4 stars

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed by the stars since she was a child. When NASA begins accepting women astronauts she is dying for a spot and she is selected in the second round. She and her groups of other astronaut candidates, including three other women working hard to prove that they can excel at the rigorous training, the women strive to show they are the equal of the men.

While working at NASA Joan finds love, something she thinks wasn’t meant for her. Joan continues to excel, both in work and life, until a day in 1984 when the unimaginable occurs.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has produced another great book and a wonderful character in Joan (though maybe a little TOO perfect? I might hate her too, if I were her sister.) I love books about space travel so I would have loved even more about NASA and the actual space journeys and less about Joan’s personal life. I appreciated Reid’s research.

The secondary story about Joan’s niece was well done. I really enjoyed the book, tore through it, and I think Reid’s fans will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

TJR knocks it out of the park every single time so is anyone surprised? Excuse me while I go cry now.

“Atmosphere“ is a historical fiction book set in the 1980s during the NASA shuttle program. The book is exceptionally well written and well researched. The richly detailed setting and strong character development kept me fully engaged throughout. Fans of historical fiction should add this one to their TBR.
Thank you to NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

ATMOSPHERE by Taylor Jenkins Reid Is one of the most heartbreaking yet hopeful stories I’ve read. It was transporting, informative, sad, loving, adventurous and in a word mind-altering.

Last night I was driving home from a friends and on the way I decided to listen to ATMOSPHERE- it was read by my favorite narrator and her voice was just perfect- from the very beginning words I knew I would be a fan of Joan and something told me I wouldn’t be able to stop reading until I knew the outcome of her story.

TJR put her authors note (iykyk this time I didn’t cheat) and in that note she says “I hope thst Joan Goodwin can convince you to go outside tonight and after the stars come out, look up. I hope, with all my heart, Joan can convince you to be open to wonder” With those words I knew that TJR had not only written a fabulous story but one that would open my mind and heart.

Atmosphere is a novel that is part historical fiction, part contemporary and part romance. It is clear that TJR did extensive research into NASA and the brave women who helped change the space program (and the men who against all odds helped them) this novel had fierce competition and female friendships, it had self discovery and belief, it had unconditional love in different forms (family and romantic) it had controversy and characters who burrow their way not only into your heart but your soul.

I loved the dynamic that Vanessa and Joan have, the banter and true love that Joan and Frances share, and how Joan through her own heart and brilliant mind was the glue for it all.

For readers that loved the Martian for the “space talk” and astronauts but also the heart - read this book. For readers that love Elin Hilderbrand for her characters and their relationships- read this book. For fans of TJR- and her other fabulous novels for the strong females and the stories- read this book. For anyone that needs a push to take a chance at love or following their dreams - read this book.

This book made me open my eyes and look at this universe, the sky, the people around in different way. It has filled my head with hopes that I can achieve dreams personally and it has opened my mind and heart.

Taylor- thank you for writing a novel that did All this and more I read until the sun came up this morning!

Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid's best book yet and a new all-time favorite for me. It is both intense, thrilling, emotional, and compassionate. Every character is so real and lovable even when they are not. I could not recommend this book enough, it really blew me away.

Wow! What an incredible read. TJR did a great job of researching NASA during the 80s and threading in a love story! Ive been obsessed with space this summer so it was a hit!

Joan has dreamed of the stars and space since she was a child and had an opportunity to join NASA as one of the first female astronauts in the program in 1981. Atmosphere tells Joan’s story in NASA as she finds a family among her fellow astronauts, as she falls in love, and as she finds herself.

Atmosphere felt a little clunky to start with the introduction to NASA terminology and astronomy lingo but it quickly blossoms into a heart wrenching tale of love, family, and loss. The story is woven perfectly alternating from Joan’s arrival into the NASA program in 1981, a mission in 1984 and the years inbetween. The timeline had a profound impact in telling the story and following Joan’s character path and her dreams.

I love Reid's past books, and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed everything related to the space program and the more historical aspects of this book in particular, it reminded me of the TV show For All Mankind. The only thing I didn't particularly enjoy was the storyline surrounding the main character's sister, I didn't feel like it was a particularly nuanced take on how women (especially during this era of history) felt pressured into having children even if they didn't want kids, instead she was just flat out labeled a bad mother and not given any empathy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publications for the advanced readers copy of this book for review.

If a book makes me cry it is immediately a 4 star read. If it makes me sob at the end to the point where I have to sit for 10 minutes to compose myself, that earns it 5 stars. Atmosphere is one of the latter. I loved this book so much. I didn't think Taylor Jenkins Reid could get any better than Carrie Soto or Daisy and the Six, but she did.

Atmosphere is about space and astronauts and NASA; it is about two women that find a home with each other; it is about found family. Joan and Vanessa are cohorts in NASA's astronaut program in the late 1970s. They want more than anything to go up in the sky far above the earth. As their friendship grows they begin to want more than that. In the times they are living in the world is not kind to the LGBTQ population and they have to hide their relationship - from NASA and from Joan's parents, sister, and young niece whom she loves more than anything.

