I’ve enjoyed Mazey’s books in the past but this one missed the mark for me. The characters felt juvenile and a bit over the top. I couldn’t really read past it. I had higher hopes for this so was sadly disappointed.

Most of this book was hard to put down!!! I enjoyed this book a lot. I LOVED the autism/neurodivergent representation. The description of the farm made me want to be there! The two main characters make a wonderful couple. This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I definitely want to read more! I got an advanced readers copy from netgalley, but my review is unbiased

this was super cute! my first mazey book and it won't be my last! i'm always looking for more sapphic romances and i loved the neurodivergent rep of the characters.

This was such a cute book!!! I loved the characters so much!! Opal is such a sweet and somewhat naive young woman and I relate to her so much!! The representation in this book is wonderful and I really loved Opal and Pepper as a pair. They played off of each other so well and I couldn’t help but fall for the two of them.

The plot was adorable and I rooted for them all the way!! And there are several very steamy and quite lovely scenes. If you enjoy that sort of thing… which I do. Lol… and how can I not adore the setting of a beautiful flower farm?!?! Throw in a bunch of interesting other characters, not to mention the ones that got under my skin. I won’t name them, but boy were they obnoxious!! As they were meant to be of course.

I recommend this to romance lovers who enjoy lgbtqia+ love stories with beautiful relationships that just about makes your heart burst!!

4.25⭐️ such a sweet sapphic read!!

Opal wins the lottery and decides to buy and move to a peaceful little flower farm to get away from it all and focus on her art. But what she isn’t prepared for is Pepper and her insistence that she is the actual owner (but can’t prove it without her grandmother’s missing will).

They decide to live together while they figure it all out. Pepper hoping to find a way to buy the farm back, and Opal wishing for a peaceful and safe place to land.

This was such a delight to read! Mazey’s neurodivergent reps are always done so well, and this is no exception. I absolutely love the dual POV and connected with both Pepper and Opal differently.

One of my favorites quotes:
“I am a bundle of too-sharp feelings, tangled into knots, and frustrated beyond reason that I can’t have a normal reaction for once.”

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Late Bloomer is a steamy sapphic love story between Opal and Pepper, two 20something, neurodivergent women who are trying to find their place in the world. When Opal wins the lottery and buys a flower farm sight unseen, it turns out that Pepper's no-good mom sold the home and farm Pepper shared with her grandmother without her daughter's consent. And instead of kicking Pepper out, Opal lets her stay and even offers to help her win a floral contest so Pepper can one day buy the farm back.

Sounds like an interesting plot, right? Unfortunately, I think the execution left a bit to be desired. This is much more of a vibes read than a plot forward one. Which would have been fine, great even for a romance, if I felt like I was getting a good insight into either of the characters. Something about the pacing and the dual POV was off -- there were times when I wasn't sure which character I was reading from and times when I wished I was in the other person's head. This wasn't a bad reading experience by any means, there's some funny dialogue and prose but I just wanted a bit more. 2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

Mazy Eddings proves, yet again, that she knows romance! Her novels always stick with me and make me feel so seen. Opal and Pepper's story was so unique and original. I loved the setting and storyline. While both of these characters didn't start up as each other's biggest fans, the sparks flew as the story progressed! Overall I enjoyed it but not necessarily as much as her previous work.

Late Bloomer is an incredible and sapphic romance you want on your spring TBR.

Following the lives of Opal, a budding artist who finally has the means to pursue her artistic dreams on a flower farm, and Pepper, the farm’s previous owner and who has no idea of the sale of said farm.

Facing their new predicament Opal and Pepper decide to live and work together until they can come up with a better plan, despite their clashing personalities. While working closely together on the flower farm their friendship begins to blossom, and a romance that fosters growth and acceptance blooms wonderfully.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Late Bloomer is available now!

This book started as what seemed like a cute story with some great neurodivergent representation but then at about the halfway point I was surprised (pleasantly) that it got incredibly steamy and continued to be so for the remained of the book. Overall loved this one and will definitely be on the lookout for more sapphic books by this new to me author.

I loved this! Mazey Eddings knocked it out of the park yet again with a sexy sapphic opposites attract romance. I don’t typically read a lot of sapphic romance but I loved this one. The banter was top tier and who doesn’t love some enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Thanks to Netgalley & St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

Despite having Mazey Eddings’ books on my TBR for years, Late Bloomer was my first book by her, and now I’m looking forward to diving into her backlist.

Eddings crammed so many of my favourite tropes into one book: opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, roommates, friends with benefits, only one bed, and more. This story was sweet, tender, frustrating, steamy, romantic, funny, and kind of chaotic and messy in a good, relatable way. I loved Opal and Pepper’s interactions, their chemistry, and their growth. The flower farm setting was beautiful and easy to picture, and I adored Opal’s sisters and Pepper’s friend group. I also really appreciated the variety of rep: ADHD, autism, migraines, and grief.

