She had at least one sister as well as two brothers: one, Richard, was a headmaster and the other, William, was a poet.

[1] Roberts' family had roots in Abergavenny, but she herself seems to have lived in England, in Bristol, Gloucester, then London.

Then she produced a collection of sermons, described as "pithy and conservative",[2] which were popular enough to go into a second, American edition.

She wrote at least one drama, though it was not performed[2] She has been credited with "many translated and perhaps original" tales in the Lady's Magazine, 1771–1782.

[3] Her Sermons are singled out by Mary Scott for praise in The Female Advocate (1775), though Scott could not credit Roberts by name since the text was published anonymously: And Thou, whose pen, congenial to thy breast, Hath shown us virtue by the Graces drest.