This swoony sapphic romance was such a fun and refreshing treat! I especially loved the neurodivergent rep. And the cover. It's gorgeous.

A light, cute read, LATE BLOOMER made me want to pack up everything I own and move to a flower farm.

This was my first book by Mazey Eddings but it won't be my last!

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Opal wins the lottery and, in a move that screams "new life, who dis?", buys a flower farm in North Carolina to focus on her art. But surprise! Pepper, the farm's current (and very grumpy) resident, has no idea it was sold. Cue the forced cohabitation, clashing personalities, and undeniable chemistry.

This book is a cozy, sapphic romance that balances humor with heartfelt moments. Opal's chaotic energy meets Pepper's guarded demeanor, and their dynamic is both entertaining and endearing. The neurodivergent representation adds depth, making their journey toward understanding and love all the more compelling.

This book was written for you if:
1. You're into grumpy/sunshine dynamics with a twist.
2. You appreciate stories with neurodivergent characters finding connection.
3. You're looking for a romance that feels like a warm hug.

This is now my third romance by this author, though my first sapphic romance by her! I was excited to see an f/f author from an author I’d enjoyed before, and I couldn’t wait to dive into it. In the end, while I did still enjoy this one, it didn’t entirely click for me either. I might just be becoming more picky with my romances lately, too, because I do see many people loving this one even if it wasn’t a new favorite for me! I also definitely will be reading more of this author in the future, still, and hoping those future books are more for me.

I think overall I wish more aspects of the characters had been developed further. One thing I enjoyed from this author’s previous work was the authentic characters and how fully fleshed out they felt. This book felt a bit more plot-focused than those as well, so I think having a more wieldy plot and needing to make this more ‘outlandish’ premise feel realistic took up more space, at the cost of the development of the characters and their romance.

The characters are so fun and lovable, and there were so many times when I actually laughed out loud. The first half of the book was everything, but the second half wasn’t giving what it was supposed to give.

While this started off great, I found it lost steam very quickly. I didn't think the "conclusion" with the toxic ex and "friend" was no where near as satisfying as it was presented as. I did like the setting and mentions of art, and am a sucker for sister dynamics so I enjoyed that as well. If this had focused on the journey of a people pleaser to put herself and her art (which is what initially felt like) I would have enjoyed it a lot more than what it became.

Oh this is such a tender book and I really enjoyed it. I have liked all of Mazey's books for different reasons but something they all have in common is the extremely well done neurodivergent rep. Then this is a sapphic book about a chaos demon (affectionate) winning the lottery and impulse buying a flower farm without seeing it, only to discover the woman who sold it didn't tell her estranged daughter who lives there and runs it that she sold it? Drama, tension, self-realization, chemistry, first times, art, agriculture, forced proximity, queer and biological families, etc etc etc. Opal has a complicated balance of being hopeful and extending grace to others while simultaneously being hard and down on herself. Pepper (whose middle name, Anne, is mentioned once without any actual reference or acknowledgement of the Pepper Ann cartoon from the late 90s, which was a shame in my opinion) embodies the name of her late grandma's flower farm, Thistle and Bloom, as she begins withdrawn and prickly but blossoms as she comes to care for Opal and open up. I really appreciated that Pepper was new to sex and the way Opal viewed it as a perfectly normal version of human experience, as well as an opportunity to learn together. The spicy scenes were hot but also usually tender and emotional. Overall, not my fave of Mazey's books but an excellent showing and it gets extra points for being sapphic and for its gorgeous cover.

This book was so sweet and delightful. I loved the setting and the chemistry between the main characters was amazing! I loved Opal's character so much. Really enjoyed this book.

A sapphic, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance taking place on a flower farm? It doesn’t get more queer than that and I love it. More of a subtle, quiet romcom, this was a nice chill break from the intense books I’ve been reading lately.

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings is a delightful and heartwarming sapphic romance that fully lives up to the promise of its charming cover. As a fan of Eddings, I was eager to dive into this one, and though it did take some time for me to get into these characters and their story, I was not disappointed. The book follows two female leads, each navigating their own personal struggles, which creates an engaging dynamic between them.



