Unfortunately, I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. I ended up DNFing it around 50% because I was just so...bored, and, frankly, annoyed at the main characters. I've read and loved Mazey Eddings' writing in the past (The Plus One was one of my favorite reads of 2023), but I couldn't gel with this one. I found Opal to be insufferable - every chapter in her POV was a drag to get through. I found her to be extremely childish and impulsive to the point of being obnoxious. All of the books' central conflicts could have been resolved if she had just...thought for a second. I liked Pepper, but there was absolutely no tension to their dynamic. They were disgruntled acquaintances for a very short amount of time and then immediately became lovers. I just didn't buy their relationship, nor could I bring myself to care about the resolution.

I might try picking this up again another time, but it just wasn't for me.

Late Bloomer is a delightful saphhic romcom about Opal, a somewhat reckless, manic and lost in life artist aka the best disaster bisexual you can imagine and Pepper, a flower farmer whose own mother just sold her recently deceased grandma's farm right out from under her to brand new lottery winner Opal. Because Pepper has been unable to locate her grandma's will, her mother (and I'm using mother here in the derogatory mommy-dearest way) under North Carolina law as next of kin, the owner of the only stable and happy home Pepper has ever had.

When Opal arrives on the farm she's greeted by a confused and immediately hostile Pepper though she knows Opal isn't at fault here. Finding out her farm has been sold is the least of Pepper's worries as the farm is failing anyway. The two begrudingly agree to share the small cabin on the farm and slowly start to grow on each other. Opal agrees to help Pepper create a living flower display for a local competition hoping the cash prize and free advertising of magazine spread for the winner will infuse the farm with new cash flow and help save it. As you might imagine, sexual tension and romance ensue.

I loved Opal and Pepper as characters, but I think Pepper might be my favorite. Both women are just on opposite spectrums of neurodivergence and it makes their relationship so interesting to follow. The pacing on this one was a little off for me...I was hoping for a bit more of the enemies time before getting to the lovers part, but overall, it's a light, enjoyable read.

I thought this was a super cute and romantic read. I really enjoyed the development of the characters and their relationship. I found the beginning to be a little slow or hard to read, probably because I don't relate to main character as much. I'd never be so trusting when it came to purchasing a property off Facebook lol but overall I thought this was wonderful, and surprisingly emotional! <3

This book didn’t completely work for me, it was cute but the Mc both were very exasperating, I understand both had their issues but it was a little too much for me, how insecure they were, because even though they were supposed to be so different, with one being a people’s pleaser and the other one having trust issues, they read quite similar. I am a little tired of reading about these women being so attracted to each other but pushing away *because reasons*.
And the fact that Pepper mom’s was this so terrible wad too much, it was just so obvious to justify the trauma and for them to meet.

I received this book as an ARC in return for an honest review.

Opal and Pepper are complete opposites who are forced together by fate to live with each other and work on a farm. The quirky banter between the two characters was phenomenal and the character building by the two characters growing with each other was some of the best I’ve read this year. You just can’t beat a grumpy Sunshine with forced proximity, it makes for some wonderful connections between characters.

This gave me the feeling of being wrapped up with a cup of cocoa and watching a hilarious holiday romcom. There is neurodivergent representation as well as the obvious sapphic love story. I highly recommend this book.

3.5 Stars

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

“You really think people wouldn’t get a life-size rendering of Jeff motherfucking Goldblum?”

This book had so many great one-liners! A fun and fluffy book about some quirky, neurodiverse ladies. Lots of adorkable moments mixed with some spice. Totally relate to the obliviousness in both characters.

"...little marks like violet petals along my skin to show how much she owns me." 🔥

Picture this: a flower farm where the blooms aren't the only things stealing the show—there's romance in the air, and it's blooming big time! Late Bloomer by the amazing Mazey Eddings is a book that follows the story of Opal, who suddenly wins the lottery and decides to buy a flower farm, but she doesn't know that living there is Pepper, who refuses to leave the farm because it's the only home she has ever known. They agree to live together, but what they don't expect is that flowers will not be the only thing blooming...

