The cutesy swoony vibes were immaculate and the flower vibes just screamed ✨SPRING✨! Not to be dramatic but I’m a better more happier person because I read this book😂
Also I love me an instantly wealthy/coming into a large sum of money troupe AND a starts whole new life troupe so this book was it for me!!!

Also I have to admit that while I read this tandem-ly I definitely endorse the audiobook if you have to choose one! It was sooooo good!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for the review copies as always my opinion on thes books are all mine💕

5.0⭐️

#macmillanaudio #stmartinsgriffin #stmartinspress #latebloomer #mazeyeddings I

LOVED THIS!!!! I am obsessed with the main characters and their chemistry was too good. Will definitely read other books from this author!!

Thanks to SMP and Net Galley for my advanced copy! I’ve been a Mazey Eddings fan for a while, and this book had high expectations for me. I’m so thrilled it delivered! Opal and Pepper were the sweetest, hardiest pairing I could have imagined for this setting. The only reason I wouldn’t give this a solid five stars is that, at times, their internal monologue felt a little too similar, to the point where I lost track of whose perspective we were getting. That could have just been me, though, flipping the pages too fast to get to the spice Eddings does so deliciously well. A solid, springtime, sapphic read that many will love!!!

Be still my swooning heart, Late Bloomer is just precious! People pleasing Opal has just won the lottery, literally, and decides it’s time to make her dreams come true, so she buys a flower farm with the hopes of making her artist dreams a reality. The only problem: Pepper, the resident of the flower farm who insists the farm is hers. So the two share the space until they find a better solution but the more they spend together, the more their chemistry blooms. My original thoughts for this review were no notes, just five beautiful wonderful stars. But I’ll get into what I love. Oh Opal, my heart went out to her, I relate to her so much, and she is just so kind and loving. And Pepper is so guarded and has so much love. I love the conversation on neurodivergence throughout and the important of mental health. I mean Mazey Eddings is queen at handling these conversations so realistically and beautifully. There is so much love and heart and acceptance and growth. And the backdrop of this flower farm is just perfect. And Pepper’s friends and Opal’s sisters are just lovely and supportive. The growth of these characters is just so good, and these two stand up for each other, they see each other. I laughed and cried and my heart just felt so full as I finished this book.

3.75 stars

Aaaaaaw. This is a sweet one.

Opal and Pepper meet through an intriguing circumstance. After coming into a lot of money, Opal purchases a large flower farm. It turns out that the seller of this farm, Pepper's mother, is a shady individual who has not had Pepper - the farm's long-time resident - in mind at all during her selfish money grab. Trouble and romance ensue simultaneously when Opal and Pepper find themselves in the same place with at first different and then quite complementary goals.

As is the case in many romances, some of the opportunities for character development and plot expansion move aside for the sake of the burgeoning relationship. I did enjoy both characters - Pepper more than Opal - and the queer and neurodivergent rep is great, but the most satisfied readers will be those who come for the romance versus other elements.

This is a cute one, and the author's note about the title is a funny must-read at the end.

I really wanted to like this book. I received the ebook and audiobook and spent most of my time with the audio version.

So where did it go wrong for me? Pretty much from the very beginning. I got through most of the first chapter with a bit of optimism but once the lottery win happened, it went down hill fast. Suspension of disbelief was unattainable. Even the most gullible of people wouldn't drop $300,000 on a piece of property sight-unseen. From Facebook Marketplace. Without an attorney or real estate agent. Titles to be transferred, etc. Not to mention, I doubt there would have even been that much left after taxes. Yeah, I hear you: "it's fiction. Let it go!" I tried. I really, really tried. But then we get into the long info dumps and the incredible amount of telling instead of showing.

Between the complete unbelievability, the telling, and lack of chemistry between the MCs, I decided to put it away. I know other folks have had a much better experience than I did so YMMV.

I do have to say that the narrator was really good. So that's something.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley hooking me up with copies.

