I’ve followed and reviewed TJR’s novels as long as I’ve written this blog: starting with Daisy Jones and the Six (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/daisy-jones-and-the-six-by-taylor-jenkins-reid?rq=taylor%20jenkins%20reid) , to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-by-taylor-jenkins-reid?rq=taylor%20jenkins%20reid) , Malibu Rising (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/malibu-rising-by-taylor-jenkins-reid?rq=taylor%20jenkins%20reid) , and Carrie Soto Is Back (https://www.margueritereads.com/home/carrie-soto-is-back-by-taylor-jenkins-reid?rq=taylor%20jenkins%20reid) . That brings us to the latest, Atmosphere, with the subtitle A Love Story. Reid has written about the Rock scene, old Hollywood, Malibu surf culture, and the world of professional tennis. Now she turns her sights on the beginnings of the space shuttle era, 1980s NASA.

Reid tells the story of Joan Goodwin, an astronomy PhD, who teaches undergrads about the stars, but secretly yearns to be an astronaut. She applies twice, and gets selected on her second attempt. But that lands a spot as an astronaut candidate (ASCAN)— she still has to prove herself, through rigorous testing and training, that she is up to the task. At NASA she meets her fellow ASCANs— Griff, Lydia, Hank, Donna, Steve, and Vanessa being the closest circle. Through this stressful, exciting process, we watch the slow burn romance develop between Vanessa and Joan. This is the early 1980s, however— a time when gay men and women working in government jobs, particularly with security clearances and military, or military-adjacent like the space program, could not be open about their sexual preferences. This was especially tricky in the astronaut program, since everyone works very long hours and very closely. Hiding relationships is nearly impossible, and being exposed was a career ender.

While I have not read or viewed any interviews with Reid yet, I am quite certain that the disclosures made by Sally Ride posthumously must have been a key inspiration for this book. Ride was the first American woman in space, riding STS-7 as a mission specialist in 1983. She served as Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) for the next two shuttle flights. Ride disclosed, after her death, that she had a female partner for 27 years, a fact she had to hide at that time in order to have a NASA career. Reid has Joan fly in STS-7 in her novel, but not the first woman to go up. She also serves as CAPCOM, and has the same physics background as Ride. Vanessa seems to embody much of Ride as well, with the trademark curly, dark hair, and practical mechanical ability—Ride helped develop the robotic arm for the shuttle. I think (my point of view) Reid learned of Ride’s choices, and thought there was an interesting book there.

The reader has to realize that as the shuttle program was beginning, so to was AIDS beginning, with no treatments available, and no knowledge of how it spread. To be homosexual put you at risk for exposure and blackmail if you had a security clearance, an immediate career ender. Becoming an astronaut is a career commitment unlike most others, requiring mental and physical preparation years in the making, and a temperament of calm in the face of extreme stress, the willingness to risk everything for the mission and survival of the team, and not much of a personal life, given the hours of training, pr, and time away on missions. Society had not yet reconciled itself with homosexuality.

Joan, Vanessa, Lydia, and Donna each were examples of how women, fighting to get to be the first women in space, had to navigate personal choices and find a way to be female in a male-dominated environment. Donna marries fellow astronaut Hank and has a baby, but manages to fight to remain in the program. Lydia tries to be one of the boys, inviting and laughing at their misogynous attitudes. Joan and Vanessa get along well with everyone, but are forced to keep their relationship secret. Reid is very good at creating a scenario that will test the limits of the women’s commitment, as well as show the physical danger of flying in space. This was all before our loss of Challenger in 1986, and Columbia in 2003. Space exploration is never an enterprise for complacency.

TJR has successfully written another page turner. I followed the shuttle program throughout, and Reid does a good job of capturing the physical and mental stresses, courage, and intelligence required of astronauts. The love story feels real, human, and tender. Regardless of your views on homosexuality, you will find Reid’s novel to be human, genuine, and real. Highly recommend.