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Chicken-Fried Women: Friendship, Kinship, and the Women Who Made Us This Way
Melissa Radke—television star, podcaster, and bestselling author of Eat Cake. Be Brave—writes a love letter to the strong, opinionated Southern women who raised her and the women who surround each one of us. Lucy and Ethel. Laverne and Shirley. Dorothy and Sophia and Blanche and Rose. It’s the women around us who make us who we are, and Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of them. It’s about the women who raised us, made us, taught us to cook and clap back. It’s the ones who prayed for us, raged at us and humbled us a notch or two when we needed it. It’s about the women who gave us our first perm, told us we “don’t have legs for a skirt that short” and admitted that cankles run in the family. 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.
They’re our Chicken-Fried Women—battered on the outside, tender on the inside. Some are salty and a couple are Nashville Hot.
Filled with a hilarious cast of larger-than life women, this book explores why no one messes with Southern women and their hair, why the whole family comes along when you go bra shopping, why true crime and aquarobics brings us together, and how faith shapes us through it all.
Insightful, big-hearted and laugh-out-loud funny, Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of friendship, kinship and the women who made us this way.
They’re our Chicken-Fried Women—battered on the outside, tender on the inside. Some are salty and a couple are Nashville Hot.
Filled with a hilarious cast of larger-than life women, this book explores why no one messes with Southern women and their hair, why the whole family comes along when you go bra shopping, why true crime and aquarobics brings us together, and how faith shapes us through it all.
Insightful, big-hearted and laugh-out-loud funny, Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of friendship, kinship and the women who made us this way.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 22, 2025
66 people are currently reading
4251 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Radke
4 books160 followersMELISSA RADKE IS AN AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER, PODCASTER AND TELEVISION PERSONALITY.
Melissa’s online videos have reached over 400 million people around the world with her comedy and heart.
With a love of writing about real life, parenting, and the importance of learning our identity, Melissa’s released her national bestselling book, Eat Cake. Be Brave. through Grand Central Publishing.
Melissa Radke was also the star of a family-friendly television show, The Radkes, on the USA Network. The show was an unscripted sitcom that focused on her big loud southern family and all their charm.
Melissa’s podcasts, Ordinary People. Ordinary Things. and Stream(H)er have premiered at #1 and #10 respectively in her categories and have garnered rave reviews with over 98% five-star ratings.
Melissa Radke is also the author of the wildly successful column Stretch Marks where she loves to talk about things that make grown men turn red and mutter “oh dear God” under his breath and leave the room.
Melissa has always been destined for the stage, so for the last several years she has spoken all over the United States bringing laughter and encouragement to corporate events, civic organizations, schools, and women gatherings.
Melissa’s online videos have reached over 400 million people around the world with her comedy and heart.
With a love of writing about real life, parenting, and the importance of learning our identity, Melissa’s released her national bestselling book, Eat Cake. Be Brave. through Grand Central Publishing.
Melissa Radke was also the star of a family-friendly television show, The Radkes, on the USA Network. The show was an unscripted sitcom that focused on her big loud southern family and all their charm.
Melissa’s podcasts, Ordinary People. Ordinary Things. and Stream(H)er have premiered at #1 and #10 respectively in her categories and have garnered rave reviews with over 98% five-star ratings.
Melissa Radke is also the author of the wildly successful column Stretch Marks where she loves to talk about things that make grown men turn red and mutter “oh dear God” under his breath and leave the room.
Melissa has always been destined for the stage, so for the last several years she has spoken all over the United States bringing laughter and encouragement to corporate events, civic organizations, schools, and women gatherings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 27, 2025
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: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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
SYNOPSIS: A love letter to the strong, opinionated Southern women who raised her and the women who surround each one of us. Lucy and Ethel. Laverne and Shirley. Dorothy and Sophia, and Blanche and Rose. It’s the women around us who make us who we are, and Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of them. It’s about the women who raised us, made us, taught us to cook and clap back. It’s the ones who prayed for us, raged at us, and humbled us a notch or two when we needed it. It’s about the women who gave us our first perm, told us we “don’t have legs for a skirt that short” and admitted that cankles run in the family. 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. They’re our Chicken-Fried Women—battered on the outside, tender on the inside. Some are salty and a couple are Nashville Hot.
Filled with a hilarious cast of larger-than life women, this book explores why no one messes with Southern women and their hair, why the whole family comes along when you go bra shopping, why true crime and aquarobics brings us together, and how faith shapes us through it all.
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.
AUTHOR: Melissa Radke
PUB DATE: April 22, 205, by Worthy Books
PAGES: 256
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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
SYNOPSIS: A love letter to the strong, opinionated Southern women who raised her and the women who surround each one of us. Lucy and Ethel. Laverne and Shirley. Dorothy and Sophia, and Blanche and Rose. It’s the women around us who make us who we are, and Chicken-Fried Women is a celebration of them. It’s about the women who raised us, made us, taught us to cook and clap back. It’s the ones who prayed for us, raged at us, and humbled us a notch or two when we needed it. It’s about the women who gave us our first perm, told us we “don’t have legs for a skirt that short” and admitted that cankles run in the family. 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. They’re our Chicken-Fried Women—battered on the outside, tender on the inside. Some are salty and a couple are Nashville Hot.
Filled with a hilarious cast of larger-than life women, this book explores why no one messes with Southern women and their hair, why the whole family comes along when you go bra shopping, why true crime and aquarobics brings us together, and how faith shapes us through it all.
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.
June 6, 2025
Genres: Humor/Memoir/Nonfiction
A few minutes in to this, I was tempted to DNF this. It didn't resonate with me and it felt like it wasn't going to hit the mark.
Well, I was so wrong. I liked the balance which was its salvation for me. At times it was tender, sweet, funny, genuine, and full of love for the author's family. She talks about the women in her life and how they "molded and scolded". This was perfect for showing that we should all have compassion, understanding, connection and patience for those who are in our life. I loved the message of acceptance and love "no matter what". So for that, minus the slow start, brings me to 4 stars.
A few minutes in to this, I was tempted to DNF this. It didn't resonate with me and it felt like it wasn't going to hit the mark.
Well, I was so wrong. I liked the balance which was its salvation for me. At times it was tender, sweet, funny, genuine, and full of love for the author's family. She talks about the women in her life and how they "molded and scolded". This was perfect for showing that we should all have compassion, understanding, connection and patience for those who are in our life. I loved the message of acceptance and love "no matter what". So for that, minus the slow start, brings me to 4 stars.
June 23, 2025
**audiobook **
An easy 5 star. It will have you laughing until you’re crying and crying until you are laughing. Tender and sweet with plenty of humor thrown in to keep you on your toes. A loving and entertaining tribute to the women in her life that will make appreciate the women in yours.
Also recommend audio as her impressions will keep you entertained and you can hear the tenderness in her voice as she talks about these women!
An easy 5 star. It will have you laughing until you’re crying and crying until you are laughing. Tender and sweet with plenty of humor thrown in to keep you on your toes. A loving and entertaining tribute to the women in her life that will make appreciate the women in yours.
Also recommend audio as her impressions will keep you entertained and you can hear the tenderness in her voice as she talks about these women!
Read
November 28, 2025This was one of the funniest books I have read in a while! Definitely worth the read!
February 8, 2025
It wasn't long ago that I reconnected with some of the cousins of my youth. These cousins, nearly all women and from the hills of Kentucky, were creators of some of my best childhood memories. They were, I believe, the "chicken-fried women" of which author Melissa Radke writes in her latest effort "Chicken-Fried Women: Friendship, Kinship, and the Women Who Made Us This Way."
Truthfully, I hadn't stayed in touch with these women very well. It is largely thanks to the presence of social media that they've re-entered my life. For that, I'm grateful.
In most ways, however, I'm not the target reader for "Chicken-Fried Women," a book clearly aimed toward female readers and clearly aimed at female relationships. I'm a decidedly northern guy in his 50's, an adult male with lifelong disabilities and someone with a more fluid family situation that hasn't produced a whole lot of the type of memories brought to life here.
And yet, I couldn't help but fall in love with Radke and her family, especially her mother, as Radke makes us laugh, makes us reminisce, makes us shed tears, and makes us celebrate the women who made us as she brings to life these chicken-fried women from her childhood and adult years.
Radke is the bestselling author of "Eat Cake. Be Brave," and if you're aware of her then you're likely already highly anticipating this book's arrival in April 2025. It won't disappoint. As someone who was not familiar with Radke, "Chicken-Fried Women" had me looking her up and learning even more as she writes about the women who encouraged, teased, chastised, mortified, and prayed, prayed, and prayed some more.
