“A modern classic. Poignant and poetic, eloquent and erotic. This book will keep you warm on a cold winter night.”

“A very brave book.”

“Well…first of all I wish I had medical coverage because my neck is officially broke and trying to heal as I type with a hot pack. I sat in the tub and read your ENTIRE book till the water went cold. I have hypothermia, my Va-j-j has shrivelled back to a virgin, and my feet look about 100 yrs old. Mandy, I could NOT put it down. I love it!!! If I wasn’t laughing, my heart was melting with the two of you and your poetic words. I have to say though I was getting extremely hot and bothered for the end. I felt like it was a harlequin novel. So now my brain won’t shut off trying to imagine what the experience was like!!! Maybe your first film should be a short porn showing what happened!!! I’ll be the actress!! lmfao Anyways hun, just reading your novel made me realize more what a pure genuine, gifted, intelligent, soulful human you are and your mother created, and the energy around you wow. I pray that if every other creature inherited these, what a loving charismatic world we would have. I’m very proud that you share these moments with others and how you change and open others mind to what WE forget we have the capability of, and accomplishing, and the LOVE we all have, and how to give and receive it. Now I hope I made all 4 of your cheeks blush!!!”

“I devoured it in a gulp at 4am. I loved it. I loved the connection by the ‘chance’ car trip. I was inspired by your acceptance-in-advance that the other would be moving along in the near future. Like stopping yourselves from holding on so that you wouldn’t have to let go. That takes a lot of openness and even more bravery. It gives me hope and faith in other people and the future. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing it with me.”

“The way you play with words is like a sculptor with stone. I just started reading your book and I can’t put it down. There’s some great advice for anyone in a relationship. ”

“Never would I have thought that our words were to be the essence of such a beautiful book. I am honoured to be materially, yet intimately and poetically, binded to you.”

“The whole thing read like a poem — it was delightful.”

“I devoured the book in one night. I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt like I was part of Mandy and Keveen’s journey. The book left me breathless and wanting more, just like a good lover would. Both Mandy and Keveen have such a way with words. They create such a beautiful picture in your mind. This book definitely leaves you wanting more.”

“A modern romance which authentically captures the passion of the transformative merging of two souls. Eloquent, poetic and beautiful.”

“Amazing and captivating! Loved it! Best part was that I could hear your voice while I was reading it!”

“The Poet & the Butterfly makes me want to have a delicious love affair. This was such a raw and brave account of taking the chance of sharing the intimacies of your thoughts with another.”

“Do yourself a favour. Buy this book and read it out loud to your partner with a glass of wine. Thank me later.”

“I loved how open and honest this book was. Obviously these two were/are both full of passion. It’s not every day that a person opens themselves up to the rest of the world like this. Kudos to you both for your bravery! I would highly recommend this book for yourself or as a gift for someone you love.”

“Darling, I must tell you that I’m reading your book right now, sobbing violently and laughing at the same time. Can’t put it down; it’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“If you are expecting anything less than raw life, captured and shared in its essence, then I hope you will be moved, touched, transported and reminded that life is beautiful if you know where to look. Her words captured me from the start, as I could feel the truth they resonated. This is a precious fragment of life, carried out to you with a mission to simply be and perhaps if you’re lucky, the wings of the butterfly will flutter by your soul.”

“I love The Poet & The Butterfly because it is different and so much more exploratory than anything else I’ve ever read. I also love the fact that Mandy isn’t afraid to express her emotions and gives a great spin on life.”

“The story of your soul’s interception with Keveen was an ultimate privilege to read and it has certainly made me feel much more in LOVE - not with anyone in particular, but rather, with the fruits of life and the fact that we may never know what awaits us! I can detect by your writing that you are a DIVA with many facets and many inherent gifts. You have such an ability to connect with others - especially the reader - and words are your vessel. I often had to imbibe the text in tiny morsels so I could savour its emotional intensity, potent themes and beautifully-crafted, lyrical quality! You are truly an exemplar of how women should lead their lives and take charge of their destinies. And one of the most memorable lines in the book (one that just really struck a chord with me) was “With you I feel free, and that makes me love you, without even knowing you.” Absolutely golden. Thank you so much again, take care and all the best toward lifelong writing!”

“3 hours later… just finished my lecture… couldn’t take my eyes off of your lines. Good work, Mandy… good love… really good love. And I don’t even want to use exclamation points to not disturb the peace of it all and the peace inside me after this love trip… so don’t think I’m not excited about it or that I didn’t love it, because it’s precisely the opposite… I’m feeling so good… thank… you. Love, poetry and more love… ”

“About your book…little slice of heaven that it was…It was beautiful and intimate, and honestly restored my view of love in general. Somehow you managed to capture all of your energy and deliciousness in a tiny perfect little book. I just look at it and it makes me smile. I am thrilled for you, my love.”

“Thank you so much for the book! I love it so much! I started just flipping through it last night before I went to bed and I just couldnt stop! Everything was so beautiful! Your poetry was like a magnet drawing me in and I could not put it down! The love splashed on me, with each turn of the page!”

“In some ways it opened my mind a bit, and in other ways it confirmed a lot of ideals I had about love. The timing that this book came into my life was pretty convenient also, as I was/am going through a pretty deep experience with someone else. You mentioned in the book that you hoped this experience you had would help change someone’s life. Well, I am pretty young and only read the book a couple of weeks ago, but I can definitely say it had an impact! It has helped me to understand several different aspects of love, and after some of my personal life experiences, I think I really needed to read something like this (something that was true, not just movie fiction). Thank you for sharing the experience (as most people would be too afraid to put such an experience out into the open). I hope that your message gets across to people. It seems, at times, that our society is deprived of such simple and beautiful things.”

