Susie Dumond is the newest addition to my instant buy list. I thoroughly enjoyed Queerly Beloved, and then upon rediscovering with Looking for a Sign—I remembered why I fell in love with her story telling and why I wanted to watch for her next book.

Susie creates characters that make me want to invest in their outcome from the start.

I liked this book a little bit; the rapid progression of relationships left little room for meaningful connection, and I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters. It had a cool setting and premise, but the writing wasn't fully fleshed out.

The cover on this one pulled me in as soon as I saw it. The synopsis was next and gave me the impression that I would really enjoy this read. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me though.

Gray, our FMC, is trying to find the love of her life and ends up creating a challenge in hopes of doing just that. Initially, I thought the concept of combining astrology and dating was fun and would make for a cute story but it kinda fell short.

To be honest, it took me a really long time to finish reading Looking for a Sign because I ended up putting it down a few times and coming back but each time I struggled to be engaged. I found Gray unlikable and had a hard time relating.

I'm giving 2/5 stars.

I'd like to thank Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, I'm sorry this one just wasn't for me.

*Looking for a Sign* by Susie Dumond is a sweet, uplifting romance that blends humor and heartfelt moments. The story explores the idea of fate and serendipity with a charming lead and an engaging plot. While it can feel predictable at times, the chemistry between the characters and the feel-good tone make it an enjoyable, cozy read.

Amidst the chaos of a break-up and a move from Tulsa to New Orleans, Gray visits an astrologer for some guidance and misinterprets the advice about her impending Saturn return as a challenge to date one person from each sign to find her true match, leading to just as many swoon-worthy moments as cringe-worthy moments. More than that, Looking For a Sign is about taking risks and growing up even after you’re well into adulthood. Despite how dirty Dumond does Virgo (I mean, come ON), this is one you’ll want to pick up.

This was such a fun and unique rom-com! I really enjoyed the cast of characters and thought it was very well done. I found myself not wanting to put this book down!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

*Looking for a Sign* by Susie Dumond is a sweet and quirky romance with a fun premise centered around astrology and fate. The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and the exploration of cosmic connections adds a unique twist to the traditional romance genre, making it a refreshing read for fans of light-hearted love stories with a touch of whimsy.

However, while the concept is charming, the execution fell a bit flat for me. The pacing sometimes felt uneven, and I found the plot to be somewhat predictable. The main characters had potential, but I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to them as I hoped. The romance, though endearing, lacked a bit of depth, and the secondary characters didn’t feel fully developed.

Overall, *Looking for a Sign* is an enjoyable, feel-good read, but it could have benefitted from more emotional weight and complexity to make it stand out in the genre. It's perfect for those who enjoy light, easy reads with a bit of astrology and fun but may leave others wanting more.

Looking for a Sign was a cute queer romance about Gray, who has just ended a decade-long relationship and has decided to date her way through the twelve zodiac signs. I really enjoyed Susie Dumond's previous book Queerly Beloved, so I was excited to read this book. And it didn't disappoint! The book is funny and had just the right level of spice in it. The book had good pacing and the dates Gray goes on didn't feel repetitive. I will say the story was very predictable, but not necessarily in a bad way. It was a quick and light hearted read, which i needed!

I am a firm lover of astrology and you would love this book if you are as well! This follows the story of Gray, a recently single woman, who has set out to date a woman of each zodiac sign. A fun concept overall!

Thanks to Netgalley and Dial Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for a Sign is the first book that I’ve read by Susie Dumond. I enjoyed reading it very much and am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Likes:

I know nothing about astrology so the concept of Gray going on dates with each of the signs was novel. I can’t say I’m a believer in it as it’s always been a little woo woo for me, but I liked how the author explored the concept.

I also enjoyed the exploration of astrology in that Gray recognized that she used it as a sort of guide to life like she had previously done with religion. I like that she realized she needed to actually figure life out and not expect either to just give her a quest and signs.

I enjoyed reading about Gray’s close relationship with her found sister/best friend, Cherry. I love that Gray has Cherry.

I also respected how Gray and Veronica had a serious conversation at the park after all the events happened at their work and actually communicated with each other like adults and talked about what they actually needed and wanted.

Dislikes:

I didn’t like when Gray lied to her co-worker, Veronica about River being her son, not Cherry and Robbie’s that she was actually babysitting. Lying to a co-worker never ends well. Especially when Gray becomes friends with said co-worker, Veronica, who then discovered Gray’s lies.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading more by Susie Dumond in the future.

