A review by jillwedemeier
Love and Hot Chicken by Mary Liza Hartong

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I'm not going to lie, I picked up this book based solely on its name. Hot chicken is my all-time favorite food, and I just couldn't wait to dig it (pun intended?). The cover describes this book as "a delicious southern novel," which is definitely accurate. I loved the small-town charm and antics of Pennywhistle, Tennessee, and the hilarious southern quips had me laughing out loud and missing my days living in the Volunteer State. While the book had its funny moments, there are also more serious themes of grief, friendship, and relationships. The story itself was good—albeit a little wordy and woke at times. It took awhile to get into it, but overall it was an enjoyable and quick read. I really enjoyed the beauty pageant and that there was a bit of an underlying mystery to solve. An impressive debut from Mary Liza Hartong, and now I'm craving some hot chicken!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.