3.5 Stars // I love Mazey Eddings. I think she's so talented and I'm always pulled into her stories. Late Bloomer was no exception. There was SO much to love about this story. Queer/bisexual rep, mental health rep, autism & neurodivergent rep, grump x sunshine main characters, great humor and banter, etc. That said, the story fell a bit flat for me. I'm not sure why? I think the plot just wasn't big enough. I needed more and was a bit bored.

That said, I still enjoyed this story and do recommend adding it to your LGBTQIA+ TBR. I also loved the audiobook. Ellie Gossage did a wonderful job and I'd absolutely listen to an audiobook narrated by them again!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

This was my first book by Mazey and the narrator, Ellie and wow. What a dream team. One, the book was absolutely hilarious and the writing was incredible. I appreciated the various little details that totally pulled me into the story and made me fall in love with the characters right away. Two, I have never read a romance book where both of the characters were neurodivergent and I have never felt more validated. The narrator did incredible job separating the two main characters, like incredible! So often I have to pause an audio book and mentally remind myself who is talking, but with this audio version I didnt have to do that at all, because their voices and tones were so different. I wish I had 5 more books with to read from Mazey and Ellie together.

This book was exactly what I expected it to be based off of the cover, and I lowkey love that predictability. If you are a fan of a typical "grumpy/sunshine" or "forced proximity" romance, queer and neurodivergence representation, and a lil bit of spice, then this book is definitely one for you! It was cozy and cute, and the characters felt real and relatable. I could see myself in the characters of this story, and that made it a quick and easy read!

My only criticisms come in the *slightly* cringy dialogue, coupled with the easily resolved conflicts... but honestly, isn't that the point of a cozy romance novel? I did think that the "villains" of the story were unnecessary, as they really didn't do much to drive the plot, other than giving Pepper the opportunity to stand up for Opal. That may just be me, though!

I've never read anything by this author before, but I will definitely be reaching for another one of her books! Thank you NetGalley, the author, and her publisher for the ARC! I truly enjoyed my time with this story! 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 for this rating!

P.S. the narrator's voice for Pepper was IT!!! 10/10 on that alone!

mazey eddings is one of those authors that when i pick up one of her books i am guaranteed to have the best time. her novels/couples stick with me and leave me *feeling* all the feels. she writes mental health in such a relatable way that you can’t help but feel seen within the pages of her novels and late bloomers did just that.

there was something so special about this book. getting to witness opal + pepper (my neurodivergent cuties) bloom into their truest selves while over coming many obstacles together was so heartwarming. i related to opal, a chronic people pleaser, with her constant need of saying yes (even if she didn’t want to), craving others love, and just wanting to feel wanted and cherished. watching their chemistry and tension build was 🥵!!!! did i mention this is all taking place on a freaking flower farm? talk about a DREAM!!!!! 🌷☁️🎨☀️

the cover is truly one of my favs ever. like 🤩

i got approved for the audio arc and it was so well done and executed. the voice actor did an amazing job portraying opal and pepper!!!

pub date: april 16th!!!

Late Bloomer is a wonderful sapphic love story. This was such a unique read. I want to start by saying that Ellie Gossage narration of this book was FANTASTIC! I love the emotion and inflection she brought to Opal and Pepper (and even Trish) was just - FANTASTIC!! Everything about this pairing was wonderful. I think it's the best way to experience this novel.

This was such a unique story and I'm so happy that I read/listened to it. This story has so many things! From grief and loss, letting go of what was and stepping into what is, a precious flower farm with an amazing found family, forced proximity ( there's only one cabin), autism rep, neurodivergent rep, sexual awakening, first love, the messiness of our self-doubt to the power of seeing our strengths and talent.

Eddings wrote such beautiful characters all the way around. I loved the Thistle and Bloom crew. They were such a fun, diverse group of people and their connection and love for each other was so fun to read. Opal's family was also just lovely. Her sisters had me laughing out loud several times.

Pepper and Opal are such a great couple. I loved watching them grow on each other. I really enjoyed the dual POV in this book because there was something so special about seeing each character through the other character's eyes. Eddings did a great job highlighting that some of the things we dislike about ourselves turn out to be the things someone loves most about us.

This book was such a feel-good read. The ending was just like stepping out into the sunshine a spring day. It feels like meandering on a flower farm.

Thank you to Netgalley, McMillian Audio, & Mazy Edding for an advanced copy of the audiobook of this wonderful story.

Synopsis: After winning the lottery, Opal decides to purchase a failing flower farm in North Carolina. She is ready for a change of scenery, as she just quit her job. What she didn't expect was Pepper, who claims she is rightful owner of the farms and has no intention of leaving. This unlikely duo decides to compromise by both living at Thistle and Bloom Farms. As we know, opposites + forced proximity is the perfect recipe for romance...

Thoughts: I loved the combination of sapphic romance with Mazey's neurodivergence representation. Both Pepper and Opal have their quirks, and while they certainly butt heads, they also learn from one another. Overall, another solid book from Mazey!

