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War #1
War Poppy
Poppy
Love and war. Two words that should have little association, but to me the two go hand in hand. Both are a tragedy. They rip you open and spit you out. The war killed my husband, Connor, shattered my will to live, and took my best friend. Brandon may not have physically died in that war, but his soul did. And now we're left to pick up the wreckage. Expected to move on when all that is left is the ruins of a life we once had.
Brandon
War. It took everything from me, even myself. When you're only able to exist, death seems like a blessing. Pain...a welcome distraction. I ran from everything associated with my past, and then she found me, fighting, drowning myself in whisky, trying to forget. She reminds me of Connor, of what I've lost—what we've lost. In the midst of destruction, she's a salvation I don't deserve.
I shouldn't love him.
I shouldn't love her.
Love is a war we never should have fought.
Love and war. Two words that should have little association, but to me the two go hand in hand. Both are a tragedy. They rip you open and spit you out. The war killed my husband, Connor, shattered my will to live, and took my best friend. Brandon may not have physically died in that war, but his soul did. And now we're left to pick up the wreckage. Expected to move on when all that is left is the ruins of a life we once had.
Brandon
War. It took everything from me, even myself. When you're only able to exist, death seems like a blessing. Pain...a welcome distraction. I ran from everything associated with my past, and then she found me, fighting, drowning myself in whisky, trying to forget. She reminds me of Connor, of what I've lost—what we've lost. In the midst of destruction, she's a salvation I don't deserve.
I shouldn't love him.
I shouldn't love her.
Love is a war we never should have fought.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2017
18 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Lynne
3 books35 followersNicole Lynne is the collaborative pen name for Stevie J. Cole & L.P. Lovell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
January 2, 2018
4.25 stars
Public Service Announcement: Your heart may be aggressively removed from your chest upon completion of this novel.
I buddy read this book with my lovely blog sister, Sonya. She told me to tell you guys that she will be going on a long trip. So, if you don’t hear from her for a while, do not be alarmed. "Sign up for War Poppy.” she said. “We can buddy read! It will be fun!” she said. Fast forward to 12:50 a.m. this morning when I got an email from her that started like this…"OMFG!! *SOBS I’m fucking crying right now!!! Why the fuck did I read this book?"..and ended like this...”Jess, you’re so fucked!” So, I did what any good blog sister/friend would do. I cursed her out in response and grabbed my book to finish reading it.
War Poppy is a story that will stay with you long after you read it, not only because it is fantastically written, but because it’s a story that makes you think about the reality behind the fiction. War is something that is a constant in this world. Lucky for people like me, it’s something I read about in history books and newspapers or watch on the news, but don’t actually have to experience myself. I get to sit in my house, and bitch about the price of gas or cable television while the members of our military go sit in the desert somewhere not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again.
I come from a family with its fair share of war veterans, and it guts me to know what they must have went through during their tour and after coming home. I still remember the faraway look in my grandpa’s eye when I would ask him about what it was like when he was in the army. He fought in World War ll, and I find history endlessly fascinating, so I would wait patiently and absorb anything he was willing to give me. No matter how many times I asked, he always seemed to avoid talking about the serious stuff. He would say like maybe one serious thing, and then begin talking about stuff that was much more light-hearted, funny things that happened or how he never did get the care package my grandma sent him until he got back home and it was redelivered to their house. My grandfather was on the ground with a gun in his hand. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a story to tell. His brother was left behind, captured by enemy soldiers, and lived. There is so much he could have said to me, but he didn’t. I never understood why back then, but I think I do now. It’s not something he wanted to relive, because it was too painful, or that he didn’t want to burden me with the horror of it all.
This is a story of what war does to those left behind when their loved ones go off to war and don’t come back, and what it does to those that experience it firsthand. It is not everyone’s story. Many men and women come home and go on to live long happy lives. However, we have all seen, know personally, or have heard of those with severe PTSD, veterans that can’t ever leave the war fully, or ones that couldn’t bare living with what they experienced. It’s easy to think of those people when you read this book. It’s also what makes it so much more heartbreaking.
Brandon loses his best friend, Connor, while they are both serving in the same military unit. He dies right beside him. The guilt of surviving, when his friend that was like a brother to him didn’t, makes it difficult to function in any real capacity. Imagining Connor’s lifeless eyes, and the countless people killed by his own hand has him an absolute wreck. Brandon may have physically left the war, but the war rages on in his mind. It’s a hell he can’t escape even when, or should I say especially when, he lays his head down at night and drifts off to sleep.
Poppy is a widow at the age of 25. Not a stranger to heartbreak, most of the people she loves have passed on throughout her lifetime. Connor wasn’t supposed to be one of them. He was a constant in her life, and just like that, he was gone. There was also always another constant in her life, her best friend, Brandon. After she buries her husband, she uses all the insurance money she received from his death to search for him, one of the only people she has left in the world.
Brandon doesn’t want to be found. He went AWOL, and spends his nights fighting in an illegal fighting ring in London to try to get rid of some of his anger. The rest of his time is spent between some random woman’s legs or at the end of a bottle.
When Poppy shows up, he tries to push her away, but she won’t allow it. She is determined to help him if it kills her. Poppy needs him, and he needs her in the most desperate way. Soon, Brandon is not only no longer pushing her away, but he can’t let her go. Poppy would do anything to help him find happiness again. She has loved him since she was ten years old. This is a story of a second chance at love, but more importantly a story of when love, no matter how strong, just isn’t enough.
War Poppy is not the kind of book I normally read. I am a person that doesn’t like to read anything that is going to make me overall incredibly sad, and that’s what this one did. It tore my heart from my chest, and I am still trying like hell to get it back. If you decide to read this, get the tissues ready, because you are probably going to need them. I didn’t sob when it was over, but there were definitely tears. Mostly, I was left with a heavy feeling in my heart.
Would I recommend this book to others? Honestly, this isn’t a book that is easy to read, but it’s one that I think is worth it in the end if only to give you more of an appreciation for the men and women of the military and the ones they leave behind. Powerful, raw, gritty, and painfully realistic, this is a story you won’t soon forget.
Teasers slightly edited and taken from the author's Facebook page.
ARC generously provided for an honest review.
Public Service Announcement: Your heart may be aggressively removed from your chest upon completion of this novel.
I buddy read this book with my lovely blog sister, Sonya. She told me to tell you guys that she will be going on a long trip. So, if you don’t hear from her for a while, do not be alarmed. "Sign up for War Poppy.” she said. “We can buddy read! It will be fun!” she said. Fast forward to 12:50 a.m. this morning when I got an email from her that started like this…"OMFG!! *SOBS I’m fucking crying right now!!! Why the fuck did I read this book?"..and ended like this...”Jess, you’re so fucked!” So, I did what any good blog sister/friend would do. I cursed her out in response and grabbed my book to finish reading it.
War Poppy is a story that will stay with you long after you read it, not only because it is fantastically written, but because it’s a story that makes you think about the reality behind the fiction. War is something that is a constant in this world. Lucky for people like me, it’s something I read about in history books and newspapers or watch on the news, but don’t actually have to experience myself. I get to sit in my house, and bitch about the price of gas or cable television while the members of our military go sit in the desert somewhere not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again.
I come from a family with its fair share of war veterans, and it guts me to know what they must have went through during their tour and after coming home. I still remember the faraway look in my grandpa’s eye when I would ask him about what it was like when he was in the army. He fought in World War ll, and I find history endlessly fascinating, so I would wait patiently and absorb anything he was willing to give me. No matter how many times I asked, he always seemed to avoid talking about the serious stuff. He would say like maybe one serious thing, and then begin talking about stuff that was much more light-hearted, funny things that happened or how he never did get the care package my grandma sent him until he got back home and it was redelivered to their house. My grandfather was on the ground with a gun in his hand. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a story to tell. His brother was left behind, captured by enemy soldiers, and lived. There is so much he could have said to me, but he didn’t. I never understood why back then, but I think I do now. It’s not something he wanted to relive, because it was too painful, or that he didn’t want to burden me with the horror of it all.
This is a story of what war does to those left behind when their loved ones go off to war and don’t come back, and what it does to those that experience it firsthand. It is not everyone’s story. Many men and women come home and go on to live long happy lives. However, we have all seen, know personally, or have heard of those with severe PTSD, veterans that can’t ever leave the war fully, or ones that couldn’t bare living with what they experienced. It’s easy to think of those people when you read this book. It’s also what makes it so much more heartbreaking.
Brandon loses his best friend, Connor, while they are both serving in the same military unit. He dies right beside him. The guilt of surviving, when his friend that was like a brother to him didn’t, makes it difficult to function in any real capacity. Imagining Connor’s lifeless eyes, and the countless people killed by his own hand has him an absolute wreck. Brandon may have physically left the war, but the war rages on in his mind. It’s a hell he can’t escape even when, or should I say especially when, he lays his head down at night and drifts off to sleep.
