A beautiful and unique story on grief and love. Very thought provoking. I enjoyed all the characters and their interconnected stories. I've been lucky enough not to experiance major grief in my life, but this was still relevent to me! Such a powerful read.

I thoroughly enjoyed the unique premise and thought-provoking tale of The Poppy Fields. Imagine a place you can go to sleep and wake up free of the heartwrenching grief that brought you there. The story is told from various perspectives, including several different characters and their association with The Poppy Fields. I love how we are introduced to each character, and how their bonds are created and told throughout the story. I especially enjoyed the road trip they embarked upon after their fateful meeting. Each character has their own story, but they meld together seamlessly with the overarching theme. In addition to the main characters, we also hear excerpts of interviews with potential and previous patients and bits of news articles covering the work done at the fields. This added such depth to the experience of reading this novel.

As with all treatments, side effects often come; the same is true of The Poppy Fields. We learn of the main side effect and see how it affects those unfortunate enough to experience it. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding the founder of the fields, Ellis (aka Emmy), and her sister Ava, who had a falling out shortly after the fields opened. The way I gasped when I realized what happened to create their rift - it was an excellent twist.

Nikki Erlick thought of everything in the execution of this novel. The way she approached grief and its devastating effects on those experiencing it was both introspective and tasteful.

Multiple narrators brilliantly performed the audio version to give differing voices dependent upon their perspective that brought this story to life.

The Poppy Fields presents a unique and thought-provoking premise for a book – what if there were a cure for a broken heart? This character-driven novel follows four strangers (Ava, Ray, Sasha, and Sky), each burdened by personal grief, as they journey to the California desert in search of the Poppy Fields, an experimental treatment center, and its founder, Ellis. The Poppy Fields promises to heal a grieving soul by putting particiapnts into a month-long "sleep."

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, and I'm still undecided on how much I liked it. A blend of magical realism, science fiction, and contemporary fiction, it explores the tension between letting go of grief and holding on to the memory.

I listened to the audiobook, which was superbly done. The always fantastic Marin Ireland delivered a stand-out performance, with strong support from a full cast for articles, letters, and news segments.

I loved Nikki's debut book and this one sounded even better. I was right. There is no sophomore slump here. The Poppy Fields are a new and experimental treatment center designed to help people cope with their grief. It is not without controversy but people still flock to the Poppy Fields seeking healing.


I loved that this book looked at grief not only in the typical sense but also other situations that could cause you to feel grief. Nikki really delves into human relationships and what it means to connect with those around us. She weaves the characters stories together, intertwining them in ways that feel surprising yet realistic. The multiple narrators did justice to the story. I'm such a huge fan of dual or full cast narration. These narrators were amazing.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and I hope we don't have to wait another 3 years for her next one!!

I liked the concept of this book. It was fascinating to think about the ramifications of sleeping through grief. What it does to your body, what it does to those you love. I felt like the middle of this story was slow, felt drawn out. Overall, I liked this novel. Would recommend to sci-fi readers. 3.5 stars

Such a great read. I loved The Measure, and I think I loved this more. The audio was well done and the multiple narrators and story lines were beautifully woven together. Don’t rush through it. Sit back and enjoy the character development.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the ALC.

This book is more than fiction—it’s comfort. It’s for the ones carrying quiet grief, the ones who know what it means to lie in bed and wish you could just sleep through the pain. The Poppy Fields imagines a world where you actually can—a place where people go to sleep for months to process their grief. But, as with all healing, there are side effects.

This is a story about what it means to lose, to ache, to try to keep going. It’s about grief in all its raw, complicated forms. And for me, it hit deep.
The chapter with Audrey and Alan absolutely wrecked me—in the most beautiful way. Their story was tender, heart-wrenching, and unforgettable. Honestly, this book touched me more than Erlick’s first, The Measure. Maybe that’s because I’m still holding onto my own losses. Maybe that’s why it felt like this book found me exactly when I needed it.

