When it comes to forecasting love in astrology, there are no one-size-fits-all answers. But there are some exciting moments to note in the astrology of 2023, including transits that indicate big things are brewing in our romantic lives.
The year started off slow, with multiple planets’ retrogrades and larger planetary cycles wrapping up. But the standout transit in 2023 was Venus’s retrograde in Leo, which took place from July 23 to Sept. 4. This was a big moment for our love lives, as it invited us all to renegotiate our relationships — both our existing partnerships and, more generally, our unconscious patterning as well.
Venus in Leo asked us what we value most about ourselves and invited us to be proud of that, unapologetically. Now that Venus is officially stationed direct again, though, we have some time before anything major happens in our romantic partnerships.
All in all, as we close out the rest of 2023, we will be presented with radical shifts in all areas of our lives, giving us an opportunity to center love and connection in our lives in new ways. For more targeted insight into the rest of the year, read your love horoscope for your rising sign. For the full picture of your year ahead, be sure to read your zodiac sign’s 2023 horoscope, 2023 sex horoscope, 2023 money and career horoscope, and 2023 wellness and happiness horoscope, too.
Aries (March 21-April 19) 2023 Love Horoscope
Frankly, Aries, 2023 has been all about you. The hottest time of the year came in the summertime, when Venus retrograde took place in Leo from July 23 to Sept. 4. This was when you (hopefully) prioritized your pleasure and fulfillment, and made it a time for fun and exploration. During Venus’s retrograde, you likely learned how to manage your expectations as an opportunity for you to learn more about yourself through experimentation and connection. Use that knowledge as you close out the rest of this year.
This Venus retrograde coupled with eclipses in Aries and Libra now point to a year that’s worth reflecting on your relationship patterning. What limiting beliefs and behaviors that you’ve exhibited in relationships are you ready to let go of? You may find more ease and eagerness for committed relationships and partnerships in 2024.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) 2023 Love Horoscope
You’ve been through the wringer over the last few years and deserve a nice big exhale, Taurus. So far this year, you’ve been able to relax a bit in 2023, opening up some space in your life and psyche for more love, connection, and rest.
During the first half of the year (January to mid May) you may have felt pulled toward solitude and inner contemplation as Jupiter moved through Aries in your 12th house of mental and spiritual wellness. On May 16, however, Jupiter entered Taurus, marking the beginning of a year-long transit boosting your confidence, optimism, and faith.
In August and, now, through September, you’ve been called to lean more into fun and pleasure as Mercury retrogrades in Virgo. What makes you feel good? What turns you on? It might not be stereotypical or “sexy” on paper, but who cares? This is about you and your body and your needs. Then in November, the sun aligns with Mars in Scorpio, marking a powerful new beginning in your relationships. If you’re single and desiring partnership, this is an important moment for you, as it kicks off a two-year cycle allowing you to invite in new love, which seems to be more available in 2024.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) 2023 Love Horoscope
For the first half of 2023, you were a little social butterfly, Gemini! With so many people to catch up with and so many more new friends to meet, your social circle seemed to be rapidly expanding in the new year. You were more open to saying “yes” to new opportunities to connect with folks, and you were likely more open to sexual and romantic encounters. (Love that for you!)
On May 16, Jupiter moved into Taurus, which might have left you feeling like new romantic connections are less accessible in the second half of the year, however. And while that might be true, there’s more of an “alone together” vibe to the latter half of 2023.
If you’re already in a relationship, you could find that both you and your partner are in separate worlds, dealing with your own stuff individually — while providing support and comfort to each other in small but meaningful ways. If you’re single, you may feel less inclined to put yourself out there searching for it as other life stressors like career and home life take more of a focus. That’s OK. That changes quite a bit in 2024 when romantic partnership becomes more tangible again. In the meantime, spend time in 2023 considering what you truly want in a relationship so you can recognize it when it comes.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) 2023 Love Horoscope
You’ve rediscovered your mojo in 2023, Cancer. After a period of fogginess, your sex drive kicked back up to full speed, bringing back your body and your insatiability. Eclipses in Scorpio in 2022 and into 2023 have led you to refine aspects of your sex life and intimacy in general, enticing you to let go of limiting beliefs and behaviors that held you back from exploring more possibilities of pleasure and connection.
