I don't know how I feel about this book! I am a Mazey Eddings superfan so I was thrilled she'd written a queer romance, but after reading it I think this might be her weakest book.

Don't get me wrong - I loved the flower puns, the characters, the neurodivergent representation, and the premise - but something in the execution fell flat for me and I can't even fully put my finger on what it was. I just wanted MORE from this story.

I also felt like the pacing of this one was off. For two characters who talked and fretted over their flower competition for most of the book, the competition itself came and went without much fanfare. I also felt like the middle of this book dragged. I understood that the characters needed time to get to know each other, but I felt like their idea to have meaningless sex was kind of glossed over and used as a device to add in an extra spicy scene. I would have liked this a lot more if they had just skipped that step and started dating right away, because it would have eliminated a lot of unnecessary "slow burn" that just felt like it slowed down the plot.

That being said, I fell head over heels for these characters and I was really glad I read it despite the parts that disappointed me. I will always continue to read anything Mazey Eddings writes, no matter what!

When I saw this book on Netgalley I knew I needed to grab it. I want to read more LGBTQ+ books. This cover is adorable and drew me in for sure.
I liked that they were dual POVs. And I enjoyed both Opal and Pepper’s POV’s (also side note Peppers name is Pepper Ann Hahaa I miss that cartoon). Anyways, I did enjoy their bickering and how they problem solved what had happened and where to go from there. I wasn’t too much of a fan of the insta- love but it was fine, it just didn’t have enough details. It was probably a 3 on the spice scale maybe 2.5. I do want more about their lives though. I want more Grandma Lou and I want to know why Trish is the way she is.
Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend it to those just dipping there toes into LGBTQ+ romances.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy to review.

Mazey Eddings has become one of my must read authors. Late Bloomer did not disappoint. Such a funny, and swer sapphic romance with great neurodiversity represented I loved Opal and Pepper and the supporting cast of friends that supported Thistle and Bloom.

This was a cute sapphic neurodivergent romance. There wasn't a whole lot to the plot, and things were a bit convenient at times. Opal and Pepper were slow to trust, which given past trauma was understandable, if a bit frustrating. I wanted more from it, but I enjoyed what we did get. I liked that Opal was an artist and Pepper a flower farmer. The confrontations with the causes of their past trauma were cathartic. All the characters were very quirky and individual which made the whole thing more enjoyable especially considering the amount of plot. I did like their neurodivergence and how they weren't ashamed of it and were upfront about it. That was refreshing.

The audiobook performance was good. It didn't detract from the story and I always knew who was speaking. I found listening enjoyable and the characters felt real and distinct.

*Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Griffin, and Macmillan audio for providing an early copy for review.

This one was so dreamy! I loved the setting and all of the flower farm details, and really enjoyed getting to know Opal and Pepper and their connection.

I have devoured and loved all of Mazey Eddings previous books. This one took a little longer to warm up to the main characters, but once I got there I was hooked. Opal Devlin is a people pleaser and has impulse control issues, often to her detriment. When she unexpectedly wins a mid-sized lottery she buys a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina, where she wants to focus on her art. Pepper Smith lives on the Thistle and Bloom Farm and it is the only home she has ever known. She is hardworking, autistic and wants to figure out how to save the flower farm.

The pair decide to stay together on the farm pursuing their dreams. Pepper has been used and left behind by people who should have loved her and she is unprepared for the whirlwind of Opal. She doesn’t trust the kindness she offers. Opal is often her own worst but she is trying to learn from past mistakes. I love Opal's sisters for their support and wished they appeared or stayed in contact more. And I was perplexed that her parents have almost zero mentions in the story as she is clearly loved. Pepper’s friend group is a bit more in the story as they live in NC. The farm and flowers are almost their own character and I tried often to imagine it as they worked the fields. When you get to the end don’t forget to read the author discussing the various titles considered for the book. It made me laugh and calmed my emotions after the sweet ending. I loved the cover but can’t say it accurately shows the 9 inch height difference between the pair.

