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!

Every so often you read a book that’s so good you’re livid you didn’t save it to read on vacation.

If you’ve ever watched a hallmark movie and been like can y’all please fuck now this book is for you.

The premise, 💸 windfall//fresh start, and forced roommates (to lovers) set on a 🌸 farm, is very true to the heart of the genre.

💕 🏳️‍🌈 I liked the cute queer neurospicy characters struggle to express themselves and in turn communicate with one another.

🇺🇸Note: the real estate transaction is very American in that cash exchanges hands and the deed is signed. This is very different from the 37 step process in 🇨🇦 with lawyers, writ searches, statutory declarations and land registry offices. I had to remind myself again that most home sales in the US use an escrow office and that’s it.

50/50 Some of the sex scenes were a little like has the author had gay sex? Is she trying to describe ✂️ unironically? Tongue in hole ew. And some wording that icked me that I’ve done a great job at oppressing (but I think it was “opening”). There’s enough sprinklings of sex scenes that of one or two ick you there’s other snippets for you.

Initially it kinda felt like a beauty and the beast retelling with Pepper being the one dimensional beast with one mood: moody.

Flaws: At times the writing annoyed me. It was occasionally repetitive and made me need to reread or wonder if there needed to be more copy editing.

👎 “Inky night” is used multiple times. This annoys me personally because it makes me think of my sleep story™️

👎Overuse of the word “Thrum”. I feel like this word is blowing up in romance right now and I hate it.

ARC provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for $Free.99

‘Late Bloomer’ by Mazey Eddings
The ever spontaneous Opal suddenly comes into a large sum of money, life changing amount of money. She decides to spend her new fortune on a fresh start, buying a flower farm in Asheville, where she can spend her days working on her art. Upon arriving to her new home she discovers that someone is already living there. In comes Pepper, flower farmer who was raised on the farm and hates changes. As the two work through the challenges of living together, they decide to enter a flower sculpture contest to help Pepper afford to buy the struggling farm back from Opal.
The neurodiversity representation in this book was truly comprehensive. It felt very authentic and well done. I am sure a lot of readers will find themselves represented through this book.
I struggled with Pepper and Opal’s romantic relationship. I did not feel the spark I was hoping to see from these two passionate characters. The physical tension between them was evident, the spice was well done. But I felt like the romantic connection was lacking and could have been a bit more intense.
The growth in the character’s individually was well done. I felt their growth and it was done authentically. It was inspiring to see them work for the changes they wanted in life and from each other.

I received the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great book. Really enjoyed the story and the progression of it all. Everything worked out great at the end

DNF'd at 60%
I was really trying to give it a fair shot as I loved the premise, but the characters fell flat for me. Nothing about their choices felt at all authentic. Also, the two characters sounded way too similar in the narration so it was hard for me to differentiate between who was talking/thinking.

I wish I could give partials as this is actually a 4.5 for me! I adored the concept and characters that Eddings wrote. As a fellow autist and late bloomer, it is basically impossible to find my own life experience reflected in books let alone a queer love story!!

The flower competition and Opal’s unending kindness were my other favorite parts!

Only reason I didn’t give a 5 star is I am not a huge fan of spicy scenes, I felt it was just a few too many for me. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the miscommunication back and forth considering most ND people lean more towards direct communication so this felt a little OOC for the characters in my opinion.

But overall, it was a delightful gift to read.

*I was given this to read early and review by #Netgalley and #MacmillianAudio but all opinions and words are my own.*

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings
Contemporary sapphic romance. New adult.
Opal Devlin likes to do things for people. Even when she can’t afford it herself. Winning the lottery is a surprise bonus she never expected. She also didn’t expect friends to immediately expect a handout. Opal takes the money and buys a farm, thinking she can finally make her art into a business. But when she gets there, she finds that the farm is still actively growing flowers and Pepper didn’t know her mother had sold the property out from under her. Opal and Pepper agree to coexist on the farm while they both make decisions on their future.

Lots of life planning, some angst, a bit of loving, and quite a few flower arrangements and metaphorical flower analogies.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook when reading this story. The audiobook is narrated by Ellie Gossage. The performance is well done with distinct voices for Opal and Pepper as well as a couple of the secondary characters. Both the print version and audio also have chapter headings that tell you whose POV is being told. The different temperaments of Pepper and Opal come through clearly in the audio which helps in getting to know them both.

I enjoyed the sisterhood closeness and support of Opal’s sisters, Ophelia and Olivia. They are overjoyed at Opal’s winnings and drop everything to travel to her when she calls.
I’m glad Opal saw through her so called friend.
I also thought it was great that Opal was so supportive of the farm and the business.

