Yes! This was my introduction to Melissa Radke and her band of babes. These women live among each other with unfiltered boldness but also tenderness and love. We should all have these women. We should all BE these women! Great job, Melissa. I'm going to go find your other book.

Thank you to Melissa Radke, Worthy Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a laugh out loud kind of book. I wasn't familiar with the author, but the premise was interesting. After reading this, yes, I have my own Chicken-Fried Women. Do yourself a favor, find a comfy spot and spend some time laughing with Melissa.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

BOOK: Chicken Fried Women: Friendship, Kinship, and the Women Who Made Us This Way
AUTHOR: Melissa Radke
PUB DATE: April 22, 205, by Worthy Books
PAGES: 256
RATING: 4.5 stars
GENRE: Biography/Families Humor

A special Thank You to Taylor Peterson at @WorthyBooks for reaching out to me directly. I also thank @netgalley and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!

ACCOLADES: Melissa Radke is a television star, public speaker, podcaster, and bestselling author of Eat Cake. Be Brave

QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: I can’t begin to explain how much I loved this book! It was nostalgic for me as it reminded me so much of my grandmother and mom. Each chapter had me eagerly flipping the pages, as she dedicated many chapters to specific women in her family, and in her beautiful writing, she had a magical way of introducing you to them. I laughed AND cried several times. This gem is full of comedy AND heart! I plan to gift this to the special women in my life.

#ChickenFriedWomen #MelissaRadke #WorthyBooks #Memoir #Comedy

I picked up this book without any prior knowledge of the author, and I must say, it turned out to be a nice surprise. The book offers a mix of humor and warmth, with some chapters being truly funny while others are simply wholesome. This balance kept me engaged and entertained throughout.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its broader theme, which centers around the significant women in our lives and the impact they have had on us in various ways. This theme is not only relatable but also invites deeper reflection on our own experiences and the influential women who have shaped our journeys.

Overall, I enjoyed the book a fair amount. It provides a thoughtful and heartwarming exploration of relationships and personal growth, making it a worthwhile read for anyone looking to reflect on the important figures in their life.

Hilarious!

Melissa Radke does an amazing job of telling the ins and outs of life with the women she loves most in life, her dear friends and family, which she affectionately calls her “chicken-fried women.” It’s hard to write an all encompassing book of stories that highlight the best (and worst) of the people who have meant the most to you for your whole life, but Melissa captures them beautifully. I feel like I know Melissa and her family personally now. I wonder if we’re related? I related to so much of what she shared. Gotta love Southern women! Surely we’d be friends!

The book took me longer to get through than a typical novel might as each chapter can stand on its own. It was really easy to read a chapter at a time as I was able and enjoy what was shared, then come back for another story later. There’s definitely a cohesive thread, but I didn’t have to plow through it. I think I would love this on audio! Sometimes I really wanted to get to hear Melissa telling me these stories in her own voice.

Some of the stories had me literally laughing out loud! Lots of smiles and giggles along the way. But I also cried real tears with some of what was shared. Melissa keeps it real. It’s obvious that this book comes from her heart. There’s a great balance of wit and wisdom - it’s funny but heartfelt, heartbreaking and heartwarming, entertaining and enlightening. And I loved that threaded throughout every aspect was a deep faith. It’s nothing pushy, but just a constant truth that Melissa’s unwavering Christian faith is a part of every event in her life (no matter how crazy the event might be.)

I loved this book! It might not be considered literary greatness; but I think it accomplishes its goal. 5⭐️ as a light, fun, heartwarming Christian reflection on uplifting relationships. I have seen bits of Melissa online, but didn’t approach this book as a fan or with much context. Now I’m a big fan and am looking forward to seeing more from her.


* Thank you to Worthy Publishing via Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book! I was honored to read it. All thoughts here are my honest review given on my own accord.

I loved this book. I have pre-purchased it for a mother's day gift. It was laugh out loud funny at times but also sad but very human.

Chicken-Fried Women is a love story to the bawdy, ballbuster women of the south.

"Lucy and Ethel. Laverne and Shirley. Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche, and Rose. Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of them: the women who raised us, taught us to cook and clap back. The ones who prayed for us, raged at us and humbled us a notch or two when we needed it. These are the women who have encouraged us, teased us, chastised us, and mortified us. And as they fill up the seats around our table, we realize we wouldn’t have it any other way."

Melissa Radke shares a series of moments from her life-- across all ages-- that help illustrate the nature of these women and how they nurture their' families and friends.

It's both hilarious and heartwarming. A great read that will make you want to go hug your elders and maybe let loose a little more.

Reading Chicken-Fried Women by Melissa Radke felt like sitting down with an old friend, swapping stories and laughing until my sides hurt. I loved how the book celebrated the fierce, loving, and often hilarious women who have shaped so many of us, offering a mix of humor and heartfelt reflection on family, faith, and strength. It left me feeling both uplifted and deeply grateful for the complex, unbreakable bonds that define the women in my life.

This was so much fun..I recognized alot of things Melissa would talk about associated with a small town. I loved her grandmother and I loved her stories of family and sisterhood among the women in her family.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by Worthy Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for honest book review/feedback.

Reading "Chicken Fried Women" will leave you feeling like you just spent the weekend on a girls getaway with your funniest, no-filter friend!

Author Melissa Radke tells it like it is as she talks feisty female family & friendship, the importance of sexy yet ladylike hair and the value of an empathetic casserole delivered right to your doorstep.