Opal and Pepper aren't your average rom-com leads—they're beautifully flawed, wonderfully quirky, and totally relatable, especially in their portrayal of neurodivergence. They have their fears, they see the world differently and express their emotions in a way that makes harder for them to built a relationship. But oh how beautifully developed everything is in this book, and that makes the story even more perfect.

Late Blommer's romance is the kind of romance that makes you believe in love again. You'll find yourself rooting for this pair and feeling butterflies in your stomach. Also, the spicy scenes in this books are just *chef kiss*. Everything in this romance is built around the personalities of each character, and the romance grows as they grow too.

And let's not forget about the families—oh boy, do they add some drama! The family dynamics in this book are relatable. Yes, this book holds some very toxic family relationships, and they are a way of showing that the family tree can be cut too. But this book reminds us that even in the midst of chaos, there's always room for love and support, and that one can also choose a new family to hold you in the hardest moments.

I will always say: give me sapphic books for the rest of my life and I shall be the happiest.

This book was so cute! I loved the neurodivergent representation, with Opal having ADHD and Pepper being autistic. I appreciated how they had individual struggles and had to work to care for each other in the ways that they needed. Watching their characters grow and develop in their relationships was so nice. I'd definitely read more from this author!

“You deserve a life so peaceful it feels deliciously boring.”

Mazey’s ability to capture the beauty and struggles of neurodiversity is unfounded.

From the whimsical nature that is Opal to the guarded walls surrounding Pepper, these two shouldn’t work, but thankfully for us—they do!

I honestly loved how at different points in the story, both Opal and Pepper felt lost—as though their entire lives were being uprooted without their permission. But together they were able to find a new normal, make new goals, and come together in a way that strengthened not only each other, but one another’s dreams.

Hearing about the experience Mazey has had since announcing this book has chilled me to my core. I’m grateful she’s writing books that show every day people. People with daily struggles, neurospicy struggles. People who aren’t always the easiest to get along with if we aren’t willing to hear them out or get to know them. I love that she writes about all forms of sexuality as though it’s NORMAL, because it is and deserves to be included in beautiful stories without it having to be nit-picked or highlighted as anything outside of the norm.

If you haven’t picked up a Mazey book yet, do yourself a favor and get them all. She has adult romcoms, new adult romance, and even a young adult story that’s easily one of my favorites. I promise it’s worth it to grab them all.

Also, the narrators did a phenomenal job with LATE BLOOMER. I was sucked into this flower-filled world right alongside Opal and Pepper, and I didn't want to be anywhere else.

Tropes:
- Sapphic romance
- Bi representation
- Forced proximity
- Opposites attract
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Autism representation
- Neurodiverse representation
- Grief + healing
- Found family

I will not be reviewing this title as I am participating in the St. Martin's press boycott. Will come back to this and post a full review when the publisher takes accountability and addresses readers concerns. More information at @readersforaccountability on Instagram.

I love Mazey Eddings, so this was an obvious choice for me. Opal is a people pleaser who wins the lottery. Her no good ex boyfriend and crappy "best friend" immediately start sniffing around for her winnings, so Opal does what anyone would do and buys a flower farm, sight unseen, off of facebook marketplace. She plans to use it as a studio for her art. When she gets there she finds that it is occupied by Pepper, the estranged daughter of the woman who sold her the farm. The farm has been the only home she's known, but she doesn't have the capital to buy it back from Opal. The only hope she has is to win a flower art competition, but she can't do it without Opal's help. The two butt heads, but also bond over their neurodivergence, and sparks fly.

Things I loved: Sapphic representation, neurodivergent representation, gorgeous setting, surprisingly spicy, found families, character growth.
Things I didn't love: Opal's character seemed to kind of change depending on POV, and her character arc didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a perfect sapphic romcom.
I loved the characters and I love their growth.
It was cute, sweet, and surprisingly steamy!!

Mazey always does justice to the relationship anxiety that comes with being neurodivergent, and I just love it. She has yet to fail me.

