From the best selling author of The Measure comes another unique and thought provoking story! 3 strangers (with a 4th who joins them along the way) come together on an unexpected road trip to an experimental treatment facility, The Poppy Fields, for a unique and compelling journey of grief and hope.

What if you could go to “sleep” for 4-8 weeks to help you get through a period of grief but with the chance of experiencing a horrible side effect, would you do it?

I was expecting this story to be about what happens at The Poppy Fields, but it focused more on the characters making their way to the facility as well as the woman who came up with the concept for this unique form of treatment. Definitely a character driven story with each of the characters having their own reason for wanting to visit The Poppy Fields. I liked the complexity of the characters and how their stories seemed to be intertwined, yet at the same time feeling realistic. I also really enjoyed the bonds and friendships formed between these characters.

Just like The Measure, I really liked how this book makes you think about what you’d do if placed in a similar situation!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the advanced audiobook. Check this one out when it releases June 17, 2025.

* BOOK REVIEW*** Book available 6/17/2025

This book was really, really good. But I can’t help but think it fell to the curse of the sophomore slump. The concept, super intriguing. The characters, realistically flawed and curious. The ending? Somewhat anticlimactic. In all fairness though, when you write an ending like the one in The Measure, goosebump inducing and picking my jaw up off the floor….you kind of set yourself for an impossible standard to meet again. I was ready for a big reveal or a major plot twist, and I never really got it. But like I said, this book was still really really good, I was just left a tad underwhelmed when the audiobook was over. On that note, Marin Ireland is hands down one of my favorite audiobook narrators and it was so well done. In addition, I loved the added layer of interviews of applicants and participants.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for getting a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!



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#netgalley #bookreview #nikkierlick #ThePoppyFields #bookstagram

You’re suffering immense grief, you’re given the opportunity to sleep for a month and wake up with that feeling gone. Do you do it? What if there is a possible side effect?

The Measure is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I saw Nikki Erlick had a new one coming, I was itching to check it out. There might even be a little nod to it in this story…

I listened to the audiobook, and Marin Ireland did a great job, as always. It’s a full-cast recording, but she handles the main narration while the others pop in for specific scenes. It adds clarity without being distracting.

This one felt a bit less relatable for me than The Measure, but honestly, I feel lucky to be able to say that. I can’t imagine choosing to sleep away a month of my life, but if you were suffering from crippling grief, I can understand how it might be tempting.

Erlick has a way of taking something futuristic and impossible and making it feel real. Each character is relatable in their own way, and you genuinely feel for all of them.

This isn’t science fiction in the traditional sense — it’s more of an emotional journey, with each character searching for something in life, even if it’s not what they expected.

This is a great story if you’re looking for something completely unique, impossible, yet somehow believable. It makes you reflect on life and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen early.

This was such an interesting listen (read)! Thank you to HarperAudio and Nikki Erlick for the ALC!!

I really enjoyed the premise of the book. The Poppy Fields are an experimental and controversial treatment center for those suffering from loss and the heartache it brings to sleep through their pain (and keep on sleeping). After patients awaken from their sleep they will find themselves healed...but for some patients there can be a side effect of the prolonged slumber, would you be willing to risk not having the nostalgia when you think of someone you love and lost?

We follow four strangers who all embark on a journey, 3 going to the Poppy Fields and 1 just on a life journey. Ava, Ray and Sasha are all traveling to the Poppy Fields for a reason and Sky is just trying to experience life after graduating high school. On their journey west we learn of their past secrets and motivations that could threaten their voyage.

We also get Ellis' perspective. Ellis is the creator of the Poppy Fields and we get insight into why she created such a space for people to navigate through their loss.

This touches on human resilience and what motivates each individual to overcome their grief and find a path to healing. I personally don't think I would want to sleep at the Poppy Fields but can totally see the pull of it. I would never want to risk the nostalgia and feelings I get when I think back on memories of loved ones that have passed. I enjoyed the narration but was a little thrown when they said it was a full cast because the POV's of Sasha, Ava, Ray, Sky and Ellis were all read by the same person. There were interviews and articles around the Poppy Fields and those were read by someone else but I think getting a different voice for all of the other characters would have really been great!

