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The Roxy Letters
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?
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?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2020
251 people are currently reading
14123 people want to read
About the author
Mary Pauline Lowry
6 books227 followersMary 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
November 14, 2025
Roxy - a quasi-vegan, dog-loving perpetually broke artist - has hit yet another stumbling block (could it actually be rock bottom??).
Stop complaining. Stop being so wishy-washy. You want power? Take it.
She's quickly running out of money and desperately needs someone to rent her spare bedroom.
...it's important for you know once and for all that I will not be getting back together with you.And along comes Everett - her ex-boyfriend who also is a bit down on his luck and is willing to help her out.
And so begins Roxy's letters - sometimes hilarious, often wildly inappropriate and always unique.
The reader follows along as Roxy loses (and perhaps finds?) herself in the ever-changing world.
So.
Sooooo.
Sooooooooooo.
I think this one had a lot of potential, but it just wasn't my style.
The format was interesting - though often the line between letters and an normal narration seemed to blur, but I would say that it worked (for the most part).
The storyline was certainly unique - Roxy's antics were rather funny at first...but it just didn't last for me.
She was thirty years old but perpetually acted like she was sixteen to nineteen (many of the letters to her ex-boyfriend reminisced about her favorite purple merman sex toy...)
I was amused by it for a while but then...it just started to get a little old. It began to wear on me when she made (yet another) bad decision or did something (yet again) that was wildly inappropriate.
Plus she would just blurt out the most cringe-worthy statements.
"I was so busy shaving my legs, trimming my giant power triangle, and vacuuming up dog hair, I forgot to eat dinner."And that's not even getting into the weird sex cult that took up so much of this book's page space. To put it frank it was...squidgy and just got more TMI as the book went on.
I think perhaps if I was more in the mood for this...maybe I would have enjoyed it more?
I think someone who really has a crude sense of humor and doesn't mind copious (and I mean copious) sex talk, it could work.
Though, on a side note - I absolutely LOVED Artemis and Anna (Roxy's two down-to-earth friends) - they almost made the book worth it for me! If the book just had the two of them in it - 5 stars all the way.
A huge thank you to Mimi from Goodreads for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.
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May 23, 2020
Many thanks to INSERT for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
Dear Everett…
If I could describe this book in one word, it would be “sigh”. A very long, relatively annoyed sigh.
When I requested this book, it was because the publishers seemed to be putting so much faith in its potential success. Also, because of the cover and because it was compared to Where’d You Go Bernadette
Unfortunately, this book was very not Where’d You Go Bernadette-y. Mostly, because Where’d You Go Bernadette was a raw, passionate story about mental illness, love, and motherhood whereas this… was a smoking mess.
I absolutely hated the main character, Roxy. She was entitled, annoying, and quite stupid. At first, I thought those would all be character flaws she would overcome by the end of the novel but I slowly realized that they seemed to be implied as a positive part of her personality.
The only character I was actually kind of interested in and cared about was Everett, the recipient of Roxy’s letters but because the book was told in 100% Roxy Letters, we were never able to really see him.
On the note of the letters… It was an interesting style to employ but it wasn’t done very well. This style CAN be done well (like The Screwtape Letters) but it wasn’t because there were no letters responding or from other characters. I was literally trapped inside Roxy’s annoying mind for the entire book.
Bottom Line:
Rating - [2 Stars]
Age Rating - [ R ]
Content Screening (Mild Spoilers)
Educational Value (0/0)
Positive Messages (1/5) - [Endurance]
Violence (0/0)
Sex (4/5) - [Sexual themes, Constant discussion of sex, Innuendos]
Language (4/5) - [F**k, sh*t, d*mn]
Drinking/Drugs (4/5) - [Alcohol consumption, Drug selling]
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary/Fiction
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that didn't go well... review to come
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[11/16/19] - thanks to my sister for helping me take this picture!
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i requested this from S & S because:
-It was compared to Where'd You Go Bernadette
-The cover is beautiful
-According to Edelweiss+, the first print run is going to be 150K. For those of you who don't speak publicity, that's a huge amount of copies
➵ Another buddy read with the amazing Miranda from Miranda Reads
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November 15, 2019
I didn’t like the first couple chapters of this book because the narrator is writing letters to her ex-boyfriend who has moved in with her, and it took me some getting used to this style. I’m so glad I stuck with it because I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS NOVEL.
The narrator, Roxy, is a vegan who works at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Austin is where she grew up, and she hates the way it’s changing, including the influx of people and corporate (instead of local) businesses that have been taking over. She’s an artist who can’t create art since her heart was broken, and she’s broke thanks to her animals’ endless medical bills and low-wage job. Cleary, nothing is going her way.
Her strong friendships with women, her misguided forays into relationships with men, her love of her furballs (a dog, Roscoe, and a cat named Charlize Theron), help her ultimately get out of her rut, but naturally she has many misadventures along the way.
I will caution you that there was one portion of the book that made my eyes go wide and think, “oh, I really hope that’s not a real thing but I’m not going to Google it because that will be in my search history for eternity.” But the very fact this activity is so out there was an important part of her relationship with ex, Everett, and her own growth and change.
I recommend this novel, you just have to get used to Roxy writing letters that are never returned, very often because she never puts them on the table for Everett to find.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES APRIL 7, 2020.
The narrator, Roxy, is a vegan who works at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Austin is where she grew up, and she hates the way it’s changing, including the influx of people and corporate (instead of local) businesses that have been taking over. She’s an artist who can’t create art since her heart was broken, and she’s broke thanks to her animals’ endless medical bills and low-wage job. Cleary, nothing is going her way.
Her strong friendships with women, her misguided forays into relationships with men, her love of her furballs (a dog, Roscoe, and a cat named Charlize Theron), help her ultimately get out of her rut, but naturally she has many misadventures along the way.
I will caution you that there was one portion of the book that made my eyes go wide and think, “oh, I really hope that’s not a real thing but I’m not going to Google it because that will be in my search history for eternity.” But the very fact this activity is so out there was an important part of her relationship with ex, Everett, and her own growth and change.
I recommend this novel, you just have to get used to Roxy writing letters that are never returned, very often because she never puts them on the table for Everett to find.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES APRIL 7, 2020.
April 9, 2020
AVAILABLE APRIL 7th
Uh...this was no Bridget Jones's Diary.
Yes, both Bridget and Roxy are quirky, but where Bridget was quick, precise, and hilarious...Roxy is long, rambling, and sometimes mildly amusing.
Roxy enjoys writing letters to her ex-boyfriend, who, for a short portion of the story, is also living in her guest bedroom.
