4.5⭐️

Taylor Jenkins Reid never misses! She has an uncanny ability to transport you to different times and places, and have you fall in love with perfectly imperfect characters. If you enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones & the Six, then you will love Atmosphere! This book follows Joan, a female astronaut recruit at NASA in the 1980s. It has such a thrilling start and then you go back in time to learn how the characters got to that point. There are so many amazing characters and the love stories are absolutely beautiful. You can tell how much time and detail Taylor put into this book because the descriptions of the stars and space are incredible. This was such a great novel and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


My Favourite Quotes:

“To look up at the nighttime sky is to become a part of a long line of people throughout human history who looked above at that same set of stars. It is to witness time unfolding.”

“Happiness is so hard to come by. I don’t understand why anyone would begrudge anyone else for managing to find some of it.”

“My God, who could care about the stars when there was her to look at?”

“I was circling two hundred miles above the Earth, and all I wanted was to get home and see you. Do you understand that? Do you understand that I don’t care how big or small this world is, that you are the center of mine? Do you understand that, to someone, you are everything that matters on this entire planet?”

An easy incredible 5 stars for me. When I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about this book. The first chapter captured my attention and made my heart pound. My heart also broke and healed throughout the story. I smiled, giggled and cried. This is top notch TJR!

To say the new Taylor Jenkins Reid book Atmosphere is out of this world would be an understatement. There are a few undeniable truths about TJR. She knows how to write women with extraordinary depth. She has a gift for taking an area you didn't know about and makes you care about it. And somehow, with each book, she only gets better.

Atmosphere follows Joan Goodwin, a pioneering female astronaut in the 1980s, and is reminiscent of Gravity and The Martian but in a wholly unique way. Trust me when I say your heart will be racing from the very first chapters. The tension ebbs and flows but is palpable throughout the novel. I couldn't put it down, but I also didn't want it to end.

As for the main character, Joan Goodwin? I simply fell in love with her. We journey with her from her early dreams of traveling to space, her time as a NASA trainee, and finally as an astronaut, to a fateful mission in 1984 that changes everything. I was deeply impressed by the level of scientific and technical information presented in the novel- it was a great balance of detail and storytelling, but it wasn't overwhelming.

What truly grounds the novel, though, is Joan’s inner world: her relationships, her ambitions, her struggles as one of the first female astronauts and the emotion toll of balancing her personal life with her professional one. TJR doesn’t just tell a story about space- she explores the emotional gravity of being a woman in an era, and in a field, that demanded so much. The nonlinear structure, jumping between past & present, really tethered this from being primarily just a book about space.

At its core, Atmosphere is a love story- aren't all TJR's books?- but whether it's a romantic love story, a story about family, or a love of space, it's up to the reader to decide. Filled with so much emotion (I cried at the end) and expertly written, this novel is undoubtedly one of the must-read books of the summer. Thank you Random House and Netgalley for my arc.

WOW this book! I loved it. A book with space drama and a fantastic love story that kept me turning the pages. Joan and Vanessa’s journey was realistic and well written. I loved the structure of the book, starting near the end and working our way back to the end through flashback sections. There was a great mix of “nerdy” science but not too much to make it overwhelming for non sci-if fans. Grab your Kleenex, this one made me tear up multiple times. I had all the feelings while reading this, tense, happy, sad and satisfied. Perfect for fans of TJRs other work.

Wow.

This book is very well researched and while there is technical jargon, I didn't feel overwhelmed by all the lingo. The pacing is good, even though the story spans several years.

All the characters are well developed, and if they are not when we first meet them, they evolved throughout the story, as would happen in real life.

My only issue with this book is the ending. It needs an epilogue, set 40 years (current day) in the future. Just five or ten pages, going more into depth with the characters. Did Joan spend her nights with her telescope in the back yard? Did Vanessa fly her prop plane in the mornings? What about Frances? Was she inspired to work at NASA too?

After becoming so attached to all the characters, I want to know.

What I DO know, is that I really enjoyed this book, and am very grateful to have read it.

Thank you Taylor Jenkins Reid and Doubleday Canada for the digital arc! Prepare to see this book everywhere! It’s fascinating to follow the women who enter the space shuttle program as they try to balance all the challenges that life throws at them. These women exhibit strength, knowledge and courage as they literally change the world. TJR has a way of brining characters to life, almost like they are your friends. There may have been a few tears shed while reading this book! Add this to your TBR!

I’m not gonna lie the beginning of the book really had me questioning if I was going to like it since it started super slow, but around the 15% mark it does pick up significantly. The story was very interesting and kept me hooked until the end. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the switch ups between the past POV and current POV, but other than that the romance was *chefs kiss*, and I would highly recommend!!

I never really know what I will get when I pick up a book by this author as they are all so different, but experience tells me I will love it, and “Atmosphere” is no exception. The theme of this novel is love and it includes romantic love, the love for a child and the love of science and space. Set in the 1980's around the Space Shuttle Program, it also clearly demonstrates the sacrifices astronauts must make, particularly the first women in the program. I really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy. 4.5/5 stars.

A huge thank you to @netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC of this book
The vast range of emotions this book holds is hard to put into words. It will leave you feeling both inspired and utterly heartbroken. I think this is one of the most compelling love stories that Taylor Jenkins Read has ever written. It's not just love in the romantic sense- it's found family, love for space, and finding comfort in others. I think I sobbed for the last three chapters. If you are to read a Taylor Jenkins Read book I would highly recommend this one.

