Ah, I'm going to be real: The Roxy Letters was mostly one of those books I requested because of its cover. (And synopsis, but mostly its cover because clearly I'm shallow.)



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?


As always, a copy of this book was provided by the authors in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

This book wasn't for me. It wasn't bad. The writing was solid. The premise intrigued me from the get-go. Obviously, I adore the cover. Yet, at the end of the day, I didn't pull back from The Roxy Letters in a sense of awe. I didn't sigh or yell in frustration, but I also didn't say 'wow, this book was great.' Part of me wants to say that The Roxy Letters didn't connect with me because it was the wrong time for me to read it.

Whether or not it wasn't my favourite solely because of my mood, and not the novel, I still felt an immediate disconnect with The Roxy Letters. Which was startling, as I expected to adore it! (Ugh, isn't that the worst feeling? You pick up a book and have this idea of what you'll think, and then it just blindsides you.)

Interestingly enough, I found the format of The Roxy Letters to be highly indulgent and one of the novels big redeeming factors. In spite of not necessarily clicking with the novel for the duration, I really thought the format led to something more addictive. What I mean to say is, even in my frustration, I kept reading because I couldn't really put it down.

Mary Pauline Lowry's writing is smooth and easy to slip into. I liked the balance of the two formats she used. There's this sharp pull of humor within The Roxy Letters that was hit or miss, and it is the type of humor that won't be for everyone. (I mean, like all things in life, humor is subjective to the person.)

Ultimately, this book didn't click with me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that memorable for my taste. As always, if it seems intriguing to you, you should definitely give it a go. What doesn't work for me, could very well work for you. The Roxy Letters will likely be a release that will be either loved or completely hated by most readers.