What readers think of Atmosphere, plus links to write your own review.

All the hype, all the many inclusions on the "best books" lists, all the gushing reviews—both professional and reader—are true. This book by Taylor Jenkins Reid has it all: It's a gripping page-turner plot and a tender and passionate love story.

It's the 1980s in Houston, Texas at the dawn of NASA's space shuttle era. Written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, this is the story of Joan Goodwin, a brilliant but underappreciated associate astrophysics professor at Rice University. At the urging of her sister, she applies to be an astronaut. Much to her surprise and delight, she is accepted, becoming part of a team of newbie astronauts, who all work hard, train hard, and sometimes party hard. And quite unexpectedly, Joan falls in love. She's barely dated before, but this is different. Very different. Joan falls in love with fellow astronaut Vanessa Ford. While the two are practically walking on air, they can never (ever!) let their love affair become public knowledge—even amongst their closest friends and family—or they will lose their chance to fly on the space shuttle.

Joan finds out she is slated to fly on a mission in November 1984, and Vanessa is chosen for a December 1984 mission. But the unthinkable happens on Vanessa's mission. Lives will be lost. Only one astronaut remains unscathed. Will that one be able to fly the shuttle back to Earth bearing the others—some dead, some nearly dead?

Reid has structured the novel perfectly to keep us readers turning those pages far into the night. The December 1984 space shuttle accident takes place in the first chapter, and the story of what happens next is woven throughout the novel. The bulk of the book, though, is what went on before then. It's brilliant and thrilling plot pacing!

This smart, literary ChickLit at its finest.

Bonus: Even if you've never taken an interest in space exploration before, this novel is sure to pique something. It is packed with solid information and fascinating details about NASA, the space program, the space shuttle's early history, and what it takes to be an astronaut—especially a female astronaut in a male-dominated enterprise.

Aside to Taylor Jenkins Reid: PLEASE write a sequel!!!

I have to be honest, I just auto buy this author. I didn't even know what this was about when I started it. So I clicked on that audio and popped my earbuds in and was introduced to Joan and her life. Her stumbling into working at NASA. Her love for her niece, her patience with her sister, her observing her fellow co-workers and learning these new things.

But this is a quiet book. It introduces you to people that you grow slowly, chapter after chapter, to love. You don't realize you do - because it's so easy. Sure, there are those troubling chapters that hint there's a 'now' and a 'then' but I rolled right along as they got to know each other.

So when I got to the last 10 or so, I was a mess as we finally have 'now' and 'then' colliding. As this author does so well, I hung on every word until the very end. What a beautiful story. I absolutely loved it.

By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrated by Kristen DiMercurio, Julia Whelan, Taylor Jenkins Reid

3.5 stars (rounded down)

Atmosphere is a story about complicated relationships and the secrets that shape us. Parts of the book pulled me in more than others—especially the sections focused on space training and the dynamics among the astronauts, which I enjoyed more than the romance. In December of 1984, during mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant, raising the question: Is the chance to travel into space and leave your mark on history worth the risk of your life?

The characters are well developed, and their growth is shown through how they confront past mistakes and learn more about themselves. The pacing is steady—not rushed—giving you time to understand the characters while still keeping the story moving.

Themes include navigating gender and sexual discrimination, ambition and sacrifice, family, and the need for love and belonging.

“Maybe they had not asked for too much. Maybe they would get everything they wanted.”

I combined the book with the audiobook and enjoyed that experience. The narration is clear and expressive, bringing the characters’ emotions to life. The tone and pacing make the story easy to follow and add depth overall.

This is my second book by TJR. I liked it, but I enjoyed Malibu more. I may be in the minority on this one, so I encourage you to read other reviews as well. If you’re a diehard TJR fan, I think you’ll love it—her writing is strong, and she definitely knows how to tell a compelling story.