One of the protagonists is learning how to set boundaries and manage how others treat her, while the other is trying to navigate complex family relationships. The emotional depth of their individual journeys is handled beautifully, making their growth as individuals (and as a couple) all the more rewarding.



The story itself is easygoing, breezy, and feels like a fresh spring day. I absolutely adored the way these two characters were thrust together by a series of misunderstandings and impulsive decisions, leading to the classic “roommate to lovers” trope. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their forced proximity creates the perfect setting for both sparks and tender moments.



The floral elements woven throughout the story, both in the narrative and the atmosphere, added an extra layer of charm that made the book even more enjoyable. Overall, Late Bloomer is a cute, spicy, and ultimately heartwarming read. If you’re looking for a sweet sapphic romance with great character development and a dash of humor, I highly recommend this one!



I received this book as an advanced review copy and offer my honest opinion voluntarily

This was my first time readings one of Eddings' books and I was super excited! The premise sounded different and interesting, and I love a good sapphic romance. I just didn't feel that the chemistry was there, but I was still along for the ride. I also really appreciated all the different representation in just one book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I loved this so much. Super sweet and hot. I adored Opal and Pepper. Their personalities meshed so well together even though they were so different. I loved everything about them and their flower farm.

This book was one i unfortunately couldn't get into. I've hear wonderful things about the author, but this book could not grab my attention at all. Thank you for the opportunity.

To be honest, I have loved the majority of Mazey’s books that I read, and naturally I was anxiously awaiting this one. Unfortunately, I did not finish this book. I had to DNF pretty early on because I was just not vibing with the whole plot line. Perhaps I will revisit it sometime in the future, but I doubt it.

Plot contrived convenience, I loved and hated one of the character’s mother for pushing the two main characters together.
Quotes from published book that I loved.

“I used to stress over finding a label that fit me. Lesbian. Bisexual. Pan. Demi… I’ve filtered through them all. None of them feeling right.” Boy do I heavily relate to this. I needed this discussion because Diksha and Tal reminded them that the way you feel matters more than labels.

I laughed at the Jeff Goldblum reference.

This was a fun time with deep conversations I needed to read in my life. LGBTQIAP+ rep, neurodivergent rep, and mental health rep are forever important to me.

was not able to get into this book at the time it was due to be reviewed and was not able to finish reading. i am grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this book early and have heard nothing but good things about this author.

DNF'd at 36% & I honestly couldn't handle it anymore. I had high hopes for the book, but the main characters were the worst. One of the main characters seem so much like a pick me girl/a people pleaser and I just can't deal with that. I am a tell it how it is type of person, and I don't have much sympathy for people who try to people please or want to be liked and then their life goes all to heck because of it. Frfr, these characters deserve the bad things.

This was a sweet story. I was expecting a little more from the characters but overall it was a pleasant read.

In Late Bloomer, Opal wins the lottery and is quickly approached by everyone for a handout. On a whim she purchases a flower farm on Facebook Marketplace to set up her shoe painting business. But it’s not that easy because Pepper believes the farm was left to her by her grandmother. They agree to a roommate situation while they uncover the true owner and discover if they can both live out their dreams and plant roots.

This was a cozy sapphic romcom with cottage core vibes full of steam, charm, and pop culture references galore. Opal and Pepper’s messiness as they fell in love mfurther endeared them to me. It gave off the same feeling of being enveloped in a soft, fuzzy sweater and was a cute read with low angst.

What you can expect:
🌸 sapphic romance with bi representation
🌸 forced proximity
🌸 cottage core vibes
🌸 neurodivergent rep
🌸 Sunshine x grumpy
🌸 Dealing with trauma and grief

Do yourself a favor and make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end for the increasingly funny potential titles. I also loved the discussion on flower meanings and why certain flowers were used in the book.

I enjoyed Ellie Gossage’s narration and felt there was clear delineation between the main characters.

Though this intrigued me at first it did not keep my attention. Will set it down for now and try again in the future. Still open to trying other books by the author.

A beautiful story about learning who you are in the face of adversity and finding love along the way.