I had to sit a little while before I wrote this review. This book … just wow. I absolutely loved it and it solidified Mazey Eddings as one of my favorite authors.

As with her previous books, the author includes a lot of varied, and imho, extremely well done representation including but not limited to: ADHD, autism, migraine, and LGBTQIAP2-S+. Sometimes I just had to stop reading and just be grateful at how well done aspects of this book were. The author clearly and obviously chose all of the plot lines and language with thoughtfulness and care.

Okay, enough gushing without specifics. Opal and Pepper are our two main characters. Opal tries, she tries so hard and always seems to muck things up. She has had several extremely tough years. And then … she wins the lotto and buys a flower farm. She wants to start a business where she sells painted shoes (Opal is an artist who works in all mediums but loves painting designs on shoes. How cute is that?) There is a problem though, Pepper, our other MC, still lives on the farm because it belonged to her late great-aunt. Opal can’t even manage to use her lotto winnings without feeling like she is causing trouble. How will Opal and Pepper handle the mix up?

If I didn’t make it clear earlier, I absolutely loved these characters. Opal has ADHD and just wants to belong, find her spark, make some friends who maybe become a found family? oof. I feel that. Pepper has autism and hates her birthday (I hate my birthday too, Pepper!) Also, she suffers from migraines. Although I do wish we saw more migraine attacks, what we did see was very well done. Pepper’s migraines had some different symptoms than mine, but 100% of them occur with migraines. Accurate migraine portrayal is so rare in romances so I was thrilled with the representation here. Pepper also has a lack of dating history with no judgment from any character! That never ever happens in romances. (Or, if it does it is so rare.) It melted my heart and made me so overjoyed. So many books are increasingly judgmental about people without a typical dating history, it was amazing to read one with such unabashed acceptance.

To top it off, Opal and Pepper actually communicate. Does it take a while to figure out a communication style that works for them? Sure. But they figure it out! They apologize. They are just good humans. The way they learn to take care of each other just makes me smile thinking about it. Plus, Opal’s sisters and Pepper’s friends round out a fantastic cast.

Lastly, the way the author handles grief was incredible too, and this is where I suggest reviewing the content warnings provided in the book and recommend reading with care.

Oh and the book had some amazing pop culture references!

I just cannot say enough wonderful things about this gem of a book. I have no reservations giving this book five stars and cannot wait to own a physical copy when it releases.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an arc of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I think Mazey Eddings Late Bloomer might just be my favorite romance novel I've ever read, but I better go ahead and read it five more times in a row to be sure. As a neurodivergent queer artist from Appalachia who was raised by a narcissistic con artist mom, I kinda feel like this book was written specifically for me. I saw so much of myself in both Opal Devlin (total pushover, people pleaser, hyper-empath) and Pepper Boden (autism, sensory processing, a deep desire to always be in my warm, safe place), and even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to help myself from rooting for them with my whole heart, Their chemistry knocked the breath out of me more than once, the way they learn to manage their own insecurities and brain chemistry so they can communicate with tenderness, their softness and sweetness with each other. I love romance where the characters have to overcome more than just life's obstacles to be together. I love romance where the characters become better people because of each other. Braver, stronger, more hopeful. I haven't even fully processed how much I love this story, but I haven't stopped thinking about it since I put it down.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Goodreads for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

✏️ Author: Mazey Eddings
📅 Pub Date: April 16, 2024
🌟 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Yall. I'm a Mazey Eddings STAN. Like head over heels in love with her writing and let's be real, her too. When I saw she had a sapphic romance coming I was beyond thrilled! And thankfully, it did not disappoint.

Opal and Pepper are two neurodivergent grumpy/sunshine balls of goodness and I enjoyed every single page! Opal wins the lottery and buys an old flower farm sight unseen. The only problem is Pepper lives there. Her grandma died and thought she was sure the property was hers, she couldn't find the will. So, because Opal is such a squishy heart of goodness and didn't want to put Pepper out, she came up with the brilliant idea that for the time being they become roommates. What transpires is a beautiful, messy, quirky, oh so real love story that I loved so very much. Pepper doesn't trust anyone and Opal doesn't think she has anything of value to offer anyone. Obviously these things become a problem in their budding relationship, but they work through them in such a way that makes the whole story so real and believable.

I adored the flower references and the North Carolina countryside setting. And though my opinion counts for zero, I do believe Every Garden Needs A Ho would have been a delightful title! 🤣

This book. The cover. 😍 One of my absolute favorites of the year and one I'll buy to have on my shelf to read over and over and over again.

