At a Glance

Title: The Roxy Letters

 Author: Mary Pauline Lowry

Expected Publication: April 7, 2020 by Simon Schuster

Page: 320

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick-Lit

Goodreads Rating: 3.38 out of 5

My Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

“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?”

---

My Thoughts

I had been reading another thriller, but really needed something to break up lighter to break up the intense reads I’ve been engrossed in. The Roxy Letters was the perfect fix for this! Told entirely through letters from Roxy to her roommate, this book is quirky and at first seems a little superficial. As an San Antonian, who has spent quite a bit of time in Austin especially since I have a ton of friends who went to UT and even have a friend that lives two blocks away from the Whole Foods featured in the book, it was actually fun to place myself in the experiences that Roxy goes through. I almost felt that one of my friends was simply texting me.

Roxy really bothered me at first, she tends to have pity parties for herself. But as we get through the story she grows and evolves into an actual adult. Roxy is the same age of I am, but Annie is who I related to the most from a personality perspective. She’s driven and takes what she wants from the world. Artemis was by far my favorite character though. Her spontaneity and encouragement were a thrill to read about. All three characters were the perfect triangle and level each other out. The thing I found the best about this book though, was how all three girls fight for each other. They stand up for one and other, look out for one another, and love each other no matter what. They’re the perfect description of what female friendships should be. While romance plays a huge part in the story line, it’s the female friendship that really thrives and brings the whole story together.

I loved that Lowry focused on social rights. While I could never be a Vegan and I don’t necessary agree with all the perspectives the girls had, I love the emphasis on social justice and how even one person can make a difference in the world. Past that, Lowry, did a fantastic job of portraying mental illness as well. I can’t believe how many big topics Lowry covers in such a short and fun book. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good laugh, especially women in the mid twenties to thirties.

This book comes out April 7th! If you think you’d like to read this book, get your copy HERE!

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on The Roxy Letters. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thank you to the author Mary Pauline Lowry for my advanced copy!

About the Author

Mary Pauline Lowry is a native of Austin, Texas. Her novel “The Roxy Letters” is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster on April 7, 2020. She’s the author of the novel “Wildfire,” and is a regular contributor to O, the Oprah Magazine. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Millions, and other publications.

She recently received her MFA from Boise State University in Idaho. She currently lives in Boise with her husband George, who is English and has taught her that tea really is a balm for the soul.

One of her dreams in life is to ride a sled pulled by a gaggle of joyful dachshunds.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and recommendation. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.