Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife

Melissa Giberson is a middle-aged suburban wife and mother of two kids, solidly planted in the life she’s always wanted. Yet she longs for something more—something she can’t quite put her finger on until, one day at the Y, she finds herself mesmerized by the sight of a naked woman and asks herself for the first time: Am I gay?

This revelation sends Melissa on a head-spinning journey of self-discovery, one that challenges everything she thinks she knows about herself, forces her to decide exactly how much she’s willing to risk for authenticity, and shakes the foundations of the family she’s fiercely determined to shield from the kinds of wounds she sustained during her own childhood. Torn between her desire to be true to herself and her desire to protect her children, she is consumed by fear and conflicting emotions—and when her husband unexpectedly serves her divorce papers, her confusion only deepens.

Adrift in uncharted waters, Melissa finds fragments of understanding and peace in unexpected places—in a conference room in Israel, a small fishing village in Cape Cod, and at a yoga retreat center—that help her deconstruct her preconceptions about faith and identity and begin to construct a new framework for her life. Over the course of her ten-year journey, she finds hope, love, and more courage than she ever knew she was capable of, and she gradually assembles the puzzle that is her—the real her.

​Format:  Paperback, Kindle
Pages: 288
ASIN: B0BQBP3VQ8
Publisher: She Writes Press
Publication Date: August 8, 2023

Praise for Late Bloomer
"Late Bloomer is an absolutely glorious memoir about a woman coming out, coming into her true self. A woman sharing the most intimate details. The ending of a marriage, the discovery of her own heartbeat, her own desires, the bumpy, scary, frightening, magnificent journey of self-discovery. Giberson writes that coming out is a gut-wrenching process and that she carefully chose each person with whom to share her truth. With this memoir, she’s done just that—sharing her truth, sharing the pain and sorrow, and joy. And the fear. Sharing intimate details that become chapters filled with so much raw beauty. At the end of this glorious book, Giberson declares, ‘Above all, I’ve found me.’ And we, as readers, are awfully glad she shared herself with us. A remarkable journey,  indeed.” 
​--​ Amy Ferris, author of Mighty Gorgeous and Marrying George Clooney
“Melissa Giberson’s memoir is a gripping account of a suburban mom’s journey from a world of shuttling kids to pools and temple to the self-discovery she’s trembling with lust after the beautiful women on Provincetown’s beaches. There is a kind of madness that befalls a person brave enough to make that journey—a human roiling through self-loathing, euphoria, depression, joy, guilt, fury, fear, erotic discovery—until they finally make it safely to where they need to be. This is an honest account of the profound ‘awakening’ that stems from an appetite for life and yet also comes at a cost. The writing is just right. It’s straight—from the heart.” 
​-- Richard C. Morais, author of The Hundred-Foot Journey
“In Late Bloomer, Melissa Giberson establishes her voice as a brave truthteller. By sharing her most life-altering experiences with unfiltered authenticity, she delivers an emotional tale of identity, sexuality, motherhood, and forgiveness.” 
​-- Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials ​
“…Anyone who has wrestled with how to be who they are rather than who they think their world demands them to be will feel themselves in this compelling, necessary story. Feeling stuck is a nightmare, and freedom is divine, but, as Giberson shows in this masterful blueprint of truth-telling, it’s choosing to step out from under the weight of ‘shoulds’ that we realize the richness of authenticity.” 
​-- Becky Vollmer, author of You Are Not Stuck: How Soul-Guided Choices Transform Fear into Freedom
“Melissa Giberson has written an incredibly important book about truth telling. In this story, she’s searching for her own truth, moment by messy moment. Bravo to her bravery. Shedding societal expectations is not easy, and the path to authenticity is rarely smooth. Reading Melissa’s journey will give so many people hope that there’s sun at the end of the storm.” 
​-- Julie Barton, New York Times Bestselling author of Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself
"When we see parts of ourselves reflected in the stories of others, we grow, heal, and find permission to share our own truths. Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife is a soul-bearing tale of a woman’s quest to live more fully in alignment and congruence. Melissa writes with vivid color and texture, describing her journey through coming out, divorce, coparenting, and building a new life. I am grateful for this offering, as it creates more visibility and support for women exploring their sexuality later in life." 
​-- Jen Berlingo, LPC, ATR; midlife coach, psychotherapist, & bestselling author of Midlife Emergence: Free Your Inner Fire
"Melissa Giberson’s Late Bloomers is a beautifully written memoir. The author, with vivid recall, takes us from her journey as a young wife and mother, to the realization of her same-gender sexuality, and then to her search for her authentic self as she restructures her life. While at times heart-wrenching, this book is also an honest and compelling read." 
-- Carren Strock, author of Married Women Who Love Women and More
"An unsparing and timely look at sexual identity and awakening in midlife. Giberson’s brave, honest, and heartrending account of the realization that she must be willing to dissolve her marriage and family in order to create and live an authentic life will have you turning pages late into the night.“ 
​-- Michelle Theal, Senior Editor / Photographer at Alaska Magazine and author of Teaching The Cat to Sit