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martins Press. ❤️

Late Bloomer is a tender love story filled with Mazey Eddings signature humor!

Opal is a people pleaser to her core (and her own detriment). When she wins the lottery, she decides to take the money and get a fresh start. Opal uses all the money to buy a house set on a working flower farm. Pepper is truly living her worst life: avoiding her mother, grieving the loss of her grandmother, and trying to save the flower farm from financial ruin. To her utter dismay, she finds out her mother sold the farm (and her home) out from under her in exchange for some quick cash. Opal and Pepper work out a tentative agreement that allows them to (not-so) peacefully co-exist in the house until they can come up with a more permanent solution. In this enclosed space, they find themselves drawn to each other. But with heaps of baggage each, it's not clear if this relationship is meant to last or if eventually, it'll wither.

I loved this story so much and I cannot wait for more books by Eddings!

I read a LOT of romance novels. Upon some reflection, I realized that I have read very few LGBTQ romance and I am really making an effort to remedy that. I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful cover.

I found the premise and the plot very cute. I loved all of the secondary characters. Hoping to hear about the sisters in the future! I just had a very hard time connecting to Opal and Pepper. I don’t think they were unlikable, but they both just felt very juvenile to me and I could never quite understand what motivated them. I think that if they had been a little bit more fleshed out, this could have been the perfect story. This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking into more of her output.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's not so much that this is a terrible book as it is that the writing feels... dated? I'm a millennial myself, but on the younger end. This book reads very millennial, with humor that would've felt poignant and funny 10+ years ago. I think had I been in the beginning of my romance reading journey, I would've really enjoyed this, especially as a neurodivergent woman myself. But as it is, it felt like both of the characters were just these naive, floaty, cookie cutter caricatures of an autistic girl. There was no reasoning as to why they would get together in the beginning- just the fact that they were in the same home. No long conversations, no heartbreaking moments bringing them together, just... proximity. Add in that the best friend of one of the girls went from hating and distrusting the love interest, to hugging and respecting her in the same conversation only a couple minutes later. None of it felt realistic or believable, and the portrayal of the mental illnesses felt surface level. Heck, the bisexual undiagnosed mentally ill girl dyed her hair in a bout of upset. It all just felt... predictable and secondhand.

That being said, I live in North Carolina and love the idea of a story set in Asheville. The writing wasn't bad in and of itself, so it gains another star for that. But overall, these characters and the storyline did not land with me, and while I see in her bio that the author is neurodivergent, the autistic and ADHD representation in this story felt honed-in, idealistic, and (in my opinion) did not give any dimension to these disorders outside of "quirky in a way that isn't too detrimental to real life".

Thank you to netgalley and Mazey Eddings for the ARC.

I loved this spicy sapphic grumpy/ sunshine! It had a similar "break my heart into a million pieces and put it back together again," as Mazey 's The Plus One.

This was such a sweet, romantic, funny, and life-affirming sapphic romance—Eddings's representation of neurodiversity is always a breath of fresh air, and the message about valuing yourself (and standing up to/cutting out those who aren't really on your side) was so comforting. A glorious bouquet of a book!

neurodivergent representation 🧠
sapphic romance 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩
enemies to lovers ❤️‍🔥
flower farm 💐
chosen family 🌈
4.5/5

I want to express my sincere gratitude to St. Martin Griffin for generously providing me with an advanced electric copy of LATE BLOOMER in exchange for an honest review. LATE BLOOMER is Mazey Eddings’s first LGBTQ+ romance novel, and it will be released on April 16, 2024.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again- Mazey Eddings never fails me! Despite my deep admiration for the author and the absolutely stunning cover art, I must confess that I approached this book with a touch of nervousness. Those who follow my reviews know that I can be quite critical when it comes to LGBTQ+ romances, especially sapphic romance novels. More often than not, I find myself cringing at the portrayal of such relationships.
However, LATE BLOOMER managed to do something remarkable; it made me cry! Opal and Pepper’s journey, from strangers to enemies, then friends, and ultimately lovers, was beautifully written. The chemistry between them was palpable, and I must admit that I shed a tear or two during their first love scene. Opal and Pepper’s individual growth and their evaluation as a couple was perfectly paced throughout the novel.
As always, Eddings handles sensitive topics, including mental health, with the utmost care and delicacy. This book also delves into the complexities of grief and abandonment. I would recommend checking the trigger warning before diving into this story; the author thoughtfully includes a brief description of the trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel.
The only reason I hesitate to give this a 5-star rating is my initial frustration with Opal’s character. While I appreciated her giving heart and the potential influence of neurodiversity on her impulsivity, her decisions at the beginning of the story left me baffled. However, her transformation into a strong and well-rounded character by the end of the novel partially redeems her initial choices.