Read if you like
-Sapphic romance
-Neurodivergent rep
-Steam
-Opposites attract
-Forced proximity
-Flowers

I wanted to like this so badly, but I could never get around to liking Opal:( She is whiney and spineless, and I can’t stand a people pleaser. I’ve loved all of Mazey’s other books, and I would’ve loved this one too if I could have related to Opal at all. 😔

This is the ooey gooey sapphic book of your dreams. Pepper & Opal are absolutely adorable, and the setting of a flower farm is wonderful. I loved listening to this one. The narrator was great, and the story felt quick and light. Good reps, too. Highly recommend!

4.25⭐️

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook and ebook! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, LGBTQ representation, opposites attract, forced proximity, neurodivergent representation, steamy

I received the audiobook and the ebook. I went between them. The audiobook was perfectly narrated. Pepper and Opal are lovable and well-developed characters. I love Opal's sisters, too. "Hot chocolate colored hair" made me laugh. I'm not sure it was supposed to. This is a very fluffy, sweet read. I recommend this!

I adored this book so much. The two main characters are so sweet and I loved their journey falling for each other. This is definitely for fans of grumpy / sunshine. After winning 500k on a lottery ticket, Opal quits her minimum wage jobs and buys a flower farm to start a new life. What she didn't expect was a beautiful (but angry) woman named Pepper to already be living there. Pepper's grandma passed away and with no will to be found, Pepper's mom sold the farm out from under her. The two women come to an agreement to both stay living there but it is not without many bumps along the way. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking into more books from this author.

Late bloomer was a really fun read! The not ideal situation love story that happens both made me smile and cringe at the relatable moments. I’m not a plant expert at all, but I am sure anyone who loves flowers will adore Peppers care and knowledge about them! I think that both the MCs neodivergent aspect added so much character and charm to the story, it wasn’t at all what I had been expecting and it made a fun dynamic of Opal and Pepper!! Even the more sensitive subject of parental neglect/emotional abuse was not as heavy as it could have been and I really appreciate the content warning before hand too! The narrator also did a wonderful job, made every character(main or side) feel as real as they were written!

SMPRomance eARC
What I've come to love about Eddings' books is how I know I'll get an adorable romance with plenty of depth and neurodivergent characters. This was one was so much fun and a book all about self-discovery and starting over. Opal bought a flower farm after winning the lottery, but Pepper was living there. It was so much fun to see how these two would figure out their situation while both trying to get what they want. This is a dual POV which made the story so fun, and I highly recommend the audio. While there was only one narrator, the voices were incredible and it was always so easy keeping the two characters straight. Such a great sapphic romance, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

This opposites attract book was set with two neurodivergent characters, Pepper, ADHD and the autistic Opal.
Opal was the sweetest, most generous, but gullible pixie with pink hair. She won five hundred thousand dollars with a scratch-off lottery ticket. Suddenly, people who had ignored her in the past were wanting a piece of her prize.

Opal wanted a new start on life, but with no financial adviser, purchased Thistle and Bloom Farms with the intention of starting a business of painting creative designs on shoes.
When she went to move in, the current occupant refused to leave, insisting that the property was rightfully hers. That set the stage for some enlightening moments when the truth was unfolded.

They agreed to cohabitate until things could be sorted out, but butted heads. Once they learned to communicate, they began to cooperate and grow on each other, providing many enjoyable moments of give and take. In addition to learning to help each other, there were precious moments of love and steamy romance.

Late Bloomer was a delightful book which was enhanced by listening to the audiobook narrated by Ellie Gossage, who added her personality to the charm.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Just adorable. I loved all of it. Opal and Pepper are very relatable characters and the story kept me reading.

I swear every single book Mazey writes is my new favorite and honestly, this one brought my heart so much joy.

Lets start with how gorgeous the cover is, then quickly jump into talking about the title and how Mazey included a whole afterwords about how it was originally going to be titled Lavender Haze and then one Miss Taylor Alison Swift screwed any and all SEO for anything titled that (but honestly SUCH A PERFECT TITLE FOR A SAPPHIC ROMANCE) and how this book went through many chaotic renamings until we ended up with perfection that is Late Bloomer…that journey is much like the beautifully chaotic love story that is Late Bloomer.

Opal, one of our leading ladies, is neurodivergent in that she has ADHD and anxiety and impulses that are hard to control. She wins the lottery and after a lot of people pleasing she decided to just BUY A FLOWER FARM OKAY?! What she doesn’t know is that the flower farm is the one place our other leading lady, Pepper, has ever felt at home. She is autistic and this farm is her purpose and her only remaining tie to her late grandma figure. So naturally when Pepper finds out that Opal now owns her home, farm, and honestly everything, she is simply baffled.

Even more baffling is why she would be drawn to someone who is her polar opposite and has accidentally wrecked her life. But attracted is kind of an understatement. Watching these two women fall into a messy yet beautiful sort of love while learning to let someone in and to communicate those BUG FEELINGS was equal parts beautiful and omg-I-just-need-to-wrap-y’all-in-bubble-wrap-and-force-y’all-to-stop-being-dense.

