Mazey writes the best messy, relatable, perfectly imperfect heroines! This might be my favorite book of hers yet. I always love her characters, but the flower farm setting of this one really pushed it to the top of the list for me. I felt like I connect with so many parts of this book!

This book and its characters surprised me because I wasn't epecting to love it all so much! but I did and you need to read it too! I think my favourite books may be all the ones with queer and neurodiverse representation and this one fits both those criteria and does an amazing job incorperating a variety of identities making it feel very special.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC. This was so cute!!! Seriously adored Opal and Pepper. They are such well rounded characters and they just made my heart happy! If you like a forced proximity, grumpy sunshine, sapphic read filled with flowers and sarcasm… this is the book for you!

Mazey Eddings' first sapphic novel had my hopes high and was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. Unfortunately, with a messy plot that added convoluted, unneeded drama and little character development, this one fell flat for me.

I really hoped I would love this book, and yet it fell flat for me.
What worked: the idea of winning the lottery and buying a flower farm sight unseen? A dream. Said small town flower farm needing to enter a contest to stay afloat? What my Hallmark movie loving heart dreams of. Also really enjoyed Pepper’s best friend, really funny at times when it’s needed
Pepper’s subtle signs of Autism which are not harped on was fantastic. This is her, this is what she needs and does, she has her coping mechanisms in place, and that’s it.
What didn’t work: I understand that some sort of undiagnosed neurodivergence is at the root of Opal’s behavior, but she read like a 15 year old instead of a 20 something. It seems this flower farm purchase was not the first time she’s done something egregiously impulsive, and her family chastises her and then sighs heavily? I don’t know, I didn’t feel like I could connect with her because she felt like a YA character.
Sometimes it felt like their disagreements were just for the sake of having them seem to be enemies.
This was an easy read, the spice was spicing, but all in all, I would find it hard to believe they’d make it as a long term couple.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another absolutely swoony read from the amazing Mazey Eddings. I fell in love with this author while reading her first book, and I'm talking the deli scene in the beginning of the book. I truly told like five people that it's a must read, and they must read it NOW.

I have felt that way with every book from Mazey Eddings since, and I suspect I always will.

This is the story of Opal, a woman who feels like she's always the outsider, she never fits in, and never will. Good fortune comes her way and she decides to change her life. Enter Pepper, who currently lives on the property that Opal just purchased. Oops.

Just trust me, read this book, you won't be disappointed.

Mazey Eddings is an autobuy author for me! I have loved everyone of her books and felt so so seen with her anxiety rep. So I could not wait to dive into this one.

And surprise, surprise it was great! I was here for a sapphic opposites attract. Though in Opal’s chaotic energy and I was sold.

It was a bit of a slower start for me and when I got invested I was very invested—just kiss already.

I loved the neurodivergent rep along with the mental health rep that Eddings does so so well. Pepper had my heart by the end of it and I only wanted good things for these flower queens.

Love love love Mazey! This story was so good. The autism rep was great and well written. The characters worked through everything in the ways they knew how. I loved it.

I really wanted to love this more, but it just felt fine. Expectations were too huge for was ultimately delivered

I loved this book so much more than I expected. The story centers around Opal, who spontaneously buys a flower farm with lottery winnings, and Pepper, the mildly grumpy operator of that farm. The two form a begrudging working partnership which grows into more as they learn how to navigate the messy situation. First of all, I adored the aesthetic of the small-mountainside flower farm. I could picture it so clearly and the cast of characters helped enhance the story. I also loved how focused it was on both Pepper and Opal, with the side characters only occasionally appearing in the story. One of my main issues with the story was that the conflict wasn't always clear/reasonable to me, but also with both the main characters being neurodivergent, it may have been a way of demonstrating that, which I understand; it just frustrated me. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of small-town romance! I loved it so much and I can't wait to see what Mazey writes next!

Mazey Eddings has a way with words, hearts, feelings, and love. Her stories are addictive and entertaining (also steammmmy), her characters become your friends for 300 or so pages, and the lessons stay with you long after the last page. Late Bloomer is no exception to these qualities. Loved.

