4.5 stars from me! I found the plot and premise of this book to be so super fun! It was a great read! I read other comments and just want to clarify, as a spicy wlw novel reader, I feel like this book was not super spicy. Sexy things were more so alluded to but not really described in detail. Definitely was rooting for Gray to find her perfect match and have a happy ending. If you love HEA, this book will deliver! Even if a bit stereotypical, getting to know the signs as Gray went on her dates was entertaining and interesting! Loved this one, one of my favorite Netgalley reads!

I loved quite a few things about this book: the astrology, the tour of NOLA, the southern & religious trauma (ha! I also grew up in the south... gimme a break. It was relatable). The sign archetypes were a lot of fun, and it had me guessing about what dates with future signs would be like.

The story was a little slow to get started for me, and the story felt a little predictable at times -- I mean we were literally dating through the zodiac, so what comes next wasn't too much of a mystery. But it was still enjoyable overall.

The timeline seemed a bit hurried, I was also a little taken out of the story because of the idea of a hard ending date (Gray's birthday) to something like a Saturn Return didn't ring true (and felt tushed). In astrology, major events like these (and eclipses, etc.) have some gray area of influence on either side of the "end date" and for characters who were supposed to be astrology-aware -- that felt like a bit of a miss.

Overall, it was a really fun and unique story. (I also really liked Veronica.) I would recommend it, especially if you enjoy astrology or have southern, queer religious trauma.

Looking for a Sign was a cute premise but ultimately a little thin. The central romance was obvious from the beginning so the "twist" didn't land for me. Still, a pretty fun read.
3/5 Stars

Thank you Net Galley and Random House for an eARC of Looking for a Sign!

I struggle a bit with rating this book. I absolutely loved the concept of Looking for a Sign of a late 20s queer woman having a major life change, and deciding the best way to find her way in life is by finding her true love by dating one of each sign. However, the execution felt lacking in numerous ways. 

First, I want to say how much this book meant to me. As a queer person from the conservative state of Oklahoma, all of the representation I manage to find in our libraries and bookstores are stories mostly taken place in New York, California, maybe the occasional Portland or Denver. I cannot think of the last time I read a piece of queer media that mentioned my state numerous times, not to mention that takes place in a conservative southern state. I did not realize how much this representation would mean to me until I read it and got to see someone like myself being represented and loved and happy in a state like my own. 

To later find out the author went to the same places, knows the some of the same people as me blew my mind. I thank Susie Dummond for showing queer readers like me that it is possible to be happily visibly queer in Oklahoma and other conservative states.

Now, onto my critiques. Starting at the beginning, there was a lot of “telling” instead of “showing” in the story, and this only continued throughout the book. Yes, beginnings of books are more likely to have exposition drops, but we are told Grey’s traits immediately before, or sometimes while, showing her character acting the exact opposite. We also learn so much about Grey’s past relationship that is central to her character development, but never meet the ex through the current timeline or through a flashback; we only get told everything about this important named character, but even still not much about her as a person.

Another example of us being “told” the story instead of “shown” is on what is the, for the lack of a better word, “gimmick” of the whole book: the first of the twelve zodiac dates. I was so excited to experience the highs and lows and specific zodiac characteristics of each dates, but we only see the very first few sentences of the first date and are then fast forward to the next day after their date. I know the zodiac dates are a bigger framing than the true purpose of the story, but it is confusing to miss the very first attempt at showing your reader what they came to the book for. 

Most importantly, I found the chemistry severely lacking in the ultimate love interest. I think she is an amazing character and romantic option, but the two seem to be at such different points in their lives and shown no romantic or sexual chemistry prior to the moment it becomes very obvious. I wanted to see more little moments of potential interest leading up — a flirty comment here, admiring something intimate about the other there, more signs of any kind.

There were many, many funny lines and situations in the book, which really did help me stay engaged. Grey is an absolute hot mess, someone you might root for, relate to, or might have you yelling at the page, but either way you have strong feelings toward. The characters and dates were all unique and special in their own way

I think Looking for a Sign has a chance to be a huge hit for queer people with or without knowledge in astrology, even if it did fall short for me in some major ways. Almost all of these could be fixed with another careful review, and I hope this is something that could be done before release as it has the potential to be a really special book.

