Thank the stars for TJR! We need more stories like this. Stories about women like Joan, who quietly, but determinedly, strive for their goals and never give up or back down. Who are unashamed to be the brilliant woman they are. This one is set in the 1980s just as NASA began to look for female astronauts. Having always been fascinated by the stars, Joan decides to apply. This decision changes the entire course of her life. I loved her strength, her goodness, and her obsession and love for her work. The other people in Joan's life were equally layered and fascinating. There is a love story in here that is beautiful. I have never thought of myself as interested in science or space, but Reid made me fall in love with it all. This book opens with a scene that grabs you from the start. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen. I wanted to know more about Joan and those she cared about. I loved the pride I felt for the women who have come before. Reid's writing left my breathless and has me looking up to the sky more than I ever have. Easily my favorite TJR book, I cannot recommend this one enough.

I'm saddened to report that Atmosphere was a DNF read. I just couldn't get into this book. It was really dragging for me, and I couldn't find the motivation to continue on. I loved the idea of this book. I was excited to read a story about the first women astronauts to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Unfortunately, the premise of the story wasn't enough to draw me in. The beginning chapter was hard for me to follow. I wish there was more build up before the malfunction. I found the space jargon hard to understand at points. As the story progressed, the space talk didn't get any better. I could tell that TJR put a lot of research into this book. Although I liked Joan's character, I wasn't enthralled by the other characters. I felt indifferent to them and the relationship between Joan and Vanessa. It didn't matter to me, but I was surprised that this book wasn't being advertised more as a LGBTQ+ book. I didn't mind the different timelines; however, it did feel a little clunky going from a tense timeline to a slower one. The pacing in this book could have been better. I thought the writing was strong and the historical aspects were well researched. Overall, I just found this book a little boring and uneven. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of NASA's 1980s Space Shuttle program, this novel weaves in plenty of space exploration. I'll admit, I was a little worried I'd get bogged down in the science, and while it did occasionally slow the pace for me, it never truly lost me. What really kept me hooked was the heartwarming sapphic love story; fair warning if that's not your cup of tea.

Joan Goodwin, our protagonist, is incredibly easy to root for. She's smart, strong, and her dedication to her niece, especially with her complex sisterly dynamic, is truly emotional.. The romance between Joan and X (I'm not going to ruin it for you) felt like a delightful bonus, with the main characters beautifully developed, though I wished for more depth from the side characters. Honestly, I really wanted to know more about Hank Redmond! I love the easy going manner and easy comradery he has with everyone.

Overall, I loved how the women in the story broke barriers while remaining so relatable and lovable. Just be prepared: this is an emotional read you might want to save for private if you're prone to tears!

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere: A Love Story marks a bold departure from her signature tales of fictional fame and glamour, venturing into the realm of 1980s NASA to explore a poignant, high-stakes romance. Set against the backdrop of the Space Shuttle program, the novel delves into themes of ambition, identity, misogyny, and forbidden love. You can tell the author put a lot of time and effort researching this time period and Sally Ride and team come to mind quite a bit. The main character, Joan Goodwin, is such a well developed character and we see her grow up enthralled with the cosmos and having a clear direction as to where she wants to go in life.

Joan starts out as a physics and astronomy professor at Rice University, and seizes the opportunity to join NASA’s inaugural class of female astronauts. As she undergoes rigorous training at Houston's Johnson Space Center, she forms deep bonds with her fellow candidates, including the enigmatic aeronautical engineer Vanessa Ford. Their connection evolves into a secret romance, fraught with the risks of exposure in a male-dominated and conservative environment. As their romance takes flight (no pun intended!!), you can just feel the impending crisis developing. The narrative moves between Joan's personal journey and the gripping space shuttle crisis in 1984, heightening the emotional and physical stakes.

The author expertly takes you from the awe of space exploration to the intimate complexities of human relationships. Her meticulous research into NASA’s culture and the challenges faced by women in STEM fields lends authenticity to the narrative. The camaraderie and competition among the astronaut candidates are portrayed with nuance, and the depiction of Joan and Vanessa's relationship is both tender and heartrending. The novel's exploration of themes such as sexism, ambition, and the search for meaning resonate deeply, and are still relevant in many industries today.

As a big fan of 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo', I was impressed to see Reed stretch her range here and create a whole narrative around a real life event. She captures the time and place of that era and takes you back to the time you first saw the space shuttle launch into orbit. Now you know everything that often leads up to that point.

I loved this book! I love a book about strong women breaking barriers, and the women in this book do just that. I've always been fascinated by the stars and by the space program, and Reid has definitely done her research, making me feel like I understood what was happening behind the scenes, and within the human beings who make NASA work. I was on the edge of my feet by the end of the book, awash with tears and hope and love for these characters.

This is a slow burn, but the last 1/3 is sooooooo good. I loved the romance, as well as Joan's relationship with Frances. I was sobbing at the end.

Atmosphere is, without a doubt, the best book I’ve read this year—possibly one of the best I’ve ever read. Taylor Jenkins Reid has outdone herself with this emotionally charged, beautifully layered story that blends space, ambition, and heart with her signature ability to create unforgettable characters and relationships.

What truly made this book shine for me was the incredible bond between Joan and Vanessa. Their relationship was raw, powerful, and tender—so full of nuance and quiet strength. I found myself hanging onto every moment between them, deeply invested in their growth both as individuals and together. It was the kind of connection that stays with you long after the final page.

The dynamic among the new NASA recruits was another highlight. Reid created a stunning portrait of found family, with each character bringing something unique and essential to the group. Their camaraderie, conflicts, and shared dreams felt so authentic—it made me want to be part of their world. And perhaps that’s why what ultimately happens is so utterly heartbreaking. The emotional punch hit hard because I cared so deeply.

Atmosphere isn’t just a story about space exploration—it’s a story about human connection, the cost of chasing impossible dreams, and the people who hold us together when everything else falls apart. A must-read for anyone who loves emotionally rich storytelling with unforgettable characters. Taylor Jenkins Reid has given us another masterpiece.

I can't believe I am writing this, but I have mixed feelings about Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. On one hand, this novel is as well written, engaging, and enthralling as her other work. I particularly enjoyed the setting of this book - 1980s NASA, and all the talk about space/the galaxy/stars. This part was so well done, I loved reading about why Joan wanted to become an astronaut. I adore books about people following their dreams, and as a woman in academia myself I loved the strong, smart woman that Joan was as well as her dedication and drive to grow. I also really appreciated Joan's care for her niece, and felt the relationship between Joan and her sister (though sad at times) was a great additional part of this story. The pace of this story made this book highly readable, as it alternated between one fateful day in December 1984 and Joan's journey over the years to get her to that day. The thriller-like December 1984 chapters were hard to put down. I couldn't wait to read more!!

However, my main complaint about this book was the love story. I am guessing I will be in the minority about this, but it bothered me that the sapphic nature of the primary relationship in this book was not disclosed in the description of the book. Even a few chapters in the book, I was pretty certain I could see where this book was going, and I was right. Such a large portion of this book revolved around the love story that it seems disingenuous to not at least hint at the context of the romance. The book was still well written and overall I enjoyed the story, and the ending was fantastic, but this will make me think twice about reading more by this author. Seems like not much would have been missed by adding a little about the romance in the description of the book, and the benefits to the reader in allowing them to choose what they read about are immense. For various reasons I prefer to not read that sort of romance (or open door romance in general, even though I wouldn't consider this open door) and considered abandoning the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I didn't need Magic 8 ball to help me predict that Atmosphere is going to be one of the "it" books of the summer. Sometimes they live up to to the hype, and sometimes they don't, but Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest is destined to be one of my favorite books of the year. It's hard to review and keep it spoiler free, but, if you only read one book this summer, make it this one. Then go out and look at the stars...

An engaging and sometimes emotional read. The characters of Joan and Vanessa were well done, while the side characters could have been developed more, I wanted to feel more when certain characters died. The ending was a bit abrupt, leaving Joan and Vanessa's careers and relationship open-ended. I think many readers will enjoy the setting of the 198os NASA space program. This is an enjoyable summer read for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.

The more of TJR’s work that I read, the more I enjoy her work. With each publication her characters and prose continue to get better and better. I love seeing her grow as an author and it makes me so excited for her future works. I really enjoyed this story! It felt so much larger than the rest of her stories but also still felt so familiar because of her writing style. I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy to annotate all of my thoughts. Do I know anything about astrophysics? Or engineering? Or space in general? Mostly no lol (I’m proficient in Project Hail Mary?) but this science felt very accessible!
4.25 stars overall!

