Late Bloomer is a sweet sapphic romance with great neurodiversity representation set in a flower farm!

Opal is going through a rough patch when a large sum of money comes into her life. When she makes the decision about how to spend it, she meets Pepper and while the odds are stacked against them, they’re able to overcome obstacles to really see one another. While some of the obstacles may look easy to navigate, two neurodivergent people may not find them as easy! This was a fairly realistic portrayal of how that might play out. I enjoyed watching them navigate their issues separately but also come together for support when needed!

This audiobook was narrated by Ellie Gossage who did great with both Opal and Pepper! She was very engaging and I felt the strong difference between both characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Mazey Eddings, and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait for everyone else to read this on April 16th!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will post a Tiktok review within the week before it releases.

You'd think that winning the lottery would be a good thing, but its ruined Opal Devlin's life. She quit her dead-end job, but then she was just bombarded by people who wanted a piece of her winnings. To escape, she buys a failing flower farm in North Carolina where she plans to start her painting business. (The flowers can fend for themselves!) But (a very hot) Pepper Boden says she's the rightful owner of the farm, and she's not moving out, so the two strike up a cohabitation agreement.

I'm a huge Mazey Eddings fan, so I was really looking forward to getting my hands on this one! It definitely didn't disappoint! This was such a fun premise, and the execution was done beautifully. The dynamics between these two from beginning to end was a treat to listen to! I loved the farm drama and Opal and Pepper's reactions as the story went on. Tons of fun! I hope Opal's sisters are next in the series!

The audio: I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and generally, as long as the narrator doesn't pull me out of the story, I'm fine with it. Ellie Gossage goes above and beyond, and does a brilliant job with this story. Wonderful voices, great pacing, definitely a narrator I enjoy a lot!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audio copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I am obsessed with this book!

Opal won the lottery and is ready for a fresh start. She decides to leave behind her cheating ex and her dead-end job by moving to Asheville, North Carolina. She buys a flower farm sight unseen. When Opal arrives at the farm, she is surprised to learn Pepper (the granddaughter of the farm’s deceased owner) is living on the farm with no plans to leave. Opal and Pepper decide to live together while Pepper tries to earn enough money to buy Opal out.

This book took me a little bit to get into, because I had trouble understanding the decisions Opal was making. She is so naïve at times that I felt secondhand stress on her behalf.

Once I finished a few chapters, I was hooked. I love the dynamic between Pepper and Opal. Their friendship and eventual chemistry felt compelling and believable. They are both sweet and want to make each other smile. Pepper is in her late 20s and sleeping with Opal is her first-time having sex. Opal was so sweet, tender, and nonjudgmental. All their sex scenes are super-hot!

The sex scenes didn’t come at the expense of the plot. I teared up during parts because Pepper’s grief over losing her grandmother is written so poignantly. There were also a lot of funny moments too.
I appreciated the book’s neurodivergent rep – Pepper is very open about having autism and Opal suspects she has ADHD but has never been formally diagnosed.

Both Opal and Pepper grow during the book, learning that they are each deserving of love and also how to stand up for themselves and each other. The confrontation scenes (which I’ll avoid mentioning in detail because I don’t want to spoil) were swoony as Opal and Pepper stood up for each other. The confrontation scenes at the end gave me a sense of closure without being cheesy.

Opal is bisexual and so are both of her sisters. I really hope we get future books involving Opal’s sisters’ love stories!!

At the end of the book, the author provides insight into her process of deciding on the book title and the flower symbolism used throughout the book. Hearing her process added a lot to my reading experience.

The narrator did a great job of communicating emotion and personality throughout the book.

Highlights:
- sapphic romance (bi & lesbian main characters)
- learning to stand up for yourself and those you love
- neurodivergent rep (autism and ADHD)
- the perfect mix of sweet and spicy
- great narration by Ellie Gossage

From a suspend-all-beliefs aspect, I enjoyed this. I liked how Pepper and Opal complimented each other and helped each other handle their weaknesses.