In solidarity of the smp boycott, I will be withholding my review of this title. Once that boycott is resolved, I will update my review.

“I want your hope. I’ll do everything in my power to protect that hope if you let me. Put it all on me.”

This forthcoming novel from St. Martin’s Press will have you kicking up your feet and giggling. After artist Opal wins the library, she moves to Asheville in search of a fresh start, deed in hand to Thistle & Bloom Farms. Never mind that Opal has never lived on a farm, let alone a flower farm, or that this new home comes with a complicating factor: It’s already occupied by Pepper. Pepper has been caring for the flowers for years and, following the death of her beloved grandmother, has no intention of leaving the most permanent place she ever called home.

This is a romance book so we can easily anticipate the beats:

Forced proximity? Check.

Grumpy meets sunshine? Check.

But my goodness isn’t it satisfying to see Pepper and Opal come together. Author Mazey Eddings unapologetically portrays underrepresented love in Opal and Pepper, two characters who experience life with an unspecified ADHD/neurodiverse combo and autism.

The conflict of this story - the inevitable character disagreements - was less believable to me. It felt a bit like it came out of nowhere. But that didn’t detract from the story’s charm or success.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ page 101

Look, I was very excited about an ADHD bisexual figuring out her sexuality later in life. Very relatable.

BUT Opal is immediately identified as a people pleasing pushover who is a complete disaster and it's questionable how she survives on her own. And that's just such a tired stereotype if a neurodivergent person. I was willing to still give it a try and at least meet the love interest and Pepper also felt like a caricature of an autistic person. Add to that everyone treating Opal like a monster because she bought the farm with know knowledge of it's history and Opal bending over backwards to make these people happy just wasn't appealing at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing this ARC to me!

Late Bloomer

Oh my goodness this book stole my heart. I’ve loved everything Mazey Eddings writes but it’s possible this is my new favorite.

Opal won the lottery, left her dead end job (and loser ex boyfriend) and buys a flower farm. It’s a total surprise when she finds, Pepper, who lives and works on the farm and is searching for her late grandmother’s will.

The two come to a truce of sorts where both stay on the farm. As they decide to compete in a contest to help Pepper buy back the farm they develop a friendship with benefits that quickly becomes more.

This was just so tender. I wanted to give Opal and Pepper a hug at different points. I loved the setting on the flower farm and am dreaming of a beautiful bouquet after reading. I loved the friendship with benefits they shared that was quickly more. I just adore the relatable characters Eddings writes. They both needed someone to love them. I loved how they cared die each other. I mostly listened to the audiobook and appreciated how the narrator was able to alternate between Pepper and Opal. As always, I cannot wait for more books from Mazey Eddings.

THANK YOU!!! Thank you!!! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this swoonworthy ARC.

Mazey is a goddess and I once again pledge my undying love to her and any book babies she puts out in to this world. I went crazy over the Easter egg that was dropped in from another book and was happy to catch as many references as I did for other things. I cannot wait to get my physical copy of this book!!!

SO CUTE!! this is Mazey Eddings best book yet! I am absolutely so in love with both these main characters, and their family, and their friends...every one! Currently experiencing grief myself, seeing how Pepper is dealing with hers was real, and raw and so accurate. It dug a little hole in my heart but in a good way. The charactersd are flawed and honest and so relatable. Love this book and I hope Mazey Eddings continues to write more like it.

Mazey Eddings can do no wrong in my opinion! I absolutely loved this opposites attract, forced proximity, dual POV, Sapphic romance that sees Opal winning the lottery and buying a flower farm unbeknownst to the former owner's daughter, Pepper, who is also the farm manager.

With great neurodiversity rep (Pepper is autistic and Opal has undiagnosed ADHD) and disability rep (Pepper suffers from migraines), this book is full of heart, heat and all the feels as the two women are forced to work together as they try to win a big flower sculpting competition in order to win a grand prize that would allow Pepper to put a down payment towards buying back the farm.

