Another banger from Mazey Eddings.

Sapphic JOY!!

Opal has been not having the best time of it- keeps going back to her shitty ex, not content in her work life so when her “friend” gifts her some scratch off lottery tickets for her birthday and she wins big! She buys the damn farm! Literally a flower farm where she intends to create and sell her artwork. But when she gets to the farm the current tenant wasn’t aware the farm had sold and isn’t going to just hand over the keys willingly.

Some of the conflict was miscommunication which is one of my least favorite tropes but the way it was done in this was endearing. I loved the romance, the flowers and both main characters so much!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy.

Mazey Eddings’s books make me happy, which is the point of reading, right? LATE BLOOMER had me first smiling at the cover. It’s a perfect fit for the book. Then, as I read, more smiles came at the awkwardness between Opal and Pepper because it was written to make them seem so ordinary in their neurodivergent ways. I loved it!

One of my absolute favorite things about Mazey Eddings as an author is that she makes neurodivergence normal—it’s just life. I think that is why I enjoy her books so much because I see people living with things I have and having good lives. It feels good even if they are having a frustrating moment.

LATE BLOOMER was also fantastic for me because it had excellent migraine representation. People either get it or don’t, and Eddings got right on the page. The weather changes affect the head, from brightness to the aura and more—migraines aren’t easy, and I wouldn’t wish them on anyone. They aren’t just a headache, nor can you just pop a Tylenol and continue on with the day. So, I’m happy when they are represented well in books to help people understand.

Opal and Pepper had an excellent grumpy/sunshine relationship with the added perk of forced proximity. I couldn’t stop smiling from the cover to the very end.

Content Warnings: (per the author in the book) grief after the loss of a loved one, complicated relationships with alcohol, parental neglect/abandonment

(4.5/5) This was an adorable romance that managed to be whimsical and realistic all at once. I’m usually very fussy about romances and their various cliches and other overused tropes, but this book surpassed my expectations. I did take a few points off for modern references because Lord knows that Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, Fleabag line is going to age soooooo quickly. But honestly this was the best book I’ve read thus far this year.

This went from 0-100 so fast I actually had went back a few pages to make sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped a chapter. Mazey Eddings never misses. Charming and cozy and spicy, as always.

DNF by first chapter…Opal is super annoying and can’t deal with her people pleasing tendencies. I usually love this author’s writing style but this doesn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the eArc.

I had such a good time with this book and I’m so glad because I was highly anticipating it and THAT COVER 😍.

This book was super cute and a little cheesy in the best way! Both Opal and Pepper had distinct voices which I appreciated and can sometimes run into trouble with in multi-pov books. The writing was a lot of fun and bursting with personality, adding to the humour running throughout.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a really fun and cute sapphic romance with the perfect vibe for spring!

2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance that finds a lottery winner uses her windfall to buy flower farm and get a fresh start only to realize the sale's not on the up-and-up and the rightful owner's not moving out.

1/5 stars: Eddings' 2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance is a great opposites-attract romance that features a people pleasing artist who wins the lottery and an autistic owner of a failing flower farm who wind up having to live and work together when circumstances thrust the two together. Eddings tackles some heavy topics, so take care and check the CWs. Eddings' writing and character work are nicely done. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 17%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

3.5 Rounding Up

This was definitely cute and sweet! Opal and Pepper are more alike than they originally thought and seeing their relationship develop as they worked through their own issues was great!

I was not connecting with the beginning before Opal makes it to the farm and was worrying this really wasn’t going to be for me. But eventually I did connect and ended up having a lovely time. This did feel very low-stakes though, and even the competition didn’t feel like it gave us an issue or problem to solve.

I loved this cute, adorable sapphic romance. Opal and Pepper were SO cute and their story unfolded in the most precious way.

I have chosen to withhold my review of Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings in accordance with the marketing boycott of reviewing and platforming titles published under St. Martin’s Press and associated imprints. As a company, St. Martin’s Press has yet to meaningfully acknowledge and address the harm caused by a marketing employee who perpetuated Islamophobic sentiments against those of Palestinian descent specifically, and has a documented history of discriminating against readers of Arab heritage in general. As a reader, I refuse to participate, even passively, in perpetuating harm against my fellow readers in an activity all should be able to enjoy.

Once action is taken by St. Martin’s Press as a company to address the harm caused and how they will be dedicated to a decisive plan of action to address needs for diversity, equity and inclusion, I will upload my review of Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC!
This book was very sweet and cheesy at times, like all romances are. I love the sapphic, neurodivergent relationship between Opal and Pepper. It’s all of the opposites attract/found family/forced proximity/grumpy x sunshine tropes wrapped into one lil story and I loved it.

While I have ADORED every other Mazey Eddings book, this one did not hit the mark for me as I hoped.

When Opal wins the lottery, she decides to buy a flower farm and become an artist. Everything seems wistful but for the flower farm's "actual" owner: Pepper. Pepper has helped her grandma on the farm since she was young. She promises to buy the farm from Opal as soon as possible. Yet, Opal isn't what Pepper expected as she agrees to help her in a flower contest with recognition and money that will lead to buying Pepper out. Opal is just happy to help out, no matter that she has heart eyes for Pepper. Everything is whimsical on the farm, especially when the two cross friendship lines. But will it be enough when everything comes crashing down right in front of them?

While I loved the whimsical flower farm and laughed at Opal's hijinks (who hasn't wanted to dye their hair at least once), I found I had no emotional connection with either main character. I loved the autism representation and could definitely relate to needing those important items right in front of me so they stay at the top of my mind. I just wasn't convinced that Pepper and Opal's relationship would last. While this wasn't for me, many may love and I recommend those who enjoy romances pick this one up! It's got a fun nod to Lizzie Blake!

Late Bloomer is the book my heart has been yearning for…achingly tender, heart wrenchingly relatable—this was BEAUTIFUL. It had me crying almost immediately and barely a moment of dry eyes all the way through. Both the queer rep and the neurodivergent rep were so, so good. Books like this, where I feel so seen and a little less alone in my experience of the world, are…everything. They’re everything. I need more stories from this author and will absolutely be picking up her previous books and keeping an eye out for new ones!

Once started I could not put this down! I instantly fell in love with both Opal and Pepper, and found parts of them to be fully relatable. Also, the spicy scenes were the perfect amount of spice and I couldn't really ask for anything else!

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings is a stunning novel. It has everything. Flowers and sapphics and a tense relationship that develops into more.
You can tell the effort that Mazey puts into her research and that makes the book so much better. Truly she did work and I am so happy about it.
This story reminds me of One Last Stop, minus the paranormal/sci-fi elements. It has women who love women, tropes of found family and strained relationships with parental figures. It’s just good.

Sapphic. Enemies to lovers. Neurodiverse characters. Bi rep.

Then you put it in a FLOWER FARM? Sold.

Opal and Pepper had me rooting (pun not intended) for them right out of the gate. While we had a liiiiittle miscommunication plot (not my favorite), they were quick to resolve and discuss.

Also, a sucker for the fact that they made rules primarily to break them.

Over all an above average rom com- had a few moments that took me out of the book, though. The representation of neurodivergence in this book made it really stand out (and I mean the spice level was ideal so BONUS).

This was a cute sapphic romcom filled with emotion and flowers. I loved the relationship between Opal and Pepper. From a terrible first meeting, to just getting it out of their system, to falling in love, these two are meant for each other. There’s just something about being with the right person, the one who gets you and understands you and has seen you at your worst and is still there for your best. What makes this relationship work though is that both Opal and Pepper grow so much and so well during this book. And some of that is due to their new circumstances living with each other and the relationship and trust they have with the other.

Overall, this is a great and emotional sapphic romcom that I recommend!

Read if you like…
•wlw
•opposites attract
•forced proximity
•mental health rep
•🌶️

Another soft, steamy, and angsty romance with incredible mental health and neurodivergent rep from Mazey Eddings. Pepper and Opal perfectly completed each other. I loved watching them come into their own in so many ways.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the earc.

This is my second sapphic book and I was intrigued with the premise of flower farm meet lottery winner. What I got was a neurodivergent girls who can't talk to each other, which I guess is fitting? Overall I really liked this story, there was a lot of the miscommunication trope partnered with maybe a bit of being a little too immature on both fronts.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship, the angst included, and the build up to the big contest. The narcistic mom was a touch that added more drama to the story, and made more sense why Pepper was as she was. This was a combination or finding your true self, and learning how to stick up for yourself.

I’ve really loved the other books I’ve read by Mazey Eddings, but sadly this one wasn’t great. I hated the beginning. Opal was the biggest pushover of all time, all while telling the reader in first person present that she knows she’s the biggest pushover of all time. I think it was supposed to be funny?? Instead I was either rolling my eyes hard or wanting to yell at her.

I only kept reading because I’ve liked Mazey Eddings in the past. There were some good scenes in there that made me feel like it would get better and they would work as a couple…but I never felt invested in the characters and they never figured out how to communicate. In the end I didn’t believe their HEA. I think this was the first romance epilogue that I didn’t bother to read.

I enjoyed the middle enough to keep going, so I’ll give 3 stars. I generally don’t give below 3 stars unless I’m truly angry at the book or think it’s problematic.