P.S. I smell a series featuring Opal’s sisters in the near future. This world and these characters have left a mark on me, and I cannot wait to see what Eddings has in store!

I really enjoyed this book! As usual with Mazey’s books, I appreciate the mental health representation. I didn’t connect with the characters as much as in her other books, but it was still a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read, and review this ARC. Below is my honest and humble opinion of this book.

I cannot say enough good things about Mazey Eddings, and what she delivered with this book! Mazey did a fantastic job of spinning a beautiful Love story between two neuro divergent souls! Representation is so very important, and this Love story served just the right amount of humor, romance, and flirtatious smut! It was so easy to fall in Love with Pepper, and so thrilling to see myself in Opal! I adored the pop culture references throughout, and the author's ability to make me outright giggle on occasion.

I can honestly say, I will be not only be rereading this one again, but I will also be recommending it to just about everyone!

If I have any critique at all, it would be that I wish there could be more of a finality with what happens to Pepper's mom. I feel it was a bit rushed in the end, and that we are never really told what happens to her once legal action is taken. Short of that, I wouldn't change a single word in the book! This was such a pleasure to read. Thank you for the opportunity!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


Late Bloomer is a midlife crisis in your mid twenties and it’s the most relatable thing if you’ve ever felt like not knowing what to do with your life. Opal and Pepper are total opposites but you end up loving them both, and actively rooting for them both as individuals and together. Hope to read more from this author in the future!

I love the cover art, it's absolutely stunning and definitely drew me in. I sadly didn't really like the story. I pushed through and read the whole book but it wasn't an enjoyable read. I felt like the plot was all over the place up until the end and then rushed to make it make sense. And the characters didn't have as much development as you'd expect given the storyline. This book just wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wanted to love this so much. I love the cover, and I love the premise. I did not love main character Opal, though. I kind-of couldn't stand her. I'm aware that her 'doormat'/self-abnegating attitude and it being a massive problem were at the core of the novel, but it made the opening a slog, and it continued to irritate me as I read on. I'm glad for the rep and for the shift she undergoes over the narrative arc, but I couldn't just dive in and enjoy the way I wanted to.

This was such a sweet story, built on a fun, unique premise! Opal Devlin is, in the words of Taylor Swift, a "pathological people pleaser," always trying to lend a helping hand to others, even when they don't deserve her kindness. Winning the lottery helps Opal realize who her true friends are, and she comes up with a plan to distance herself from the toxicity in her life. She'll spend most of the money on buying a struggling flower farm, Thistle and Bloom, in Asheville, North Carolina, and use the cabin on the property to start her own painting business. There's only one problem: someone's already living there. Pepper Boden states that she's the farm's rightful owner, and she isn't about to leave it behind. The two figure out a compromise...but can it really last? Will they be able to achieve their goals and plant roots together?

Pepper and Opal are the perfect grumpy/sunshine pair! I loved seeing Opal bring out Pepper's softer side and help her realize that it's okay to let someone in, and seeing Pepper encourage Opal to realize her worth and empower her to follow her dreams. Mazey Eddings did an amazing job of telling their story—I really enjoy her writing style. The neurodivergent rep was also wonderful to see! As a finishing touch, the details at the end of the book about how the title came to be (and other potential titles!) and the stories behind the different types of flowers included were so fascinating to read about. And of course, I couldn't help but wonder if each of Opal's sisters might get their own book? Either way, I can't wait to see what Mazey writes next, and I will definitely be diving into her backlist, too! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I love this book. It was such a cute and refreshing book and so special. I can’t wait to read the next book by this author.

3⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!

This is my third Mazey Eddings book and she always manages to leave me surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The characters are very relatable. While Opal was annoying at first, I found myself to be more like her than I originally thought. Impulse buying property on Facebook marketplace? Yup sounds like me. Loves nature, the mountains, and NC? Yup also sounds like me. Pepper was great throughout and I also felt like I could relate to her.