In those letters, she writes about her veganism; her lack of action between the sheets; her merman vibrator; her tweaker meth-head neighbors; her hatred of big corporations (including Lululemon); her deli job at Whole Foods; her "furballs," (a miniature Dachshund named Roscoe and a cat named Charlize Theron); her experience with a sex cult (which was cringe-worthy); her boss, Dirty Steve; her love for Patrick, the beer guy at Whole Foods; and her inability, as an artist, to paint.
Unfortunately, the letters are so long, the chapters are never-ending. By the time I was nearly 40% through the book, I'd only gotten through four chapters.
Roxy is a fun character, but the sole utilization of letters to tell her story simply didn't work.
There was also a story line, which I thought for sure would play a part at the conclusion of the novel, but instead, completely disappeared. So odd.
The Roxy Letters is a cutesy story and would probably be perfect as a light, easy beach read...but if you're expecting another Bridget Jones, you'll be disappointed.
2.5 stars
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Uh...this was no Bridget Jones's Diary.
Yes, both Bridget and Roxy are quirky, but where Bridget was quick, precise, and hilarious...Roxy is long, rambling, and sometimes mildly amusing.
Roxy enjoys writing letters to her ex-boyfriend, who, for a short portion of the story, is also living in her guest bedroom.
In those letters, she writes about her veganism; her lack of action between the sheets; her merman vibrator; her tweaker meth-head neighbors; her hatred of big corporations (including Lululemon); her deli job at Whole Foods; her "furballs," (a miniature Dachshund named Roscoe and a cat named Charlize Theron); her experience with a sex cult (which was cringe-worthy); her boss, Dirty Steve; her love for Patrick, the beer guy at Whole Foods; and her inability, as an artist, to paint.
Unfortunately, the letters are so long, the chapters are never-ending. By the time I was nearly 40% through the book, I'd only gotten through four chapters.
Roxy is a fun character, but the sole utilization of letters to tell her story simply didn't work.
There was also a story line, which I thought for sure would play a part at the conclusion of the novel, but instead, completely disappeared. So odd.
The Roxy Letters is a cutesy story and would probably be perfect as a light, easy beach read...but if you're expecting another Bridget Jones, you'll be disappointed.
2.5 stars
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
July 12, 2020
3.5 Stars, rounded down. I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing debut, it was a blast! I found myself laughing out loud more than once while listening to this audio-book, imagining myself in some of the outrageous situations Roxy found herself in. I will say that Roxy came off a bit needy and 'extra,' at times, and i'm not sure if I would actually take to her if she were real, but I grew to tolerate and then really like her by the end of this novel. The formatting is similar to Bridget Jones' Diary in that the entire novel is comprised of several letters (instead of diary entries like Bridget) from Roxy addressed to her former roommate and good friend, Everett. I found this formatting a bit irritating at first, but it eventually grew on me and I enjoyed it. I think I needed to read this novel as it was a welcome break from the heavy psychological thrillers I've been consuming. I would recommend this to anyone wanting something lighter and just all-around fun!!
March 26, 2020
For Roxy, adulting is the hardest thing she had ever had to do. Her heart is in the right place and I loved reading about her road to self-discovery, and the growing pains in her personal and professional life. Luckily, she is surrounded with supportive friends and bestowed positivity by the goddess Venus, Roxy may overcome this bump in the road in her life. “Oh my goddess”, please help her because Roxy was a complete disaster at 28 years old.
In this book, Roxy writes letters to her ex-boyfriends and roommate Everett. The letters never reach Everett as she writes to him openly about her life as a struggling artist while also working as a deli maid at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Initially, the letters were about collecting the rent, and slowly progresses to more of a self-introspection about her life and life choices. I loved the progression of the story and how Roxy truly is full of goodness and heart. I felt for her and I felt my own feelings about Roxy also progressed from, “oh my goddess what is she doing” to “yassss finally something is going right”!
This book was a light hearted and sexy read. I did both the book and audio which was narrated so amazingly by Jayme Mattler. Jayme brought Roxy’s character to life and what a fun read this was for me.
In this book, Roxy writes letters to her ex-boyfriends and roommate Everett. The letters never reach Everett as she writes to him openly about her life as a struggling artist while also working as a deli maid at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Initially, the letters were about collecting the rent, and slowly progresses to more of a self-introspection about her life and life choices. I loved the progression of the story and how Roxy truly is full of goodness and heart. I felt for her and I felt my own feelings about Roxy also progressed from, “oh my goddess what is she doing” to “yassss finally something is going right”!
This book was a light hearted and sexy read. I did both the book and audio which was narrated so amazingly by Jayme Mattler. Jayme brought Roxy’s character to life and what a fun read this was for me.
January 3, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
Oh Roxy. With all of your “goddess” and “Venus” and “grrrrrl” (and not like the “grrrrrrl lemme tell you” but like every time a female was referenced) talk I should have really wanted to punch you in the face. But dangnabbit you made me laugh so I was able to simply chalk it up to . . . . .
I requested The Roxy Letters because it was compared to Bridget Jones' Diary. In case you aren’t familiar with how I operate . . . .
Despite most of the “if you liked, then you’ll loooooove” comparisons completely missing the mark, I never learn my lesson and fall for that trick almost every time. (I also request nearly every book with a house on the cover or the mere hint that it will be about some sort of hillbilly criminal element, but that doesn’t apply here so we’ll save that discussion for another occasion.) The shout-out to my darling Bridget is actually not a terrible one here (I have no idea why my other pal Bernadette was thrown in because huh? wha????) as the “letters” Roxy pens to her ex-boyfriend Everett are actually more “Dear Diary” style since she delivers very few of them. And as I mentioned above, her antics often made me chuckle. From attempting to take down the “man” (a/k/a Lululemon), to finding herself possibly joining some sort of fingerbanging sex cult, to dating 30-year-old skateboarding manboys, to battling the tweakers and the mobile meth lab parked next door, to becoming a better friend, to maybe growing up – all while attempting to . . . . .
Roxy could certainly be pegged as a millennial Bridget.
I wish I had the capability of slooooooooowing down rather than plowing through books or reading more than one thing at a time because I think I would have enjoyed this even more in smaller doses. Not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because 3.5 Stars obviously means I did. Rounding down because of a spoilery issue at the end regarding Roxy’s decisions on dating. ACTUAL SPOILER AHEAD – DO NOT CLICK IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
3.5 Stars
Oh Roxy. With all of your “goddess” and “Venus” and “grrrrrl” (and not like the “grrrrrrl lemme tell you” but like every time a female was referenced) talk I should have really wanted to punch you in the face. But dangnabbit you made me laugh so I was able to simply chalk it up to . . . . .
