What I love most about Nikki Erlick’s novels is just how much they open your mind to different ideas about life and the universe, and the self-reflection this leads to. In her previous novel, the question to ponder was whether you would want to know just how much time you have left before you die. As each of the characters grappled with this themselves, I found my snap decision to be different from where I ended up by the conclusion of the novel.

In The Poppy Fields, we have a different issue presented to us - what if you could lapse into a deep sleep that would stop the grieving process at the end of which you would have healed from the loss that elicited those emotions, such as death, the loss of a relationship, etc. But what if there existed a possibility of a side effect that may instead wipe your memory of your feelings towards that person completely? Would you make the choice to “sleep”?

While this obviously leads to a thoughtful, emotional reading experience, and most definitely a fantastic book club discussion, it also creates an environment for the characters to be the true focus. Each and every one is fully fleshed-out, multi-faceted, and engaging characters who feel as though they could exist off of the page. It took me a bit of time to feel connected to them, but once I was, I was all in. In fact, as I reached the 70% mark, I found myself tearing up as things became even more emotional. The theme of grief is so beautifully and realistically portrayed, and I think many who have experienced their own grief will find a lot of solace in this book.

The true standout when it comes to Erlick’s writing, however, is how she is able to drop twist by twist throughout the story, weaving them in and rebalancing things, only to throw them on their axis again with yet another twist. It is an incredible skill and one that keeps the reader glued to the page, wanting to know what next, what next.

🎧 Marin Ireland, and a whole host of others, narrate this audiobook. Need I say more? Definitely read via audio if you are a fan of the format.

Read if you like:
▪️thought provoking stories
▪️character driven
▪️emotional reads
▪️multiple POVs
▪️mystery element
▪️book club type books

A huge thank you to William Morrow and Harper Audio for the advanced copies.

This is a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. It's a reminder that while grief is universal, there is no guidebook or timeline for the journey. Each person's path through it is unique, as they navigate the challenge of living with loss, even as the world continues to move forward around them.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such an interesting premise for a book - what if you could “sleep” for 4-8 weeks under medical supervision to help you through a horrible period of grief or trauma so that you wake up preserving the memory but with a weakened emotional force?

Grief hits everyone - some harder than others and some need help. Ellis has formed a company that helps people thru their grief by putting them to sleep while their brain works thru the emotional stuff.

Absolutely loved the concept of this book. But it did get a bit long and repeated itself a bit too much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nikki Erick (loved her first book The Measure) and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was truly excited to get an advance copy of this book, the highly anticipated sophomore novel by Nikki Erlick. I adored "The Measure" and even though it's been so long since I read it, I can still remember most of the characters (and there were many) and can even remember many of their names. Unfortunately, I found "The Poppy Fields" to be less engaging. The premise was interesting - a place called the Poppy Fields takes patients (for free) to sleep for 1-2 months to treat their grief. But with only a few key characters, I thought we would get deeper stories from each, but unlike in "The Measure", I didn't find myself rooting for any of the characters and in fact thought their portrayals were superficial.

I'm grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance read of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'll certainly still be interested in future books from this author.

BOOK REVIEW: “The Poppy Fields” by Nikki Erlick

What if there was a cure for grief? A way for you to erase the heartache you feel from losing someone? Would you do it? What if there were consequences from doing it?

Perhaps by fate, four strangers find themselves traveling together to the Poppy Fields for very different reasons. Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; and Sky, a young free spirit. Throughout their journey, they encounter a few mishaps, but ultimately begin to trust one another despite just meeting. Their stories eventually pour out, and the unlikely friends somehow find themselves as something more. Will they find what they’re looking for at the Poppy Fields?

This book was definitely one to make you think. Patients at the Poppy Fields are put in a medically induced sleep, and when they awake they think of their grief differently. It’s no longer an all-consuming thought. Of course this method also raises a lot of philosophical and ethical questions. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should, right? And if someone else decides to remove their grief, does that give everyone else the right to judge them for it? I think The Poppy Fields is a great book for discussion. It’s one I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

I rate it as 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

I loved The Poppy Fields! The Measure was such a good book, I was so excited to read her newest novel. The Poppy Fields looks at grief in a different light. It was a very interesting take and I enjoyed the book!

We all experience grief and heartbreak at some point in our lives. What if there was a 1-2 month treatment that would eliminate all the negative feelings of grief? All you had to do was sleep. Of course, it’s not quite that simple a third of participants experience a side effect of feeling blank or loveless toward their lost loved one. Would you still be willing to consider the therapy?