I was lucky to receive an ARC of Looking for a Sign on NetGalley. I loved reading and learning about character traits associated with each zodiac sign. The author did a great job detailing so much variety between the many dates of the book. It is still not so easy to find queer representation in books and always love supporting and reading it!

At first I thought this would be fun and quirky take on queer dating and relationships. It was obvious on the beginning that the principal was the intended love interest. I hated a lot of things about this book. It felt weird that she kept saying it was weird someone who looked a certain way or dressed a certain way didn’t seem queer. And it was a weird stab at masc women to say she didn’t normally go for them and immediately friendzone that person.

And why would she want to classify herself as a lesbian if she dated all genders. Thats quite literally not the definition of a lesbian and why would she not be ok with being bi or pan?

Seems like there are some overall issues with this that makes it not enjoyable as a lesbian to read

I loved this fun light hearted sapphic romance . I am always interested in astrology so the premise of this book was right up my alley. The characters were ok the FMC was a little much at times but overall I thought this was a fun entertaining read and interesting to see how all the signs were portrayed. Although I feel a little called out being a cancer … I don’t love Disney that much lol. This was my first book from this author but hope to read more in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"...it ain’t a fortune-telling device. It can’t tell us what to do or what will happen. That’s all up to us, the decisions we make, our actions."

I would like to thank Random House, Dial Press and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC. When I read the synopsis, it felt like an inside joke I wanted to be apart of. I feel like we all have stereotypes we throw out about the different signs and loved the idea of them all being juxtaposed to each other.

I feel like the story was so fun and chaotic. I'm a casual astrology fan--I know my big three, but I don't necessarily believe the stars control our lives if that makes sense? I love to look at my information as tools for self awareness and reflection, and I think that's why I loved the quote above so much.

I really loved Grey's story of self discovery and redemption, but did at times find her to be a unlikeable narrator. She wanted too much at all times and I didn't understand her dishonesty in her job. How she could drastically switch from incredibly professional and going above and beyond, to absolute hot mess and lying for no reason gave me whiplash.

Some comments she made regarding her sexuality made me take a step back, and I can see how many may take issue with her, because she at times came off as judgmental towards the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. As someone who identifies as bisexual, her comments made me confused at at how the author could be writing a book with a Lesbian lead and still manage to alienate the audience.

Looking past this, I think that the idea of the story was so unique and enjoyed that some relationships were more surface level, letting Grey explore while also slow burning into the main romance, but at the end of the day, the issues I had with the characters and some minor conflicts for the plot left me only giving it 3-stars.

I think if someone is looking for a cute queer quick read, it was a fun ride that had me laughing, but I don't know If I will necessarily be revisiting it myself.

A tremendous amount of fun!! Susie Dumon presents us with a fully realized bisexual lead and celebrates all the forms that love can take. Full of hilarious observations about dating, astrology, and human foibles. Great!!

I did not request this title. The publisher gave it to me and it's not something I am interested in reading.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

Interesting plot and very exciting characters.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

I am always excited to read a book where the action happens in New Orleans. I was intrigued by the notion of dating each astrologic sign until you find the one for you. Gray is fresh out of a 10-year relationship and is headed into year 29. Those who are interested in astrology will find the character descriptions on par or a little to the left. The partners are not only lesbians, but also transgender, nonbinary and also bisexuals. This will be a quick read.

4.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)

After ending a long-term relationship with her girlfriend, Gray is on a mission to date around the zodiac to find her perfect match. She goes on a series of dates and hits it off with a few, while others don't go so well.

Overall, I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout this book. Gray goes on dates with all kinds of people, from bisexual to trans. I loved all of the effort that the author put into this book to make this book inclusive. This plot was also so unique and I would say that the only downside was how predictable it was. But, I absolutely had a wonderful time reading this book and will be recommending it to all my friends!

Thank you to NetGalley Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Looking for a Sign is a lively, fast-paced rom-com that follows Gray, a queer woman on a quest to date someone from each of the 12 zodiac signs—all before she hits 30. Set against the colorful backdrop of New Orleans, this story is a fun dive into LGBTQIA+ romance with plenty of charm and laughs along the way.

Gray’s journey is both entertaining and reflective as she navigates romance and explores her own sexuality. While the zodiac dates add a fun astrological twist, the real magic comes from Gray’s growth and the authentic connections she builds with characters like Cherry and Veronica, who bring warmth and balance to the story. Though the individual dates might be quick, Gray’s willingness to embrace her identity and learn from each experience makes this book both insightful and engaging.

For fans of zodiac-inspired romance with a fresh perspective, Looking for a Sign offers a sexy, feel-good read that celebrates love, identity, and the joy of dating in all its forms.