I requested The Roxy Letters because it was compared to Bridget Jones' Diary. In case you aren’t familiar with how I operate . . . .
Despite most of the “if you liked, then you’ll loooooove” comparisons completely missing the mark, I never learn my lesson and fall for that trick almost every time. (I also request nearly every book with a house on the cover or the mere hint that it will be about some sort of hillbilly criminal element, but that doesn’t apply here so we’ll save that discussion for another occasion.) The shout-out to my darling Bridget is actually not a terrible one here (I have no idea why my other pal Bernadette was thrown in because huh? wha????) as the “letters” Roxy pens to her ex-boyfriend Everett are actually more “Dear Diary” style since she delivers very few of them. And as I mentioned above, her antics often made me chuckle. From attempting to take down the “man” (a/k/a Lululemon), to finding herself possibly joining some sort of fingerbanging sex cult, to dating 30-year-old skateboarding manboys, to battling the tweakers and the mobile meth lab parked next door, to becoming a better friend, to maybe growing up – all while attempting to . . . . .
Roxy could certainly be pegged as a millennial Bridget.
I wish I had the capability of slooooooooowing down rather than plowing through books or reading more than one thing at a time because I think I would have enjoyed this even more in smaller doses. Not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because 3.5 Stars obviously means I did. Rounding down because of a spoilery issue at the end regarding Roxy’s decisions on dating. ACTUAL SPOILER AHEAD – DO NOT CLICK IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
April 2, 2020
For Roxy, adulting was the hardest thing she had ever had to do. Her heart was in the right place and I loved reading about her road to self-discovery, and the growing pains in her personal and professional life. Luckily, surrounded by supportive friends and bestowed positivity by the goddess Venus, Roxy may overcome this bump in the road in her life. “Oh my goddess”, please help her because Roxy was a complete disaster at 28 years old.
In this book, Roxy writes letters to her ex-boyfriends and roommate Everett. The letters never reach Everett as she writes to him openly about her life as a struggling artist while also working as a deli maid at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Initially, the letters were about collecting the rent, and slowly progresses to more of a self-introspection about her life and life choices. I loved the progression of the story and how Roxy truly was full of goodness and heart. I felt for her and I felt my own feelings about Roxy also progressed from, “oh my goddess what is she doing” to “yassss finally something is going right”!
This book was a light hearted and sexy read. I did both the book and audio which was narrated so amazingly by Jayme Mattler. Jayme brought Roxy’s character to life and what a fun read this was for me.
In this book, Roxy writes letters to her ex-boyfriends and roommate Everett. The letters never reach Everett as she writes to him openly about her life as a struggling artist while also working as a deli maid at the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX. Initially, the letters were about collecting the rent, and slowly progresses to more of a self-introspection about her life and life choices. I loved the progression of the story and how Roxy truly was full of goodness and heart. I felt for her and I felt my own feelings about Roxy also progressed from, “oh my goddess what is she doing” to “yassss finally something is going right”!
This book was a light hearted and sexy read. I did both the book and audio which was narrated so amazingly by Jayme Mattler. Jayme brought Roxy’s character to life and what a fun read this was for me.
February 19, 2020
The Roxy Letters by Mary Pauline Lowry was a very fun and very refreshing read that I think would make an excellent palate cleanser in between heavier reads.
I listened to almost all of The Roxy Letters on audio and I absolutely loved the narrator, Jayme Mattler. She made the perfect Roxy and I enjoyed the book even more because of that! There's a little bit of romance, but this book is mostly about being a woman and kicking ass while trying to find your place in life and love. I really enjoyed the letter format although I did think it was a little weird at first since Everett doesn't actually see most of them. But I quickly got over that and really liked the format overall. I think it makes the book more concise which was fine with me although I almost wished it would just never end.
The Roxy Letters made me laugh countless times and I loved Roxy as our leading lady. There are times that will make you cringe, and other times that will make you remember girl power does exist. It's also not completely fluff which I appreciated. The Roxy Letters does touch on mental illness and addiction which gave it some depth and I liked how it was handled.
Song/s the book brought to mind: One Girl Revolution by Superchick
Final Thought: You just want to be Roxy's friend and that's something else I loved about The Roxy Letters. There are a lot of great characters, but Roxy was my favorite. This book is witty and just a nice, lighter read. There's a tiny bit of steam but nothing too crazy which was right in my wheelhouse. If you want a light read that's awesome on audio I highly recommend picking up a copy (or audiobook!) of The Roxy Letters. I will certainly be looking forward to reading all of Mary Pauline Lowry's books as they come out and I'm very happy I got the opportunity to read/listen to this book!
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for both my advance listening copy and advance review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I listened to almost all of The Roxy Letters on audio and I absolutely loved the narrator, Jayme Mattler. She made the perfect Roxy and I enjoyed the book even more because of that! There's a little bit of romance, but this book is mostly about being a woman and kicking ass while trying to find your place in life and love. I really enjoyed the letter format although I did think it was a little weird at first since Everett doesn't actually see most of them. But I quickly got over that and really liked the format overall. I think it makes the book more concise which was fine with me although I almost wished it would just never end.
The Roxy Letters made me laugh countless times and I loved Roxy as our leading lady. There are times that will make you cringe, and other times that will make you remember girl power does exist. It's also not completely fluff which I appreciated. The Roxy Letters does touch on mental illness and addiction which gave it some depth and I liked how it was handled.
Song/s the book brought to mind: One Girl Revolution by Superchick
Final Thought: You just want to be Roxy's friend and that's something else I loved about The Roxy Letters. There are a lot of great characters, but Roxy was my favorite. This book is witty and just a nice, lighter read. There's a tiny bit of steam but nothing too crazy which was right in my wheelhouse. If you want a light read that's awesome on audio I highly recommend picking up a copy (or audiobook!) of The Roxy Letters. I will certainly be looking forward to reading all of Mary Pauline Lowry's books as they come out and I'm very happy I got the opportunity to read/listen to this book!
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for both my advance listening copy and advance review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
April 7, 2020
Thank you, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me a digital ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved "The Roxy Letters" by Mary Pauline Lowry. Roxy is like an American version of Bridget Jones. At first, I wasn't sure about the writing structure, (the story is told in unsent letters she writes to her ex-boyfriend and current roommate, Everett.) but it quickly became a favorite after 30 pages or so. The writing and dialogue are hilarious. There wasn't a chapter (or page for that matter) that didn't give me a belly laugh. It's a total hoot. The only negative I can say is there's an abundance of exclamation points. THERE'S. A. LOT! But to be fair, it's part of the book's charm.
