HI! I bought brown pocket paddy at AR's sale and have most of the same things you described. If you pull the zipper to far back, it gets stuck. Just don't pull it back all the way. Mine too was very pebbley, I prefer the smoother leather, but I'm sure I'll learn to love this one. The leathers on chloe vary a lot! I have 3 others, but this one has the most pebbling. I'm glad yours is growing on you. Congrats on your first chloe.