I enjoyed the books with neurodivergent characters in Mazie Eddings's previous novel BRUSH WITH LOVE so I put myself on the waiting list to read her newest release LATE BLOOMER. Little did I know it would be my first sapphic novel until I saw the cover and read the plot summary.
Both the main female characters are also neurodivergent with varying sensory and social issues as well as complete opposites in personality, upbringing, and way of approaching life. Opal is a people pleaser with toxic friends, a dead-end job, and fabulous sisters when she wins enough money from a scratch-off lottery ticket to reset her life by buying a flower farm sight unseen. Introverted Pepper has been trying to save her grandmother’s flower farm from financial disaster with supportive friends and a neglect-ridden childhood when Opal descends on her farm with ownership papers.
I liked Pepper’s circle of friends more than the main characters. I found both leads to be inconsistent in their personalities especially Opal who went from weak to dominant and back to weak again which kept me from connecting with them and caring about their journey. Not my favorite from this author but keeping Ms. Eddings on my book radar.
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