Poppy is a widow at the age of 25. Not a stranger to heartbreak, most of the people she loves have passed on throughout her lifetime. Connor wasn’t supposed to be one of them. He was a constant in her life, and just like that, he was gone. There was also always another constant in her life, her best friend, Brandon. After she buries her husband, she uses all the insurance money she received from his death to search for him, one of the only people she has left in the world.
Brandon doesn’t want to be found. He went AWOL, and spends his nights fighting in an illegal fighting ring in London to try to get rid of some of his anger. The rest of his time is spent between some random woman’s legs or at the end of a bottle.
When Poppy shows up, he tries to push her away, but she won’t allow it. She is determined to help him if it kills her. Poppy needs him, and he needs her in the most desperate way. Soon, Brandon is not only no longer pushing her away, but he can’t let her go. Poppy would do anything to help him find happiness again. She has loved him since she was ten years old. This is a story of a second chance at love, but more importantly a story of when love, no matter how strong, just isn’t enough.
War Poppy is not the kind of book I normally read. I am a person that doesn’t like to read anything that is going to make me overall incredibly sad, and that’s what this one did. It tore my heart from my chest, and I am still trying like hell to get it back. If you decide to read this, get the tissues ready, because you are probably going to need them. I didn’t sob when it was over, but there were definitely tears. Mostly, I was left with a heavy feeling in my heart.
Would I recommend this book to others? Honestly, this isn’t a book that is easy to read, but it’s one that I think is worth it in the end if only to give you more of an appreciation for the men and women of the military and the ones they leave behind. Powerful, raw, gritty, and painfully realistic, this is a story you won’t soon forget.
Teasers slightly edited and taken from the author's Facebook page.
ARC generously provided for an honest review.
February 11, 2017
3.5 STARS
This book deals with the very dark and heartbreaking sides of PTSD. The story doesn’t end in a cliffhanger and most will deem by definition a romance story shouldn’t end. So you have been warned. I was left miserable once I finished.
I liked the writing and the delivery and quite honestly who doesn’t love an underground fighter hero? The heroine and her deceased husband and the hero all grew up together. Through scattered flashbacks we find that Poppy has always harbored feelings for Brandon all along. Poppy's feelings for Connor at times felt unauthentic and almost as if she married her second choice. To me, Connor and his memory got the shaft and he was referred to as ‘fat’ one too many times for my tastes by his best friend.
Poppy finds Brandon who has went AWOL from the military and has been releasing his anger for money in the ring it’s their shared grief that should bind them. However to me, it’s their attraction and childhood friendship that Brandon pushed aside that keeps them together.
”Two people who shouldn’t belong together, through death, now could not belong to anyone else.”
Poppy and Brandon’s friendship evolved into more and though his PTSD plays a role in their relationship, you will find yourself rooting for them to make it as a couple.
”I’ve always loved you, Poppy.” I sweep my thumb over her bottom lip. “You bring me peace when all I know is war.”
This story doesn't end with a cliffhanger and like I stated above the ending isn’t what I expected. I was left feeling defeated and beaten down once I finished.
This book deals with the very dark and heartbreaking sides of PTSD. The story doesn’t end in a cliffhanger and most will deem by definition a romance story shouldn’t end. So you have been warned. I was left miserable once I finished.
I liked the writing and the delivery and quite honestly who doesn’t love an underground fighter hero? The heroine and her deceased husband and the hero all grew up together. Through scattered flashbacks we find that Poppy has always harbored feelings for Brandon all along. Poppy's feelings for Connor at times felt unauthentic and almost as if she married her second choice. To me, Connor and his memory got the shaft and he was referred to as ‘fat’ one too many times for my tastes by his best friend.
Poppy finds Brandon who has went AWOL from the military and has been releasing his anger for money in the ring it’s their shared grief that should bind them. However to me, it’s their attraction and childhood friendship that Brandon pushed aside that keeps them together.
”Two people who shouldn’t belong together, through death, now could not belong to anyone else.”
Poppy and Brandon’s friendship evolved into more and though his PTSD plays a role in their relationship, you will find yourself rooting for them to make it as a couple.
”I’ve always loved you, Poppy.” I sweep my thumb over her bottom lip. “You bring me peace when all I know is war.”
This story doesn't end with a cliffhanger and like I stated above the ending isn’t what I expected. I was left feeling defeated and beaten down once I finished.
February 12, 2017
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 HEARTBREAKING STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You bring me peace when all I know is war.”
You know that feeling you get when you know you’re about to be ruined? That gut instinct that kicks in your fight or flight instinct? You know the one that you should NEVER ignore because if you do, your ass is grass? Yea… I ignored the crap out of that feeling. And what did it get me? Me sobbing at 1:45am in the morning and messaging my blog partner that she’s royally fucked with this book. I might have laughed at her because let’s be real, I’m an evil bitch and you know what they say about misery: We love company.
So now here I am, trying to limit the amount of cuss words in this review so I can be all professional and shit, but here’s the thing: I’m NOT a professional. All I want to do right now is cuss like a sailor and drink like it’s the new year because what I just witnessed? Needs a personal day off with some damn chocolate. Chocolate makes everything better and whoever tells you differently, has obviously never had the good stuff and you don’t need that kind of negatively in your life.
Poppy, Brandon, and Conner were the three musketeers growing up. They did everything together and with a bond like theirs, nothing could’ve broken it or so they thought. War and death obliterated that bond and the only person that was left somewhat normal was Poppy. Still grieving the death of her husband Conner, Poppy has now made it her mission to find her other best friend Brandon who’s gone missing. But what she finds isn’t the same guy who she once knew and in his place is a broken, angry shell of a man.
“They say the people who are left behind are the ones who suffer the most when it comes to death and ain’t that the truth?
They say War takes a lot out of a person and when it’s all over, the person you once knew is forever gone and in it’s place is a complete stranger. For Brandon O’ Kieffe, that has never been more true and when you add the death of his best friend into the mix, he’s beyond ruined. No one knows what he went through fighting the war over seas that took a piece of him every time he geared up and felt the cold rifle in his hands. His mind was no longer his own, giving his heart no choice but to become this hardened organ that bled more pain and anguish than blood. But the one thing he never forgot was the one woman that made him remember who he was before and her love for him was going to be his saving grace in his own personal hell.
“She and I, were all that’s left of something so fucking vital to my survival. I need her.
Now let me just say that this book is not for everyone. If you cannot handle reading about what goes on through the mind of someone with severe PTSD and their daily struggle, this is not for you. Heartbreak is a word you’re going to be all too familiar with when you read this book and if you think this is a fluffy love story that will have a few bumps in the road and all will be rosy, please message me the name of the liquor you’ve obviously been drinking because I would like to try that. In other words, this story will MESS you up!
I will be honest and say that not everything worked for me. I wanted to find out more about Conner and that defining moment that made him and Poppy’s friendship turn into something more. But I really do have to applaud these authors one giving us an insight on how much it takes to care for someone with PTSD and the sacrifices you make for them. Brandon and Poppy were two broken people that came together because of their mutual grief and I was in awe of their connection and their love for each other.
Am I devastated right now? ABSOLUTELY 100%. Throughout reading this book, I kept holding my breath because I knew this wasn’t going to end well for my heart but like I said, I ignored the major warning signs and now I’m paying the price for it. If you think you’re brave enough to read this, then go ahead but you’ve been warned.
“You bring me peace when all I know is war.”
You know that feeling you get when you know you’re about to be ruined? That gut instinct that kicks in your fight or flight instinct? You know the one that you should NEVER ignore because if you do, your ass is grass? Yea… I ignored the crap out of that feeling. And what did it get me? Me sobbing at 1:45am in the morning and messaging my blog partner that she’s royally fucked with this book. I might have laughed at her because let’s be real, I’m an evil bitch and you know what they say about misery: We love company.
So now here I am, trying to limit the amount of cuss words in this review so I can be all professional and shit, but here’s the thing: I’m NOT a professional. All I want to do right now is cuss like a sailor and drink like it’s the new year because what I just witnessed? Needs a personal day off with some damn chocolate. Chocolate makes everything better and whoever tells you differently, has obviously never had the good stuff and you don’t need that kind of negatively in your life.
Poppy, Brandon, and Conner were the three musketeers growing up. They did everything together and with a bond like theirs, nothing could’ve broken it or so they thought. War and death obliterated that bond and the only person that was left somewhat normal was Poppy. Still grieving the death of her husband Conner, Poppy has now made it her mission to find her other best friend Brandon who’s gone missing. But what she finds isn’t the same guy who she once knew and in his place is a broken, angry shell of a man.
