It's A Thin Line

I admired the characters and I simply got lost in the story lines. This book made me feel and think.
A number of themes were explored, and not in a heavy-handed way.
One character was physically battered by her husband, and as I read about the beatings, and his demeaning treatment of her, and the effect it had on the children, I had to set the book aside.
I screamed, "Why is this woman allowing this man to treat her this way?"
My anger and confusion is a testament to Ms. Roby's writing. She has the ability to make her characters and situations so real, so life-like, that she can enrage the reader.
There was also a subplot about commitment phobia. But it was never clear to me why Rick refused to make his live-in girlfriend his wife.
This book was a story about relationships--husband/wife, mother/daughter, man/woman. And some of the themes were familiar, but they were approached with a fresh eye.
I so fell in love with Kimberla Lawson Roby's writing that I ordered everything she has written.
Can't wait to read the next book. I'm sure it will be a five-star read as well.
Buy this book. It's worth every quarter.

I would give it 100 stars if it was possible!! This book was such an eye opener and real book!!! I can say enough about the way it touched me both inside and out. It is definitely a THIN LINE. Gina, you GO GIRL!! Sydney was a strong sister even with all her trials and tribulations. Rick, finally woke up, before it was too late. All I can say is read this book and definitely add it to your collection!!

Kimberla Lawson Roby's strongest asset is her knack for choosing timely, juicy topics. In It's a Thin Line, she deals with the issues of illness within the family, sexual incompatibility, domestic abuse and lack of commitment.
Delores, the matriarch of the family, reminded me of so many strong Black women who face one crisis after another in their lives, but still manage to keep the faith... I think most people will be engrossed in the emotion and high drama of the storyline. However, for those of us who expect more from an author than an interesting subject worthy of discussion, I have this to say about KLR's ability as a writer.
This book is an English teacher's nightmare. There are so many blatant grammatical errors it would be easier to count the sentences that are written correctly...Ms. Roby is repetitive to a fault and belabors certain points to distraction. Her story seems to drag in places due to her habit of writing the same things about the same characters over and over and over again and again. I find her dialogue stale and boring, her sentence structure haphazard and her vocabulary mundane and limited. Many of her sentences are incomplete and begin with pronouns such as "which" and end with needless prepositions. Worst of all, is her insistence on ending so many of her thoughts with the dreaded "as well", something I notice she also did in her previous novel, Casting the First Stone. She constantly used the phrase(s) "can't believe" and "couldn't believe". What I couldn't believe is that someone would seriously sit down to write a book and not know the first thing about basic grammar and word usage. My prescription for KLR is as follows:
1. Run, don't walk, to the nearest elementary school and enroll in a class that covers the basic rules of grammar and vocabulary building.
2. Buy a thesaurus and learn to use it. This will help spice up your dialogue.
3. Enroll in a creative writing course.
4. Engage a competent editor. Good editing is more than just checking for spelling.
5. Refill as often as needed.
It takes more than a good topic to make a good writer. Few people speak perfect English and even fewer are able to write it, but there is room for a lot of improvement here-especially for an author on the the best seller list.

Whoever said, "three strikes and you're out" has not read the prolific writings of author, Kimberla Roby. In her fourth novel, It's a Thin Line; she creates another moving tale about family, love and endurance. I can imagine that Kimberla rolls up her sleeves as if preparing for boxing match going round for round ending with the ultimate KNOCK-OUT ending as only she can.
In one corner we have, oldest sister Sydney, middle sister Gina and baby brother Rick. In our opposing corner we have sexual and physical abuse, and commitment phobia. Who will come out the winner?
Can the branches of this family tree maintain the heavy weight of life's most difficult moments?
Round One: On the night that should be a new beginning for their mother, Delores, tragedy strikes. In a matter of moments their lives are turned upside down. It's the classic case of what happens when a parent becomes ill? Well, in this case, Sydney's siblings decide she's the appropriate person to care for their mother until she recovers.
Round Two: Sydney's family doesn't realize that having an office at home does not equate extra time. On top of being a loving wife, mother, and freelance journalist, most of her energy is devoted to keeping secrets lock away in her subconscious memory. What is she hiding?
Round Three: On the other branch of the family tree is Gina. A Corporate Dynamo, proud mother of twins, and a weekly punching bag for her abusive, overly jealous husband. Gina struggles with the decision, should I leave, and if so, how? While she thinks her family members are unaware of what's going on in her home, she finds out otherwise the night their mother is taken to the emergency room. Her husband's obsession is so deep he refuses to allow Gina to visit her mother while she recovers. It is then that Gina realizes she can't live this lie anymore. What will she do to rectify the situation? (You don't want to wait too long to find out)
Round Four: Dangling on the end is Rick, the classic brother afraid of commitment. He has the best of everything, a fiancée he's been keeping at bay for years, sisters that adore him and a mother that needs him to acknowledge that its time to take the blinders off regarding her health. What will Rick lose before he takes a stand?
Round Five: The foundation of the family tree is Delores, a hard working, doting mother who wants the best for all her children. Like any mother she suffers when they hurt Her biggest dream is to see her children stand on their own two feet without her. Will she accomplish her goal?
Stay tuned as the answered to this wonderful moving tale about family is revealed throughout the pages of It's A Thin Line. Its one fight you don't want to miss and I will gladly put my money down on Mrs. Roby again and again. I hereby crown her the Heavy Weight Female Writer of the Year.
A Prolific Writers Network Reviewer