Reading this makes me want to get my TBR pile down far enough that I can go back and read the Brush With Love series again by the author. I will also be waiting for whatever Mazey Eddings writes next. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.

What an absolutely adorable romance! Another welcome addition to the growing list of Sapphic romance novels and here's hoping there's more to come especially from this author!

LATE BLOOMER is the friend that never shames you for your intrusive thoughts. They will absolutely step up and shake you out of a spiral. It comforts without coddling. I've been fed and showered and cuddled till I've regulated my breathing to the pages of this book.

Mazey Eddings is brilliant once again at pairing the magical element of fantasy escapism (buying a mountain cottage for the vibes and meeting the hot flower farmer that lives there) with such visceral reality (rejection sensitivity, anyone?).

I appreciated how Opal & Pepper's struggles were normalized. That is, yes their neurodiverse brains are the causes of tension or miscommunication, but it's never villainized. Their lives are absolutely worthy of love and patience and support no matter how far along they are with coping - with change, failure, grief, hanger, acceptance, all of it.

You'll pick up LATE BLOOMER for its cozy idyllic cabin setting. Turn the pages as fast as possible when the spice gets hot. Laugh at how relatable Opal's glitter thoughts are that you start to believe Mazey Eddings has been taking notes on your hamster powered brain. And fall in love with the most lovable nerds who can't stop feeling all their feelings.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martins Press for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the eARC of Late Bloomer by Mazey Edding! This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint. I absolutely adored Pepper and Opal. Individually, they are neurodiverse, delightful and emotionally growing characters - deeply authentic and incredibly endearing. I especially connected with Opal. As a couple their chemistry was amazing, bot emotionally and physically. 🌶️🌶️🌶️

I’m absolutely obsessed with the flower farm setting and the cast of queer characters. I’m dreaming of two more books featuring Opal’s sisters. Mazey Eddings is an auto-read author for me. Five stars!

This book was cute. Took me until at 60% to really get into it but that last 40% really made my heart swoon!

I was <i>so</i> stupid excited when I was approved for this arc. An enemies-to-friends-to-lovers sapphic romance set on a North Carolina flower farm? The dream!

Which is why it's devastating this didn't live up to my anticipation.

This is a perfectly good book and I started on a high with it, but it just slowly started to dwindle more and more. This book was much more internal conflict and these two women just not being willing to talk to each other than I expected. I thought, once it got introduced, that the flower show was going to be the big event for this book, but turns out, it's just a tiny piece of it. It's over in three chapters. Trish is introduced as one of the antagonists, but again, over in a chapter. Same with Laney and Miles. They're built up to be these big conflicts, but they inevitably fizzle into nothing.

Again, a perfectly good (if at times cringey) book that introduces a ton of interesting ideas but ultimately does nothing with any of it.

review: late bloomer by mazey eddings ✨🩷🌷

•
•
•

"i want our house. our home. next to you is my favorite place in the world, and that’s the only spot i care about holding on to.”" 💬✨🩷

✨ MY THOUGHTS ✨

⚠️ cw: abandonment, emotional abuse, grief, death of a loved one, alcoholism, toxic friendship, ableism, & gaslighting ⚠️

if you love changing your hair color at minor inconveniences, floral sculptures, daydreaming of winning the lottery, taylor swift references, found families, punny jokes, queer romance, neurodivergent representation, lots of laughs, cries, & spice this book might be for you...

alexa play mirrorball by taylor swift 🎶

🌟 RATING: ★★★★★/5
🥵 spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (some details but not too explicit)

📆✨ release date: april 16th, 2024

mazey eddings is literally one of my favorite authors!! i love love love all of her books!! so absolutely no one should be surprised i fell completely in love with pepper & opal!! this book was wonderful not criticism!! just phenomenal!! add it to your tbr!! i promise you won't regret it! thank you ____ for the e-arc!! ✨🩷

Mazzey always delivers with a beautiful written story. Full of angst and emotional depth I found myself unable to put this book down.