“They say the people who are left behind are the ones who suffer the most when it comes to death and ain’t that the truth?
They say War takes a lot out of a person and when it’s all over, the person you once knew is forever gone and in it’s place is a complete stranger. For Brandon O’ Kieffe, that has never been more true and when you add the death of his best friend into the mix, he’s beyond ruined. No one knows what he went through fighting the war over seas that took a piece of him every time he geared up and felt the cold rifle in his hands. His mind was no longer his own, giving his heart no choice but to become this hardened organ that bled more pain and anguish than blood. But the one thing he never forgot was the one woman that made him remember who he was before and her love for him was going to be his saving grace in his own personal hell.
“She and I, were all that’s left of something so fucking vital to my survival. I need her.
Now let me just say that this book is not for everyone. If you cannot handle reading about what goes on through the mind of someone with severe PTSD and their daily struggle, this is not for you. Heartbreak is a word you’re going to be all too familiar with when you read this book and if you think this is a fluffy love story that will have a few bumps in the road and all will be rosy, please message me the name of the liquor you’ve obviously been drinking because I would like to try that. In other words, this story will MESS you up!
I will be honest and say that not everything worked for me. I wanted to find out more about Conner and that defining moment that made him and Poppy’s friendship turn into something more. But I really do have to applaud these authors one giving us an insight on how much it takes to care for someone with PTSD and the sacrifices you make for them. Brandon and Poppy were two broken people that came together because of their mutual grief and I was in awe of their connection and their love for each other.
Am I devastated right now? ABSOLUTELY 100%. Throughout reading this book, I kept holding my breath because I knew this wasn’t going to end well for my heart but like I said, I ignored the major warning signs and now I’m paying the price for it. If you think you’re brave enough to read this, then go ahead but you’ve been warned.
May 8, 2017
NOW LIVE
*Amazon US*Amazon UK*
This book! Gah, I seriously don't have enough words in my vocabulary to even describe how much this book killed my soul. L.P Lovell and Stevie J. Cole are evil authors for doing this to me, but I will never get enough of their writing.
War Poppy is the story of what happens when your whole life shatters around you and you're left standing in the ruin. Brandon lost his best friend, Connor, in war and he also lost pieces of himself. So he leaves, goes AWOL and tries to exist in a world he doesn't understand anymore. Until Poppy, his other best friend and Connor's widow hunts him down and tries to bring him back to her.
These characters were so seductively broken I just couldn't stop reading, and their story will have you gripping the sides of your Kindle in anticipation of whats going to happen between them. Brandon and Poppy had their worlds destroyed by war and heartbreak, and seeing that had me bawling my eyes out more than once. These authors created the characters so wonderfully that you can't help but feel every single thing they do and it just about killed me.
I don't want to say much about the story because this is definitely a book you should go into mostly blind. But just know that you will not come out of this okay, you will be heartbroken but reading this story will be worth it. Trust me on that.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
*Amazon US*Amazon UK*
"Brandon O'Kieffe was my first crush, my first kiss, and the first boy to ever break my heart..."
This book! Gah, I seriously don't have enough words in my vocabulary to even describe how much this book killed my soul. L.P Lovell and Stevie J. Cole are evil authors for doing this to me, but I will never get enough of their writing.
War Poppy is the story of what happens when your whole life shatters around you and you're left standing in the ruin. Brandon lost his best friend, Connor, in war and he also lost pieces of himself. So he leaves, goes AWOL and tries to exist in a world he doesn't understand anymore. Until Poppy, his other best friend and Connor's widow hunts him down and tries to bring him back to her.
"So, here we are, looking after each other."
These characters were so seductively broken I just couldn't stop reading, and their story will have you gripping the sides of your Kindle in anticipation of whats going to happen between them. Brandon and Poppy had their worlds destroyed by war and heartbreak, and seeing that had me bawling my eyes out more than once. These authors created the characters so wonderfully that you can't help but feel every single thing they do and it just about killed me.
I don't want to say much about the story because this is definitely a book you should go into mostly blind. But just know that you will not come out of this okay, you will be heartbroken but reading this story will be worth it. Trust me on that.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2017
Blog Tour & Giveaway!!
My heart is freaking BROKEN!! How the heck am I supposed to move on after this??? I fell in love with Brandon and Poppy. Absolutely in love with their story. I felt everything with them. The lost opportunity. The second chance. Their loss, their grief, their love. And I was so freaking happy that they had each other. I was brutalized by the horror show that was Brandon's mind. I cannot even fathom what it is like to live with PTSD after a war tour. I can't wrap my brain around it but I can definitely empathize with those who suffer from it. Even though I eventually saw where this story was heading, I put my head firmly in the sand and continued to read in denial. You see, I still had hope. Sadly, my hope was obliterated. I guess that's what makes this book so real. So good. War is no joke. There is nothing funny about the men and women who sacrifice their lives for the freedoms that we take for granted. Unfortunately, the war isn't truly over for many of the soldiers that survive. As beautiful as this story was, my heart HURTS!!
Release Date: February 6, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone
My heart is freaking BROKEN!! How the heck am I supposed to move on after this??? I fell in love with Brandon and Poppy. Absolutely in love with their story. I felt everything with them. The lost opportunity. The second chance. Their loss, their grief, their love. And I was so freaking happy that they had each other. I was brutalized by the horror show that was Brandon's mind. I cannot even fathom what it is like to live with PTSD after a war tour. I can't wrap my brain around it but I can definitely empathize with those who suffer from it. Even though I eventually saw where this story was heading, I put my head firmly in the sand and continued to read in denial. You see, I still had hope. Sadly, my hope was obliterated. I guess that's what makes this book so real. So good. War is no joke. There is nothing funny about the men and women who sacrifice their lives for the freedoms that we take for granted. Unfortunately, the war isn't truly over for many of the soldiers that survive. As beautiful as this story was, my heart HURTS!!
Release Date: February 6, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone
April 10, 2017
4.5 "sometimes love ain't enough" stars
„Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there…I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow…“
It started with a tragedy, with a loss of Connor Blaine's life in combat. And it changed lives of two people left behind. His best friend and war buddy Brandon O'Kieffe and his wife, now widow Poppy Turner. They were a trio, best childhood friends who shared more than the sense of friendship, they shared the sense of gravity, the completion and unity...
We were happy once, and now – look at us. We're nothing more than empty shells. You remind me of everything I've lost, and it fucking breaks me all over again.
Brandon never came back, physically nor emotionally and Poppy left everything behind her to find him, to try and reach for that one piece of completion and sense she once had...
Connor was, no doubt, part of my soul, but Brandon, he's part of my heart.
She finds Brandon, shattered and broken beyond recognition, fighting under the name Brandon "The Breaker" Blaine. And he can't give her anything cause he's empty beyond repair. And Poppy wants to help him cause she needs to help herself heal, she lingers onto his broken soul cause she's the missing piece of the broken, shattred mozaic they existed in.
I'm not running. Just turning my back on the things I don't want to acknowledge. Some call it cowardice, and inability to cope. I call it survival instinct.
Brandon and Poppy co-exist in the same space, shattered by grief as they slowly try to grab onto the thin thread of sense and meaning of life when everything seems just the opposite - meaningless, empty abyss of void.
But slowly they connect again through shared grief, pain and sorrow as they find comfort and consolation in memories and reminiscense of times past...
Brandon O'Kieffe was my first crush, my first kiss, and the first boy to ever break my heart.
But even though they acknowledge the mutual feelings that were long burried and denied for so long, they surfice overwhelming them both, into the messy and confusing and eaten up by guilt emotional turmoil.
We're trapped in this swirling vortex of guilt and anger, twisted love and desperate need.
I wonder how we got here? Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope but I'm surely her destruction. I just wish she would see it. I wish she would run but she won't because she has nothing to run to.
and Brandon's issues caused by war, flashbacks, nightmares and rage outbursts, followed by the relentless drunken escapades and his own low value of himself...he doesn't feel worthy of her...
It was messed up but even back then I knew he was a better man for her, I knew he deserved her in a way I never would.
and when he tries to seek help and deal with the PTSD, the "normalcy" isn't the solution for Brandon, it's torture cause he is long gone by now...and he's barely coping, lingering in there, for Poppy, for the illusion of chance to have a fulfilled life with her...
„I'll never be what you want me to be! I hate this. I hate that fucking job. I hate this bullshit life. I don't fit in your perfect fucking box.“
„Everything in life is a risk, you just have to decide which risks are worth taking, and to me, you are a risk worth taking because without you, without what we have, I will merely be existing. And I want to live, Brandon.“
and yet, in this mental and emotional chaos, Poppy is the tiny resemblance of piece he's aching for...
I've always loved you, Poppy.
BUT sometimes LOVE isn't enough...
