Mazey Eddings has been an autoread author for me for a long while now - they way she writes neurodivergence has really healed something deep within my brain. I was so so excited to see that this book is sapphic and it lived up to everything I've come to expect from Mazey's writing!

Opal and Pepper's relationship isn't perfect - it's the story of two neurodivergent people getting to know each other and figuring out how to communicate and how to show up for the other person. Their relationship felt incredibly realistic which honestly is something I love to see in books. Just because it isn't immediately easy, doesn't mean that the relationship is any less valid or swoony. There are so many quotes and sections that I highlighted because they are just SO GOOD

I found myself relating so much to Opal - her ADHD, willingness to do anything for her friends (even when they aren't very good friends), crassness, really just all of her! I loved Pepper too but wasn't relating to her much until she talked about her queerness and labels, which felt very similar to my own experience/feelings.

Read this for:
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Neurodivergence (ADHD & Autism)
- Opposites attract
- "Let's bang it out to get it out of our systems"
- Truly lovely and supportive friend group
- unapologetic queerness

I really liked the audiobook and the narration by Ellie Gossage was excellent.

Also this book has easter eggs for both Tilly in Technicolor and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake! I also feel like the Princess Bride reference in this book is just for me (it's definitely not).

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for this audio arc!

Late Bloomer follows two very different girls as their whole lives are turned upside down.
Opal is really down on her luck, until she wins the lottery. Desperate to escape her circumstances, she ends up buying a flower farm. This is going to be the perfect new start! However, when she shows up Pepper is there.

Pepper has been living on her grandma's floral farm for years now, and she recently passed. Pepper just assumed that she would get the property. But when pink haired and wild Opal shows up with the deed stating that she owns the property, it becomes apparent that her life is NOT going the way that she expected.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2024 and it did not disappoint! I wasn't even aware that Mazey Eddings writes Neurodiverse characters. This was sapphic and had ADHD/ASD representation and I loved every single second. I literally laughed out loud and fell in love with both characters. I HIGHLY recommend this book! Plus the cover is STUNNING!

Late Bloomer has cemented itself as one of my all-time fave sapphic romances. The neurodivergent and Autistic representation made me feel so seen. I related so much to Pepper in every way, which is so rare for me in reading characters who are on the spectrum. And the fact that the story was set in North Carolina, specifically Asheville, was so fun because I felt like I was in on a little secret since I was able to recognize so many of the references and could picture the setting so easily. Opal and Pepper's story was so sweet and lovely, the way they connected had me kicking my feet and giggling -- I love them so much and I need a hundred more books about them. This book will be one I read and reread for years to come.

The way Mazey Eddings never misses is amazing. As a 40 year old with ADHD, and all the insecurities that come along with that inside friendships and relationships, feeling constantly like you’re “too much” for that person…. Somehow, when I read Mazey’s books - I feel deeply scene. Usually moving me to tears at least once.

Late Bloomer was no different. Of course the author drew me to this book first, but the cover also immediately captivated me. It’s truly gorgeous. This delightful sapphic romance about two neurodivergent women was deeply heartwarming. It’s a must read for all.

My only note on the beautiful audiobook narration is a pronunciation. The few occasions the Appalachian Mountains are mentioned, it’s pronounced “appaLAYshun”. But in North Carolina, we say “AppaLATCHun”. It might not seem like much - but it gave me pause both times - since Opal is supposed to be a western North Carolinian. I’m sure it’s much too late to fix it - but just a note for the future. ;)

After falling in love with Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake I put Mazey Edding’s on my TO WATCH author radar and was soooo excited to see Late Bloomer and its gorgeous cover cross my path.

Opal and Pepper… the cutest!

When Opal comes across a large sum of money she chooses to follow her dreams with her art and on a whim purchases a flower farm… Pepper works on the farm and it wasn’t brought to her attention that her late aunts property has been sold. So when people pleasing Opal turns up to move in Pepper is taken a back and has no family or place to go. She lives and breaths the flower farm and needs it. So what does Opal do but suggest a way for them to both stay. Opal can create her art and Pepper can continue working on the farm with hopes to purchase it back.

I really enjoyed this one. 💯 out there that Opal wouldn’t be like … ugh this is my place now bye… but then we wouldn’t have a book! The characters have a lot of depth to them Pepper grieving and Opal wanting to be that person Pepper can trust to be there. I loved these two and their connection and how it blossomed over time. Very much opposites attract!

My favorite part in romances are the occupations/hobbies/interests and the flower farm and Opals shoe art stole my heart.

Thank you Macmillan Audio 🎧
Releases 4/16

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The narrator did a fabulous job bringing the characters to life. I really enjoyed their voice, it fit the story perfectly in my opinion!

Overall the story was cute. I give it 4 stars. It was a sweet romance book. But I did feel some of it was a bit rushed. There was a disconnect between the middle and the ending of the book. All in all it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Late Bloomer is another quirky, heartwarming romance from Mazey Eddings. The story follows Opal, a naive, lost artist who wins the lottery and can’t handle how it impacts the people around her. She impulsively buys a flower farm, but when she arrives, she meets Pepper…the rightful owner of the farm. The two come to an agreement that involves them living on the farm together. The two couldn’t be more different, but why is there still chemistry between them?