Roxy is a 28-year old Austin native who works as a deli maid at Whole Foods. She hates her job but is devoted to her hometown roots until a Lululemon opens in her neighborhood. Roxy is sickened by it to the point where she plans to stage a protest. She is worried Austin is losing all its weird, quirky charm by having so many high-end stores pop up on every corner. With the help of her co-worker, Annie, and a new impulsive friend, Artemis - Roxy will do whatever she can to save her beloved city from gentrification.
Roxy is also a struggling artist and nursing a broken heart. I liked how honest this book was when it came to sexuality. It doesn't shy away from uncomfortable situations. Roxy is an obsessive person but I found her so relatable. She's the kind of character you root for. She's sassy, loyal, accident-prone, and endearing. Even though this is considered chick-lit (I hate that sexist term), I didn't think it was cliché-ridden or predictable. You think the story is going to go a certain way and it totally does the unexpected. Ultimately, the overall message of "The Roxy Letters" is about a young woman's journey at overcoming her insecurities and rediscovering her creative potential.
Release date: April 7, 2020
I absolutely loved "The Roxy Letters" by Mary Pauline Lowry. Roxy is like an American version of Bridget Jones. At first, I wasn't sure about the writing structure, (the story is told in unsent letters she writes to her ex-boyfriend and current roommate, Everett.) but it quickly became a favorite after 30 pages or so. The writing and dialogue are hilarious. There wasn't a chapter (or page for that matter) that didn't give me a belly laugh. It's a total hoot. The only negative I can say is there's an abundance of exclamation points. THERE'S. A. LOT! But to be fair, it's part of the book's charm.
Roxy is a 28-year old Austin native who works as a deli maid at Whole Foods. She hates her job but is devoted to her hometown roots until a Lululemon opens in her neighborhood. Roxy is sickened by it to the point where she plans to stage a protest. She is worried Austin is losing all its weird, quirky charm by having so many high-end stores pop up on every corner. With the help of her co-worker, Annie, and a new impulsive friend, Artemis - Roxy will do whatever she can to save her beloved city from gentrification.
Roxy is also a struggling artist and nursing a broken heart. I liked how honest this book was when it came to sexuality. It doesn't shy away from uncomfortable situations. Roxy is an obsessive person but I found her so relatable. She's the kind of character you root for. She's sassy, loyal, accident-prone, and endearing. Even though this is considered chick-lit (I hate that sexist term), I didn't think it was cliché-ridden or predictable. You think the story is going to go a certain way and it totally does the unexpected. Ultimately, the overall message of "The Roxy Letters" is about a young woman's journey at overcoming her insecurities and rediscovering her creative potential.
Release date: April 7, 2020
April 29, 2020
The Roxy Letters
is a cute, quirky, epistolary novel.
Roxy’s life has hit a rough patch. Her financial situation is bleak, her love life is nonexistent, her job as a “deli maid” at Whole Foods (the original) is dissatisfying and often in jeopardy, and as an artist, she has no motivation to create. It’s gotten so bad that she’s allowed her ex-boyfriend Everett to move in with her, so she can get some extra income she needs to get out of debt.
The thing is, Everett isn’t that good with paying rent on time, or observing boundaries, so Roxy starts writing him letters, to remind him of his obligations and set some rules for their cohabitation (don’t come into her bedroom if the door is closed, don’t eat her food). And he also isn't around all that much, which defeats some of the purpose of why Roxy wanted him there in the first place.
But little by little, these letters become less about the rent and more Roxy’s way of reflecting her feelings—envy of one of her best friends, whose career is taking off while hers is stagnating; worry that she won’t find romance (or even sex); and frustration that her beloved city of Austin is becoming more commercial. (The biggest slap in her face is when a Lululemon opens where an old video store used to be.)
While she continues to write letters to Everett, they become more of a de-facto diary than actual correspondence. And as her life changes, the tone of the letters change as well, reflecting Roxy’s search for romance, better employment, artistic inspiration, and ultimate fulfillment.
This is a cute, light, wacky book. It would definitely be a good change of pace between heavier reads.
I liked this but didn’t love it. Sometimes the epistolary structure works (try Julie Schumacher’s Dear Committee Members ) and sometimes it doesn’t work as effectively. I felt like I would’ve liked to have gotten to know Roxy a little better and the letters kept her at a bit of a distance, but her voice is certainly unique!
Still, despite my issues, this was a fun, quick read.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Roxy’s life has hit a rough patch. Her financial situation is bleak, her love life is nonexistent, her job as a “deli maid” at Whole Foods (the original) is dissatisfying and often in jeopardy, and as an artist, she has no motivation to create. It’s gotten so bad that she’s allowed her ex-boyfriend Everett to move in with her, so she can get some extra income she needs to get out of debt.
The thing is, Everett isn’t that good with paying rent on time, or observing boundaries, so Roxy starts writing him letters, to remind him of his obligations and set some rules for their cohabitation (don’t come into her bedroom if the door is closed, don’t eat her food). And he also isn't around all that much, which defeats some of the purpose of why Roxy wanted him there in the first place.
But little by little, these letters become less about the rent and more Roxy’s way of reflecting her feelings—envy of one of her best friends, whose career is taking off while hers is stagnating; worry that she won’t find romance (or even sex); and frustration that her beloved city of Austin is becoming more commercial. (The biggest slap in her face is when a Lululemon opens where an old video store used to be.)
While she continues to write letters to Everett, they become more of a de-facto diary than actual correspondence. And as her life changes, the tone of the letters change as well, reflecting Roxy’s search for romance, better employment, artistic inspiration, and ultimate fulfillment.
This is a cute, light, wacky book. It would definitely be a good change of pace between heavier reads.
I liked this but didn’t love it. Sometimes the epistolary structure works (try Julie Schumacher’s Dear Committee Members ) and sometimes it doesn’t work as effectively. I felt like I would’ve liked to have gotten to know Roxy a little better and the letters kept her at a bit of a distance, but her voice is certainly unique!
Still, despite my issues, this was a fun, quick read.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
May 15, 2020
The Roxy Letters
is a comedic escape from COVID-19! The entire story is based on letters from Roxy, written for her ex-boyfriend, Everett. What starts with a more mundane, just superficial type of narrative, Roxy soon ventures into sex cults, Lululemon protests, and weddings. This book is a hilarious reprieve from whatever drama you have going on in your life and I fell in love (in a platonic, friends kinda way) with Roxy. I highly recommend this book, but expect a light-hearted, sexually explicit joyride of laughs.
July 14, 2020
Who among us is all that immediately likable? Not Roxy -- but like so many of us, it's getting to know us that makes us loveable! Roxy starts off superficially but by the end, I was so glad I gave this book a chance! Audiobook reader Jayme Mattler offers a spot-on performance.
