Atmosphere wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t leave much of an impression either. The writing was solid, as always with Taylor Jenkins Reid, but the story just didn’t grab me the way her other books have. It felt a bit flat, and I don’t think I’ll be thinking about it a month from now. Not terrible—just not particularly memorable.

I am an avid TJR fan. No one does historical romance like her. She’s perceptive, knows her history, and is very confident in setting the tone and pace of her stories. I really loved this one. In a time where NASA is under attack it felt especially poignant. I also loved how the author showed a beautiful and fraught relationship that wasn’t allowed or encouraged in the early eighties— which makes the idea of space travel seem all the more ridiculous. We want to send people to space but we want to set rules around how and who they love? Okay. Make it make sense! My only slight hang up was the dialogue. There were times where it felt a bit stunted. It was a very dialogue heavy book so sometimes it was hard to read sentences that seemed robotic. I think this was supposed to read this way but there were times where some sentences just didn’t flow that naturally? That’s very nit picky because all in all I LOVED this! I learned a lot and lovedddd Joan. Please, more books about women in space!!

I absolutely loved this novel this love story. I sobbed like a baby the entire last 20 pages. Any book that can make me go through an emotional roller coaster is deserving of more than 5 stars. It was so easy to understand the space terminology, it was a clear story. I absolutely will be recommending this to all of my friends and followers. I will post a review on my TikTok soon!

I wasn’t expecting this book to be what it was when I read the synopsis, but it was a great story! And like every other novel I’ve read by TJR, the writing was beautiful.

I will say, after finishing the story I kind of found myself wishing that a certain outcome had happened, only because I feel like it would have made the story meaningful in a completely different and reflective way.

Also, there was one paragraph that I thought needed editing somewhere around the first few chapters, but I forgot to highlight and can’t find it anymore.

I finished this book about two weeks ago and needed to let it settle in my mind before coming to write a review. At about the midway point, I was honestly frustrated about the timeline and way that we're introduced to conflict early and the characters later but nearly 3/4 of the way, I started to see why TJR ordered the events like she did and as I've come to love about her, the structure of the storytelling is a huge component of the reading experience of Atmosphere. Won't give away any spoilers but a lot of the action is in the front half of the book, then she reveals the relationships between the astronauts in layers. Some characters in this story fell flat for me unfortunately but Joan is a memorable MC and she drops us in an important part of history of space exploration/STEM from a women's POV that I can't recall reading other places. The romance story didn't 'click' for me personally and yet I still value why TJR made this choice; and by the end, I greatly appreciated her using her massive platform to de-center M/F romance and to paint the extreme realities and consequences of queer people in NASA... in the 1980's... and even still in today's world.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

I would rate this a ,4.5 star. All I can say is TJR really out did herself. The best part was that we have a well put together MFC who is a scientist. I loved every moment.

Phew, baby! TJR never disappoints.

Atmosphere takes place during the 1980s space shuttle program and brings readers along to see behind the scenes of what it takes to travel beyond Earth. It highlights the unfairness of women in science and technology, and the efforts they take to claim respect and involvement in male-dominated roles. Even though a few select women are chosen to be a part of this mission, their reach is still cut short with lack of job permissions.

With a range of characters, mostly all likeable, the story starts off with a heavy-hitting event that draws you in to find out how they got there in the first place.

Quite often, my emotions flipped from feeling claustrophobic, suffocated, devastated, hopeful, and utterly destroyed.

Atmosphere sucked all the air from my lungs and refused to give me breath until the very last pages. Brilliantly done well.

I’ll be adding a copy of this to my forever shelf, no doubts.

I am incredibly grateful to have received an arc of this book. I’ve read several books by this author, and one of my favorite all time books is Daisy Jones and the Six. I went into this book blind because since I knew I loved the author’s writing it didn’t matter what it was about. That was kind of an error on my part. I didn’t end up liking this book at all. It’s a sapphic love story. I’m not against this, but don’t prefer to read it. I enjoyed Evelyn Hugo even though it was also basically a sapphic love story. So I kept reading. The other storyline with the main character’s sister was rough- the sister is one of worst book characters I’ve ever read with no redeeming qualities. The ending felt abrupt with unresolved plot details. I am debating on even sharing a Bookstagram review of this- maybe closer to pub date? I know so many people will love this but it was not for me.

This was superb. I've read most of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, my favorite being Daisy Jones and the Six. Atmosphere is almost as good as that one. It makes you feel as though you are there yourself. Though clearly well-researched, I like that the NASA training and science took a backseat to the character study of Joan, and her relationship with Vanessa. I think the romance was powerful and believable for the time period. I adored seeing Joan's relationship with Frances, and would read an entire sequel about their family. Overall, this book was just truly a joy to read, and even the side characters were complex and well drawn.

