If there’s a couple things I’ve come to expect from a Mazey Eddings book, those would be great neurodivergent representation, funny and relatable characters, and a great time. Late Bloomer absolutely had all of those.
 
Late Bloomer follows Opal who, after winning the lottery, decides to buy a farm to start her own business- she’s an artist who designs shoes! However, the farm she buys is already occupied by Pepper, the daughter of the woman who sold the farm to Opal. Pepper runs the flower farm and is not pleased to have the farm sold out from under her. Coming to a tentative agreement, they decide to cohabitate and enter a contest to win money to help Pepper buy the farm back from Opal. The chemistry between Pepper and Opal is so entertaining to follow along and I love how contrasted they are to each other and how they balance each other out.
 
Such a fun read and it just makes me more excited for what Mazey Eddings has in store for us next!

I’m sad to say that this didn’t work for me. I’m a massive fan of Mazey Eddings, so I was thrilled to find out that she was writing a sapphic, adult romance. Unfortunately, the romance, characters, and plot all felt more surface level than what I’m used to from this author, and I struggled to find an anchor that kept me reading (but I finished!). There was a lot of potential: Opal had a lot of promise in her personality and in the fun situation of winning the lottery, and I’d hoped Pepper’s backstory would resolve in the way I know Mazey Eddings’ stories to—full of emotion and growth. Rather, Pepper’s character arc in particular felt flat and anticlimactic to me, and I ended up skimming some of her pages. Also, maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t feel convinced of Opal and Pepper as a couple by the end, with their challenges in communication. Nonetheless, I will continue to check out Mazey Eddings’ future books because I know she can write stories and couples that I absolutely adore!

Thank you NetGalley + the publisher for this arc! I was initially very excited to read a sweet little sapphic romcom and to be fair, this technically has all of the best elements. We've got forced proximity, sapphic yearning, etc, but something was just...missing? For me. While I absolutely did not hate this book, it was just very much *okay* - for me, at least! Would be willing to try other works by the author, but this one just wasn't my fave

What a great book! I could not put it down. Great characters, interesting plot, just a really nice book overall. I will definitely be thinking about this book for a long time! Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

I really loved this fun, sapphic romance. The two main characters, Opal and Pepper, were both so perfectly 20 something and I loved the neurodivergent rep as well. I maybe questioned the choices Opal made at times but I guess we will have to chalk that up to youth and naivety.

The story itself and the romance that buds between these two might be a bit obvious at the beginning but the way the author brings them together is perfectly done. By the time they have well and truly fallen for each other you are screaming "yes! finally!" as you read. I appreciated how the whole story wasn't just the romance but also dealt with grief and parental neglect and abuse. I didn't expect it from the cover but it hit home with me and felt so well done.

I, of course, now want to win the lottery and buy a flower farm because it sounds like the most perfect place to live and create. I enjoyed the author's note in the back as well about the different titles and settings explored before settling on this one and can't wait to read all the other books that Mazey Eddings writes!

I received an early digital reader copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Late Bloomer has lovely representation of characters with insecurities and neurodiversity. However, it felt like Opal and Pepper were always too much in their own heads. I missed the emotional connection of their relationship blossoming together. I felt like I learned things about them individually, but the communication wasn't there between them throughout the story.

After winning the lottery, Opal Devlin puts all her money in a failing flower farm, only to find an angry (albeit gorgeous) Pepper Boden already living there. Though she’s unable to find her grandmother’s will, Pepper claims she’s the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms. While they agree to cohabitate, Opal and Pepper clash at every turn. Can something softer blossom between these polar opposites, allowing a new dream to take root and grow?

