absolutely amazing. a gift to the world. kept me flipping page upon page for the whole time i had the book in my possession. in sum, HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!!!

4.5 stars! If you don’t cry in this book, you are absolutely harmless. Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! She will forever be an auto by author for me. Her backlist is great, but from the seven husbands forward, she continues to get better and better.

POV: me sobbing at another TJR book 😭❤️ I love joan’s story so much

TJR knows how to write masterpieces, combining historical fiction with heart wrenching friendships and romances effortlessly! and this one was no exception - this time focusing on joan, one of the first female astronauts to qualify for NASA’s program 🥹 it’s here that we meet joan’s team and family and how they impact her life over the five years in texas

while this was an astronaut star-gazer story at its core (and reading TJR’s foreword is a must!), it was joan and vanessa and frances who stole the spotlight… I adored their relationship to each other and how they were able to still love each other in their own ways despite their jobs and society in the 80s 🥲

and I immediately fell in love with the group 9 of astronauts alongside joan & their own struggles through space and life 😭 it was so beautifully written!! and equally heartbreaking as the POVs and timelines shifted back and forth over five years…

my heartstrings were pulled to the max - and it’s truly a special author like TJR that can make you care so much about a character over 300 pages ❤️ I’m constantly in awe of her dedication to her stories

#gifted by ballantine books

rating: 5 endless stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc

Oh my goodness! This book is so good! TJR has knocked it out of the park with this one. It is definitely my new favorite book of hers. Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP.

Synopsis:
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy of the book. Highly recommend!

Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid’s newest novel and I'm going to need time to process this one. In typical TJR fashion, the story is told in multiple timelines, with the present day 1984 occurring during a mission to space, where Joan is the CAPCOM for mission control in Houston and Vanessa is part of the team in the shuttle in space. The book then goes back in time to when Joan and Vanessa first started the program at NASA and the development of their relationship, along with their friendships with others at NASA. On top of training to be an astronaut, Joan has a flakey sister who relies heavily on Joan to help with her seven year old daughter. I love how TJR uses a dual timeline to show major events happening in the present and then dropping back in time to show the development of how we got there.

This was set in the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic was roaring and NASA wouldn’t allow same sex relationships as they were seen as morally compromised. Joan and Vanessa wanted to be some of the first women to go to space, so between NASA’s policies and the political climate of the time, they had to hide their relationship. As always, Taylor wrote such a beautiful love story of two women who just wanted to be together in whatever capacity they were allowed. I absolutely love her prose and how she writes romance and love and just everything about the two of them made my heart ache. You could truly feel the turmoil Vanessa and Joan felt and how they so desperately wanted one another but couldn’t fully be together. It was so heartbreakingly beautiful.

I also really appreciated the subplot of religion and science within the story. Joan has such an interesting take in this book, and I really love how it was explored and how respectful her and Vanessa were with one another in this moment. The space and science aspects were also so intriguing to me. She did such a great job in setting us in the world of these brilliant humans and showing us their humanity and how normal they were.

I was SOBBING at the end, when we were finally back in the present and seeing what was going on in the shuttle after learning the whole backstory that led to that point. TJR had my heart in a chokehold and I’m going to need a full revolution around the sun to recover.

Also, Barbara, whenever I see you, it will be ON SIGHT.

🎧: The audio of this one was stunning as always for TJR. Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio read for Vanessa and Joan and they were perfection. The final part of the book where it was swapping between the POVs and their voices had me crying so much my desk was covered in puddles of tears. They perfectly embodied these characters and brought so much depth to the story and I cannot recommend the audio enough!

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a stunning exploration of emotion, memory, and the invisible forces that shape our lives. True to her signature style, Reid crafts deeply human characters that feel as real as your own memories—flawed, lovable, and heartbreakingly honest.

From the very first page, the tone is rich and immersive. The setting practically breathes, becoming a character in its own right—moody, atmospheric (true to its name), and perfectly matched to the story’s emotional depth. Reid’s writing is crisp and lyrical, filled with poignant insights and quiet moments that hit like a wave.

The relationships—whether romantic, familial, or platonic—are layered and authentic. Reid never shies away from the messy parts of love and life, and that’s what makes this novel so moving. Atmosphere invites you to sit with the weight of your past and imagine what healing might look like when you let light back in.

It’s a thoughtful, beautifully written story that lingers long after the final page. Fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones & The Six will feel right at home, yet this book still manages to carve out its own unique and unforgettable space.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! Will I every get tired of saying that? Probably not. She is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint.