April 27, 2020
Did you ever feel like maybe you shouldn’t read a book, because you wouldn’t relate to the main character?
I kinda thought - oh, this chick, she doesn’t sound like someone I can identify with. I’ve been there: young, trying to find my way in life and love, and definitely don’t want to go back to that place.
But then I met Roxy.❤️
I started reading the physical book first and then I switched to audio cause I needed to hear Roxy tell her story, in her own voice. I cringed, I covered my ears, and I may or may not have laughed so hard that wine came out my nose.
I forgive you Roxy for the wasted wine.🍷
And Mary Pauline Lowry is hilarious. I’m sure you’ve seen her around in some of my favorite book friends' stories lately on Instagram - answering questions while drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and laying naked in her bathtub drowning in a pile of her books.
I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Because in the end - Roxy is just trying to figure sh*t out… and aren’t we all just trying to do that? And what could be more relatable than that?!
I kinda thought - oh, this chick, she doesn’t sound like someone I can identify with. I’ve been there: young, trying to find my way in life and love, and definitely don’t want to go back to that place.
But then I met Roxy.❤️
I started reading the physical book first and then I switched to audio cause I needed to hear Roxy tell her story, in her own voice. I cringed, I covered my ears, and I may or may not have laughed so hard that wine came out my nose.
I forgive you Roxy for the wasted wine.🍷
And Mary Pauline Lowry is hilarious. I’m sure you’ve seen her around in some of my favorite book friends' stories lately on Instagram - answering questions while drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and laying naked in her bathtub drowning in a pile of her books.
I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Because in the end - Roxy is just trying to figure sh*t out… and aren’t we all just trying to do that? And what could be more relatable than that?!
April 6, 2020
This is the perfect novel to take your mind off stressful things! You'll laugh, you'll blush, you'll wish you had a Roxy in your life (and, perhaps, that you lived in Austin with her!)
April 23, 2020
Roxy is a 28 year-old, struggling artist in Austin, Texas working at the deli counter of a the flagship Whole Foods. She is passionate and vocal about her feminist and animal rights beliefs and the preservation of local Austin culture.
Written in the form of letters to her ex boyfriend, we travel with Roxy on a wild and fairly strange mission for self-growth and -discovery.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this one. The drama and immature characters felt very YA-esque and I really didn’t like Roxy. The women and the writing was hypersexualized, the characters were generally selfish, and there were way too many convenient coincidences connecting the love interests. In the end, it came together better than I expected so I went with 2.5 rounded up.
Written in the form of letters to her ex boyfriend, we travel with Roxy on a wild and fairly strange mission for self-growth and -discovery.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this one. The drama and immature characters felt very YA-esque and I really didn’t like Roxy. The women and the writing was hypersexualized, the characters were generally selfish, and there were way too many convenient coincidences connecting the love interests. In the end, it came together better than I expected so I went with 2.5 rounded up.
April 1, 2020
The Roxy Letters was everything I hoped it would be! It was such a fun, quirky read, and I adored main character Roxy so much. From her hilarious antics of working as the Deli Maid at Whole Foods to her burgeoning friendship with eccentric Artemis.
There were so many laugh out loud moments.. including Princess and her Pea.. the sushi..and the pink python panties.
Loved it and it definitely made me escape the past few days!
*thank you to Simon & Schuster and author for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
There were so many laugh out loud moments.. including Princess and her Pea.. the sushi..and the pink python panties.
Loved it and it definitely made me escape the past few days!
*thank you to Simon & Schuster and author for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
February 15, 2020
I really wasn’t sure about this one most of the way through. It was very different from anything I have read as far as how it was written. It is a series of letters written to the main protagonists ex-boyfriend. I found it a really odd format, but the further I read, the better it seemed to get. I still think it was odd, but it wasn’t bad.
I loved the characters from the Venus loving protagonist to the bi-polar friend. It was entertaining and there were definitely spots that made me laugh out loud. The language really got to me though. I know it doesn’t bother a lot of people, but I really hate the ‘F’ bomb being dropped all the time or someone using the ‘C’ word. I just feel like there are so many better ways to communicate than using bad language. I feel it lessens the conversation or the text. So, I found that annoying, but overall the story was entertaining and fun.
So, there you have it. A fun read that took me a bit to get into because of the format. Overall, it was pretty good. It would have been even better without the foul language, but that is just me.
I loved the characters from the Venus loving protagonist to the bi-polar friend. It was entertaining and there were definitely spots that made me laugh out loud. The language really got to me though. I know it doesn’t bother a lot of people, but I really hate the ‘F’ bomb being dropped all the time or someone using the ‘C’ word. I just feel like there are so many better ways to communicate than using bad language. I feel it lessens the conversation or the text. So, I found that annoying, but overall the story was entertaining and fun.
So, there you have it. A fun read that took me a bit to get into because of the format. Overall, it was pretty good. It would have been even better without the foul language, but that is just me.
March 3, 2020
Dear Everett,
I encourage anyone that gets their hands on this “diary” upon its April 7th release, to refrain from consuming food/drink or placing themselves in a quiet setting while reading.
While this is not a suggested read for those easily offended by colorful language, it IS a total laugh fest for those that don’t mind it at all.
Humor aside, one will find that within these pages is a story of finding one’s place in the world, friendships, the many facets of love, mental health awareness, and ultimately the biggest lesson of all…that everyone deserves a chance.
Whether you are a wiener dog lover, whole foods consumer, Lulu lemon wearer, Venus worshiper or anything in between, I can promise that you will fall in love with me.
Happily,
Roxy
p.s. I really should not be compared to Bridget Jones or Bernadette…..I am so much better.
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the Advance Reader Copy.
I encourage anyone that gets their hands on this “diary” upon its April 7th release, to refrain from consuming food/drink or placing themselves in a quiet setting while reading.
While this is not a suggested read for those easily offended by colorful language, it IS a total laugh fest for those that don’t mind it at all.
Humor aside, one will find that within these pages is a story of finding one’s place in the world, friendships, the many facets of love, mental health awareness, and ultimately the biggest lesson of all…that everyone deserves a chance.
Whether you are a wiener dog lover, whole foods consumer, Lulu lemon wearer, Venus worshiper or anything in between, I can promise that you will fall in love with me.
Happily,
Roxy
p.s. I really should not be compared to Bridget Jones or Bernadette…..I am so much better.
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the Advance Reader Copy.