To find my review after publication date, you can look on StoryGraph and TikTok with my username @notsobinaryart or @notsobinary.art on Instagram.

this was so fun! I really loved the vibes and the romancce was really cute! I love astrology so this was great!

This was a pretty fun read, I binged it really fast! I did feel that dating just *one* person per astrology sign (which is what the MC did) wasn't super demonstrative of the sign as a whole, lol, but that aside, the different dates and experiences were a very fun read!

TWs - because there were so many characters, there a number of minor triggers, but the main one is this - gay kid forced into conversion therapy by parents (the MC)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A sweet and spicy story I could not put down. It’s a cute LGBTQIAP+ story. I thought the idea of finding your life partner based on zodiac signs is amusing and not in a lot of books.

The idea of finding your life partner based on zodiac signs is an amusing one. Gray, the main character, has recently ended a ten-year relationship with her girlfriend after finally admitting to herself that her girlfriend is never going to be on the marriage with multiple children path that Gray wants. Gray has moved from Tulsa to New Orleans, where she is living with her best friend (Cherry) and her husband and son (Robbie and River respectively) and starting a new public relations job at a local school. Cherry arranged for Gray to see a renowned astrologer. As she recounted the experience to Cherry and they talked about astrology and its implications, they got carried away and came up with a plan where Gray will date one person from each zodiac sign in order from Aries to Pisces before her twenty-ninth birthday, six weeks away. That birthday coincides with Saturn’s return and is therefore particularly auspicious for making life changes.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the general characteristics of people born under each sign and how Gray and her best friend Cherry tried to tailor Gray’s ice-breaker questions on the dating app to fit the particular zodiac sign of the potential date. The dates were amusing, with some going really well and others being disasters. There was plenty of humor involved. The person that Gray ends up with is both surprising and not surprising, and there will be obstacles to overcome before they can attempt to make a relationship work. I liked that Gray did not limit her choices to woman who identified as lesbian but also included potential matches who identified as bisexual, transgender or nonbinary. I also liked that the author had Gray develop friendships with some of the people she dated. There were multiple dates where the romantic spark was missing but there were common interests that could and did form the basis of an ongoing friendship.

String romance. Weak point was the li but I adored the main char so much and the scenario was so wacky and fun. Thank s for the arc

3.5 ⭐️ - I was drawn in VG the concept of this book, the idea of dating someone from each zodiac sign was such a fun idea that I had to pick this us. There was thing I really enjoyed about this book. I liked following Gray along on her dates as she explored the world of dating post breaking up with her long term girlfriend. The dates were a mix of hilariously awkward to the point I was getting embarrassed for the characters to big smutty success’. I also liked that that Gray was a PR girl not working for an agency - as a fellow PR girl this was a nice change! I did also like the friendship between Gray and Cherry and their back story.

What I didn’t really jive with in this story was I felt like Gray was a bit dramatic and honestly pretty selfish at times. Some of the scenarios, especially around Cherry really made my stomach roll with second hand embarrassment of how out of touch she was at times with things going on beyond her sphere. I do think we see her grow a bit as a person but I honestly think that she still has a lot of growing up to do and I would have liked to have seen that happen within the book.

All that aside I did have fun reading this book and I was happy to see another LGBTQ+ fun romcom hitting shelves!

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and the author Susie Dumond for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So I'm not into astrology at all, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with this book which involves the main character trying to heal her heart by dating someone from each star sign to figure out who she is meant to be with. The plot about her love life was fun, but I also really loved the secondary plot about her work as the PR person for a private school (which begins to intersect with her love life as well)... So much fun and such a great concept for a book. One of those rom-coms that makes you think, duh, why hasn't anyone thought of this before!

Looking for a Sign is one of my new favorite novels. It was honestly just a really fun read, full of mini-adventures and a lot of well done characters. It tackled some more serious topics while also keeping an overall light tone. This was a book that I couldn't put down and tore through in one late-night read. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone!

Approaching her Saturn return, a celestial event occurring every 30ish years that apparently means big change in her life, Grey ends a decade long relationship in favor of searching for someone who shares her goals of having a family. After visiting a astrological psychic she gets the idea to try dating one person from each sign in order to learn more about herself and what kind of person she wants to spend her life with. Adventure ensues.

