Golden Poppy by Vivian Winslow & Review

Synopsis:

New York socialite, Poppy Baron, has guarded her secrets for decades. With only a few months to live, she vows to heal her relationship with her daughters and to come to terms with the two decisions that have forever haunted her. 
This novella is the final installment of the Gilded Flower Saga. Readers will finally get to learn how Poppy Kent became Poppy Baron and how her daughters paid the price for her love affair with Gustavo de Lima.
Poppy first appears in Gilded Lily as the manipulative Baron matriarch. Throughout the Gilded Flowers Trilogies and Wildflowers Series, the fate of her daughters, Lily and Dahlia, and those linked to her world, became intertwined as each of the young women’s love stories unfolded. 
Not all relationships have their happily-ever-after, but real love transcends everything—even death.

Buy Link:

Amazon https://amzn.to/2JsKgRq

Darra's Review:

Poppy is one of the most epic characters I have read. And have stalked Vivian to know even more about her. Talk about a 4 dimensional persona. I have read all of Vivian's books and this book was the most anticipated book this year. She makes the female characters into an example of strength and empowerment of taking over ones life. Despite what life throws Poppies way, she got it handled. I won't tell you Poppy was perfect. She made bad decisions however she became the woman she needed to be.
There is so much in this book. Her daughters, her husband(huff) and Gustav. This is a lifetime of memories and an ending that left me choked up. A surprising ending. Yes, it was going to happen. It was no bed of roses like HEA's always end. I was mixed in every emotion but in the end, at feel at peace to end of Poppy's book.
If you haven't read The Gilded Series and the two Poppy books, you must. So, you will understand why my review is a bundle of emotions and praise.
I rate the book a 4.9 out of 5. It is not a story you will forget.

About the Author:

Vivian Wislow

Vivian Winslow is the pen name for Elizabeth A. Hayes. Elizabeth was born and raised in San Diego, California but has spent most of her adult life as the consummate wanderer. She received a B.A. in European History from the University of Chicago and a Master’s Degree in French Studies from New York University. After eleven moves across four continents over a span of seventeen years, her journey has recently brought her back to London. 
The Gilded Flower Trilogies and Wildflowers Series are inspired by a desire to break the mold within the Romance genre that often portrays women as weak and subservient. Believing that stories have the power to influence attitudes and shift perspectives, Elizabeth writes in order to challenge this paradigm. Her hope is to elevate readers’ understanding of sex, love and the relationships people have with each other and themselves so that they may embrace one another from a place of peace and wholeness. 
In addition to writing, Elizabeth is a spiritual teacher and adviser with clients all over the world. When she isn’t running around with her kids, you’ll most likely find her in the park meditating or dreaming up new love stories.

Links:

http://www.vivianwinslow.com

Wild Poppy by Vivian Winslow Review and Giveaway!

Wild Poppy
Vivian Winslow
(Wildflowers, #4)
Publication date: December 6th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

The daughter of a renown media mogul, Poppy Koslowski has her life turned upside down overnight when her father is indicted for a massive fraud that leads to the loss of her family’s fortune. In the wake of the scandal, Poppy moves to Paris at the behest of her aunt, the Countess Domel, who, unbeknownst to Poppy, intends to find a wealthy husband for her niece in order to ensure her future. Poppy, however, has her own dreams of finishing school and realizing her goal of becoming an award-winning journalist. When she meets Henri Olin, the passionate and seductive illegitimate son of one of France’s most powerful politicians, his political and social ideology introduces Poppy to a world very different from her own. Yet, Poppy ultimately learns that everything comes at a price, even love. After suffering a devastating loss, Poppy finds herself alone and virtually penniless, and is forced to make her way back to America to piece together the remnants of her life in New York City. There, she rediscovers her passion once again, only to be confronted with yet another life choice, one that will forever shape her destiny.

Goodreads / Amazon

Previous books in the series:

Darra's Review:

I have been holding off on writing this because I would hate not to do the book justice. I am a huge fan of Vivian's book. I have read both the Wildflower and The Gilded Flowers series and that is why this has been one of the most anticipated books I wanted to read in 2016. It it did not let me down. Vivian has written her best book to date. I recommend reading both series so you have some background on her family along with others and how Poppy affected their lives. Poppy has made an impression on so many people. You have no idea how just one person could change each one's life. She is an enigma, a woman like no other. She only be a character in a book. But she is so much more. She needs the commercial. The Most Interesting Woman In The World! This book starts from the beginning of her adult life. With no life experience besides watching her family life being torn and her Mom's questionable decisions. Just like the other Wildflower stories, she has came to life meeting new people. She meets a man and falls for him. Not a perfect, happily ever after. Then real life happens and she must live with the consequences. It brought me to tears. I can't imagine having to make those life changing decisions at such a young age. Heart breaking. With all this, she moves on with her life. She finds what she never expected. Love. However life is not so simple. She goes through so many hurdles and my heart breaks for her. But she is a unbelievably strong woman and handles it with grace. There is so much to her and sometimes life is unfair. I really don't want want to go into much detail about the plot because every moment is important. This was her life. In the Gilded Flowers, you find out what she became after her 20's. Who she was at the end was because of the decisions made earlier. I never thought some of the things she did to her own children had justification. However from what happened to her, she knows what she wants for her children. An easier life and no burdens. Poppy is amazing to say the least. The strongest and smartest female character I have read and cannot imagine finding another one like her. I could not get enough of her. I could read 3 more books about her. Poppy has seemed to lived a hundred life's and want more happiness for her. I wanted to be there for all of it. To know her every thought. I wish for more of her. She is by far the reason why this book is remarkable. Not only the story of her life, but of because who she is and who she became. By the way, the ending? Mouth dropping. I cannot express how much I believe you need to read this. Beautiful writing and theses are the books that you will carry in your mind for years. I rate the book a 4.9. I read this in December and think about it every week. The fill in the blanks I make up in my mind.

Author Bio:
Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job and her incurable wanderlust. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years.
New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of fashion, the arts and especially food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you’ll most likely find her eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
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Cover Reveal: Wild Poppy by Vivian Winslow!!!

Wild Poppy Vivian Winslow

(Wildflowers, #4)

Publication date: December 6th 2016

Genres: New Adult, Romance

The daughter of a renown media mogul, Poppy Koslowski has her life turned upside down overnight when her father is indicted for a massive fraud that leads to the loss of her family’s fortune. In the wake of the scandal, Poppy moves to Paris at the behest of her aunt, the Countess Domel, who, unbeknownst to Poppy, intends to find a wealthy husband for her niece in order to ensure her future. Poppy, however, has her own dreams of finishing school and realizing her goal of becoming an award-winning journalist. When she meets Henri Olin, the passionate and seductive illegitimate son of one of France’s most powerful politicians, his political and social ideology introduces Poppy to a world very different from her own. Yet, Poppy ultimately learns that everything comes at a price, even love. After suffering a devastating loss, Poppy finds herself alone and virtually penniless, and is forced to make her way back to America to piece together the remnants of her life in New York City. There, she rediscovers her passion once again, only to be confronted with yet another life choice, one that will forever shape her destiny.
Wild Poppy, the final installment of Wildflowers, is due out December 2016.

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Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:

Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband's job and her incurable wanderlust. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years.
New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of fashion, the arts and especially food. If she's not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you'll most likely find her eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she's still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter