I love a good sapphic romance and this book was adorable, quirky, and just so freaking giggle-worthy. Mazey always writes such loveable and complex characters, and Opal and Pepper fit that mold perfectly.

I loved the plot of this book being Opal accidentally buying Pepper’s home out from under her, forcing the two to live together til they can figure out a way out of Opal’s ownership. Throughout the book we get so much growth from both characters because of their families, relationships, and work. While the plot felt slow at times, it was never boring and I really grew to love both girls, even if the romance lacked a connection in my eyes. But overall, loved this book and so glad I got the time to read it!

"You, are the most chaotic, wild, wonderful person I have ever met. You have upended my life and I don't ever, ever want it righted again. If you don't think you belong here, we can talk about that. But all I know is I belong with you. We can figure the rest out as it comes. But I love you, Opal. I love you and your messes and your laugh and your hair and the way you say my name with that perfect, exasperated sigh that makes me feel like the word was created just for you to speak it.”

🌸Forced Proximity
🌈Opposites Attract
🌸 Neurodiversity rep
🌈 LGBTQ rep
🌸Friends with Benefits

“What do you have to be so happy about?” I ask, staring at that magnetic smile of hers that always draws me in. It’s pure sunshine, warmth radiating from the crooked corners.
She shakes her head and shrugs. “Nothing in particular, I guess happy for happiness’s sake.”

Final Rating: 4⭐️, 2.5🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Marin’s Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest and free review!

This was a cute story but i wasn't overly attached to the characters. If you're looking for a fluffy romance then this is a good option!

Opal is a people pleasing, rambling, kind hearted person. After winning some money she buys a flower farm, sight unseen. This is where she meets Pepper, the current farmer of The Thistle and Bloom flower farm. Pepper cares for these flowers with all her heart and attention. She thought she’d own the farm after her Grandma Lou’s passing.

Opal and Pepper might get off on the wrong foot but quickly see the kindness in each other and become friends instead of enemies. Pepper has a very hard time trusting after a troubled childhood and relationship with her mother. But as they lean on each other more and more… more than a friendship blooms.

3.5 stars

Opal's life is finally going well! She wins the lottery and decides to buy a flower farm in North Carolina. How quaint! Except, Pepper is already there, and she believes it's HER farm. The two decide to become roommates as they attempt to figure out who should truly own the farm. Initially they can barely stand each other, but quickly they realize they need to join forces. As time goes on, it's clear that their white-hot chemistry is making it hard for either of them to function, so they decide to try the physical without letting those pesky feelings get in the way. But can that work?!? And who will wind up with the farm?!?

I loved how the author gave us special insights into two people who are neurodivergent: autism and ADHD. As someone who loves several neurodivergent people, I was pleasantly surprised to experience even deeper understanding of the people I care about through this writing. Often the prose was just GORGEOUS, especially when it came to thoughts about love and the human condition. Much of the interactions between the characters, especially the secondary characters, I found to be a bit too abrasive for my taste. The characters were certainly interesting, but I struggled to connect, or sometimes even like, many of them.

Bottom Line: If you enjoy a spicy (sapphic) romance in a rural setting with a colorful cast of characters, you'll enjoy this book!

Trigger warnings: gaslighting, mother who abandons daughter (off page), deeply narcissistic mother, house damaged during a storm, woman mourning the death of her grandmother

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Overall, I thought that this was so freaking cute!

I absolutely adore Mazey's writing and I thought that she did such a fantastic job of introducing us to a new world and new characters. She effortlessly writes with such wit and heart that it's so easy to fall in love with these MCs. I was cackling the entire time and highlighting so many lines to reference back to later.

The thing I loved the most about this book was Opal and Pepper! I loved the representation of two different accounts of queer women who are neurodivergent. I felt that it was written so well and I could easily understand where both characters were coming from. Their thought processes and the way that they went through their every day lives was so specific and real. Their chemistry was fantastic and they were the perfect definition of opposites attract.