It’s early 80s..big hair and small minds set in the NASA Space Program. Joan Goodwin has loved the stars since she was young. She now teaches physics and astronomy at Rice University, and is also an extra special aunt to an adorable niece. She sees an ad looking for women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. This opens a whole new world for Joan and other exceptional women in so many ways.

This brought so many memories of watching the space shuttles on TV. Joan finds her passion while chasing a dream and in turn, finds a part of herself she never knew she was missing. The heaviness of the subject matter could have bogged down this storyline but is so well researched and written that it adds to the reading experience. The characters are brought so vividly to life that you will take every breath, success, failure and discovery along with them. My emotions ran high throughout this book. Evelyn Hugo has always been one of my favorite books, now I’ll add Atmosphere to this list.

Thanks to BallantineBooks for this most anticipated ARC. This is my honest opinion.

This is probably my favorite TJR book so far! The back and forth between timelines tripped me up a bit at first, but after I figured it out it was fine, and I appreciated the way it added to the story.

This book blew me away. TJR is one of my "if she writes it I'm going to read it" authors, but I was not expecting what she did with this book. I felt like I was immersed into the world of women making their way into space. The book was full of fact, dreams, and so much heart. If you're looking for a story with:
*depth heart
* discovery
*found family
*overcoming odds
• LGBT+ Representation
* Triumph
* Discovering who you were meant to be
This book is for you. Launching June 3rd
Thank you so much @jenkinsreid and @penguinrandomhouse for allowing me to read this book early and support the launch of this story into the world. It was an honor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

This much anticipated new release fits right in with her popular canon. This one is a romance novel set in the 80s featuring NASA employees. Her fast-pace writing and emotional resonance makes yields instant hits. I definitely enjoyed this read and her characters, I just wish there was more space and less romance (just a personal preference). I get her popularity. The narratives are always heavy handed with tumultuous relationships. While her writing style may lack depth but a Sally Ride parallel is a perfect June read.

"My life is tied to yours, and to everyone’s on this planet. How does that not instantly make us more in debt to one another? And also offer us the comfort that we are not alone?”

Writing about space is hard. It's something that we can only comprehend on a small scale, even though it's around us at all times. Typically, I find that media about space either gives me a sense of fantastical wonder about the expanse of the universe OR existential dread about just how small we are. I am happy to report that this book falls into the former category and not the latter.

We follow Joan, a goal chaser, an artist, and a hard worker who I immediately connected with, on her journey to becoming an astronaut during the 1980s space shuttle program. We toggle back and forth between the slow attainment of this goal to a point in the future as the CAPCOM for a mission. (I think I held my breath the entire time I read those future chapters).

We get to know Joan and her heart deeply. There are themes of motherhood (in so many beautifully handled capacities), bravery vs. courage, and innate human connection.

There are so many strong women represented in this book who all follow their dreams in unique and powerful ways. I've met each of them throughout my life and am proud to know them.

I don't want to give too much away, so I will leave you with this: it's romantic, tragic, inspiring, and full of wonder.

"Because while the great expanse of space may be enticing, I belong here, with you, looking up at the stars from afar."

4.5 stars or 9/10

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

return to form for tjr. i absolutely loved this send off to sally ride. its compulsively readable. so glad i read this

*Atmosphere* by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a drop-everything-and-read novel that blends ambition, resilience, and romance against the backdrop of the 1980s American space program. The story follows astronomy professor Joan Goodwin as she dares to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut, confronting NASA’s steep and often sexist hierarchy. Readers journey with Joan through the intense demands of space shuttle training and the unexpected path of self-discovery it sparks. Her tender romance with a fellow trainee adds emotional depth, unfolding with grace and authenticity. Fans of Reid’s work will fall in love all over again with this inspiring and beautifully crafted story.

Joan Goodwin has always been a science nerd, madly in love with the stars since she was a little girl. As an adult Joan is teaching at a university when her sister Barbara alerts her of an opportunity at NASA that will include women for the very first time in history. Although Joan is not accepted into that particular program, her dream of space becomes a reality when she is finally brought into a group of astronaut candidates in the summer of 1980. This small group of women scientists are surrounded by male egos and military pilots - well aware of their aspirations and limitations, the women must always do their very best. Joan is not only smart and kind, she is a team player that quickly rises in the ranks. Alongside the space, rocket and astronomy lessons scattered throughout the story we watch Joan explore a sexual awakening she never dreamed possible. As Joan creates close relationships with her crew, whose lives literally depend upon each other, she also deals with a difficult sister who unexpectedly gives her more and more responsibility raising her beloved niece Frances. I was pulled into this story quickly but midway it meandered off course and left me orbiting in space. Unfortunately, I think I am searching for Daisy Jones every time I pick up the latest book by Reid, and I am sorely disappointed.

