A story of finding yourself, breaking the mold, and an out-of-this-world love.

Joan Goodwin has always been obsessed with space. She proves herself time and time again, and finds herself chosen to be one of the first women invited by NASA to board a space shuttle and see the stars for herself, up close and personal. It’s a dream come true! In the program, she meets quite the array of both men and women who are on a similar journey with similar goals. One of those people is Vanessa, who she is instantly drawn to, but she doesn’t necessarily understand why. Is it her magnetic personality, her brilliant mind, or something else…something new?

The story is told in alternating timelines between Joan’s time coming up into NASA and her time as she navigates through a suspenseful and emotional space mission.

Atmosphere is a well-paced and engaging story that shows off Taylor Jenkins Reid’s signature talent for writing driven, complex women. Joan Goodwin is a compelling protagonist, and I really enjoyed following her journey into NASA's space program during the 1980s—a setting that feels fresh and under explored in fiction.

That said, while I appreciated the historical context and Joan’s personal arc, I found the book leaned a little too heavily into NASA technical lingo and procedural details. At times, it pulled focus away from the emotional and social weight of what it meant to be a woman—especially a queer woman—trying to make it in such a male-dominated, high-pressure field during that era. I know this isn't the complete focus, and there are references, but it felt like a missing component.

I was hoping for more exploration of the specific barriers female astronauts faced, and a deeper look at Joan’s internal experience navigating sexism and systemic exclusion. The relationship between Joan and Vanessa was a highlight, adding warmth and personal tension to the broader narrative.

Overall, Atmosphere is a strong, original read with great characters and an intriguing setting—I just wish it had delved a bit further beneath the surface of its powerful premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Joan Goodwin has always felt a little different, which she attributes to her love of space and science. When NASA unexpectedly opens its program up to women, she finds the place where she can finally thrive. The story moves back and forth between a disastrous and suspenseful shuttle flight in 1984 and the years leading up to it, during which Joan forms relationships with the other astronauts while also dealing with her flaky sister and her beloved niece.

My enjoyment of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novels tends to be hit or miss; I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, liked Daisy Jones & the Six, and didn’t really care for Carrie Soto is Back. This one falls somewhere between Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto. I didn’t really need all the exhaustive tennis details in Carrie Soto, and I didn’t need all the space details here. There was also more telling than showing in certain parts, especially when it came to the limitations and prejudices that Joan and the other female astronauts faced. But Reid does tell a great love story, and this one was no exception. While the action dragged a bit, by the end I was deeply invested in the characters and gripped by the suspense. And while I didn’t love the whole book, I expect it to be a very popular summer read and can see that it will have wide appeal so if you’re on the fence I’d go for it!

Read this if: you are a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and/or enjoy historical fiction focused on women.

Skip this if: you are in the mood for something more dense and literary, and/or you think Orbital was the perfect space novel.

Well this bumped me out of a reading slump! It felt very different than Reid's other books. That last chapter was really something - can't say more here!

What if you could be one of the first women to go to space? How much would you risk? Your family, true love, your life?
“Atmosphere” chronicles Joan Goodwin’s adult life as she embarks being one of the first women to travel to space. However, with great reward, comes great risks.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is back with another highly anticipated historical romance. It is set in the 1980s and immediately starts with the main character Joan trying to instruct an engineer in the middle of a crisis situation while being on a space shuttle. Several members of the crew have already died and it does not look good. Then the story travels back in time to the beginnings of when Joan, an intelligent professor signs up to be in a competitive NASA program and meets the ambitious engineer, Vanessa. Joan discovers more than knowledge about the stars. She learns more about herself and what it takes to be yourself in all aspects of life.

I admit that I didn’t know much about space while reading this but Reid weaves it expertly into a fascinating tale with passion. There were themes of homophobia and sexism that reminded me that even though their falling in love was easy, Joan & Vanessa had a lot of odds against them in terms of both of their relationships, careers, and family. Also, I loved the relationship that Joan had with her young niece, Frances and. This book was fast paced for me and it would be the perfect beach read. Emotional and inspiring, I’m sure many people will find this book as one of their new favorites

Wow! Reid continues her streak with this book. I adored our main character - I saw the "twist" coming and couldn't have been happier when our main character figured it out too! I'm not a big fan of ou\ter space or science-y material, but I really enjoyed the subject specific information shared through Joan's story. As a mom, this book tore me up in all the right ways that I've come to expect from Reid's work. This is her first book where being an involved caretaker of a young child is a main story line and she conveys those complicated emotions perfectly. I love, love, love this author.

