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fuzzywilson's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Alcohol, Drug use, Death, Abandonment, Cursing, Grief, and Toxic relationship
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Ableism, Infidelity, and Alcoholism
rowan92579's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
callie_castle's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
jelkebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This honestly is really delightful read. Despite this book also definitely having its emotional moments, the book just felt so incredibly cozy. I really liked our two main characters, and even though they both are absolute disasters, they just fit together so well. I loved seeing how much they just rooted for each other, and just loved each other fully. I think Mazey Eddings did a great job at developing their feelings for each other, and just showing us how much they care for each other. It made this whole book just kind of feel like one big hug.
I also just really loved the setting of the flower farm. I thought it was just such a fun, and very vivid background to this love story. Especially because Pepper is so incredibly passionate about the farm, and seeing her connection with her recently deceased grandmother in everything she does around the farm is also just absolutely stunning. It was just overall executed really well.
I also really liked our cast of side characters. I thought they created for an amazing friend group, and I loved how Pepper's friends and Opal's sisters just kind of integrated so well together. It to me shows just how perfect those two are together. This book also was just incredibly funny. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this.
The only complaints I have is that I feel like the storylines featuring Pepper and her mom, and Opal and her toxic friend are kind of pushed to the wayside a little. Especially because both of those relationships are really important to the start of this book, and then they are barely even mentioned throughout most of the book, just to get a bit unrealistically quickly get wrapped up at the end. It felt like a bit of a let down to me, I don't know.
This honestly is really delightful read. Despite this book also definitely having its emotional moments, the book just felt so incredibly cozy. I really liked our two main characters, and even though they both are absolute disasters, they just fit together so well. I loved seeing how much they just rooted for each other, and just loved each other fully. I think Mazey Eddings did a great job at developing their feelings for each other, and just showing us how much they care for each other. It made this whole book just kind of feel like one big hug.
I also just really loved the setting of the flower farm. I thought it was just such a fun, and very vivid background to this love story. Especially because Pepper is so incredibly passionate about the farm, and seeing her connection with her recently deceased grandmother in everything she does around the farm is also just absolutely stunning. It was just overall executed really well.
I also really liked our cast of side characters. I thought they created for an amazing friend group, and I loved how Pepper's friends and Opal's sisters just kind of integrated so well together. It to me shows just how perfect those two are together. This book also was just incredibly funny. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this.
The only complaints I have is that I feel like the storylines featuring Pepper and her mom, and Opal and her toxic friend are kind of pushed to the wayside a little. Especially because both of those relationships are really important to the start of this book, and then they are barely even mentioned throughout most of the book, just to get a bit unrealistically quickly get wrapped up at the end. It felt like a bit of a let down to me, I don't know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism and Toxic friendship
jackiereadssometimes's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism
kdscolley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
What a lovely sapphic love story! Opal and Pepper have their own pasts that make communication tough, so if you aren’t a fan of miscommunication, this won’t be it for you. But the miscommunication comes from history that feels so relevant and relatable that I enjoyed the push and pull. Pepper is autistic and Opal is neurodivergent, so there’s so much going on and the representation was done so well.
I think this one was so amazing for me because I related to both characters in different ways and that was just lovely to experience.
I think this one was so amazing for me because I related to both characters in different ways and that was just lovely to experience.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Alcoholism
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 abusefinnelyslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely adored Tilly in Technicolor and so Late Bloomer having autism and adhd rep+being sapphic put it at my number one most looked forward to release of 2024. So thank you to St.Martins Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it early as an eARC. It was really complex and the characters were really well developed. There were some characters who felt trope forced, like Opal's 'best friend' and ex. Pepper's best friend crossed the line of protective/supportive to infantilising and just kept calling out her autistic traits as things to work on. Along with invading her no-touch preferences, so she wasn't my favourite character. All in all though, this was a really lovely read and Opal and Pepper will stay in mind as though they're old friends of mine.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Ableism
wlw, autistic, adhdthe_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 begins
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