I love this cover so so much!! And I love the setting of the flower farm that just made me immediately want to be there. However this story just wasn’t working for me - might have been a case of right book wrong time but I found myself doing other things instead of picking the book back up at my usual reading times which is a sign it’s just not working for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free book to review.

I will not be reviewing this title due to the boycott of St. Martins Press and its imprints. More information at @readersforaccountability on Instagram

I am participating in the St. Martin's Press boycott. I will not be publicly reviewing this title until St. Martin's Press addresses reader concerns.

I talk a lot about making sure a book finds the right reader, but I think sometimes I forget how much mood can affect whether a book is for a certain reader, particularly myself. I start off with that statement because Late Bloomer is objectively a really lovely and sweet book that has so many elements I normally love. But it also features a character who buys a flower farm, sight unseen, without consulting a lawyer, a realtor, or even going HERSELF down to the property tax section in Buncombe County to pull the deed herself. And for some reason, I just really couldn't quite move past the absolute recklessness of that. I tried so hard to move past it, I really did, but... Just please don't do that. Like if you're considering buying a piece of property, PLEASE do not do what she did.

Okay, anyway, this book is about Opal, who is a people pleaser to the EXTREME and is walked all over as a result. She wins the lottery (sort of, a scratch off ticket) and then proceeds to buy a flower farm without doing ANY due diligence (my stress level, truly). When she shows up at said flower farm, it turns out Pepper is already living there, and has been, and also Pepper thinks that the farm should be hers. (Also, truly, intestate inheritance is absolutely wild, but there should have been an estate??? And Pepper could have like intervened? Asked the court for assistance?? BEEN INFORMED AT THE VERY LEAST!!!!)

Honestly, I know that I just said that I really tried so hard to put this out of my head, but y'all, I despise property law. Hate it. Trusts and estates? Learned just enough for the bar and then threw it out of my head. The fact that this book had me thinking this hard about how none of this makes sense is distressing. I hate this part of the law. Honestly, I would prefer to think about zero laws while reading a book. (This is why books where characters commit felonies without thinking twice also stress me out. Actions have consequences!! I don't want to think about them!!)

Okay, I'm going to have to be quick here before I get side tracked on another rant. So, anyway, Pepper and Opal share this house and they dance around the fact that they're both attracted to one another, but also, the other person is in the way of them having full ownership of this house. Also, Pepper is grieving her grandmother (which is a thing I love in books) and I really adored some of the things Opal does to sort of be there or support Pepper during this time. I think most people will be able to focus completely on the fact that this book is a really sweet (and steamy) sapphic romance and ignore all of the reasons why this plot is bonkers. Or they won't care that the plot is bonkers. Equally possible.

But also the epilogue?? The likelihood of all this legal stuff working out the way that it does in the book??? I mean. I'm just saying. I find it hard to believe. As far as the audiobook goes, I am still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that this is a one narrator book because Pepper and Opal sound COMPLETELY different in their perspectives and that is a sign of a truly fantastic narrator so kudos to Ellie Gossage. That's some serious talent. Anyway, I hope you read this book and love it!

When Opal unexpectedly wins the lottery, she drops her toxic friends and quits her dead end job to go pursue a career in art at a flower farm she just bought. When she gets there, she meets grumpy and hot Pepper. Pepper's grandmother, the owner of the flower farm, has just passed and she's been looking for the will but is surprised to find that Opal's the legal owner after buying it from her deadbeat mom. Opal tries to be understanding of the situation and allows Pepper to live and continue the farm in order to pay Opal back. They even enroll in an flower art competition as a team to win the big prize money. But one night spent together tangles with their plans with lots of feelings and they must try to read between the lines while trying to win the competition.

Mazey Eddings really just never does me wrong. So much fun and joy in this one and was a great rep for neurodivergence. I loved both Opal and Pepper and reading about them trying to navigate through their new normal. I really hope we get more from the universe on Opal's sisters!!!

I truly did not know I needed Pepper and Opal’s story in my life until I met them. I needed their chaotic love 💕

Late Bloomer felt like a cozy little escape and the mental health rep on this one was so brilliantly done.