Industry Reviews
"Her narrative is compelling—a skillful weaving of moments and memories, with often-lyrical prose. Readers who have themselves come out in midlife will find comfort not only in knowing they are not alone, but that in Giberson, they have a guide who offers both her own story and the hard-learned wisdom she gained along the way. The book should appeal to anyone experiencing a significant life change, in fact, or to anyone who might—and isn’t that most of us?
Highly recommended."
-- Mombian
“Through candid anecdotes, introspective reflections, and poignant storytelling, the author navigates the complexities of self-acceptance, shedding light on the universal struggle to break free from societal expectations and find genuine fulfillment.”
-- Readers’ Favorite Review
“Giberson, a writer, occupational therapist, and photographer, offers a story of reinvention... It’s a story that has currency and does full justice to the complexity of the situation... A multilayered and complex remembrance.”
-- Kirkus Reviews
“The book is filled with intimate introspective moments; Giberson considers her flaws as well as her strengths.” 
​-- Foreword Reviews

Reader Reviews
“Not your average memoir - THIS is absolutely mesmerizing writing. All the stars. Every last one.

Melissa Giberson has put together an inspirational account of her experience coming out later in life. She beautifully takes us on her journey of the dissolution of her marriage, and the extraordinary lost and found odyssey that accompanies a woman who risked everything to be true to her authentic self.

This is not a broad strokes “this is how I came out” memoir. I was moved beyond language. It’s almost impossible to properly convey how gorgeous her writing is.

For a memoir to succeed and surpass others in its genre, it must be accompanied with a degree of depth and weight few authors can pull off. That’s exactly what Melissa has done.

Although this qualifies as a memoir within the subgenre of LGBTQIA literature, the heightened feelings from beginning to end of LATE BLOOMER: FINDING MY AUTHENTIC SELF AT MIDLIFE are synonymous with anyone facing the ultimate question: should I stay on the path that is not meant for me but known, or should I take a chance and jump?

This is a book about what happens when we listen to the still, small voice within that guides us. This is a book about the rocky terrain of the unknown. This is a book about hope, faith, and courage. This IS a book for every single reader.

Stunning.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heartfelt and honest
​“A beautifully written account of womanhood, motherhood, sexuality, spirituality, and the inner turmoil and courage that pairs with changing one’s life course midlife. Giberson’s tale of coming out is honest, grounded in self-awareness, brave, and informative. By sharing her journey, she lovingly offers a roadmap to others—ultimately reminding us that giving oneself permission to fully feel ALL of the feeling, while weighing risk and reward of truth, claiming identity, and cultivating community not only helps, but heals. This is not a one and done “aha” moment, but an ongoing pursuit of belonging, selfhood, wholeness, forgiveness, and love. Brava. Five big stars from this reader!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ True to Who You Are!
“This is a beautifully honest difficult evolution of finding your true authentic being while trying to protect the ones you love. It is emotionally raw and in order to emerge a butterfly you must burn it down and rebuild. Melissa does that with humility and grace. Masterfully written. Thank you for taking us on your journey of rediscovery.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This Chick Can Write!
“What a lovely experience, to walk through a self-realization journey skillfully unfolded by a writer who is honest, clear and kind. What’s smashingly beautiful about Late Bloomer is the humanity. The way it reminds the reader; hey, we are responsible for our hearts. When we’re true to them, then and only then can we care for one another. And when we do, we repair the world. So well done!”
​⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Poignant, brave, inspiring midlife coming out story!
“The road to recognizing, then accepting and finally celebrating that she was gay was a long, daunting and rocky one for Melissa Giberson—not because she was afraid to be gay, but because she didn’t want her middle school children to experience the heartbreak of divorce. The self-doubts that overtook her, the effort it took to say yes to a meaningful life, and the care she took to dissolve a marriage in a way that would not hurt her children all made for a poignant, brave, relatable, and heart-warming tale. By transforming her inner and outer life at her own pace, and sharing her thoughts, feelings, and insights along the way, Giberson gives us an inspiring story of patience, faith, and acceptance for all of our unique journeys on the way to our authentic selves.”
​⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Poignant Memoir
“In this poignant memoir, Late Bloomer, Giberson takes the reader on a courageous journey to find out who she really is. She deftly lays out the struggle of keeping her family together and at the same time honoring her true self. Her writing is honest and and also compassionate. I highly recommend Late Boomer, especially for people who are questioning with their sexuality later in life.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautifully written, this is a story for all women.
"Gibersen’s excellently written memoir voices the silent stories of many boomer generation women, including my own. The choices we must make in order to become our belatedly-discovered true selves, whatever our new awareness may be, are agonizing ones. The author’s strength to live authentically, while holding tightly to her children is an inspiring “how to” story and testament to the fierceness of mother-love. Beautifully told, this is a story for all women facing hard decisions, and for those who wish to support them."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ LATE BLOOMER is THE unputdownable memoir of 2023.
"Melissa Giberson has crafted a poetically evocative memoir. Absolutely brilliant.

LATE BLOOMER is peppered with life lessons relatable to all readers. With her generous heart and unmatched ability to write about the choices we face when a new truth is revealed, Giberson weaves a powerful and moving story.

Although this is of the LGBTQIA subgenre, LATE BLOOMER speaks to the innermost self of every reader who has stumbled upon a turning point where a decision must be made, and others will be affected.

Part travelogue, part love story, LATE BLOOMER is more than an achingly honest coming out story. It is a hopeful reminder that the payoff of listening to the still, small voice within will always result to emotional richness beyond one’s prediction."
© 2023 Melissa Giberson