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Changing Faces: A Juicy African American Chick Lit Drama of Three Women, Love, and Friendship
Meet Whitney, Taylor, and Charisse, three women who have been best friends since high school. However, this devoted troika is about to discover a wave of unexpected troubles.
Whitney is a plus-size woman who just can't turn down a box of Krispy Kremes or find a man who will stay put.
Taylor is in a long-term relationship with a boyfriend who's allergic to commitment.
Charisse is married, with two adorable children, but somehow doesn't have what she really wants or needs.
Then suddenly Charisse spins out of control. Her doormat husband manages to stand up to her and even threatens to go public with a very shady secret Charisse had hoped to keep hidden, especially from her interfering mother. Desperate, she decides that only a very risky scheme will save her.
One constant for these women has been the support they've offered one another. But this time, how far can friendship go?
In this witty, rollicking, deeply poignant story, Kimberla Lawson Roby demonstrates the storytelling magic that has won her legions of adoring fans and made her novels bestsellers.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2006
60 people are currently reading
1558 people want to read
About the author
Kimberla Lawson Roby
43 books2,786 followersNew York Times Bestselling Author, Speaker, Encourager of Women & Podcast Host, Kimberla Lawson Roby, has published 30 books which include her faith-based, nonfiction titles, THE WOMAN GOD CREATED YOU TO BE: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally and THE WOMAN GOD CREATED YOU TO BE: Companion Workbook & Discussion Guide, as well as some of her novels, such as CASTING THE FIRST STONE, SIN OF A WOMAN, A SINFUL CALLING, SISTER FRIENDS FOREVER, A CHRISTMAS PRAYER, THE PRODIGAL SON, THE PERFECT MARRIAGE, THE REVEREND’S WIFE, IT'S AS THIN LINE, and her debut title, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, which was originally self-published through her own company, Lenox Press. She has sold more than 3 million copies of her books, and they have frequented numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence, Upscale, Black Christian News, AALBC.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, The Austin Chronicle and many others. Kimberla is also the host of The Woman God Created You to Be Podcast.
Over the years, Kimberla has spoken to thousands of women at conferences, churches, expos, workshops, luncheons, libraries, colleges, universities and bookstores. She shares her own personal journey straight from her heart and has a strong passion toward helping women become all that God created them to be.
Kimberla is the 2013 NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, the recipient of the 2017 SOAR Radio Trailblazer of Honor award, the 2017 Southwest Florida Reading Festival Distinguished Author award, the 2017 AAMBC Christian Fiction Author of the Year award and the 2014 AAMBC Female Author of the Year award, the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 African-American Literary Awards Show (New York, NY) Female Author of the Year award, the Blackboard Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2001 for CASTING THE FIRST STONE, and in 2001, Kimberla was inducted into the Rock Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame (Rockford, IL). Additionally, in August 2020, she was named by USA Today as one of the 100 black novelists you should read, and in February 2021, her nonfiction book, The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional, giving her 4 NAACP Image Award nominations in total.
Kimberla’s books deal with very real issues, including women empowerment, sexual harassment, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, problems within the church (and the consequences), Christian/family/moral values, drug and gambling addiction, marriage, infidelity, single motherhood, breast cancer, infertility, sibling rivalry, domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, mental illness, and the care-giving of a parent to name a few. In addition, Kimberla’s books offer a message of redemption, forgiveness, and the realities of everyday life. Kimberla resides in Illinois with her husband, Will.
To share your thoughts with Kimberla regarding her work, please e-mail her at: kim@kimroby.com
Over the years, Kimberla has spoken to thousands of women at conferences, churches, expos, workshops, luncheons, libraries, colleges, universities and bookstores. She shares her own personal journey straight from her heart and has a strong passion toward helping women become all that God created them to be.
Kimberla is the 2013 NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, the recipient of the 2017 SOAR Radio Trailblazer of Honor award, the 2017 Southwest Florida Reading Festival Distinguished Author award, the 2017 AAMBC Christian Fiction Author of the Year award and the 2014 AAMBC Female Author of the Year award, the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 African-American Literary Awards Show (New York, NY) Female Author of the Year award, the Blackboard Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2001 for CASTING THE FIRST STONE, and in 2001, Kimberla was inducted into the Rock Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame (Rockford, IL). Additionally, in August 2020, she was named by USA Today as one of the 100 black novelists you should read, and in February 2021, her nonfiction book, The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional, giving her 4 NAACP Image Award nominations in total.