...sometimes we think we're helping someone and all we're doing is placing a Band-Aid over a bullet hole.
And then you complete the circle of grieving, as you embrace the loss, and hang on to the loving memories to heal from and cope in avoidance of being stuck in one tragic moment of time.
„This isn't goodbye, only see you later.“
One of my fave songs, fits perfectly into the void that was left behind in the lives of these characters...and it fits perfectly to the emotional spin in my own heart *sigh*
Wild is the wind by Bon Jovi
I tried to make you happy
You know I tried so hard to be
What you hoped that I would be
I gave you what wanted
God couldn't give you what you need
You wanted more from me
Than I could ever be
You wanted heart and soul
But you didn't know, baby
Wild, wild is the wind
That takes me away from you
Cold is the night without your love
To see me through
Wild, wild is the wind
That blows through my heart
You need someone to hold you
Somebody to be there night and day
Someone to kiss your fears away
I just went on pretending
Too weak, too proud, too tough to say
I couldn't be the one
To make your dreams come true
That's why I had to run
Though I needed you, baby
Wild, wild is the wind
That takes me away from you
Cold is the night without your love
To see me through, baby
Wild, wild is the wind
That blows through my heart tonight
That tears us apart
Maybe a better man
Would live and die for you
Baby, a better man would
Never say goodbye to you
Wild, wild is the wind
That takes me away from you
Cold is the night without your love
To see me through, baby
Wild, wild is the wind
That blows through my heart tonight
That tears us apart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc67B...
I really liked this book. It deals with serious subject of PTSD which is very close to real life matter and it gives the story gravid essence as the issues are vividly and authentically described and portrayed through out the actions of the main character.
The story is emotional and eaqualy fulfilling and devastating in notion of grief, pain, helplessness as the both characthers try to heal and cope in their own way...
The ending was expectedly gut-wrenching as it was hard to grasp the final act, I could understand the reasoning even though i found it a bit disappointing in the final message given to me as a reader. I hoped it wouldn't come to that as I found myself involuntarily clutching my fists, rooting in altercation for the final resolvement.
I do have to comment on the secondary cast, though. Usually the secondary characters give a moral and emotional support to the main characters in resolving the issues or problems or situations, unfortunately here, I felt like they actually sped up the general downfall for them, and therefore, for me, as well.
Nevertheless, it's a story you might wanna pay extra attention to, cause the authors LP Lovell and Stevie J. Cole now writing under the name Nicole Lynne wrote remarkably authentic emotional and painfully beautiful story of real life issues that are truly difficult to grasp to begin with.
***ARC graciously provided by the author(s) in exchange for an honest review***
February 7, 2017
Anything with the words like "War and Poppy" together you know is setting us up for an emotional read!!
The Prologue got me teary eyed, then I hit chapter one and I'm sucking in big breaths willing myself not to cry!! I do not cry ever!! Imagine what I'm going to be like if this is me now and I've not even reached the end of the book!! *gulps* before you can pull your emotions under control they are on overload, it hits you right in the heart and makes all those feels one jumbled mess that can’t be unraveled.
A dead man's last wish to a woman he's loved for ten years.
I ask nothing of you except this: don't die with me. Live. Be happy. Love again because you deserve to experience as much love as this life has to give. I only wish I could have been the one to give it to you.
From chapter one onwards you're lulled into a false sense of security, their relationship is toxic at it's worst, bittersweet when it's good, but I thought things would come full circle, two best friends finally reconnecting (a second chance romance) how wrong was I in thinking that!! I can pretty much say that these two authors ripped my heart out and stomped it into the ground in their highheels. The ups and downs these two go through it takes a toll on all your emotions, a man suffering from PTSD that eats him alive. It jumps from past to present effectively and makes you fall even harder for these characters, their bond was undeniable.
I don't even know where the authors are going to take us in the next book because for me it pretty much ended how it ended..
Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope, but I'm surely her destruction.
WAR POPPY: Normally these two combined usually make us walk into the dark side so this is totally out of their boxes and in some ways even though I love how dark these two can go I kind of really loved seeing the softer side of them..This book for me was one of my favourites by them. Raw, Real, Riveting.
This is spoken in ‘Dual Perspectives’ Poppy & Brandon two childhood friends who are both suffering the death of their trio, Conner who died under ambush, a war hero.
It should've always have been Brandon and Poppy, but Brandon has always thought he was worthless, it was always drummed into his head by his father that he was never good enough, so of course he assumed when it came to Poppy and him that he wouldn't be the man she should be with.
Brandon O'Kieffe was my first crush, my first kiss, and the first boy to ever break my heart.
At the age of twenty-five Poppy is left behind in the world, no family, all she had was Conner and Brandon, now Conner is gone and Brandon has checked out on life AWOL. Ten months later and she's tracked him down in a seedy bar in London taking part in illegal fighting.
War and loss, it will destroy a person from the inside out
My best advice when going into this is heed all those warnings, this isn't a light fluffy read, it deals with real life issues that may be sensitive to some, drugs, fighting, a booze are a constant to numb the pain and it does deal with some sensitive issues.
February 17, 2017
Genre: General Fiction/Romance
Type: Standalone Book 1 of War series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Brandon O’Kieffe was a soldier who lost his life the moment he lost his best friend Connor in war. As the sole survivor, guilt weighted him down on a daily basis that he struggled to keep his promise to take care of Connor's wife.
Poppy Blaine not only lost her husband but also her best friend. Growing up together, the three of them were inseparable. When one was gone, both left behind had only each other to lean on to.
I wasn't planning to read this book until I keep seeing about how sad it is. So of course I can't resist diving in and I'm glad I took the plunge.
Brandon had hard time coping with the aftermath. The only way he knew how to forget was by self destruction. I hurt for him seeing how he struggled to stay afloat.
Poppy was the sunshine and the glue that held their friendship. But even she had a hard time preventing her light from dimming. Still, she had inner strength that helped her soldier through for both of their sake.
What I love the most about this book is how it didn't glamorized or romanticized the issue. It is the reality of what war veterans and their loved ones forced to face every single day. I understand this book might not be acceptable to everyone, but if you look at the big picture, peace could come from many different forms and the right thing to do is to understand and accept it.
War Poppy follows the lives of two individuals broken by a shared grief caused by war. It would appeal to readers looking for a realistic, moving story.
Note:
I love the tidbits of Brandon, Connor and Poppy's childhood friendship, so I'd definitely want to read the prequel novella and hopefully get the full picture of their relationship.
Books in the series:
Pre-war | War Poppy | War Hope: War Series Book Two
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Type: Standalone Book 1 of War series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Brandon O’Kieffe was a soldier who lost his life the moment he lost his best friend Connor in war. As the sole survivor, guilt weighted him down on a daily basis that he struggled to keep his promise to take care of Connor's wife.
Poppy Blaine not only lost her husband but also her best friend. Growing up together, the three of them were inseparable. When one was gone, both left behind had only each other to lean on to.
I wasn't planning to read this book until I keep seeing about how sad it is. So of course I can't resist diving in and I'm glad I took the plunge.
She makes me hope, and hope is dangerous to a guy like me because when it's gone, it seems like there's nothing left.
Brandon had hard time coping with the aftermath. The only way he knew how to forget was by self destruction. I hurt for him seeing how he struggled to stay afloat.
"You can't carry me, Poppy. I can't look at you," I whisper. "I look at you, and all I see is him."
Poppy was the sunshine and the glue that held their friendship. But even she had a hard time preventing her light from dimming. Still, she had inner strength that helped her soldier through for both of their sake.
I didn't get rid of the monster, I just threw it in a cellar and prayed to fuck it wouldn't come back out. Eventually it was roaring so loud the floorboards were shaking, and when it got loose...
What I love the most about this book is how it didn't glamorized or romanticized the issue. It is the reality of what war veterans and their loved ones forced to face every single day. I understand this book might not be acceptable to everyone, but if you look at the big picture, peace could come from many different forms and the right thing to do is to understand and accept it.
War Poppy follows the lives of two individuals broken by a shared grief caused by war. It would appeal to readers looking for a realistic, moving story.
Note:
I love the tidbits of Brandon, Connor and Poppy's childhood friendship, so I'd definitely want to read the prequel novella and hopefully get the full picture of their relationship.
Books in the series:
Pre-war | War Poppy | War Hope: War Series Book Two
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 11, 2017
I can't deal with a main character dying!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2017
***** 4 Stars *****
"Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope, but I'm surely her destruction."
War Poppy is a beautiful love story between a grieving widow and a broken soldier. It deals with difficult topics and complex issues. It's not a feel good romance, but it will touch your heart nonetheless.
It all started with Connor's death. Brandon feels guilty for being the one to survive. He feels empty and worthless, and he's also suffering from severe PTSD. The only thing he wants to do is forget. So every night he fights at an illegal ring and gets drunk on whiskey.