This was my first ever read from the author and I’m regretting not having read her books sooner! All the stars and more for this one obviously ⭐️♾️

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress and @mazeyeddings for this e-arc! 🫶🏻

Thanks to St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available everywhere now 🌸🪷🌺🌷
Happy pub day to this steamy sapphic story! I read this romance yesterday while traveling. When I'm on a flight, I always set up my Kindle so I don't have to hold it (it's way too much effort to hold AND read), which makes it possible for others to see what I'm reading. It made me a bit nervous that the guy sitting next to me may have noticed some of the spicier parts… 🤣
Opal has always put her own feelings aside to be a friend to others, although no one treats her the same way, besides her sisters. When Opal wins $500k on a lottery ticket, a belated birthday present given to her by a coworker in exchange for a favor, Opal decides to use the money to get out of Charlotte and put her art degree to work. After buying a flower farm in Asheville via Facebook marketplace (which surprisingly is not a scam), Opal arrives to find the farm occupied by long-time resident and flower farmer Pepper. The two agree to become roommates until Pepper can earn enough money to start buying the farm back from Opal, who was sold the deed by Pepper’s mother, who Pepper had not been in touch with for years. Opposites in many ways, Opal and Pepper start to interact more and go from enemies to lovers, while working together on a flower competition that uses Pepper’s homegrown flowers and Opal’s artistic influences. But is it just bedroom fun or are feelings developing?
While this is a romance, it has the depth to cover issues of abandonment and substance abuse with neurodiverse characters without feeling weighed down by these heavy topics. I do not have an autism diagnosis nor an ADHD diagnosis, but the author made the characters feel authentic in their neurodiverse ways of interacting with the world. The book was a great companion on my flights, taxis, and ferry ride yesterday, finishing it on the beach in St John. I once won $500 on a scratch-off ticket and that was VERY exciting, so I can't imagine winning a thousand times that!

I really enjoyed this book! It got a little draggy around the 80% mark, and it took me longer than usual to read, but I really liked it overall.

Pepper and Opal were very cute together, and I liked both of their characters separately as well. I liked that we got to see both their POVs and reasonings for why they made certain decisions. It was also very cool to see the differences in their sexualities and neurodivergences and how they treated those based on their personalities. For Opal, it was very important to be bisexual and to have that label (something I understand), but for Pepper, the label wasn't a big deal. She's queer and that's enough. While with their neurodivergences, it helped for Pepper to have a label for her (autistic), probably so she could more easily explain it to other people. And for Opal, just knowing that she was neurodivergent in some aspect was enough for her to know how to take care of herself. No label or official diagnosis needed.

I did really like that there was no 3rd act breakup. Both Opal and Pepper had gone through so much at that point, and I felt like the outside conflict and how they resolved was a great way to provide enough tension at that point in the book instead.

I have really liked all of Mazey Eddings' books, and while this isn't my favorite, I'm really glad that she has fully stepped into writing queer romances, and I hope she writes more! Perhaps for Opal's sisters...?

I enjoyed this! All of the elements were great, but the story dragged a little for me. Not sure why because I loved the premise, Opal's artistry, Pepper's florals, and the secondary characters. Maybe it was just read at the wrong time, but I still think you should check it out! Read if you enjoy: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, sapphic romance, whimsical flowers, cottagecore, grumpy/sunshine, neurodiverse/autism rep and winning the lottery!

Thank you St. Martin’s for providing me an ARC. I have read some of Mazey’s previous books and really enjoyed them.

Opal is currently in limbo with her job, and she recently ended a relationship with her boyfriend, leaving her grieving the breakup. She suspects that her best friend, Laney, might be dating her ex, Miles, and believes that Laney may have been unfaithful with him.

Pepper lives and works on her grandmother's farm. After her grandmother's recent passing, Pepper has been unable to locate the will.
Opal wins $500,000, purchases a flower farm, and embarks on a reboot of her life, hoping to find inspiration and focus on her art. She discovers that Pepper is already living there, unaware that her mother had sold the property.

Both women are neurodivergent and struggle with relationships and friendships. They end up sharing the same space and navigating various challenges together.

The book is written from both of their perspectives. I enjoyed the narrative style and the inclusion of neurodivergent main characters, though I did not feel like the primary audience for this book. I found some aspects of the book overly spicy for my taste and would have preferred more closed-door scenes. Some parts of the storyline were overly simplified and could have benefited from more depth. I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. I am looking forward to the author's next book, as I'm sure I will enjoy it

I’ve always enjoyed Mazey Eddings writing and Late Bloomer is the perfect sapphic romance.

Throughly enjoyed the characters and the story development.

Late Bloomer is the fifth book I’ve read from Mazey Eddings and it might be my favorite yet. It was just such a lovely read! I binged it in a couple of sittings and fell in love with both Opal and Pepper and with the charming little flower farm where the story was set.

