This book was a breath of fresh air. A sweet coming of age story with the subject of lost love and all. I have been really some really heavy books lately and this one was just a complete joy to reach.
Thank you so much to the publisher and #Netgalley for the ARC.

The first thought that keeps running through my mine with Arlo’s story is heartwarming. My heart just went out to this young man who has so many obstacles to contend with. Not just the fact that he is Deaf/Blind, but is under the thumb of his overbearing, controlling uncle who has not been honest with him.

Being a Deaf/Blind person, Arlo is essentially closed off to so much of the world that normal sighted, hearing people take for granted. But he is also closed off to the world because of the people surrounding him, namely his uncle and some others. It was so fascinating watching Arlo persevere past all that and embark on a journey of discovery – of self, and of trying to find that one true love he lost all those years ago.

This truly was a coming-of-age story for Arlo, as he is finally introduced to the real world around him, not just the insulated world of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that his uncle and his ASL translator Molly keep him confined to. Not knowing anyone with Arlo’s conditions, or being exposed to anyone in his world, I am aware that I’ve been insulated to the trials and tribulations these people face daily, and truly my heart broke for what they experience, but also my heart warmed at how resilient Arlo was and how determined he was to break free of the confines he’s been under.

I highly enjoyed this story, and I keep thinking long after having finished the book, “how is Arlo’s life now, and what is he doing?”

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Arlo is deaf/blind and wants to attend a college course to improve his communication skills. He achieves his goal, but he also achieves so much more in learning truths about his past and gains hope for his future.

INCREADIBLE! "The Sign for Home", by Blair Fell, was wonderful, insightful and interesting story of a blind-deaf young man, his interpreter and supporting cast of people as well as his guide dog. I loved it! Enjoyed learning from this novel, and found myself completely captivated by Arlo's energy, sad struggles, and view of the world, people, and his passion for love. Magnificent! Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the reader copy, all opinions are my own.

I originally chose this book because it had a cute cover and was billed as a romance and while there are some elements of romance present, it is not. I learned so much about communicating for the Deaf-Blind. I loved getting to know Arlo, Cyril, and their friends and really enjoyed everything about this story. This was such a moving story about the power of friendship and finding your place in this world. Highly recommended.

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

I want it understood from the start that the rating for this book isn’t for the quality of the writing, the subject matter, or how the subject matter was handled. This was all handled impeccably (see below). My rating simply comes from my own accessibility issues with the book: I couldn’t engage with the book very well and felt detached from the storyline and the characters far too often to really click with it on an emotional level.

The characters and plot on their own are fabulous, but that’s like saying a theory looks good on paper. If I can’t put them together inside my mind and create that internal picture I need to immerse myself in a book, then a book doesn’t become an experience for me–it becomes a dry read I end up struggling through. While I can see the brilliance and quality of said book, I can’t engage with it enough to appreciate it like other readers seem to be able to.

Fell has a fantastic and touching way of writing all the characters, especially taking care to write Arlo as a DeafBlind and to try and translate Tactile ASL into the written word for all us laypeople. The care with which the disabled are written about in this book is touching without being condescending, which is refreshing. And, in general, Blair Fell is simply a very good fiction writer who found a subject to write about that was fresh and ripe with promise.

I’m just sad I couldn’t appreciate it more.

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

As someone who is legally blind I really appreciate the representation in this book. And it also had a great love story five stars all the way.

Oh my goodness, I loved this book.

Arlo is a DeafBlind man in his early 20s, just beginning studies at community college in Poughkeepsie. His new interpreter, Cyril, is a gay man eager to escape Poughkeepsie, hoping that this lucrative gig will provide the much-needed funds.

Cyril does not expect to become so involved in Arlo's life. Arlo is under the guardianship of his controlling, Jehovah's Witness uncle and Molly, his longtime interpreter who carries out his uncle's will. Cyril recognizes Arlo's potential and the fact that his care is borderline (if not completely) neglectful.