If you're the kind of woman who enjoys chips & queso first thing in the morning but thinks that people who fist-bump each other after a 5 AM gym session are total psychopaths, this book will have you in stitches from the very first page.

Any gal with an ounce of humor and appreciation for quality shapewear will find this book totally relatable and laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.

Melissa Radke has done it again. I find her incredibly relatable. Every time I pick up her books I feel like I'm having a conversation with an old friend. I'm not reading a book, I simply catching up. I envision every single chapter like a conversation in a beauty salon. The curlers on the cover truly make you feel like you are right next to her in the blowout machine. Melissas first book found me in a pivotal moment of my life, when I truly needed a friend to understand what i was dealing with...and this book feels the same.
I think it is worth noting that Melissas faith is very obvious in all of her books, however don't let that stop you from enjoying. I, myself, do not identify as a Christian woman, however I have not once ever felt uncomfortable or patronized when reading her books. I don't feel preached to or like I can't relate to the book.

This was so funny! I had a good laugh throughout most of this book and could really relate Melissa Radke's family to some of my own "chicken fried women." I almost want to be part of this family after reading this - this book was a great mix of wisdom and humor wrapped up in a short, but sweet, package.

This book did it all. I laughed and cried. I felt seen in so many chapters. Melissa really understands what it means to have a village behind you. I found myself figuring out which female in my life matched with the ones in her life.

4. 5 Stars - After laughing my way through Eat Cake. Be Brave., I couldn’t wait to dive into this book, and it did not disappoint.
The women in these pages? I’ve met them. I’ve stood on the fringes of their stories, sometimes wishing I could be part of their families. Luckily, a few have unofficially adopted me—like a Yankee stepsister with a front-row seat to the hilarity.
As someone who’s lived in both Jersey and the South, my favorite line had to be: “Jersey may have the Mob. But the South has Women.” Truer words have never been written.
And don’t even get me started on the bathroom showdown between Melba and Annette—I may have actually split a seam laughing. This book is a delightful, laugh-out-loud collection of stories that sneak up on you with moments of heart and reflection. It’s not just fun; it’s full of the kind of joy that lingers.

While I connected better to 'Eat Cake, Be Brave' more than 'Chicken Fried Women's I think it was the timing for me. Several chapters absolutely hit my funny bone and had me rereading excerpts to my coworkers in the break room, or my mom & sister... but other sections missed the mark for me, or were maybe too close to home and emotional?

I definitely have a tribe but would they help wrap me in electrical tape to fit into a dress or save me in a church bathroom from a separate but equally hilarious wardrobe saga?- I'm not so sure. 🤣🤣

Part live and past memories shared in storied chapters there are sections for every woman to connect with.

Expected publication: April 22, 2025

Wow! I absolutely loved this book! I think this book could’ve been wrote about me and my family! LOL it was so relatable for me with so many things. Not to mention hilarious. I would laugh out loud and if I wasn’t laughing I would be smiling. My husband literally asked me twice what I kept smiling about. If you grew up in the 80’ and 90’s then you will love this book also. I mean who doesn’t remember the days of bad perms,ear candles and designer purse bingo! LOL But other just being funny there was some seriousness to. Really made me miss both of my grandmas. And so many childhood memories. I’m lucky enough to still have some Chicken Fried Women in my life-my mom and some aunts.

One of my favorite things that Melissa wrote was “I would be like a shadow of who I really am. They made me. Good or bad. I am who I am because of them.”

I hope every woman is lucky enough to have some Chicken Fried Women in their life at one point or another. 🩷

Thank you so much @Worthy Publishing and @Net Galley for an advanced copy.

Those of us raised in the deep south will recognize all of Melissa Radke's women, even if we know them by another name. This book is a mostly humorous, but sometimes serious, look at the women who made us who we are today. The author celebrates women who are 'chicken-fried': battered on the outside, but tender on the inside. They loved us, fought with us, prayed over us, and took us down a peg or two when needed. Most of all, they are authentic and without apology for who they are.

I very much enjoyed this book, but I suspect that younger women, or those not familiar with Southern culture, might not quite 'get it'. It is largely a collection of character sketches, with the lessons almost as an aside.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was thrilled to receive an advanced reader copy of Chicken Fried Women: Friendship, Kinship, and the Women Who Made Us This Way by Melissa Radke. This was my first time reading Radke’s work, but it certainly won’t be my last!

From the start, I was drawn in by the book’s clever and charming chapter titles, many of which introduce us to the unforgettable “chicken fried women” in Radke’s life. The book takes readers on a journey through the highs and lows of these women—through love, laughter, trials, gossip, and tears. Just like in real life, they walk through it all together, side by side.

These women are witty, sharp, and downright hilarious. Their stories reminded me so much of my own Southern family—the way conversations start in one direction, take an unexpected detour, and somehow circle back to where they began. While the storytelling at times felt a little out of order, it only added to the authenticity, making it feel like I was right there in the room, part of the conversation.

Beyond the humor, there’s also a deep, raw honesty in this book—one that makes you appreciate the women in your own life even more. It left me reflecting on my own chicken fried women and the wisdom, love, and resilience they’ve passed down to me.

A heartfelt thank you to the publisher for this ARC. I truly enjoyed every page!

Sardonic and witty, Radke delights readers with her candor. This crisp, easy-to-read book is original with relatable yet unique characters that will leave the reader long after reading. Radke writes in a way that energizes the reader, making her book as addicting as fried chicken.