❝ 𝓕𝓾𝓬𝓴 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓮𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓲𝓽 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓵𝔂 𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰. 🌺🤍💕
🐝
𝓐 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓷𝔂 𝓭𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓿𝓪𝓵𝓾𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓱𝔂. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵.” ❞ 🌸🌷🍃

𝟑 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ⭐⭐⭐

╰┈➤ 𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓯 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂

Opal unexpectantly wins a scratch off lotto - trying to decide what to do with her new found fortune, she decides to buy a flower farm in Asheville NC sight unseen. When she arrives at the flower farm she discovers that there is already someone living there. Pepper. Who had no idea that the only home she has ever know had been sold right from beneath her.

Opal is a huge people pleaser and honestly doesn't seem to have much of a backbone so she comes up with a plan where Pepper can stay at the farm with her and work for her in order to pay her back for the property.

╰┈➤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼

While this started out cute and fluffy I quickly found that there was several things that didn't work for me.

As the story progressed, I found that I couldn't really connect with either one of the main characters. There wasn't much quality dialogue between the two of them and they took the approach of 'no strings attached' - many sex scenes but nothing to back up the 'I love yous' that come later. Like what?

Aside from that - I didn't feel like either of the main characters were very fleshed out, they felt very one dimensional to me. Opal's character didn't come across consistent to me - in Pepper's chapters she came across one way and in hers another way. I'm sure that could have been done intentionally but it didn't work for me.

There was way too many pop culture references for me. I hate that with a burning passion.

I think this would work for readers who have no problem with suspending belief - at all.. you have to suspend a lot here and if you like flighty self deprecating characters.

╰┈➤ 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽

🌸Sapphic Romance
🌸Bi Representation
🌸Cottage Core Vibes
🌸Forced Proximity
🌸Grumpy/Sunshine
🌸Autism Representation
🌸Neurodiverse Representation
🌸Grief/Healing


A huge thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Mazey Eddings for the complementary audiobook in exchange for my honest review! 🌷💕

🌸BOOK REVIEW🌸

Late Bloomer - Mazey Eddings
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

“Sapphic, neurodivergent women working on a flower farm and falling in love? Be still my cottagecore lesbian heart! Eddings always knows how to check all my boxes with her affirming romance novels, but Late Bloomer has my whole heart. This book bursts with Eddings’ trademark compassion, humor, and beautifully flawed characters, all within a magnificent story about queer joy, queer love, and the power of queer community. As hopeful as the first bud of spring, as lovely as the lilacs in bloom, and as gay as lavender, this book is a must-read.” — Alison Cochrun

Mazey is always a must read for me and this one was no different! I love that she uses neurodiverse and flawed but lovable characters.

Recommend if you like:
- Sapphic romance
- Slow burn
- Enemies to lovers
- Neurodiversity
- Found family

Thank you McMillan audio for approving this title.

This book was so beautiful! (And can we talk about the cover!) Romance, friendship, self growth. It was all so beautiful.

I loved Pepper and Opals journey to eachother, I loved the support for neurodivergence and LGBTQIA+.

Seeing Opals growth in her confidence was so wonderful, I loved watching her stand up for herself and for Pepper 🩷

This was my first book from this author, and I loved it!

I found Opal to be very relatable. She's a person who wants to please everyone around her, hates the idea of someone not liking her, and wants to get a fresh start. I have always struggled to be a people pleaser, even if it meant burning out. I liked that even though she had won the lottery, she still struggled. That her entire personality didn't disappear just because she finally had some disposable income.

I struggled a little bit more with Pepper. I liked her enough, but I didn't feel like I connected with her like I did Opal. I did appreciate her love for her grandma, and wanting to keep the farm alive.

I LOVED that at the end the author includes the symbolism behind each flower that was mentioned in the book. It shows that the author put a lot of time into researching which flowers would be perfect for her book.

Overall I thought it was a perfect sapphic romance just in time for spring.

I absolutely ADORED Late Bloomer and consider it one of Mazey Eddings' best! This one is for anyone who feels unsure about themselves, whether it's about what they're doing, who they are, or what might be expected of them.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The storyline followed Opal Devlin & Pepper Smith. I enjoyed the autistic and neurodivergent representation. I think this is a really good book if you are looking for a light hearted read. I just could not get into the characters. I was waiting for a little more umph from the storyline. I felt feel like was missing that emotional connection. I got a little confused with which character was speaking at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio.

This book was so SO cute! I loved the dynamic between the two main characters. The neurodivergent rep is great. As a neurodivergent reader, it felt really authentic to me. I loved the premise and the setting. It was a sapphic floral dream.

The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job. Thankfully, this book had no weird moments of being pulled out of the story because of an odd delivery.

