Book review by Corey
Atmosphere
Atmosphere follows Joan Goodwin, a physics and astronomy professor who gets the chance to join NASA’s astronaut program in the early 1980s. She enters a world that is competitive, exciting, and still heavily shaped by sexism, while building close friendships with the other candidates and slowly falling for Vanessa Ford, another woman in the program.
The book balances the pressure and danger of the space program with Joan’s personal life, especially her relationship with Vanessa and the risk that comes with being together during that time. The love story gives the book most of its emotional weight, while the space missions and the disaster that frames the story add tension and keep it moving.
The Goods
- Strong lesbian romance
- Great NASA setting
- Very emotional without feeling forced
- Interesting look at women in the space program
- Good balance of romance and tension
The Bads
- The setup takes a little time
- Some side characters get less attention
- A few emotional beats are predictable
- The ending moves quickly
- Readers wanting hard science may want more detail
My Recommendation
This is a great choice for readers who like lesbian romance, historical fiction, and stories built around ambitious women trying to make a place for themselves in difficult environments. Joan and Vanessa’s relationship feels genuine, and the pressure of keeping that relationship private gives the romance much more weight than a simple love story. The NASA setting adds excitement and tension without taking over the emotional side of the book, so it works just as well for readers interested in character and relationships as it does for anyone who enjoys space-focused fiction.