I almost didn't read Atmosphere because I'm not interested in space but I love other Taylor Jenkins Reid books so I gave it a shot. I'm glad I did. This is going to be a very loved book by many. Strong female characters based in the 80's. I was surprised when I found myself crying at the end. It's a fantastic book. The characters are that good.

Joan has just been accepted by NASA. It's 1980 and this is the first round of women to be accepted into NASA's programs. Joan has been preparing for this moment her whole life. She's been studying the stars and dreaming of this day. Joan's been so focused on her career she's left little room for much else. Her niece Frannie is the exception - Joan adores her niece Frannie.

As Joan, meets her fellow crew and gets entrenched in training she finds herself hanging out with the crew on evenings and weekends. For the first time since college she's hanging out with people and forming bonds - even enjoying a beer or two here and there.

In the first chapter of the novel we learn that one of the missions isn't going as planned. Joan's story is being unravelled before the tragedy and after the tragedy. Atmosphere is more than just a space story. It's romance, women's rights, friendship and more. If you love Taylor Jenkins Reid - like so many of us do - don't miss this one. It's a great read.

Ms. Jenkins Reid continues to be hit or miss, and this was a HUGE miss for me... and, honestly, very disappointing. The marketing for this book is deceiving as they try to advertise it as a "love story" but it's just a whole lot of BORING. I had to DNF cause I was literally falling asleep. Romance WHERE?????? PLOT WHERE??? All I read was a bunch of dragged-out, made-up facts about a fake character. Emphasis on it all felt so....fake. I'm waiting for another hit like Daisy Jones or One True Loves, cause wtf was this.

I am just a sucker for anything TJR writes and her latest about a group of women astronaut candidates in the early 80s stole my heart!! It's a slow burn Sapphic romance, a great insight into the struggles the first women astronauts fought against and a pulse-pounding survival/disaster story all rolled into one. Highly recommended for fans of The martian and Hidden figures. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and physical ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it as nonstop as I could. It is a mix of a love story and the story of women astronauts, as well as family relationships. I believed the characters and their conversations could exist and I cared about them. I enjoyed the structure of the story as well--strong hook, and then a gentle but consistent build-up to the ending. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

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This is one of the best books I have read in 2025 and definitely my favourite Taylor Jenkins Reid book. It was written so well and with such description that I felt totally immersed in the world. Nobody writes like TJR and she knocks it out of the park once again. Joan was a fantastic main character and although we have nothing in common (I am bad at math and know nothing about stars) I felt like I really connected with her and was cheering her on every step of the way. The romantic relationship in this book was so beautiful and I was so happy with the direction it took. The supporting cast of characters was great from Vanessa, Donna, Griff, Lydia, and Hank to Barbara and Frances, and I felt so invested in the story. Definitely one I can see myself returning to again and again, and one that is sure to be a hit with readers of all ages and genre preferences this summer!

Guys… I don’t even know what to tell you. Another “stratospheric” success from TJR. I picked it up, was immediately sucked in, couldn’t put it down, and finished it in the dark at 1AM with my heart pounding.

TJR has the skill to bring subjects I’ve not taken a personal interest in before to life in blazing colour. This was a perfectly paced novel, and Joan and her crew will stay with me for a very long time.

I felt the ending lacked the "spark" I normally feel with TJR's other works. I mourned a character who was then still alive but I felt it could have been done with more suspense. Also, I was confused about the main character's family - her parents are around for a lot of the book and then suddenly no where to be found.

TJR does it again.
Fast paced, vivid characters and a story that won’t quit.
Any title or subject TJR writes about is so well researched, and so easily communicated it’s an art.

Wow... This book just sent me on the most amazing emotional rollercoaster. I've been staring at my wall for the past 10 minutes, just wiping my tears–the last 30 pages had me literally bawling. I became so emotionally invested in these characters and their beautiful but heartbreaking love story, I I never wanted the book to end. In fact, the ONLY thing I didn't absolutely love about this book is that there was no epilogue! However, everything else–the plot, the character development, the writing, even all of the time jumps back and forth (which I'm not normally a huge fan of)–kept me so engaged the entire time. I also really loved and appreciated the inclusive and empowering sentiments weaved seamlessly throughout which, I think, make this an incredibly important read for not only any queer person or female-identifying person, but also for any feminist or LGBTQ+ ally.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow did I ever love this, after Carrie Soto I was a little weary I was losing my love for TJR, I was so so wrong.

This was the perfect mash up of genres with a compelling and interesting story about women in space and falling love with your life in unexpected ways. I loved these characters, I felt like I was part of their team and I was emotionally devastated and excited in several ways.

Reid writes stories that are craveable and hold such a gravitational pull at my tear ducts.

No noted. Perfection to the lash line.

I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.

I have read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels and enjoyed them all. This novel was no exception. She does an amazing job of providing an interesting story within a setting that provides the reader information about a topic, this time space. This book was a bit of a departure from some of her other novels but I loved how it was talking about space and also you could see how women were viewed at NASA and in the 1980s. I felt sad that there were such expectations placed on women to be a certain way back then and that it was difficult for them to be their true selves.

I liked seeing Joan's strength to push through tragedy while putting her job at the forefront of her mind. This would have been so difficult.