The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron

 

As Paris rebuilds in the aftermath of World War II, Kat Fontaine never expected the skills she learned in a French chateau kitchen to be the key that unlocks the secrets swirling in her new post-war life.

Paris, 1952--Still haunted by the years she spent serving in the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII, ex-pat Kat Fontaine, now living in Paris, finds a simple cookery class led by indomitable chef Julia Child unearths the tangle of gut-wrenching memories of war. Determined to find her brother who went missing during the war and is presumed dead, Kat questions everything, especially her high-ranking society husband whose past is as murky as her own. But when the puzzle pieces start to come together--and her carefully crafted Paris world begins to fall apart--Kat must confront her own secrets against the mounting suspicions of the husband she thought she knew . . .

Rue, 1943--Deep in the heart of Nazi-controlled northern France, Manon Altier shifts between working for the enemy by day--as a French chef at the famous Chateau du Broutel, where names like Himmler, Rommel, and Goebbels frequent the guest list--and running with underground networks against the Vichy regime at night. Working undercover to filter critical information to agents within the burgeoning OSS presence in France, Manon digs deep into the glitz and glamour of a Nazi stronghold that has her teetering on the edge of being discovered at any turn. But when an intriguing stranger appears at the chateau claiming to work with the French Resistance, Manon must lean on her instincts to judge whether to run and hide or stand firm--even as a terrifying discovery tests her resolve to continue the fight.

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About The Author

KRISTY CAMBRON is a vintage-inspired storyteller writing from the space where beauty, art, and history intersect. She's an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her internationally bestselling novels, THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN and THE PARIS DRESSMAKER, as well as nonfiction titles. Her work has been named to Cosmopolitan's Best Historical Fiction Novels, Library Journal’s Best Books, and has been featured at Once Upon a Book Club Box, Frolic, Book Club Girl, BookBub, and Country Woman magazine.

Her next novel, THE FRENCH KITCHEN, releases August 5, 2025, in which an ex-pat wife haunted by her experiences as an undercover agent in the American OSS during WWII crosses paths with chef Julia Child in a post-war Paris cookery class, complicating the carefully constructed high-society world she’s built to hide her past.

Kristy holds a degree in art history/research writing and spent fifteen years in education and leadership development for a Fortune 100 corporation, partnering with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup before stepping away to pursue her passion for storytelling. She's also served as Vice President and a literary agent with Gardner Literary.

Kristy lives in Indiana with her husband and three basketball-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a peppermint mocha latte and a good read.

 

My Review

 

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.