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Atmosphere

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Atmosphere

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrated by: Kristen Dimercurio, Julia Whelan, Taylor Jenkins Reid
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About this listen

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 listeners 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 Editors Select Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Tear-jerking

Editorial Review

You can’t deny the gravitational pull
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s talent is awe-inducing: both her ability to tell deeply human stories, and the research and detail that she pours into her novels, effortlessly orienting the listener in time and place. In Atmosphere, we are in Houston in the 1980s, embarking on NASA’s space exploration program with its first wave of women scientists and pilots. Joan, an astronomer, is eager to become one of the first women in space, but she’s also enjoying the ride of discovering her own capabilities and growing her relationships with her fellow candidates. We jump between Joan’s early time in the program and December 29, 1984, when Joan is on the ground in Houston serving as capcom on a space mission, and something goes horribly wrong. The alternating timelines drive the suspense, as does the blossoming relationship between Joan and fellow candidate Vanessa, who is on the shuttle in 1984. Performed by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio, this book won’t let you go once you’ve entered its orbit. —Katie O., Audible Editor

All stars
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Seriously, I couldn't put this down, and that last chapter? Killed me. Dead. An emotional wreck and snot machine.
I can not wait to see who produces this for the screen, but this has been the best book I've read this year.

Wow

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I felt all the feels in this book.
Excellent performance and the story was interesting. You don’t need to be a space expert to enjoy this beautiful story.

Another masterpiece by TJR

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I loved this book it had me sucked in from the beginning to end. Lots of intriguing subplots and so well written.

Best read this year, almost out of this world

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Loved Jenkins Reid's latest. The central relationship was beautiful. Would have liked more about NASA and space though. Always enjoy Julia Whelan as a narrator.

Great new story

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TJR knows how to write a love story as we all know. This feels more grown up than any of her other books. The different love stories are so intricately interwoven and they all carry equal weight and you are invested in every carefully selected word. You won't look at the nightsky the same way again. This book is a gift.

just wow

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Honestly just incredible, a work of art, loved every second of it, I would love to re read fresh if I could

Everything

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Another winner by this author. Great story, great narration, great blend of drama and history. Truly enjoyed this.

Fantastic start to finish

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Beautiful, captivating, affecting. I love all of Reid’s novels but this is my new favourite. I will immediately re-listen to this!!

Breathtaking

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Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins-Reid. Now, this is how you write a historical fiction love story.

Usually, I try to find my favourite part of the book and focus on that for my review. Unfortunately for Atmosphere I can’t pick ONE single part. Because my favourite moments are interspersed throughout. The romance of it all was just everywhere! But the big big difference is that this book’s romance is quite distinct and very human. I’ve never read any one of the scenes similar to other romance books. It’s like the scenes were very personal between these two made up characters and it was so realistic, so believable.

I should also mention the feminism in all of it. All forms of how the female characters were trying to make their mark, stand their ground and make known that they’re not playing around. They’re serious and should be taken as such. Each female character was playing on an archetype of feminist in men’s playing field. It was amazing and intriguing to watch each one of them play out the role they decided to take on to see which one got to the goal faster with their dignity intact.

Another element of the story that was fascinating for a non-cerebral person like myself is the science of it all. I am so very thankful that the author chose the “dumbed down” version to explain that side of the story. I mean, explaining and talking about the stars in itself was so majestic to me. I thought to myself, if Joan was my science teacher in high school I would have listened and paid more attention to the lessons about stars!

In conclusion, Atmosphere explored all types of love a human being can share - love for a little human who’s not biologically yours, love for a subject matter that makes you pursue it to the ends of the world and the love for another human being you did not know you were capable of, you were missing and now found would be hard pressed to live without because you’ve finally tasted it and understood what all the love songs are all about.

It’s not a romance per se. It’s a love story. As it is written on the front cover.

P.S I love how I wrote this without giving out any spoilers.

PPS: the narrator was brilliant.

5 Stars all the way!

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Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again!!!! Beautifully narrated too.
Good story. So glad things have changed. So sad that So many were so narrow minded in 1984.

Such a Good Book

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