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.

"I want to stay so long at the Thistle and Bloom that my veins turn to roots in the soil. I want to walk up and down the rows of flowers until I know the paths in the pitch black, my final destination always being your doorstep…”

A chaotic, sunshiney artist, and a surly flower farmer bumble their way into love.

What I liked:
- Opal & Pepper: I adore these two. Their inner monologues are so damn good.
- The flower farm: Can I just pick up and move to a flower farm for the rest of my days?
- Neurodivergent rep: Mazey does this so well in all of her books.
- Pepper’s friends: I love Pepper’s friends so much - their support system is amazing.
- Grief: Mazey’s description of Pepper’s grief was so raw and real.

What didn’t work for me:
- Nothing at all

Beautiful audiobook and narration!
The story, however, while it had a strong start ended up falling quite short for me. I found it hard to like the two main characters and didn’t feel like I cared enough about their progressing relationship to finish the last 1/4 of the novel. Beautiful writing style, just not the title for me.

How could a sapphic romance taking place on a flower farm NOT be the cutest thing ever? With characters that felt real and with real life shit happening to them, their romance felt believable. Also, amazing smut with these two as well!
I have read all of Eddings’ works prior to release and I don’t think I will stop requesting!
4 stars!

Opal and Pepper are Mazey Eddings’ answer to the missing cozy sapphic neurodivergent love story from the romance genre. After winning the lottery, Opal buys a flower farm sight unseen at the spur of a moment. What she doesn’t bargain inheriting with it, is resident farmer Pepper who feels her home has just been stolen out from under her. It’s hate at first sight for neurodivergent Pepper who hates change of any kind and is highly untrusting of the manic pixie dream girl Opal, with the fried white hair who seems to think she can win Pepper over with her bubbly personality. Realizing they might have to work and live together, at least until Pepper can afford to buy Opal out, the two strike up a deal that will leave them sexually satisfied with no-strings attached. This book is hot. Like HOT hot. Eddings’ fans already know she can write a sex scene, and really, isn’t that what we’re here for? This was fresh and fun, even a little emotional, and I enjoyed all of it. Do I think Opal and Pepper will stay together until the end of time? Eh, probably not, but I am here for their ride and appreciate all that Eddings is doing in this book breaking down stereotypes and labels of ADHD and autism.
Ellie Gossage did a fabulous job narrating and I loved her stylization for Opal and Pepper’s voices and Pepper’s mother’s Southern accent. As a new-to-me narrator, I hope to hear her voice more romance because I would definitely listen to her again. Thank you to Macmillan for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

CWs (as noted by the author): Grief after the loss of a loved one, Complicated relationships with alcohol, Parental neglect/abandonment

Super cute and easy read, I love lesbian cottage core vibes with a little smut. It was cringy at times and I think the pop culture references will date it pretty quickly, but overall it was enjoyable to read :). Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!