Opal has a problem. She has a hard time saying no. This becomes an even bigger problem when she wins the lotto. She knows she can’t say no so she needs to find a way to spend the money. She buys a flower farm, sight unseen. Not gonna lie this concerned me, but I digress. Anyway, she arrives at the farm to find Pepper who claims she’s the rightful owner of the farm. We have some forced proximity, opposites attract and a whole lot of love in this one. They were a couple to root for !
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Thank you #griffin and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

After Opal wins the lottery, she decides she is tired of being walked over by everyone in her life and impulsively buys a flower farm where she plans to work on her art. It sounds like the perfect plan to everyone except Pepper, who believes she inherited the farm from her grandmother. Will these two end up cohabitating peacefully or will something else begin to bloom?

What I loved:
-neurodivergence rep
-sense of found family and portrayal of complicated family relationships
-flower farm setting

This book had me at sapphic romance set on a flower farm and it did not disappoint! This was a really sweet and light read with some deeper elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

I received this book early through NetGalley.

My overall thoughts were a bit mixed about this one. I was very confused on how Opal's personality changed in each perspective. We are shown at the beginning that Opal is the most extreme type of people pleaser. And it leads her to getting manipulated by multiple people, including Pepper's mother. And then there is a sort of shift when we get to Pepper's perspective where Opal is way more assertive/cute/innocent acting. It just didn't make sense to me in the reader's perspective.

The plot was also just a lead up to one competition and didn't include any actual conflict about who owned the DARN HOUSE! I would be sooooo angry that someone was living in my house I just bought. And if I was one of Opal's sisters, I would have called the biggest lawyer for her.

The romance was ok, and I liked the neurodivergence rep we see. The bond between the two of them came from absolutely nowhere though. They are both terribly awkward people and I think none of their hanky panky would have actually happened if not to drive the tension and narrative.

3/5 stars

The cover of this book is EVERYTHING! I am currently reading and can not wait to finish this tonight!
I definitely think that younger Caitlin would have eaten this shit up, but I can not turn down a cute queer romance.

First, applause for the gorgeous cover. Second, the setting is a flower farm. Now I’m not sure everyone is going to like or relate to both main characters, and that’s not necessary. They are both neurodivergent, and it manifests differently. Opal is (technically) undiagnosed with ADHD, autism, or a combination of both and is trying to find where she fits in the world. Pepper is autistic and comes across as grumpy and a little unlikeable. But she’s found her place, Thistle & Bloom, a flower farm she lived on with her late grandmother. While these two may be very different, there’s also an instant attraction and pull between them. I would recommend if the tropes sound like something you would like or if you’ve enjoyed Mazey’s writing and humor before.

THINGS YOU’LL FIND
-Flower farm setting
-Neurodiverse rep
-Sapphic Romance
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Roommates/forced proximity

Thank you to St Martins Press for my e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a very sweet (but also deliciously spicy) sapphic romance with excellent neurodivergent representation. The characters all felt vibrant and real, and the ones you're supposed to dislike were VERY unlikable (but also believable, because I've met so many people just like them). It is, unfortunately, a victim of everyone's least favorite - the miscommunication trope, but I feel almost like that trope is more realistic coming from two neurodivergent characters (I fall victim to it in real life ALL the time, after all). The resolution was sweet and unrushed, and, if the author so desired to return to this book universe (Opal's sisters' love stories, maybe? Hint hint), I would be in the front of the line to get those works.

I had such a fun time reading this book! It was a cute spring read that made sitting outside and reading in the fun a pleasant experience. I am always excited to read sapphic books so I am incredibly grateful to have gotten an ARC of this. I will definitely be checking out Mazey Eddings' new works in the future. :)

I did love aspects of this book, such as the setting at the flower farm and the inclusion of neurodivergent main characters. However, the chemistry seemed to start too quickly without a lot of build up. I almost was a bigger fan of the relationships with the minor characters (the best friend, the sister) as I felt those were more deep and real