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for this ARC copy of the audiobook, The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

Nikki Erlich is the author of The Measure, which I found to be thought provoking and original. Her latest release, the Poppy Fields asks the question of how far would you go to relieve your grieving heart. The Poppy fields are a place of scientific experimentation where one is able to sleep for a month or two while their bodies go through a process to relieve the effects of a grief. Some are grieving the loss of a loved one or a relationship. And the poppy fields offer the opportunity to bypass the pain. Go to sleep sad, wake up… not sad. I loved this idea and was really looking forward to the moral question of whether we are meant to feel the pain or if human suffering can or should be scientifically eliminated. And this book explores this question beautifully. It is packed with a variety of characters each going through their own struggles and learning to deal with grief in their own way. The audio cast list is somewhat misleading given the multiple actors listed. The vast majority of the book is narrated by a single author voicing many parts. The additional cast list is a series of cameos for article interviews and readings. So if you’re looking for a duet narration, this is not that. Marin Ireland has been the voice actor for many popular books. Her voice has a calming, effect that reminds me of a podcast or NPR show. Unfortunately, for me, this gave a sense of being almost detached from the emotional journeys of the characters. These characters are all dealing with grief and emotional devastation and I didn’t feel like that came through in this experience for me. Overall, I liked this book. I didn’t love it and even found myself disengaging at times. I wanted there to be a little more “oompfff”. The attempts at impact and drama felt forced. For example, when one character reveals her big secret to the others, another character reacts with anger and walks out. But there wasn’t a real sense of valid drama there. It felt like the storyline was being exaggerated for effect. I will read future books from this author, but this one just didn’t quite deliver on its potential. Unique plot and storyline. Well written in terms of literary style and language. Lacking in emotional depth (audiobook at least) and character development as well as overall plot.
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The audio was done well & entertaining, but I lost interest about 50% in. It felt more like a road trip instead of actually being at the destination. I think many will enjoy it, but I prefer The Measure by Erlick.

4.5 stars!

Nikki Erlick’s sophomore novel really solidifies her to have a distinct voice and narration style, which is just as successful here as it was in the measure! The author has a way of tackling complex topics in a way that is fresh and interesting, and makes you consider experiences in a new way. It’s funny, I’ve been listening to this alongside completing a six month grief course, and this novel tackles grief in a way that I’ve never seen a novel do before. I was engaged the whole time, I loved the pacing and the narrative structure, and I loved the book narrator. Really amazing depiction of how grief affects us all differently and how we as a larger society feel about grief and grieving people. Beautiful and memorable, I loved it!

Thank you to Harper Audio Adult and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

This was a great book and reminded me of the movie The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I would def recommend to people!

Compelling read - would recommend!

Nikki Erlick, the bestselling author of "The Measure," returns with "The Poppy Fields," a thought-provoking speculative novel that delves into the complex landscape of grief and the universal human desire for healing. This story imagines a world where the broken-hearted can find solace in a controversial treatment: sleeping away their pain at a remote California desert facility known as the Poppy Fields.

The novel shines in its exploration of individual sorrow through multiple perspectives. We journey alongside Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; and the free-spirited Sky, each carrying their own profound losses and motivations for seeking out the Poppy Fields. Erlick masterfully weaves their backstories, allowing readers to deeply connect with their unique experiences of grief. Getting to experience each person's story and the nuances of their pain was a significant strength of the book.

A substantial portion of the narrative is dedicated to the characters' cross-country road trip from the Midwest to California. While this "road trip" element provides a framework for their secrets to unfold and for an unlikely camaraderie to blossom, I personally wished it hadn't dominated such a large part of the story. The anticipation of reaching the Poppy Fields and understanding its mysteries sometimes felt diluted by the extended journey.

The central premise of a "cure" for heartache is undeniably intriguing. The Poppy Fields offers a prolonged slumber, after which patients hope to awaken healed, albeit with the risk of "shadowy side effects." As a reader who is always curious about the mechanics of such speculative concepts, I found myself wanting more detailed exploration of "how" this scientific marvel actually works. While the emotional and philosophical questions it raises are profound – how do we heal, and what lengths will we go to for that healing? – a deeper dive into the science behind the Poppy Fields would have further enriched the experience for me.