If you’re looking for a sweet, sexy, heartfelt sapphic romance, be sure to add Late Bloomer to your TBR.

This was a sweet, cozy romance. This book is clearly a labour of love from the author. Her characters are built with heart and the care of someone that truly feels their experiences.
I did feel that Pepper and Opal were more suited to be best friends from lovers, however, the relationship that grows between them is genuine. Their contradictory personalities really did compliment one another.
Mazet Edding’s ability to handle difficult topics remains her greatest strength. This is her fifth novel and is have read them all. In this one she handles the grief that Pepper is feeling with love and care. Pepper is permitted to feel her grief and learn how to live with it, nothing is glossed over. Opal and her chaos swoop in and treat Pepper with love and respect from the very beginning.
This is a book where old, toxic friends are replaced with a loving, judgment-free found family. Upon the books closing, you can picture how everyone’s lives will continue on.
The book is funny and full of heart-felt moments.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an e-arc of the book. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Peak Mazey Edding fiction! It’s everything you come to expect from Mazey’s writing: humor, sweetness, and the normalization of differing abilities. 5 out of 5

This book. So freaking cute!! Pepper and Opal were both adorably awkward and quirky but healed each other’s battered hearts. Ahh the banter, the flower farm, the found family, the neurodiverse rep, the spice. Plus, I can’t resist a good grumpy x sunshine. Just love. I read the author’s notes in the back regarding the language of flowers and it added such a meaningful layer to when and how they’re mentioned in the story.

Also, the lavender massage? Obsessed.

Going into this book I expected a sweet fluffy sapphic time and that is indeed what I got, however, there was so much more. The explorations into grief were heart wrenchingly real and same for handling the topic of absent parents. There was also the important handling of having characters with autism and neurodivergence and doing it with care, showing how it manifested in different ways, and how they coped with it, unhealthy or not. The plot was simple yet well done, but I think this book really shines through its characters and all their quirks and flaws. Loved the flower research at the end and explaining how they related to the characters. It was such a cute touch.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc!

This book is so easy to get swept into. As an autistic human, I saw a lot of myself in Pepper, especially the way she second guessed herself. I loved the way their relationship developed and the way Opal matured. So so good

Late Bloomer had me smiling a lot. Mazey Eddings makes life suck a little less when you are traveling with Opal. This isn’t because Opal’s life is worse. Opal is such a positive person that you need that kind of hope and enthusiasm for when times are down that kind of light in a person is so beyond welcome. I just love Opal.

Now Pepper is Opal’s complete opposite (chuckle). This is truly a grumpy and sunshine story. I love their chemistry and their entire relationship from beginning to end.

There are some typos when it comes to Opal’s sister’s Olivia’s name. Other than that the book is fine.

The secondary characters are fun. I’m a little disappointed in how flat Laney and Miles are, but they are the stock characters they are supposed to be. Plus this tale focuses on Opal and Pepper.

The steam! Oh the steam is good. Eddings makes the wait worthwhile and fun. Consent is given many times. Conversation is had. I loved how everything is handled - no pun intended but that ended up being funnier than I intended (chuckle).

I totally recommend Late Bloomer.

I genuinely thought this was a YA. I’m glad I was wrong. First of all, can we all agree that this cover slays??? Like how could anyone not want to read this book with a cover like that? It’s so beautiful. You know what else is beautiful? Opal and Pepper’s relationship. Although they had a rocky start, they eventually became closer. As friends, colleagues, and partners to help sustain Pepper’s grandma’s flower farm. It was fun to see Opal and Pepper’s behaviour around each other. At first you see that Pepper is the grumpy one and Opal is the sunshine one. But when roles are reversed, it was so fun to see that. We get to see Pepper get all soft and lovey dovey when it comes to Opal. And Opal getting all fierce and determined to protect Pepper at all cost. Their relationship was so cute. The epilogue was so cute too. I’m so happy they eventually made the farm their home and build a life together.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Opal wins the lottery and buys a working flower farm with her winnings, only to find the farm is already inhabited by the prickly Pepper. The two women decide to co-habitate while they figure out how to solve the problem of ownership. Romance ensues.

I thought this was a cute premise and I LOVED the representation of neurodivergent main characters (both of them!). This is typical Mazey Eddings, and I'm here for it. The book also featured multiple queer characters, including a non-binary character.

What I didn't love was the rest of the book. The plot was predictable and I didn't really feel the chemistry between Opal and Pepper. I felt like I was slogging through each chapter, instead of being excited to find out what happened next. I even thought the jokes fell flat.

Overall this was a no for me, but might be enjoyed by someone who wants a romance with neurodiverse or LGBTQ+ representation.

This book was my first 5 star of 2024!! I LOVED THIS BOOK! Beautifully written with interesting characters. Loved that one of the main characters a voluptuous but the author didn't make it a thing. Great representation. And the romance!! TOP NOTCH! We need more sapphic romances. I will forever recommend this book and post a review on my social medias!