Taylor has done it again for me! She has a way of making the characters so relatable and her writing style is easy-to read, making each book of hers that I’ve read, “page-turners”.

This story has lovable characters, heartbreak, and an ending I had been holding my breath for! Taylor did a fantastic job with the details of NASA and their approach to their realm. I’m thankful to have found my person who explains the color blue to me 💜

Can’t wait for my copy to arrive in time for my birthday and to see the beautiful cover in person.

Like the tv show For All Mankind in the best way possible. Atmosphere is another stunning testament to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s mastery of emotionally resonant storytelling. From the very first page, I was swept into a world that felt both intensely personal and universally relatable. The way Reid paints her characters—with flaws, hopes, regrets, and moments of breathtaking clarity—makes them linger long after the final chapter.

This novel explores the complexities of identity, love, and the quiet forces that shape our lives, all wrapped in Reid’s signature style: rich prose, poignant dialogue, and a structure that keeps you eagerly turning pages. Each chapter peels back a new layer, deepening the emotional stakes while reminding us how atmosphere—both literal and emotional—shapes who we are and how we connect with others. And especially in the current political climate, having an LGBTQ+ love story featured means more than ever.

If you're a fan of character-driven narratives that make you feel everything from joy to heartbreak, Atmosphere will absolutely speak to you. It’s the kind of story that sits with you, the kind you want to recommend to everyone and talk about for hours afterward. Reid has once again delivered a modern classic

Joan Goodwin loves the stars, so much so that's she's joined NASA's space shuttle program. She tries to juggle astronaut training with being an aunt to her niece Frances. In the summer of 1980, she is thrown into the program with a cast of characters, who are all interesting in their own rights. The program is going well, Joan has friends, and Joan seems to start going from reserved to more of the person she is meant to be. Then in 1984, disaster strikes the shuttle with Joan's friends in space. Joan is working in mission command trying to keep her cool to help bring her friends home. The book starts in 1984 and goes back and forth between the shuttle disaster and the recent past to tell the story of these astronauts. The 1984 chapters were gripping and nerve-wracking. The pre-shuttle disaster chapters were more about Joan's life and experiences rather than astronaut training. While these chapters were interesting and a good story, I felt more drawn to the shuttle disaster chapters. By the end of the book, it all came together like only Taylor Jenkins Reid can do. I really enjoyed this book and while it wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a great read. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy.

THE new tjr book. i simply cannot believe that for the past 24 hours, all i have done is sit here and consume this book. the uniqueness of the plot, her typical writing that fully captivates you, these characters that beg to be seen and heard and loved (and frustrate you endlessly while making you root for them). this is what true excellence looks like!!

This book was incredible. It got exponentially better as I kept reading. Beautiful, beautiful book and I can’t wait for the world to read it. I was really excited for this book because I love TJR, but especially because this book took place in Houston (and Rice for about 4 pages). However, this book was so much more than just a book about Houston and NASA. These characters are incredible and TJR really really gets you to love them more than you thought was possible for fictional characters. This is a wonderful book and I’m so glad I got to read it early!

My review will be short because there's no way to do a full review without revealing numerous spoiler alerts. Reid has really outdone herself on this book! If you want to read a book that is informative, inspirational, emotional and gut wrenching - add this to your summer reading list. Although there's a lot of technical NASA information (well researched by Reid!) - you will not be able to put this book down. Kudos Taylor Jenkins Reid for another grand slam! Thanks for the ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley & Ballantine Books, for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review does include spoilers!

This was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid novel and… I’m still reeling. Atmosphere completely blew me away. I picked it up expecting a space-centered drama and instead got a stunning, slow-burn, heart-shattering sapphic love story wrapped in the NASA Space Shuttle program of the 1980s—with brilliant emotional layers, piercing social commentary, and characters I will never forget.

Let’s start with the biggest surprise: the love story. I had no idea going in that this was going to center around a sapphic romance, and watching Joan and Vanessa’s relationship unfold felt like witnessing something sacred. Their chemistry was electric, but it was also soft, tentative, and so achingly real—two women learning how to love in a world that never gave them the space to do it freely. Set in an era where their connection had to grow in the shadows, it was gorgeous to see Joan awaken not just to love, but to herself.

“'The whole sky makes sense to me now,' Vanessa said. 'Because of you.'"

But what truly wrecked me was the relationship between Joan and Frances. That was the real love story. Watching Joan step into this mother figure role, even as her dreams of the stars loomed above her, was breathtaking. The emotional weight of her sister’s abandonment, and Joan’s fierce, tender commitment to Frances, had me sobbing more than once. Their bond was raw and powerful, rooted in choice, not obligation, and watching it deepen made my heart ache in the best way.

