Atmosphere Review

Hello, all!

I need you all to run to the library/bookstore and get yourselves a copy of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid ASAP.

Pub Date: 6-3-25
Adult - Historical Fiction

The only time Joan Goodwin feels like she belongs is when looking up at the stars. Joan lives a quiet, reserved life, content with her position as a physics and astronomy professor, and spends most of her free time helping her sister raise her niece. But when she sees a NASA advertisement looking for women to join their Space Shuttle program for the very first time, Joan suddenly wants more out of life. She doesn't just want to study the stars; she wants to travel among them.

When Joan is selected in the summer of 1980, she begins her training at Johnson Space Center along with other top recruits. An introvert to her core, it was often hard for Joan to find her place, but she formed an easy camaraderie with her fellow candidates. They're all striving towards the same goal and push one another to be better. As training progresses, Joan finds a passion within herself that she didn't know existed, and even more thrilling, a romance with Vanessa, an aeronautical engineer. Vanessa awakens feelings inside Joan that she didn't think she was capable of, and when a mission turns disastrous, Joan must confront them head-on and decide if she's willing to risk it all for love.

I've read a few books by TJR now, and I've found all of them to be just okay. I get the hype around them, but I've never had one that I'm obsessed over. But with this? I get it. I enjoyed the premise so much. I worried that it would be too science-heavy and would go over my head, but that wasn't the case. Even though there was a lot of technical jargon, it felt accessible. I also liked how TJR wove together the past and the present. She did a wonderful job developing the characters and their relationships, so you felt invested in what was happening. I felt connected to Joan every step of the way and loved watching her grow as the story progressed. The romance felt so natural, and I kept hoping they would find a way to make it work despite everything working against them. The audiobook was also fantastic, and I binged it in one sitting. I can't recommend this one enough.

Rating: 4/5