As he gets to know Arlo, he learns about events from several years ago, when Arlo lost not only his great love, but also his closest friends. But does Arlo know the truth about what happened, or is it another carefully orchestrated coverup by his uncle and Molly?

Although Cyril has little to lose, he risks losing what he does have to save Arlo and "S."

I knew little, if anything, about the DeafBlind world and this book was really eye-opening. Also, heartbreaking, hopeful, etc. I often get in reading ruts, but THE SIGN FOR HOME is unlike anything else I've read recently. #TheSignforHome #NetGalley

Based on the fun illustrated cover, I thought this would be a cute rom-com. Not that rom-coms don’t discuss heavy topics, but this one didn’t have the same feel as many rom-coms do.

I felt it had two parallel storylines that were co-dependent. One is that of Arlo, a DeafBlind college student trying to gain his independence and be with the girl he loves. The second is Cyril, a gay man who is an ASL interpreter but is struggling to move on from a personal loss.

When Cyril becomes Arlo’s interpreter, you see a friendship grow between the two. I felt this was the center focus of the book. Here, we are let into Arlo’s world - being under the guardianship of a strict uncle and understanding what it might be like for him on a day-to-day basis. But, we also see how truly perceptive he is of the world around him, including what’s going on with Cyril.

The relationship between Arlo and Cyril was, to me, the most moving part of this story - both have suffered a loss. This book gets heavy at times, and the romance is very lite. But I loved that the DeafBlind community and diverse characters are represented so well here. It's hard not to love the friendships and root for these great characters, and, of course, there is Snap the dog!

Thank you to @atriabooks and @simonandschuster for a digital copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler for allowing me to review this ARC!!

This story was extremely heartwarming, educational, and liberating. Following Arlo’s journey led me to realize so many things about those who live as ASL speakers and those with disabilities in general. Fell does an amazing job at describing surroundings and feelings so well. The first paragraph in particular was genius with the sensory I felt while reading, which continued throughout the entire book.

I went into this book anticipating a story about a boy finding and reconnecting with the love of his life, but came out with so much more than that. I would consider the found family trope to be one of the most prevalent tropes in this story and that was such an amazing surprise for me. I love a found family story, and this one did not disappoint. Following Arlo as he forms this connection with his new interpreter, finds agency from his controlling uncle, and so much more was such a treat.

I HIGHLY recommend this story. While it is a bit long and can drag at times, the overall story is so worth the read.

This is the story of Arlo, a 23-year-old DeafBlind man whose world opens up when he meets his new interpreter Cyril as he begins courses at the local community college. Arlo's devout Jehovah's Witness guardians disapprove of Cyril because he's agnostic, gay, and inexperienced with DeafBlind clients, but Arlo takes to him immediately; he's never had such a fierce advocate in his corner. Thanks to Cyril, Arlo soon learns that the love of his life, who he never expected to see again, may not be out of reach after all. The story lagged in some places, especially at the end, but Fell's fascinating and enlightening descriptions of the methods and ethics of interpretation absolutely made the story for me.

The Sign for Home was a sleeper book for me. I had not heard any chatter about this book and in my opinion there needs to be chatter.

Arlo Dilly is a DeafBlind young man who also happens to be a Jehovah's Witness. Arlo lives with his great uncle who is Arlo's guardian and is extremely controlling. Arlo's life is small. It is compromised for his uncle, Brother Birch, and his interpreter, Molly.

The story flips back and forth between present day and Arlo's memories of his time away at school with his best friends, Big Headed Lawerence and Martin. During this time at school, Arlo met the love of his life, S. The story is also told from two points of view.

Present day, Arlo has convinced his uncle to let him attend a community college writing class. Due to the nature of the class, Arlo will need two interpreters. Arlo hires Cyril as his second interpreter. Cyril is "everything that a Jehovah's Witness" is not.

