Book Review: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“Bravery is being unafraid of something other people are afraid of. Courage is being afraid, but strong enough to do it anyway.”

Taylor Jenkin Reid, Atmosphere

Review:

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025. Taylor Jenkins Reid has written a couple of my favorite books. When I saw that Atmosphere was going to be set in the 1980s space program, I was ecstatic. With this excitement, I forgot that this would likely be a romance. I was still keen to give it a try, but I quickly realized that when there’s rocket science involved, I have no interest in a love story. 

Joan lands her dream job at Johnson Space Center, working on the STS-LR9 mission. But between her home/family life, work life, and her personal life, Joan fears jeopardizing her career. 

This book had three distinct plots, all of which contradicted each other. One chapter can be filled with scientific jargon, the next, a complicated family drama, and the next, a soapy romance. I felt that this inconsistency made the writing style difficult to follow, which in turn made it challenging to get into the story. In between all of this, there would occasionally be an attempt at philosophy, which I would have appreciated if it wasn’t so apparent that the author is trying to appease everyone who might be reading. (And by philosophy, I mean the fluffy kind that you’d find on a Pinterest board.) 

Lastly, I did not think the love interest was a good match. I read another review that pointed out that if the love interest had been a man, it would be considered a toxic relationship. I wholeheartedly agree, especially when the relationship meets the family. I don’t gravitate toward LGBT+ romance books, so I don’t have a wide reference point; however, from what I have read, this relationship could have been portrayed differently/better. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The NASA and space travel elements.
• Gorgeous cover!

What I didn’t like:

• The ‘everyone is right’ philosophy and uninformed religious discourse.
• The family drama surrounding the niece was so out of place with the rest of the story.
• Somewhat ambiguous/misleading book synopsis surrounding the content of the book.

Afterthoughts:

Thoroughly disappointed that this book didn’t measure up to my expectations. The writing pales in comparison to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s other books.

Where to buy the book: