Nikki Erlick has done it again! After The Measure, I had high hopes for The Poppy Fields, and wow, did it deliver. It might even be better than her debut. Erlick has this incredible way of taking a big, thought-provoking concept and turning it into a story that feels deeply personal and human. Plus, she sneaks in a little nod to The Measure, which was such a cool touch.

The book is set in the California desert at a mysterious research center offering an experimental treatment for grief. The idea? If your pain is too much to bear, you can go to sleep and stay that way until you wake up “healed.” Sounds tempting, right? But of course, there’s a catch, side effects.

I listened to the audiobook ARC, and it completely pulled me in. The narration brought so much emotion to these characters, making their stories even more immersive. We follow four strangers (and one little dog!) as they hit the road, each with their own reasons for seeking out this treatment. Along the way, secrets spill, motivations shift, and their connections become way more tangled than they ever expected. The road trip element adds such a fun, unexpected layer to what is, at its core, an emotional and deeply thoughtful story.

This book has it all—heartache, hope, resilience, and some truly gut-punching moments. It asks big questions, like how far we’d go to escape our pain and whether healing is ever really that simple. The way Erlick weaves these characters together is just chef’s kiss perfection.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperAudio for the ARC. The Poppy Fields is set to come out June 2025. This will be another great book club read.

If you had the chance to sleep through your grief and wake up healed, would you take it?