Radke brings to mind the kind of bonds that I can't even imagine - family that comes along when you go bra shopping, the ups and downs of southern faith, and the ins and outs of daily life.
"Chicken-Fried Women" is filled with an abundance of humor, often laugh-out-loud, and an immersive heart that is warm and wonderful and more than a wee bit uncomfortable in all the right ways. Indeed, an absolute celebration of friendship, kinship, and the women who shaped us, "Chicken-Fried Women" is the kind of book you read and then you read it again.
Truthfully, I hadn't stayed in touch with these women very well. It is largely thanks to the presence of social media that they've re-entered my life. For that, I'm grateful.
In most ways, however, I'm not the target reader for "Chicken-Fried Women," a book clearly aimed toward female readers and clearly aimed at female relationships. I'm a decidedly northern guy in his 50's, an adult male with lifelong disabilities and someone with a more fluid family situation that hasn't produced a whole lot of the type of memories brought to life here.
And yet, I couldn't help but fall in love with Radke and her family, especially her mother, as Radke makes us laugh, makes us reminisce, makes us shed tears, and makes us celebrate the women who made us as she brings to life these chicken-fried women from her childhood and adult years.
Radke is the bestselling author of "Eat Cake. Be Brave," and if you're aware of her then you're likely already highly anticipating this book's arrival in April 2025. It won't disappoint. As someone who was not familiar with Radke, "Chicken-Fried Women" had me looking her up and learning even more as she writes about the women who encouraged, teased, chastised, mortified, and prayed, prayed, and prayed some more.
Radke brings to mind the kind of bonds that I can't even imagine - family that comes along when you go bra shopping, the ups and downs of southern faith, and the ins and outs of daily life.
"Chicken-Fried Women" is filled with an abundance of humor, often laugh-out-loud, and an immersive heart that is warm and wonderful and more than a wee bit uncomfortable in all the right ways. Indeed, an absolute celebration of friendship, kinship, and the women who shaped us, "Chicken-Fried Women" is the kind of book you read and then you read it again.
March 9, 2025
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
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
May 14, 2025
I loved this audiobook…and yes, you HAVE to listen to this to get the full effect. This made me bust out laughing from the struggles from big boobs to embarrassing encounters and the love of friendship and family to crying big ol’ ugly tears about loss and heartbreak. I loved it so much that I bought the hardback to take to work to share with my coworkers and to have when I just need a pick me up. If you listen, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did ❤️
September 15, 2025
Oh my gosh this book made me laugh out loud again and again. Melissa Radke is incredible and her family’s crazy moments are heart warming, comical and crazy all at the same time. It’s like she knew the women in my family and put them in there too because I guess we all have these Chicken Fried women in our families in the south. I loved it!!!! Time to send this book over to my mom because she’ll get a kick out of it!
February 12, 2025
Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC of this book!
Closing this book was like hanging up a phone after a conversation with your best friend. I laughed out loud and felt sadness at times, but my heart is full. I think I was meant to be born in the south…🤨
Closing this book was like hanging up a phone after a conversation with your best friend. I laughed out loud and felt sadness at times, but my heart is full. I think I was meant to be born in the south…🤨
July 2, 2025
Genuinely enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It was a sweet glimpse into a family of southern women that reminded me alot of my own family. It had me laughing and tearing up multiple times. I'd give it 4.5 stars
August 24, 2025
If you are a Southern woman, been raised by Southern women, or have friends who are Southern women, please read this book. I laughed at almost everything— and it’s funny because it’s true.
October 6, 2025
This was hilarious and sweet! I laughed out loud more times than I could count.
April 30, 2025
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.
June 20, 2025
The stories of women’s relationship & growing up in the South. Lots of LOL memories evoked.
April 20, 2025
Such a relatable book! Where would we be without the women, both inside our family and out, who raised us? I’ve learned more from female friends and role models than anything else could have taught me. We learn by watching each other and lifting each other up!
Thank you Hachette for my Advanced Reader Copy of this poignant and important book!
Thank you Hachette for my Advanced Reader Copy of this poignant and important book!
March 31, 2025
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.
At this point, Melissa probably doesn't realize it, but we are best friends. I hear her in my head when I am going through hard times, when I need a bit of extra encouragement, when I need to laugh in an awkward moment...If you need a friend, pick up a Melissa Radke book.