This is one of Mrs. Roby's best works. It took me a long time to finish this book; I suppose it was because I just didn't want it to end. I had been dealing with a lot of stress in my life, and I needed the comfort of someone else's life to make me forget the emotional upheaval of my own. It seemed like Mrs. Roby was peeking into my life because the message of this book came at a point when I needed it most in my life. The characters (brother, sister, mother, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law) all had major drama in their lives. It seemed like everything happened in a domino effect. When one thing would happen, something else would happen. The oldest daughter didn't or wouldn't find time to make love to her husband, not because she didn't desire him but because of a major problem that she had thought she had blocked from her childhood. The middle child had her own major issues of domestic violence, and the youngest child was afraid to commit to his live in fiancee of 3 years. I have been there with Samantha and Rick. I felt the same way as Samantha. And on top of everything their mother is diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor in her brain. Although these were some major obstacles, Mrs. Roby's strongest character (Delores-the mother) never gave up her faith in God. Through the power of prayer, she was able to deal with any obstacles. This is the first work of fiction that I was able to look at and say, "Wow, I'm going through the same thing, and it could be because I'm not putting my faith in God". Thank you Mrs. Roby for reminding me that God really doesn't give us more than we can handle, because in the end each and every character with time would be all right.

I purchased this book for only 1 cent but I would have paid full price for it. It was a great read. I read it in 2 days.

This book was very good and very suspenseful. I have heard a lot of comments that people don't like these kind of stories.
But this happens to be the real issue of today. There are too
many women that are abused. We all need the family unit to be aware that all need to keep in touch with all problems that exist within relationships and marriages. Some of us are so afraid to let someone know there is a problem of abuse and that they need help. We must be patient and understanding to the needs of our moms, sisters, daughters and all women we know.
This story touched me and also made me aware of all the things that can happen when abuse is the issue. When lives are at stake we need to step up and assist where needed. Naturally we don't want anyone to be killed, but that is one thing that will happen if help is not there. The women of today should be aware of all the support groups, agencies etc. that are out there to assist with these types of issues. No woman or child should have to endure any type of abuse.
The thought to call 911 and keep them on the phone is what helped in this situation. And then the man's family always wants to put the blame on the woman.
This is another book that should be on Oprah's book club list.
This story also made me cry. Keep up the good work on these good novels to dedicate to all women and children.

Once again, Kimberla Lawson Roby has produced a hit novel. This book is important for battered and abused women who must take control of their lives. It also reiterates the importance of family bonding when a crisis situation arises. I can't wait to read Ms. Roby's next novel!

I hate to go against the grain since everyone else seemed to have loved this book. I thought it had its good points and bad. I loved the spirituality of the book and how wise and loving the mother was, as well as how she remained positive while dealing with the situation regarding her illness. I loved the compassion of the mother and her unconditional love regarding all of her children.
On the other hand, it seems the author was trying to cover too many issues without fully addressing any of them. For example, Sidney's issue seemed to have dropped out of the sky. We never really know why Rick has a problem with commitment considering there seemed to never be a problem in their "perfect childhood." And while KLR made it clear that Gina had low self esteem, we never found out why.
Also, if I read another book with no character description I am going to SCREAM!! What do these people look like?
Love and Peace.

I just finished this book and it was great, good story and well written. I love the way Kimberla writes families. Her characters in this book at first seem simple, but you get to see the complexities of their lives as the story develops. The spiritual strenght of Delores is inspiring. This book made me reflect on my family and the bond I have with my siblings.