Poppy is not only grieving for her husband, but she's also grieving for her best friend. She wants to understand him and help him during the tough times. Even though she married Conner, Brandon was her first love... her first everything, and she'll always be there for him.
As the point of view switches between Poppy and Brandon, we really get to dive into their thought process. The story almost brought me to tears because it was so heartbreaking at times.
"Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope, but I'm surely her destruction."
War Poppy is a beautiful love story between a grieving widow and a broken soldier. It deals with difficult topics and complex issues. It's not a feel good romance, but it will touch your heart nonetheless.
It all started with Connor's death. Brandon feels guilty for being the one to survive. He feels empty and worthless, and he's also suffering from severe PTSD. The only thing he wants to do is forget. So every night he fights at an illegal ring and gets drunk on whiskey.
Poppy is not only grieving for her husband, but she's also grieving for her best friend. She wants to understand him and help him during the tough times. Even though she married Conner, Brandon was her first love... her first everything, and she'll always be there for him.
As the point of view switches between Poppy and Brandon, we really get to dive into their thought process. The story almost brought me to tears because it was so heartbreaking at times.
February 9, 2017
"A friend is someone who understands your past, accepts you for all your wrongs, and who carries you when no one else will."
Let me start by saying this book will not be an easy read.
There won't be hearts and flowers.
You won't be doing this
or this
but more of this
" They say the people who are left behind are the ones who suffer the most when it comes to death and ain't that the truth"
War Poppy is definitely a captivating and heartbreaking story. Like I said it isn't an easy book to read, it deals with some heavy topics.
Poppy and Brandon were two characters fighting their own demons.
I really liked how the author's dealt with Brandon's PTSD, they didn't romanticize it. The way they wrote it felt very real!
" You are the only peace in my own personal war.
My heart broke for Brandon, I felt so sorry for him. What he has been through and what he was still going through was really sad to read.
March 13, 2022
3.25 stars ✧
❝I've always loved you, Poppy.❞ I sweep my thumb over her bottom lip. ❝You bring me peace when all I know is war.❞
February 11, 2017
Where do I start, where do I start?
I love Stevie J. Cole & L.P. Lovell as a duo. They have written one of my favorite dark romances ever; so when I saw they were releasing another book together even tho it wasn't a dark romance I was in.
I am left having very conflicted feelings after having read War Poppy. On the one hand, there are the secondary characters, who in my humble opinion, were the ones who carry the story. On the other, there are the MCs' choices- dear gawd... more of them really didn't sit right with me. And that didn't allow me to connect with them.
War Poppy blurb hinted to be an emotional book and given that I'm one of those girl who loves to cry her eyes out while reading a book I was beyond excited to start it.
BUT I DIDN'T CRY!
Well, the epilogue made me cry. It was fucking impossible not to. The authors really try to make it emotional but it didn't work for me.
I got tired of Brandon ups and downs. I know he was suffering but his actions were repetitive. He really got on my nerves. And as I previously stated, the secondary characters were the ones who carried the book and kept me reading it. The guys were intriguing and Hope.. she was my favorite. And even tho this one wasn't my cup of tea, I can't wait to read the next book. Hope's book.
Overall, War Poppy was an ok book for me. I wanted to love it but I didn't and I've come away feeling a little sad because I was expecting more. My problem not yours.
So, please know this is just my opinion and in no way means this wasn't a good book. Just that it didn't work for me.
February 9, 2017
What a powerful, raw and gripping read! War Poppy devastated me. It wrecked my soul and I am still overwhelmed from all the emotions it put me through. I feel like my heart was put through the grinder!
Excellent writing for a very heavy and sensitive topic. Trauma and PTSD are portrayed honestly and with great care by our two authors.
This is not an easy book and the characters' lives are not fairytales. The story is real and it doesn't sugarcoat. It will make you think and it will surely make you feel. It is not a story for the faint of heart; it has triggers and it has pain.
Still, I highly recommend it because it was very refreshing; a breath of fresh air in a saturated genre. I couldn't put it down.
I won't go into plot details. Just read it.
February 11, 2017
‘It’s as though he wraps himself around my lonely soul and nurses it back to life with the splintered remnants of his own.’
If you’re looking for a sweet hearts and flowers romance, War Poppy by Nicole Lynne, is anything but. In fact, it’s a tortured, honest, brutal love story which carried a sense of foreboding throughout. As we read, we had that nervous, gut wrenching feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was a feeling that felt inevitable rather than probable. Such was the tone of the story.
‘As much as we pretend we aren’t alone, we are never more alone than when we are tripped in our own mind. And Brandon – the place he’s trapped, it’s a place I could never begin to understand.’
War Poppy begins with the loss of Connor during his time in Afghanistan with Brandon. Connor was more than a mate, he was his brother in every sense of the word. Riddled with guilt and despair, Brandon goes AWOL, turning to the bottle and underground boxing bouts in an attempt to exorcise the demons living within. Brandon is only functioning physically following Connor’s tragic death. Poppy’s re-emergence into Brandon’s life gave us the hope that he can overcome his demons. Is love enough?
‘Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope, but I’m surely her destruction.’
War Poppy is told in dual pov between Poppy and Brandon, as well as flashbacks to their childhood and Brandon’s time at war and we can tell you, being inside Brandon’s head during those times was chaotic and unbearably heartbreaking. Witnessing him trying to claw his way out of the darkness and living those devastating moments with him broke us....Click here to see full review
War Poppy is available to purchase below
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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February 8, 2017
4.5 stars
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Nicole Lynne's "Poppy's War" was a book that had heart ache written all over it. From the synopsis to the prologue to the first chapter and every chapter thereafter, I don't think there was a single moment where I didn't feel pain and sorrow at what unfolded before me. This really was a tragic love story that was car crash reading from the get go, the authors not going easy on their readers one little bit, giving us a realistic and very honest account of the devastation war leaves in its path.
"Poppy's War" was a book about survival and sacrifice. It was a book about grief and guilt, regret and redemption. Have your glue gins at the ready ladies because this one is sure to leave your heart bruised, battered and ultimately shattered. I rated "Poppy's War" ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
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Nicole Lynne's "Poppy's War" was a book that had heart ache written all over it. From the synopsis to the prologue to the first chapter and every chapter thereafter, I don't think there was a single moment where I didn't feel pain and sorrow at what unfolded before me. This really was a tragic love story that was car crash reading from the get go, the authors not going easy on their readers one little bit, giving us a realistic and very honest account of the devastation war leaves in its path.
The broken taking care of the broken. What a pitiful mess we are."Poppy's War" was a book that truly hurt to read and there were moments I had to put it down, walk away and gather my thoughts. The rollercoaster of emotions that coursed through me were (at times) unexpected and I think it was the feeling of anger and frustration that left me needing my time out the most. I had to step back, look at the situations the characters found themselves in, look at the bigger picture and even put myself in the characters shoes to truly understand what they were going through. This was not a hearts and flowers read but instead was often violent, cruel and brutal. By the time I turned the last page I felt destroyed, my heart a million tiny pieces around my feet.
We're both in the middle of some horrible storm and the only way out is together.Both the main characters in "Poppy's War" were complex (to say the least) and to say that I liked or even loved them all the time would be a lie, but I had to try and understand them. Poppy was a grieving widow who had lost the love of her life. Brandon was a man who had lost the closest thing he had to a brother and was guilt ridden for not being able to save him. Here were two people who really were drowning and it didn't matter how much they tried to tread water, it didn't matter how many hands that came out to to save them, it was like there was a lead weight tied to each of them constantly pulling them back down. My heart broke for each of them as their lives became more about surviving rather than living each day. For every step forward I felt the ten steps back and it was like a train wreck. I should have looked away but I couldn't bring myself to.
She should hate me. I'm a disaster waiting to happen, a ticking time bomb, and she's strapped right in with me just waiting for the inevitable bang.
"Poppy's War" was a book about survival and sacrifice. It was a book about grief and guilt, regret and redemption. Have your glue gins at the ready ladies because this one is sure to leave your heart bruised, battered and ultimately shattered. I rated "Poppy's War" ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
I realise that sometimes we think we're helping someone and all we're doing is placing a band-aid over a bullet hole.
February 11, 2017
‘It’s as though he wraps himself around my lonely soul and nurses it back to life with the splintered remnants of his own.’
If you’re looking for a sweet hearts and flowers romance, War Poppy by Nicole Lynne, is anything but. In fact, it’s a tortured, honest, brutal love story which carried a sense of foreboding throughout. As we read, we had that nervous, gut wrenching feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was a feeling that felt inevitable rather than probable. Such was the tone of the story.
‘As much as we pretend we aren’t alone, we are never more alone than when we are tripped in our own mind. And Brandon – the place he’s trapped, it’s a place I could never begin to understand.’