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.
At this point, Melissa probably doesn't realize it, but we are best friends. I hear her in my head when I am going through hard times, when I need a bit of extra encouragement, when I need to laugh in an awkward moment...If you need a friend, pick up a Melissa Radke book.
April 16, 2025
Received an ARC of this book and I am so glad I did. Pre-order this book now!!! I read it in 2 days! I laughed, cried, reminisced my childhood and all the times I got to spend with my grandparents and still get to spend with my mom, sister and daughter. I don't know of any other book I have read that resonated so well with me and my life. Proud to be a Chicken-Fried Woman!
September 10, 2025
Laugh out loud funny!
After reading this book, I knew I had to share it with my Mom! I read to her, she read to me, we laughed, we cried, we loved it! I’m currently on hold for the audiobook and we can’t wait to listen to it together!
After reading this book, I knew I had to share it with my Mom! I read to her, she read to me, we laughed, we cried, we loved it! I’m currently on hold for the audiobook and we can’t wait to listen to it together!
March 11, 2025
I was given an early copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of this book.
This is a beautiful, poignant, and laugh-out-loud memoir. Melissa manages to weave stories of grief but also humor within real-life vignettes of her larger-than-life female extended family. Her Southern family are sassy, fun, and beat to the rhythm of their own drums. I laughed out loud many times while I read this. Once I finished the chapter on Lilly the Lamb, I absolutely had to read it again out loud for my husband, who also had a good laugh.
Through her powerful stories, Melissa also encourages self-reflection that deepened my appreciation for the women in my own life. As a last note, she includes her family recipes, and let's just say they aren't written in typical fashion. You'll have to get the book to see what I mean. Highly recommend!
This is a beautiful, poignant, and laugh-out-loud memoir. Melissa manages to weave stories of grief but also humor within real-life vignettes of her larger-than-life female extended family. Her Southern family are sassy, fun, and beat to the rhythm of their own drums. I laughed out loud many times while I read this. Once I finished the chapter on Lilly the Lamb, I absolutely had to read it again out loud for my husband, who also had a good laugh.
Through her powerful stories, Melissa also encourages self-reflection that deepened my appreciation for the women in my own life. As a last note, she includes her family recipes, and let's just say they aren't written in typical fashion. You'll have to get the book to see what I mean. Highly recommend!
December 30, 2025
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.
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.
October 19, 2025
This is a "new-to-me" author and I'm so glad I won this as an advanced e-galley from Worthy Publishing. I was traveling to Florida through the Carolinas and this was a perfect accompaniment to my trip. The title comes from the strong women that surrounded and raised Radke, "battered on the outside, tender on the inside. Some are salty and a couple are Nashville Hot."
Not too long ago I read What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings by Leanne Morgan and these two memoirs had much in common. Both comics had (relatively) strong Christian upbringing which reflects in their life today and aren't afraid to mention it, as well as err, uncommon family adventures. I thought Radke's book had more "bite" to it, more funny women and stories but it may be because all her stories were new to me.
It's obvious that Radke appreciates all the female upbringing she's had, but for those of us who have no female cousins, or aunts that live nearby this is a bittersweet reminder of what some of us never had in our lives. I'll give her credit, too, for taking responsibility for a friendship mishap. It sounds like once she makes a friend, that's a friend for life. I can't say that's my case--for example when I've moved or when kids graduated, most of those friends dropped off my radar for good. They were in my life at that time, not for "all time." (Ha! That sounds like a sister wife marriage vow.)
One of the saddest things I've ever heard happened to her mother, and remember I'm 66, I've heard alot of sad stuff.
Funny quote when she's starting to list recipes--"Don't write me an email and tell me the Pioneer Woman did it better! Duh! We know this! That is why she could buy us and sell us. That's why she has a line at Walmart and we just stand in a line at Walmart." And my goodness, they sure don't hold back on using bacon. If there's one tip she could pass onto me--what can you give someone as a casserole dish when they're allergic to just about everything? or on low-salt, no dairy, low-fat, etc?
And yes, I have to agree with her chapter on using people's names as a verb. When I was teaching my daughter to drive, she would circle parking lots looking for two spaces open so she could park facing out. 20 years later, we still call that "doing a Kimmie". (Others say in their family it's called "princess parking.")
Not too long ago I read What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings by Leanne Morgan and these two memoirs had much in common. Both comics had (relatively) strong Christian upbringing which reflects in their life today and aren't afraid to mention it, as well as err, uncommon family adventures. I thought Radke's book had more "bite" to it, more funny women and stories but it may be because all her stories were new to me.
It's obvious that Radke appreciates all the female upbringing she's had, but for those of us who have no female cousins, or aunts that live nearby this is a bittersweet reminder of what some of us never had in our lives. I'll give her credit, too, for taking responsibility for a friendship mishap. It sounds like once she makes a friend, that's a friend for life. I can't say that's my case--for example when I've moved or when kids graduated, most of those friends dropped off my radar for good. They were in my life at that time, not for "all time." (Ha! That sounds like a sister wife marriage vow.)
One of the saddest things I've ever heard happened to her mother, and remember I'm 66, I've heard alot of sad stuff.
Funny quote when she's starting to list recipes--"Don't write me an email and tell me the Pioneer Woman did it better! Duh! We know this! That is why she could buy us and sell us. That's why she has a line at Walmart and we just stand in a line at Walmart." And my goodness, they sure don't hold back on using bacon. If there's one tip she could pass onto me--what can you give someone as a casserole dish when they're allergic to just about everything? or on low-salt, no dairy, low-fat, etc?
And yes, I have to agree with her chapter on using people's names as a verb. When I was teaching my daughter to drive, she would circle parking lots looking for two spaces open so she could park facing out. 20 years later, we still call that "doing a Kimmie". (Others say in their family it's called "princess parking.")
February 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
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!
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!
March 11, 2025
First, thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC version of this book!
From the line of “Are you even wearing a bra?” — I was hooked.
Melissa and I are kindred spirits—if said spirits were of the DD kind. I laughed until I cried when Granny takes Melissa to see Mrs. Pratt…and the whole female side of the family goes for the entertainment value. I’m surprised they didn’t stop and buy movie popcorn before the show.
From giving directions by way of Taco Bell, big hair and bangs, to divorcing friends, Melissa shares all with humor, honesty, and humility. She shares not only what Chicken Fried Women are, but she goes out of her way to share her family with us, their love and loss, their beauty and their gossip. I feel like I know Annetta now, and I’m sad that Granny is no longer with us to provide more quotes between chapters.
No matter what, you won’t doubt Melissa’s faith and love for Jesus!
Then there are occasional tears that have you laughing and sighing within moments of each other.
Just wait until you read about Lilly the Lamb. Simply tragic. Mortifying. And truly something out of a fictional novel—truth is often stranger than fiction!
So as Melissa would say, “…the women remain.” So men, remember that when it’s only the Chicken Fried Women left after you’re gone.
#ChickenFriedWomen
From the line of “Are you even wearing a bra?” — I was hooked.
Melissa and I are kindred spirits—if said spirits were of the DD kind. I laughed until I cried when Granny takes Melissa to see Mrs. Pratt…and the whole female side of the family goes for the entertainment value. I’m surprised they didn’t stop and buy movie popcorn before the show.
From giving directions by way of Taco Bell, big hair and bangs, to divorcing friends, Melissa shares all with humor, honesty, and humility. She shares not only what Chicken Fried Women are, but she goes out of her way to share her family with us, their love and loss, their beauty and their gossip. I feel like I know Annetta now, and I’m sad that Granny is no longer with us to provide more quotes between chapters.
No matter what, you won’t doubt Melissa’s faith and love for Jesus!
Then there are occasional tears that have you laughing and sighing within moments of each other.
Just wait until you read about Lilly the Lamb. Simply tragic. Mortifying. And truly something out of a fictional novel—truth is often stranger than fiction!
So as Melissa would say, “…the women remain.” So men, remember that when it’s only the Chicken Fried Women left after you’re gone.
