I adored Late Bloomer.
As an autistic queer person this was everything I've wanted from a romance novel and more!

Mazey Eddings is always a must read for me. I felt like this book had so much potential and I wanted to love it so much. It just sort of fell flat for me.

I love Mazey's writing style and her flair for representation. I just felt myself frustrated with both FMC's. I also felt like there was no "big event" so to speak. I will definitely rec this book as far as diversity goes for sure, but I definitely feel like there was a lot of missed potential.

I truly felt immersed into the flower farm - this was amazing, I felt as though I could almost smell, the flowers and see their vividness. The rest was just sort of bland and full of the same misunderstandings over and over. The story just felt as though it was carrying on because it had to.

This is a very low angst, low conflict story, definitely a fluffy comfort read - its very different from Mazey's other gripping stories to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press (St.Martins Griffin) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Very cute with good neurodivergent and autistic rep! Sapphic love that melted my heart. It’s a pretty easy read with it too high of stakes, just two girls falling in love. Honestly what more could I ask for?

I am once again at a loss of words. This book made me so happy for so many reasons. I devoured it. I cried over it. I laughed at it. I fell in love with it. I couldn't get enough of it.

This is everything I could have asked for in terms of neurodiverse and sapphic representation. It was fun and well-written and kept me wanting more. It's relatable and lovable. I will immediately be reading the rest of Mazey's books.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

I love Mazey Eddings’ witty writing style, so I was looking forward to reading her latest work. Late Bloomer is a sapphic romance with solid neurodivergent representation.
While I enjoyed her previous novels (and even gave Lizzie Blake 5 stars!), sadly this one was a bit of a miss for me.

This book took me way longer than usual to finish because I just wasn’t motivated to pick it back up. The storyline felt pretty surface level; it could’ve used more depth and character development. Because of this, I had a hard time differentiating between the two MC’s voices (the chapters switched between the two POVs).

Even though it didn’t really hit for me, I can see how other readers could love this low drama/low stakes read. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mazey Eddings is an author I will drop everything for to read her newest book. This book didn’t disappoint AT ALL. It was perfect to me in its entirety. I love real and raw characters in stories, and Opal and Pepper were just that. They were so real I feel like I have known them my whole life. This book was such an honest portrayal of life, all the messiness that happens, and why we should accept love and warmth along with all that messiness. Such a beautiful, happy, adorable story with so much love and sweetness. There were multiple scenes that had me laughing out loud and grinning ear to ear. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it comes out and reread it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This may be my perfect sapphic romance. The two points of views are so well done that you can tell which is which without even looking at the titles at the front. Eddings does a spectacular job putting you in the minds of her characters, flaws and all, and still getting you to love them and believe they deserve love. I also thought the tension was really well maintained throughout, and the communication between the characters was superb. I don't know, it was just a perfect, joyful sapphic romance, with a perfect balance of steamy and sappy.

With a perfect balance of steamy and sappy, Eddings writes a sapphic, neurodivergent romance worth reading in one sitting. The floral atmosphere and flawed yet lovable characters really leaves the reader uplifted and ready to follow their dreams! A wonderful book wrapped in a gorgeous cover.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of LATE BLOOMER by Mazey Eddings in exchange for my review. This novel will be released on Apr. 16th.

👟CW: grief, alcoholism, abandonment, migraines

This cover is beautiful, and I loved Pepper's friend group and Opal's sisters and their banter. I related to both MCs in many ways.

However, I found both Pepper and Opal to be one-dimensional with no internal conflict. I didn't buy their chemistry. The pacing of this book was also off. It was a slow burn with long chapters and no smut until the 50% mark, but then one spicy scene occurred over several chapters. I also felt that the autism representation in this was fleeting at best and probably should have been more fleshed out. I've had another one of this author's books on my TBR for a while now, but will be going in with slightly lower expectations.

Favourite quote: "But instead, she reaches out to me--opening her hand like a flower unfurling its petals to the sun. I stare at it. The ink stains and calluses and chipped nails and bitten cuticles. For a moment, that hand looks like a second chance. A lifeline. Then I blink."

Omg where do I begin with this book?

Well it slaps that's a start. I'll admit my expectations for this book were kinda meh. I was expecting something mediocre but I did not get that and boy am I glad.
First of all the writing was lovely. It was very lively and cute and easy to read (seriously beneficial for my ADHD). The characters slapped. I really loved Opal and Pepper's relationship in this book. They won my whole heart it was so sweet. The grumpy sunshine trope was done pretty well in this book and I loved it. Also the nuerodiverse rep was pretty good. I liked it, I thought it was well done. I can't wait for this book to come out tbh.
Anyways enough rambling. Overall solid 5 stars, highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

OPPOSITES ATTRACT WITH LESBIANS??!! SIGN ME THE FUCK UP. I swear I got whiplashed at the speed I went through this book. I was gagged, choked, screamed. This book could easily be a best seller. Opal is such an interesting character and I can't wait for the character aesthetic videos that are going to be on tiktok. I will be commenting on each and everyone of them.

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!