Kimberla’s books deal with very real issues, including women empowerment, sexual harassment, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, problems within the church (and the consequences), Christian/family/moral values, drug and gambling addiction, marriage, infidelity, single motherhood, breast cancer, infertility, sibling rivalry, domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, mental illness, and the care-giving of a parent to name a few. In addition, Kimberla’s books offer a message of redemption, forgiveness, and the realities of everyday life. Kimberla resides in Illinois with her husband, Will.
To share your thoughts with Kimberla regarding her work, please e-mail her at: kim@kimroby.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 7, 2019
Everybody has issues and sometimes it's caused by the hands of others. These 3 friends had some too, but that's life right? Also , Charisse is a character 2 behold. At 1st I wasn't liking her at all. Didn't like the person she was. On the other hand, it wasn't her fault being the way she was. Just know, words do hurt and can make people do amazing and strange things. " there was no sure way to truly know a person".
June 12, 2020
Just the right dose of drama and scandal.
I loved this story! It's not easy to write a book from different points of view without confusing the readers, but Roby did just that! The end of the book gives the possibility for a sequel, but with so many years that have passed I'm sure it's unlikely.
Cheers!
I loved this story! It's not easy to write a book from different points of view without confusing the readers, but Roby did just that! The end of the book gives the possibility for a sequel, but with so many years that have passed I'm sure it's unlikely.
Cheers!
June 14, 2010
I liked this book better than "Be careful what you pray for" but I still have problems with Kimberla's slow progression towards the climax and her quick wrap-up of the ending. It took her more than three-quarters of the book to come to the climax and then once she got there the details were lacking and the great storytelling she displayed earlier in the book goes by the wayside. She tells us what happens instead of drawing us into the story through dialogue and meaningful writing. Unlike many of the characters in "Pray," I found myself liking and relating to certain aspects of Taylor,Whitney,and Charisse's lives and friendship. Kimberla did a great job with the crecendo of the story but the ending deserved a little more time and attention. It. happened so fast I thought she was late for an international flight.
May 6, 2013
This book moved too slow to speed up so fast towards the end. I was thoroughly disappointed with the plots ending. I was offended with Whitney's cliche "fat girl" character and disheartened with how predicable everything was. I gave it three stars but I wish I could really give it 2.5 because it took me two weeks to finish this painful read. =/
June 2, 2018
*takes deep breath* Okaaay so this book by Kimberla Lawson Roby reminded me of all the other books outside of her main series but something irked me like no other: Whitney.
Whitney Whitney Whitney!!! Whew chile! This character right here is too much for me and not in a good way. She is so pitiful and it is CRINGEWORTHY. First I want to address the weight issue: Ms. Roby could have went into further details describing her height as well so that we could have an idea of what she resembled or looked like with 250lbs of weight. Now here is the thing, 250lbs does not mean a woman looks as big as a house it just doesn't. I can relate to being over 200lbs and I do not fit the description of Whitney. Some short women with that kind of weight may look like somewhat of what was described in the book but not necessarily.....I know people who weigh over 250 and don't look like that and the description of what a "fat woman" has to go through to bathe themselves like they needed to bathe more often than most... WRONG. Roby seemed to put Whitney in a category in which I envisioned a 300lbs+ woman who was struggling to lose weight. By the end of the book it was good to read that she met her 50lb weight loss goal in 8 weeks like she promised herself but at the same token she was still HIGHLY INSECURE. That was the troubling part to me about the character of Whitney. I also did not agree with Taylor calling up Rico to work things out between the two of them and that would make Taylor a big f'n hypocrite because Cameron was in a similar situation with a marriage. Rico was represented like a smooth talking successful man. He was described as good looking and had a nice build since he was in the gym when they met. Now for Whitney to be so insecure she is very much so naive and its sad af. She had second thoughts about someone who lied about having a wife. I would have liked to have read more about Whitney being body positive and proud to be plus sized and for the author not to over-exaggerate 250lbs unless she gives more description on the height and body shape as well. All of those things play a factor in the way weight is proportioned. It would have been a nice read to see her lose the weight and continue to lose the weight while gaining confidence as well. I also do not think extra skin would have to be removed in the drastic way Whitney was putting on. Also Rico shouldn't have gotten a second chance, these are grown women we are talking about here knocking on 40s door and she still took back a man who successfully played with her mind and pulled off a lie so well that she did not know what was going on.
