Oh my goodness, what a delightful story! Mazey Eddings delivered a beautiful little Sapphic romcom, with two perfectly flawed humans that show sometimes, even when adversity happens, love can still bloom.

Opal in her little neurodivergent brain, struggles to say no to others after winning the lottery, so she decides to escape and buys a flower farm from someone she meets online. However, there is more than meets the eye, as the farm is failing, and shouldn't have been sold from underneath Pepper, the current farm's tenant and occupant.

While these 2 become roommates, and eventually with benefits, we get to see how they grow together and learn how to support themselves, and one another. These two characters, along with all the side characters along the way, show just how much found family is. Pepper, and eventually Opal's, were phenomenal and funny and fiercely protective of each other.

Ellie Gossage as a narrator was absolutely phenomenal! Her differences between Opal and Pepper were distinct, and meshed so well with their personalities, that I could always tell who was speaking.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Mazey Eddings for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

The publisher for the audio is listed as MacMillan, which is not under an active boycott and why I was comfortable requesting this title. However, when looking up the book online I noticed other reviewers thanking SMP and I now see the paperback and ebook are listed as under St. Martins Press/its imprints, which is under a review & promo boycott until SMP addresses the Islamophobia and racism publicly espoused by an employee who has a direct hand in managing ARCS/influencer outreach. I will not be providing a review or any promotion at this time in solidarity with the SMP boycott.

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings is a cute, sapphic, romcom about Opal and Pepper. After buying a flower farm to get a fresh start, Opal is surprised to learn that the farm is Pepper’s home and she had no idea it had been sold. When Opal’s fresh start turns into a roommate situation, this slow burn romance will have you laughing at the absurdity of their situation.

found the audiobook to be super easy to fly through and hit a max speed of 2.5x easily. The voice tones were done well and Pepper, who is neurodivergent, was given both a flat and incredulous voice quality that I thought was really well done.

Alternating between both points of view, Eddings give you a window into the hearts and minds of Opal and Pepper. There is open door spice that last multiple chapters. Late Bloomers is a fun, easy read you could take to the beach!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

As soon as I pressed play, I knew I was going to like it. Two neuro-divergent main characters and the point of view shifts between the two, big Hallmark vibes, but they're queer women which I LOVE.

This was a cute, mostly light story with relatable and realistic characters. Both the dialogue and inner monologues of the main characters were entertaining, and there was a good balance of drama and sweetness. I particularly liked the character growth throughout the story, and I thought that it moved at a realistic pace. The narrator of the audiobook did an excellent performance, with distinct voices for all of the characters and unique cadence for the dual points of view in the story.

As a millennial myself, this book strikes me as extremely “millennial,” with many pop culture and Internet references throughout. Overall I don’t mind this, but it did at times feel a bit like it was following a checklist of relatability, so to speak. Both the sexuality and neurodivergence of the two main characters was portrayed well, in my opinion, without it being infantalizing or falling into stereotypes. Fans of cute, opposites attract romances will definitely love this book. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. This is my honest review.

5/5 A dorky, sexy, sapphic romance with equal parts heart and spice.

Opal is a people pleasing, rambling, kind hearted person. After winning some money she buys a flower farm, sight unseen. This is where she meets Pepper, the current farmer of The Thistle and Bloom flower farm. Pepper cares for these flowers with all her heart and attention. She thought she’d own the farm after her Grandma Lou’s passing.

Opal and Pepper might get off on the wrong foot but quickly see the kindness in each other and become friends instead of enemies. Pepper has a very hard time trusting after a troubled childhood and relationship with her mother. But as they lean on each other more and more… more than a friendship blooms.

The audiobook for this is VERY good. I thought it was Duet Narration, but there is only one narrator listed. She rocked it because it was easy to tell who was speaking at all times. Macmillan audio did a great job producing and capturing Mazey’s characters personalities.

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings takes place in Ashville, NC where a young-mid-twenty-somethings Opal is feeling stuck and lost in life when thanks to winning the lottery she winds up purchasing a flower farm; at the same time upending the life of Pepper, the late-mid-twenty–something woman who was living on Thistle & Bloom, the flower farm her grandmother left behind when she passed, which her conning mother blindsidedly sold. The two try to cohabitate, but find themselves butting heads more than they are getting along.

The characters just felt so real, grappling with their own mental illnesses and personal battles that come with emerging adulthood. This book really struck a chord with me with so many relatable topics. I really appreciated how eventually the characters opened up to each other about past traumas. I loved the queerness. I loved the ND rep. I even loved Pepper’s grief due to her closeness with her grandmother. Her still having a hard time with the grief. Her rough relationship with her mother. Her figuring out so much later in life she’s queer. Was this character written about me??? Anyway, I always appreciate a good enemies-to-lovers trope. Every damn time it gets me. Even though this was probably more of an opposites-attract type beat.