Loved this book. Devoured it in a weekend!

Love relationships…family relationships…female empowerment…and space! Great combination.

Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers again with Atmosphere. It was a masterclass in storytelling that blends fascinating subject matter with Reid’s signature emotional depth.

Taylor. Jenkins. Reid. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?! I have read every book published by this powerful human. And Atmosphere?!?! WOW. I wasn't ready. This one is going to be stuck with me for the rest of my life. I cannot even convey the emotions that rose from this book. Each relationship between the characters was intricately woven, and the different storylines they represented were built into each other in such a way that I wasn't prepared for the depth of attachment I would acquire towards each character. TJR's stylistic means of writing nails it every time. This was no exception... Her dual (?) timelines are on point, but they are always so unique. I have a crush on her writing style. There. I said it. Every piece of this novel planted seeds and grew in my soul. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for gifting me the chance to read this novel.

Taylor. Jenkins. Reid. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?! I have read every book published by this powerful human. And Atmosphere?!?! WOW. I wasn't ready. This one is going to be stuck with me for the rest of my life. I cannot even convey the emotions that rose from this book. Each relationship between the characters was intricately woven, and the different storylines they represented were built into each other in such a way that I wasn't prepared for the depth of attachment I would acquire towards each character. TJR's stylistic means of writing nails it every time. This was no exception... Her dual (?) timelines are on point, but they are always so unique. I have a crush on her writing style. There. I said it. Every piece of this novel planted seeds and grew in my soul. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for gifting me the chance to read this novel.

4.5 stars, rounded up - my initial review said "I had to give this the full five stars simply for the fact that it is 2 AM, and I binged this book all night long until I landed here, in a puddle of tears with my heart cracked open under the moonlight, staring up at the stars. 😭🚀💫⭐"

Atmosphere immediate sucked me in, and by the time I was 1/4 of the way in, I was completely and totally invested in the characters and their outcomes. Almost every character read as a fully fleshed-out person with endearing quirks that made them lovable and relatable. I actually had the hardest time connecting with Vanessa, though, which is what knocked off half a star from the final rating for me. The wide cast of side characters, however, tugged at my heartstrings from the moment I met each of them, and they were truly what made this book so great and so engaging to me.

There were definitely some moments that felt very Evelyn Hugo-like in both style and nature, but I don't think that any new TJR book will ever dethrone The Seven Husbands as my most favorite read of hers. In hindsight, I probably should have rounded down my 4.5 star rating, simply because I feel like this was pretty on-par with Daisy Jones and the Six for me, and I rounded down on that one...but I rarely go back and change my initial ratings, so the 2 AM rounding up still stands! 😂

I definitely foresee this being one of the hottest books of summer '25!

I read this in barely over 24 hours and am sitting here devastated that it is over. I loved everything to do with this story. The action, the character, the drama, the love. If you’ve ever read a Taylor Jenkins Reid book before, you know what you are getting - beautifully drawn characters who you feel like you truly know by the end of the story. This is no exception.

*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review!

TJR is one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint.

While I highly recommend this book, I do not recommend starting it before bed. (My mistake.) The opening scene is full of action and drops you right into the tension. Then, the story jumps back in time to carefully unfold the characters and setting.

Joan Goodwin is an astronomy professor who has always dreamed of going to space. Set during the 1980s Space Shuttle program, Joan works her way through the NASA program. I really enjoyed this book and love how TJR nails the sense of time and place perfectly in her books (thinking of Mailibu Rising and Daisy Jones). It took a little while to figure out all the characters, but the story moves pretty quickly in an interesting time in American history. I especially loved Joan’s relationship with her niece and her fierce love for her.

Favorite quotes:
“She was trying to prove that she could be just like a man to all of them. To Jimmy. To Lydia. Because the world had decided that to be soft was to be weak, even though in Joan’s experience being soft and flexible was always more durable than being hard and brittle.”

“Bravery, Joan suspected, is almost always a lie. Courage is all we have.”

“When Joan looked back at the Earth, she was overwhelmed with her own life’s meaning-and the fact that the only meaning it could have was the meaning she gave it.”

Taylor does it again. I have loved all of her releases since The Seven Husbands. This one did not disappoint.

This is my favorite TJR book! The characters were so vivid & I loved the 1980s setting & learning about the space program. The best though was how she captured the struggle for queer people during that time. Highly recommend this fascinating, emotional read!