The thing that made me rate this lower than normal was the ending. I felt that there was way too many things happening in the last couple chapters, especially the last one! I'm a huge fan of a slow burn romance; however, I didn't make sense that the characters weren't officially together until THE LAST CHAPTER. I also felt like Miles and Laney showing up at the end didn't serve the plot and shouldn't have been there.

Overall, a cute read! I can't wait to see how she continues this series? (If it becomes one)

Late Bloomer is a heartwarming sapphic romance between opposites Opal and Pepper, who find themselves living together on a flower farm after an unlikely series of events. I’m a huge Mazey Eddings fan and love the representation she includes in her books. In Late Bloomer, Pepper is autistic, and Opal likely has ADHD and is possibly autistic too, and I love that both have very different experiences with their neurodivergence.

Opal often finds herself in really chaotic situations, and I found some of her questionable decision-making (and the unfortunate results) to be a bit over the top . I was often frustrated with her, which prevented me from connecting with these characters as much as I have in Mazey’s other books. However, I still found the romance to be very sweet and overall definitely enjoyed this book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

I am a Mazey Eddings stan! Truly whatever she writes, I will read. Late Bloomer is her first book out of her original series and once again I’m blown away. Everything she writes is delightful and holy smoke spicy! But what brings me back to Mazey Edding‘s books time and time again is her top notch banter.. Opal and Pepper’s banter was absolute perfection!

Thank you #NetGalley For the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Late Bloomer

Oh my heart, Mazey Eddings did it again! What a delightful, funny, sweet, everything sapphic romance.

Opal feels in a rut when she wins the lottery and decides to buy a flower farm. The farm just so happens to be Pepper's home and safe place where her grandma raised her and where she lives and works. Despite the initial tension, Opal and Pepper can't resist the seeds planted between them as they begin to work together. Much like their ideas, the love begins blooming and it is just too precious for words to witness.

Thank you, Mazey, for writing this beautiful, steamy, hilarious story and sharing Opal and Pepper with us. I absolutely adore them.

Don't sleep on this one, y'all! Read it. You can thank me later.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC! Late Bloomer is on shelves April 16, 2024. My opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to SMP Romance for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Disappointing is an understatement for my experience with this book. With its setting on a flower farm in NC, it seemed tailor-made for me, and given my past enjoyment of Mazey's adult romances, my expectations were high. However, Late Bloomer fell short.

While the cover was undeniably flawless, the same cannot be said for the content within. The narrative felt disjointed, as if it had been written by two different authors. There was a glaring lack of plot development, and the interactions between the main characters, Pepper and Opal, were sparse and devoid of depth. It left me questioning whether they truly got to know each other or if their relationship was merely founded on miscommunication.

Moreover, the balance between steamy scenes and actual plot was skewed, bordering on fetishization. Pepper and Opal's personalities seemed better suited to a young adult novel rather than an adult romance, further adding to the disconnect. The sheer implausibility of certain events also tested my suspension of disbelief. For instance, the idea of purchasing a property worth $300k through Facebook Marketplace seemed ludicrous that this was just the beginning.

Overall, while the premise held promise and some good moments, the overall execution fell flat.

Late Bloomer is my first book by this author. I was absolutely looking forward to it because great Sapphic stories are so few and far between. There are things I enjoyed in this story. Flowers are always such a beautiful background for art and many stories, and I loved how Pepper related them to her life and the people in her life. Opal was not my favorite character. I get that she is characterized as neurodivergent and that may be why I could not even come close to connecting to her. I have done some seriously stupid things in my life, but even I couldn't just embrace the chaos that was Opal. There were some wonderful side characters that sparked my interest and a satisfying ending. This was a 3.5 star story for me, and I would definitely give this author another shot.

Having read three of Mazey Eddings' books, she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. The care she takes to not only address but also educate her readers is praiseworthy. "Late Bloomer" is no exception, as she takes on neurodiversity once more, tackling the topics of autism, ADHD, expectations, and adaptability. I will warn that those who have enjoyed Mazey's previous books may be in for a surprise with this one, as it adopts a more introspective approach rather than focusing on external interactions between characters. While the humor may take a backseat in this wonderful tale, the heart and talent of Mazey still shine through, weaving a beautiful story of how true opposites can find their way to one another, no matter what obstacles are in their way.