However, the entire plot is centered around one thing- Opal buys the flower farm from Pepper's mom after Grandma Lou dies. I work in title insurance. The transfer of property is basically my job. There are so many things wrong with this. I suppose, technically, it could have gone down as written- as long as Opal never recorded the deed. But then she wouldn't have real paperwork to show Pepper. Though I suppose Pepper could also not know how transferring property works. So needless to say, this was in my head the entire time. It definitely impacted my ability to connect with the book.

The audiobook is narrated by Ellie Gossage. While I do not have any complaints about her actual narration, I wish it had dual narrators. The book is told by the POV of both Opal and Pepper. While each chapter does state who's POV it is from, it would have been more discernable with two narrators.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. I could easily connect with the characters. They felt so relatable, especially Pepper's past. Not everyone had a strong relationship with their mother so it's nice to feel a connection with a character and feel empathy and compassion because you know how they are feeling. Opal is just hard not to love, she is quirky and adorable. I love the Neuro divergency represented by both Opal and Pepper. But, Opal is easiest for me to relate to because I too have ADHD and every time she experienced an episode of imposter syndrome or emotional dis regulation I just felt for her do much. It just made me feel so normal because it didn't feel like the main point of the story. The girls were just self aware of it. I also love, love, love the fact that this story takes place on a flower farm it just add a special whimsy to the story. And oh my gawd the spice. Well done and not over the top. Loved it. Loved the narrator! Loved the tidbits at the end about the flowers and how the book got it's title and it looks appreciated the content warning about lose and abandonment at the beginning. Overall loved this book so much ❤️

#SpeakUpSMP and let your readers, reviewers, and influencers know about the tangible steps you are taking to ensure the safety and equity of your influencer programs. Your silence only serves to deepen the divide and erode the trust between St. Martin's Press and those who have supported your authors and titles.

Spring is in the air and being at a flower farm sounds like a perfect setting for a sapphic romance. Opal wins the lottery and is at crossroads with her life. She decides to buy a flower farm sight unseen where she learns Pepper lives there and it was a farm started by her grandmother. They decided to help each other out and live together on the farm. I loved seeing their friendship/romance develop. There's a lot of funny moments and I love how Eddings writes real characters and how their mental health is important in the story. The story is told in dual POV and I wished the there was 2 narrators instead of 1.

The author's note was such a treat. I loved the ideas of the different titles she came up with.

Thank you @smpromance @macmillan.audio @netgalley for a copy of this.

As always, Ellie Gossage's narration of Mazey's latest release was exceptional. Mazey has a remarkable talent for delving deep into her characters' emotions, and Ellie's narration truly brought them to life. While I typically adore Mazey's work, this story didn't resonate with me as firmly as others.

Opal's life takes a drastic turn when she wins the lottery, although I wish she had won more, given her aspirations. Opal's character, although well-intentioned, often comes across as a pushover, which I found frustrating at times. Despite being scammed, she becomes deeply involved in helping Pepper overcome her struggles, showcasing her kind-hearted nature.

On the other hand, Pepper is portrayed as more guarded and cautious, which feels relatable and authentic. Their evolving relationship and eventual romance added a sweet element to the story, and I appreciated seeing the antagonists face the consequences of their actions.

While the story had moments of charm and romance, it didn't capture my heart like Mazey's previous works. Nevertheless, Ellie Gossage's narration and Mazey's storytelling prowess ensured an enjoyable experience.

3.5 stars! Super cute sapphic rom com with lots of cheesey lines, adorable mishaps, and loads of flower puns. I loved Opal and Pepper together and they were easy to root for and both so very relatable, even though they were so different - opposites really do attract! I loved the neurodivergent representation and how each character had a lot to overcome but it still felt light and was a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

This was so cute! Sure, it was a little cheesy, but that didn’t stop me from grinning throughout. Loved the neurodivergence of it all between the two FMCs and enjoyed both of their character development — a backbone for Opal and love for Pepper. Aren’t their names cute too?

Tropes include forced proximity and grumpy sunshine with spice at 2/5.🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

Mazey Eddings is a new author to me, and I grabbed the audio version of Late Bloomer because I loved the cover. Such a sweet and interesting story about Opal who buys a farm from FB Marketplace after winning the lottery (WTF?). LOL, how could that not grab your attention?

My heart went out to feisty Pepper, who is the victim of a manipulative mother, and stands up for what she believes is right.

