I know they say “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but I can’t help it sometimes. I was immediately attracted to this cover when I saw it - I mean come on, it’s gorgeous!! Plus I’ve always enjoyed Mandy Eddings’ books and especially her Neurodivergent characters. This book did not disappoint!

This was a very cute and easy read. It was low conflict, which I always appreciate. Opal and Pepper were going through their own personal struggles, but when it came down to it, we’re always there for each other. Watching Opal fumble through life was very relatable for me. It was beautiful seeing Pepper and Opal balance each other perfectly.

I really enjoyed the farm setting of this story. It had a cozy feel that made this a light and fun read. I did wish there was a little more with the competition. It seemed like it jumped from them finally deciding to do it to the competition day, which sort of caught me off guard. That being said, there was a lot going on in the plot to keep me interested outside of the competition storyline.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, especially if you like a low conflict, cozy love story.

this was an actually sweet romcom! 3.5 stars

this was a quick and light romcom between opal, a former minimum-wage worker and newly crowned lottery worker who takes her earnings and buys a flower farm, and pepper, the granddaughter of the deceased owner of the flower farm. i liked it

i did appreciate the dual pov's; i feel like i never see it in romance books and it helps because you can see the differences between the two mc's. i remember thinking the writing, at times, was a bit cringy(don't ever reference current events in a book cause that dates it bad), but for the most part it was fine.

the characters was fine if just a tad underdeveloped; i would've liked for them to have a stronger difference in voice but i liked them and i also liked the sisters of opal

all in all, if you're looking for a quick, sweet, light-hearted romcom that has queer and neurodivergent representation, then you should consider picking this up

What an absolute treat this sapphic story was! Super fun and flirty.
Autistic and ND rep, sunshine grumpy trope, low angst!
the cover is absolutely stunning as well.

Cute sapphic romance! Opposites attract, slow burn, neuro divergent representation in this amazing book by Mazey Eddings. Who wouldn’t love to disappear and fall in love at a flower farm after wining the lottery?!?!

4.5 stars

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book was much as I did, but I LOVED the setting and both MCs.

4.5 stars rounded up
Opal Devlin was given a lottery ticket for her birthday and she won. She quits her job and decides to buy a flower farm outside of Asheville and paint shoes. When she gets to the farm she finds Pepper who actually owns the farm. Her grandmother just died and she thought she inherited it. Pepper's mom is something else.
Pepper seems autistic and doesn't like change. Opal is probably ADHD, creative and messy. (I'm not a doctor so I'm just guessing.) They both have challenges.

This was a fun spicy read. I really did love it. I knocked off half a star because I'm not a fan of the having sex but no feelings trope. It's not my favorite. 🤷‍♀️ I loved the writing and the author is one of my faves. I already preordered this book. They are an auto buy author. I loved the queer Neurodiversity and that cover. *Chef's kiss

This was really a truly adorable, wholesome read. For starters, the writing was so fun. It was light, funny, and conversational, and pulled me easily through the book. I also enjoyed the dual first person POV, with distinct voices between Opal and Pepper. Of course, I loved Opal and Pepper, both as individuals and a couple. As individuals they both had amazing journeys; Pepper working through her grief and learning to trust, and Opal learning to stick up for herself. As a couple, they had a clear emotional connection, complimented each other so well, and when they did clash it was painfully understandable as a neurodivergent person and created emotional moments and angst. I also loved Opal’s sisters and Pepper’s friends. As for the setting, which drew me to this book in the first place, it was amazing, but I wish there had been some more descriptions of the farm and the flowers. As for the ending, it was the happy ending that Pepper and Opal deserved while also highlighting all their character development. I loved it, just like the rest of the book, and I highly recommend.

Synopsis
Opal wins the lottery and chooses to leave her home town, buying Thistle and Bloom, a flower farm in the Appalachian mountains. However, she arrives to find Pepper lives on the farm and is the caretaker for the flowers. Opal isn't one to push and the farm is big enough for two people, suggesting they both live on the farm. Pepper can care for the flowers and Opal can focus on her art.

Pepper is Neurodivergent, hates change and has been through a lot. She is the daughter of a scam artist and the granddaughter of late grandma Lou, her mentor and founder of Thistle and Bloom. Opal, on the other hand, is our sunshine with pink hair. She can be a pushover and is down for anything.