What makes this book even more powerful is the way Erlick breaks up the narrative with unique formats—news articles, podcast transcripts, social media posts, and even fictional application forms for the Poppy Fields. These interludes give readers a chance to breathe while adding depth to the world she's created, making it feel all the more real.

I listened to the advanced audiobook and it added so much. The narrators brought these characters to life with such honesty and depth—I felt like I knew them. It made everything even more intimate and emotional.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. I grew to care for every single character and their journey. This is one of those books that stays with you, long after the last page.

If you’ve ever experienced loss, if your heart still hasn’t fully healed, this story will speak to you. It spoke to me. And I’m so grateful it did.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! If you liked The Measure, you’ll like this one too. An interesting take on navigating grief. Funny and sensitive and sweet.

Crying so much! I adore the way Nikki writes books and showcases human connection. If loved her book The Measure definitely check out The Poppy Fields as well. Wonderful narration as well!

4.25/5. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy!

What drew me to this book was the premise - what if you could sleep away your grief - and I think this book truly delivered on it. Those who apply, are chosen, and come to the Poppy Fields are given the opportunity to sleep through the worst parts of their broken-heart. When they awaken, the pain is gone and, for the most part, they can move on with their lives.

But there is a chance of a side effect that may make it all not worth the risk...

The novel follows a set of characters on their way to the Poppy Fields, and the creator of the Poppy Fields herself, and a twisty, entwined story that really reflects on what grief is, how individual it is, and how we all have to come to heal from it. It balances the two sides of the coin: do we have to be awake and aware of our intense loss, or is there more benefit to letting our body heal itself, relegated to the subconscious?

Going into this, I expected we'd focus more on the aspect of the actual process of sleeping through grief. Instead, Erlick takes us on a character-driven adventure to the west, creating memorable characters who work through their process in their own way. Just the fact that they have each other and the ability to talk through <i>why</i> they're choosing the Poppy Fields starts the process of healing.

I wasn't certain I was prepared for an introspective novel like this, but I am glad I took the chance to listen to it today. It was well worth it and the questions that it poses. The writing itself was beautiful and every character unique enough that none blended together. Marin Ireland (and every other narrator) does an excellent job of bringing them all to life. I find the novels like this with interviews, broadcasts, articles, etc. do really well with multiple narrators in an audio format.

If you're in the mood for a novel that makes you stop and look deep at part of being human, this is one for you.

How do you men a broken heart
How do you stop the rain from falling down?

Perhaps there is a place for you to rid yourself of a heart broken through loss? There is a place in the desert of California that can provide healing through sleep. Sounds amazing and something we might consider if we are among those that no matter how much time has passed find ourselves consolable.

Ellis, the brilliant woman who created the Poppy Field is the destination for four travelers, Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; Sky, a free spirit; and a friendly pup named PJ. They bond together and as they travel we learn of their sorrows, their hopes for the fields, and the secrets that may deter them from what they seek.

There are so many thought provoking concepts in this story and it is one that you will continue to ponder after the last word is read. Would you go there if you could, if this imagined place was available, if what they promised could be yours?

The Poppy is a flower that is ever so resilient. It was the first flower to grow after the devastation of the war and so the center seems aptly named. Can people come back after a devastating loss, the loss of a child, husband, wife, parents, brothers, sisters etc. or do our memories of our lost loved ones become something we wish to hold onto throughout our lives?

ARC - NetGalley AudioRead - Full Cast - Well Done!!

This book is shelved as a "Sci-Fi/Fantasy" story category. This is not your typical Sci Fi in my mind.

This is the story of the Poppy Fields, an experimental and controversial treatment center that allows people dealing with the loss of a loved one to sleep through their pain in a prolonged slumber. When they awaken from this sleep they will be healed. But there are some potentially shadowy side effects. The story follows 4 strangers who travel to make their way to the Poppy Fields. This was such a beautiful tale of love, loss and moving on in the most unexpected way.