Whitney can exit she is canceled and so are her insecurities.
Charisse...ahh Charisse the psycho b*tch.
This character was a bit too heavy and she could have had a stand alone book without the other main characters being involved. That is how intense her story turned out. I actually gasped a few times at what I was reading like did she just say she wished her daughter was never born? Now true enough her character is trash but it also showed how mentally disturbed she was and how she used religion to pretend that she followed everything perfectly. She was the worst between the three of them. Her husband Marvin did revert back to being his old self which was strange. I would have wanted to see Marvin stay strong throughout the story. He did keep his promise and decided to leave Charisse but he really did not have a choice since Charisse was sentenced for the crime she committed. One thing that was wrong about the situation was that she could have gotten more years for committing insurance fraud as well.
Welp, Charisse got what was coming to her and she is better because of that situation. Too bad for her children though at least Taylor could be a second mother to Brandon and Brianna...
Speaking of Taylor her story was very BASIC and dry. She was making me rather irritated in the beginning stages by ignoring her health like it was normal. The moral to her story was to not put your work ahead of everything including your health. The only good thing that came from Charisse was her recommendation to see the gynecologist that was supposed to the "best". He was the best alright.... Well Taylor was being strung along for the past two years by an equally successful boyfriend and come to find out why he did string her along. Cameron was living a double life and could not be there for Taylor when she needed him the most. The funny thing is that he had the nerve to down her like she could not find anyone else. Taylor's ending was the only one that made sense and was able to keep her dignity in the end. She was the most helpful friend with the exception of Whitney.
This story was rushed like all the other books. There was a big rush to complete the story and I did skip around because there was some unnecessary dialogue throughout the book. We could have exposed a lot of secrets sooner as well. The character's strange situations is what kept me interested in reading the story like Whitney's weight loss, Taylor's health scare, and Charisse's overall story. My main issue would be the fat shaming, undesirable connotation about being a certain weight and what happens when a person loses the weight.
Whitney Whitney Whitney!!! Whew chile! This character right here is too much for me and not in a good way. She is so pitiful and it is CRINGEWORTHY. First I want to address the weight issue: Ms. Roby could have went into further details describing her height as well so that we could have an idea of what she resembled or looked like with 250lbs of weight. Now here is the thing, 250lbs does not mean a woman looks as big as a house it just doesn't. I can relate to being over 200lbs and I do not fit the description of Whitney. Some short women with that kind of weight may look like somewhat of what was described in the book but not necessarily.....I know people who weigh over 250 and don't look like that and the description of what a "fat woman" has to go through to bathe themselves like they needed to bathe more often than most... WRONG. Roby seemed to put Whitney in a category in which I envisioned a 300lbs+ woman who was struggling to lose weight. By the end of the book it was good to read that she met her 50lb weight loss goal in 8 weeks like she promised herself but at the same token she was still HIGHLY INSECURE. That was the troubling part to me about the character of Whitney. I also did not agree with Taylor calling up Rico to work things out between the two of them and that would make Taylor a big f'n hypocrite because Cameron was in a similar situation with a marriage. Rico was represented like a smooth talking successful man. He was described as good looking and had a nice build since he was in the gym when they met. Now for Whitney to be so insecure she is very much so naive and its sad af. She had second thoughts about someone who lied about having a wife. I would have liked to have read more about Whitney being body positive and proud to be plus sized and for the author not to over-exaggerate 250lbs unless she gives more description on the height and body shape as well. All of those things play a factor in the way weight is proportioned. It would have been a nice read to see her lose the weight and continue to lose the weight while gaining confidence as well. I also do not think extra skin would have to be removed in the drastic way Whitney was putting on. Also Rico shouldn't have gotten a second chance, these are grown women we are talking about here knocking on 40s door and she still took back a man who successfully played with her mind and pulled off a lie so well that she did not know what was going on.