The emotional depth in this book was outstanding! Pepper hasn't taken a chance on love before and opens herself up to a new sexual relationship with Opal who is also experiencing what it's like to be with a woman for the first time. There was also a lot of family drama between Opal's sisters and Peppers absentee, neglectful mother.

Highly recommended for fans of authors like Alexandra Bellefleur or Alison Cochrun and great on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: open door

A beautiful sapphic romance!

Opal and Pepper are brought together to save the family flower farm, but they both have the worst history of people using them and not caring. I'm a sucker for a great story that takes you along with the character's journey of growth, and this one does not disappoint.

I especially enjoyed the migraine and autistic rep, allowing me to relate to them on another level. They both just want to be loved and genuinely cared for, and I was worried at one point that it wasn't going to work out, but Mazey always makes it right in the end.

**Autism/Migraine rep
**Forced proximity
**Grumpy/Sunshine

A heart-warming story that will make you smile, but wish you could reach through the book and hug them.

3.5 Stars

This was a super cute sapphic romance between two completely opposite people. Pepper & Opal have nothing in common except Thistle & Bloom Farm. Though the rightful owner of said farm may be up for deliberation, these two make the most of things by being extremely awkward roommates who not only find a way to make things work, they manage to secure their HEA in the process.

Loved that the author gave us alternate title possibilities and the breakdown of flower meanings after the epilogue. The writing was super easy to follow along, but I have to admit I did get lost in the ending... The last two chapters before the epilogue to me were off. I'm not a fan of the third act break up, that's not a break up before the HEA. I did enjoy, just couldn't give it higher than a 3.5 star rating!

Adorable but I wished I liked it more 😩 I enjoyed the writing and representation for the most part. Sadly I found it very boring because there was a distinct lack of conflict. I need more from my romances including romcom ones.

I went into this really excited and just wanted a little more from it I guess. I loved the writing, the characters, and the romance, there was just something that I felt was missing in a sense. I think it was the pacing, everything happened really fast and I just think it needed more time, if the book was just a bit longer I think it would be able to encompass what I'm feeling that it's missing

Started this audiobook yesterday- and I feel so seen. Mental health, anxiety, desperate need to please- YEP
Struggles with using alcohol as a means to be confident and social- YEP
Struggle to make friends and find a community - YES
Ok fine I'm envisioning both women as late 30s, early 40s. Otherwise, perfection. Some spice, lots of affirmation.

This will be perfect for someone! For me it didn't quite hit how I needed it to.

My problems:
Heroines don't have to be perfect, but Opal and Pepper are incredibly frustrating every step of the way. Their conflicts are so inconsequential most of the time that it can be annoying and sometimes a slog to work through. I found myself skipping over a lot of their arguments.

Not to be a boomer but there are just way too many references to modern day/internet culture-y things. It makes the book feel dated and it hasn't come out yet. (I'm sorry, I cringe whenever there's a Taylor Swift reference in a novel.) It takes me out, unfortunately.

The "disaster bi" trope doesn't work here and feels incredibly meh.

Good things:
Solid writing. A good level of steam without it being too much or overtaking the story. Neurodivergent (autistic) rep. Grief! Guaranteed HEA. Nice fluff.

It's a sweet love story, just maybe not for me!

I liked this book, but it took me a while to get into it. I don’t know why, I think at first it felt a little disjointed and off-center for me. But once it got going I really enjoyed the book.

Opal Devlin wins the lottery and then blindly buys a flower farm. Pepper Smith knows the farm is hers but where is her Grandma’s will to prove it? The two strike up an unlikely deal, then friendship, then more as they Bloom at Thistle and Bloom Farms.

Opal and Pepper are both quirky in different ways. They are each other’s grumpy to sunshine in opposite ways. When one is grumpy the other is sunshine and vice versa. It was sort of funny and cute at the same time.

Cute Book