Opposites attract romance with several depths of love and friendship and affection.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

A lighthearted, quick read sapphic romance. I appreciated the autism and neurodivergent representation. The plot wasn’t the most captivating but the characters and setting were lovely. Using dual POVs was a good choice. The narration is well done.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 3/5
Plot Development 3/5
Characters 5/5
Overall Enjoyability 4/5

*Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest review*

This book feels like how I imagine hugging Mazey Eddings would be like - Soft, warm, and delightful. The narrator did SO well that I honestly thought that there were 2 females narrating. A flower farm in North Carolina is such a fun setting, and I almost wished that we had more book to explore the flower fields and area more. There's a decent amount of steam, though I do feel like I could've done with more. Like how often do you get a natural opportunity to get it on in a flower field? Regardless, this book is full of quotes that made my heart ache and feel so wholly seen as a person. Felt like Opal wasn't the only one who won the lottery.

I loved how this book exists in the same Mazeyverse and I really hope that this gets picked up as a series because I'd love to see Olivia and Ophelia's stories as well.

I loved this book so much. I cannot wait to re-read this over and over.

The relationship development between Opal and Pepper made me feel a level of hope that I didn't know I needed. We can only be so lucky to find a love like theirs.

I really enjoyed this sapphic romance, and I think it's probably best enjoyed as an audiobook.

Things I loved:
1. I loved how nuanced and unique the two FMCs are. I love that they don't narrowly follow labels and definitions.
2. I loved the setting of the Thistle and Bloom flower farm. It felt really special and made the romance feel like an escape.
3. I thought the found family around Pepper was an absolute delight and her birthday party was one of my favorite parts of the book.
4. Opal. I love her. I want to be her best friend ASAP.

Things I didn't love:
1. I live near Asheville, NC and anyone who lives in a four hour radius knows it's become incredibly gentrified and overpriced by tourists and folks with high paying remote jobs that have largely wiped the cultural diversity from the area. In light of this, it was tough to romanticize a version of Asheville where someone is buying a farm for $300,000 and isn't getting any pushback from locals.
2. I needed more about grandma. I know we were supposed to see her as wise, loving, and caring, but it was more a a tell than a show. I think more flashback's or touches of her in the house would have helped.
3. We never really touch on the power dynamic of Opal owning the home, land, and business that Pepper is living at.... like how is pepper buying groceries? How does she not feel like Opal's employee? That was a bit confusing for me.

I generally really loved the audio version, and I think the author's note and acknowledgement at the end actual improved my overal perception of the book. I'm really grateful to #NetGalley for the chance to read the audiobook, though I have one note for the narration (though it may be too late). The narrator says Appalachian like a northerner. People in the south, especially NC say it like "I threw an Apple-At-Cha" and I think this is how Opal would say the word. I know it's small, but it's a big deal around here.

You have to suspend disbelief in the set-up to this sweet, opposites attract romance. When Opal wins the lottery, her impulsive nature leads her to spend most of her winnings on a flower farm she buys sight unseen on Facebook Marketplace. Somehow this is not a scam but the sale comes as a surprise to the farm’s caretaker and long-term resident, Pepper. Any guesses what happens when Opal shows up and becomes Pepper’s new roommate? There’s also a floral sculpture competition, some charming side characters, and an evil mother and toxic ex thrown in for good measure.

Overall, I think I ended up liking the characters, especially Pepper and her friends, a whole lot more than the story. There isn’t a whole lot of conflict or angst in the relationship itself and all external problems seemed to quickly appear before being easily resolved. So this is perfect when you just need something charming and comforting to read.

I was a little worried when I saw that the audiobook had a single narrator even though the chapters alternate between Opal and Pepper’s POVs. This was ultimately handled well by the narrator, who was able to give both characters a distinct voice, but I think this would have been better with two different actors.

I’d give the story 3.5 stars and the audiobook 4 stars.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one was very cute.

It took me a second to connect with both Pepper and Opal. And there were moments where I just didn’t quite understand their choices. But once we got more back story and I came to appreciate them for who they were.

It was sweet how they fall into a relationship. How they slowly open up to each other. And then defend the other against those who are toxic.

I liked that there wasn’t too much relationship drama. Though there were times I wanted them to talk to each other rather than just making assumptions.

As usual, this book has a lot of great representation of neurodivergence. How it can come to play in a variety of situations/parts of a persons life.

Very entertaining and very fun. It’s sweet and funny. Recommend.