Read this if you like:
•forced proximity
•flowers
•opposites attract
•neurodivergent rep

This book was so dang cute. The humor and banter were top notch!

Thank you St Martins Griffin for eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was such a cute sapphic romance to read. Watching Opal and Pepper's relationship grow was so satisfying. This duo has such great chemistry you get to see unfold throughout the book. You’ll find yourself smiling continuously throughout the book as you see their relationship flourish. Overall, Late Bloomer is a feminine book full of great mental health representation. I loved every minute of reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am participating in the St Martin’s Press boycott. I will not publicly be reviewing this title until St. Martin’s Press addresses reader concerns.

This book gave me every single thing I wanted. The dislike? The angst? This book is honest and funny and just everything I hope it would be and more.

If Mazey writes it, I'll be reading it. She's an auto-buy author for me. I LOVED her A brush with Love series. Her characters are vulnerable, funny, sweet, kind, scared, compassionate... full of LOVE. I just love her stories and her book covers? SLAY.

Big thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me early access to this book!

This might be my favourite book that I've read this year.

The story follow Opal and Pepper. Opal just won the lottery and decides to move away from the city she grew up in for many different reasons and ends up buying Pepper's house, though at the time she doesn't know that it's Pepper's house and that there is someone already living there. Just her luck. The house is part of a gently failing flower farm, and together, with a lot of convincing, Opal helps Pepper bring it back.

This book was just so dang cute. I loved both Opal and Pepper. They are just such sweet people who are so honest about who they are and what they want. I love their energy. This book has a lot of things that I love; found family, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, it's just all so good.

If you're looking for a really sweet Sapphic romance with great characters than I highly recommend this one. It gave me the warm and fuzzies, and butterflies all at once.

"If our first kiss shocked me, this one rewires my entire system"

If Mazey Eddings has no fans, I am deceased.
I was SO EXCITED to receive this ARC of Late Bloomer, I absolutely ADORE everything that Mazey writes and this one is another slam dunk! Sapphic! Neurodivergent! Flower Farm in North Carolina! Found Family! Witty banter! It has everything that Mazey Eddings does best.

Opal and Pepper are absolutely adorable, I loved reading their story and falling in love with them as they fall in love with each other. Their back stories are so sweet and really make you root for them, especially Pepper! I just want to adopt her as my own!

If you are looking for a sweet, sassy, sapphic romance, this one is for you!

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings was such a cute book. I enjoyed my time reading it and thought the story progressed well. Late Bloomer was well written and the chemistry between the characters worked well.

The cover art is gorgeous and I always appreciate neurodivergent representation, but this fell a little flat for me. I didn’t feel like the characters voices were very distinct, especially around the 3/4 mark. I had to keep reminding myself which character was Opal and which was Pepper. Two cutesy names didn’t help either.

It took me a while to read because I didn’t feel connected to the story. I have enjoyed previous books by this author and will continue to pick up other books from her in the future. This one just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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.