How do you survive in a world where you put everyone and everything before yourself? Just ask Opal, as that has been her method of survival for as long as she can remember. A giver, people-pleaser, and loyal to a fault, Opal just wants to make everyone around her feel loved and special, even if it leaves her feeling drained and empty. Is it too much to want just one person in this lonely world to care for her as much as she cares for others? Apparently not when you win the lottery! With people emerging from the woodwork for her attention, including the supposed best friend who feels owed for buying her the lottery ticket (despite the fact that she is sleeping with Opal's ex-boyfriend, who "conveniently" remembers she exists and misses her terribly), Opal needs to escape the newfound chaos that is her life. After falling into a late-night rabbit hole and impulsively acting on a Facebook Marketplace advertisement, Opal finds herself in Asheville, staring at her new home—a beautiful flower farm beyond her wildest dreams. Unfortunately, someone is staring back at her, and they are not happy.

Pepper has enough ongoing in her life; the last thing she needs is a stranger showing up at her front door, claiming to be the new owner of Thorns and Bloom, her home, her happiness, her only safe haven with her late Grandma Lou. Why hadn't Lou left a will? Instead, her con-artist mother has literally sold the farm from right under her, and she will do anything to get it back. First, she needs to get rid of the pink-haired pixie who just showed up. Easier said than done, as her Bambi-like qualities make it impossible not to want to protect her. Energized by fear (with a touch of lust), Pepper is determined to return her farm to its rightful owner, even if it means coming up with some type of payment deal to buy it back. As luck would have it, a local contest may be the answer to her prayers, but to make her dreams come true, she has to strike a deal with her worst nightmare.

Mazey attentively addresses the topic of labels with the due diligence she always exhibits in her writing. She uses Pepper and Opal as opposing views on the impact labels have on our psyche. For Opal, the definition of a label is more restrictive than freeing. Whether it's her label as an artist or as a neurodiverse individual, she finds the rigidity of labels constricting and suffocating. The only label she proudly embraces is being bisexual, illustrated by the bi flag on her vehicle. Pepper, on the other hand, identifies as autistic and struggles to find the correct label for her sexuality—is she bisexual, pansexual, demisexual? For her, labels help her neurodiverse brain stay in the "correct lane," as each label comes with its own set of rules, expectations, and guidance. For Pepper, the absence of a label is synonymous with chaos. For Opal, the absence of a label signifies the freedom to explore all possibilities. Unfortunately, Opal also views it as an inability to commit or to identify, and therefore as yet another method of being rejected by society.

Mazey blends sensuality, intimacy, heat, and emotion in each interaction between Pepper and Opal. It wasn't just written to add spice to the book; it represented how these two characters could express themselves, drop the labels, and just be present with one another.

A noticeable difference in this book that may be off-putting to seasoned Mazey readers is the extensive time spent inside the characters' heads. Typically, there is a balance between primary character interaction, secondary character interaction, and the world around them. This time, we delve deeper into the inner thoughts and perceptions of the characters. While this introspective approach is insightful for understanding the characters, it causes the story to progress slowly, creating an isolating effect between the characters. For the first half of the book, instead of a constantly intertwining story, it alternates between Opal, then Pepper, and then, if we're lucky, an engagement between both of them. This creates a disconnect of anticipation for the overall story, making it easy to engage with or disengage from rather than being fully absorbed by it.

"Late Bloomer" is a beautifully woven tale that showcases the use of inner strength to face the outer world. Yes, this book spends more time than usual in the minds of its characters, but it adds so much depth to each interaction that I couldn't imagine it being written any other way. While it may not be for everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to see what else Mazey has in store for the future.

St. Martin's Press. SMP. (also this is very gay clearly and as soon as they get their shit together I'm gonna read it). SMP. St. Martin's Press.

When Opal Devlin wins the lottery, she quits her job, sets some boundaries for those fair-weather "friends" (kind of), and makes a big move toward her dreams… Until the flower farm she just bought comes with a roomie who's maybe a little cute and will not be moving out.

MY REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Give me all the feel-good romcoms that are a little bit corny but a lotta bit sweet 🥺 I stg I need a flower farm and no job TOMORROW!!! I need to live my cottage core dream life after reading and loving every second of this!!!!

I have nothing else to say because you just need to pick this one up if you love: following your dreams, a good bouquet, found family, opposites attract, and cozy romance.

**Will update this review with appropriate links once post is live**

LATE BLOOMER by mazey eddings releases tomorrow & it’s one of my new favorite sapphic romances! it’s a hilarious dual-POV ode to late bloomers of all kinds & a poignant novel about realizing your own value & learning you’re deserving of love. i highly recommend it. ♡

also as a cottagecore lesbian the flower symbolism had me losing my mind so if you’re into greek mythology or victorian flower symbolism definitely get yourself a copy!!

Always a good time when you're reading a book by Mazey Eddings! With a fresh voice, and great humor I always know I'm in for a good time when I read one of Mazey's books. This was no exception. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Mazey Eddings for an early copy of this beauty of a book!

After Mazey's other books were all so good, this was just not on that level. The main characters' voices weren't unique enough to tell them apart (and I frequently forgot whose chapter it was). I wanted to love it but it's just ok.

Late Bloomer is a cozy sapphic romance that has so much heart in it. We follow Opal after she wins the lottery and with the earnings, she buys a flower farm sight unseen to start fresh. Little does she know, the flower farm also comes with Pepper, the granddaughter of the previous owner and she is insistent that she is the true owner of the farm. What follows is a forced proximity, slow burn of a romance that is so filled with love.

What I loved most about this was the neurodivergence representation in this. Pepper is diagnosed as autistic while Opal doesn't know what she has due to late in life diagnosing, but she most likely has ADHD and is maybe autistic as well. I know that I am neurodivergent: with what, who knows? But a lot of what was said by each of these characters really hit home and made me question what exactly my neurodiverse identity is and at times, I felt so seen by this book.

The wonderfully soft setting of Thistle and Bloom Farm really mixes well with the lowkey chaos of Opal's character growth and for that, I think this book was so much fun. This was my first ever Mazey Eddings book but I own all of her backlist, so I definitely can't wait to dive into those.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

I fell in love with these characters and this story, one of my favorite WLW romances EVER! I was anticipating this story since it was announced, and it did NOT disappoint!

Can we just take a second to appreciate how beautiful this cover is?! I’m obsessed.

There’s so many amazing things to say about this book. I loved the romance and both of our main characters so much. I’m a huge mountain girl at heart and love Asheville so it felt like I was truly living the story. The flower farm was the perfect setting for this book!

This one has a good amount of spice in it as well which we can all appreciate. 🫢 Thank you so much to SMP Romance and NetGalley for the e-arc!

Late Bloomer 🌷

Bubbly and people-pleasing Opal wins the lottery and decides to find a new start by buying a flower farm, where she can live in isolation and leave the pressures of the world (and other people) behind. When she gets to her new home, she encounters the introverted and somewhat surly Pepper still living there. Pepper claims she owns the farm and will not be moving out. They agree to live together until they can figure out a better solution. But will two people who are polar opposites be able to peacefully coexist?

This was a cute and fun rom com that was a perfect spring read! I liked Opal and Pepper a lot and I really enjoyed the side characters as well. I will say the premise was a little outlandish and it was hard for me to suspend my disbelief and be immersed in the plot (Who buys a house on Facebook marketplace??? Who agrees to move in with a stranger?? It’s like they wanted to be murdered). I also personally like my romances with a side of more tension and angst. But if you’re in the mood for a quick, lighthearted, low tension romance, this is the book for you! It comes out tomorrow, April 16. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! Rating: 3.5 stars