Taylor Jenkins Reid shines in her 2025 release about two women in love with space travel and one another. I found this to be different from Reid's usual fare and more literary suspense. I could not put it down and will be recommending to everyone I talk to.

For those who get emotionally involved in a story and shed a tear or two, be forewarned: don’t read the last chapter in public. And have a box of tissue close by.

NASA’s first crews to work with the space station in the 1980s were also the first to be integrated by gender and race. This amazing story takes the reader through a would-be astronaut’s first days at the Houston Space Center, many aspects of the training they go through, the social ties they develop with each other, through the first flights into space they take. Interspersed are the background stories focusing primarily on a couple of the female trainees.

The characters in this novel feel and act authentically. The tension spread throughout the book is of the highest level. A few of the descriptions are unique and interesting: the view of earth from space is one and another is a discussion of man’s place on earth. This story would make a great movie!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

This novel speaks to the importance of women’s ambitions, outside of motherhood or traditional homemaking. It speaks to the importance of women’s relationships outside of men. and Women’s willing and unwilling participation in their own subjugation within patriarchy. This story highlights that women have an existence, an importance, and a relevance that has nothing to do with men. Without denying the fact that women who are mothers , wives and homemakers are important too, but that those attributes are not their limits. It is also a story about love. which is no small thing. These themes are composed brilliantly with Taylor Jenkins Reids undeniable ability as an author. Also this is absolutely a romance !!! and denying that makes you a perpetrator of exactly what this novel argues against!!

SYNOPSIS
-It’s 1980 and NASA is finally letting women scientists into the Space Shuttle Program.
-Joan Goodwin, a professor of physics and astronomy with a quiet life and a big love for the stars, applies on a whim—and gets in.
-She joins a training group full of big personalities, hidden secrets, and some very complicated relationships.
-As the crew preps goes through the program together, Joan finds herself falling in love, facing major sacrifices, and questioning everything she thought she knew.
-Then, one mission changes everything.
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MY THOUGHTS
-This is the sixth Taylor Jenkins Reid book I’ve read—Atmosphere, Evelyn Hugo, Carrie Soto, One True Loves, Daisy Jones, and Forever, Interrupted—and she still blows me away every single time.
-Joan is a phenomenal main character—smart, loyal, brave, complicated in all the best ways. You root for her the whole time.
-I was obsessed with Frances and Vanessa. Barbara, on the other hand… she was the worst!
-The pacing is fast. It never drags.
-TJR clearly did her homework. The NASA and space program details feel so real and immersive without being info-dumpy.
-The character development is what makes this book shine. The way relationships evolve—especially between Joan and her sister, and Joan and Vanessa—was so layered and emotional.
-The ending? 100% worth the journey. Emotional, earned, unforgettable.
-It’s also deeply about love—romantic love, yes—but also family, legacy, and what we leave behind.
-TJR proves again that she’s one of the best storytellers writing today. Full stop.
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TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Loved this. It’s smart, heartfelt, fast-paced, and emotionally layered. One of my favorite reads this year.
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THANKS: Thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 3, 2025.

I was completely enthralled by this hook from start to finish! The present day timeline sees a disaster unfolding on a space shuttle, and the flashbacks make us fall deeply in love with every character trapped on board.

This book broke my heart in a million ways and manages to piece a few pieces back together at the very last second. Watching the love story develop was one of the most thoroughly rewarding plot lines I’ve had the pleasure of reading. It hit so close to home and I am thankful to TJR for writing it.

I cannot WAIT to recommend this book to people in my store, I know it will be an immediate best seller.

Dear TJR-
What can I say? Wow! I started this book and was immediately turned off. I've never been a big fan of space, and the subject matter seemed so dense at first. I also got way bogged down in the characters. There seemed like a lot and I couldn't keep track. Reader, focus on Joan and Vanessa-they, along with Frances, are who this story is about.
This book makes traction when Joan and Vanessa fall in love. Their love, within the context of the United States in the 1980s, in particular at NASA, is thought-provoking and made me step back to consider how my own thoughts on homosexuality have evolved. I'm embarrassed that they had to.
This is as much a must-read as any book I can think of. I loved it and it will stay with me for a long, long time.
Thank you TJR, for this gift of a story.

Joan is a young astronomy professor in the early 1980s when she applies to become an astronaut with NASA. Taylor Jenkins Reid has a gift of taking a topic I have very little interest in and making me interested. A love story, historical fiction, and a thriller - this is sure to be a hit.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House Publishing for an early copy of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Author Taylor Jenkins Reid sets a very high bar in developing characters who remain with a reader long after the conclusion of one of her novels. Daisy Jones, Nina Riva and Carrie Soto are now joined by astronaut Joan Goodwin, a 1980s pioneer in women's space travel. Every page is marked by all of the ways Joan connects to her universe-literally. Readers are treated to dynamic descriptions of a night sky we rarely if ever take time to examine. Reid's research for this novel is documented at the conclusion of the novel.