I loved the premise of the story where Opal wins the lottery and is able to quit a dead end minimum wage job and go follow her dream of being an artist. When she first wins, she is bombarded by people who clearly don’t care about her but think she owes them a handout. Uninspired by where she’s living and tired of being verbally abused by her so-called friends, Opal buys Thistle and Bloom Farm in Asheville, NC, and then tells no one where she’s going. Her new home is exactly what she hopes it would be, aside from presence of Pepper Smith, a gorgeous but furious young woman who has been living at the farm and is in disbelief that her family would sell it right out from under her, leaving her homeless. After getting off to an initially rocky start, Opal and Pepper decide to room together.

The chemistry between Opal and Pepper is fantastic. It’s definitely an opposites attract situation, with the two of them butting heads quite often in the beginning, but it’s such a fun ride watching the two of them grow closer. There’s hilarious banter, a bit of angst, and then a healthy dose of steam once the two of them realize just how good they can be together.

The audiobook is narrated by Ellie Gossage, and I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.

If you’re looking for a sapphic romance that is sugar and spice and everything nice, be sure to check out Late Bloomer. Available now!

I would read Mazey Eddings' grocery list. This was a sapphic romance that made me experience the full spectrum of human emotions. Eagerly looking forward to the next book!!

DNF. This book has all the makings of a beautiful sapphic slow burn, and for another reader it'll be all that they want it to be. For me, the slow burn got to bright too fast and the loss of anticipation had me uninterested in the rest of the book.

In solidarity with the SMP Boycott I will be withholding my review for this title until SMP acts on the following:

1. Address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist remarks from their employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how they are going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian influencers, authors and readers, in addition to supporting their BIPOC influencers, authors, and readers.

This is not a reflection of the author personally, nor is it a call to boycott buying this particular book. The star rating (4.75 stars) in an accurate assessment of my thoughts on the book.

This book was so good! I was excited to read the book after reading the summary and it is one of my favorite books of the year. I loved the characters and their relationships. The author writes characters so well and I flew through this book because I wanted to know how their relationship developed. Such a great read and I want to read more from this author.

Late Bloomer follows optimistic Opal after she wins the lottery, providing her with the opportunity for a fresh start and to pursue her dreams. When she meets grumpy Pepper, I was hoping for tension and angst, set against a wonderful, cozy backdrop of a flower farm, but I didnt feel like we got as much as we could have. This is my fifth book by Mazey Eddings and I enjoy her ability to create real, dynamic characters. Late Bloomer provides great neurodivergent rep, a flower farm setting but the conflict is low, so it felt cozy and comforting but not that exciting. Overall, this was middle of the road for me comparative with Eddings past books.
Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This was cute. The setup was a bit strange and unrealistic (obviously winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the lottery is not a daily occurrence) and the overall story was a little too cutesy and (pun intended) flowery for my personal taste, but I would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a queer romance that takes place on a very adorable flower farm.

The story was very cute. The characters were also very good. The pacing was alittle different but it was fine and worked with the characters

Late Bloomer-a standalone

By Mazy Eddings- I read The Plus One and gave it 3⭐

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publication: 4/16/24, Read 4/19/24

📙Format: e-book, 391 pgs. and audiobook 9:32

🗣️Narrator: Ellie Gossage-did both h's, dual POV. I believe the voice fit the characters and the reading style brought the story to life. The pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly. The audiobook's flow was pretty good. The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio.

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC🩷 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

What to Expect:
✔️ Rom-Com
✔️ Adult Fic
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Sapphic Romance/LGBTQ+
✔️Neurodivergent h/ADHD rep
✔️h chronic illness
✔️opposites attract
✔️grumpy/sunshine
✔️mental health issues


Summary: Opal Devlin (24) wins the lottery and is miserable because every time anyone asks her for something, she says yes. A Facebook ad for a flower farm in NC appeals to her for its isolation, and to build an art studio. When she arrives the farm is already occupied by Pepper Boden (26) who claims it belongs to her. Pepper is as prickly as Opal is bubbly but they agree to cohabitate, and bring the farm back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Review: I loved the representation in this book. From both main characters being LGBTQ+, heroines with autism and ADHD, and even a chronically ill heroine with migraines-I can relate! I loved the stories about Grandma Lou as it reminds me of my Grandma Lou as a child with her for the summer. I remember her balmy NC town with a watermelon patch, peppers, and tobacco out back. The other characters Pepper's friends and Opal sisters (Olivia and Ophelia) are so supportive versus Opal's ex Miles, Laney her fake BFF, and Trish. Opal and Pepper's love story is sweet because they are understanding of each other's flaws and all.