The flourishing partnership of Stevie J Cole & L.P. Lovell has shown to be a formidable collaboration, delivering some dark and downright uncomfortably gritty stories, but this time, in War Poppy, they’ve written a story that is tragically heartbreaking and they did it in their own inimitable style.
Connor Blaine, Poppy Turner and Brandon O’Kieffe were the three musketeers growing up. A trio of misfits that gelled together perfectly. They shared an adventurous childhood, leaning on one another, sharing adolescence and adulthood. Brandon would be Poppy’s first crush, first kiss, first love, though it would be Connor who would ultimately marry their childhood sweetheart.
War Poppy begins with the loss of Connor during his time in Afghanistan with Brandon. Connor was more than a mate, he was his brother in every sense of the word. Riddled with guilt and despair, Brandon goes AWOL, turning to the bottle and underground boxing bouts in an attempt to exorcise the demons living within. Brandon is only functioning physically following Connor’s tragic death. Poppy’s re-emergence into Brandon’s life gave us the hope that he can overcome his demons. Is love enough?
‘Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events. She may be my hope, but I’m surely her destruction.’
The sense of hopelessness in this story is overwhelming, and we did experience that aspect through Brandon’s character who struck our hearts painfully and deeply. However, we felt we didn’t get to fully experience the level of anguish and sadness we would have expected from this story and feel this stems from being denied the bonding experience of Poppy and Connor’s relationship. This was such an important part of the story, yet we felt we knew very little about the man at the centre of all the pain and whose death was the catalyst for unfolding events. We couldn’t conceive how Poppy came to marry Connor, what their life was like…in fact, we knew nothing of this background, other than the snippets from childhood. Every reader is different and for us, this was something we desperately needed to experience to completely grasp the full extent of Poppy’s devastating grief and her profound love for Brandon.
“Everything in life is a risk, you just have to decide which risks are worth taking, and to me, and you are a risk worth taking because without you, without what we have, I will be existing. And I want to live, Brandon.”
War Poppy is told in dual pov between Poppy and Brandon, as well as flashbacks to their childhood and Brandon’s time at war and we can tell you, being inside Brandon’s head during those times was chaotic and unbearably heartbreaking. Witnessing him trying to claw his way out of the darkness and living those devastating moments with him broke us.
‘I’m left standing in the middle of destruction, staring at the violence that must constantly be swimming inside of his head. And when I’m finally able to draw in a good breath, I collapse to the floor, head in hands wondering when love turned into war.’
It’s clear to see these authors poured their soul into this story and it must have been an agonising love story to bring to fruition, because as a reader it was difficult reading. We applaud their courage in telling this story their way as in doing so, they made Poppy and Brandon's story feel authentic and believable. War Poppy is a gut-wrenching story of friendship, loss, courage, grief and love with the hearts of these two authors clearly visible on every page. And whilst it most certainly moved us, we just fell short of experiencing the complete decimation of our hearts we had anticipated.
War Poppy is available to purchase below
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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February 6, 2017
Brandon O'Keiffe was my first crush, my first kiss and the first boy to break my heart.
I cannot tell you how much of a roller-coaster ride of emotions I have been on with War Poppy. I made so many notes of the beautiful and heartwarming words I could make teasers over and over.
I felt every emotional push and pull of the characters. A story of love and loss,moving forward and the battles with ptsd.
This isn't a true story but I can personally say I know someone dear to me who went through the exact same battles and lost the war. I can't even go into details about this book without it hurting, it broke me. I enjoyed the relationships aspects and at some points it felt like a love triangle with the angst even though it's not. These two authors are brilliant writers and combined dynamic.
I hope other fighters in this story get a book I did love that part of the plot but Brandon hurt my heart.
A beautiful childhood to adulthood best friends love story.
I finish this book heartbroken, Brandon broke my heart and I commend the authors for a beautiful and heartbreaking story, one I won't forget for a while.
Arc gratefully received for honest review: Http://BBBf-sizzlereads-bestbestbookb...
I cannot tell you how much of a roller-coaster ride of emotions I have been on with War Poppy. I made so many notes of the beautiful and heartwarming words I could make teasers over and over.
I felt every emotional push and pull of the characters. A story of love and loss,moving forward and the battles with ptsd.
This isn't a true story but I can personally say I know someone dear to me who went through the exact same battles and lost the war. I can't even go into details about this book without it hurting, it broke me. I enjoyed the relationships aspects and at some points it felt like a love triangle with the angst even though it's not. These two authors are brilliant writers and combined dynamic.
I hope other fighters in this story get a book I did love that part of the plot but Brandon hurt my heart.
A beautiful childhood to adulthood best friends love story.
I finish this book heartbroken, Brandon broke my heart and I commend the authors for a beautiful and heartbreaking story, one I won't forget for a while.
Arc gratefully received for honest review: Http://BBBf-sizzlereads-bestbestbookb...
November 18, 2017
4 Stars
"Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events, she may be my hope, but I’m surely her destruction. I just wish she would see it. I wish she would run but she won’t, because she has nothing to run to."
I have just finished this book and I’m in shock! Oh My God! Why it finished that way!?! Why!?! I just want to cry! Oh God! My heart hurts when I was reading this book! but I had hoped in the end everything going well. I really liked Poppy and Brandon.
This story is about war and the impact that will have on the lives of others. It’s about PTSD. War is not joke. Out there, there are families that one of their members suffering just like Poppy and Brandon. I know this story is sorrowful but I think it must be read.
"Two lost souls trying to save each other from unsalvageable events, she may be my hope, but I’m surely her destruction. I just wish she would see it. I wish she would run but she won’t, because she has nothing to run to."
I have just finished this book and I’m in shock! Oh My God! Why it finished that way!?! Why!?! I just want to cry! Oh God! My heart hurts when I was reading this book! but I had hoped in the end everything going well. I really liked Poppy and Brandon.
This story is about war and the impact that will have on the lives of others. It’s about PTSD. War is not joke. Out there, there are families that one of their members suffering just like Poppy and Brandon. I know this story is sorrowful but I think it must be read.
February 9, 2017
Just what I feared what would happen in the end... So not fucking fair.
I know Brandon was very intolerable at times, made mistakes and I wasn't his biggest fan but that was fucking brutal.
Also the epilogue was way too rushed. It didn't give me enough time to even cope with what the hell happened suddenly and hated the fact that Poppy was "robbed" twice!
I know Brandon was very intolerable at times, made mistakes and I wasn't his biggest fan but that was fucking brutal.
Also the epilogue was way too rushed. It didn't give me enough time to even cope with what the hell happened suddenly and hated the fact that Poppy was "robbed" twice!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'no-way-jose'
February 11, 2017There's not a thing that leaves more annoyed and more aware of my cold insensitive bitch soul than Instead of feeling sad I feel extremely disgusted. Sorry but not sorry.
February 5, 2017
I have no idea how I'm going to write this review....(Update: It was tough and yes, I was crying)
I’m not even sure how to explain how much this book wrecked me. I knew from the blurb that it would be emotional but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This book chewed me up and spit me back out. IT COMPLETELY WRECKED ME and we all know that sometimes those are the best kinds of books.
Poppy just lost her husband, Connor to the war. On top of that, she’s lost her best friend right along with it. Brandon is her best friend and fought beside Connor during the war. The three of them grew up together and they couldn’t get any closer to each other. They’ve always relied on each other and now Connor is gone and no one can find Brandon.
As Poppy seeks to make sense of what happen and to find comfort, she packs up and chases after Brandon. She finds him drowning in whisky and fighting. He’s not the man he used to be. There is darkness swimming around his eyes and he’s a shell of the fun hearted man he once was. But she knows that she needs him just as much as he needs her so she sticks to it. Refusing to leaving and forcing Brandon to accept her comfort. Will the two of them be able to mend and live past this horrific tragedy or will the darkness grab hold and destroy them both?
These two are so broken. The path that they are both on it not healthy and it’s full of darkness and heartbreak. Yet, they need each other. The two of them were made to protect and love one other.
“The broken taking care of the broken. What a pitiful mess we are.”
Brandon is battling with memories of the war and the death of his best friend. He’s now full of anger and this building darkness that he can’t seem to control. The fighting helps a little to edge it but it never goes away. That is until Poppy came back into his life. There’s just a sense of peace that she brings to him but it doesn’t ever seem to be enough. He’s in denial about the lingering effects the war has on him.
“I’m already trapped in my own personal war and I need her beside me, not standing across the battle lines from me.”
Here’s the biggest thing from this story…It’s so freaking RAW and REAL. Unfortunately there are way too many people that are going through exactly what Poppy and Brandon went through. The pain. The anger. The Heartbreak. The hopelessness. My heart bleed the entire time. I think it was around 24% when I just new I would be wrecked. From that moment on, their pain, anger, etc became mine and I was sucked up into the darkness with them. The power of their story is consuming.