Eddings paints a colorful picture of this small North Carolina town, and I enjoyed the family drama - both with Opal's interesting sisters and the women in Pepper's clan as well.

The audio version of Late Bloomer is beautifully performed by Ellie Gossage.

4⭐️
I really enjoyed this one! It was sweet and endearing and even though it was a bit cheesy, its always nice to see sapphic books with happy endings. The characters were extremely frustrating in a way that made them very realistic and made me actually care about them. The flower symbolism throughout the book was beautifully done and I could feel the love through the pages. I felt the story progressed a bit quickly but it was a short book so that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The premise was fun and I didn’t mind all the pop culture references. I recommend this book when it’s released next month on April 16!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio copy!

I was immediately enamoured with the storyline of winning the lottery and then impulsively buying a flower farm in North Carolina. If only that could happy to me! Mazey Eddings did a great job with developing the characters of Opal and Pepper and I thought their chemistry was really fun from the get go. Some of the plot points seemed a little left behind in favor of developing the relationship without them, but I think some of them could have been catalysts for the changes in their relationship that just sort of seemed to happen (i.e. I wish the competition had been used in the story more and the surpise guests later in the book just seemed so short and unexpected). That being said, I really enjoyed the characters and the sweet moments, plus the spicy scenes did their job too!

Ellie Gossage did an amazing job with the narration. I tend to struggle with audiobooks that have dual POVs, but Ellie was able to use her voice to distinguish so well between the two that you could be fooled into thinking it was actually two people. She did great with the other characters in the book and was really good with the few emotional bits as well.

If you have been here awhile, you know how much I love Mazey Eddings. The Plus One remains my favorite contemporary romance of all time, but I am sad to report that I was a tiny bit disappointed with Late Bloomer.

I always adore Mazey's characters. They are relatable, and I care deeply about their inner thoughts and how they work through issues, especially with their neurodiversity. When I read Eddings' books, I feel seen.

Opal and Pepper are no different. I liked both the main characters and Opal's sisters, too. (I hope we get their books.) I connected most with Pepper, as I also have past trauma caused by family. I think what was missing for me was the characters' vulnerability. While it is touched upon, I wanted more. I wanted to feel Pepper's hurt, but I didn't. This is usually standard in Mazey's books. So, I was expecting to be hurt.

My other issue, which was surprising, was that I struggled with the plot. As a character-driven reader, the plot rarely matters. Yet, here, it felt unfocused, especially the competition aspect. Had this plot point been brought to the forefront more, it would have helped a ton. It felt like a waste of a beautiful and clever setting.

Despite my issues, I still had fun. I loved Opal and Pepper and their romance. I smiled and laughed a lot. If you love sweet, sapphic contemporary romances, I recommend you try this and all of Mazey's works.

I did this via audio. Ellie Gossage did a great job. While listening, I thought this was dual narration. I was shocked to find out it wasn't. I could easily tell the difference between the POVs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars★

Opal's luck strikes when she wins the lottery and impulsively purchases a flower farm in Asheville. Little does she know, Pepper is already residing there! To make amends, Opal proposes a plan for Pepper to stay and work together on the farm as repayment.

This book had me going through a whirlwind of emotions. On one hand, I absolutely loved the representation of neurodivergent characters and the sapphic spice level. But on the other hand, I gotta keep it real, the contrived drama and situations didn't quite hit the mark for me. And let's not forget about Pepper and Opal's similar voices! It was like a never-ending guessing game of who was speaking. I was really hoping for a deeper emotional connection with the main characters too. Sometimes, it got a bit cringey or over the top for my taste. The dialogue felt a bit clunky in places, and I wanted more tension. Overall this was light-hearted read, not too heavy on the plot.

This was delightful!! A cozy sapphic romance between two neurodiverse women with a version of forced proximity. Opal wins the lottery and after being fed up with friends wanting handouts, impulsively decides to buy a flower farm where she can do her art in peace. But she buys it off of Facebook marketplace, and when she arrives the grand-daughter of the late owner is still living there and Pepper refuses to move out. They come to a tentative agreement for the next year, and then slowly fall in love. Pepper is autistic and Opal probably has ADHD and is maybe autistic as well, but they are definitely an opposites attract kind of romance. I found this to be incredibly charming, while also being quite sexy as well. A really great contemporary romance that is worth reading! Especially if you're looking for a very low-angst romance with cozy vibes. The audiobook narrator does make Opal sound a bit young when they're actually mid-twenties, but otherwise did a good job. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This is a sapphic romance with grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, and bi and neurodiverse representation. It started well for me, fluffy, cute, and kinda cringe with all the pop culture references, but nothing offensive.

The further I got, though, the less interested I became. I just couldn't connect with the characters at all and didn't care about the romance whatsoever, so I decided to DNF at 49.7% and then jump to the last chapter and epilogue to see how it ended because life's too short. I know enough to say that this didn't work for me.

Another thing that didn't work for me was the narrator. She was slightly grating to me. Sometimes, I can ignore it when I don't particularly like the narration, but something about this made it impossible. The approach she took for her delivery overall and the way she made Pepper sound in particular got on my last nerve. I just didn't like it.

The cover of this one alone will have you from the start!

Opal is tired of her life, her job, all of it. Once night she wins the lottery and decides to up and buy an old flower farm. However, once she arrives, Pepper is there, the granddaughter of the sweet little gal who owned the farm, the daughter of the estranged mother who sold the farm to Opal. Opal feels for Pepper, and agrees to sell the farm back to Pepper, staying there with her to help bring the farm back to life. What she didn't expect, however, was to fall in love.

The delightful story will tug at your heart and give you all the feels of a cheesy romance.

Narrator: The narrator chosen for this story was a good choice. She did an excellent job bringing the story to life and making it feel like I was in the story. She transitioned well among the characters throughout the story, especially the two main characters. Because this story is told in dual POV, I do wish two narrators has been chosen for the main characters.

Story: Overall I enjoyed the story. It was sweet and lighthearted. If you like spicy sapphic books this will hit the spot.

It focuses more on the two main characters with short bits from side characters, but I enjoyed the characters. I did feel like something little was missing between the two main characters. For me they were more friends with benefits and I didn't feel as much chemistry between the two as the author meant for there to be. They were great together and I enjoyed both of the characters.

At the end of the book the author includes a list of flowers used throughout the story, the flower meaning and how each was used throughout the story. Not just where the flowers were in the scene, but also what the flowers meant for that particular scene. This was a wonderful touch to the story and shows the author did her homework and put care into the story.

I have enjoyed each of Mazey Eddings books. I love the way she tells stories and creates her characters. This wasn't my favorite of her books, but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

📚Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings
🎧ALC Review(Copy gifted by @macmillanaudio via @netgalley)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available April 16th, Not KU

🥰Enjoyment: Ah I loved this! I loved Opal and Pepper and their friends and the flower farm. I just loved it.

📖 🎧 Writing &/or Audio Style: This was my second Mazey Eddings title, the previous one being Tilly in Technicolor, which is a YA title. This one definitely not. Not “smutty” per se but there’s spice and steaaaam. Eddings writing style is easy to get sucked into and really enjoyable. I love her representation of neurodivergent characters. Ellie Gossage did a very nice job with the narration, I particularly enjoyed her performance as Opal, but her Pepper voice grew on me over time as well.


👥 Characters & Relationships: Late Bloomer is literally the perfect title for this one (there’s a whole explanation on how this title came to be at the end of the book), but in Opal & Pepper both (despite their sunshine/grumpy demeanors) we have two perfectly imperfect women, living with ND brains, trying to carve out their spot in the world in spite of external influences.

⁉️Plot, Intrigue & Logic: The plot was really cute and enjoyable. I felt like the blurb exaggerated aspects that were not as prominent in the story, just an FYI. But I loved the premise and how Opal’s personality really dragged Pepper along for the glass half full ride.

🏞️Atmosphere & Setting: Set in Asheville NC, but primarily on the flower farm I imagined this beautiful fragrant setting.

🚨 For Reader Awareness: Really crappy parent, crappy “friends”

📣Recommended for fans of: Romcoms with Neurodivergent rep

🎭Mood Reader Classification: I loved it. Might own a copy one day, especially if the right special edition comes along.