Rating:
5 Stars

SLIGHT SPOILERS BELOW – If you don’t want to read on, just know that it’s a really freaking good book.

In a nutshell:
Joan is an astronaut in the US in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The book tells the story of hos she becomes an astronaut, what that means for her, and the relationships she builds, set against the backdrop of an emergency on board the space shuttle in late 1984.

Best for:
Those who enjoy books that feature romance but don’t focus on sex; those who appreciate books with LGBTQ+ themes.

Quote that made me think:
I read the audio version so didn’t end up taking notes, but the writing in this is beautiful without being overdone.

Why I chose it:
My sister-in-law suggested it, and we tend to like much of the same when it comes to books.

Review:
This book hooks the reader from the start. We begin with a space shuttle trip – our main protagonist Joan is on capcom, communicating with the crew. A couple of crew members are manually releasing a satellite when the worst happens: an explosion. Much of the crew is incapacitated, leaving Joan (and the rest of the NASA crew back home) and navigator Vanessa to come up with a solution to bring everyone home.

That alone would be an interesting premise of a book, but that’s really just the backdrop. The main focus is Joan’s journey not just to becoming an astronaut, but to discovering who she is outside of work. It’s a gorgeous discussion not just of space but of relationships – friendships, romantic relationships, parent/child relationships. And of the impact it has when people are required to hide who they are.

There are loads of exciting and dramatic moments, as well as simpler ones. But the final chapter is intense. I was in tears while reading it, and it’s going to stick with me for a long while.

I love the complexity that Reid brings to her characters – Joan of course, and astronauts Vanessa and Lydia, plus Joan’s sister and niece. I’m familiar with Reid’s work, but this is the first of her books I’ve actually read, so I imagine I’ll be reading others if they are anything like this.

I listened to the audio book while going through runs around Trillium lake in Oregon while on a family holiday. Being out in nature while reading about the stars was a pretty fantastic experience – strongly recommend it.

Would I recommend it to its target audience:
Yes