pains to connect them by having Kat/Celine take French cooking classes from Julia Child after the war, and cooking brings up lots of war-time memories for her, relived in the book as flashbacks.
The audiobook is well narrated.
3.6 rounded up. My thanks to the author, publisher, producers, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheFrenchKitchen for review purposes. Publication date: 5 August 2025.

A historical romance with dual timelines of WWII and Post War Paris! I enjoyed the narrator brining this story to life!

I received an audio ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron is an absolute treat, and the audiobook version is a perfect way to experience this heartwarming and immersive story. From the moment I pressed play, I was transported into the charming world of French cuisine, captivating characters, and the beautiful backdrop of Paris.

Cambron's writing is lyrical and rich with detail, and the way she weaves the story of love, loss, and discovery is genuinely touching. The narrative is split between different periods, and I loved how the past and present converged, all centered around the enchanting world of food and family. It celebrates French culinary traditions and the deep connections that form over shared meals.

The audiobook narration was exceptional. The narrator brought the characters to life with warmth, depth, and emotion, perfectly capturing each moment's essence. The pacing was just right, allowing me to savor every chapter as if dining in a quaint Parisian café.

This audiobook is an absolute gem for fans of historical fiction, culinary stories, and anyone who enjoys a story about healing, second chances, and food's power to unite people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was fantastic from start to finish! The audio narration was wonderful. The plot was well-paced and the characters were well-developed. This is definitely one I'll read again! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I was expecting to love this book, but I just couldn’t get into the storyline. I’ve been trying to pinpoint the reason and I can’t really put my finger on it. I thought the narration was fine and the story was interesting, but it just wasn’t the right book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to a good WWII historical fiction book, but I was sadly disappointed. I rate this at 3.5 stars.
I believe there is a good story here, but it gets lost in a poorly done dual timeline. I spent a lot of time going back re-reading sections, trying to figure out what was happening. I feel that I missed some key parts somewhere.
If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, undercover operations, and French settings, please give this book a try... just know that you will need to read slow and pay close attention to the timeline.

Thank You, Thomas Nelson, NetGalley, and Kristy Cameron, for a complimentary copy of the audio book. All thoughts are my own.

This book is unlike most WWII historical fiction that I read. I love that there was a mystery to be solved on top of all the spy work going on. This one has a "guest appearance" with the famous Julia Child, and her character adds some spunk to this story. The main FMC is searching for her missing/presumed dead brother and gets involved with the OSS (pre CIA), which takes her to France where she ends up working in a legendary kitchen. She ends up spending a lot of time with the "enemy" who is also hiding a secret. As the two continue to work in close proximity, a dangerous relationship forms. The secrets and deception in this one will keep you guessing. The multiple POVs kept me engaged and so invested in these characters. I will say this audiobook lends itself to at least dual narration and would have been easier to follow with both male and female voices. For that reason, and a rather slow start I took off half a star, but this is one story that mystery/thriller and historical fiction readers alike will enjoy!.

✨️4.25 stars✨️

Set between 1943 Nazi-occupied France and 1952 post-war Paris, The French Kitchen follows two women whose lives slowly intertwine—Kat Fontaine, an American spy looking for her brother, and Manon Altier, a French chef forced to cook for the enemy while secretly aiding the resistance.
This isn’t just a war story. There are subtle romance, personal growth, and how survival often hinges on the smallest, most human choices.

This book approaches war from a different angle, not just the fight during but the quiet aftermath. The trauma, the rebuilding, and the truth that is somehow lost between sound of guns.

Talking about characters, i honestly liked all. I was swooning over GAVIN & CAPITAN FONTAINE all through the book😁. Kat was a solid character, central and compelling with sharp-edges and immense grief.
But it was Manon who truly stole the show for me. She's graceful, guarded, and quietly fierce. I found myself drawn to her just as much, if not more, than Kat. The bond btn these two women was another highlight. Their bond forged through shared trauma, secrets, and a silent understanding of what’s at stake.

I also liked that there was not only romantic love but also sibling loyalty, deep friendship, and that quiet, steadfast love that keeps people going when everything else is falling apart. It’s a reminder that love can be loud, or it can be a silent promise between two people fighting for something bigger.