The Good Parts:
-This novel was fun, plain and simple. The series of dates spans the quite the range of experience so you get a bunch of mini-adventures packed into one novel. The characters were witty and entertaining, and I just overall really enjoyed the entire read!
-Dating: I almost never see a romance novel that features dating like this. Usually its a set couple working their way towards each other so this was a breath of fresh air, something different. I liked how it showcased that some dates are good, some bad, and some in between. The bad dates were/are not a fair judgement of you as a person and another good experience is around the corner. I also loved how many of the dates ended up as friendships which was nice to see in its own way as it showcased how all types of relationships can enrich your life, not just romantic ones (as well as how the Capricorn date ended, hah).
-The relationship between Grey and the eventual love interest was great in my opinion. We got to see it grow organically and develop better than most of the more shallow relationships that are often depicted. I also liked the ending and how it was more realistic and avoided the fairytale style one that I was expecting.
-Although lighthearted, the novel tackles some heavier and more serious issues and does it well. This includes Grey's experience growing up in a deeply religious and conservative household and town, as a queer person.
-Representation! Across the board excellent, no notes.

Not Parts Other People Didn't Like, But I Didn't Really Mind:
-The "twist" was incredibly obvious, but I personally didn't mind. I don't think it needed to be a surprise to be more effective, but at the same time it can be nice to have an unexpected twist.
-Each date was a strong stereotype of their sign. Again, this didn't really bother me because it was on theme and was meant (I think) to mostly demonstrate how exposure to different types of people can enrich your life in various ways and teach you things about yourself. They also addressed it directly in the novel in a later conversation about how astrology isn't really set in stone or tells the future. That said, it was slightly cartoonish how well everyone fit their stereotypes.
--Follow-up to above: I bet some people reading this may not enjoy the depiction of their sign if they were given one of the less likable characters. Oh well though!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this delightful read!

I am so glad I started the New Year with Looking for a Sign! It was just the right hopeful, fun, queer book to put me in a positive frame of mind. Gray is looking for love after the end of a 10-year relationship. It was her first relationship ever, meaning she has basically never dated at all. Her BFF Cherry suggests that she date one person from each zodiac sign for both experience and compatibility purposes. I'm not particularly into astrology, but this was such a fascinating lens from which to choose and view Gray's prospects. I was captivated by the unique traits each sign seemed to possess, and I could not wait to see my own sign, Libra (I was NOT disappointed).

Gray and Cherry are childhood friends who experienced the same deeply religious upbringing. They supported each other through it and became like family. Their evolving relationship was one of my favorite parts of the book. Note -- Trigger Warning for forced conversion therapy and religious trauma.

This book was a whirlwind of dates, most of them with women, some with nonbinary and trans folks. Somehow, though, Dumond nailed the pacing, and the book flew by despite my worry that 12 dates would feel like a million. I picked it up, and before I knew it, I was finished. This book is full of romance, spice, friendship, and, of course, love.

I give it 9/10 stars and recommend it for anyone interested in either astrology or romance. Those who like both are in for a REAL treat.

The description of this book is really what pulled me in. The idea of going on 12 dates of the zodiac to find out your dating goals after getting out of a long term relationship, was promising on the comedy part of a rom-com. Watching Gray go on her dates (both good and bad) was entertaining, as it helped her figure out what she was looking for in terms of her love life, and just life in general.
As much as I loved the concept of this book, the main love interest in this book doesn't come off as great and I did not really see the connection between her and Gray as the story developed.

This was a cute and fun book. Just getting out of a decade long relationship, Gray has moved into her best friends granny unit in New Orleans and taken a new PR job working to help a private school principal help convince her board to accept more diversity and inclusion initiatives. What Gray really wants is to find a wife and settle down to raise kids, and she feels like time is running out. After a visit to a psychic, she and her friend decide on a dating challenge where Gray will date one person from each zodiac sign to try and see what she really wants in a partner and who might be most compatible. While this premise could get very canned, the author manages to keep it fun and light with both good dates and hilariously bad dates, along with Gray’s growing investment in her job and her deepening friendship with the principal, Veronica. The ending is satisfying as Gray begins to realize what she really wants after all- and how to be satisfied with what she has rather than always focusing on what she doesn’t. Warning for readers- there are some graphic and spicy scenes, but if that’s not your thing you can skip over them without impacting the story. If they are your thing- enjoy!

