Late Bloomer is a sapphic opposites-attract romance. This novel includes a slow-burn, grumpy x sunshine romance. Neurodiverse representation. It's a cozy, lighthearted read that leaves you feeling hopeful, and rooting for Opal and Pepper.

I truly adored this novel. It had me laughing out loud and sometimes quietly cursing these two. I usually really loathe a miscommunication trope, but this one I felt was done tastefully. Maybe, it's because I am neurodiverse myself. I could easily relate to their communication issues.

Late Bloomer is heartfelt. There wasn't any lack of the Taylor Swift references...which I am here for! Swifties are going to LOVE this book. I loved Pepper's friendship with Diksha, and would have loved to see more of it. Overall, it was a feel-good romance. I needed this.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Setting a romance on a flower farm is a great start to getting me to love this book. Add in characters with representation for mental health and LGBTQ and I am sold! There were a few things that.I wished were a little more fleshed out, but I would still highly recommend this book! I had a great time and had some major warm fuzzies by the end.

Lifted my rating for a 4 stars, though I'd feel about 3.5. There was great quality meaningful areas that brought really strong feelings for the love for neurodivergence and being really open about ones neurodivergence. As someone who has not been exactly diagnosed but has many connections to very close friends with diagnosed neurodivergence, I do believe I would certainly recommend and look for their deeper opinions on the full flow of the book.

Okay so first off I absolutely devoured it all in one sitting. This book was so hilarious and adorable while also being so gut wrenchingly emotional. It was just so open and raw about communication between neurodivergent people, and I am both neurodivergent and bisexual so I just saw so much of myself in both Pepper and Opal. I found myself actually feeling what I could assume they would feel since I struggle with so many of the same traits.

While I will say the plot itself wasn't the most captivating part of the story, I honestly didn't really care where it was going as long as I got to go along with the characters. Opal, Pepper, and all their friends were so real and fun that I just wanted to keep learning about them and their lives (tbh would love to read any spin off of any of the side characters, but especially Opals two sisters living their bisexual lives in Charlotte).

All in all it was definitely something I am so glad I picked up, this was the first book I have read from Mazey Eddings and I definitely will go look into her previous books as well.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book from Mazey Eddings!

I'm unsure about this read. I'm not sure if I need to adjust to the author's style or if I just didn't vibe with the characters. I've made an intention to expand my readings this year with new-to-me authors. I think there were funny/ witty moments throughout, but the overall story fell a little flat for me.

I wanted to like it more than I did, but it was overall good.

A really sweet, spicy, and cozy sapphic romance. Some of the stuff regarding the land and will and legality you have to suspend disbelief, but still fun. Felt like I was on the flower farm right along with them!

Well, hmmm. I love Mazey Eddings. I love her books. But this one left me feeling not much of anything. Everything felt too smooth and easy, low-angst and really low stakes. And almost zero sense of urgency. It was all just… fine.

I received a copy of this book from SMP.

This was a cute setting for a rom-com, and I loved the concept! Unfortunately, the execution didn't quite stick for me. The main characters were nice, but I didn't connect with either of them. I did appreciate the sapphic love story, as well as the neurodivergence representation, but I think I would have liked this one more on audiobook as it didn't hold my focus very well. I'll probably give it another shot once the audiobook comes out!

3.5 rounded up.

"Mazey Eddings' latest book is a breathtaking and refreshing sapphic romance with raw emotions. The dynamic between Pepper and Opal, from their hilarious forced roommate situation to the blooming of feelings, is beautifully portrayed. The epilogue is a chef's kiss, wrapping up the story brilliantly. Bonus points for the thoughtful details like the list of potential book titles and flower explanations. While some readers may find it a perfect low-angst comfort read with a satisfying HEA, others might crave more inner conflict. Overall, a cute and fun sapphic romance with distinct character voices."

"I received an ARC from St. Martins Press and NetGalley, and the book delivers a satisfying opposites-attract slow burn romance. Opal and Pepper's relationship growth is delightful, and the distinct character voices make it a fun read. The plot points feel authentic, providing an enjoyable experience for fans of sapphic romance seeking a lighthearted story with well-crafted characters."

In the last year or so I have grown to absolutely adore anything Mazey writes. While this was no exception to that rule, the story itself was a little meh.. The writing is superb, and I think I found my new all-time favourite book quote:

"I was tempted to meet her on the lawn, walk across the dewy grass with the golden sun poised behind me à la Matthew Macfadyen sluttily strutting in Pride & Prejudice (2005)."