This was a super cute read. It is full of vibes and romance, as well as lovable characters. There is a full cast of fun characters, so I hope Eddings revisits this world. Ellie Gossage does an excellent job with the narration. I highly recommend the audio format.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The cutesy swoony vibes were immaculate and the flower vibes just screamed ✨SPRING✨! Not to be dramatic but I’m a better more happier person because I read this book😂
Also I love me an instantly wealthy/coming into a large sum of money troupe AND a starts whole new life troupe so this book was it for me!!!

Also I have to admit that while I read this tandem-ly I definitely endorse the audiobook if you have to choose one! It was sooooo good!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for the review copies as always my opinion on thes books are all mine💕

5.0⭐️

#macmillanaudio #stmartinsgriffin #stmartinspress #latebloomer #mazeyeddings I

Title: Late Bloomer by Mazey Edddings
Publication Date- 04/16/24
Publisher- Macmillan Audio
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A cozy, cozy sapphic romance on a flower farm. What else do you need? Nothing. Review over.

Okay fine. I really enjoyed Late Bloomer. Mazey Eddings has become one of my go to romance authors. She writes into her stories wholesome characters, medium stakes, realistic dynamics and humor. Similar to her other works, Mazey has written two neurodivergent characters and she does it well. You can tell she pours so much love and pieces of herself into her writing which greatly transforms her stories. Take Lovelight Farms and make it sapphic.

This is an all around wholesome good time. We have Opal who has won the lottery and wants a change from her current life. She is a “yes woman,” and struggling to do something out of her comfort zone. Then we have Pepper whose grandmother just died and her estranged mother has sold the family flower farm to a stranger who just won the lottery (insert Opal showing up and moving in).

The two main tropes are grumpy sunshine and forced proximity. The all around mood and tone of this story is light and hopeful while also discussing topics like grief and neurodivergency. There is also solid bisexual representation without biphobia.

I also really enjoyed the narration, the characters were brought off the page and the quality was great. Audio is not a bad way to take in this story. Either way, if you’re a romance fan you don’t want to miss this new release.

This audio is perfect. This book is perfect! Pepper and Opal have my HEART! I love everything Mazey writes and already can’t wait for whatever’s next!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars

Aaaaaaw. This is a sweet one.

Opal and Pepper meet through an intriguing circumstance. After coming into a lot of money, Opal purchases a large flower farm. It turns out that the seller of this farm, Pepper's mother, is a shady individual who has not had Pepper - the farm's long-time resident - in mind at all during her selfish money grab. Trouble and romance ensue simultaneously when Opal and Pepper find themselves in the same place with at first different and then quite complementary goals.

As is the case in many romances, some of the opportunities for character development and plot expansion move aside for the sake of the burgeoning relationship. I did enjoy both characters - Pepper more than Opal - and the queer and neurodivergent rep is great, but the most satisfied readers will be those who come for the romance versus other elements.

This is a cute one, and the author's note about the title is a funny must-read at the end.

We all know by now if @mazeyeddings writes it, I will NEED to read it! (Plus we are both dentist 🦷 yay!)

Late Bloomer 🌸 is another winner from Mazey; this book was fast paced, a breathe of fresh air but most important a very raw story (she always writes some messy but relatable characters). I love the representation of autism and neurodiversity within the two MCs - it makes it almost impossible not to fall in love with Pepper and Opal.

Opal, a neurodivergent, wins the lottery just in time for a much needed life change. What she doesn’t expect is this life change isn’t what it seems to be from the get go as her world collides with Pepper, who is autistic. Opal is a people pleaser and Pepper would prefer to avoid people, but what “blossoms” and yes pun intended, is more beautiful than anything that can be grown in a garden.

This precious, feminine novel has so much amazing mental health representation and will leave you with all the feels! PS - loved a little Lizzie mention too made my heart flutter

Late Bloomer

Oh my goodness this book stole my heart. I’ve loved everything Mazey Eddings writes but it’s possible this is my new favorite.

Opal won the lottery, left her dead end job (and loser ex boyfriend) and buys a flower farm. It’s a total surprise when she finds, Pepper, who lives and works on the farm and is searching for her late grandmother’s will.

The two come to a truce of sorts where both stay on the farm. As they decide to compete in a contest to help Pepper buy back the farm they develop a friendship with benefits that quickly becomes more.