Only reason for this not being 5star is the narration from both timelines sometimes felt a bit mushed which was a bit confusing.
Overall, i really liked the story, the narration by Saskia Maarleveld might've made it even better🙌🏼. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson fiction for providing the ARC for my honest review.

I’m always a little gobsmacked and ferhoodled after reading one of Kristy Cambron’s dual timeline novels. How on earth does she manage to weave so many story threads together and keep everything straight? I’m in awe!

The start of the ‘The French Kitchen’ drops us right into the middle of a tense (understatement) resistance fighting scene in 1943 and leaves us hanging at a particularly precarious point. Then we’re whisked away on a breathtaking whirlwind of scenes both before that pivotal moment and then nearly ten years afterwards. Completely riveting and emotionally whiplashing!

Love the inclusion of Julia Child in the 1950s timeline. I haven’t read many novels that explore post-war Europe and I found the complexities of that time in France so fascinating. The author does an amazing job of bringing Paris to vibrant life through rich descriptive storytelling. And she kept me riveted (and my emotions in tatters) all the way to the end. Just…stunning!

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and, whoa, her performance elevated my ‘reading’ enjoyment so much! She captured the essence of every character, including accents, while conveying the emotional depth of the story to absolute perfection. Highly recommend giving the audio edition a try.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron
3.5/5 Rounded up to 4 Stars

Read if you love:
- Historical Fiction
- Undercover Operations
- Julia Child
- Hidden Identities
- Dual Timeline
- WWII Fiction
- Paris/France Settings
- French Language
- Kitchens and Cooking in Books

Kristy Cambron really has the attention to detail in her books and this one was really interesting! We follow Kat, who is recruited by the OSS as an agent in 1943. She is hoping to find her missing brother and agrees to go to France as a spy. Years later in 1952, she is still searching for her brother and becomes acquainted with others she knew during the war time. We see different timelines here for the same characters, with multiple identities and plans.

I really liked Kat's character, she is very sharp and in her undercover operations she is working in a kitchen that caters to the Nazi elite. She is tied in with the resistance and there is a lot of suspicion.

In 1952, we see her marriage to Gerard, a man she married for several reasons...but not love. Kat does not truly trust him and their marriage is very unique in tension, small bits of affection but not a huge romantic one.

As others have mentioned, this book takes a lot of brain power to keep up. We have many timelines, different POVs and code names that took me out of the story at times. I loved the writing style, the characters and food/kitchen bits, but I did struggle to keep up with what was going on. If I am honest, I believe I missed several pieces and this book deserves more of a deep dive, re-read from me one day.

The ending was great to see so much resolved and the bit of romance development that occurred.

Regardless of those things, this is a very immersive story that you should take time to sit with and anyone who enjoys a good WWII fiction story will like it. I think the added layer of Julia Child was also nice because so many know of her from her cooking/kitchen days.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, NetGalley and Kristy Cambron for a complimentary copy of the audiobook and ebook to read and review. I have this one pre-ordered as well and look forward to meeting her at our local bookstore on her book tour! All thoughts are my own.

Five Star all day. I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down. I really liked seeing another side to the events of the time. I enjoyed having an exciting adventure in the setting of WWII without any emotional hangover when the story was done. Already on my reread shelf!

This is the first Kristy Cambron book I've read and I can't wait to go back and read the others! The book is a view into Vichy France during WWII. It is exciting, suspenseful, heartbreaking and very real. The characters are well written and deeply complicated, The ending had a twist that I didn't see coming and I was stunned. I would have enjoyed the book and recommended it to everyone if I had read it in print. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version and that made me LOVE the book! It is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, who is one of my favorite narrators. I would listen to any book, regardless of topic, that was narrated by her. In my mind, hers is the voice of the very best historical fiction novels - particularly ones focused on WWII. Listening to this book was an experience and I recommend it to readers who love history, character development, romance and, of course, Saskia Maarleveld.