The story was very predictable, and a little flat. I definitely forgot that the characters were mid-late 20s cause they had some very teenage angst-y vibes. It was entirely obvious what was going to happen throughout the entire book, but it was well written and a nice, light, filler read.

One thing I did like (and Mazey is always the best at this) is how she creates such loveable characters with different forms of mental illness and more "taboo" illnesses. She really brings out the best, and it's always so refreshing to see it on paper and the representation is stellar. This time she is also going with that LGBT story, which was also lovely and well written. Nothing beats a romance writer who doesn't shy away from your heteronormative story!!

Spice: 3🌶️
Rating: 3 ⭐️

Thank you so much for this ARC!

Part of an honest review here will be me saying that in the past year I’ve come to adore Mazey Eddings and everything she does will always be 5-star worthy to me. She’s got a special voice and infuses so much of who she is into her characters and the worlds she creates. I admire her deeply for it. I also love that one of my auto-read authors has written a book that broadens my reading world outside of my own lived experience/identity.

Opal scratches off a winning lottery ticket and, on a whim, buys a flower farm in North Carolina - for the vibes, obviously. Pepper, who lives and works on said flower farm, had no idea it was for sale until Opal shows up on her doorstep. The two opposites resign themselves to living together while working toward a plan that leaves Pepper alone with her flower farm in peace. Time will tell if that is actually what Pepper wants after all.

Opal is, as described by Pepper, a chaos demon (affectionate) (maybe not affection in Pepper’s initial impression) with a supersized heart that often leads her down a path of getting taken advantage of. The growth she showed throughout the book in finding her voice and strength in standing up for herself was lovely. She always showed strength in defending the people she cares about, so I wanted to cheer for her when she found that strength for herself as well.

Pepper is the character I related most to in her pessimism and self-preservation mood of life. She at least has good reason considering her history with her mother. I’m also in a stage of life where I’m always going to connect with a character on a grief journey who acknowledges that nothing about it is linear and moments hit unexpectedly. Her own growth in opening up to the idea of trusting Opal and allowing herself to ask for and accept help was beautiful as well.

The relationship that evolved between Opal and Pepper was genuine and natural. They had to navigate their different communication styles and how their respective neurodivergencies impacted their relationship development. Even when that was challenging, their actions and support of each other showed their care clearly.

Mazey Eddings has a signature voice with the mental health representation in her books, creating a world where no one is viewed as someone who needs to be fixed and is accepted in all their glory by the people who love them. There can be frenetic energy in the pages and also a safe, comforting environment to be absorbed in. I will read anything she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am absolutely obsessed with Mazey Edding's writing so I was so excited to read her next book!! I love how she includes mental health themes in book in such a raw and relatable way, she doesn't shy away from life's messy moments and always portrays them with her signature sarcastic humour and loveable characters.

In Late Bloomer, readers meet Opal, a lost soul who is recovering from a bad relationship and her detrimental people pleasing qualities (a situation I think almost everyone can related to in their 20's). She has a turn of luck when she ends up winning the lottery and makes an impulsive decision to start fresh in a small town by purchasing a flower farm. Unbeknownst to her, Pepper has been living on the farm with her beloved grandmother for years, after being abandoned there by her flighty mother. After her grandmother passes, Pepper's mom sells the farm out from under her and now Opal and Pepper are stuck figuring out this mess. They decide to reside on the farm together and through their journey together they end up helping each other find their purpose, reignite their spark for their mutual creative passions and find romance along the way.

This book encapsulates everything I adore in a great romance read. The classic opposites-attract trope is skillfully woven together with humor and relatable awkward encounters. Witnessing their gradual journey from initial differences to falling for each other, while grappling with their contrasting personalities, is a delightful experience. The sunshine-and-grumpy trope, expertly portrayed by Opal and Pepper, adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

One standout aspect that truly resonated with me was the inclusion of neurodiverse representation, especially in the context of autism and ADHD. It brings me immense joy to see more neurodivergent main characters taking center stage in romance, and Mazey handles it with honesty and respect, seamlessly integrating it into the character's narrative, again making this book relatable on so many levels. Mazey Edding's also brings to light a beautiful sapphic romance, which readers don't get to see a lot of in main stream romance books, the discussion and actions surrounding sexuality in the book are heartwarming, leaving you with a deep feeling of acceptance.

Beyond the romance, this book delves into emotional territory by exploring themes like grief and the process of learning to live with it. The portrayal of characters finding solace in each other, discovering hope, and ultimately achieving happiness struck a chord with me.

In essence, I truly adored this book, and the enchanting setting of a flower farm only adds to its appeal!!

5 stars ⭐️

I've been seeing people talking about this book on youtube so the fact that I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET THE ARC IS 🥲🫶!! Thank you publishers and author for letting me get to read this early.