While the two are very different, they both have a secret crush on each other.

My Opinion
This was a slow-burn, Sapphic love story that made me giggle and even cry at times. I enjoyed the lessons the characters learned along the way. There were a few times when the book felt a bit slow and felt "wordy," but I loved the ending.

Perfect amount of spice, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, small town love.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read and review this book for an honest review.

Rating
4.5 Stars; Very good book, shelf-worthy. I have already recommended this book to my book friends.
3 spicy pepper emojis; semi-descriptive sex scenes.

In "Late Bloomer" by Mazey Eddings, Opal Devlin's life takes an unexpected turn when she wins the lottery. However, what should have been a stroke of good fortune quickly becomes a burden. As news of her newfound wealth spreads, Opal becomes a target for people seeking handouts, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and taken advantage of. Determined to protect herself, Opal decides to invest her money in a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Her plan is to allow the flowers to thrive while she starts her own painting business in the cabin on the property. Opal's hopes for solitude and self-preservation are disrupted when she encounters Pepper Boden, an assertive and captivating individual who claims to be the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms. With conflicting interests, Opal and Pepper reluctantly agree to coexist under one roof, leading to constant clashes and disagreements. As they navigate their differences, a surprising attraction begins to grow between them. Eddings skillfully weaves together a tale of opposites attracting, with Opal and Pepper representing two contrasting personalities. Opal, scarred by her experiences, is determined to protect herself at any cost, while Pepper seems to embody resilience and a fiery spirit. Their interactions are marked by intense arguments and passionate disagreements, which only serve to fuel their growing attraction. The setting of Asheville, North Carolina, provides a charming backdrop for the story, with its picturesque flower farm serving as a symbol of renewal and transformation. Eddings' vivid descriptions transport the reader into this world, allowing them to envision the beauty of the farm and the captivating atmosphere of the surrounding area. As the story unfolds, readers are taken on a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. The author expertly balances the push and pull dynamic between Opal and Pepper, making their relationship all the more captivating. Both characters are multifaceted, allowing readers to connect with their vulnerabilities and root for their individual dreams and aspirations. "Late Bloomer" is a delightful romantic tale that explores the themes of personal growth, second chances, and the power of human connection. Mazey Eddings' writing style is engaging and immersive, capturing the essence of the characters and their evolving relationship. Whether you're a fan of romance or simply seeking an engaging read, "Late Bloomer" is a book that will warm your heart and leave you yearning for more.

This book was AMAZING! I love all the flowers and art and angst and Sapphic love! I needed this book in my life and Mazey never disappoints.

I really enjoyed this story. It was the Sapphic grumpy/sunshine trope I didn't know I needed. I liked the alternating POVs and I appreciated all the quirks that made each character unique.

One of my other favorite things about this book is the accuracy about life on a flower farm. I have experience with this, because I actually DID grow up on a flower farm. My family had acres of flowers and a greenhouse, so I know all about all the work involved. I really liked how the author clearly did some research about how cutting stems at an angle and removing any leaves that will hit the water will help prolong the life of the stems. I have read other books where authors make a glaring error that would only be noticed by someone with experience, so this was very refreshing.

One thing I would have liked a bit more would have been a slightly different personality for either of the characters. It seemed like both were similar, so sometimes I'd forget whose perspective I was reading from and I'd have to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to look. Also, Pepper sometimes seemed like two different characters depending on the POV. She was very uncomfortable and awkward during her chapters, but somehow had confidence to say things that seemed out of character during Opal's chapters.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely read more from this author going forward.

This book was so sweet. Mazey writings just soothes my soul and brings me so much joy, even when dealing with heavy topics. I adored Opal and related so much to her chaotic ADHD traits. I felt like I could see parts of my own journey with ADHD in her especially when it came to her insecurities. I love how fun and unique this story is and how raw both Opal and Pepper have to get with each other while learning to navigate there unusual circumstances. I highly recommend this book if you love a sapphic read with neurodivergent characters who are a little chaotic, it will make you smile, feel seen and squeal with how hard these two fall for each other.