Joan’s arc is a masterclass in layered character writing. She’s navigating sexism in science, unlearning rigid beliefs about religion, and realizing the strength of choosing love in all its forms.

"Persistence. Highly underrated in women. Overrated in men, but underrated in women.”

“Life is God. My life is tied to yours, and to everyone’s on this planet. How does that not instantly make us more in debt to one another?”

Reid blends emotional intimacy with rich themes like science, faith, motherhood, and feminism, and somehow makes space and astrology feel deeply human. The pacing is absolutely spot-on. The scenes from the shuttle mission are interspersed throughout the story in a way that adds just the right amount of momentum and suspense, pulling you deeper into the narrative without ever feeling jarring. When the story reached its climax, I was on the edge of my seat, my heart in my throat.

Every character, even the ones I thought I would dislike, was given such depth and dimension. There is a sense of radical empathy in this book and Reid doesn’t just show you characters, she writes their souls on the page.

Atmosphere is emotional, expansive, and deeply feminist. It is about daring to love when the world says no, about choosing family in unexpected places, and about finding your place in the universe both figuratively and literally.


This book didn’t just live up to the hype. It launched itself straight into my soul. One of my favorite reads of the year, and I cannot wait to hold the hardcover in my hands. 💫💔🚀

I hadn’t really loved the last few TJR books (okay, If I’m being honest I hated Carrie Soto and barely tolerated Malibu Rising). I wasn’t sure about this one at first… there are two alternating timelines. 1) an extremely suspenseful space disaster scene and 2) a VERY VERY slow burn (starts a little bit will they won’t they) romance between two of the main characters. Once we hit the halfway point of the book and the relationship is established, then we really start rooting for these characters and become invested in what happens to them, but it takes aWHILE to get there. A unique story for sure, and I ended up really liking it, but it could use some pacing work in the first half.

**ARC review**

If you want a book that will make you cry in public while reading it, this is it.

"Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid is, quite simply, fantastic. From the beginning, you're drawn into a world that effortlessly blends the wonder of space exploration with the complexities of human relationships. Reid beautifully navigates the timeline of the story, weaving between past and present in a way that builds anticipation and deepens our understanding of the characters' journeys.

The "present" part of the story is imbued with a constant sense of suspense, leaving you eager to discover what unfolds next. Beyond the amazing plot, Reid's prose shines as she describes the vastness of space and the delicate nature of life with breathtaking beauty. Her words paint vivid pictures, allowing you to truly feel the awe and isolation of the cosmos.

I enjoyed how "Atmosphere" portrayed and brought to attention the early days of women at NASA. Reid sensitively depicts the challenges and inequities these pioneering women faced as they strived to contribute their intellect and skills to a field dominated by men. This historical backdrop adds a layer of depth and significance to the personal stories that unfold.

At its heart, the book explores the complexities of human connection. It offers a poignant portrayal of love in its many forms, but it doesn't shy away from the inevitable heartbreak that life can bring.

"Atmosphere" is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that will stay with you long after you've finished the final page. It's a testament to Taylor Jenkins Reid's skill as a storyteller, her ability to blend compelling narratives with rich emotional depth and historical insight. This book is a must-read.

I always love books by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and enjoyed this one as well. Learning about the space program, and it's (hesitant, and incomplete) inclusion of women in the early 1980s was so interesting, and I love TJR's writing style. That being said, I did find Joan (female main character) to be a little boring for the first 3/4 of the book, and I wanted more character development for some of her friends/side characters. But I loved the back-and-forth timelines and grew to really care about Joan and her relationships as well.

This didn't disappoint, all the feels!!! 🥹🚀👩🏼‍🚀🌠

This is a dual timeline story that alternate between the past and present of Joan Goodwin, an astronaut inducted into the NASA Space Shuttle program in the 1980s. As she enters this opportunity, we see the struggles she faces, the tight-knit crew that come together, her difficult family dynamics, and love that she unexpectedly finds.

The alternating timeline can sometimes feel choppy, but this flowed effortlessly and built up the characters / plots so well.
Another thing about Taylor Jenkins Reid is she will create such complex and in-depth characters that you are bound to become emotionally connected to.

The plot and the setting focus so heavily on NASA and space. But it was done in a way that I became passionate about the characters' passions. I don't know how else to describe it other than it was so well written and you can feel the amount of research put into this.

While I feel like this is so unique, if I'm comparing her previous works, I'd say it gives a little bit of Evelyn Hugo mixed with Carrie Soto.

Thank you thank you thank you to the publisher for the ARC. I now cannot wait for my physical copy to come 🫶🏼