Only a quarter of a star off for the third act conflict, as it just felt a bit contrived, and for wanting the characters to just talk to each other at times.

I’m going to call this a DNF at 40%. This book felt like a chore I was dreading every time I knocked out another 10% at a time over a few weeks. I don’t know what’s not clicking. I WANTED to like this.

Opal’s people pleasing makes her make silly mistakes and she comes across as someone without any common sense. Then, she’s treated poorly by Pepper and the second Pepper is nice to her (while she’s unconscious with a migraine, mind you), Opal develops feelings for her. All the friends are telling each Opal and Pepper that they have feelings for each other and they’re denying it and whatnot but I didn’t feel it in the story at all.

Pepper was unkind. I understand her take on it but she was mean to the woman who kind of technically owns this property. Opal could toss her out any time she wanted yet Pepper is yelling at her for opening rooms in the house and telling her to leave all the time.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 This book didn't wow me, but i liked it. I dont listen to much lesbian romance, but it was just an okay read.i enjoyed the characters, and the narrators made it easy to follow along. I didn't get into the secondary characters as much. Like opals friend who "stalked her." And only cared about herself. But buying a flower farm from facebook was just bizarre to me. Like girl, you could have been scammed, but over all it was fast-paced.

Late Bloomer was a sweet and spicy sapphic romance in pure Mazey Eddings fashion. She always writes the best characters, I love how she portrays neurodivergence and sexual orientation. This was another well done book by this author.

I loved the characters. Pepper & Opal were the cutest. They were so perfect together, they had great chemistry, great banter and the way they just understood each other and were both there for one another was truly beautiful. The fact they were both new to the FF relationship, how they discovered eachother, what they liked. I loved it !!!! Their love story progressed perfectly 👌

Mazey just has a way with words, that grabs you and gives you all the feels. It was so heartwarming, sweet, spicy and just plain adorable. The setting in the flower farm was to die for. Is this super cliche and cheesy, it is but it's worth it!

🎧 The narration by Ellie Gossage was good, although it wasn't my favorite. I liked how she played Opal, but the voice she took for Penny sounded more like a man and I couldn't understand why she took that voice. I felt like just a little deeper would have worked. It was still very enjoyable.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @mazeyeddings for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The audiobook for Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings was such a fun and cute read. The characters were quirky but not over the top and the narration went really well with the story. Such a cute, fun queer read and I'm so glad I got to listen to the audiobook.

This was a cute gay time on a flower farm. The two FMC’s were both interesting characters and had a quirky dynamic. The audiobook was done very well. I will be checking out the authors other works!

I loved this so much! It was so sweet and spicy!! I was sent an audiobook ARC from Netgally in exchange for my honest review and I couldn’t be more thankful. I had so much fun with the audio, the narrator did a great job at bringing our girls to life. I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope and I ate this story up. Can’t wait to see more from this author.

After winning the lottery, Opal buys a failing flower farm. However, when she gets there, she finds out the owner’s daughter, Pepper, lives there and has no intention of leaving.

This had all of my favorite pieces of a Mazey book: neurodivergent rep, humor, spice and a fun full cast of characters. It was a low angst, low conflict romance read, and I think I was just looking to be pulled deeper into the story! If you are an audiobook fan, the narration was easy and well-known!

Read if you like:
-Sapphic romances
-Flower farms
-Opposites attract
-Neurodiverse rep
-Spicy reads
-Alison Cochrun/ Alexandra Bellefluer

3.5 stars
The blurb: Opal wins the lottery and immediately her best friend and ex boyfriend (who are now dating) go after her for money so she buys a flower farm in Asheville from a FB app, not even knowing if it was a phishing scheme. She then discovers that the woman’s daughter, Pepper is the one who lives there and runs the farm. Opal allows Pepper to remain and work out a payment schedule to pay her back. In the meantime, things develop between them— but they never talk about their feelings and wind up having a ridiculous fight at the end that, in true contemporary fashion, was just a prelude to the grand gesture HEA.

I wanted to love this book so much but it was a mixed bag for me. The narration was great. I also loved the neurodivergent rep and the sapphic spice level. I didn’t love the contrived drama/situations.

*Thanks to St Martin’s Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance reader and audio copies.

I struggled quite a bit with the audiobook version of Late Bloomer. For me, the best part of audiobooks is that I can speed up the narrator to sound like what I think normal speaking speeds are. At 1.75 speed this narrator was waaaaaaaaaayyyy too slow. PAINFULLY so. I could not imagine listening to them at the normal speed!


As far as the content itself, I dont know how she does it, but EVERY Mazey Eddings book I read just gets better and better. I cannot even express how ADORABLE I found this book. I loved it so much.