When I initially heard about this book, I immediately added it to my TBR because--really, how can you not? The description alone left me swooning: an enemies-to-lovers sapphic love story on a flower farm? Sign me up! And while you’re at it, call up HallMark to do the adaptation because yes! Plus, the cover. The cover! This was everything I could’ve wanted in a fluffy sapphic romance and checked all the boxes…or so I thought.
Besides the fact that this is a sapphic romance, one of the love interests, Pepper, is also autistic. And while I can’t personally speak to the autistic representation myself, it is encouraging to see more of this kind of representation featured in literature, to have characters like Pepper, whose own experiences relating to their autism are referenced throughout the novel.
Another thing to note about this novel: it is verrrrry spicey. As in, very very spicy. So be aware of this going in, if that isn’t your thing. For me, I don’t typically like spice in books. That’s just my own personal preference, and I did go into this book thinking it would be more of a cute and fluffy HallMark-style story. But I will say: even though spiciness isn’t typically my thing, I actually loved how the spicy scenes were written in this. There’s so much open communication written into these scenes between Opal and Pepper. Going into their first time being intimate with each other, the two are each coming from a different place, different levels of experience, different insecurities, and it was so refreshing seeing them navigate this together with nothing but reassurance and compassion. And this honestly needs to be the rubric for people in sexual relationships in real life as well as in future books with intimate scenes.

Normalize one partner not having any prior experience.
Normalize said partner not knowing what to do and not feeling ridiculed by the other partner but rather supported.
Normalize constant communication and checking in with each other and making sure this or that feels okay.

I especially loved the moment when Opal opens up to Pepper about her own insecurities with her pubic hair. Again, I feel like this is something that often doesn’t get addressed in most romances but is SO important to normalize in sexual relationships. This was probably the one scene in the novel where I truly felt my heart melt for these two characters, the way that they show vulnerability and support each other in this moment.

My Hangups
To be clear, I don’t think this is a terrible book—not by a long shot! I think a lot of people will genuinely enjoy this book. It just didn’t do anything for me. I really wanted this to be a cute and fluffy romance on a farm, not unlike many a HallMark movie. I’ve also read books with the enemies-to-lovers trope in the past and have usually found them really enjoyable and endearing. But this one to me was just too angsty for my liking. Pepper as a character also absolutely infuriated me pretty much the entire time, so between those things, this wasn’t very enjoyable to read because, quite frankly, I didn’t care if the two love interests ended up together. If I’m being honest, I felt the most bad for Opal throughout the entire book. It’s clear that she has trouble standing up for herself and putting herself first and is just all-around a chronic people pleaser—to her own detriment. So between her letting Miles and Laini walk all over her, and even later when Pepper makes her feel like an intruder in her own house and shows so much disdain for her even as Opal still bends over backwards to try to please her, I just wanted to shake her and tell her to stand up for herself for once. Of course we know that Pepper is going through her own struggles and we know where a lot of her anger and distrust is coming from, but I still didn’t think her treatment of Opal was fair. So to me it felt like Opal was almost going from one toxic relationship to another, where she’s yet again made to feel like she doesn’t matter, yet again feels the need to overcompensate her people pleasing as a desperate plea for validation. Not exactly the kind of relationship you’re rooting for.
Even Opal’s ending feels underwhelming. She spends the entire book putting everyone else before herself, bending over backward to please people. And by the end… she’s still the one to bend over backwards for others while not really receiving anything in return. So let’s see. Pepper gets to keep her family farm. She gets to go to college, thanks to the fact that Opal poured her earnings into creating a college fund for her. What does Opal get in the end? I guess Pepper is the prize? Yay..? I just wanted so much more for Opal.

There were other issues here and there that I had, which mostly came down to writing. Moments where it definitely felt like the writing was underdeveloped. Parts of the plot or certain scenes that I thought could be more fleshed out. And then just some outright cliche moments, like the fact that no one thought to, I don't know, go into Grandma Lou's bedroom and look in the incredibly conspicuous jewelry box that's sitting right on the nightstand, where her will has been this entire time. Also, as a frustrated Millennial who can't afford to buy a home in this godforsaken year of 2023, I can't begin to voice my exasperation that Opal is able to outright buy an entire farm "for the vibes" even though she has absolutely no prior knowledge of real estate, mortgages, how much houses costs, and doesn't even know how to write a check. I hate this economy. But I digress.

