Thanks to the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review

5 stars. How about 6 stars?

I just finished. I’m completely gutted. Review to follow.

I loved the book. TJR just pulls her characters into my heart. Joan Goodwin is a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University in the 1980s. She applies to be one of the first female astronauts at NASA and joins. The book covers several years of her training along with her classmates. There is so much to say about Joan as she learns about herself and what she is capable of. Joan was such a different MC for TJR vs. prior ones. All of her female MC are strong formidable women but with Joan she is just so good and kind and true. We should all strive to be more like Joan.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest novel, Atmosphere. A beautifully written novel with some touching and moving moments and messages. Loved it!

Joan is a professor of physics and astronomy and is excited that NASA is accepting women into the astronaut program for the first time in 1978. She isn't accepted until the second round and begins training with the rest of her class. They learn about different topics, jump into the water with a parachute, and are introduced to zero gravity. Some men aren't excited about women joining, but a few men become her friends. Along with her professional life, we learn about her sister and her niece, Frances, whom she frequently takes care of. My favorite parts were learning about the astronaut training and her relationship with Frances.

Being a public librarian I know how popular Reid’s books are. While I had never read any of her books before this one I did watch the TV adaptation of Daisy Jones and the Six and enjoyed it, so here I am giving her a try.

Right away I knew her writing style isn’t for me. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, I just tend to lean more towards a poetic style. Reid is straightforward. Nothing flowery or fancy. She is heavy on dialogue and it can even border on basic. The setting is nostalgic, and while for the most part I found it charming, at times it was heavy-handed and cliched.
The story is simple.

But.

But also, I loved it. I get it now. I CARED. Reid crafts characters and stories that you just care about. They feel real and you want—you NEED—to know what happens.

This won’t be my last book of Reid’s.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. I was a teenager when Sally Ride went into space as the first female astronaut. I was in college when I watched the Challenger explosion on live TV. NASA captured everyone's interest and imaginations during this time when the shuttles were being developed and utilized. It was an exciting time.
Now with Taylor Jenkins Reid's new book Atmosphere, this era is brought back to us - capturing again our imaginations as we face skyward to the stars.
But this book is more - its about the developing relationships of the teams as they jockey for position in line for that golden pin. In Top Gun style, we meet these flawed characters and watch them grow and form the bonds that will be tested later.
Its not a hard or slow read - weighed down by terminology and backstory. On the contrary, there is just enough NASA lingo so you learn a little bit without feeling overwhelmed. It allows you to savor the relationships, the character development, and the deep love the characters feel toward one another. I really enjoyed it! Slightly more than a 4* for me!
Slight trigger warning if you don't like LGBTQ+ characters but if you don't read this because of that, shame on you. The book is excellent and love is love.

I love it and didn't want it to end. Moving, with deeply engaging characters, and it gave me so many feelings.

This is such a beautiful story full of characters I have grown attached to. I can't believe I'm done reading this - I just want more! I highly recommend this for fellow fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, along with anyone interested in space travel, NASA, and complex love stories. I've read 6 books by Taylor Jenkins Reid and this has quickly become my favorite. I couldn't put it down from the moment I got it! I've also reviewed this on Goodreads.

NASA and it's astronauts is the lastest backdrop subject that Taylor Jenkins Reid dives deep in to bring us a rich, moving story. A timely story of forbidden love and the sacrifices people make for the ones they love.

This was really good! I enjoyed the story similar to how I have enjoyed her other books. I will say this book has been clearly researched and well written about space, so there is a heavy amount of space info in the book that I personally found monotonous. I loved the story of Joan and her nice and how Taylor Jenkins Reid was able to write a multi dimensional story!

Always a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid but this one didn't hit the mark for me. It did not grab me as her other titles have since felt slow paced and didn't feel the characters were as developed for me to get hooked.

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of Atmosphere.

This book follows an extraordinary women astronaut named Joan. She is part of the second class to ever include women at NASA. Following her start at NASA through a four year journey , we see friendships created, family relationships tested, and forbidden love develop.

TJR can write a character you can fall in love with so easily. I was hooked from page 1. This book is filled with heart, determination and such hope!! It is a look back to the past and seeing how much progress has been made, but how something’s have yet to change.

I loved every second reading this book !! Highly recommend all women of any age to pick this one up!!

Atmosphere might be Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best book yet. From the memorable characters to the meticulous timeline, everything feels exactly on theme. It’s a well-paced story, with beautiful and poignant beats. Joan Goodwin is an astronomer who becomes an astronaut, hard working and caring to those around her, even while facing challenges working at NASA in the 1980's. Atmosphere is also a hopeful examination of the ways work can help people grow and become more confident in their personal lives. Beyond it being a blockbuster release for the year, it’s going to be very easy to sell customers on this beautiful book in store.

Atmosphere grabs the reader from page 1 and doesn't let them go until they're a weepy mess 360 pages later. Heart, suspense, romance, grief: all the feelings possible are felt throughout this book.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reed.

Atmosphere is the story about NASA in the early 80's, in particular the role of women in the space program. It is a fast paced story of Joan and her journey in the space program. Jenkins weaves the story through a past/present time hop, as the story unfolds as a love story on so many different levels. This is another hit. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to linger in the world created by Jenkins for just a bit longer.

I was in shock when I got an e-copy of this ARC so thank you Random House and Netgalley for this opportunity!!! I LOVE Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, and I was so excited to read ATMOSPHERE early. It did not disappoint. I loved the storyline of women in NASA, queerness and the 1980's. I loved all of the characters, even those that were not so nice. Reid always creates stories that are full of interesting time periods (1980s for this one) and issues (space! women in space! women in science!). I appreciate that I held my breath at the end of book unsure if everyone would survive the mission (seriously lol- it was a good wait). Can't wait to recommend this one to everyone who reads adult books!

My new favorite TJR book! This building of the historical setting is perfect - I felt so immersed in the period and also felt like I learned so much about this era of American space exploration. These characters felt so real - and even the more background characters felt essential to the story - this book felt so purposeful. And those cliffhangers and time jumps kept me on my toes - a book that I had to keep reading.

TJR has done it again! Atmosphere is a beautiful story that I didn’t want to end. It captures the struggles and progress of NASA’s space program in the 1980s, told in a stunning past-and-present narrative. The character development is remarkable and deeply relatable—you’ll feel like part of the crew. Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for the opportunity to read this ARC. I have the utmost confidence that this will be a bestseller!

It’s 1980 and no woman has been to space yet. When Joan’s sister lets her know NASA is looking for women scientists to apply for the space program she realizes THIS is what she is meant to do with her life. Alternating between Joan’s NASA training and a 1984 mission she’s ground control for when catastrophe strikes, the story of Joan’s life, forbidden love, and NASA career are woven together into a beautiful new story from Taylor Jenkins Reid.

This fast-paced story of women in 1980's NASA space program is yet another stunning read from the author- is it her best yet? I just can't choose...

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid offers her signature engaging writing style and flowing prose, which made the book a fairly easy read. The storyline about NASA and space exploration was intriguing, drawing me in with its potential for excitement and innovation. However, I felt that the focus of the story shifted too much onto the romantic relationship (homosexual) between two of the characters, which overshadowed what should have been the more fascinating elements of the plot. Additionally, the frequent use of "GD" throughout the book felt unnecessary and, for me, it was quite offensive. While I typically enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work and appreciate her ability to create complex characters and stories, Atmosphere didn’t quite hit the mark for me this time. It had promise, but it ultimately fell short in balancing its themes and tone.