Reid thoroughly researched NASA and space and physics and the space shuttle for this novel and the way she writes about all the intricate details of it all is impressive. But even more impressive is the way she creates characters you fall in love with and the relationships between the characters.

I look forward to her next book to see if she can top this one!

This book was amazing! I continue to believe that anything TJR writes is extraordinary and this is no different.
Women in space; a book topic I never thought I'd enjoy but I couldn't put it down.
This is a not miss for the summer- it will be on every must read list!

I recently finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and this eARC couldn’t have come at a better time because I also just finished binge-watching For All Mankind on Apple TV+. The parallels between the two, especially in the depiction of driven, emotionally complex characters in high-stakes environments, made this an especially resonant and timely read. One of the characters even reminded me of someone from the show, which added another layer of depth to my experience. (No spoilers!)

Reid’s talent for excellent characterization shines here; each person feels real, layered, and compelling. The love story at the heart of the novel is immersive and heartfelt, and the nonlinear narrative—shaped by time jumps and the backdrop of an emergency situation—keeps the pace fast and engaging. I was hooked from the start and stayed emotionally invested throughout.

Atmosphere blends emotion, urgency, and introspection with masterful ease. This is a 5 star read for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book seriously had me sobbing like a little baby. Such a beautiful and introspective story. Not my personal favorite TJR (I bow at the temple of my holy trinity: Evelyn, Carrie, and Daisy) but I don’t think anyone can bring me to tears quite like her. I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation and the bonds Joan has with her niece and peers. TJR’s historical fiction books are always my favorite and I look forever to every new release from her.

There’s so much to love here and it’s a great book. I can’t wait to see everyone love it just as much as I did.

Man - TJR strikes again. I don't really know what more to say than IYKYK about her. If you love her, you will love this book. If you have never read her, this is as great a place to start as any. The characters are emotionally complex and beautifully written. Reid perfectly encapsulates the injustice of treating an entire community of people as if they are less than or unworthy simply because of who they love, and she does so while telling a really compelling story about space exploration and the human element within NASA's hay day. This is beautiful and heart wrenching - you WILL cry, so just be ready for that. In my opinion, to read TJR is to love her, and this is no different.

Atmosphere was at once a beautiful story about found family, coming of age, science, women astronauts, LBGTQ+ rep and great storytelling. I loved it. Taylor Jenkins Reid outdid herself!
Social links coming soon.

Worth a read, I loved the audio alongside the text was an excellent experience. Told through past and present timelines the storytelling was as always incredible. I was invested early on and was close to tears multiple times throughout the book. There were twists I did not see coming and caught me off guard but hey were welcomed surprises.

Atmosphere tells the story of women who were among the first to be a part of the space program as astronauts. Joan has always loved the stars, so when she has the opportunity to join the space program, she is elated. She's always felt like an outsider in her family, except for her beloved niece, Frances. Now, she's surrounded by men and women who are just like her. I really enjoyed this story, although it did drag a little for me at times. I liked Joan, but at times I really wanted more on some of the other members of her team. Overall, though it was a great read and I can't wait for more from Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What an awesome read. So interesting about the space program, when women first joined. Great characters, great relationships.

I love me some TJR, but this book was not an instant favorite for me. I feel like everyone else loves it, so maybe it just wasn't for me, but I thought it focused so much on the space aspect that the relationships were buried. It almost reads like she wants you to know just how much research she did about NASA and rocket ships, because she puts allllllll the info in there. It really detracted from the storylines for me, and from the characters.

Lesbians in NASA in the 80s? Yes please!
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a fiction book set in Houston, TX. It follows Joan, a meek and almost perfect professor who gets the dream of a life time to become an astronaut. The book follows our main character’s journey from1973 to 1984. We see Joan grow into herself by the end. The book is well paced. Reid takes a lot of time to build up her MC, love interest, and a whole cast of supporting characters. Well, the dynamic specifically. I think the some of the characters could have been more fleshed out, but the dynamic between all of them was great. Especially the dynamic between Joan and her sister. Like I said in the beginning though, it seems like Joan is perfect and Barbara is bad and that never really changes. In addition, I also thought that there could have been more tension between Joan/love interest and world at large considering the time period. I enjoyed the alternating points of view. Reid is especially good at pulling the reader into her world. Her descriptions of everything were engrossing. The ending had me in tears. This is another great entry into Reid’s work. I would recommend it to anyone interested in historical romances or realistic books about space travel.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! I’ll read anything she writes because her stories never fail to evoke that perfect blend of nostalgia and emotional depth.

Atmosphere is a stunning novel that follows the love story of two astronauts in the 1980s—intimate, expansive, and beautifully rendered. There are scenes that will absolutely choke you up (older Millennials, did anyone else flash back to Armageddon?).

The timing of the release during Pride Month feels especially meaningful, as the story thoughtfully weaves themes of identity and love into its powerful narrative.

TJR fans will not be disappointed—this one is another standout.