The Roxy Letters
Author: Mary Pauline Lowry
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
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Note: Content warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
Meet Roxy. She’s a sometimes vegan, always broke artist with a heart the size of Texas and an ex living in her spare bedroom. Her life is messy, but with the help of a few good friends and by the grace of the goddess Venus she’ll discover that good sex, true love, and her life’s purpose are all closer than she realizes.
Bridget Jones penned a diary; Roxy writes letters. Specifically: she writes letters to her hapless, rent-avoidant ex-boyfriend — and current roommate — Everett. This charming and funny twenty-something is under-employed (and under-romanced), and she’s decidedly fed up with the indignities she endures as a deli maid at Whole Foods (the original), and the dismaying speed at which her beloved Austin is becoming corporatized. When a new Lululemon pops up at the intersection of Sixth and Lamar where the old Waterloo Video used to be, Roxy can stay silent no longer.
As her letters to Everett become less about overdue rent and more about the state of her life, Roxy realizes she’s ready to be the heroine of her own story. She decides to team up with her two best friends to save Austin—and rescue Roxy’s love life—in whatever way they can. But can this spunky, unforgettable millennial keep Austin weird, avoid arrest, and find romance — and even creative inspiration — in the process?
TL;DR Review
The Roxy Letters was just what I needed right now, as coronavirus upends the world: a funny, joyful, lighthearted book about a character you can’t help but love.
For you if: You like contemporary fiction and are looking for a smile!
Full Review
Okay so let me start by saying that contemporary fiction isn’t usually a go-to genre for me, and I’m typically far too much of a fix-it, action-oriented type A to read books about characters who are a hot mess. But as Roxy would say, oh my Goddess — this book was DELIGHTFUL.
The book is written entirely in the form of letters that Roxy addresses to her ex-boyfriend-turned-friend, Everett. He starts out as her new roommate, too, and the first few letters make their way to him. But soon she starts writing them to him but for herself, very much like a diary. We follow Roxy for about six months as she navigates the reality of her terrible job, lingering broken heart, search for artistic inspiration, several pursuits for romance, some burgeoning friendships, passion for her city, and a rekindling of her love of life.
And friends, Roxy is HILARIOUS. She is witty and uses her buoyant vocabulary and ceaseless energy to write the most entertaining letters — absolutely hats off to Mary Pauline Lowry for this incredible voice and characterization.
Roxy is absolutely a hot mess and a bit short-sighted, but she has a really big heart. Her adventures and antics in this book are just the right mix of farcical and serious, and by the end of the book, you’ll have fallen for her hard. You’ll be rooting for her, proud of her, rolling your eyes at her, and cheering her on. The ending is a little deus ex machina but totally uplifting and heartwarming.
This book was EXACTLY what I needed right now, with coronavirus spinning the world on its head. It was light, fun, and a delightful escape. The work that Lowry’s put into Roxy’s character just makes the whole thing — if it had been written in third person, I could have wanted to wring Roxy’s neck. But through the eyes of these letters, I adored her.
If you need something that will squeeze your heart and make you laugh, look no further!
Content Warnings
Explicit language, especially about sex
Mental illness
Addiction
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