Ultimately, "The Poppy Fields" is a moving and hopeful novel that tackles the difficult subject of loss with sensitivity. It’s a story about human resilience, the unexpected friendships that can bloom in the face of adversity, and the enduring search for peace after a great loss. If you enjoy character-driven speculative fiction that explores deep emotional themes, this book offers a unique and engaging journey, even if it leaves some scientific questions unanswered.

Nikki Erlick does it again. A unique and thought provoking novel that pulls the reader into the lives of the main characters from page one. You won’t be able to put it down.

“A high-concept speculative novel about heartache, hope, and human resilience, The Poppy Fields explores the path of grief and healing, a journey at once profoundly universal and unique to every person, posing the questions: How do we heal in the wake of great loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?” Through the story you see the evolution of each character as they learn to deal with their feelings of grief and finding what they truly need to be healed.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio for the advanced lister copy and William Marrow for the eARC of the book in return for an honest review.

This is a tough one to review, and part of that is because it's so different from what I expected. The Measure had a certain level of tension to it as we waited to see what happened with each character, what decisions they made, and what the consequences of those decisions would be. But I would describe The Poppy Fields as deeply melancholy. It's more like lit-fic than anything else; I'd say the speculative aspect pales in comparison, even if it is the very foundation of the novel. I expected the road trip aspect to be much shorter, that it would culminate in some dramatic actions at the Fields. But it's a more subtle story of navigating grief. Ultimately, the ending was a little underwhelming for me. The bizarre thing about this novel is that despite all the heavy emotions, I didn't really feel like there were any actual stakes to the story, almost reminding me of a cozy fantasy novel in that sense. Does that make this a cozy lit-fic? I don't even think that's a genre but it's the closest I can come to describing this. I highly recommend, but you may want to adjust your expectations before going in.
**BIG thank you to NetGalley! I received an eARC and an advance audiobook both in exchange for an honest review.**

I alternated listening to the e audiobook and reading the egalley.

I was so excited to read this one because I loved The Measure. Sadly, I found this one disappointing. The story failed to hook me in, and I couldn't really connect with any of the characters.

As for the audiobook particularly, I felt the narrator was a bit monotone which made it hard to stay focused on the story.

Because I so enjoyed The Measure, I would try this author again despite this experience.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: 3.5 STARS ROUNDED TO 4. I was drawn to the cover and the premise of THE POPPY FIELDS, and though Nikki Erlick is a new-to-me author, I saw that her debut novel received a lot of praise. So, I thought I'd take a chance on reading her forthcoming release when I saw it offered as an audiobook ARC on NetGalley.

“Grief is an individual journey; everyone navigates it differently.”

To be able to feel grief means to have loved and cared about someone or something. THE POPPY FIELDS touches the surface in exploring how far we are willing to go to relieve heartache. In our society, we can pop a pill or take an injection for all kinds of physical ailments, and of course, there are drugs for plenty of psychological issues as well that numb pain, guilt, anxiety, and grief. But going completely comatose for a month? Two months? Waking up with time lost that can't be recovered and having those -- and potentially other feelings – muted or even wiped out permanently? Worth it? Worth the risk?

I had hoped and expected the book to be about The Poppy Fields (The Fields) facility, but the novel is actually more about how the existence of the facility affects people. We share in four strangers' journeys as they travel there together, and we share in the founder's journey of establishing and continuing to run the facility on her terms as long as she can. Additionally, there are a bunch of pop-in perspectives from podcasters, influencer, news and science papers, candidate interviews, and more. These give readers insight into wider views of The Fields, but these journeys and perspectives are full of grief and pain, and that made reading THE POPPY FIELDS heavy.

Throughout THE POPPY FIELDS, readers feel they are building to something big. While there are two surprises, there’s no big climax or full resolution – the stories of our five characters kind of just fade out, with a small epilogue-type conclusion -- courtesy of a character who really seems unnecessary other than for the purpose of one, last bring-to-date. While I feel empathy and sympathy for what the characters are feeling, I can't connect with them more deeply, despite sharing common experiences. That may have been the author's intent in not fully fleshing out each of them: she wants readers to connect with the shared experience of grief, regardless of who is carrying it.