There is no way I can express how much I loved this book. It will be painful. It will make even the hard ones like me weep. But most importantly, it focuses on issues that are raw and a reality in our world and I hope it continues to shine importance on them. Fantastic job to both authors, this will go down as a top read for me for the year.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
I’m not even sure how to explain how much this book wrecked me. I knew from the blurb that it would be emotional but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This book chewed me up and spit me back out. IT COMPLETELY WRECKED ME and we all know that sometimes those are the best kinds of books.
Poppy just lost her husband, Connor to the war. On top of that, she’s lost her best friend right along with it. Brandon is her best friend and fought beside Connor during the war. The three of them grew up together and they couldn’t get any closer to each other. They’ve always relied on each other and now Connor is gone and no one can find Brandon.
As Poppy seeks to make sense of what happen and to find comfort, she packs up and chases after Brandon. She finds him drowning in whisky and fighting. He’s not the man he used to be. There is darkness swimming around his eyes and he’s a shell of the fun hearted man he once was. But she knows that she needs him just as much as he needs her so she sticks to it. Refusing to leaving and forcing Brandon to accept her comfort. Will the two of them be able to mend and live past this horrific tragedy or will the darkness grab hold and destroy them both?
These two are so broken. The path that they are both on it not healthy and it’s full of darkness and heartbreak. Yet, they need each other. The two of them were made to protect and love one other.
“The broken taking care of the broken. What a pitiful mess we are.”
Brandon is battling with memories of the war and the death of his best friend. He’s now full of anger and this building darkness that he can’t seem to control. The fighting helps a little to edge it but it never goes away. That is until Poppy came back into his life. There’s just a sense of peace that she brings to him but it doesn’t ever seem to be enough. He’s in denial about the lingering effects the war has on him.
“I’m already trapped in my own personal war and I need her beside me, not standing across the battle lines from me.”
Here’s the biggest thing from this story…It’s so freaking RAW and REAL. Unfortunately there are way too many people that are going through exactly what Poppy and Brandon went through. The pain. The anger. The Heartbreak. The hopelessness. My heart bleed the entire time. I think it was around 24% when I just new I would be wrecked. From that moment on, their pain, anger, etc became mine and I was sucked up into the darkness with them. The power of their story is consuming.
There is no way I can express how much I loved this book. It will be painful. It will make even the hard ones like me weep. But most importantly, it focuses on issues that are raw and a reality in our world and I hope it continues to shine importance on them. Fantastic job to both authors, this will go down as a top read for me for the year.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
February 11, 2017
Heck no! What did I just read? What kind of ending was that?
So basically, the world is fucked up, everything hurts and there is no hope for the lost and broken.
That is some serious black voodoo, my friends. Our protagonist pretty much lost everbody she ever loved.
I'm tired of endless drama that exists just to shock readers and provoke pointless emotional wreckage.
May 31, 2018
Well
I did love this book. But the ending was not what I was expecting it to be, which is one reason this is such a good book. The ones that can surprise you, are the best kind!
I did love this book. But the ending was not what I was expecting it to be, which is one reason this is such a good book. The ones that can surprise you, are the best kind!
February 5, 2017
When I heard about War Poppy and read the synopsis, I have to say I was intrigued. Stevie J. Cole and L.P. Lovell typically deliver dark, twisty books that you gobble up leaving you with those WTF moments. So when they announced they'd be writing something more emotional, I had to know what they had in store.
War Poppy is the story of war. The horrific aftermath that soldiers face when trying to live every day life.
"War and loss. It will destroy a person from the inside out."
Poppy is a widow. Having lost her husband to war, she is so broken, so alone, she goes off to search for Brandon—Poppy and her late husband Connor's, best friend. They all grew up together and shared an unbreakable bond and deep friendship.
"I need something, someone. He needs someone. Connor would want us to lean on each other. He would."
When she finally finds him, he is unrecognizable. Broken beyond repair. But they both need each other in order to survive the horror of living in reality.
"He's lost. I know it because I see it in his eyes. I know it because I am too. Grief does funny things to people."
The raw and real moments of War Poppy will have you sobbing. You will fall in love with these characters as they battle their grief.
This is not a conventional romance--it's heartbreaking and painful, yet you become invested in the lives of the characters Stevie and LP created.
If you're looking for an ugly rocking in the corner cry, one filled with so much emotion and amazing writing, you will love War Poppy. Both authors stepped out of their comfort zone and took on a story that is so true to life, filled with the struggles of demons that are impossible to fight. Grab the tissues and dive in!
February 10, 2017
War Poppy
Nicole Lynne
5 stars
This one is heartbreaking --- a causality of war -- yes thats the correct word ... by the way I love the cover.
Poppy has lost her husband Connor -- her heart is broken into shattered pieces never to be whole again. Her life is nothing. She is a shell of a woman. He is gone. The war changes everyone.
Poppy knows that Brandon is going to kill himself but just in a different way. He came back when Connor didn't but he didn't come back the same. His heart is not alive and beating but his body continues to move.
Brandon is drowning himself in alcohol and memories. Poppy is trying to be there for him but all she does is remind him of the war and what he lost. He needs her but he doesn't. He wants her to help him and he shouldn't. Betrayal ... tragic events that never should have happened. A war torn place that took something precious to them both.
This is an absolutely realistic story in the sense of the events that take place. I could not have read a better book that gives some light to what soldiers and their families go through. The ones left behind ... I have heard many "real soldiers" who are very close to me say that "death is the easy way out. Its when you come back home the real war ensues." -- That is such a powerful statement that says everything we need to know. You are going to need some tissues and your big girl panties for this one. Put them on and sink in. You wont want to miss it.
Although this story is fiction I connected with my whole heart to this story. I loved the characters -- I loved the storyline and I loved every minute I spent with my head in these pages. What a beautiful and gut wrenching read. Excellent job -- and thank you for honoring me with an ARC.
Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.
Nicole Lynne
5 stars
This one is heartbreaking --- a causality of war -- yes thats the correct word ... by the way I love the cover.
Poppy has lost her husband Connor -- her heart is broken into shattered pieces never to be whole again. Her life is nothing. She is a shell of a woman. He is gone. The war changes everyone.
Poppy knows that Brandon is going to kill himself but just in a different way. He came back when Connor didn't but he didn't come back the same. His heart is not alive and beating but his body continues to move.
Brandon is drowning himself in alcohol and memories. Poppy is trying to be there for him but all she does is remind him of the war and what he lost. He needs her but he doesn't. He wants her to help him and he shouldn't. Betrayal ... tragic events that never should have happened. A war torn place that took something precious to them both.
This is an absolutely realistic story in the sense of the events that take place. I could not have read a better book that gives some light to what soldiers and their families go through. The ones left behind ... I have heard many "real soldiers" who are very close to me say that "death is the easy way out. Its when you come back home the real war ensues." -- That is such a powerful statement that says everything we need to know. You are going to need some tissues and your big girl panties for this one. Put them on and sink in. You wont want to miss it.
Although this story is fiction I connected with my whole heart to this story. I loved the characters -- I loved the storyline and I loved every minute I spent with my head in these pages. What a beautiful and gut wrenching read. Excellent job -- and thank you for honoring me with an ARC.
Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.
February 7, 2017
When best friends Brandon and Conner go to war together and only one returns home alive what will that do to Poppy? Not only is she Conner's wife, but she has been best friends with both men since they were kids. Can she save herself from breaking while trying to save Brandon from guilt?
I would be lying if I said this book didn't completely gut me, I would be lying if I said the ending didn't make me mad and sad.
This book dealt with life after war and loss, it dealt with feelings from a long time ago that were never truly acted on until they both lost someone they loved.
It was a beautiful heartbreaking tale and if you are a crier get your tissues ready.
~Alison
ARC provided in exchange for honest review
I would be lying if I said this book didn't completely gut me, I would be lying if I said the ending didn't make me mad and sad.
This book dealt with life after war and loss, it dealt with feelings from a long time ago that were never truly acted on until they both lost someone they loved.
It was a beautiful heartbreaking tale and if you are a crier get your tissues ready.
~Alison
ARC provided in exchange for honest review
February 5, 2017
Absolutely Heartbreaking
These girls...they really know how to write together I tell ya! This is the fourth book I've read by the Stevie J. Cole, L.P. Lovell (Nicole Lynne) duo and it's unreal what they make you experience when reading thier words. Heed the warnings, this book isn't light and airy at all. It's real and gritty, with only one way to go and of course hard to review without spoilers.
"He's gone...he and I both-casualties of war."
