In Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings, Opal unexpectedly wins the lottery, which—while giving her freedom and options she never had before—brings a lot of drama. Friends, fake friends, and people from her past keep emerging for handouts. The worst problem is Opal’s near-inability to say no when people need help, even at the expense of herself. So she impulsively purchases a flower farm in North Carolina to let the place go wild while she works on her art. When she arrives, though, she discovers there’s been a mixup: the real owner, Pepper, is still there, and she’s not going anywhere. So Pepper and Opal manage to make a deal, to cohabit until they can get this straightened out. But between butting heads, they can’t help but notice that there’s attraction there, too. So they’ll either end up burning the place down, or letting something beautiful bloom.

Side note, the audiobook is narrated by Ellis Gossage, and she does a fantastic job! If you do audio, this is a good one for that format.

This is a predictable, but sweet story. I liked the two main characters, and thought they were very well-rounded. Opal’s tendency to be selfless to the point of self-sacrifice is explored well, her development relatable and realistically messy at times. And Pepper’s trust issues and social anxiety is heartbreakingly understandable when you consider her backstory. Especially for a romcom, these are layered characters, and I really appreciated that.

That said, there’s definitely an element of privilege at play here. Opal won a lottery, and while Pepper has money problems, they’re more like romance movie level of stakes. And who in real life runs away to live on a flower farm? No one, as far as I know. But hey, this book is almost the definition of escapism, so it’s fine.

I also liked the other characters. Pepper’s friends and Opal’s sisters are all delightful, full of personality and so much life. It’s an amazing crew they have. Even Pepper’s grandmother, deceased since before the beginning of the story, feels like a tangible, loving presence. And as for Pepper’s mother, ugh, she was the worst. So egotistical and manipulative, her role in the story not only serves to advance the plot but also to explain why Pepper is the way she is. All in all, a wonderful (if not 100% likable) cast, and that’s great to see.

And while it’s pretty predictable where this is all going—they’re going to fall in love? No way!—it’s still fun to see them get to their happy ending. The setting helps too, because who wouldn’t want to wander through the hills of a North Carolina flower farm?! And in the end, Late Bloomer is super entertaining. Tough themes are explored well without becoming too intense. Character development progresses at a great pace. The fun cast is reminiscent of the cast of a Casey McQuiston novel. And it’s cute, which is all I asked for. A lovely read for springtime!

Late Bloomer will be published on April 16th, 2024!