Overall, I wish I could win the lottery and use that money for my HEA!

late bloomer is a lovely story about two neurodivergent sapphics. this book manages to tackle the real, raw emotions of grief while also being a sweet, spicy, laugh out load, swoon worthy romance. i couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this world, the side characters, and the main characters, together and separately. the writing was gorgeous, it left me having to take a moment away from the book to appreciate how beautiful it was several times. i loved the neurodivergent representation and also seeing how opal cared for pepper through her migraines. i do think there could have been a bit more of a plot, but that's really my only complaint. i can't wait to have this gorgeous cover on my shelf on April 16th, 2024

Thank you, St. Martin's publishers and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This ARC bypassed all 2022/2023 e-ARCs pending to be read because Mazey Eddings is slowly but surely proving to be one of my all-time favorite authors.

My Mazey Eddings line-up:
-A Brush with Love (4 stars)
-Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake (5 stars, in my top 10 of 2022!)
-The Plus One (5 stars, in my top 5 favorite books of 2022!)
-Tilly in Technicolor (5 stars in 2023, which is a rarity for YA for me nowadays!)

I love this novel. I think in terms of mood, it sits somewhere between Lizzie's story and TPO. The Plus One was understandably the heaviest content with the PTSD/trauma representation and Lizzie's story had some more light-hearted moments (because Lizzie is amazing) but Late Bloomer sits in between those mood waves.

I appreciate the author's continuous (also in TPO) author notes/trigger warnings on content that will be in the novel. For Late Bloomer, it was primarily about grief of a parental/guardian figure that one of our wholesome main characters was dealing with throughout the duration of the novel.

I loved Opal, Pepper, and the families {minus Pepper's mother}. I loved that their relationship gradually blossomed {Pun intended}. Their individual growth arcs made sense in the timeline and I'm glad those weren't off-page. As much as I enjoyed seeing their relationship, I think they both needed a lot of individual growth/healing which added more substance to the novel beyond the spicy romance. This novel was a steamy sapphic romance on a flower farm setting with a forced proximity trope executed splendidly. I felt the neurodiverse representation was also good and the two MCs did not sound like clones of each other when representing that neurodiversity, especially given they're both neurodiverse in different ways.

Side note: I've been waiting for this novel since it was originally hinted as a Christmas novel, The author has an author note at the end of the ARC discussing that switch due to publisher timelines but I'M. SO. GLAD. IT'S. NOT. A. CHRISTMAS. NOVEL! No hate to my favorite holiday but Pepper is such a spring girly, I can't picture her as a Christmas tree lumberjane. I also feel that the premises of the family drama, the individual growth, and the humorous sisters/friends scenes would've been overshadowed by a Christmas theme. That being said, I wouldn't be opposed if Mazey Eddings eventually writes a Christmas romcom.

I look forward to raving about this novel for months to come, even more so when it's destined season (Spring) approaches next year.

*I'll add more details closer to publication*

Opal lives a chaotic life with an open heart and trusting nature, and she knows too many people take advantage of her eternal helpfulness -- especially her ex-boyfriend Miles and her co-worker and friend (and possibly Miles's current squeeze) Laney. But when a gift of lottery tickets turns her into a winner, Opal listens to her sisters' advice and cuts off the people who come back into her life only to sponge off her. Instead, she decides to make a fresh start: to find a place that inspires her to focus on her art, which turns out to be a flower farm in Asheville.

Pepper's Grandma Lou started and owned the Thistle and Bloom flower farm, but after her death, Pepper couldn't find the will or paperwork to confirm that she would carry on at the farm. She doesn't trust easily, thanks to a lifetime with a neglectful mother, so when a breezy pink-haired woman shows up and declares she's just bought the farm, Pepper is gutted and angry. Her pessimistic nature has her spiraling into despair over the loss of her home and livelihood, but a grudging attraction to Opal makes it difficult for Pepper to resist her attempts to find a compromise. The more they share space, though, the more they discover that their two very different personalities fit together in ways that they would never have thought possible.

This fun romance features two neurodivergent leads: Opal has no official diagnosis but recognizes herself as such, and Pepper is autistic. Both are drawn in a positive way to reveal that their different ways of thinking and processing can sometimes provide an advantage, and while they have plenty of misunderstandings based on their different forms of neurodivergence, they learn to communicate around those differences. While they start off as "enemies" facing off over the farm, they slowly come to support each other, first as friends and then as lovers. And since both have a host of past hurts and traumas, they're both characters you just want to hug.

A solid story -- plot is well done, with subplots woven in well, and the pacing is great (I whipped through it in one day). Love the side characters, too! A heartwarming and occasionally steamy sapphic romance. 4 stars.

CW: grief after loss of a loved one, complicated relationship with alcohol, parental neglect/abandonment

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.