With an equal measure of hilarious and heartfelt moments, Late Bloomer manages to stand out in the increasingly saturated lesbian romance genre. I loved the characters, the setting, and the set up of Late Bloomer. I had a hard time putting this one down. Somehow, reading this, I felt seen.
I’d highly recommend this to any lesbian romance fan looking for a breath of fresh air.

Note that this was more of a 3.75 star rating rather than 4 stars.

I will honestly review a sapphic book higher than other books within the genre as a general rule, so I was in it for the vibes for this one. Other than that, I found the third act break up to be really dramatic and annoying which honestly took my star rating from the 5 star I was going to give it for cute vibes to the 3.75 range.

I just finished Late Bloomer and had to say how much I truly enjoyed it. The themes of growth, healing, and mental health with such tenderness and authenticity really struck a chord with me. The characters felt so real—flawed, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeful—and I found myself rooting for them the whole way through. The slow-burn romance was beautifully done, and though the pacing dipped a bit in parts, the emotional payoff more than made up for it.

This was fine. At the halfway point I found myself wanting to speed through the ending though. It just felt like there wasn't enough character development or plot.

this may be my favorite mazy eddings book to date! i simply adore a sapphic romance and this one had everything you could ever want in one. I loved all the rep (autism, adhd, anxiety, migraine etc) I adored the flower farm setting, something about it was cute and whimsical, Opal and Pepper were such fun characters I really enjoyed watching them grow (hehe) together and their chemistry was truly undeniable. The third act conflict was a bit much for my liking but i LOVED the epilogue it was so incredibly sweet.

Mazey is one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited for this book going into it. While I did enjoy the story overall, it was not my favorite of her books. Personally it felt like something was missing, but I cannot put my finger on what it was. I still loved her writing style and would recommend this book to other people.

4.25 stars. This book was so good! I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters were well developed and I loved seeing them interact and their relationship grow. Definitely recommending this to EVERYONE

ugh, I LOVE Mazey Eddings. Her writing and the plot lines she creates are absolutely AMAZING. Opal and Peppers relationship was inspiring, their dynamic was perfect. I loved how they both grew into themselves and stopped self-sabotaging, allowing themselves to be happy. I can't wait to see what Mazey does next. I hope everyone reads this asap!!!

Late Bloomer begins with Opal winning the lottery. What would seem like a life-changing miracle, it is only a nightmare for Opal, who struggles with pleasing the people around her and self-sabotaging her chances. She impulsively decides to buy a flower farm and move away to a small town.

What she didn't expect to find in the driveway was Pepper, who claims to be the rightful owner of the farm. Together, they will have to work out what to do about the farm.

I always find it a jarring experience to read about a character (or characters) that share similar traits with me. I also struggle with people pleasing and I could understand what Opal was going through, but I was more naive than her. It's the odd moment of "wait, it's not just me" and feeling recognize. I also felt seen with Pepper's anxiety and her social battery.

Opal and Pepper were very loveable and I was so happy to read their story. I did get frustrated at times with their problems, but I understand where they were coming from (and I know I have my own share of issues). When you like someone, even if they are a fictional character, you are rooting for everything to go well for them, even if it doesn't produce an interesting story.

I think the book needed more moments where we can see them falling for each other, I think that would have been lovely to have.

We all deserve to read amazing romances, I suggest you pick this up.

Mazey is an auto-buy author for me! I love her books so much! This was such a fun opposites-attract and grumpy x sunshine romance. I loved the setting of a flower-farm in Asheville 💐. This has great representation with ADHD, autism, and queer love!

Overall a super sweet and heartfelt story!

When Opal gets lucky and wins the lottery, she purchases a flower farm in Asheville, on a whim. Without doing any research, she doesn't know that a woman named Pepper already lives there! Trying to keep the peace and make it work for both of them, Opal offers for Pepper to stay and work together on the farm. I thoroughly enjoyed the representation of neurodivergent characters and the sapphic love in this book. However, the drama and situations they found themselves in didn't really do it for me. I was really hoping for more from this book.

Thank you Netgalley

This swoony sapphic romance was such a fun and refreshing treat! I especially loved the neurodivergent rep. And the cover. It's gorgeous.

A light, cute read, LATE BLOOMER made me want to pack up everything I own and move to a flower farm.

This was my first book by Mazey Eddings but it won't be my last!

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Opal wins the lottery and, in a move that screams "new life, who dis?", buys a flower farm in North Carolina to focus on her art. But surprise! Pepper, the farm's current (and very grumpy) resident, has no idea it was sold. Cue the forced cohabitation, clashing personalities, and undeniable chemistry.