Mazey did an amazing job with the aspects of each character, Opal and Pepper have my heart! I loved how even though there is plenty of spice, she also included vulnerability and tough topics that she approached beautifully. This book is a beautiful reminder that we’re all messy and imperfect but still deserving of love. Definitely recommend preordering! I will be reading more from Mazey!

This one was incredibly disappointing. I try to not DNF books that I get from NetGalley but I could not mentally do it. I LOVED her other books but I found these characters to be absolutely immature or insufferable. I wanted so badly to like this one but I was very disappointed

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased, honest review.

Mazey Eddings wrote the most perfect sapphic romance filled with spice, flowers, and lots of laughter! Opal and Pepper are forced to coexist under the same roof (of a beautiful flower farm) as they figure out a way out of their complicated situation. They're total opposites - sunshine vs. grumpy - but they slowly let their guards down as they get to know each other.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I didn't have any expectations going into my reading but I was blown away. Mazey Eddings did a beautiful job painting the most beautiful flower farm. Her imagery of flowers blooming at the farm sent a calming, warming feeling over me each time I read a chapter. I almost felt like I was right there (or wished I was). Honorary mention: the book cover is gorgeous.

The author also did an outstanding job at picturing what it is like to be neurodivergent - explaining the hardships of it, but also making it feel normal to experience life as someone who struggles with their mental health. The representation warmed my heart and I related to so many aspects of Opal's and Pepper's mental health struggles.

However, I think my favorite part of the book was reading about Pepper's grief journey. I recently experienced a similar loss of my own and I truly believe this book found me at the right time. It was comforting yet heart-wrenching and somehow cathartic in a way. Like a warm blanket on a cold night.

All in all, I think everyone would benefit from an Opal and a Pepper in their lives. Their story will warm your heart, make you laugh out loud, and have you wishing of a flower farm of your own.

Mazey Eddings is an auto-buy author for me. I love her books. Her characters are always very real and three-dimensional, with struggles and quirks and things that make them special and unique. From her debut, I've been a Mazey stan, and Late Bloomer is another wonderful romance delivered with her signature humor and heart. This is her first sapphic story, and it's a wonderful, natural pivot from her first three interconnected stories.

At the beginning of the story, Opal wins the lottery, which starts a chain of events that culminates in her purchasing, sight-unseen, a flower farm from a stranger on Facebook Marketplace. However, when she shows up ready to move in, she meets Pepper--who has lived at the flower farm since her mom dropped her off with her great aunt as a teenager. They decide to be roommates while they figure out the ownership situation, and sparks fly.

The autism and neurodivergent rep is amazing. Both Opal and Pepper are neurodivergent, and I related to Opal so much, as someone who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

The audiobook was phenomenal. Ellie Gossage delivers a fantastic performance, making the difference between the two women and their POVs clear and distinct.

Thank you SMP for my advance review copy.

You know those characters people say to “protect at all costs”? These two are those characters. Somehow I had an insta-love moment with these two. Very endearing, and they just pulled at my mama heart.

I always enjoy a Mazey Eddings book. They're well-rounded, funny, emotional, and full of growth and heart. This is no different.

Thank you so much for the ARC!

When I say this is a perfect book I mean perfect.
This book makes me mad that I've ever been overly generous with my 5 star ratings because it means there is no way for me to make THIS 5 star stand out among any other 5 star review I've ever written.
Opal and Pepper are perfect main characters. Flawed, loveable, such growth, such struggle, such human perfection. I love every character in this book! Even Trish (who we obviously hate) I would read a whole series on what the fuck she gets up to. What are her motivations? Why did she decide to sell the farm to Opal legally and not through some sketch nonsense like she usually does? Their friends!? give me a break, I loved them all so much.
This was the perfect Sapphic, cottage core, cozy romance dream and I want to nuzzle my little face in this book and never ever come up for air.

Initial Thoughts
This was good but not my favorite from this author. Pepper and Opal were both very interesting characters and I wanted to see good thing happen in their life. The situation that brought them together was a little odd but I decided to just go with it. I enjoyed watching these two find themselves and each other. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.