Scan barcode
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“You deserve a life so peaceful it feels deliciously boring.”
I really love the cover and the synopsis, by which I mean I was expecting a slightly more relaxing extended proximity story but was surprised by what turned out to be a little too much angst for me in the family abandonment and taking advantage of someone financially (the law comes through in the end!)
The conflict at the end also felt a little too drawn-out (in real time, not book time) for how small it seemed (to me), and I also thought it was a missed opportunity that their flower display didn’t pay homage to Pepper’s grandmother and a different kind of love.
With that said, I did enjoy the parts of the book that were more what I was expecting — unexpected roommates, a bit of art and working on the flower farm — but I think I just wanted more of it and there were certain parts of the story that stressed me out more than I think they were supposed to and I couldn’t let them go! The writing was great though, the steaminess and intimacy was top tier, and there were a few quotes that I even saved because they made me think or resonated with me.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really love the cover and the synopsis, by which I mean I was expecting a slightly more relaxing extended proximity story but was surprised by what turned out to be a little too much angst for me in the family abandonment and taking advantage of someone financially (the law comes through in the end!)
The conflict at the end also felt a little too drawn-out (in real time, not book time) for how small it seemed (to me), and I also thought it was a missed opportunity that their flower display didn’t pay homage to Pepper’s grandmother and a different kind of love.
With that said, I did enjoy the parts of the book that were more what I was expecting — unexpected roommates, a bit of art and working on the flower farm — but I think I just wanted more of it and there were certain parts of the story that stressed me out more than I think they were supposed to and I couldn’t let them go! The writing was great though, the steaminess and intimacy was top tier, and there were a few quotes that I even saved because they made me think or resonated with me.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
Minor: Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, and Ableism
Financial abusetheinstabookworm's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of LATE BLOOMER by Mazey Eddings in exchange for my review. This novel will be released on Apr. 16th.
This cover is beautiful, and I loved Pepper's friend group and Opal's sisters and their banter. I related to both MCs in many ways.
However, I found both Pepper and Opal to be one-dimensional with no internal conflict. I didn't buy their chemistry. The pacing of this book was also off. It was a slow burn with long chapters and no smut until the 50% mark, but then one spicy scene occurred over several chapters. I also felt that the autism representation in this was fleeting at best and probably should have been more fleshed out. I've had another one of this author's books on my TBR for a while now, but will be going in with slightly lower expectations.
Favourite quote: "But instead, she reaches out to me--opening her hand like a flower unfurling its petals to the sun. I stare at it. The ink stains and calluses and chipped nails and bitten cuticles. For a moment, that hand looks like a second chance. A lifeline. Then I blink."
This cover is beautiful, and I loved Pepper's friend group and Opal's sisters and their banter. I related to both MCs in many ways.
However, I found both Pepper and Opal to be one-dimensional with no internal conflict. I didn't buy their chemistry. The pacing of this book was also off. It was a slow burn with long chapters and no smut until the 50% mark, but then one spicy scene occurred over several chapters. I also felt that the autism representation in this was fleeting at best and probably should have been more fleshed out. I've had another one of this author's books on my TBR for a while now, but will be going in with slightly lower expectations.
Favourite quote: "But instead, she reaches out to me--opening her hand like a flower unfurling its petals to the sun. I stare at it. The ink stains and calluses and chipped nails and bitten cuticles. For a moment, that hand looks like a second chance. A lifeline. Then I blink."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
danaburrreads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Toxic friendship
ssl08's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Death of parent
katevdz's review against another edition
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
I loved this book! I thought is was an excellent little rom com with good character development, a romance you couldn’t help but root for, and an adorable setting on a flower farm. As someone who has adhd, I also loved that both characters were neurodivergent. I’ve read rom coms that are neurodivergent coded, but I don’t think I’ve read one with explicitly neurodivergent characters and I related very strongly with Opal. There is something very special reading a book where you see yourself in a character, and I felt that strongly when reading this book. I also liked that there are content warnings at the start of the book. (grief after the loss of a loved one, complicated relationship with alcohol, parental neglect/ abandonment).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol
the_lesbrarian's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Opal is floundering in indecision in her mid-twenties— stuck at what she promised herself was a short-term job, recently single, living alone and broke in her hometown. When she wins a life-changing amount of money, she puts it all towards a flower farm where she can pursue her dream of being an artist. However, she arrives to find that the farm is already occupied by a disgruntled gardener named Pepper. Her new start on life quickly complicates as the two women find that they have more in common than they realized.
Such a sweet relationship develops between the two main characters, the reader can’t help but fall in love along with them.
While there are certain aspects that I wish the author spent more time on, such as Pepper’s chronic migraines, or her complex relationship with her mother, I do appreciate that the books limited handling of these issues maintained its overall feel as a gooey, feel-good romance. This novel has no homophobia, internalized or otherwise, which is a very welcome deviation from most other contemporary lesbian romances, and allows the reader a lovely true romance novel escapism experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and for the opportunity to honestly read and review the eARC of Late Bloomer.
rep
- chronic illness (migraines)
- autistic LI
- neurodivergent mc
- non-binary sc
- wlw main relationship
- sapphic side relationship
- mlm side relationship
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, and Alcoholism
narcissistic abuse from a parent alcoholism trigger is referring to main character’s complicated relationship with substances grief due to death of grandparent is central to novel, but off-page, before story beginsmaggie_the_ferocious_reader's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Firstly, the cover is so gorgeous it makes me want to swoon. Opal is chaotic good embodied, Pepper is very much a measured rule follower, when you combine the two in one cabin on a flower farm you get this lovely romance. Mazey Eddings continues to improve with every book she writes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
Minor: Death
More...