Joan Goodwin has been accepted into NASA at a time when women were barely considered for such a career. She proves extraordinarily capable on the ground at Mission Control, more so than flying in space. She is well liked by everyone in her flight group but becomes especially attached to Vanessa Ford with whom she will develop an intimate relationship and may lose when things go wrong in Vanessa's space flight. The nail-biter disastrous final chapters are pure Reid at her best, both in the realities of the situation and the emotions of the cast.

Along with the demands of having to prove herself in the space program, Joan also faces family crises when her adored niece, Frances, becomes a center in Joan's life due to a sister who is one step above a neglectful mother.

Part philosophical in its God vs. Nature intensity, Taylor Jenkins Reid has all the bases covered, and readers exit the novel feeling more than a bit proud to be part of an incredible universe.

How do I do this book justice in a review…this was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid (I know, I’m late to the party), and I will be going back to read everything she’s ever written. Reid understands the balance among readers perfectly; Atmosphere has the perfect amount of romance, science, relationship, literary grit, and philosophical reflection. It’s the perfect book club pick because it straddles genres so expertly. I felt immersed in the NASA environment without feeling like I was reading a hard sci fi book (a la Andy Weir). Joan was the perfect protagonist. She felt so genuinely fully realized, and her relationships with her niece and partner were so beautifully built. I couldn’t have asked for more from this book, and it exceeded all my expectations. Huge thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC: Reid has earned my devotion and appreciation.

Taylor Jenkins Reid just does not disappoint. As someone who has read her work since her debut novel, she continues to grow as a storyteller and artist who advances literary form. I always arrive at the last page absolutely captivated, if not stunned, and Atmosphere was no exception.

Atmosphere tells the tale of Joan Goodwin, a physics and astronomy professor who is among the first women selected to join the Space Shuttle program in the 1980s and train as an aspiring astronaut. The story follows her training in tandem with her colleagues - a strong cast of beloved characters, each with their own well-developed storylines. Among them is Vanessa Ford, an engineer who Joan cannot look away from.

The story toggles back and forth between training and a mission that pushes Joan and Vanessa to their limits as their relationship unfolds and deepens. It's a catalyst for an exploration in how ambition impacts a relationship, and the sacrifices that must be made as a result of it. The novel also incorporates a variety of complex family dynamics that are also explored as they drive the narrative and character development forward.

This story was particularly immersive, with fast pacing and emotion on every page. My Oura Ring literally flagged my stress while I was reading this book. A first, for sure. And perhaps a reason to see a flight surgeon, but I digress.

Once again, Reid has built a fascinating world (no pun intended) in illuminating various aspects of the Shuttle program, triggering a sense of nostalgia for the national source of pride it once was, despite repeated tragedy.

This story was both beautiful and heart-wrenching and I could not put it down. When I finally did, I had tears in my eyes and a flutter in my heart.

If you're a fan of Reid's earlier work, especially if you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you're going to love this. And if you're new to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Atmosphere is a stunning place to start.

Truly, one of the best books I've read this year.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy on NetGalley.

Add me to the long list of people who loved this book. It may even be my favorite of hers and I've read them all. Loved everything about it but what always stands out to me as a reader is the wisdom and depth TJR always weaves in to a good story. A perfect summer read.

You had me at Taylor Jenkins Reid- this was a beautiful love story, as well as historical fiction. TJR doesn't disappoint with her books, and this was no exception. I loved all the characters and their relationships- loved the family bonds and family drama. But most of all, I loved Joan and Vanessa's story. Read this in one day- highly recommend.

It’s the early 1980s, and Joan is selected as one of the first women scientists to enter the astronaut corps. As Joan continues her intensive training program and she becomes friends with her fellow candidates, she unexpectedly finds love– a love that, thanks to the time period, is at odds with her career and with her deep desire to stay close to her niece.

This was an enjoyable, emotional read and a beautifully told forbidden love story on top of an excellent period piece. I think it was quite predictable at times, but in a satisfying way rather than a frustrating one.

I think what will stick with me most is how this is such a character-driven story with a NASA background. Usually the technology takes over and the characters play second fiddle to the plot and setting, but that’s not the case here. The secondary characters– Joan’s family and the other astronauts – are beautifully sketched and very easy to love or hate. The relationships between Joan and her niece, Joan and her sister, Joan and Vanessa were all touching and heartbreaking in different ways.