Kristy Cambron has become one of my favorite authors. You know when you open up one of her books and being to go on a journey through the pages that you will be challenged emotionally. I love reading historical fiction books and particularly those that take place during WWII. There are a lot of characters featured throughout the pages, but the story will pull you in and you will not want to stop flipping through the pages. The characters are richly developed and you will even be treated to a delightful appearance by Julia Child. There are a lot of aspects dealt with throughout the book ... espionage, betrayal, love, loss, intrigue, dedication, courage, and secrets. While a lot happens as you devour the words Kristy has created, you will be left with a sense of satisfaction as you absorb the last word and close the book with a sign.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Christian
Christian Fiction
Fiction
France
Historical
Historical Fiction
Romance
Suspense
WWII

Thank you @tnzfiction for my early reading and listening copy of @kristycambron ‘s upcoming new release, THE FRENCH KITCHEN, out Aug 5, 2025.

I loved the connection with Julia Child, and I look forward to anything historical fiction and written by Cambron- she’s one of my favorite HF authors!

THE FRENCH KITCHEN combines Julia Child and a secret, underground network of spies all under the noses of the highest of Hitler’s men who dine in the nicest of restaurants- of course they don’t know the chef is part of the resistance!

Of course I love stories that highlight the brave women who were overlooked in the midst of the war, but yet offered and fought for so much.

If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, you will enjoy this one!

When I got approved to review this book, I got really excited. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction and this book was the first in quite a while. I hoped I would really like it but sadly this book wasn’t for me.

I read this book and listened to this book at the same time. It was really hard for me to keep up with the story. All the different time and story lines made it even more difficult. I tried my best to keep up and figure out what was happening, but I couldn’t figure it out so I couldn’t get the whole story. That’s why my rating is low. It was a good book but sadly not for me.
The production of the audiobook was really good. The narrator was really good and I liked her French phrases and accent.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐️: 2,4
🌶: no spice

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron is a historical fiction that combines mystery and suspense to tell the story of female spies that worked for the American Office of Strategic Services and the French Resistance during the height of Nazi control in France. Cambron's fascination with Julia Child inspired her to write the story and it is clearly a well researched. The narrative goes back and forth between two timelines and main characters. The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. She is an expert narrator and tackles the different accents seamlessly.

In 1943 Kat Harris is living a privileged life in Boston when her brother joins the war and subsequently goes missing. Kat’s special skills allow her to be recruited by the OSS (American Office of Strategic Services) to work in France as an asset. Kat is proud to serve and has hope of finding her brother in the process. At the same time French chef Manon Altier is forced to serve Nazi soldiers during the day while she works to pass messages to the French Resistance. The timeline goes back and forth between war time and post war.

The story starts off strong with some lulls in the middle and a strong ending. (There was a twist that I did not see coming!) If you are a fan of French cooking and WWII historical fictions, this one is for you. Rounding it up from 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction for allowing me to have an advanced listener copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My favorite genre is historical fiction mysteries so this book seemed like it would be a great fit. However, I could not keep up with the characters and timelines listening to the audiobook. It jumped around so much that I found it to be a chore to finish the book. Perhaps using 2 narrators would have helped the listener to follow the story with more ease.

The story started on solid footing, but somewhere along the way it veered into murky territory, layering on plot points that never quite felt connected. By the time the big twist arrived, it seemed more random than revelatory, and I was left piecing together threads that didn’t really add up. And while I have nothing but admiration for Julia Child, her brief cameo here felt strangely out of place—more of a gimmick than an organic part of the story.

There's so much WWII historical fiction, so was very satisfied that this had a bit of a different twist. Yes, there are daring female spies, treachery, and romance, but I loved the addition of Julia Child as a character.. Set during WWII, mostly in France, and in the years after the war, it tells the story of Kat, who serves in the OSS after her older brother goes MIA. I really appreciated the description of cooking and food, as well as the French fashion. I listened to the audio and the narrator was great.

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron is a beautiful showcase of Cambron’s writing talents. Her attention to detail…historic, location, characters, even recipes, is what truly grabs the reader’s attention and keeps them captive for the duration of the story. I thought the intelligence aspect of the story was brilliant and well written. I love how Gavin recruited his sister because he knew her so well and then to see how well Kat did was exciting. There is heartache to be sure, but there is also growth, maturation, development, and bravery. The representation of what others have done in real life is inspirational and I love that their story lives on. I did enjoy the love stories along the way and how they just naturally grew and deepened. The inclusion of Julia Childs and her backstory were enlightening and blended right into this story.
I had the additional privilege of listening to the audiobook and was mesmerized by the accents, the accurate representation of the characters as well the pace and cadence the narrator used.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.