While I am usually the biggest Mazey Eddings fan, this one really didn't work for me. I love the LGBTQIA+ rep and as always Mazey does a stellar job with her neurodivergent representation (Tillie in Technicolor is one of my absolute favorite books of all time) but this felt a little flat. I don't know if it was just because I didn't connect as well with the characters or that there was too much that sounded contrived. It bordered on cringy and cliche in a couple of places.

Thank you Netgalley and SMP for the ARC.

I will not be reviewing publically as I do not believe in giving authors negative reviews outwardly on the goodreads and my instragm account.

This book was very cute, but the relationship often felt underdeveloped. There were many parts I liked, but overall, this one fell kind of flat for me.

3.5 rounded up to 4. Overall this was a very sweet romance. I agree with some other reviewers that some of the drama felt very convoluted. That drama took me out of the romance. But I did enjoy the growth for Pepper and Opal throughout the book. And obviously I now want Thistle and Bloom flower farm to exist!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring (and not this fake spring that keeps teasing us here in the mountains!)

"Late Bloomer" is the perfect romcom if all you want is to feel that first blush of spring but in book form. @mazeyeddings has once again written a fabulous book, I've loved her other books and this lived up to all of my expectations.

It was extremely sweet and tender, but with a touch of chaos (Opal is a highly relatable chaos bisexual with ADHD, I wonder why I relate to her...) I laughed, I cried, and I felt Opal and Pepper's vulnerability trough the pages. This book also has amazing queer and neurodivergent representation (Opal is ADHD, Pepper is autistic).

I hope readers fall as hard for Opal and Pepper as I did when "Late Bloomer" comes out on April 16th!

This was cute! I liked the Asheville setting because I’m from North Carolina so I always love a shout out. The neurodivergent rep was good. I did have a little bit of trouble keeping the side characters straight in my head, I don’t feel like they all had their own fully fleshed out voices enough to be distinct. I don’t think this is the best romance I’ve read in a while, but it was pleasant and I’ll definitely recommend it. I enjoy Mazey Eddings’ books.

3.5

Thank you net galley and st martin’s griffin for the earc in exchange for an honest review.
Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings was so cute and enjoyable.
I know when people say never judge a book by a cover, and well I definitely judged this book. The cover is absolutely stunning and made me that much more excited to read this book. Opal and Pepper are just two girls who do not necessarily have the best people in their life. Opal has some friends and exes that do not appreciate her enough and walk all over her and Pepper’s mom is definitely in the running for #1 worst mom. I really loved their tentative yet blossoming friendship. It made me giddy once we got to see them realize just how much they actually want each other in their lives.
The plot was cute. I really liked watching them each combine their passions and I honestly really liked the end. I only wish there was more. A lot of the minor drama was just from small miscommunications between them, which was okay. I know I wish we got see more resolution and not necessarily revenge but I was really hoping for the confrontation with the mom, which was just barely touched upon at the end. I am happy with how everything ended, I guess I just wanted more with it.
Overall, this book is enjoyable and cute, I liked all the characters and really loved watching them heal. I just wish there was more. I wish we got more. Also if you don’t like pop culture references then this book is not for you, I don’t mind them so they didn’t bother me personally.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy for review.

This book honestly surprised me. At first I did not care for either main character, especially when they first meet. However, as the book went on I found myself rooting for their love story and came to love both of them. I loved the representation in this book, especially the neurodiverse characters. The setting screamed spring vibes and I enjoyed the flower farm. Some aspects felt a bit rushed but overall this was very enjoyable and I would recommend to those who enjoy romance books.

This was a DNF for me, I made it to about 25% and I just couldn’t do it. I wasn’t able to get into the story at all

DNF at 30%

I am withholding my review until St. Martin's Press denounces Islamaphobia and pinkwashing and identifies and enacts ways to support and protect BIPOC authors, readers, influencers, and employees.