The Poppy Fields follows four strangers who are destined to affect each others lives. It begs the question does healing come in the journey or the destination?

I loved the contemplative nature of this book. The unique style had me hooked. The characters were well developed and each had a full circle moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for an ARC of this book.

Who wouldn’t want to cure a broken heart. The Poppy Fields seem like a place anyone would want to go to. After a prolonged period of sleep, you will be healed. Four strangers and a dog decide to make a trip to the Poppy Fields. Everyone is on a path of grief and healing. Is it possible to heal from loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?

“Poppies are a ruderal species, which means that they grow from the rubble. If something so spectacular can still blossom in even the most disturbed earth, then doesn’t that mean there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal?”

What about a beautifully written story! I enjoyed all the characters and their stories. I really enjoyed this book! Grief isn’t easy, that’s for sure. It’s a long healing journey. But it’s a journey we aren’t on alone.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Nikki and William Marrow for the eARC!

Publication Date: June 17 2025
Rating:🌸🌸🌸🌸


#ThePoppyFieldsDeluxeLimitedEdition #NetGalley

I read Nikki Erlick's earlier book, The measure and really really loved it. This was good but not as good. I enjoyed the characters and the story but the substance and ultimate messaging was not as good. With that said, still enjoyed the writing and the character back and fort.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but opinions are my own.

I was very excited to read this book as Nikki Erlick’s first novel, The Measure, was one of my favorite books I’ve read recently. Like The Measure, this book is deeply thought provoking and discusses the incredibly complex and individual topic of grief.

I LOVED the metaphor for Poppies in comparison to the sleepers and always appreciate when authors add in extra details like that.

I did find parts of this book a little boring, but the lovely metaphors and overall message of the book made up for it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I find this book so hard to write. This was one of my most anticipated releases for the year as the measure was my favorite book. I read in 2024. I will say that the first 50% of this book was so beyond boring. I considered DNF thing but I am glad that I pushed forward as the second half of the book is very powerful and moving and brought me to tears at multiple points. I really disliked the writing style in this book compared to the measure. I wished it was told from multiple points of view each chapter instead of jumping storylines mid chapter. Overall, this is a very compelling story about grief and how it impacts different people.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

😴 Goodness, this book will get the wheels turning! Congrats to @nikkierlick on a fantastic follow up to ‘The Measure.’ This is out June 17th. Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for the sneak peek. I really enjoyed it!

😴 So this is a science-fiction/fantasy novel about grief and a controversial treatment for it. So just know that going in if you have fresh grief. On that note, there is so much here about grief and how it impacts everyone differently and the pros and cons if there was a treatment for it versus just feeling your way through it. It would be such a great pick for a book club because there is so much to think and talk about.

😴 I really enjoyed each character and their personal journeys in this book, as well as how they all came together and impacted each other.

😴 I read this book from a very privileged position: I have never suffered major grief. I recognize that I am so lucky I get to say that. If I had, I think this book would have impacted me even more and I may have connected with it that much more. It’s likely one I’ll keep in mind when that day inevitably comes along.

😴 Overall, I highly recommend this and Erlick has certainly cemented herself as an auto-read author for me! The concepts she comes up with are so thought provoking and I really appreciate her perspectives!

Wow. I had high hopes for this book after loving The Measure and I’m happy to say my expectations were met. I love the author’s creative subjects and how they let us peek into often avoided topics like grief and pain.
I almost never highlight on my Kindle but I had to mark a whole handful of passages in this. This book dealt with loss and grief in the most gentle and bittersweet ways. I wanted to hug each of the characters as the feelings they deal with are very relatable and believable.
I do wish the book could have been longer. Each character could have had an entire book devoted to just their relationships, loss, and grief as there was so much to expound on because the characters were so well written.
Also, I loved reading that Joan Didion’s book The Year of Magical Thinking was an inspiration in writing this because it was such a fabulous, realistic portrayal of what you deal with when losing a loved one.
All around, just so well and so beautifully written.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but into the second it felt like a slog. There is a rotating cast that we get to know throughout the book plus there are some chapters that look at a doctor’s perspective of the events. Also included our letters asking to be submitted into the Poppyfields overall, I did not warm up to the characters and found the road trip portion of the book really boring unfortunately I didn’t really relate to a lot of of the stories of grief, even though I have experienced a lot of grief in my life, that’s not a good sign.