August 27, 2020
If you're looking for something lighter to lift your spirits and give you some belly laughs, this book will deliver! I actually quite liked the format of everything being letters. Weirdly to her ex-boyfriend, but hey, who am I to judge? And... I almost kinda want to do something like this... but probably won't. 😉
Roxy is quite an interesting character. Though I grew to love her, she grated on my nerves quite a bit. Her constant mentioning of Everett paying rent and saying "Oh my Goddess" and "Oh my Venus" had me rolling my eyes so much I thought I was going to dislocate one. When it came down to it though, I could also relate to her quite a bit... and certainly wish I have the gumption to actually try some of the odd ball things that she did! This may actually be quite inspiring for me to try some things I may not have otherwise!
I was especially fascinated with Artemis and would LOVE a story from her POV. How she brought Roxy out of her shell and how she also became very human herself outside of her eccentricity was probably my favorite part of this entire read. More Artemis please!!
This highly comedic and sexually explicit book was a delight to read. Even in her most annoying capacity, Roxy was a delight and a fun character to be a part of. My favorite fight of hers? With the meth head neighbors of course! If you need some side splitting hilarity in your life, come visit Roxy - you're sure to leave entertained.
★★★☆ rounding up to 4
Roxy is quite an interesting character. Though I grew to love her, she grated on my nerves quite a bit. Her constant mentioning of Everett paying rent and saying "Oh my Goddess" and "Oh my Venus" had me rolling my eyes so much I thought I was going to dislocate one. When it came down to it though, I could also relate to her quite a bit... and certainly wish I have the gumption to actually try some of the odd ball things that she did! This may actually be quite inspiring for me to try some things I may not have otherwise!
I was especially fascinated with Artemis and would LOVE a story from her POV. How she brought Roxy out of her shell and how she also became very human herself outside of her eccentricity was probably my favorite part of this entire read. More Artemis please!!
This highly comedic and sexually explicit book was a delight to read. Even in her most annoying capacity, Roxy was a delight and a fun character to be a part of. My favorite fight of hers? With the meth head neighbors of course! If you need some side splitting hilarity in your life, come visit Roxy - you're sure to leave entertained.
★★★☆ rounding up to 4
May 16, 2020
If you are looking for a book which is funny and sweet and a feel good read, look no further. The Roxy Letters is all those things and more. Roxy is somewhat like a Bridget Jones, comical, confused and looking for Mr. Right, but she is much more. She's a vegan who works at a deli department at a Whole Foods store trying to get over a boyfriend she thought was the love of her life, who can't seem to make a grown-up decision to save her life and she is always broke.
Roxy's escapades are all told to us through letters which she writes to her housemate, Everett, a past boyfriend living with her now to help her not only split the rent, which according to some of the letters he seems to forget to do, as well as help take care of her pets Charlize Theron, a cat and Roscoe, a dog who needs a nightly insulin shot.
She comically tells tales of being Vegan and having to deal with patrons who order meat, from a deli, which sells meat! And don't get her started on the run-ins with "Dirty Steve" her manager who seems to dislike everybody and keeps trying to get her fired, or give her food poisoning on any given day.
As she maneuvers through life, dating men who act like children... literally, pining over the one she lost, she befriends a woman name Armetis Starla who is so carefree and put together that Roxy envies her. Why can't she be more like Armetis? But Roxy seems to become lost in her past unable to see any hope for a promising future.
Until a Lululemon store moves into their quaint block and Roxy, well just does not feel the store belongs. So she gathers her friends to make signs and picket the store. That's when chaos really begins to ensue! As Roxy starts to stand up for what she believes, her confidence seems to grow and she becomes stronger.
Roxy learns she needs to let go of her past and forgive her ex to move on realizing that he may have actually loved her very much because he did let her go. And something unique begins to happen to her. She begins to become an adult! And she learns a very valuable lesson...not everything is always what it seems!
The hijinks are never ending and pretty amusing and the dialogue is quick-witted as we follow Roxy and her merry band of misfits to a very satisfying ending.
Thank you NetGalley, Simon&Schuster, Elizabeth Breeden and Goodreads for the advanced copies.
Roxy's escapades are all told to us through letters which she writes to her housemate, Everett, a past boyfriend living with her now to help her not only split the rent, which according to some of the letters he seems to forget to do, as well as help take care of her pets Charlize Theron, a cat and Roscoe, a dog who needs a nightly insulin shot.
She comically tells tales of being Vegan and having to deal with patrons who order meat, from a deli, which sells meat! And don't get her started on the run-ins with "Dirty Steve" her manager who seems to dislike everybody and keeps trying to get her fired, or give her food poisoning on any given day.
As she maneuvers through life, dating men who act like children... literally, pining over the one she lost, she befriends a woman name Armetis Starla who is so carefree and put together that Roxy envies her. Why can't she be more like Armetis? But Roxy seems to become lost in her past unable to see any hope for a promising future.
Until a Lululemon store moves into their quaint block and Roxy, well just does not feel the store belongs. So she gathers her friends to make signs and picket the store. That's when chaos really begins to ensue! As Roxy starts to stand up for what she believes, her confidence seems to grow and she becomes stronger.
Roxy learns she needs to let go of her past and forgive her ex to move on realizing that he may have actually loved her very much because he did let her go. And something unique begins to happen to her. She begins to become an adult! And she learns a very valuable lesson...not everything is always what it seems!
The hijinks are never ending and pretty amusing and the dialogue is quick-witted as we follow Roxy and her merry band of misfits to a very satisfying ending.
Thank you NetGalley, Simon&Schuster, Elizabeth Breeden and Goodreads for the advanced copies.
March 7, 2020
The Roxy Letters by Mary Pauline Lowry (#17 in 2020)
Thank you to @librofm and @simonandschuster for my advanced copy! PUB DATE: April 7th, 2020
Roxy, a 28 year old, under-employed artist from Austin, Texas, is caught up in the everyday nonsense of her job at Wholefoods and the pining over her "one that got away." Roxy begins to grow sick of the corporatization of her city as she notices a new Lululemon storefront in place of the old Waterloo Video store, and she pours her energy into a plan to take down the fancy athleisure franchise.
"Oh my GODDESS!"
This plot is formatted as a series of letters from Roxy to her live-in ex-boyfriend, Everett. In the beginning, Roxy's letters seem shallow and consist of details about her daily life and her request for Everett to pay the rent he owes. Roxy gossips about her coworkers at Wholefoods and her single lady lifestyle, but she also subtly suggests that she feels lonely in her quest to find the perfect guy.
Gradually, however, Roxy's letters become more introspective as her life seemingly falls apart (mostly first world problems, let's be real), and she starts to hide the letters to Everett in her most secret of dresser drawers. Roxy's letters become less of a means of communication with Everett and more of a therapeutic journaling process for herself.