Despite my love for all of the details, I feel like some pieces of the plot were a little rushed or was not really talked about much. In the beginning, I found myself rewinding parts thinking I had missed something, when I actually didn’t. I guess the beginning of the book I did not really find engaging, however after a third of the way in, I was hooked. I cringed soo hard whenever there was a miscommunication between Opal and Pepper but I had to keep reminding myself that Pepper’s autistic. The only things I didn’t enjoy about the book had to do with the character’s personalities/personal lives and nothing to do with the book themselves. Like why the fuck would you remain “best friends” with a woman who stole your boyfriend???

Elli Gossage’s narration of this story was noice. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It really grew on me, lol. By the end I was so invested and will 100% be reading more of Mazey Edding’s work and a sequel if there is one. It was just nice to hear about queerness, neurodivergency, trauma, and grief all in one book. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to the publishers & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF after 10%.

I usually give books more of a chance, but I absolutely can’t stand ton of the main characters. The fact that she wins the lottery, and then buys a flower farm, sight unseen, off Facebook market place, and is then surprised that there are consequences and a catch… from what I’ve seen from other reviews, she doesn’t not get better.

This is an another amazing book by Mazey Eddings. Opal and Pepper were both such great characters. They struggled to fit in and feel accepted, and they found that acceptance and love with each other. I loved their dynamic, and their relationship was so much fun to read.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Ellie Gossage, did a wonderful job of narrating both characters. Her work added so much joy to the story.

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, all opinions are my own.

Audiobook specific comments: I think the narration/listening is what kept me reading this story. I can say, have one narrator for two female characters did get confusing. I can see that Ellie really tried to differentiate the two characters but think two narrators would have been better.

Full Review:

Disappointing is an understatement for my experience with this book. With its setting on a flower farm in NC, it seemed tailor-made for me, and given my past enjoyment of Mazey's adult romances, my expectations were high. However, Late Bloomer fell short.

While the cover was undeniably flawless, the same cannot be said for the content within. The narrative felt disjointed, as if it had been written by two different authors. There was a glaring lack of plot development, and the interactions between the main characters, Pepper and Opal, were sparse and devoid of depth. It left me questioning whether they truly got to know each other or if their relationship was merely founded on miscommunication.

Moreover, the balance between steamy scenes and actual plot was skewed, bordering on fetishization. Pepper and Opal's personalities seemed better suited to a young adult novel rather than an adult romance, further adding to the disconnect. The sheer implausibility of certain events also tested my suspension of disbelief. For instance, the idea of purchasing a property worth $300k through Facebook Marketplace seemed ludicrous that this was just the beginning.

Overall, while the premise held promise and some good moments, the overall execution fell flat.

meh. cute story! just didn’t feel emotionally connected or attached to either main. opal irked me and i didn’t love the contest concept but it was cute nonetheless. thank you netgalley for this ARC!

This was an easy breezy sapphic romance between two women who both think they’re the rightful owner to the flower farm. Opal, the chaotic artist who buys the farm after winning the lottery, and Pepper, the serious woman who thinks she’s inherited the farm from her grandma. They agree to live there together while they work out a solution and you already know how that goes.

It was an easy listen, the tone was pretty light and the characters were endearing, if not a little young feeling. I really enjoyed Pepper’s character, the autism rep was great and I loved her character arc. I also really enjoyed the side characters and what a great support system they were for our FMCs.

There was a lot of focus on the inner monologue instead of a complicated plot or them actually communicating with each other. It felt like they went from hooking up to being in love with not a lot of getting to know each other beyond the sex but if you love character driven stories with lots of exposition about their inner thoughts maybe you’ll love this part of it! I could have personally used more swoons and romance between them.

Overall though I thought it was good and I was entertained by the audio. The audio performance was great, I could easily tell the difference between the FMCs and the side characters. I do recommend it if you’re looking for something sapphic and easy reading!

Late Bloomer is a Sapphic romance set on a flower farm outside of Asheville. Told from the perspectives of Pepper and Opal, I loved how this story incorporates the thoughts of each of the FMCs. Opal is 24 and living in Charlotte at the start of the story. She wins big on a scratch off ticket and decides to buy a house and flower farm outside of Asheville, a place she's always felt far more at home. Pepper is 26 and isn't pleased about Opal's arrival. She's grieving the death of her grandmother who raised her and she struggles with changes to her routine. Pepper is open about her autism and neurodivergence, and I love how Eddings writes about these topics with such care.

This book is both light and fun and contains enough depth to keep it relatable. It was considerably spicy, starting at around half way through. There are nods to the title throughout, but particularly in how Pepper finds herself sexually. Oh and there's a big flower competition. Really, I loved all of this book and it was a delight to listen to as well.

I am not usually much of a romance novel fan, but this one had been on my radar since it was announced, so I was super excited to have an audio ARC! I could hardly wait to download and start listening! And then...I listened.