Set in the beautiful mountains surrounding Asheville, NC with glorious flowers oozing off every page, Mazey put so much heart and thought into every aspect of this story. The meanings of the flowers during different moments are so poignant, that truly this book is a work of love and art.

I had the privilege of also listening to this book via audio, and the narrator does an amazing job. I did wish we had a clearer divide between our heroines’ alternating POVs because honestly they sounded too similar, but I was still hooked and enjoyed every moment.

This book was a super sweet and spicy sapphic romance. Both Pepper and Opal were really interestingly crafted characters. The strength of this book lies in all the different types of representation it includes from neurodivergence to migraines. It was really neat to see the author include both a character diagnosed with Autism and someone who finds that neurodivergent fits better as a label where ADHD and/or Autism symptoms are present. I loved that the author didn't just stick to one type of neurodivergence because that can be a very broad group. Opal's people pleasing was painfully relatable and Pepper's trust issues were heartbreaking and I so wanted a happy ending for her. As much as I loved all that the author included in the book I found that I wasn't as convinced by the actual romance as I wanted to be. The attraction I definitely believed and the smut was top tier (clearly I need to be reading more sapphic books!!) However the romance wasn't as successful with me because I found certain aspects of the characters a bit frustrating. Opal was too naïve and Pepper came across as mean when she kept taking out her frustration at the situation out on Opal. Despite some frustration with the characters at times I found the book to be both very soft and sexy in perfect balance and I definitely recommend it to those who are looking for ADHD or Autism rep.
As for the audiobook itself, the narrator did a fantastic job of differentiating between the characters which is can be difficult in books where the main characters have the same gender. They created voices that beautifully fit all the characters and I greatly enjoyed listening to this book on audio vs reading with my eyes.

narration review: I loved the narration of this story! it somehow sounded in this audiobook how it sounded when I read an arc of this story. it was so beautiful & I felt all the emotions hearing it come to life

story review: This is the loveliest, sweetest, most special grumpy/sunshine story I've ever read! Pepper and Opal are two of the most lovable characters I've ever read. I wanted to give both of them the biggest, warmest hugs. Opal especially I wanted to be her best friend. My heart ached for her, probably because I related to it so much, as she tries to connect so deeply with everyone. I loved her story of finding her self-worth, self-acceptance, and strength in her voice to stand up for herself as she navigates her new start at life on the flower farm. And Pepper had to grow up so fast, I love that her friends and Opal give her a chance to rely on others, learning to trust in other people, in love, and in the possibility of finding her own happily ever after with Opal. The way Pepper and Opal fit together like actual soulmates was my favorite part of this story. The complement each other perfectly and I loved seeing them grow so much for the better as they navigate each other in the beginning, start a friendship, and eventual relationship. There is so much love, acceptance, joy and happiness, mingled with the harsh and sucky moments that come with life, that make this story so lovingly realistic and hopeful. This story, like most of Mazey Edding's stories, give me the joyous and giddy hope in real life love, friendship, and happily ever afters in all their glorious forms. One of my absolute favorite stories ever!

Thank you for the alc :)

So I remember reading an ARC of this author’s debut book, A Brush with Love, 3 years ago and liking it. I haven’t kept up with their releases since but this one sounded so good and when I got the audio ALC, I was excited to jump in! The premise and the cover all looked and sounded so good, but sadly this book was just a miss for me.

This is a sapphic, opposites attract, forced proximity romance between Opal and Pepper. Basically Opal wins the lottery but her life doesn’t really get better. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork for a handout now, and since she’s a bleeding heart she just keeps saying yes. So to save herself, and her money, she ends up purchasing a failing flower farm in North Carolina! Her hopes for isolation there don’t go well either when Pepper shows up claiming to own the farm and they soon find themselves both living there.

I just never got invested in the main characters as people on their own, let alone as a couple. The conversations and actions all just felt so cliche and forced. I don’t know, maybe this author just isn’t for me.

I received an audio ALC from the publisher via NetGalley, all thoughts in this review are my own.

A beautiful sapphic romance! I was thrilled to receive this arc and I had a great time reading it! This was so cute & such a great comfort read!
Opal is just an amazing FMC and the representation in this novel was wonderful.

Mazey has knocked it out of the park once again. I absolutely adored this sweet sapphic romance. I LOVED the flower farm setting. I've never really bought fresh flowers for myself (Pat does sometimes but it's rare!), but this book made me want to go right to a farmer's market and pick out some dahlias. And then I got this perfect Booksta picture at one!

Opal and Pepper were SO sweet together. Their personalities were the perfect fit. I love the angst of a forced-proximity roommance, and these two neurodivergent cuties did angst beautifully.

Some suspension of belief is definitely required, because I can't imagine a world where one woman buys a house and when she realizes someone else is still living there, just lets that woman stay. That was a long sentence. Opal has an unbelievably big heart!

I cracked up at the list of possible titles for this book. It was so Mazey and so funny--the perfect way to wrap up this gorgeous book.