Oh. My. (Sappho.) Goddess. You may think you know Mazey Eddings’ writing style, but I assure you, you do not. Many of us read The Plus One and/or Tily in Technicolor last year, but Eddings has far exceeded herself with this one. As a neurodivergent author, Eddings’ stories often have some element of neurodiversity/mental health, shining a light on the different ways people’s brains work while embracing those differences through beautiful, realistic characters. Opal and Pepper are no different, both on the spectrum yet unique in their behaviors and view of the world. These women are not predictable, pre-programmed components of a story; they are ever-blooming, learning how to plant roots alongside one another, share sunlight, and rise despite being different species. Both plants, growing and adapting to different elements, yet very much the same. While Opal and Pepper have always struggled to fit in with the world around them, they manage to cultivate a safe, healthy garden for one another.

This is one of those overwhelming, layered, awe-inspiring sapphic stories that will tug at your heartstrings long after you read it. Eddings’ language leaps off the page, making it a little reminiscent of One Last Stop (be still, my little sapphic heart). I’ve beyond annotated Late Bloomer, when I’m usually selective about choosing quotes. You don’t just see love blossom between these two women; you feel it. It made me smile, laugh, get all messy and misty-eyed. As I said, neither woman is predictable. Opal feels directionless at the story’s start, allowing her (fake) best friend and (on/off) ex to step all over her. I expected her to be the wallflower, especially with the BITE we see from Pepper (pun unintended) in her first chapter, but the two balance each other out. When Pepper feels uncertain or anxious, Opal steps forward, bold and unwavering. When Opal begins to crumble, Pepper holds her up. They support each other, never allowing the other to wilt.

Unfortunately, this book relies heavily on miscommunication. Both women are eager to hide their real feelings at the risk of scaring the other. That lack of communication continues until almost the last chapter.

Recommended for fans of One Last Stop and Imogen, Obviously. Side note: please, please read the author’s note. Good goddess.

✨ The Vibes ✨

❀ Neurodivergency/Autism Spectrum
❀ Sapphic Romance
❀ Grief/Healing
❀ Forced Proximity
❀ Spicy/First Time
❀ Cottagecore Vibes
❀ One Bed
❀ Touch Her and You Die
❀ Dual POV
❀ Miscommunication
❀ Flower Competition
❀ Grumpy/Sunshine

Quotes
❝Slowly, she leans toward me, and my heart pounds so violently in my chest that my head swims. Is she . . . It almost seems like she’s going to press that smile to my mouth. Teach me how it tastes.❞

❝Ah. There’s the you I missed.❞

❝I used to stress over finding a label that fit me. Lesbian. Bisexual. Pan. Demi . . . I’ve filtered through them all many times over, none ever feeling quite right. Just say queer and move on with your life, Diksha finally told me late one night after what was probably my sixth sexual identity crisis of my early twenties. But what does that mean? I’d wailed, draining more boxed wine into my plastic cup. My brain loves order and labels and concise frameworks to understand things, and not knowing where I fit feels unbearable. It means you’re you, and only you get to decide who you like and when you like them, Tal had said from their chair in the corner. The name of your feelings isn’t anyone’s business but yours.❞

❝But instead, she reaches out to me—opening her hand like a flower unfurling its petals to the sun. I stare at it. The ink stains and calluses and chipped nails and bitten cuticles. For a moment, that hand looks like a second chance.❞

❝Her poems spoke softly—as intimately as confessions between lovers—about the terrible, wonderful ache of being in love.❞

thank you netgalley for this e-copy. this is my first mazey eddings book and i think i will check out her backlist when i can. i love love stories that don't just show the happy times or save a breakup for a third act. she writes characters that make you like them through the ups and downs. also the characters are more mature and can think for themselves.

This was a very sweet story. I love the idea of flower farms (I do not have the executive functioning to ever run one) and the imagery it lends to a story. The colorful softness with some thorns is just such a perfect balance and Mazey did an excellent job conveying that feeling into Opal and Pepper as characters. 3.75 stars rounded to 4.

I LOVE MAZEY EDDINGS!! I think she is quickly becoming a favourite romance author for me; her books are never boring, they are fluffy and smutty and so so so yummy. Cannot wait to read another :)

I’m a huge fan of Mazey Eddings but Late Bloomer lacked a bit of the whimsical Mazey charm that had me falling head over heels for her other books!

The storyline moved, the characters were interesting but overall this one was “just okay” for me! In a romance I want to be absolutely absorbed in a love story, feeling the butterflies and giggling away but the connection just wasn’t there!

I absolutely loved that this book featured neurodivergent characters and I think the the author did a fabulous job of letting us get to know and understand them. This was hands down my favourite part of the book and I applaud the author for adding this important representation in her books!

Mazey, I’d still read your grocery lists and can’t wait for what you write next.

This was such a cute romance, set in the most idyllic setting one could ask for - a flower farm!

I was pleasantly surprised at Mazey Edding's writing style, how she could capture emotion so eloquently and deeply. The descriptions of anxiety in particular really hit home for me - I could feel the physical responses of anxiety as if they were my own.

I had some mixed emotions regarding characters and plot. I struggled with connecting to Opal's character in the beginning, as her impulsivity and naivete drove me a little nuts. But once Pepper appeared, I found I could connect to her easily. Additionally, I love a slow burn and wish that the romance took more time, though that's a personal preference.

Overall this book feels like a perfect choice for someone wanting a feel-good, cozy read that's pure springtime vibes.

I also loved this book! I related to opal a lot which was nice, and we love to see neurodivergence representation 🙌🏻 I now want to frolic around a flower farm forever😊 if you love Tessa Bailey and Meghan Quinn definitely check out this book

DNFed at Chapter 10

I really wanted to like this and it has a lot of potential. The plot revolves around two women who fall in love on a flower farm, which is such a cute vibe. There’s also some great neurodivergent representation.

Unfortunately for me, the main character Opal really really annoyed me. I don’t mind the plot points being unrealistic but her personality and the interactions the two main characters had were not believable and made me cringe.

If you’re not picky about characters/dialogue, the plot was cute and the authors writing style wasn’t bad.

Mazey’s books always put me in my feels but in the best way. I enjoyed Late Bloomer and LOVED both Pepper and Opal! I related to their journeys with mental health and neurodivergence SO MUCH. And the cover??? Hooked me from the start. Highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a romance with the perfect amount of humor and heart!

This one was so cute!!! I loved everything about it!! i loved Opal and Pepper so much! I thought they where both such complex characters on their own but worked so well together and I loved how they helped each other heal. We have opal who has never felt like enough and always giving her best to everyone even though they don’t give it back just hoping for acceptance and love from someone. (And hello I sooo related to this one especially as a girl in her early 20s!!!!) I found a lot of similarities between my self and opal! That’s when opal wins big off a scratch ticket and finds her self as the owner of a flower farm. But when she gets there she finds it’s not all what she thought it was, and pepper who grown up on the farm with her grandma Lou was there and she was not happy to see opals arrival. Pepper had her issues such as Autism and parental issues and I really enjoyed her journey and character as well, I really felt for her so many times. I loved the tension between the two too, it was done so well!!! The spicy scenes where definitely spicing to!!! I also loved the setting of this one with the flower farm and I want to move there my self and be their 3rd LOL (jk kinda 😅) I listened to the audiobook for this one and I thought the narration was done really well, it was the same person for both characters but I think she did the different voices well if I missed the first of the chapter of them telling me who it was I had no problem telling them apart! Once again Mazey has nailed it out of the park with her new release!

Loved the neurodivergent/autistic representation found in this romantic comedy, especially with autistic people having a higher rate of queer identity. So sweet and heartwarming.

I liked the beginning of the book a lot. I thought we were going to have a really great time after the first 3 chapters… but once Opal and Pepper met it just fizzled out. I tried numerous times to pick it back and up and get back into it and I just couldn’t. I think there are many people out there who will love this, I am just not one of them.

Love the cover though.

The flowers! The setting! The representation! Eddings delivers what I think is her best work to date.

Such a sweet little sapphic romance. (Slight spoiler warning) I love the choice to have their competition piece be Sappho!