Whitney can exit she is canceled and so are her insecurities.
Charisse...ahh Charisse the psycho b*tch.
This character was a bit too heavy and she could have had a stand alone book without the other main characters being involved. That is how intense her story turned out. I actually gasped a few times at what I was reading like did she just say she wished her daughter was never born? Now true enough her character is trash but it also showed how mentally disturbed she was and how she used religion to pretend that she followed everything perfectly. She was the worst between the three of them. Her husband Marvin did revert back to being his old self which was strange. I would have wanted to see Marvin stay strong throughout the story. He did keep his promise and decided to leave Charisse but he really did not have a choice since Charisse was sentenced for the crime she committed. One thing that was wrong about the situation was that she could have gotten more years for committing insurance fraud as well.
Welp, Charisse got what was coming to her and she is better because of that situation. Too bad for her children though at least Taylor could be a second mother to Brandon and Brianna...
Speaking of Taylor her story was very BASIC and dry. She was making me rather irritated in the beginning stages by ignoring her health like it was normal. The moral to her story was to not put your work ahead of everything including your health. The only good thing that came from Charisse was her recommendation to see the gynecologist that was supposed to the "best". He was the best alright.... Well Taylor was being strung along for the past two years by an equally successful boyfriend and come to find out why he did string her along. Cameron was living a double life and could not be there for Taylor when she needed him the most. The funny thing is that he had the nerve to down her like she could not find anyone else. Taylor's ending was the only one that made sense and was able to keep her dignity in the end. She was the most helpful friend with the exception of Whitney.
This story was rushed like all the other books. There was a big rush to complete the story and I did skip around because there was some unnecessary dialogue throughout the book. We could have exposed a lot of secrets sooner as well. The character's strange situations is what kept me interested in reading the story like Whitney's weight loss, Taylor's health scare, and Charisse's overall story. My main issue would be the fat shaming, undesirable connotation about being a certain weight and what happens when a person loses the weight.
November 16, 2024
Damn. Everyone was catching strays. Whitney needs to go to therapy. And 🖕🏾 Rico🤷🏾♀️. Taylor didn’t deserve that! And🖕🏾 Camron 🤷🏾♀️. Charisse mama got everything she deserved but 🖕🏾 Charisse🤷🏾♀️.
This was my first book by this author. I’ll be returning.
This was my first book by this author. I’ll be returning.
May 4, 2022
The characters in this book had their own individual stories to tell, and WOW ! The challenges, truths, secrets that we all carry with us from childhood to adulthood. Overcoming our past, and finding our real truth. This story also has some twists/turns that were unsuspecting. Not bragging but this book took me 4 1/2 hours to complete, once I started I didn’t want to put it down until I finished. This is our book club read for May so can’t wait for the discussion.
May 14, 2022
Well knock me over with a feather!!! Several of these chapters literally left me feeling dizzy. Extreem characters. Unbelievable situations. God forsaken decisions. And bitter pill consequences. If those descriptions appeal to you... BAAAAAA-Beeeee... THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.
August 20, 2017
Whitney, Taylor and Charisse have been friends for a very long time. Each one of them has issues in their own life that needs addressing.
Charisse is a verbal and physical abuser to her husband (verbally to her kids) and it started from her childhood. Her mom has been terrible towards her, ever since the day of her birth. Now Charisse is doing it to her daughter Brianna and showing much love to her son Brandon. On top of all this are her secrets; sleeping with the pastor, cashing her mother's insurance check from Charisse's brother funeral and blackmailing her husband, Marvin, best friends to stop associating with her husband. In the end she commits the ultimate crime; MURDER!
Taylor is a successful lawyer but her boyfriend, Cameron, of two years has commitment issues. She's ready to take the relationship to the next level, either living together or married (more toward marriage) but Cameron has secrets of his own and hesitates constantly about either suggestion.
Whitney is a beautiful, overweight and successful woman that has very little self esteem. She's tired of being alone, her mother and sister berates her constantly and she hates the way she looks. She meets a guy that she thinks is the one but still unsure. After so many different diets that she tried and failed, she's returning to the gym to lose at least 50lbs before her high school reunion.
Kimberly wrote a story that sounds like lives of some women in every race and every city that deals with similar issues in their lives. This book was a page turner (I actually picked it up to read Friday and I'm done) and demonstrated drama between Black women in a way that was more appealing than ghetto. The characters could be plenty of women that I know personally. Truly a good read.
Charisse is a verbal and physical abuser to her husband (verbally to her kids) and it started from her childhood. Her mom has been terrible towards her, ever since the day of her birth. Now Charisse is doing it to her daughter Brianna and showing much love to her son Brandon. On top of all this are her secrets; sleeping with the pastor, cashing her mother's insurance check from Charisse's brother funeral and blackmailing her husband, Marvin, best friends to stop associating with her husband. In the end she commits the ultimate crime; MURDER!
Taylor is a successful lawyer but her boyfriend, Cameron, of two years has commitment issues. She's ready to take the relationship to the next level, either living together or married (more toward marriage) but Cameron has secrets of his own and hesitates constantly about either suggestion.
Whitney is a beautiful, overweight and successful woman that has very little self esteem. She's tired of being alone, her mother and sister berates her constantly and she hates the way she looks. She meets a guy that she thinks is the one but still unsure. After so many different diets that she tried and failed, she's returning to the gym to lose at least 50lbs before her high school reunion.
Kimberly wrote a story that sounds like lives of some women in every race and every city that deals with similar issues in their lives. This book was a page turner (I actually picked it up to read Friday and I'm done) and demonstrated drama between Black women in a way that was more appealing than ghetto. The characters could be plenty of women that I know personally. Truly a good read.
January 14, 2021
Pretty good read. I was so caught up in the lives of these three women that I could not put the book down. Taylor is the level headed divorce attorney who is ready to settle down with husband and family. Whitney, my favorite character, struggles with being a plus sized woman and spends a great deal of time trying new diets. Charisse is married with 2 children but has issues with being a control freak. These women have been friends since high school/college and are about to embark on a journey that will test their friendship, families and faith.
I enjoyed reading this novel because it touches on real issues that women are facing in the work place as well as in their personal lives and there are points throughout the story that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I intend to read more books from this author.
I enjoyed reading this novel because it touches on real issues that women are facing in the work place as well as in their personal lives and there are points throughout the story that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I intend to read more books from this author.
November 23, 2017
WOW, I can totally relate to Whitney. Her struggle with food and weight loss and having the confidence to date were not shocking. What was shocking in this book, was Charisse's inability to see that she was behaving just like her mother. Well, she realized it a little with her daughter, but not with her husband, which was surprising. She loved her dad and hated how her mom treated him, and her mother encouraged Charisse to replicate the same behavior with Marvin. Taylor's life was typical, I just hated that she didn't take better care of herself.
All three women were a great representation of friendship. Friends go through trials and tribulations, and through it all, they can overcome.
These audiobooks make my workouts go by so fast.
All three women were a great representation of friendship. Friends go through trials and tribulations, and through it all, they can overcome.
These audiobooks make my workouts go by so fast.
October 17, 2014
Best friends since high school, Whitney, Charisse and Taylor are all hitting a rough patch in their adult lives. Charisse who is married with 2 kids, finds herself on the receiving end of misery in her marriage to her husband. Whitney who's lonely and eating herself to depression and Charisse in a committed relationship for years, but can't get her boyfriend to agree to marriage. It was pretty predictable, so I didn't get to enjoy trying to figure out what was going to happen next. It took awhile to get the book going. When it did start picking up, it was near the end which happened too quickly.
