I will always read a Mazey Eddings book and Late Bloomer is the last one I had to read which I hadn’t. But no longer! Late Bloomer could also be my favorite? I loved the chemistry with Pepper and Opal! Keep reading this book review of Late Bloomer for my full thoughts.
Summary
Winning the lottery has ruined Opal Devlin’s’s life. After quitting her dead-end job where she’d earned minimum wage and even less respect, she’s 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 tender heart thoroughly abused, Opal decides to protect herself by any means necessary, which to her translates to putting almost all her new 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.
But her plans for isolation and self-preservation go hopelessly awry when an angry (albeit gorgeous) Pepper Smith is waiting for her at her new farm. Pepper 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 butt-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?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Pepper and Opal are amazing. Late Bloomer is a testament to finding our own way. It’s devoted to the character arcs of both Pepper and Opal. For Pepper, she has to figure out how to accept help and also have limits in place for protection. For Opal, she needs to prove to herself her own abilities and tell people how they’ve hurt her. In Late Bloomer they’re both sort of thrown together as they work through their opposite traits. How do strangers we just met seem to know pieces of ourselves we don’t even see. I sped through Late Bloomer and could not stop reading.
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If you love a romance with gorgeous character development, Late Bloomer is for you. Plus Mazey Eddings is a whiz at side characters which makes so many of these books pop. Pepper and Opal have to work through their own toxic thoughts, the whispers which haunt us, and insecurities. As a thorough Mazey Eddings fan this is top three to say the least. I knew I’d love a good flower farm, but we also love a character who has a hard time accepting help. Anyone I know? This scooped my heart out and I’m still swooning on the floor. Find Late Bloomer on Goodreads, Storygraph, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.