Roxy is just trying to get her groove back. As a vegan artist in Austin, Texas, working at the deli counter pays the bills (most of the time) but it doesn’t fill her soul. With emergency vet bills from when her dachshund ate all the crotches out of her panties, she has needed to take on a roommate in order to pay down her credit card and make her mortgage payment, so she allows her ex-boyfriend Everett to move in. But his inability to follow her rules or to pay his rent on time causes her to write him letters about their living arrangement, and as time goes on and the letters get increasing personal, she decides not to hand over the letters anymore but keeps them herself as a sort of diary.

Her letters to Everett tell the story of how she meets Artemis in an awkward shoving match when Roxy was working as the sample girl for a day. It tells of her ill-fated romance with skateboarder and Beer Alley stocker Patrick. It tells of her crush on a man with a tattoo of Texas and how she threw up all over his gorgeous companion when she was inadvertently food poisoned by sushi (a shameful deviation from her devotion to veganism, and one she dearly pays for). It tells of her feud with Whole Foods store manager Dirty Steve and her repeated firings from her deli job. And it tells how she finally found her way back to her art and back to her truest self with the help of Artemis, her Whole Foods former deli mate Annie, and the goddess Venus.

As she struggles to find love, to keep her dog healthy, to keep Austin genuine, to make her own way in the world, and to find her way back to her art, Roxy holds nothings back from her letters. She tells it all with honest forthrightness and humility. And while she may not be able to keep Lululemon out of the city, she can certainly make a splash letting her voice be heard around town.

The Roxy Letters is such a fun ride of female empowerment and embarrassment. Author Mary Pauline Lowry has created an unforgettable character in Roxy, and setting her in Austin is beyond perfect for this quirky vegan feminist. I have heard comparisons to Bridget Jones’ Diary, and I hope that means that there will be more of Roxy’s adventures for us to enjoy.

I will admit, I had a little trouble at first. I wasn’t sure I’d like Roxy in those first couple of letters. But the more of her I experienced, the more I fell in love with her (something that happens to most people who meet her). Now I can’t wait to read more. So if you’re like me and struggle at first, just keep at it. Give her a chance, and she will steal your heart.

Be warned: strong sexual content in this one

Galleys for The Roxy Letters were provided by Simon & Schuster through NetGalley, with many thanks.