This was just so tender. I wanted to give Opal and Pepper a hug at different points. I loved the setting on the flower farm and am dreaming of a beautiful bouquet after reading. I loved the friendship with benefits they shared that was quickly more. I just adore the relatable characters Eddings writes. They both needed someone to love them. I loved how they cared die each other. I mostly listened to the audiobook and appreciated how the narrator was able to alternate between Pepper and Opal. As always, I cannot wait for more books from Mazey Eddings.

i'm so happy to report that one of my most anticipated romance reads of spring 2024 was great. 'late bloomer' by mazey eddings follows 24-year-old opal, a down-on-her-luck artist with severe anxiety who suddenly wins $500,000 on a scratch ticket. desperate for a fresh start, she spontaneously buys a flower farm with plans to use the lush landscape to inspire her art. what she didn't count on was the surly, yet very attractive, pepper who currently lives on & operates the farm that used to belong to her late grandmother. deciding to both live on the farm until a solution can be found, opal and pepper very quickly realize that while they might be opposites in almost every way, maybe a desire to save the farm will bring them together in the end.

this was CUTE. nothing i love more than a floral, rural setting. the mental health & neurodiverse representation in this book was great, and the slow burn of the romance felt very real & moved the story along well. i do wish we got to spend more time with some of the side characters (especially opal's two sisters), as they all felt like placeholders whose only function was to push the main romance along, and they could have been more developed. overall, i was really happy with how this story went, and am excited to see if eddings writes any more queer stories in the future.

THANK YOU!!! Thank you!!! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this swoonworthy audio ARC.

I adored Ellie Gossage‘s narration. She truly brought Pepper and Opal to life.

Mazey is a goddess and I once again pledge my undying love to her and any book babies she puts out in to this world. I went crazy over the Easter egg that was dropped in from another book and was happy to catch as many references as I did for other things. I cannot wait to get my physical copy of this book!!!

okay so, it started off super cute then fell flat for me in the middle and then ended super cute! Oh and the cover is gorgeous and the characters were super relatable! I loved the chemistry and the character growth. I really enjoy Mazey Eddings writing style!

On the surface, you could easily be deceived by this gorgeous cover and think this is merely a cutie sapphic romance, BUT this is a Mazey Eddings’ story so it has beautiful depth and delves into grief, loss, and allowing yourself to love and embrace that you are worthy of being love. I enjoyed this story so much I read it twice, with my eyes and ears!

If you love forced proximity, you’re in luck because there only one cabin situation nestled within a cozy flower farm and if you also love a found family, Mazey delivers a spectacular supporting cast of quirky, endearing, and fiercely protective characters. I really loved Mazey’s use of flowers and how the memories and lessons from Pepper’s grandmother were beautifully entwined with Opal and Pepper’s individual journeys of growth and healing, as well as their blossoming relationship together.

What else did I love? There’s migraine rep! It thrills me seeing migraines included in more books and Mazey wrote about living with migraines - the debilitating pain, aura, and brain fog and how things like changes in weather and the sun (I can personally attest to this) can be triggering and further exacerbate the pain - with great care and accuracy.

Ellie Gossage’s narration for this soft, sweet story was excellent and I loved the emotion she brought to Opal and Pepper’s characters. Her voices not just for Opal and Pepper but the supporting cast as well, were so entertaining and engaging. Gossage’s vocal performance for Late Bloomer was top notch and I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for all the warmth, humor, and heart she adds to the story.

Late Bloomer is a beautiful reminder that we’re all messy, imperfect beings with doubts, fears, hurt, and unspoken or unachieved dreams… but no matter how chaotic, wild, or “too much” you might think you are, you’re enough and deserving of love as is. If you’re looking for a hug in book form, Late Bloomer is it!

Mazey Eddings can do no wrong in my opinion! I absolutely loved this opposites attract, forced proximity, dual POV, Sapphic romance that sees Opal winning the lottery and buying a flower farm unbeknownst to the former owner's daughter, Pepper, who is also the farm manager.

With great neurodiversity rep (Pepper is autistic and Opal has undiagnosed ADHD) and disability rep (Pepper suffers from migraines), this book is full of heart, heat and all the feels as the two women are forced to work together as they try to win a big flower sculpting competition in order to win a grand prize that would allow Pepper to put a down payment towards buying back the farm.

The emotional depth in this book was outstanding! Pepper hasn't taken a chance on love before and opens herself up to a new sexual relationship with Opal who is also experiencing what it's like to be with a woman for the first time. There was also a lot of family drama between Opal's sisters and Peppers absentee, neglectful mother.

Highly recommended for fans of authors like Alexandra Bellefleur or Alison Cochrun and great on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: open door

A beautiful sapphic romance!

Opal and Pepper are brought together to save the family flower farm, but they both have the worst history of people using them and not caring. I'm a sucker for a great story that takes you along with the character's journey of growth, and this one does not disappoint.

I especially enjoyed the migraine and autistic rep, allowing me to relate to them on another level. They both just want to be loved and genuinely cared for, and I was worried at one point that it wasn't going to work out, but Mazey always makes it right in the end.

**Autism/Migraine rep
**Forced proximity
**Grumpy/Sunshine

I highly recommend the audiobook, as the narrator brought Pepper and Opal to life! A heart-warming story that will make you smile, but wish you could reach through the book and hug them.

Oh goodness, this was the sweetest story. The title is beyond perfect, and you can see how it's woven throughout the story.

I love how the author really took her time to match each flower mentioned with its true intention or healing property. The images she painted us had me wishing this was a movie! The spice was tender and heartwarming, and I loved the overall theme of learning to fully embrace your true self.