#ChickenFriedWomen
May 24, 2025
First, let me just say I love Melissa Radke! She doesn’t know me, but I feel like she wrote this book for me and I love her. But she didn’t just write this book for me; she wrote it for all women everywhere. She is so honest and real. The stories about her life and these women are so relatable. I laughed so hard I cried (that story about the lamb killed me dead!), and then I cried so hard I couldn’t breathe. As I read each chapter and story I was reminded of the women in my own life and how they have shaped who I am. I was so touched and inspired by the overarching message Melissa shares in this book that I have already been recommending it to friends and plan to buy it as gifts for some of the special women in my life. If you need a good laugh, read this book! If you need a good cry, read this book. If you just need to know that your crazy, messy, sometimes hard life (and the women in it) is normal, read this book. No, really, READ. THIS. BOOK. And then for more laughs and inspiration, go follow Melissa Radke on social media. You can thank me later.
September 3, 2025
I am the type of person that rarely laughs at slap stick comedy and rarely laughs out loud at TV or radio of books. I laughed at a few places in this book. Once I had to stop listening and call my daughter, who finished reading it a few weeks ago, just to say where I was and wasn't that just like us?
My southern born and bred mother was also not the typical 'grandmother' that you think of in the south. When she passed away, my sister and I pondered words to describe her and we settled on unique blessing.She was 100% chicken fried. She could cut you down with a look in a minute, but then also the next day bring you a caramel iced sheet cake.
I think she would have enjoyed this book as much as my daughter and I did. Thank you Melissa Radke for sharing your family with mine.
By the way, I always bring banana pudding to the church potluck. But only the cold version, not the hot one, like it or not.
My southern born and bred mother was also not the typical 'grandmother' that you think of in the south. When she passed away, my sister and I pondered words to describe her and we settled on unique blessing.She was 100% chicken fried. She could cut you down with a look in a minute, but then also the next day bring you a caramel iced sheet cake.
I think she would have enjoyed this book as much as my daughter and I did. Thank you Melissa Radke for sharing your family with mine.
By the way, I always bring banana pudding to the church potluck. But only the cold version, not the hot one, like it or not.
March 17, 2025
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.
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.
April 5, 2025
I was so excited when Worthy Publishing reached out to ask if I wanted to read an advanced copy of Chicken-Friend Women. To be completely honest I had not heard of this book or this author, but I’m a fan now! This book was hilarious and heartwarming - a few stories literally had me laughing out loud with tears streaming down my face. I could not wait to retell the story of Lily the Lamb to my sister who teaches preschool!
Melissa Radke wrote this memoir as a celebration of all the women in her life who have made her who she is - her granny, her mom, her Aunt Melba, her friends. She describes them as “Chicken-Fried Women” - battered on the outside, tender on the inside. I truly felt like I have met each woman Melissa describes in her stories - at church, at work, at school, around the neighborhood. I loved the stories about her granny the most though, because they reminded me so much of my own Chicken-Fried Woman, my grandma Mama Rue. Overall this was an easy, quick, relatable read full of joy!
Melissa Radke wrote this memoir as a celebration of all the women in her life who have made her who she is - her granny, her mom, her Aunt Melba, her friends. She describes them as “Chicken-Fried Women” - battered on the outside, tender on the inside. I truly felt like I have met each woman Melissa describes in her stories - at church, at work, at school, around the neighborhood. I loved the stories about her granny the most though, because they reminded me so much of my own Chicken-Fried Woman, my grandma Mama Rue. Overall this was an easy, quick, relatable read full of joy!
April 24, 2025
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.
"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.
September 9, 2025
Recommend audio version of this book-- read by author who knows the inflection and tone of the dear chicken fried women. Especially audio for chapter five!!
My observation as a near fifty chicken fried woman (battered on the outside and tender on the inside)- We are exposed to the world first by our family and as a child we can idolize them - they create what we think is normal, right or wrong. In our twenties our world expands and we gain our own self identity. Later we turn back around and see everyone and everything with new eyes. The truly fortunate can reconcile the new and old vantagepoints. They can appreciate and honor the unique shared history with their family. The luckiest experience these life long relationships without grudges, anytime you have a person for longer than a minute there will be missteps along the way.
My observation as a near fifty chicken fried woman (battered on the outside and tender on the inside)- We are exposed to the world first by our family and as a child we can idolize them - they create what we think is normal, right or wrong. In our twenties our world expands and we gain our own self identity. Later we turn back around and see everyone and everything with new eyes. The truly fortunate can reconcile the new and old vantagepoints. They can appreciate and honor the unique shared history with their family. The luckiest experience these life long relationships without grudges, anytime you have a person for longer than a minute there will be missteps along the way.
February 17, 2025
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 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.
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