Roxy is truly Next Level Basic (shoutout to @stassischroeder ) between her sometimes-veganism, her obsession with the goddess, Venus, her ex-boyfriend who still lives in her apartment, and her always-sassy personality. Roxy also possesses that Bridget Jones quality in the letters she writes and how she pours her heart out to Everett, or rather, herself.
I'm pretty sure Roxy is one of my real-life friends, and if she's not already, we totally could be. This might be my new favorite audiobook thanks to Jayme Mattler. Mattler's voice gives such a personable quality to Roxy, one that makes you feel as though you're listening to your best friend's millennial trials and tribulations.
In between all of the weird thrillers and dramatic historical fiction I've read recently, The Roxy Letters was a pleasant and comical breath of fresh air. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @librofm and @simonandschuster for my advanced copy! PUB DATE: April 7th, 2020
Roxy, a 28 year old, under-employed artist from Austin, Texas, is caught up in the everyday nonsense of her job at Wholefoods and the pining over her "one that got away." Roxy begins to grow sick of the corporatization of her city as she notices a new Lululemon storefront in place of the old Waterloo Video store, and she pours her energy into a plan to take down the fancy athleisure franchise.
"Oh my GODDESS!"
This plot is formatted as a series of letters from Roxy to her live-in ex-boyfriend, Everett. In the beginning, Roxy's letters seem shallow and consist of details about her daily life and her request for Everett to pay the rent he owes. Roxy gossips about her coworkers at Wholefoods and her single lady lifestyle, but she also subtly suggests that she feels lonely in her quest to find the perfect guy.
Gradually, however, Roxy's letters become more introspective as her life seemingly falls apart (mostly first world problems, let's be real), and she starts to hide the letters to Everett in her most secret of dresser drawers. Roxy's letters become less of a means of communication with Everett and more of a therapeutic journaling process for herself.
Roxy is truly Next Level Basic (shoutout to @stassischroeder ) between her sometimes-veganism, her obsession with the goddess, Venus, her ex-boyfriend who still lives in her apartment, and her always-sassy personality. Roxy also possesses that Bridget Jones quality in the letters she writes and how she pours her heart out to Everett, or rather, herself.
I'm pretty sure Roxy is one of my real-life friends, and if she's not already, we totally could be. This might be my new favorite audiobook thanks to Jayme Mattler. Mattler's voice gives such a personable quality to Roxy, one that makes you feel as though you're listening to your best friend's millennial trials and tribulations.
In between all of the weird thrillers and dramatic historical fiction I've read recently, The Roxy Letters was a pleasant and comical breath of fresh air. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 12, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up!
This is the type of book that you read when you want to distract yourself from the craziness in the rest of the world as well as tell yourself that living really isn’t all that bad because Roxy is a hot mess. She’s a 28 year old vegan, dog-lover, and struggling artist who works at the local Whole Foods as a deli worker. When she needs extra cash for rent, she rents out her spare bedroom to her ex-boyfriend Everett and starts a series of letters to him, which is this book.
As long as you don’t take most of this book seriously, it is a lot of fun and reminds us to rely on friends and loved ones especially during the worst of times. Yes, Roxy is immature at times considering she’s 28 years old and makes some really questionable decisions. But when life isn’t going how you planned it, you might as well have a few laughs along the way, which she definitely does.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.FM for providing an ALC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This is the type of book that you read when you want to distract yourself from the craziness in the rest of the world as well as tell yourself that living really isn’t all that bad because Roxy is a hot mess. She’s a 28 year old vegan, dog-lover, and struggling artist who works at the local Whole Foods as a deli worker. When she needs extra cash for rent, she rents out her spare bedroom to her ex-boyfriend Everett and starts a series of letters to him, which is this book.
As long as you don’t take most of this book seriously, it is a lot of fun and reminds us to rely on friends and loved ones especially during the worst of times. Yes, Roxy is immature at times considering she’s 28 years old and makes some really questionable decisions. But when life isn’t going how you planned it, you might as well have a few laughs along the way, which she definitely does.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.FM for providing an ALC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
April 17, 2020
I'm the author of this book and I'm "reviewing" it only so I have access to the "Kindle Notes & Highlights" so I can share my annotated notes with readers! I'm new to this and hopefully am navigating this correctly! Stay tuned for my notes on The Roxy Letters.
August 5, 2020
This an adventurous chit-lit title!!! Loved it 🙌🏽🙌🏽
April 13, 2020
The Roxy Letters is like R rated Chick Lit. It’s feministic & humorous without the cliches & fluff, tackling subjects like mental illness & addiction. Audiobook is 🔥too.
Read
February 1, 2020DNF at 45%
Twenty-something Roxy is a sometimes vegan living in Austin, Texas with a messy love life and a job behind the Whole Foods deli counter that barely covers her mortgage.
Struggling financially, she makes the decision to allow her ex-boyfriend Everett to move in and pay rent.
Through a series of letters that Roxy writes to the mostly absent Everett to whine about his late rent and (for reasons unknown) keep him updated on her daily life, readers learn of Roxy's cringe-worthy attempts at romance, her hatred for Lululemon and her meth cooking neighbors, and annoyance that Everett appears to have joined some sort of sex cult.
Does this sound eccentric and charming? Like a rom-com you'd like to watch with girlfriends? Yes, that's what I thought, too. But the delivery was absolutely annoying in my opinion. This character is writing long letters to her ex-boyfriend (who is never around and is obviously using her for a cheap place to stay) explaining her embarrassing sexual encounters, crush on a drummer, new friendships, and plot to take down Lululemon. It's trying too hard to be funny and relatable.
It was cringe-inducing by the 10% mark and as I approached 30% it had turned into a hate read so I admittedly gave up at the half-way mark. I just didn't care to know any more about Roxy or what happened to her or why in the hell she was still writing letters to her ex.
I think my dislike for the book is a combination of things, including the format and the attempt to make Roxy a flawed but relatable character. I love a charmingly quirky character but didn't find that in Roxy unfortunately.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Roxy Letters is scheduled for release on April 7, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Twenty-something Roxy is a sometimes vegan living in Austin, Texas with a messy love life and a job behind the Whole Foods deli counter that barely covers her mortgage.
Struggling financially, she makes the decision to allow her ex-boyfriend Everett to move in and pay rent.
Through a series of letters that Roxy writes to the mostly absent Everett to whine about his late rent and (for reasons unknown) keep him updated on her daily life, readers learn of Roxy's cringe-worthy attempts at romance, her hatred for Lululemon and her meth cooking neighbors, and annoyance that Everett appears to have joined some sort of sex cult.