I NEVER don't finish books that I start, but I seriously considered it several times during this one. I took a day off and pondered what was so off-putting while re-reading the description, and suddenly it came to me - it wasn't really the story that was the problem (more on that shortly) - it was the narration. I appreciate the challenge of differentiating between characters in a dialogue/internal monologue-heavy book like this one. But the choice to seemingly fashion Opal and Pepper's voices after Quin and Tiffany from the TV show Daria with only minor variants on those themes for the supporting characters was not a pleasant thing to listen to for eight hours. Particularly when the text itself frequently contradicts the inflection (or lack thereof) of the narration. But I forced myself to ignore the voices and focus on text only, which dramatically improved the experience. I can't emphasize enough how much I encourage readers to experience this one in a non-audio format.

Narrative stylings aside, the story was a bit all over the place. We'll start with the positives:
- Opal and Pepper are (for this kind of story) fleshed-out characters with personalities, opinions, backgrounds, etc.
- None of the "good" characters excuse/explain away the sociopathic actions of the "bad" characters for the sake of manners or tragic backstories.
-The romantic scenes were written by a grownup who has experience.

However....
-Despite the lottery winning happening very early, the story takes a while to get going - there's a lot of time spent on establishing Opal as a people pleaser that could have been condensed into shorter scenes or combined into a single anecdote.
- The degree to which nobody involved (including Opal's parents and Pepper's friends) ever even raises the possibility of involving law enforcement or at least lawyers in the resolution of the property's ownership - even the coziest cozy mystery acknowledges that criminal fraud is a thing before launching into how a tea party or pet parade can handle it better.
- The above issue is part of the general vibe of not being too bright that permeates the first (at least) half of the book for both Opal and Pepper. The overarching story establishes each of them as being competent and creative in multiple aspects of their lives, but both of their actions in the early parts of the story are described with the Silly Girls Being Dumb tone that is happily becoming less common but has been a hallmark of horror movies, romance novels, etc. for far too long.

So overall, I'd give the story about 3.5 stars and the audio about 1.5, with a rounded-up average of 3 stars. If you enjoy sapphic romance that's got a YA vibe but grown-up descriptions, you'll probably like this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This isn’t the first book that I’ve read by this author and it surely won’t be the last. I think that Late Bloomer is hands-down, my favorite book by this offer so far. This book was incredibly easy to get into and a book. I didn’t expect to love as much as I actually do. Not only is the cover absolutely amazing and probably something I’m gonna be adding to my actual bookshelf, but the story inside the book is so touching and lovely. Pepper and Opal go through so much throughout this book and I love how gentle and kind these two are not only to themselves, but to each other.

The narrator of this book, Ellie Gossage, did such a fantastic job. I don’t believe I’ve listened to any other books that she is narrated. Though I’m not a huge fan of single narrated books when there’s more than one perspective, Ellie did a fantastic job at separating these two characters with their own significant voice. Which was much appreciated by me, especially since I’ve listened to other audiobooks where the author has the same tone and voice inflection for both characters and it is way too confusing. This was absolutely perfect.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Mazey Eddings so much! This book is such a delight and a true celebration of neurodiversity, sapphic love, and all things tender. Not only are the vibes immaculate, this is the perfect book for those looking for a great sapphic love story, especially during the spring and summer months. What could be more whimsical than two tender souls trying to find love on a flower farm?! The characters were so lovable. Mazey is a master in creating rich characters that are so easy to love as well as stick with you long after you finish the book. Definitely an easy book to recommend with a whole-hearted PLEASE READ THIS!

I loved this! I don't know how someone couldn't love this! The main character is one of my absolute favorite mcs I've read in a long time. She felt so related with how awkward she could be but also how nice she loving. She did everything with all her heart and I loved that about her.
The love interest was also amazing. As someone who has a horrible parent I could relate to her so much. Also as someone who is probably autistic I also really appreciate the representation. She felt very authentic and didn't fall into those usual stereotypes we see with autistic character
Also the chemistry between the two was amazing! It was so clear they were meant for each other if they would just talk! Everything about them was perfect and I adore this book! Do yourself a favor and read this. Even if its just for the end of the book where the author talks about naming the book!

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings was a treat. I enjoyed seeing both Opal and Pepper grow and develop throughout this book. Read this book if you want to read a queer romance, Autism & ADHD rep, a portrayal of migraines, flower farm set in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. I thought the narrator, Ellie Gossage, did an excellent job.

This book started off strong for me but then fell a little flat. I understand we need to have conflicts in books, but I feel like this one had too many. It was a quick and easy listen, but I was hoping for more.

This book sounded like so much fun, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. The story started off very strong, but it ultimately fell short of my expectations. Opal was an entertaining main character at the beginning, but her naivete was often cringeworthy, and I had a hard time connecting with Pepper, although I did feel bad for her situation. The story was a bit slow, and the plot just didn't feel like it was progressing, so I found myself not interested in picking the book back up. I really enjoyed Mazey Eddings's other books, so I was disappointed that this one fell flat for me, but I will definitely still read her future works.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ellie Gossage. She was so good that I actually thought there were two female narrators. It was easy to tell the two main characters apart, and she did a great job voicing a range of side characters. I really enjoyed her narration, and I would definitely recommend this one on audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.