Fell leads the reader to understand better what life would be like for a DeafBlind person. It is an eye opening account.

The very end of the book felt a bit unbelievable in my opinion. But I will not let that distract from my review. This really is a gem of a book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.


Blair Fell has written a educational and touching book.

Do not let the lack of a 5 star rating put you off from this book — I really enjoyed it! Is it one of my new favorites? No, but it’s still a very good book that I can see many people loving.

From Description:
Arlo Dilly is young, handsome and eager to meet the right girl. He also happens to be DeafBlind, a Jehovah’s Witness, and under the strict guardianship of his controlling uncle. His chances of finding someone to love seem slim to none.

And yet, it happened once before: many years ago, at a boarding school for the Deaf, Arlo met the love of his life—a mysterious girl with onyx eyes and beautifully expressive hands which told him the most amazing stories. But tragedy struck, and their love was lost forever.

Or so Arlo thought.
—
I normally don’t love character-driven books, but the complexity of the characters in this book kept me interested through the any slumps. The more I read, the more I couldn’t help but love Arlo. The way this book allows the reader to encounter the world from the perspective of a DeafBlind character is extremely smart. It would have been good to include Arlo’s POV, but it was great to include Arlo’s POV in second person! This emphasizes the experience of the character and brings that experience closer to the reader.

I do wish we had gotten to the bulk of the plot a bit earlier. I can appreciate that maybe it was intended to leave the major plot points with Arlo and Shri until the end, but it felt like we spend so long not even knowing much about the relationship and then all of a sudden everything happens all at once. I would’ve liked the climax earlier in the book and to have had more time spent on what happened after. The epilogue felt a bit rushed and like it deserved two or three chapters.

Thank you to Atria Books & Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Difficult to read at times, but well worth it, The Sign for Home is a book that will stay with me for a long time. This book provided me with a peek into a world that was totally unfamiliar to me: that of the DeafBlind population and their interpreters. The interactions between Arlo and his interpreter, Cyril, alone were enough to keep me reading. However, this book pulls you into their personal lives, as well as those of a few side characters. This was a book that was outside my comfort zone, but also inspired and informed me. Pretty amazing for a debut novel!

The Sign For Home is a beautiful story, romance and education on the world of the DeafBlind. Arlo Dilly is a young man with the deck stacked against him. He's DeafBlind with very limited tunnel vision in one eye. He's also a Jehovah Witness under the guardianship of a overbearing uncle determined to control every aspect of his life. Arlo's future is bleak until a couple of things happen - Arlo hires a new male interpreter Cyril who brings along his hilarious Belgian boyfriend Hanne and he begins recalling some past memories of a lost love who Arlo thought was lost forever. Everything together spurs Arlo into beginning a journey of regaining control of his life. Arlo, along with Molly his long time interpreter, Cyril and Hanne, sets out on a quest for truth and freedom. If his lost love is alive, he will find her. And he will claim responsibility for his own life and future. No more sitting by and trusting what he's told.

The Sign For Home is one man's journey for the freedom he's been denied. Through laughter and tears, readers will travel with these wild characters as they slay the dragons and cast off the ties that bind them. Along the way, readers will receive an education on the trials and tribulations of living as a DeafBlind person as well as the pitfalls of living under the thumb of a person bound and determined to use Arlo as the voice of Jehovah's God. I greatly enjoyed Arlo's journey of discovery as well as the growing bond and friendship between his misfit crew. The story unfolds through dual points of view in alternating chapters. Fell does a expert job of weaving educational aspects of both living with deaf and blindness and life as a Jehovah Witness into the plot line which is driven by Arlo's desire to live his own life as normally as possible. The Sign For Home is an inspirational, heartfelt, love story that I will remember for some time. I highly recommend it to readers who are fans of contemporary fiction with a healthy side of love, laughter and tears.