Does this sound eccentric and charming? Like a rom-com you'd like to watch with girlfriends? Yes, that's what I thought, too. But the delivery was absolutely annoying in my opinion. This character is writing long letters to her ex-boyfriend (who is never around and is obviously using her for a cheap place to stay) explaining her embarrassing sexual encounters, crush on a drummer, new friendships, and plot to take down Lululemon. It's trying too hard to be funny and relatable.
It was cringe-inducing by the 10% mark and as I approached 30% it had turned into a hate read so I admittedly gave up at the half-way mark. I just didn't care to know any more about Roxy or what happened to her or why in the hell she was still writing letters to her ex.
I think my dislike for the book is a combination of things, including the format and the attempt to make Roxy a flawed but relatable character. I love a charmingly quirky character but didn't find that in Roxy unfortunately.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Roxy Letters is scheduled for release on April 7, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
February 29, 2020
I really enjoyed The Roxy Letters and I both listened to it and read it, all in the space of two days; thanks to the kindness of Simon & Schuster and Libro FM. At the beginning, I found Roxy to be a tad annoying and a bit self-absorbed but as the story moves on, Roxy develops insight; it’s refreshing to see how her letters begin to change from the beginning to the end. I’m happy I was able to listen to this along with reading because it was an all-together different experience. The cadence and inflection of the narrators’ voice really changed the way I looked at Roxy. Was she stuck in her own self-induced stagnation? Working the same job in the deli at Whole Foods because she wasn’t driven to change or was it because life had just happened in a succession of the same misguided efforts at happiness that seemed to blend in to years.
The Roxy Letters is a story of one woman’s journey to self-discovery and is fully centered around Roxy writing letters to Everett, her ex-boyfriend who is now a roommate out of necessity. She uses these letters to communicate her grievances with him but soon they become a therapeutic outlet against everything that’s going wrong in her world. Focusing on the injustices of the world and her town of Austin, Texas. There are many comical moments, some sad, and some that address a lot of the problems in todays world. A fun read and a wonderful audiobook. Adapting to the format of Roxy’s letter writing is the biggest hurdle, once done, it’s a very enjoyable read!
The Roxy Letters is a story of one woman’s journey to self-discovery and is fully centered around Roxy writing letters to Everett, her ex-boyfriend who is now a roommate out of necessity. She uses these letters to communicate her grievances with him but soon they become a therapeutic outlet against everything that’s going wrong in her world. Focusing on the injustices of the world and her town of Austin, Texas. There are many comical moments, some sad, and some that address a lot of the problems in todays world. A fun read and a wonderful audiobook. Adapting to the format of Roxy’s letter writing is the biggest hurdle, once done, it’s a very enjoyable read!
August 30, 2020
A fun, light read. 3.5 stars!
September 21, 2019
Epistolary novels tend to be hit or miss for me because of how they’re structured, depending on how successful they are at grasping then preserving my interest within their style limitations. This one tottered over the line of diverting mediocrity, in my opinion. It was neither bad nor great. I liked it but wasn’t wholly engaged.
I say that because, while I found some of Roxy’s foot-in-mouth quirks and “fingerbanging” commentary to be amusing not to mention tacitly vulgar, absurd, and endearing in places, all of which helped to highlight her witty shenanigan-riddled nature in spades, I felt the plot suffered a bit by sticking exclusively to one-way letters to her ex-boyfriend, Everett. I suppose I wanted more than what I received stylistically, you know?
What I mean by that is I think I would’ve liked to see her start with letters only to then branch off into other mediums (email drafts, phone notes, unsaved documents, etc.) because it would’ve broken the chain of monotony, thereby adding a kind of modern day technological normalcy and suspense for the readers. It would’ve added something extra. Something more unique. Also, by the halfway point, her continuing to write unsent narratives to her ex, whom she hardly interacted with throughout the book anyway, grew to be a bit tedious.
The love interest subplot felt rushed and underdeveloped as well. It didn’t spark much of a reaction from me because their connection was bland. Or perhaps unremarkable is the better word? Utterly forgettable.
Despite that, I found Roxy to be an amiable, spirited character. She’s cut from a similar mold as Bridget Jones and Anne Shirley, meaning she’s constantly hurtling herself from one Austin-sized scrape into the next without realizing it until it’s too late. That allowed for a decent amount of comedy and familiarity. Hilarious!
Although I took issue with certain elements of this book, I must admit her character as well as her peculiar circle of Whole Foods friends and colleagues grew on me by the end. Roxy is essentially Millennial Disaster incarnate so I think a lot of people can relate or, you know - laugh - at her “gotta get my shit together” conflicts. I know I sure did.
For those of you who like or are not averse to raunchy humor, to screwball behavior of many variations, then I’d say this is worth a read. In fact, it’ll probably make you feel that your own life is much more “together” than you think it is right now.
Much thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
I say that because, while I found some of Roxy’s foot-in-mouth quirks and “fingerbanging” commentary to be amusing not to mention tacitly vulgar, absurd, and endearing in places, all of which helped to highlight her witty shenanigan-riddled nature in spades, I felt the plot suffered a bit by sticking exclusively to one-way letters to her ex-boyfriend, Everett. I suppose I wanted more than what I received stylistically, you know?
What I mean by that is I think I would’ve liked to see her start with letters only to then branch off into other mediums (email drafts, phone notes, unsaved documents, etc.) because it would’ve broken the chain of monotony, thereby adding a kind of modern day technological normalcy and suspense for the readers. It would’ve added something extra. Something more unique. Also, by the halfway point, her continuing to write unsent narratives to her ex, whom she hardly interacted with throughout the book anyway, grew to be a bit tedious.
The love interest subplot felt rushed and underdeveloped as well. It didn’t spark much of a reaction from me because their connection was bland. Or perhaps unremarkable is the better word? Utterly forgettable.
Despite that, I found Roxy to be an amiable, spirited character. She’s cut from a similar mold as Bridget Jones and Anne Shirley, meaning she’s constantly hurtling herself from one Austin-sized scrape into the next without realizing it until it’s too late. That allowed for a decent amount of comedy and familiarity. Hilarious!
Although I took issue with certain elements of this book, I must admit her character as well as her peculiar circle of Whole Foods friends and colleagues grew on me by the end. Roxy is essentially Millennial Disaster incarnate so I think a lot of people can relate or, you know - laugh - at her “gotta get my shit together” conflicts. I know I sure did.
For those of you who like or are not averse to raunchy humor, to screwball behavior of many variations, then I’d say this is worth a read. In fact, it’ll probably make you feel that your own life is much more “together” than you think it is right now.
Much thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
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