Final thoughts: I guess I just wanted so much more from this, and it didn't quite deliver for me. There are still so many positive takeaways from this novel that readers may find comfort in, from dealing with grief to learning to overcome the hurt from your past. But as a romance novel, this wasn't a favorite.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

3.5 stars

Opal, down on her luck and not knowing where life is going, wins the lottery and on a whim buys a flower farm in Asheville, NC. The only problem is, Pepper, current resident & sole farmer at the Thistle and Bloom, did not realize her estranged mother sold the farm. Pepper and Opal decide to coexist, with undeniable attraction for one another. You know where this is going.

I have and always will be a fan of Mazey Eddings' novels. I really loved her first series of adult novels, so I was super looking forward to this one and was over the moon when I received an ARC for it. This book is not like that series, and I think my expectations for this book really subdued my experience.

I loved many things about this book, the main thing being the autistic and neurodivergent representation in both Pepper and Opal. I trust Mazey implicitly to write neurodivergent characters, and she nails it every time. I also loved the setting of the flower farm, and it was just an added bonus that it happened to be in Asheville. Also, the smut was SMUTTING. This book was steamy. Also, gotta say, it's dual POV, and we love getting both characters' perspectives in a romance novel.

A lot of my grievances with the book are in others' reviews as well. Both Pepper and Opal had very similar voices, so even though it was dual POV, I found myself forgetting who I was reading in some places. Pepper and Opal both felt a little one-note and underdeveloped, I really like romance books with a lot of depth to the main characters and I just wasn't getting that in these two. The humor in the book is very chronically online style humor, which will probably date it quickly, and the disagreements and conflicts between Pepper and Opal were confusing and caused me not to really buy into them.

With all that said, this book was a good light-hearted, low stakes romance. If you go into it with that expectation, I think you'll really enjoy the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Late Bloomer" by Mazey Eddings artfully narrates the journey of Pepper and Opal, two distinct characters brought together under unexpected circumstances. Opal, impulsive and hopeful after a surprising lottery win, buys the Thistle and Bloom flower farm, only to find Pepper, the wary granddaughter of the former owner, already there. The book gracefully alternates between their perspectives, providing a deep, authentic look into their evolving relationship. Eddings skillfully blends humor with the earnestness of a sapphic romance and the complexities of neurodiversity, making the story both enjoyable and meaningful. Despite some rushed elements, "Late Bloomer" shines as a compelling, character-driven exploration of growth, understanding, and the unpredictable nature of life. It's a delightful read for those who cherish stories of personal transformation and the beauty of unexpected connections.

I love a sapphic romcom, especially one with neurodivergent rep! This was a great new novel from Mazey Eddings that I'll definitely be staff-picking.

Very slow to get going. Loved the representation. Both queer and neurodivergent. I feel like the lottery story line was a bit pointless. Didn’t feel like too much of enemies.

I love Mazey Edding’s books! This was a cute one. I loved the forced proximity trope. It was a nice love story! Would recommend it.

I adored this book, and I adored both of our two main characters so much!

Opal is an artist who is down on her luck with a handful of truly crappy friends when she, surprisingly, wins the lottery. She uses the money to buy a flower farm and goes to move in, only to meet lovable grump, Pepper.

Pepper has lived at/ran the farm for years with her grandma, who recently passed away, and Pepper is not leaving the only home she’s ever truly known.

The two of them agree to cohabitate while figuring out details of what the future of the farm looks like, and what blossoms from this unlikely pairing was so much more emotional and lovely than I was anticipating.

It’s a romance novel, so of course there’s love, but there’s also acceptance, grief, neurodivergent representation, vulnerability, personal growth, and humor! It just touched on so many important other aspects of the characters’ lives and personalities, and that made Pepper and Opal’s love feel that much more real. There are actually a handful of lines from this book that will live with me for a long time.

This book was an easy 5 stars for me, and I’m looking forward to rereading it when it is released in April 2024!

Also, as a bonus, the cover is just STUNNING! 😍

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.