What a beautiful story and characters. I loved Nikki Erlick’s The Measure and found The Poppy Fields to be equally enjoyable. Erlick has a special, unique way of sharing humanity’s struggles and celebrations and how we are intertwined with others. I’m excited for the publish date so I can share this with others.

Speculate about grief with strangers going on a road trip to a sleeping pod farm✨
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I’m always intrigued by how technology might help us cope with everyday problems, so I enjoyed this book’s exploration of grief, loss, and healing. The mixed media format and varied perspectives kept things interesting, breaking up the road trip narrative while highlighting how society might respond to controversial tech. But the plot was a bit thin, causing the story to drag towards the end. It felt a bit repetitive & preachy without much surprise or mystery. Still, the speculative concept of a sleeping pod letting you skip the worst parts of grief & the outcomes was fascinating. There were even some emotional moments that made me tear up based on my own experiences. Overall, it was enjoyable and thought provoking, even if it didn’t offer anything that thrilling.

3.5 rounded up. This would be a great book club/discussion type book. I didn’t really get pulled in to the book until the final few chapters. Loved the last line of the book. The audiobook was fine. This is a book with a smattering of interviews, news articles, etc. For an audiobook with 10 narrators, I found it odd the interview transcripts weren’t read in interview style and instead were primarily read by men, even though most of the interview subjects were female. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

5 stars and honestly so excited about it!

This book had high expectations, after loving the measure so much. I love how this author plays with some sci-fi elements in her books. In this book, we are following multiple POV's as these people explore what the Poppy Fields look like. Each person wants to go/has gone for different reasons. The Fields are said to be able to cure your heartbreak, but you must first apply and go through quite the process to be accepted into this program.

I really love how the author explores all possible scenarios of how a place like this could impact people around them and even the individuals themselves. As always, her work is filled with gorgeous quotes and while I love most of what she has to say, I found the topics surrounding grief to be heart wrenching and thought provoking throughout the story. I highly recommend reading this when it comes out!

Erlick’s latest novel did not work for me like The Measure, which was one of my favorite books of 2022. In The Measure, the characters were engaging, the story compelling and discussion topics were plentiful. Those three aspects were missing for me in her latest. The characters felt flat and their relationships with one another were not convincing. The story itself felt disjointed and confusing. I wanted a deeper examination of “why” and the purpose behind The Poppy Fields. I never felt fully invested in the story or the outcomes of these characters. I did really enjoy the narration.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐒 (Pub 06.17) is contemplative, introspective, speculative and highly discussable. No sophomore slump from author Nicole Erlick. 

The Poppy Fields, is a controversial treatment center in the middle of the California desert where people suffering from unbearable grief can sleep away the heartache. But there is a 1-in-4 chance of an irreversible side effect. Plus- there is a road trip aspect when people with different opinions/connections about the Poppy Fields are thrown together. 

I finished this over a week ago and I'm still thinking about the characters and the overall concept. The whole concept is provocative yet believable- I loved that.

READ CONCURRENLY in audio and print. Thank you @netgalley and The audio is full cast featuring Marin Ireland. I relished having both formats at my disposal so I could keep reading no matter where I was.

I was a little disappointed in this but I think mainly because I was a huge fan of The Measure. The characters were interesting but I just never got invested in th treatment facility.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. What would you do if you could go to a facility where you could be put to sleep for 2 months so that when you wake up you don't feel that excruciating pain from losing a loved one. You would still remember them but you would not feel the heartbreak or pain that you live with each and every day. This book is about 4 strangers who are each making their way to this facility all for different reasons in hopes of easing their heartbreak. I didn't realise that this was the same author who wrote The Measure and after reading this one I can totally see this as the vibe from this book was that same kind of feeling.....if you liked The Measure, you will like this one as well.......Enjoy!!!