ABOUT THE NARRATION: There are ten narrators listed, but I didn't really notice changes from the primary narrator except when the pop-in perspectives happened. Those narrators are more expressive and some even lively, depending on context. It's well-done, and the voicings are natural and seamless from voice to voice. I was never startled by a new voice, the narrators' pacing were perfect for listening at regular speed (1.2x on NetGalley's app), and the files were glitch-free.

“Ellis felt something stir…the sparking of an idea – an illuminated fuse at the very start of its crackling journey, still in search of its destination.”

THE POPPY FIELDS is somber reading and forces contemplation; honestly, it really holds too much grief for me to read without a balance of more lightness. I realized that the book was affecting me outside of its pages: I was crabby and felt overwhelmed until I finished, then it was like a weight lifted. This is a nod to Erlick's writing ability that she could evoke such feelings.

I think there are plenty of readers who will enjoy THE POPPY FIELDS, and it does have staying power after the last page is read. However, for me, it pulls too hard on my heart that’s suffering grief of its own. I crave and need hopeful, happy stories that have nice, neat conclusions that leave me feeling uplifted.

I could not wait to get my hands on this one and it did not disappoint!! The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick is such a unique concept and I could not get enough! If given a chance to do this, how many of us really would? This one makes you think and sticks with you! Excellent narrator.


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for allowing me this chance to read and rate this book!

Very thought provoking. My mind hurt in a good way, reading every word. Well done. Highly recommend!

Fantastic listen! I really enjoyed this book. The plot is interesting; people dealing with loss or grief can go to the fields and "sleep" (under medical supervision for several weeks). When they wake, they will have made it through the worst of their painful emotions. But what if something goes wrong? What are the potential side effects? This book isn't only about dealing with pain and loss. It is also about family, friendship, and how we deal with success. I enjoy Marin Ireland as a narrator and this book was no exception. Her tone and expression are perfect. Even if you weren't able to get into Erlick's last book, The Measure, give this one a try! She did a great job writing a fascinating story that is both thoughtful and heartwarming.

This was a story about grief, loss, love, friendship, and the journey that goes along with it. I enjoyed the characters and the found family they created as they spent time together traveling. Each characters story was unique and interesting and they all brought a different perspective to the idea of The Poppy Fields. The sci-fi aspect was well done and was believable. Overall, a great read that kept me interested. The narrators were great and easy to listen to.

3.5 stars

Thanks to Net Galley for the early preview of this audiobook.

This book had an interesting concept and explored various moral and ethical issues. The character building was great, and I really enjoyed the big reveals that were thrown in, here and there. The author did a great job of making these seemingly random characters all come together in the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but at some points maybe found it a bit slow and boring (perhaps a bit ‘forced’ as well with all these converging storylines). Maybe it spent too much time travelling to the poppy fields and not enough time at this climatic point of the novel. The ending was a bit so-so, but I am not sure how else to end a novel like this.

However, I did enjoy the character building, and she made the characters feel real and likeable. It is hard to assign a star rating to a book like this, so I’m stuck in-between at 3.5 stars. I will continue to read books by Nikki Erlick.

Audiobook narrator(s) Marin Ireland and Full Cast rating: 3.8 stars
The main narrator was pretty good at reading this book. It was interesting to hear other narrators (they were all pretty minor). Though, I had just finished reading/listening to All Better Now by Neal Shusterman| and in that book, whenever the minor narrator would speak, it would be a short chapter that would be kind of like a side note. This trained me to not listen as well as I should to these side notes, and I missed some important stuff when it happened in this book! Note to other listeners, pay attention to these stories that appear to veer off from the main story arc!

If there was a treatment for grief would you seek it out? This unique story follows the intersecting stories of 3 people on their way to The Poppy Fields, all for a different reason along with a free spirit of a girl attempting to live life to the fullest. The Poppy Fields is a controversial medical treatment where you can go when you just can’t get over your grief where they put you to sleep for an extended period in order to help resolve it. This was definitely an interesting concept and well written. I listened to the audio book and it was well done. I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, William Morrow Publishing, for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: June 17, 2025

Thanks to HarperAudio I got to read this one. I’m a huge fan of Nikki Erlick and will read anything she writes. I liked this one. Definitely was thought provoking.