Thank you, Barbara Leonhard (Barbara’s Blog), editor of MasticadoresUSA, for this amazing review and submitting it to Roi Fainéant Press (Roi Fainéant Page)!
Barbara’s Review of “One Petal At A Time”
The title of Joni Karen Caggiano’s powerful poetry collection, One Petal at a Time, makes me recall what I used to say as a child while plucking petals off a flower, “He loves me; he loves me not.” Ironically, we would destroy a beautiful bloom petal by petal while seeking clarification on a value of utmost beauty: Love.
In this garden of verses, Caggiano explores her life at its worst and its best. The crux of her journey is love. How it is misunderstood and abused. How it is held in passion. How it blooms in fidelity. The love she describes is painful, lush, and ultimately trusting.
Her start in life is unpropitious, yet she thrives because the love of God cradles her throughout her life, fostering her deep faith.
To continue reading, please visit Roi Fainéant Press, and be sure to subscribe to this forward thinking magazine, view some of the other wonderful content there, and on Barbara’s site!
I am beyond grateful to Barbara Leonhard for her breathtaking endowment of my book, “One Petal At A Time.” The process of writing this book took much more out of me than I would have ever contemplated possible. When I first tried to read Barbara’s review, I didn’t make it far before my tears stopped me. I had to get my husband to read it to me. He also fought back his emotions to get through this comprehensive and stirring review.
It is an absolute honor to see Barbara’s review featured here on Roi Fainéant Press. Barbara’s deeply moving review has been a true gift to me, as it shows how she truly connected to my fear as a child and to my awakening as an adult. Her compassionate nature is throughout this summation of all three parts of my book’s evolution. I will forever be grateful to her. Thank you to Roi Fainéant Press’s staff for sharing Barbara’s touching review. For anyone hoping for a review, hers was a masterpiece.
With great love and respect to Barbara, award winning author and editor of MasticadoresUSA. Joni
Congratulations, Joni.
Thank you so much Tim. Barbara wrote such a beautifully thoughtful review, it was humbling to listen to my husband read it. ❤️🤗❤️
Beautiful review Barbara, thank you!
It really is a breath-taking review and she loved your art Francisco, it was such a beautiful part of this book and such an amazingly gracious and generous gift to the substance of this book, Francisco. ❤️
Wonderful Joni, thank you very much! Many blessings.
You are welcome. I feel like Barbara has sold a lot of books with her beautiful review and to me the “Charcoal and Indian Ink Drawings,” were priceless in showing glances of what her life was like during the different stages of my life. The first drawing will forever be my favorite as it is representative of the “Red Brick House,” which is so symbolic to my life and the story, and it captured so much of my fantasy life as well. The cover shows the triumph of me as an adult in such a brilliant way. I am so glad that Barbara saw everything in the book and recognized the significance in the artwork. Many blessings to you both my friend. Love from us both!
Love from us both right back dear friends.
❤️🌹🙏
Congratulaions, Joni. Your poetry certainly deserves such a great review.
Thank you Timothy. Barbara was so generous with her words and her time. I have never seen such a comprehensive review. It was very touching to me, thank you for your kind words my friend. We are so excited to see our grandchildren and my daughter today. It is hard to find time to visit. Raising three boys and being a VP of a successful company in the Seattle area keeps their family very busy. After seeing your grandkids and daughter you will miss them. I hope you all truly enjoyed your week together. They grow so fast. It has been two years for us which is just too long. Have an amazing Sunday my friend. Hugs and love, Joni
There you go being great again.
Thank you John, you are very gracious my friend. Believe me I am thankful the book is done, it was a hard one to write. I felt like it was something I needed to do. I truly love and forgive my parents. They had a disease and I know that my father must have had severe PTSD from the way. My mom’s parents were dirt poor and she picked tobacco before school every day and wore flour sack dresses to school. They both had a very hard life. You are so kind to read and comment my dear friend. I hope your Sunday is blessed. Sending you big hugs and love and appreciation for our long friendship. ❤️
Congratulations, Barbara and Joni!
Thank you Dawn. You both wrote beautiful reviews. What an amazing kindness. I was so happy that Barbara was able to get her’s published and now the magazine is putting it in the archives so it will always be up. What a blessing that is and it actually has helped sell e-books, which has been so nice. Two different people got $500.00 dollars worth of books to give to agencies that had been helpful to them when they needed help for their children or people that they knew. Those books were donated and it was such a blessing and the places really appreciated it. So many of the books have been donated to organizations that are in the treatment business. Barbar and you are both responsible for selling books and I am grateful. I want people to know that they are not alone. Love you guys, ❤️ PS a big congratulations Dawn on your great success with your books and this latest one has done so well, you must be so happy and you should be!
Great review, Joni and so well deserved, nice Barbara💓
I have never read a more thorough or engaging review of any book. I was taken back by emotion when I read her review as it was obvious that it touched her for the job she did was indeed masterful. Thank you for your kind words to both Barbara and me. Your response is truly appreciated. I was happy to see that it was not only published in this fine magazine but also will remain among its archives so it will always be visible. She deserved that for all the work she did. I will forever be grateful for the reviews that people have written. I really enjoy your entertaining site, Cindy. I love your honesty about life and marriage it always makes me smile. When you have been married as long as we have it truly becomes a partnership, an amazing friendship more of a merging of beings. Your post have so much information in them that it takes a while to read the whole post and enjoy the lovely family photos as well. I think your pics of the dogs and the grands are hard not to stare out reminding me of when my daughter was that age and have fun and innocent they are. I especially liked your photo of mom and baby at the ocean exploring and what you wrote. Always a delightful and insightful visit. Much love and joy to you Cindy.
Great review!!!!
Thank you so much dear Belladonna. Sending you my love sweetie. Hope all the family is doing well.
Sending you love too beautifful!
God bless you, sweetie, you have been such a joy, I have missed that positive and grateful spirit of yours, you are a special person. Don’t you stop doing your thing you have a positive effect on people, and you still look like a college girl yourself. haha Nothing wrong with looking younger than we are right! My young husband keeps me looking young but hopefully, I will feel young again too, if the Great Lord is Willing. Thank you, sweetie.
Thank you Joni!!!! You look beautiful as ever and you and your daughter are twins. Both of you are so pretty.
Thank you for your kind words dear friend, as we get older it is always nice to get a compliment and that was a very kind one, so thank you, sweetie. 🥰 We know where your beautiful son got his looks too! What a blessing a child is indeed. I am heading out to get some medical records right now but will get to your other comments later dear friend. Thank you for visiting and reading my work, it touches my heart every time someone does. Another thing that has been difficult for me. So I need to rest my neck now. I appreciate you dear friend. I know you have an enormous heart! Love you!