I was super excited when I was approved for this eARC on NetGalley. Author, Nikki Erlick wrote one of my favorite books read last year, The Measure. Nikki delivered another wonderful read. (Keep in mind this is not my genre whatsoever; I have really stepped out of my comfort zone in books.)

The experience of grief is a deeply personal and complex journey that all of us will inevitably face at some point in our lives. It is a natural response to the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or even a significant life change.
What if you had the chance to sleep for one or two months in a specialized facility and, upon waking up, you no longer felt the weight of your grief? Would you take that chance, or would you still cling to your grief, even as it slowly eroded your sense of self?

"The Poppy Fields" is a treatment center where those experiencing grief can opt into going into a deep sleep for one to two months, waking up on the other side of the sadness and pain. There is a small 25% chance of waking up with a potentially undesirable side effect, but people are still coming in droves for a chance at peace.

We meet Ava, Ray, and Sasha - who are also just meeting - as they journey together to the Fields, each with their own reasons for making the trip. Nikki Erlick beautifully weaves these and other stories together, leaving the reader with a stunning and thoughtful story of grief, love, and whether it's all worth it in the end.

A beautiful novel. A must read for anyone who has experienced loss.

This book releases on June 17th, 2025, and I highly recommend it. I have already pre-ordered a physical copy for my shelves. Also, a big thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley
#ThePoppyFieldsDeluxeLimitedEdition

contemplative and awesome story that has some awesome characters that always understayed their welcome! 5 stars. tysm for the arc, and I hope there's a sequel!

I have been highly anticipating Nikki Erlick’s sophomore novel after loving her previous book, THE MEASURE.

THE POPPY FIELDS is a novel about grief, healing and found friendship. Deep in the California desert is a facility called the Poppy Fields where the one goal is to heal broken and grieving hearts. Readers meet and get to know a cast of characters all with their own reason’s for wanting to go to the Poppy Fields.

I’m truly so so so sad to say that this book was a bit of a miss for me :( Overall, I just found it boring and because of that I feel like I don’t have a ton to say. I didn’t hate it by and means it just wasn’t compelling or interesting. The writing felt a bit redundant at points like maybe it would’ve been better as a short story. The found family also felt a bit forced and cheesy to me as well. Ahhhh I’m sorry Nikki!! I wanted to love this book so badly. 2.5 stars.

I enjoy speculative fiction because of stories like "The Poppy Fields" . Over the last few years, I've found myself increasingly drawn to this genre, and it's all because of Erlick's first novel, The Measure. Erlick has a unique way of addressing speculative questions gently. In this upcoming release, she explores themes of grief and healing through an innovative and controversial therapy at the Poppy Fields. In a style like John Marrs, one can see how a solution like this could potentially be possible in today's society. Situated in a remote stretch of California desert, this research center allows those suffering from heartbreak and devastating loss to sleep through their pain and awaken 4-8 weeks later healed. ⁣
⁣This book centers around four characters who find themselves thrown together on their journey to the Poppy Fields. Each of them has their own reason for having a desire to get to The Poppy Fields, and I loved getting to know their stories and witnessing how their lives intertwine. I appreciated how this book was slow and meandering, much like the journey itself. The stories gently unfolded for each character. I found this read thought-provoking, and like her previous book The Measure, The Poppy Fields is sure to lead to great discussion, so it's a fantastic pick for book clubs.

I will be thinking about this book for a longgggg time.

The Poppy Fields is a treatment center where those experiencing grief can opt in to going into a deep sleep for one to two months, waking up on the other side of the sadness and pain. There is a 25% chance of waking up with a potentially undesirable side effect, but people are still coming in droves for a chance at peace.

We meet Ava, Sasha, and Ray - who are also just meeting - as they journey together to the Fields, each with their own reasons for making the trip. As she did in The Measure (a five-star read of mine from 2022), Nikki Erlick beautifully weaves these and other stories together, leaving the reader with a stunning and thoughtful story of grief, love, and whether it’s all worth it in the end.

I loved this. Four stars because I felt the stakes were a little low and I could have done with a tiiiiny bit more conflict (I know, I can’t believe I’m saying that either). Highly recommend adding this to your TBR immediately and picking it up when it comes out on June 17!!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a slog. I didn’t find the lot or characters interesting and it dragged on so long with nothing really happening. I also didn’t like the premise at all. I didn’t appreciate the authors take on grief. This was not a book I enjoyed at all.