From the clever title to the complex characters, this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Never knowing what was around the corner for Brandon and Poppy was excruciating. At one point I wanted her to stay and with the turn of the page, I needed her to get out of there.
"People die of a broken heart all the time, you know, Brandon? They do and my heart is fu@king slaughtered."
From the blurb we know Poppy lost her husband, Connor, in the war. She is now left to pick up the pieces of her life, as well those of thier best friend Brandon. Like a lot of soldiers, Brandon came back a different man. He now lives with ghosts of his past that he can't seem to quiet down.
"A friend is someone who understands your past, accepts you for all your wrongs, and who carries you when no one else will."
She is his rock, or at least tries her best to be. They are two broken souls trying to "fix" each other with disastrous results. The guilt that plagues them both daily is almost too much for one person to bare, let alone trying to take on the others. Something's got to give and as I read, I was scared to see exactly what that was going to be.
"She needs me and I need her. It's a twisted form of co-dependency, but it's all we have."
So sad. Just as they reach the light at the end of the tunnel, the memories snuff it out and they are once again back at square one. Tragic. The roller coaster of emotions was epic, the angst at an all time high from the first page to the last.
"She may be my hope, but I'm surely her destruction. I just wish she would see it. I wish she would run, but she won't, because she has nothing to run to."
After a while I wanted Brandon to man up and face his responsibilities and just that quickly, I backed down realizing nobody but the person themselves knows what they are going through. The mind is a strong and tricky thing. Thinking you know what a person is actually experiencing is ignorant. Which is why Poppy did the best she could with what she had. She was written as a strong and equally weak character, full of surprises.
"Two people who shouldn't belong together, through death, now could not belong to anyone else."
And that's the truth. Well written and hauntingly beautiful. This is the type of book I need to get me out of the millionaire, billionaire, jock, rockstar funk. A book that grabs your heart and crushes it in between its pages. A book that you want to put down a million times, but can't leave the characters for a minute.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
These girls...they really know how to write together I tell ya! This is the fourth book I've read by the Stevie J. Cole, L.P. Lovell (Nicole Lynne) duo and it's unreal what they make you experience when reading thier words. Heed the warnings, this book isn't light and airy at all. It's real and gritty, with only one way to go and of course hard to review without spoilers.
"He's gone...he and I both-casualties of war."
From the clever title to the complex characters, this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Never knowing what was around the corner for Brandon and Poppy was excruciating. At one point I wanted her to stay and with the turn of the page, I needed her to get out of there.
"People die of a broken heart all the time, you know, Brandon? They do and my heart is fu@king slaughtered."
From the blurb we know Poppy lost her husband, Connor, in the war. She is now left to pick up the pieces of her life, as well those of thier best friend Brandon. Like a lot of soldiers, Brandon came back a different man. He now lives with ghosts of his past that he can't seem to quiet down.
"A friend is someone who understands your past, accepts you for all your wrongs, and who carries you when no one else will."
She is his rock, or at least tries her best to be. They are two broken souls trying to "fix" each other with disastrous results. The guilt that plagues them both daily is almost too much for one person to bare, let alone trying to take on the others. Something's got to give and as I read, I was scared to see exactly what that was going to be.
"She needs me and I need her. It's a twisted form of co-dependency, but it's all we have."
So sad. Just as they reach the light at the end of the tunnel, the memories snuff it out and they are once again back at square one. Tragic. The roller coaster of emotions was epic, the angst at an all time high from the first page to the last.
"She may be my hope, but I'm surely her destruction. I just wish she would see it. I wish she would run, but she won't, because she has nothing to run to."
After a while I wanted Brandon to man up and face his responsibilities and just that quickly, I backed down realizing nobody but the person themselves knows what they are going through. The mind is a strong and tricky thing. Thinking you know what a person is actually experiencing is ignorant. Which is why Poppy did the best she could with what she had. She was written as a strong and equally weak character, full of surprises.
"Two people who shouldn't belong together, through death, now could not belong to anyone else."
And that's the truth. Well written and hauntingly beautiful. This is the type of book I need to get me out of the millionaire, billionaire, jock, rockstar funk. A book that grabs your heart and crushes it in between its pages. A book that you want to put down a million times, but can't leave the characters for a minute.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
February 8, 2017
If you read an follow my reviews you will probably see that I can sit and read a book in one sitting. I inhale books. However this book had me stopping a few times so I could breath as these authors pulled my heart apart and I'm still not sure it's put back fully yet.
Poppy has been friends with Brandon and Connor since they were kids. They were inseparable. Poppy loses her husband Connor to the war. Brandon is alive but he's struggling. Both of them are struggling. Their story is a raw and emotional one that left me in bits.
PTSD is real and I'm glad that this story has brought up the pain it brings to the person and all around them as this is a topic that needs to be told.
If your looking for a well written emotional story then I highly recommend this. Be prepared and have tissues ready :(
Poppy has been friends with Brandon and Connor since they were kids. They were inseparable. Poppy loses her husband Connor to the war. Brandon is alive but he's struggling. Both of them are struggling. Their story is a raw and emotional one that left me in bits.
PTSD is real and I'm glad that this story has brought up the pain it brings to the person and all around them as this is a topic that needs to be told.
If your looking for a well written emotional story then I highly recommend this. Be prepared and have tissues ready :(
February 6, 2017
5 very emotional stars
God I don’t even know where to start with this review, I have literally just finished War Poppy and I’m ruined beyond all belief. This is the first book I have read from LP Lovell and Stevie J Cole so I wasn’t sure what to expect from these two very talented authors, this book was so well written and you could tell that these two authors just bounce off each other when they are writing a book. It captivated me from the outset and kept me in its clutches throughout.
The prologue had me tensed waiting for what was to come in this book but I didn't even get a full page into the first chapter of this story before I was a complete and utter mess, I'm not talking quiet tears and sniffing daintily this was full on ugly crying, snot fest at its finest I was a complete sobbing mess! These ladies have ripped my heart out more times than I can count in this book.
We will never understand the effect war has on a person, what they have seen, endured and also done haunts them beyond anything we could ever comprehend and for this my heart breaks. Although this isn’t a true telling of the effects of PTSD it was very well written and thoroughly researched. It not only impacts the survivors lives it impacts the lives of anyone who is close to them and changes their life irreparably.
The bond Poppy and Brandon had was incredible but you could tell from early on their relationship is toxic and unhealthy for each of them. They do everything in their power to make it work but you cant fit a square peg into a round hole. The two characters have shared so much but sometimes life just cant be wrapped up and tied in a pretty bow.
Poppy and Brandon were both characters that stole pieces of my heart and I know this book will stay with me long after I have put it down. My heart just broke for these two characters.I feel like reaching for a bottle of alcohol and a diazepam for dealing with the after effects of this book.
This book is not an easy read, it is raw, gritty and deals with topics that are hard to read about. There will be tears, you may find yourself having a little chuckle at times but you will also be screaming and cursing these two authors at times during this book. I feel like they reached into my chest and shredded my heart completely. While I hate them a little for what they have made me feel I loved this book so much, it is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Thank you for letting me review.
God I don’t even know where to start with this review, I have literally just finished War Poppy and I’m ruined beyond all belief. This is the first book I have read from LP Lovell and Stevie J Cole so I wasn’t sure what to expect from these two very talented authors, this book was so well written and you could tell that these two authors just bounce off each other when they are writing a book. It captivated me from the outset and kept me in its clutches throughout.
The prologue had me tensed waiting for what was to come in this book but I didn't even get a full page into the first chapter of this story before I was a complete and utter mess, I'm not talking quiet tears and sniffing daintily this was full on ugly crying, snot fest at its finest I was a complete sobbing mess! These ladies have ripped my heart out more times than I can count in this book.
We will never understand the effect war has on a person, what they have seen, endured and also done haunts them beyond anything we could ever comprehend and for this my heart breaks. Although this isn’t a true telling of the effects of PTSD it was very well written and thoroughly researched. It not only impacts the survivors lives it impacts the lives of anyone who is close to them and changes their life irreparably.
The bond Poppy and Brandon had was incredible but you could tell from early on their relationship is toxic and unhealthy for each of them. They do everything in their power to make it work but you cant fit a square peg into a round hole. The two characters have shared so much but sometimes life just cant be wrapped up and tied in a pretty bow.
Poppy and Brandon were both characters that stole pieces of my heart and I know this book will stay with me long after I have put it down. My heart just broke for these two characters.I feel like reaching for a bottle of alcohol and a diazepam for dealing with the after effects of this book.
This book is not an easy read, it is raw, gritty and deals with topics that are hard to read about. There will be tears, you may find yourself having a little chuckle at times but you will also be screaming and cursing these two authors at times during this book. I feel like they reached into my chest and shredded my heart completely. While I hate them a little for what they have made me feel I loved this book so much, it is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Thank you for letting me review.
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