December 28, 2018
Page turner
I chose 5 stars because 10 was not an option. I started the book and I just couldn't put it down. Kimberla never fail at writing. The characters always come to life. The storylines are so real. I feel this is great book club read because she dealt with so many real life issues. This should be a movie. I honestly hated for it to end. This author NEVER disappoints!!!! I just got so caught up with his plot I thought I might need to see a therapist 😉
I chose 5 stars because 10 was not an option. I started the book and I just couldn't put it down. Kimberla never fail at writing. The characters always come to life. The storylines are so real. I feel this is great book club read because she dealt with so many real life issues. This should be a movie. I honestly hated for it to end. This author NEVER disappoints!!!! I just got so caught up with his plot I thought I might need to see a therapist 😉
June 2, 2016
This was the first book of hers that I've read from this author. I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of her books. I became real anxious and couldn't wait to get to the end and see how everything turned out. I had my suspicions but they were all wrong. lol
November 19, 2019
Kimberly never disappoints me with her writing skills, she takes you through so many emotions
That take you up an down! I really love her rewriting because you feel something with her stories! Great job!
That take you up an down! I really love her rewriting because you feel something with her stories! Great job!
October 4, 2016
@KimberlaRoby where was this gem hiding. It took me to my happy space
May 22, 2022
The book was suspenseful! Some outcomes I expected and others I was surprised by. Easy read, well written, keeps you interested.
June 7, 2024
The story was pretty good… but can someone do something about the audiobook narrators? The voice for Whitney was cartoonishly high! Im not sure what 38 year old woman sounds like that
February 25, 2019
This book talked about three different women- Whitney, Taylor who was friends than Charisse who couldn't get along with Whitney.
Whitney weigh about 250 pounds and loved to eat especially when she became depressed. She met Rico at the health club and they started dating which she thought but when ever he introduced her he always said they were friends.
Whitney was an attorney who was going out with Cameron. She found out she had a tumor and had to have surgery but was wondering why he couldn't stay at the hospital with her and claiming he had to go to work. After being released from the hospital Whitney and Taylor saw his truck and he wasn't alone so they followed him to his house and when he got out his truck he was shocked when he looked in her face. Wow, she found out after dating him for two years he was married with two sons.
Next we have Charisse who was married to Marvin and had two children, a daughter named Brianna, and a son named Brandon. Charisse couldn't stand her own daughter, but she picked this up from her mother, because she couldn't stand the sight of her. She turned to the Pastor for help and ended up having an affair with him. Her and her husband was having problems and he told her he would stay with her till the children go to college. Her husband Marvin found out about her secret and threatening to tell her mother. But in the end something happened!!!
You have to read this book to find out what happened in the end.
Whitney weigh about 250 pounds and loved to eat especially when she became depressed. She met Rico at the health club and they started dating which she thought but when ever he introduced her he always said they were friends.
Whitney was an attorney who was going out with Cameron. She found out she had a tumor and had to have surgery but was wondering why he couldn't stay at the hospital with her and claiming he had to go to work. After being released from the hospital Whitney and Taylor saw his truck and he wasn't alone so they followed him to his house and when he got out his truck he was shocked when he looked in her face. Wow, she found out after dating him for two years he was married with two sons.
Next we have Charisse who was married to Marvin and had two children, a daughter named Brianna, and a son named Brandon. Charisse couldn't stand her own daughter, but she picked this up from her mother, because she couldn't stand the sight of her. She turned to the Pastor for help and ended up having an affair with him. Her and her husband was having problems and he told her he would stay with her till the children go to college. Her husband Marvin found out about her secret and threatening to tell her mother. But in the end something happened!!!
You have to read this book to find out what happened in the end.
October 26, 2009
This story is told from three points of view, long time friends who find that life lessons are sometimes hard to accept and to deal with. Whitney, the executive with weight issues and self esteem problems starts on diets regularly and this time is determined to follow through. Taylor, the lawyer with a two year long relationship finds that she has some serious health issues of her own that need to be dealt with. Charisse, an emergency room nurse that has a seemingly loving family, the husband, a son, and a daughter, but does her past have anything to do with the reason she may be losing control of everything in her life.
Being told from different points of view, was an interesting way to try to get to know these main characters, how they relate to friends, family and each other. There were a few times that I did feel a connection with each of them, however slight. The author seemed to be creating characters that could relate to nearly every women, it is unfortunate that the connection was difficult to maintain. Some of the choices that these women made were out of character, and the feeling of disappointment in each of them was very hard to look past. The ending felt abrupt, disjointed and partially predictable.
