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kylosten's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Grief
sariereads's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gaslighting
callie_castle's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcoholism, and Cursing
Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, and Stalking
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness
caseythereader's review against another edition
- 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
- 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.
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death
Minor: Drug use
smleeth93's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Death
Minor: Grief
torismazarine's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Drug use
abookwanderer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
What I enjoyed most about this one was the setting. I’m a sucker for a farm, orchard, or winery setting. Anywhere they work with the land or outdoors to grow and produce things. I can’t help but get sucked in to the magic of it all. It’s a perfect setting for romance!
I also loved the representation. Opal is neurodivergent and Pepper is autistic, and of course, this is a sapphic novel. Eddings is wonderful at capturing the beauty in all of our individual differences. And while I liked both the characters, and especially liked their backstories, I did find both of their voices too similar sometimes, having to stop and figure out who was speaking. They were very different characters—it is an opposites attract romance—but sometimes their words or actions didn’t seem to match the speaker’s personality.
I did also like most of the side characters, especially Opal’s sisters and Pepper’s friends, who could all probably have their own books.
Much of the conflict between our love interests arises from lack of communication, which is not a favorite trope of mine. If it’s done well, I don’t mind it so much, but I found myself wanting to yell at these two to just talk to each other already. It wasn’t long or drawn out, though, so that was good. It was understandable for Pepper’s character who is more reserved, having put up walls, but Opal is super outspoken, except when it’s most important apparently, which was frustrating.
Even with these little frustrations, I found myself rooting for these two to find their much-deserved happiness together. There are plenty of lighthearted—and romantic—moments, as well, which had me smiling!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
Check out my reviews and playlists at A Book Wanderer
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Grief
jackiereadssometimes's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism
heytherekaity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship