Atmosphere Book Review: A Must-Read for Book Clubs

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As a lifelong reader and longtime book-club organizer, I’m always on the lookout for novels that not only engage me personally but also spark thoughtful, lively discussion among my group. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid turned out to be exactly that kind of book. It’s packed with rich detail, emotional depth, and the clear care Reid put into researching the stars, NASA, and the early days of the Space Shuttle program.

As someone who has led countless book-club discussions, I felt confident selecting Atmosphere for my group — and it paid off. The novel’s blend of historical context, character-driven storytelling, and emotional tension made it a strong pick that our members responded to with interest and enthusiasm.

ATMOSPHERE BOOK SUMMARY & STATS

SUMMARY

Joan Goodwin is an astronomy professor in the early 1980s who dreams of space. When NASA calls for female scientist-astronauts, she applies — and after intense training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, she’s selected.

Among her fellow astronauts is Vanessa Ford, a brilliant engineer. As Joan adapts to life in a male-dominated astronaut program, she and Vanessa develop a deep — but secret — romantic relationship.

The story alternates between the quiet hopes and ambitions of training and the high-stakes danger of a space mission gone wrong in December 1984. From NASA’s Mission Control, Joan must communicate with the shuttle crew — including Vanessa — as disaster strikes.

Through ambition, love, risk, and sacrifice, Atmosphere becomes a gripping tale about reaching for the stars — in both space and the heart.

STATS

Title	Atmosphere
Author	Taylor Jenkins Reid
Book Club(s)	N/A
Publication Date/Year	June 3, 2025
Page Count	352
Genre(s)	Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Historical
Setting	Houston, Texas
Goodreads Rating	4.34
Audience	Adult
Series	No
Translator	N/A
Awards	0; multiple nominations

ATMOSPHERE BOOK RATING & REVIEW

RATING

BCR Rating	4
Availability	4
Format	5
Length	4
Diversity	4
Bechdel Test	Pass
Page Turner	No

REVIEW

I read Atmosphere on Kindle, and while I didn’t breeze through it in a single weekend, it held my interest. It isn’t quite a page-turner in the traditional sense, but it is a book that pulls you into its world — one marked by NASA history, the push for women in science, and the complicated emotions of ambition, identity, and love.

One of the highlights from my reading was a quote from John Glenn about women not being accepted as astronauts as simply “a fact of our social order.” That line hit me hard — not just for how blunt it is, but because of how clearly it frames the world Joan and Vanessa are fighting to move through. Reid weaves these real-world attitudes into the story in a way that feels honest without overwhelming the narrative.

I also appreciated all of the research Reid put into this novel. You can feel how much she learned about space, NASA, and the night sky — it gives the story texture without ever slipping into technical overload. And though this book isn’t part of the “Reidverse,” it still carries her signature emotional clarity and strong sense of character.

A small personal note: I highlighted the reference to The Awakening because it’s one of my all-time favorite novels, and I loved seeing it woven into the story. And the mentions of Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush made me smile — I appreciate both artists, and their music fits the time period and tone of this book so well.

ATMOSPHERE BOOK CLUB RESOURCES

BCR RECOMMENDATION

This was a selection I made for the book club I am in, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. Discussion was lively, thoughtful, and enthusiastic, with several members mentioning how much they enjoyed the book once they got into it.

I’m a longtime Taylor Jenkins Reid fan, so it was no surprise to my club when I picked it, and this book was well-received by my book club. The mix of historical grounding, human drama, and emotional depth makes it great for both individual reading and group discussion.

If your club chooses Atmosphere, I suggest sharing the pick early – at least two months ahead. There may be a bit of a wait at libraries for digital and physical copies.

This is a thoughtful, engaging read — and a strong addition to any book club lineup.

BOOK DISCUSSION

Since it was my pick, I led this book discussion for our book club. At the start of each meeting, we always ask the basics:

Who read it?
Who finished it?
What format did you use?
Did you like it?

It’s a simple icebreaker that opens the floor nicely.

For Atmosphere, I then used the book club kit available on the author’s website. It’s beautifully put together. I printed the discussion questions in advance and passed them around. Each person read one question aloud as we went around the room, and we managed to circle the group twice. This question-sharing format works especially well for larger groups because it keeps everyone engaged in different ways.

The kit also includes a quiz, which we had fun with — it lightened the mood after some of the heavier themes. And we learned more, or reaffirmed what we already knew, about each other.