Being told from different points of view, was an interesting way to try to get to know these main characters, how they relate to friends, family and each other. There were a few times that I did feel a connection with each of them, however slight. The author seemed to be creating characters that could relate to nearly every women, it is unfortunate that the connection was difficult to maintain. Some of the choices that these women made were out of character, and the feeling of disappointment in each of them was very hard to look past. The ending felt abrupt, disjointed and partially predictable.
June 24, 2008
Wow, this is an excellent book! I didn't want to put it down. With surprising twists, colorful characters, and an unexpected ending. The novel touches on realistic issues such as food addiction and mental illness. Charisse's story, which showed the most creativity and had a number of twists, could have easily been the main storyline with Whitney's as a sub-plot. CHANGING FACES was touching and funny with several laugh-out-loud moments Roby rounds out the book with messages centering on the importance of relationships with family and friends.
It's certainly a book you want to have in your collection.
It's certainly a book you want to have in your collection.
March 23, 2012
I like reading Roby's books even though it seems to be written in a limiting mold. Her books are generally the same a slow buildup and then all of a sudden the books ends, like she was just rushing to finish the book. I found myself skipping through parts of the book that seemed too predictable and boring. Unsurprisingly, skipping around didn't make me miss anything because, the plot is simple and predictable. I didn't mind because I liked the general premise of the story, great book fodder to waste time with.
November 2, 2013
Pretty good read. Fun story about 3 friends, one of which is deeply disturbed as a direct result of her childhood; specifically her mother who has never loved her & will never love her (words she says to her face). The other 2 friends have relationship issues and allow the men in their lives to pretty much run the relationship as they see fit.
We have Whitney who is the compulsive over-eater. Taylor ignores her health along with warning signs about Cameron. Last but not least is Charisse the God-fearing, judgmental, controlling, married, mother of two.
We have Whitney who is the compulsive over-eater. Taylor ignores her health along with warning signs about Cameron. Last but not least is Charisse the God-fearing, judgmental, controlling, married, mother of two.
February 19, 2017
I enjoyed this book. It was sad in so many ways, yet true in others. You never know what people have gone through. The things that make them act or treat others the way they do. Sometimes all it takes is to push them to the edge. I'm sad to say this, but Chairisse mother got what was due. What mother treats a child that way. Was it that important for her to have control over her household and her daughter's. Wow your imagination never cease to amaze me.
August 6, 2012
This one was just....weird. There were things like bizarrely lengthy descriptions of a character's shower regimen that served no apparent purpose. Two main characters and several secondary characters did strange things that I never fully understood. The book wasn't horrible, but it just didn't fully hold together for me.
January 17, 2019
Great read
I was intrigued from the first chapter and especially the Overeater. Obesity is such a problem amongst woman of color. I loved the way she described the feelings Whitney went through and how the disease was always lurking in the crevices of her mind waiting like a rapacious creditor. Taylor and Charisse held thier own as well.
Great book!
I was intrigued from the first chapter and especially the Overeater. Obesity is such a problem amongst woman of color. I loved the way she described the feelings Whitney went through and how the disease was always lurking in the crevices of her mind waiting like a rapacious creditor. Taylor and Charisse held thier own as well.
Great book!
June 13, 2021
Some devastating events occur in this novel but I felt an immense satisfaction with the ending. This marks my first time reading Kimberla Lawson-Roby and I will read more of her books. I love the juiciness and realism presented of black American life. I identified with Whitney overwhelmingly.
I won't spoil it for you!!
I won't spoil it for you!!
June 20, 2010
This is one of my favorite books by Ms. Roby. I enjoy the Curtis Black series, but it was refreshing to read something different from Ms. Roby. I was very pleased. The audio version of this book is great for car trips.
December 13, 2016
I loved how each friend had their own story! But that one was just a hot mess whew Lord! Even though I hated how her story ended I still felt sorry for how she was treated. The ending could have been more detailed but overall pretty good!!
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