Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary!
If reading Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun and Late Bloomer this year has taught me anything, it’s that I have a type in romance novels: two neurodivergent sapphics in love.
When Opal wins the lottery, she’s overwhelmed by everyone in her life who wants a cut. She impulsively buys a flower farm to get away, and as a place where she can pursue her art. When she arrives, though, she finds out that Pepper is already living there: her con artist mother sold Opal the place, and the property is now under questionable ownership. They decide to live together until they can sort the situation out, even if it means Pepper slowly buying Opal out.
What I loved about this story is that at one angle, Pepper and Opal are perfectly complementary—and at the other angle, they are contradictory opposites. Opal is a people pleaser, always eager to help others and get on their good side. Pepper is suspicious of others after being burned many times, including being manipulated by her mother. To her, Opal’s generosity looks like a trap. While they’re both neurodivergent (Pepper is autistic, Opal doesn’t have a definitive label), they have very different communication styles: Opal is bubbly and chatty, Pepper is more guarded and suspicious.
As you can imagine, they have difficulty living with each other, even as they can’t deny their chemistry. Their relationship often takes one step forward and two steps back. But what I liked about this dynamic was that their conflict all made total sense. They have a lot of miscommunication, but that’s because they have clashing communication styles. They are also both dealing with trauma that sometimes bumps up against each other’s in uncomfortable ways. And besides, they are trying to communicate. This isn’t a book where I was mentally yelling, “Just talk to them!”
While they have obstacles to overcome, I was rooting for this couple the whole time. They have good chemistry and obviously care about each other, so it’s worth getting over those hurdles. Also, this may be my favourite romance cover of all time. It’s gorgeous. It’s well worth the price just for that cover alone.