I think one of many things I like about Mazey's books is not only the representation shown in every book but they fact that her characters are SO human that you can easily see yourself in the book. Nothing feels out of touch about the romance book and that is a change for the better in my opinion. I wanted to put both Opal and Pepper in my pocket and protect them forever.

While definitely still spicy, it was so precious I couldn't even stand it. I am a SUCKER for found family too. Gracious I loved every bit of it!

I have mixed feelings on this one. For me, it was one of those romances with 'not enough plot.' There was a lot of sex and not a whole lot of talking between Opal and Pepper. For real, WAY TOO MANY sex scenes. They're attracted to each other, we get it. What about emotional connection? If I finish a book where the two MCs are engaged at the end, I would hope I have an understanding of how they will face any hardships or struggles that come their way. Opal ran away at one point, so you know that annoyed me. I loved watching Pepper stand up to her mom, though, and seeing Opal help Pepper through a horrendous migraine. Eddings's way of including the one bed trope was clever, too. Overall, it was a nice romance, but without the plethora of sex scenes it might have been labeled as YA due to the characters' minor developments and weak growth. I needed more substance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧Song Pairing: Rose Colored Lenses - Miley Cyrus (QUEEN!)

💭What I thought would happen:

I thought this would be a fabulous saphic exploration. I uhhh didn’t except to take the bloom part so seriously. That cover though…art! So so gorgeous

📖What actually happens:

Opal wins $500,000 in the lottery, buys property on Facebook Marketplace and finds a hottie with attitude living on and running the flower farm.

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

(-) First 25% - I really loved this book! It was cute and I was ready to let some major character flaws go but ya girl is petty and vengeful so buckle up:

I was chatting about my dislike for the MC with my girl Em and I kept calling her APPLE! Her name is flippin’ Pepper. I was nearly finished. I was in no way committed but I laughed

The other MC Opal is an absolute idiot. I just can’t with her inability to use her brain. Must be hard moving without a spine 🤦🏼‍♀️

Mazey is just not the number one author in my heart and hey that’s okay! Many others do! I don’t give my love away for free 🤷🏼‍♀️

(+) I still crushed this book. It had points where it was cute and quick. If the MCs weren’t the stars it could have been great. Loved the title selections Mazey was choosing between. I personally think she should have stuck with some Taylor and go with Lavender Haze 💕

I have already read Late Bloomer and jumped at the chance to listen to the audio book with narration by Ellie Gossage. I enjoyed the narration and can recommend the book in either format. I have devoured and loved all of Mazey Eddings previous books. This one took a little longer to warm up to the main characters, but once I got there I was hooked. Opal Devlin is a people pleaser and has impulse control issues, often to her detriment. When she unexpectedly wins a mid-sized lottery she buys a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina, where she wants to focus on her art. Pepper Smith lives on the Thistle and Bloom Farm and it is the only home she has ever known. She is hardworking, autistic and wants to figure out how to save the flower farm.

The pair decide to stay together on the farm pursuing their dreams. Pepper has been used and left behind by people who should have loved her and she is unprepared for the whirlwind of Opal. She doesn’t trust the kindness she offers. Opal is often her own worst but she is trying to learn from past mistakes. I love Opal's sisters for their support and wished they appeared or stayed in contact more. And I was perplexed that her parents have almost zero mentions in the story as she is clearly loved. Pepper’s friend group is a bit more in the story as they live in NC. The farm and flowers are almost their own character and I tried often to imagine it as they worked the fields. When you get to the end don’t forget to read the author discussing the various titles considered for the book. It made me laugh and calmed my emotions after the sweet ending. I loved the cover but can’t say it accurately shows the 9 inch height difference between the pair.

This makes me want to get my TBR pile down far enough that I can go back and read the Brush With Love series again by the author. I will also be waiting for whatever Mazey Eddings writes next. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook and I am leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I didn't know I needed this book, but this book knew I needed it! It's so cute and lighthearted but also full of character depth and growth. It hit every spot my hopeless romantic side needed in life right now, and I greatly enjoyed every moment of it!

I love the grumpy x sunshine vibes of this and the way that Opal and Pepper are so different yet fit together so perfectly that it seems like it was fate itself for them to meet. Then there's the neurodivergent representation and the way that they allow each other to be who they truly are no matter the circumstances. The way that they talk about neurodivergence is such a great example of how healthy relationships should be in real life and how to treat people who are different. I loved every second that I could see their neurodivergence shine and the ways that it made them even more loveable!

There was some added depth with their family backgrounds, and I loved that this added dimension to them. It made everything even more emotional, and they definitely made me love them even more for all of it.

If you're looking for a sweet sapphic story with some big feelings, get your hands on this book now!