Oh my god.

Is that enough? No? Alright then.

I've read Taylor Jenkins Reid's works before, and I'll admit I've had a complicated relationship with her stories; some I vibe with, others I don't. This also means that I'm never quite sure what I am going to get when I pick up one of her books. Atmosphere however, absolutely hit the right spot with me from the very first chapter. I might even admit that this is one of my favorite reads of the year. This was such a beautiful and poignant story set against the fascinating backdrop of the first women in space.

The fantastic narrators truly brought this compelling story to life. Reid's characters are incredibly real and relatable; the astronaut candidates form a powerful found family, and Joan and Vanessa's love story profoundly impacted me, highlighting the immense pressure of hiding one's identity.

The story is set in the 1980s and follows Joan Goodwin. Against the backdrop of the space shuttle program, she trains to be an astronaut at Houston's Johnson Space Center alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates. While preparing for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love that challenge everything she thought she knew about herself and her place in the observable universe. Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

All I can say really, is WOW. What a stunning read. Congratulations Taylor. You knocked it out of the park!

Prior to this book I’ve read After I do (meh) and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (500 stars, no criticism accepting) so I had fairly high expectations of what to expect from this book. What I wasn’t expecting was to start crying straight away and not really stop until long after I finished it. Any book that can make me ugly cry in a public park deserves full 5 stars. Other than the emotional aspect, I loved the amount of research into the science aspects and describing it in a way that felt naturally but that someone like me with no space/physics knowledge could understand. I enjoyed this so much and I’m looking forward to further reading more books from TJR.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and Random House UK for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a voluntary review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

This was such a beautiful and poignant story set against the fascinating backdrop of the first women in space. I adored the relationship between Joan and her niece, Frances, and seeing how Vanessa slotted into that dynamic so well. If there's one thing Taylor Jenkins Reid does well it's write interesting and complex characters that feel incredible real and this was no different.

The amount of science felt just right, providing an insight into the NASA training programme, as well as the politics involved, without overwhelming the reader or distracting from the main plot.

The only small gripe I had was with how the story interweaves the current day scene with Vanessa up in the shuttle with the past, it caused the former to lose some of the tension and it lacked a bit of the emotional punch at the start because we didn't yet know the characters well enough. I would have preferred the whole thing to have been linear. I also would have loved a little epilogue at the end but that's just me being greedy.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann, for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can never go wrong with a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, every story is memorable and this one is no different. An absolutely beautiful and uplifting read that will bring tears to to your eyes.

Atmosphere is a beautifully written and emotionally charged novel that took me completely by surprise. Set in the high-stakes world of NASA in the 1980s, the story follows Joan Goodwin, a brilliant and determined female astronaut selected to be part of one of the agency’s first missions to send women into space. While the backdrop is all about space exploration, the heart of this novel lies firmly on Earth—in its characters, their ambitions, sacrifices, and the deeply moving love story that unfolds.
I came into this book with little interest in NASA, astronauts, or space travel, but I was instantly drawn in by the writing and the quiet strength of Joan. The narrative moves back and forth between a mission gone wrong and the years leading up to it, building tension and emotional depth as we gradually piece together Joan’s journey—both professional and personal.
Atmosphere is not just a story about space—it’s about love, loss, and what it means to dream big in a world that doesn’t always let women take up space, literally and figuratively. I finished it with tears in my eyes and a full heart.
Highly recommend—even if you think space isn’t your thing

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid was just an entertaining as I'd hoped. What a story! I'm always impressed by her books and Atmosphere didn't dissapoint.

A beautiful and unique story about love in difficult circumstances, this book explores a queer relationship in a quiet yet powerful way against a backdrop of space exploration at NASA in the recent past. This is a very emotional read.

This was one of my most anticipated reads and had only heard great things about it. I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I felt the characters and their relationships were surface level. My favourite relationship was the aunt niece one rather than any romance.

I always love a new TJR novel and Atmosphere didn't disappoint. I loved it. It's as romantic and emotional as her books always are and the setting is fantastic. I adored Frances, I was completely swept away by Joan and Vanessa's love story and I was on the edge of my seat sobbing by the end. 10/10 would recommend.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a firm auto-buy author for me - no matter what topic she chooses to set her books against, I will always be instantly sold. But as someone who is fascinated by space, as soon as I heard that her latest novel was going to feature a cast of NASA astronauts as its central characters, it instantly shot up in my anticipation.

