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.

✨ Review ✨ Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings; Narrated by Ellie Gossage

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Griffin and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Honestly, Mazey Eddings just gets better and better with each book she writes! She's such a master of writing queer relationships and a range of mental health realities. In this book, Opal wins the lottery, and buys a flower farm to do her art and to get a fresh start. When she gets there, Pepper, who runs the farm, is shocked that her home and place of work has been sold out under her.

I'll leave the rest of the book for you to find out what happens, but it's really just a lovely book that handles Opal and Pepper's mental health and their strengths and weaknesses so beautifully. And all in the middle of a flower farm! 🌸 🌺 🌹 ❤️

I also loved Opal's relationship with her sisters and Pepper's found family and support network, and how seamlessly this group comes together to love and support them. There's just so much to love here.

🎧 I listened to most of this on audio and the narration was superb. There was enough variation in the voices for the two POVs and various characters to make it feel like it had multiple narrators.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Genre: contemporary f/f romance; autism and ADHD representation
Setting: rural farm near Asheville, NC
Length: 9 hours 31 minutes
Reminds me of: Helena Greer's Christmas tree farm books
Pub Date: Apr 16 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ FLOWERS and painted shoes
⭕️ sapphic romances
⭕️ messy characters who are open with their mental health
⭕️ obscure body part cakes

Hello,

this book ended up not being my cup of tea, and I would prefer not to review it, as I had to DNF it. I don't think I have anything to say that would have a positive impact on this.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book

🪻eARC Book Review🪻

“Because agreeing not to have feelings apparently doesn’t stop them from trying to take root.”

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟💫(3.5/5)
Spice:🌶🌶️🌶️ (3/5)

Review:
Opal is a chaotic bisexual lost soul who wins the lotto. She immediately invests her winnings, sight unseen, into a flower farm called thistle and bloom. When she arrives at the farm Opal is met by the grounds keeper/the grand daughter of the former owner, Pepper, who is a grumpy autistic woman with some abandonment trauma. Instead of kicking pepper to the curb, Opal decides they can both live together in the cabin until they can figure out what to do.

Eventual the two decided the best way to cut the tension is to hook up with the agreement to not catch feelings. As one would expect it doesn’t quite workout. However, the constant miscommunication between autism and ADHD really clash heads over and over again in the story.

As someone with ADHD myself, this book was almost too chaotic for me to even follow. Opal and Pepper don’t seem to have quite that unique voice. I love a split perspective however I couldn’t keep the perspective separate because the voices sounded so similar. Both characters have trust, emotional dysregulation, and communication issues which made it difficult to differentiate the perspectives.

Overall, I enjoyed the story I was rooting for Opal and Pepper to figure out their communication issues. However, the phonetic energy of the plot kept me confused. I did love how they stood up for each other to those who have hurt them in the past.


If you like:
- Grumpy Sunshine
- Queer Love
- Enemies to Lovers
- Neurodivergence

QOTD: What is your favorite flower?

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martins Press/Griffin for proving me with an eARC of this novel.

Really there wasn’t much not to love here. Mazey Eddings does such a great job with banter and with building chemistry between here characters and she did not disappoint here at all. The love story that grew from these characters was incredibly sweet and heartwarming. They were messy and imperfect and that only made them both all the more endearing. The concept overall was really great and the whole book was just lovely and delightful. There was opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, first time romance, and just so many great layers that made it hard to put down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Definitely worth the read!