Atmosphere

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrated by: Kristen Dimercurio, Julia Whelan, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Brought to you by Penguin.

AN EPIC NOVEL SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE 1980S SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS WE GO TO LIVE AND LOVE BEYOND OUR LIMITS.

In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love – this time among the stars.

'Tipped to be this summer's big read' Sunday Times

'Quite possibly our favourite TJR novel yet...Even if you're not a big space fan, you can't help but fall for this cosmic tale.' Cosmopolitan

'An ambitious novel that explores human limitation, sacrifice and the essence of love itself.' Woman & Home

©2025 Taylor Jenkins Reid (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Tipped as the read of the summer

A richly drawn page-turner ... It would take a stony reader to turn away from its pleasures ... Melding action thriller emergency with star-crossed romance ... I'd be lying if I said my eyes weren't wet by the end

Quite possibly our favourite TJR novel yet ... Even if you're not a big space fan, you can't help but fall for this cosmic tale

A breathtaking, quietly staggering tale of female empowerment, desire, and our place in the universe

Is there a popular fiction writer alive who conveys falling in love better than Taylor Jenkins Reid?

You'll see this one on every sun lounger this summer

An ambitious novel that explores human limitation, sacrifice and the essence of love itself

Takes you on a journey to show the lengths we go to for love. Sure to be a must-read

Atmosphere is at once epic and intimate, heart-wrenching and hopeful. It's an escapist novel of the best kind with a final few pages that will leave you utterly breathless

Moving, pacey and a read that will stick with you

So original and yet so familiar

I absolutely loved this audiobook. I loved the setting of the book, an inside peak into NASA that felt like it was very well researched but the underlying love story that society foreboded was just formidable.

The storyline has wit,family dynamics, powerful courageous women in science

The storyline and the emotional journey Taylor takes the reader through is amazing. The ending is epic and keeps you on your toes.

Took my breath away

This is first 5 star in 8 months. lt pulled me in and kept me there until the last word. The challenges of women back in the 80's however progressive we thought we were then are thrown in your face. It made me realise what a long road this has all been. I really loved meeting these characters and find myself thinking about what would have happened next in their lives if this was not fiction.

Narration was great, cant go wrong when Julia W is on board.

Perfection

I had the most emotional reactions to this story. Brilliantly beautiful, a true masterpiece. How lucky are we to get to experience this book.

Exquisite - don’t miss this!

A fearless, intelligent, powerful, passionate love story about being human … and astronauts … do not miss it. Superbly narrated and written. My first Taylor Jenkins Reid so I’m now excited to read all the backlist.

Atmosphere is fascinating with wonderful characters, laugh aloud humour, heartbreaking honesty, wonder and intellect, deep but seemingly effortless research, kindness and compassion … and being women at NASA at a time when astronauts were all men …
all combined into a magnificent love story - and a longing for us all to simply love who we are and to give each other full permission to love who we love … on this rare blue watery ball we fleetingly call home. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