This book is a cute sapphic romance with a lot of flower themes and references. It's opposites attract (which I love) and although it does have some spice it's only near the end of the book (which is also a personal pref for me because I love slow-burn and romantic tension).

For the main pair I love their dynamic A LOT. There's good neurodivergent rep with Pepper having autism and Opal having either autism or ADHD! :o) I relate to how impulsive Opal can be and makes the book fun to read in some scenes. I also enjoyed that Pepper is more closed off and takes a while to trust people, it makes for a little angst 😭

There's LGBT+ side characters and Opal is really close to her sisters for anyone looking for that. There's some found-family vibes with how the characters look out for each other.

Overall there's many things I love about this book, from the romance, small town vibes, and the humor I highly recommend this book. I'm so excited for it to come out so I can see what other people think about it!! (gonna have to buy it to add to my collection)

2.5/5

I was really excited about this one, especially from the gorgeous cover, but I think this solidifies that Mazey Eddings is just not for me. The concept is really cute—Opal wins the lottery and uses the money to buy a flower farm and meets Pepper, the granddaughter of the owner of the flower farm who didn’t know it was sold. For some reason Opal and Pepper decide to live there together, and forced proximity romance ensues.

I had a few issues with this book. I felt the characters were underdeveloped, and there really didn’t seem to be any basis for their attraction or feelings for each other. There also wasn't much basis for their miscommunications or conflict. The plot pacing was off, it was hard to get into and felt like nothing happened. And as a few other reviewers mentioned—it was really hard to tell who was speaking between the two main characters.

I did like the neurodivergent representation, though I felt like that was also underdeveloped.

Overall, I would not discourage anyone from reading this, but it wouldn’t be my first recommendation either.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed how the pov stuck with Opal until we as an audience were truly able to get a grasp of who she is as a person and what her struggles are. The way that this switching in point of views is written allows for a better understanding of the characters. It’s so wonderful to see characters openly say they are autistic without any traces of malice. It was both beautiful and devastating to watch Pepper have such deeply rooted trauma and learn to handle her grief. The dynamic between this couple is addictive and the clarity and reassurance between the two is captivating.

This book is focused more on the complex characters than an intricate plot. This was fun and endearing to read, and is definitely one of my favorite sapphic books. I am absolutely obsessed with them and I cannot wait to have a physical copy in my hand and recommend it to anyone who will listen.

DNF @ 22%

sadly, I knew pretty early on that this title wasn't going to work for me. despite previously loving every other mazey book I've read, I struggled with the characters here, especially opal. she mad such frustrating choices and had childish tendencies that stopped being cute after a chapter or two.

The premise of this book was quite intriguing and I was hooked on the story by the first chapter. I loved the autistic and neurodivergent representation in MCs as well as this being a queer romance. The romance itself was just okay for me, and ended up being somewhat forgettable.

Are you kidding me? This is quite possibly everything I wanted and more! This book was so sweet and it hit the spot of my LGBTQ+ reads. I think everyone needs to read this. The title and cover alone is what attracted me but the character development is something that is the driver for recommending this book. Fantastic! I am so unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to read this.

I am such a fan of Eddings' writing and Late Bloomer is not exception. Mazey Eddings has written a sapphic opposites attract that is charming, sweet and full of swoon.

It has the elements that I love about a good romance book. The opposites attract, dislike to love and the funny moments that led them to become roommates and I love how you can see them slowly fall for each other and come to term with their feelings for each other despite being so different. I absolutely love the sunshine and grumpy trope and it works so well with Opal and Pepper. Another thing that I loved about this book was the neurodiverse representation in this book, specially with autism. I am very happy that we are seeing more neurodivergent main characters in romance and I thought mazey did it in a way that felt honest and respectful that made sense with the character.

This book did make me a bit emotional as it discusses topics like grief and learning how to live with that, comforting each other and how you can find hope and be happy. I thought the epilogue was the perfect ending to their story. It was warm, sweet and comforting. I really loved this book and it's set in a flower farm that I think anyone would love.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for this E-ARC, and want to say that all opinions remain my own.

I adored this book. Opal and Pepper had such a fun dynamic, and I love forced proximity! I was attached to both women from the beginning and loved their interactions. I found it refreshing how the women treated the other's neurodivergence, and the scene with the flower was so sweet.

The banter was top-tier and it really added to the story how slowly Pepper warmed to Opal.

This was a beautiful book about seeing eachother's differences and embracing them. It made me want to run out and buy all the author's other books. I will for sure be looking out for future releases by Mazey.