Reviews with content warning for Death - Late Bloomer

I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed Mazey’s work, when this book was announced and I saw that it was a sapphic read, I instantly pre-ordered it. This book was so sweet and adorable.

This book has two points of view. The first is Opal Devlin. She has just won the lottery. And it has ruined her life. She is quitting her dead-end job where she’d earned minimum wage and even less respect, she is bombarded by people knocking at her door for a handout the second they found out her bank account was overflowing with cash, and Opal can’t seem to stop saying yes. With her heart thoroughly abused, Opal decided to protect herself by any means necessary, which to her translates to putting almost all her money to buying a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina to let the flowers live out their plant destiny while she uses the cabin on the property to start her painting business. There is just one flaw in her plan, Pepper Smith isn’t aware that her farm has been sold to this stranger. Pepper is the second point of view, and she states she’s the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms and isn’t moving out. The unlikely pair strike up an agreement of co-habitation and they are butting heads at every turn. Can these opposites both live out their dreams and plant roots? Or will their combustible arguing and growing attraction burn the whole place down?

I will forever love dual POV in romance books and I liked the depiction of grief and autism within this book. I love Pepper’s growth and I just wanted to hug her throughout the book. I love how the relationship grew between Pepper and Opal. I love the Opal’s sister and the friends that Pepper has and how protective they are over Pepper. Unlike some of Mazey’s previous work, this book did have some form of miscommunication, but it was the way it described Pepper’s autism and Opal’s overthinking. I liked that they were both feeling the same thing, but they were both struggling to tell each other. I loved the cameo from Lizzie’s bakery and how they are always getting the vulgar cakes each year for Pepper’s birthday.

There were a few times during the book where even though we knew whose chapter it was from their point of view; they were both similar and the writing was the book that it got confusing at time. It wasn’t like two distinctive voices, it just kind of blended into one during the middle of the book.

I would love another book with Opal’s sisters find their own love stories and to see how Opal and Pepper are doing in a few years and where Pepper went to college and what courses she did and if they ever entered the competition again and if they win.

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callie_castle's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was given an ARC of this book and wow, it was such a beautiful, heartwarming book that made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think, and most importantly…I felt seen.

Pepper is an autistic woman who is hyperfixated on her late Grandma Lou’s flower farm, adorably named Thistle and Bloom. She wants her quiet routine, and she wants to live on her farm in peace…if only she could find Lou’s will.

Opal is an artsy girl who is working a dead end job and feels like she has no future. She has severe ADHD and I understood all of her decisions, I understood why she acted the way she did.

When Opal accidentally wins the lottery and buys the farm Pepper lives on, sapphic chaos ensues. I appreciate that the author played with the useless lesbian trope but they aren’t actually useless lesbians. They’re two neurodivergent girls who communicate and interact with the world in VASTLY different ways.

I very much enjoyed the twist of the U-Haul Lesbian as well. Opal moves in before she’s even met Pepper! It also was a nice way to really highlight just how different neurodivergent people are, and how despite having similar issues, can struggle with communication on a immense level that has severe consequences they can’t stop running into.

I loved seeing myself in these two characters. I loved seeing queer neurodivergent characters that use words like autism and ADHD, and the real implications of not learning ways to work with your abilities instead of against them can cause you a million problems such as Opal’s brush with drugs and struggle with not becoming an alcoholic.

The book is realistic, but it’s still a joyful read. It’s a gay romcom with neurodivergent disaster gays. This book was basically written for me. If you’re a gay/queer neurodivergent who’s been searching for a romcom that features you, you’ve come to the right place.

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amanda_mh's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a super sweet and spicy Sapphic story, with great neurodivergent rep. I truly Loved Opal and Pepper, and this flower farm was the coziest setting 💐 who knew I would fall for a character who farms flowers and another who paints shoes 🥰

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caseythereader's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free copy of this book.

- I adore Mazey Eddings’ writing. Her characters are such beautiful portrayals of neurodiverse people (autism and ADHD in this book), showing readers that thees people are full human beings worthy of being loved just as they are.
- The setup of this plot, on the other hand, I had a bit of a hard time wrapping my mind around. I think I just had a hard time believing that they would come around to each other, despite the incredible chemistry they had.
- Regardless, everything else about this book is lovely and tender.

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smleeth93's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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torismazarine's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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jackiereadssometimes's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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chelseazhao's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring

4.0

I was really excited to read this book after reading, and loving, The Plus One last year.
Let me start by saying that I really appreciated the autism/neurodiversity representation in this story. I loved how different both Pepper and Opal were even though they were both on the spectrum. I feel like this is something that we need to see more often, and I loved that it made the characters feel more real.
I will say that I struggled a little bit with the romance because we do have more of a lust first romance second relationship. I really would have liked more development of the actual romance, because we didn't get to see that as much on page. Once the physical relationship started there were at least 3 big sex scenes that were very involved (for whomever wants to know).
I also thought that the near-ending/third act break up/misunderstanding felt contrived and not as important as it would have needed to be.

I also don't actually know if this is a spoiler, but

Pepper is a virgin. I know that this book is called Late Bloomer and I should have guessed. But I didn't. I felt like the reason that she was a virgin was because she was autistic and I wasn't sure I really liked the whole reasoning. I do think that you can be an older virgin with no problem. But something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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