I love second chance romances, especially when the story just fills your heart whole, and you can’t get enough of the characters.
It’s not often you come across a novel with a main character who is deaf, and I love how inclusive this novel is.
Arlo is on a mission, on a mission to find a love he once knew. After being sheltered his whole life, and may have been (definitely was) told a few lies in his life, he’s ready to take charge of his own life, and make his own decisions. With the help of some friends (whom are just the best!)
A journey of self discovery, finding inner strength and self confidence.
A wonderful story of second chances, and wonderful friendships.

This book had me feeling every emotion from laughing out loud to dabbing tears. I loved the voice of these characters and the story they told. I learned a lot about the DeafBlind community through this book and enjoyed it immensely

This is the story of Arlo Dilly. That name alone sold the book for me. It adds another half star to an already perfect 5* book. He's DeafBlind, a Jehovah's Witness and under the guardianship of his very controlling uncle who may not always tell him the truth.

From the beginning, I was on Arlo's side. How could you not be? At first you feel bad for him but then start cheering him on as he learns more about his world and how he discovers the people he has trusted for years haven't always been honest with him. I came to love his band of misfits, who just wanted to give him a chance at happiness.

The new sign language techniques and information was fascinating. I've since watched some videos to see how it's done.

So, thank you NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this fantastic book. The opinions given are mine, and freely given. Thank you, Blake Fell for this lovely book. I look forward to reading more books of yours in the future.

While the cover of The Sign for Home would imply that this book is a rom-com, I would not personally categorize it as such. While there is a romance element to the plot, this book is more of a coming-of-age book with a strong focus on one character and his life, struggles, and relationships with the people closest to him. To be clear, this is not a complaint - I thought this book was beautifully done.
The Sign for Home is a very original story and unlike any book I've read before. I learned so much about the DeafBlind community, which I admittedly knew next-to-nothing about prior to reading this book. I actually finished the book wishing that I knew how to sign.
I was a little concerned when I read the synopsis and saw that the main character was a Jehovah's Witness, as I have many family members that are JW, and I was worried that aspect of the story may be portrayed incorrectly. That said, while some of the JW-related parts of the story were unlike anything I've heard of in the JW community, I didn't take offense to anything I read. Just because I had never heard of these things happening doesn't mean they haven't. I have no idea if the author came up with those things based on real-life experience or knowledge of those things happening or if he just came up with it on his own (If you've read the book, I'm primarily referring to the "red star" concept/plotline).
I found the characters in this book to be well-developed and mostly likeable (those that weren't likable were intentionally written that way).
This book will definitely make you feel a bunch of emotions, including joy, sadness, anger, frustration, heartbreak, and hope. While it takes a lot for a book to bring me to tears, this definitely had me feeling a lot of empathy for Arlo and what he endured, while also providing some laugh-out-loud moments.
My only critiques? I think the book could've been a bit shorter, and I wasn't a huge fan of the way the writing changed from 1st person to 2nd person, depending on which viewpoint we were reading from (it alternated between Arlo and his interpreter, Cyril). I think it was done that way to make it very clear to the reader whose perspective we were reading from, but it made it a bit more challenging to read, in my opinion.
All in all, I loved this book and think it's a unique and heartwarming story that will make many readers more aware of the DeafBlind community.

First I got this ARC from NetGalley and I finished it the other day; it came out in the beginning of April. It was definitely a book out of my comfort zone but it was very beautifully written.

From the cover and the description I honestly didn’t know what to expect, I almost thought a romance but it’s that and so much more. It took such a wonderful deep dive into what it’s like to be blind deaf and not just that but to be a Jehovahs Witness as well.

All the characters were fun and meaningful, they all had their own struggles and the way they all helped Arlo figure himself out and discover his voice was really beautiful.

I had some laugh out loud moments and some real tearjerker moments, also moments that made me want to punch a wall but all In all I found myself enjoying this book.

It’s very heartwarming and I definitely didn’t regret stepping out of my comfort zone with this one.