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.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of Looking for a Sign. Unfortunately I was unable to download before the archive date. I look forward to finding it in my local bookstore or library!

Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond is an entertaining and heartfelt rom-com that combines astrology and modern dating in a fresh and fun way!
Gray, a newly single, optimistic Aries who moves to New Orleans, aiming to reboot her love life by dating one person from each zodiac sign to find her ideal match. It’s a quirky, clever setup that brings plenty of humor and romance while letting Gray explore self-discovery along the way.

Dumond balances humor and horoscope stereotypes.... oh and there are plenty of steamy moments, making for a read that’s both amusing and introspective... and also warmth and tenderness that make the characters relatable and endearing.

If there’s a downside, it’s that at times the premise felt slightly stretched, with certain dates leaning a bit on astrological stereotypes. Still, Dumond makes it work through Gray’s thoughtful development, leading to an ending that’s both satisfying and surprising. It’s a four-star read—playful, thoughtful, and well worth the time, especially if you enjoy a rom-com with a unique twist

This is a super unique rom-com plot following Gray, a queer woman approaching thirty, who moves to New Orleans after a breakup and decides to date someone of each zodiac sign to find her perfect match. While some parts were slow and others were predictable, I appreciated the creativity of the plot and enjoyed the astrology aspect of romantic or friendship connection.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, & Dial Press Trade Paperback for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book, but the author needs to review a dictionary, especially the meaning of "lesbian". The story was also meh for me, I tried to love it but I just struggled to finish this one.

Representation: Queer MC, many queer supporting cast

Rating: 4/5 This was a cute romp in exploring astrological signs through dating, looking for love via compatibilities. I really liked Gray and her outlook on life, even when she got down on herself. I have only a surface-level knowledge of astrology, so it was an interesting way to learn more about the signs and how they're viewed. I felt like that each person really had their own personality, even if they only showed up briefly, and the dates were fun to read about. Each date was kind of tailored to each sign, so that was cute, and I also learned a bit more about New Orleans, a city I've been to before and would gladly visit again. I also really appreciated the variety of endings to the dates, some were abrupt and never seen again, some simply fizzled out, and some turned into beautiful friendships. Overall, I would recommend this as a fun read, especially if you're into astrology.

This was a pretty adorable premise. It felt quite predictable from the start, but in the perfect romcom kind of way. The character development is just ok here, but the cast of characters is fun and diverse and sexy. The spice here is interesting, it starts strong, but overall felt pretty tame. Definitely a fun little romance, but nothing new here.

This book was a fun read, but not very memorable. Overall, it just wasn't for me, maybe because I think astrology is absolute rubbish.
The writing was good and the characters interesting, so others will def enjoy it.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on October 11th, 2024. Links provided.

Recently single Gray embarks on an adventurous quest to find her perfect match in New Orleans after a long-term relationship ends in this queer rom-com by Susie Dumond. As an optimistic lesbian Aries, Gray is eager to create the loving family she’s always envisioned, but after ten years of being out of the dating scene, she has no idea where to even begin. After visiting a famous local astrologer, she and her best friend Cherry devises a plan: Gray will date someone from each zodiac sign to explore compatibility before her twenty-ninth birthday, which happens to coincide with a significant astrological shift. Amidst the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, Gray navigates her new job, meets twelve potential partners, and experiences everything from unexpected connections to personal revelations. Despite facing challenges that make her reconsider her goals, Gray is determined to embrace the journey and discover what she truly desires.

All in all, this book was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I thought the storyline was fun and I really appreciated the character growth for both of the female main characters. I am not super into astrology, but I do have an appreciation for different personalities and their compatibility, so it was fun to read about Gray’s experience dating so many different types of people. I thought the slow burn of the real romance was predicable but cute nonetheless. I also felt the conflict was well written and plausible/relatable. There were certain times when I felt the book was a little political and made me roll my eyes occasionally because of it, but overall I mostly enjoyed it. If you love books that really highlight being queer, focus on astrology, and have a cute rom-com vibe, then I would recommend this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Looking for a Sign in return for my honest review.

I read Susie's Dumond first novel, Queerly Beloved, because she was writing about Tulsa, Oklahoma. She captured my hometown and took me back to the days I roamed those streets. So, of course I click yes when Looking for a Sign appeared. This time, her story takes place in New Orleans, which I visited a few months ago for the first time. Dumond writes about love in such a complete way that anyone should be able to connect. She shows some of the struggles that queer folks encounter without making it voyeuristic for people outside that community. I look forward to her next novel coming out next summer!

What a fun one this is! I loved the concept of searching for love but this time using the zodiac chart. As someone who finds zodiac pairings fascinating, I was into this one!

Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fun rom com about astrology. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the chance to review. Loved the setting and look forward to more from this author

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Gray moves to New Orleans hoping for a new start and decides to date someone from each zodiac sign to get back into the dating pool.

I wasn't expecting this to be as astrology heavy as it was. I thought it would be present but not overwhelming for someone who is just a casual dabbler. However, from the first few pages, I could tell immediately it was going to be a lot. It was a decent romance, but not one that I would say people need to rush out to read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was a somewhat atypical queer romance in that there was a lot dating and sex that wasn't confined to the romance between the main protagonists. I enjoyed reading about a slow burn happening alongside a silly and frantic astrology dating challenge.

Cute and fun rom-com with interesting characters. Uncomplicated and low stress sort of vacation read.

ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

Looking for a Sign is a Sapphic romance novel about Gray, who impulsively moves to New Orleans after unexpectedly breaking up with her long term partner. Trying to get her zest for life back, Gray decides to visit a well-known psychic, who reads her star chart and gives her more information than she expected. She then starts a dating experiment where she dates someone from each zodiac sign to try to figure out who her star match would be.

I had a fun time with this book! I'm not into astrology (typical Aries) but have been known to look up my star chart on occasion. I liked the characters, the writing, and the premise. It went quickly for me and I was excited to see what happened. I did get some secondhand embarrassment reading about some of the dates, but not as much as I expected. I appreciated the representation in Gray's partners and thought the main romance worked well.

I thought it was a little weird that everyone is just okay with the fact that they were used as a social experiment based on astrology. I really hate the liar reveal trope so I'm kind of glad that it didn't happen, but it just sat a little strange to me that everyone was fine with being chosen primarily for their zodiac sign.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a fun romance novel! 4.5 stars rounded down to 4 for me. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.

First book by this author I’ve read and for me it was just ok. While the premise for this book was unique and sounded interesting in theory, I didn't feel like the romance and chemistry between anyone got a chance to really develop. Because of this I found eventual pairing unsatisfying and lacking sizzle.

I did enjoy the secondary cast of quirky and likable characters, but I found the overall story was a miss for me.