This book is a cozy, sapphic romance that balances humor with heartfelt moments. Opal's chaotic energy meets Pepper's guarded demeanor, and their dynamic is both entertaining and endearing. The neurodivergent representation adds depth, making their journey toward understanding and love all the more compelling.

This book was written for you if:
1. You're into grumpy/sunshine dynamics with a twist.
2. You appreciate stories with neurodivergent characters finding connection.
3. You're looking for a romance that feels like a warm hug.

This is now my third romance by this author, though my first sapphic romance by her! I was excited to see an f/f author from an author I’d enjoyed before, and I couldn’t wait to dive into it. In the end, while I did still enjoy this one, it didn’t entirely click for me either. I might just be becoming more picky with my romances lately, too, because I do see many people loving this one even if it wasn’t a new favorite for me! I also definitely will be reading more of this author in the future, still, and hoping those future books are more for me.

I think overall I wish more aspects of the characters had been developed further. One thing I enjoyed from this author’s previous work was the authentic characters and how fully fleshed out they felt. This book felt a bit more plot-focused than those as well, so I think having a more wieldy plot and needing to make this more ‘outlandish’ premise feel realistic took up more space, at the cost of the development of the characters and their romance.

The characters are so fun and lovable, and there were so many times when I actually laughed out loud. The first half of the book was everything, but the second half wasn’t giving what it was supposed to give.

While this started off great, I found it lost steam very quickly. I didn't think the "conclusion" with the toxic ex and "friend" was no where near as satisfying as it was presented as. I did like the setting and mentions of art, and am a sucker for sister dynamics so I enjoyed that as well. If this had focused on the journey of a people pleaser to put herself and her art (which is what initially felt like) I would have enjoyed it a lot more than what it became.

Oh this is such a tender book and I really enjoyed it. I have liked all of Mazey's books for different reasons but something they all have in common is the extremely well done neurodivergent rep. Then this is a sapphic book about a chaos demon (affectionate) winning the lottery and impulse buying a flower farm without seeing it, only to discover the woman who sold it didn't tell her estranged daughter who lives there and runs it that she sold it? Drama, tension, self-realization, chemistry, first times, art, agriculture, forced proximity, queer and biological families, etc etc etc. Opal has a complicated balance of being hopeful and extending grace to others while simultaneously being hard and down on herself. Pepper (whose middle name, Anne, is mentioned once without any actual reference or acknowledgement of the Pepper Ann cartoon from the late 90s, which was a shame in my opinion) embodies the name of her late grandma's flower farm, Thistle and Bloom, as she begins withdrawn and prickly but blossoms as she comes to care for Opal and open up. I really appreciated that Pepper was new to sex and the way Opal viewed it as a perfectly normal version of human experience, as well as an opportunity to learn together. The spicy scenes were hot but also usually tender and emotional. Overall, not my fave of Mazey's books but an excellent showing and it gets extra points for being sapphic and for its gorgeous cover.

This book was so sweet and delightful. I loved the setting and the chemistry between the main characters was amazing! I loved Opal's character so much. Really enjoyed this book.

A sapphic, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance taking place on a flower farm? It doesn’t get more queer than that and I love it. More of a subtle, quiet romcom, this was a nice chill break from the intense books I’ve been reading lately.

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings is a delightful and heartwarming sapphic romance that fully lives up to the promise of its charming cover. As a fan of Eddings, I was eager to dive into this one, and though it did take some time for me to get into these characters and their story, I was not disappointed. The book follows two female leads, each navigating their own personal struggles, which creates an engaging dynamic between them.



One of the protagonists is learning how to set boundaries and manage how others treat her, while the other is trying to navigate complex family relationships. The emotional depth of their individual journeys is handled beautifully, making their growth as individuals (and as a couple) all the more rewarding.



The story itself is easygoing, breezy, and feels like a fresh spring day. I absolutely adored the way these two characters were thrust together by a series of misunderstandings and impulsive decisions, leading to the classic “roommate to lovers” trope. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their forced proximity creates the perfect setting for both sparks and tender moments.



The floral elements woven throughout the story, both in the narrative and the atmosphere, added an extra layer of charm that made the book even more enjoyable. Overall, Late Bloomer is a cute, spicy, and ultimately heartwarming read. If you’re looking for a sweet sapphic romance with great character development and a dash of humor, I highly recommend this one!



I received this book as an advanced review copy and offer my honest opinion voluntarily