Out of the dark and into the light, you’ll continue to find yourself arriving at a new place with love and relationships in your life. Your romantic connections take on a more spiritual and even studious component. Finding love abroad or with someone from a different culture is certainly in the cards as Saturn moves through Pisces over the next three years, as is finding love through your studies. Get ready to open your mind to new opportunities and possibilities in love.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) 2023 Love Horoscope
You’ve been in a love and relationship bootcamp of sorts for the last three years, and you finally graduated, Leo! Congrats! Saturn, the planet responsible for your partnerships, has been helping you learn tough lessons in relationships since it entered Aquarius in March 2020. You’ve been forced to get real with yourself and others, humble yourself, and become extremely clear on what you truly desire and require in a relationship.
The most exciting part of 2023 so far for you was Venus’s retrograde in Leo from July 23 to Sept. 4, with a special alignment of the sun and Venus taking place on Aug. 13. It’s rare that Venus, the planet of love, sex, beauty, and attraction, spends such a long time in Leo, so you likely felt all the love in this time.
Now, as we wrap up 2023, you can expect more attention and action. If you want to be noticed, this is the time to put yourself out there. Soak up the sexy vibes and have some fun.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) 2023 Love Horoscope
Things are getting more serious for you this year when it comes to love and relationships, Virgo. You’ve spent the last three years stuck in a grind with work and wellness, trying to keep your head above the water. That hustle finally starts to slow down as your responsibilities shift toward building and securing both new and old relationships. You may have invited new people into your life over the last two years as Jupiter dipped in and out of your opposite sign Pisces.
But when Saturn entered Pisces on March 7, 2023, you began being more discerning about who you let into your life. This hopefully led to you developing boundaries and standards for yourself that are ultimately beneficial to you and your relationships. Saturn has the potential to make things real and tangible, so with it hanging out in your seventh house of relationships over the next three years, you could see relationships taking shape and growing with hard work and dedication.
From this point forward, don’t expect any sort of successful relationship without putting in some work. Speaking of work, this could also be a period where things could get more serious with a coworker or business partner. Be open to the possibility!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) 2023 Love Horoscope
This year presents a totally new ballgame for you, both personally and romantically, Libra. And so far, the year has given you an opportunity to explore your patterning around sex and relationships, which has hopefully led to more growth and a clearer path forward.
On March 7, Saturn left Aquarius for a three-year stay in Pisces, shifting a lot of your responsibilities toward your work and wellness and marking the beginning of a period where you may feel less available for socializing. However, with Aquarius out of your fifth house of creativity and pleasure, you may feel that sex and dating feels more accessible than they have in the last three years. Finally, you’ll be feeling less pressure in that area of your life, hopefully opening you up to more dating for fun (and not necessarily to find “the one”).
Overall, you might not feel certain about a lot this year, and that’s OK. Be wary of drama within your groups, and don’t be surprised if some of it involves you and some love, sex, and relationship dynamics. Try to stay focused on the patterns playing out and question if you want to continue those cycles as you move through the rest of this year. A lot is changing for you, but you just have to remain true to yourself, and all will work out as it should.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) 2023 Love Horoscope
Admittedly, you entered 2023 in recovery mode after a tough year full of a lot of challenges, grief, and tenderness, Scorpio. But you made it, and you’re on the mend. This year gives rebirth vibes, with plenty of opportunities for healing and resolution, including a powerful new cycle beginning toward the end of the year. When it comes to love and relationships, you’re working on rebuilding, both personally and within your relationships as well.
After the last five years of Uranus in Taurus plus eclipses, you may have had a hard time believing a love connection can last. Instead of focusing on longevity, pay attention to the quality of the connection and the fulfillment you get from it. Some people enter our lives for a season, some for a lifetime. What matters is that you’re learning and evolving through these relationships. While a new long-term connection seems more likely to solidify in 2024, don’t let that stop you from having fun and leaning into whatever feels safe and supportive right now.
