Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Okay. I need to cleanse my palate a little so I’m going to write about the book I just read.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

My first 5 star book of the year and it’s August.

WTF, how is it August. Sammie leaves so soooooon.

So, I went into this book blind. I actually got this book, and another one, that I had heard raves about for Cindy’s birthday. And I always feel bad if I haven’t read the book that I’m buying for someone else. Because I want to KNOW it’s good. But alas, I was in a mood, I was late sending gifts, and I just went for it.

So obviously, I felt guilty and had to buy it for myself.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is pretty solid though. She’s not my usual romance guilty pleasure. But she has amazing books. Out of her 10+ she’s written, I’ve rated FIVE of them with five stars. FIVE books.

The Seven Husbands was amazing, I never guessed the ending and it was completely shocking. And Daisy Jones & the Six… I wrote captivating in my review. Also, the movie was solid.

Granted Malibu Rising was 3 stars for me. I have no idea why since I didn’t write anything in GoodReads. Alas.

Maybe in Another Life was a four star but I remember so many details from it. Ahhh. She has amazing ideas. The idea that an old flame came back and we saw BOTH timelines of what her life would look like if she went in either direction. I did give that one four stars because I didn’t like the ending. But I don’t think I would have liked EITHER ending, so there is that.

After I bought Atmosphere for Cindy, I looked at it and thought, hmm. I could use a NASA romance set in the 80’s. I need a good distraction.

So I dove in.

I loved the tension it created with the disaster. The way it flipped back and forth in time was well done. We all know so well the NASA disaster of the 80’s. Plus, one of my favorite movies is Apollo 13.

I went in blind. Maybe that was a mistake? I did not know it was going to be a lesbian romance, which was fine, but i wasn’t waiting for it so it sort of pleasantly unfolded in the story.

First, the love story. Oh, I sobbed at the end. But the way they built up the friendship. I highlighted a few favorites.

“And I want to know when you knew what was happening between us and I want to tell you when I knew. And I want to hold your hand in a quiet corner and I want to lie in bed and hear your heartbeat through your chest. I want to bring you coffee in bed. And I want to hear you tell me anything you’ve always wanted to tell someone. Because you know that you’ve met someone who desperately wants to listen.”

Both women had their issues. But the way they saw each other…

“Why was it that when you let someone that far in, you learned to be okay with all the ways they saw you, even if they weren’t flattering? Why, right now, talking to Vanessa, did Joan feel the most perfect sense of safety?”

And the way they talked to each other.

Joan took Vanessa’s hand. “I don’t think you had any say over whether or not I loved you,” Joan said. “I don’t even think I had any say in it. It happened without me even giving myself permission.”

The way they protected each other and then what they had to do when all the shit went down. AHHH.

I actually had to go back and read the ending again and you can just feel the heartbreak coming through when Vanessa had to make the choice she had to make… and Joan had to let her do it, and understand it.

It was very unexpected and I sobbed through the last 10 pages of the book.

She wrote the side characters so well too. Joan’s sister is the perfect villain who you just feel so much disgust for and understand who she is. And just feel so so bad for Francis. But the way Joan stepped up with Francis was beautiful.

And Griff! Oh Griff. What a stand-up guy.

“I’m sorry,” she said. He shook his head. “No, don’t be. I’ll be okay. Give me a little while and I’ll be just fine.”

He got it. He understood, once it was clear. And he was so good natured and lovely with it.

“I wanted to tell you that it’s okay. I’m good, you don’t need to give me space anymore,” Griff said. “Are you sure?” Joan asked. “I’ll do anything you need.” Griff nodded, appreciatively. “Have you ever been in love?” he asked. Joan could not look at him. “No, I don’t think so.” “Well, it’s like a bad cold: it’s miserable and then, one day, it’s gone.” Joan laughed.

The slow burn, paired with the epic space story, and wonderful details just made it my first 5 star of the year.

“So it’s okay. It’s fine. Okay, Joan? For me, as long as you all know what you meant to me, it all worked out fine.”

Oops. Why am I crying again?