Atmosphere is a truly compelling read - probably the most thriller-esque narrative that Reid has constructed thus far. Think the action and near-constant sense peril of The Martian, but queerer and with so much heart and warmth. Set in the 1980’s, it follows Joan, one of the first females to be accepted into NASA’s astronaut training scheme, and deftly negotiates the trials facing women in STEM in this time period. Every single character is incredibly well drawn, with a focus on many different types of relationship and love in all its forms - a particular highlight was the bond between Joan and her niece. The final 10% had me on the edge of my seat as events unfolded, but it is testament to Reid’s assured writing that I also had an underlying sense of comfort that I would be satisfied by the ending no matter what happened. This is by some way my favourite of her books thus far, and I can’t wait for more people to experience this novel once it is released later in the year - I’m almost jealous that I can’t read it for the first time again!

I received a digital advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

I gave up on this a couple of times near the beginning and only recently came back to it. Reid writes such brilliant, compelling main characters but what I've found she does exceptionally well too is to write wholly real character who appear for one scene and then are gone - this element was lacking from this one. There were lots about it I enjoyed, especially the exploration of sexism and feminism in the early 80s but it just wasn't my favourite.

I loved the dual timelines! I think it is such a fun clever way of building the story and it was written so well here! And the momentum of character development throughout was so thoughtfully crafted! Great read!

Perhaps not my personal favourite TJR (but one's favourite TJR has so much more to do with themselves than the books, if you ask me), but, in many ways, TJR at her very best. Tense, romantic, heartbreaking and life affirming. A true stunner.

Huge thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free E-Arc copy of atmosphere in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this book!! I am a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid in the first place, so I have been following the process of the release of Atmosphere since before the cover reveal. Also as someone with a lifelong astrophysics hyperfixation this book could easily be my favourite of this year!! I loved the characters, they were messy and complicated and fully fleshed out and interesting which TJR never fails to achieve. The plotline, immaculate as always, well paced. She never fails to impress me with her books and this was no exception. 6/5 stars!! 🌟

Taylor Jenkins Reid never fails to deliver deeply immersive stories, and Atmosphere is no exception. The writing is beautifully evocative, painting a vivid picture of complex relationships and emotional turmoil. I was completely drawn in by the nuanced characters and the subtle tension that builds throughout.

This book perfectly captures the messy, raw parts of human connection with honesty and grace. A haunting and unforgettable read that stayed with me long after I finished it. If you love emotionally charged fiction, this is a must.

Yet again TJR writes with insight about female ambition. Few writers can conjure a world - and a workplace - with such skill, and I can't think of any who combine that with such relatable portrayals of falling in love. GOD I'm jealous

An incredible book - it was engaging, absorbing and filled with so much love. I have absolutely no interest in space whatsoever but you don't need to in order to enjoy this book - it still had me racing through the final few pages towards the end. It is a gorgeous look at people and their relationships - both familial and with their partners. A beautiful queer book that is not a tragedy - heartbreaking in places, yes, but so is the human existence and it was done in the most tender but enjoyable manner. A definite favourite read of 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, though I found it hard to get into originally but I'm so glad I stuck with it. Completely different from her other books, the extensive research conducted for this novel was clearly depicted with her description of NASA and the stars and cosmos. Although overall it was a romance novel, it also gave readers a basic understanding of space exploration and the universe around us.

A beautifully written story about friendship and love. Highly recommend.

Beautifully composed and sapphic, Atmosphere tackles many themes, including those regarding sexual identity, family dysfunction and sexual discrimination, all set against the background of NASA's 1980s space exploration.

While the romantic aspect was great, I did find that I wish there were more of the NASA components within the story, as those moments gripped me the most.

Taylor Jenkins Reid's ATMOSPHERE has quickly become my favourite new release of 2025. I tore through it, sobbing all the while. She has an unmatched ability to craft vivid, emotionally rich stories that unfold like Hollywood films in your mind.

With every novel, you can feel the care and thought she puts into her characters, themes, and the world around them. She makes me deeply invested in things I'd never thought twice about - like space, in this instance.

It's a perfect beach read or a great pick-me-up if you're in a slump. But honestly, no matter when or where you start it, I think you'll fall in love with it too.