Late Bloomer was a sweet romance. It included different forms of representation and I felt like each was well done. I love gardens and florals and this book takes place on a flower farm! I haven’t read many books that include florist but I loved it. This one also got bonus points from me because it took place in one of my favorite places. Asheville, North Carolina! 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Late bloomer
3.5
First of all, I have to say I love the cover. It’s so soft and pretty. It was what made me want to pick up this book. When I realized it featured a flower farm, I was fully in.

I wish there was more chemistry between them. I never really felt a connection. They didn’t have any major bonding moments or conversations before they hooked up for the first time.

I did like how they were accepting of each other and didn’t try to change the other.

Sapphic
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Flower farm
Dual POV
Neurodiverse representation
Grumpy/sunshine

This premise for this book immediately grabbed my attention. I think it’s a fresh, new way to look at romance. The cover art is also gorgeous and eye-catching. If someone were to judge a book by this cover, they would pick it up!

While I love Mazey Eddings and have read every thing she has ever published, I had to DNF this book at 40%. I just could not connect with these characters and was not engaged in the storyline. I felt like Opal was too bubbly and kind all the time. Pepper was cold and stubborn. Their communication styles were so totally different that I couldn’t see how they’d work out. I also was bored of the same landscape of the flower farm up to that point? I wish there were more visual cues to let me know what I was actually looking at? I am sad that I am unable to finish the book at this time but hope to revisit it in the future. I lover Mazey and have already preordered this book and hope in the future I will be more receptive to this storyline,

FIRST, Mazey Eddings is an incredible, lovely human being.

"Late Bloomer" by Mazey Eddings is a poignant and relatable contemporary novel that delves into the complexities of identity, family, and finding one's place in the world. Set in a small town in the Midwest, this coming-of-age story follows the journey of protagonist June as she navigates the challenges of adolescence and the discovery of her own sexuality.

The novel opens with June, a high school senior, grappling with the realization that she might be gay. As she begins to explore her feelings and desires, she is confronted with the fear of rejection from her conservative family and the close-knit community she has always known. Eddings captures June's internal struggles with sensitivity and empathy, portraying her inner turmoil with authenticity and nuance.

One of the strengths of "Late Bloomer" lies in its portrayal of family dynamics and the impact of societal expectations on individual identity. June's strained relationship with her parents, particularly her overbearing mother, adds depth to the narrative and highlights the tension between familial obligations and personal autonomy. Eddings skillfully explores the complexities of love and acceptance within the family unit, offering a nuanced depiction of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in conservative environments.

The supporting cast of characters adds richness to the story, with June's friends and classmates providing both support and conflict as she navigates her journey of self-discovery. The romantic subplot between June and her classmate Sarah is tenderly depicted, capturing the uncertainty and excitement of first love with sensitivity and authenticity.

While "Late Bloomer" tackles important themes with grace and sensitivity, there are moments where the pacing feels uneven, and certain plot points are resolved too neatly. Additionally, some readers may find the ending somewhat predictable, with loose ends tied up a bit too neatly for the sake of closure.

Overall, "Late Bloomer" is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that tackles themes of identity, acceptance, and self-discovery with honesty and compassion. Mazey Eddings has crafted a compelling coming-of-age story that will resonate with readers of all backgrounds, offering a timely exploration of the complexities of adolescence and the journey toward self-acceptance. While it may not break new ground in the genre, "Late Bloomer" is a touching and memorable read that leaves a lasting impression.

Not going to lie, this cover called to me and it is gorgeous.

This one was definitely more of a slow burn, grumpy sunshine, small town, saphic romance. I did love the autistic and other non-neurotypical representation, and it definitely had some spice. Also loved the Asheville setting.

Opal is down on her luck when she wins the lottery. She buys a flower farm on Facebook Marketplace (much to her family's dismay and horror) and moves there to create her shoe art. She meets Pepper, who was under the impression this farm was left to her in her Grandma's will. They butt heads, they are opposites, but oh do they attract.

There was a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding, which is not my favorite.

I will say I definitely learned a thing or two.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio for an ALC, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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!