Looking for a Sign follows Gray on her journey to recover from a difficult breakup while simultaneously finding true love and a chance at the family she has always wanted. Oh, and all of this needs to happen by her impending 29th birthday, and subsequently, the Saturn Return, which is just six weeks away. With the aid of her friend, Cherry, and an astrologer who is supposedly super hard to get a meeting with but meets Gray despite the fact that she knows nothing about astrology, Gray determines that she will date her way through the Zodiac. Surely this will give her a good sense of her perfect match.

I am not extremely knowledgable on the Zodiac, but I do enjoy using the signs as a way to get to know people, and of course it's fun to joke when someone's sign lines up well with their true personality. That said, within the world of this book, the signs are Bible and everyone you meet is extremely by-the-book when it comes to their expected traits. Gray dates roughly 12 people and they all felt like caricatures or stereotypes. And this included Gray herself, who "has an undercut and a nose ring" and "is so edgy and queer". This is repeated frequently throughout the book, as if to remind us, because who she is as an actual person is, yes, queer, but not all that edgy. And I think she knows this, and it's acknowledged, but this descriptor of her became one of those things I rolled my eyes at every time it came up.

Without giving too many spoilers, this book unfolds about as you'd expect. There are some good dates, some bad dates, some that result in sex, and some that don't. While some explicit scenes come up, nothing drifts too far into what I'd actually consider "smut". All of this takes place while Gray is living with her best friend, Cherry, and her husband and son, and while Gray is starting a new job, which presents its own hurdles. Even though the entire book is built around dating through the Zodiac, I am sure readers will be able to pinpoint when they've met the real love interest. Which... sort of made the rest of the dating experiment fall flat for me. Not to mention I never quite fell in love with that love interest myself. (Potential spoiler: I have seen a few other reviewers note that she comes across poorly, never really redeeming herself, and I'd have to agree.)

I am always hoping that I'll read a romance novel and actually fall in love with it. If you're looking for a light, romcom-styled "beach read" with LGBTQIAP+ representation, then this may be the perfect fit. I am typically a very slow reader and I made my way through in only a few days. With that, however, comes the understanding that things are likely going to stay on the surface, and I would say that's definitely the case here. In the end, this one just wasn't for me. I've read worse, for sure. But I never felt like there was anything at stake here for any of the characters, and that left me wanting.

Thank you Netgalley for this e-arc!

Astrology lovers and rom com lovers, rejoice! I am one of the two, group A, however, I found myself enjoying this story enough to carry on. This will be perfect for those who love a cozy story too.

This was a cute LGBTQIAP+ | Romance but I'm going to go ahead and piggyback on what another reviewer wrote and say that the love interest was very unlikeable from the get go and never really redeemed herself in my opinion. I really liked our FMC Gray and I really liked her friend Cherry. The found family that Gray had with Cherry and her family was spot on. Love that for them. I do wish FMC would have ended up with one of her other zodiac dates as I definitely felt more chemistry and attraction there as opposed to the person she ended up with. That being said, this is a fun, rom-com and I still recommend giving it a read. :)

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Susie Dumond for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book has a really fun premise, but the execution fell flat for me. I found the love interest to be too unlikable to start the book, and I also didn't like how clear it was which zodiac signs the author personally doesn't like. I think this would have been a better book if none of the signs were presented as disaster people - they could have been bad fits without being portrayed as just like "everyone with this sign is the worst" (namely Cancer, Scorpio, and Virgo).

Gray Young is going to find her true love before her 30th birthday, one way or another. Her current method? Going on a date with every zodiac sign and sleep with at least one from each element, per recommendation of her believer best friend Cherry.

Each date in Looking For A Sign felt fun and unique, some even had me laughing out loud while others had me smiling and crossing my fingers, hoping they were the one for Gray. Even though we witness 12 dates, it never gets boring. You can guess who the love interest might be sometime after you get a quarter of the way through, so be prepared to stay guessing in the beginning. This book does get explicit at some points with sex scenes, but it doesn’t venture into full on smut territory, which I liked. The characters felt real and personable, even down to small details like Gray’s longing for a family unit or her godson River’s adorable one-year-old dialogue.

The only downside of this story would be the predictability of it. Once we meet the true love interest, that’s it, but the book still unfolds in a way that feels satisfying. If you want a fun, slightly spicy read, this is the book for you!