I’m going to call this a DNF at 40%. This book felt like a chore I was dreading every time I knocked out another 10% at a time over a few weeks. I don’t know what’s not clicking. I WANTED to like this.

Opal’s people pleasing makes her make silly mistakes and she comes across as someone without any common sense. Then, she’s treated poorly by Pepper and the second Pepper is nice to her (while she’s unconscious with a migraine, mind you), Opal develops feelings for her. All the friends are telling each Opal and Pepper that they have feelings for each other and they’re denying it and whatnot but I didn’t feel it in the story at all.

Pepper was unkind. I understand her take on it but she was mean to the woman who kind of technically owns this property. Opal could toss her out any time she wanted yet Pepper is yelling at her for opening rooms in the house and telling her to leave all the time.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 This book didn't wow me, but i liked it. I dont listen to much lesbian romance, but it was just an okay read.i enjoyed the characters, and the narrators made it easy to follow along. I didn't get into the secondary characters as much. Like opals friend who "stalked her." And only cared about herself. But buying a flower farm from facebook was just bizarre to me. Like girl, you could have been scammed, but over all it was fast-paced.

Late Bloomer was a sweet and spicy sapphic romance in pure Mazey Eddings fashion. She always writes the best characters, I love how she portrays neurodivergence and sexual orientation. This was another well done book by this author.

I loved the characters. Pepper & Opal were the cutest. They were so perfect together, they had great chemistry, great banter and the way they just understood each other and were both there for one another was truly beautiful. The fact they were both new to the FF relationship, how they discovered eachother, what they liked. I loved it !!!! Their love story progressed perfectly 👌

Mazey just has a way with words, that grabs you and gives you all the feels. It was so heartwarming, sweet, spicy and just plain adorable. The setting in the flower farm was to die for. Is this super cliche and cheesy, it is but it's worth it!

🎧 The narration by Ellie Gossage was good, although it wasn't my favorite. I liked how she played Opal, but the voice she took for Penny sounded more like a man and I couldn't understand why she took that voice. I felt like just a little deeper would have worked. It was still very enjoyable.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @mazeyeddings for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The audiobook for Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings was such a fun and cute read. The characters were quirky but not over the top and the narration went really well with the story. Such a cute, fun queer read and I'm so glad I got to listen to the audiobook.

This was a cute gay time on a flower farm. The two FMC’s were both interesting characters and had a quirky dynamic. The audiobook was done very well. I will be checking out the authors other works!

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