On Nov. 18, the sun and Mars meet up in Scorpio in an exact alignment, marking a powerful new cycle for you. This is the fresh start that you’ve needed for a long time, and it’s helping you reconnect with yourself, mind, body, and soul. Healing and opening back up to love will come over time as long as it includes serious consideration of your relationship to pleasure and joy.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) 2023 Love Horoscope
This year is all about inviting you to pour yourself into pleasure, joy, and creativity, Sag. Whether you’re single or partnered, spend extra time prioritizing an exploration of your pleasure. After all, knowing yourself — your likes and dislikes, your intimate joys — is part of what makes a strong foundation upon which satisfying relationships with others can be built.
Although the steamy Venus retrograde in Leo was the main astro headline of the summer, when you’re back to work in the fall, there’s also the potential of meeting someone in the office. Is someone sending you flirty messages on Slack? Regardless, you’ll be getting along really well with someone at work between now through the end of September. Be open to where it could go, but, of course, play it safe and responsibly. Longer-term love connections seem more likely in 2024, but those could very well spark in 2023, so stay open and excited for the potential.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) 2023 Love Horoscope
Finally, some relief! It’s time to get out of survival mode, out of hermit mode, and reemerge into your life, Capricorn. Saturn, your ruling planet, was hiding out in Aquarius over the last three years, putting your focus on your finances and investing in yourself. And look how far you’ve come!
But Saturn left its home sign of Aquarius for Pisces on March 7, marking the beginning of a new three-year period for you focused on spreading your wings, getting out and about in your local community, and learning something new. You’ve been under a lot of pressure for the last five years. You’re finally ready to step up from under the weight of it all and thaw off, leaving more room in your life for making new connections and experiencing pleasure and joy.
Really, this year is time for you to let loose and have some sensual, sexy fun. Connect with the world around you. Fall in love with your city. Fall in love with a new language or a new skill. Fall in love with how beautiful and expansive you are when you aren’t in survival mode!
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) 2023 Love Horoscope
Over the last three years, you’ve become more embodied, stronger, tougher, and more resilient, Aquarius. You’ve put in the work to better yourself and your life, and all of that starts to pay off as we get into the rest of 2023.
In regards to love and relationships, a special moment came on Feb. 16 when the sun and Saturn aligned for the last time in Aquarius, not to happen again for another 30 years. This was a big deal for you, as the sun rules relationships and partnerships for you as an Aquarius rising. Hopefully, around this time, you reflected on your time with a partner and the ways you’ve supported each other and enriched each others’ lives.
When Saturn left Aquarius for Pisces on March 7, your priorities shifted toward supporting and investing in yourself. While this likely looks like a lot of hard work and focus on your shifting career, there will be plenty of moments for fun and play in 2023 as well.
Venus will be in your seventh house of relationships and partnerships from now to Oct. 8, and this is huge in regards to your relationships — both old and new. Be open to learning a lot about yourself through others during this time, and let any challenges play out over that period of time. It isn’t over until Venus leaves Leo in October, so wait it out until then!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) 2023 Love Horoscope
Buckle up: there’s a lot happening in 2023! The last two years have been rough in ways that have been difficult to verbalize, Pisces. A lot of the challenges you were moving through were internal, mental, and emotional. You’ve been tasked with taking responsibility for your mental and spiritual health through solitude and deep contemplation. But hopefully throughout 2023, you’ve been able to wrap up the final threads from that journey as you step into a new one.
The real magic of this year comes in the fall when Mercury, the planet that rules relationships for you, goes retrograde in Virgo from now to Sept. 16. Yes, Mercury retrogrades can be good for you, especially when it comes to love and relationships. You’ll likely encounter folks from your past, but it’ll also be a time where any relationship challenges you’re facing get worked out. Mercury and Jupiter will also be in a loving conversation with each other from now through Sept. 25, marking a period ripe for meaningful connections to take place. Just remember, communication is key.