“WOW!!! Thanks SO much for sending it… it has filled my heart with love and joy!! You are truly beautiful! I can’t wait to read it to my fiancé. I’ve told him all about it and he’s looking forward to listening to me narrate for him.”

“Wow! That’s all I can say right now as I have just minutes ago finished ‘The Poet & The Butterfly’! I now want to open my soul completely to my beloved like he has done for me from the beginning. But for some reason, I held back…fear of being hurt maybe? He is my true Poet and I am his beautiful Butterfly! Thank you sooo much!!!”

“I am impressed by Keveen’s choice of words, and I admire his freedom and his ability to seduce a woman with so much strength and independence, though I wish that he could see that being with one person is the true love in the end. It’s a wonderfully powerful book. 10 stars. Very good.”

“I have read it twice and all I can say is OMG…”

“It was amazing and realistic and honest, but fantastical at the same time, like a real life fairy tale.”

“I’m sure you are receiving plenty of praise for your candidness, risk-taking and willingness to partake in love and life so openly when it comes your way — it is the only way to live, really, n’est pas?!?!?! I hope that others learn to love as freely, openly and without reservation as you have. I look forward to following your successful career as writer!”

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much that would interest me. But just reading some of the beginning letters…very surprising. They’re really enchanting to read, so much more forward (and sincere) than how many relationships seem to start. I’m digging the book a lot. It makes me think of my own life, feelings, and outlook on relationships.”

“If you love it, set it free, for you must share the love and passion throughout the world. ‘The Poet and the Butterfly’ is proof that modern day love and romance exists. This book has moved me beyond words. I could feel the passion, almost as if I was living it myself. Mandy Richardson and Keveen Gabet have been blessed with the greatest art of language. Very few can place words together with suc…h passion and belief. I am anxiously awaiting the continuation of the series. This book has an underlying meaning to me that you must live in the now and embrace every moment that is blessed unto you in your life. Do not concentrate on the boundaries which are present. Mandy and Keveen, knowing that it would be short-lived, followed the desire and passion they felt. Turning this into one of the greatest Loves I have ever experienced.”

“Finished it last night in one giant gulp! It left me full of hope and recharged my spirits with the words and the humour that everything in the universe is going to be ok. The ever true ‘Let it Be’, live your life it’s happening right now, you don’t possess people but you live with them and to LOVE is harmonious. ”

“Pure and honest. To expose your true self to another by excusing vulnerability and disregarding the likelihood of outcome at the beginning of a relationship is such a strength that it seems far too many lack. It was refreshing to read the writings between you and Keveen as you both allowed such an instantaneous and magnetic connection to occur without limitations. Such a beautiful book and I thank you for giving me the pleasure to read it!”

“I’m completely amazed!! The book was great, I couldn’t put it down. I read the whole thing in one sitting. I got pretty tanned because I wouldn’t move. lol. Sitting in the sun just made it that much more beautiful. It was very touching, you and Keveen seem to really understand each other. It was great how you could experience amazing love, and let it go free again. Without any control issues that many people have. This shows what great people you two are. You two are both divine souls! *Especially you, Mandy. Sharing your feelings like that takes a lot of courage. I’m very grateful for you sharing this with me.”

“Your ability to express this is something I envy. It made me realize how much we hold back. It left me wanting to know what unfolded in your mind, what allowed you to express so much. It is such a profound idea, and very much cutting edge, almost before its time, but being brought to the forefront to challenge norms and ideals. This is so much something people could really learn from.”

“A great little book that gives you the desire to open your soul completely and see what awaits!”

“A short but powerfully touching modern day love story that is an intense, magnified version of what is universal to humans. I appreciated the depth expressed through the captivating correspondence between the two lovers and resonated with the underlying love affair with self, which made the insights into the raw truth of a situation truly meaningful for me.”

“I stayed up until the wee hours reading The Poet & The Butterfly. It led me on a journey of gorgeous prose, stirring many emotions and realizations in me. I was blown away by its passion!”

“On page 8…in love already. -Hilary, Qatalyst Magazine, Kitchener”

“I have to admit it was a great read. And I’m a picky fucking bastard when it comes to novels. I would have watched the movie instead if I could. I just have to visualize everything which is why I enjoyed your book. The clear way you wrote, I could see what you felt, the experiences you encountered. The passion you put out kept me reading. The passion and excitement you emanated would cause me to put down the book and write for myself, to fulfill my own artistic adventures. That’s how you know its a great read. The references to painting put love in a perspective I don’t think I’ve considered. I mean I understand the love of art, but the art of love? I loved being outside the relationship reading in. Analyzing the love you gave each other. I look forward to your next adventure.”

“Absolutely brilliant! Brings out so many emotions inside, truly it’s beautiful. I loved it and can’t wait for the next!”

“It was amazing! I honestly could not put it down. I loved the way it was set up, and the honesty that was involved. In that love story there was no pretending, and allowed me to connect to everything that was talked about. When I’m home for Christmas my mom is going to read it!”

“I’m burning with words I’d like to say but my english at the moment is oh so poor in comparison. Thanks, thank you so much. I could feel the fever to read the next words all through the book, it made me feel so alive for a couple of hour. Love.”

“I thought, what a great place to start your book but in the bath. Well two hours later, fully pruned and smiling, I left the tub. What a beautiful story. Thank-you.”

“(10 years later) I’m still so very grateful for this book! ”