Happy book birthday to this beauty! Atmosphere was the first book I read in 2025, and it's still one of my favorite books of the year. I'm absolutely thrilled it's finally out in the world for everyone to enjoy. It's always bittersweet to be, again, a @tjenkinsreid completist, but Joan Goodwin is a character who earns her spot on the TJR Hall of Fame with Daisy, Evelyn, Carrie and Nina. This post won't convince anyone to read this book (don't y'all already love or hate TJR?) But in case you don't know: 1980s astronaut, feminism (and sexism), science, love, friendship, and chosen family. It's lovely. I cried. I sobbed. I can't wait to get my print copy and re-read. And, of course, to see the spine of Nina's story next to her fellow TJR icons.

This book absolutely had me hooked from beginning to end! I will not spoil the ending but I was sitting here sobbing over it! Taylor Jenkins Reid is an absolutely masterful author and this is in contention for the best book of 2025!

Lordy, Lordy I love me a good pun and this brand new book by TJR is out of this world. 🚀🌎 The amount of research she had to do to get this just right is staggering and it’s equal parts, thrilling, heartbreaking and endearing. I give this one all the stars ✨ , the moon, 🌙 and the planets 🪐

I love Reid's ability to take things that seem like such niche interests (tennis, NASA scientists) and turn them into books with incredibly wide appeal.

I wouldn't have predicted that I'd be overly interested in a story about the first women who became astronauts with NASA, but the way Reid shared their personal stories, wrapped in the reality of being queer in the early 80s, was really enthralling. I've been lucky to never have to be intentionally closeted, and I hadn't thought too hard about what that reality might be like. Parts of this book were truly heartbreaking as Joan and Vanessa navigated the reality of being deeply in love, but unable to let anyone know.

The multiple timelines worked wonderfully to build suspense and keep me engaged.
I will absolutely be recommending this book to readers at my library.

A deeply felt queer romance set against the sexist and competitive backdrop of a 1980s astronaut space training program. When this beloved author does really well is weaving the narrative through with present-day (meaning 1984) snapshots of a catastrophe unfolding during a mission. That’s the prologue that starts the story. Then we go back in time to see Joan, the protagonist’s, developing voice against all odds during training. She’s a nerd, and shy, but little by little, she becomes more comfortable with who she is, especially once she develops a friendship with Vanessa.

The romantic feelings are really well done here, with a slow burn realization that the “friendship” is transforming into something more. As Joan navigates a turbulent relationship with her sister, a motherly role with her niece, and the overt and covert sexism of the training program, she has to decide what matters to her. What’s really interesting about the snapshots of the mission in peril is that readers have to hold two realities in their heads: watching established characters die while learning about their lives when we flash back into time.

By the time Reid takes us to the boiling point of the romance—and the major dramatic question of whether Joan and Vanessa will risk their careers and reputations by admitting their love to the world in a decidedly non-queer-friendly time and industry, the situation in the present timeline is at a boiling point. Just as Vanessa is about to burn up on atmospheric reentry in the failed mission, we understand the depth of what she means to Joan, who is in the mission control room on the ground. The experience of reading this, which is something we can’t disregard, as writers, was really fun and, by turns, heart-wrenching. The dual timeline structure is the #1 reason this emotional manipulation works (and I say this in a good and meaningful way, as this is one of the goals of writing great, high-stakes fiction).
I won’t spoil the ending but it had me actually gasping, which I can remember doing only a handful of times in my reading life. (And when I sat in a darkened Broadway theater, watching the original cast of Wicked, as Elphaba sang “Defying Gravity” and shot up into the air.) It was such a genuine build-up and release that it’s going to have people raving. While some of the family and career elements might come across as “slow” here, the culmination of the threads is an undeniable fireworks show.

Atmosphere is a well researched, compelling novel that is sure to rocket to the top of the best seller list. And yes, pun intended. At times I did find myself skimming over the technical aspects of the book, though at its heart it is a love story and a book about relationships,set admist the space program of the early 80’s. And how women were the pioneers as the first in NASA’s women astronaut program. The novel opens w a catastrophic accident aboard a space flight. We then flashback to how we got to this mission. Joan and Vanessa were wonderful examples of two women who found each other against all odds, and the challenges they endured when being gay was deemed ‘sexual deviancy’ and could get you expelled from the program. Recommended for all public libraries.