One Giant Leap

This is overall a good read that delivers on everything the blurb promises.

I didn't enjoy the first quarter of this book much at all and considered setting it aside. I really dislike the author's writing style. It's in present tense, which I don't like, and the first half also has frequent excerpts from a TV interview one of the main characters gave shortly before the space mission. I didn't find this structure confusing, just annoying. But beyond those two things, I didn't like all the poetic descriptions of the characters' love for space.

When books have an overly lyrical style, I cringe, and then I feel like an old curmudgeon, because it was exactly my favorite style 20 years ago. I had a creative writing professor who used this style in his work, and I thought he was the best. But my tastes have changed over the years.

But I feel guilty saying that, because the writing is beautiful, and I think most readers would enjoy it. And I do really like the actual substance of the book. The plot is very romantic and the two main characters are both lovable. I was cheering for their happy ending. I've had a few long-distance relationships that started out similarly (although not on such an epic scale, of course), and the author did a great job of capturing those feelings: idealizing the person you love, knowing them very well without knowing them at all, and then being excited yet terrified to finally meet them.

For some reason I thought this was gay-for-you, which I usually don't like, but it definitely is not. Patrick is gay, and Curt is bisexual; he has been out since almost the start of his astronaut career. It's great bisexual representation. If he were a real celebrity, I would be a huge fan. The device of the TV interview gives the author the opportunity to have Curt speak openly about his bisexuality in a way that is rare to encounter in m/m romance. I also really appreciate the diversity of the rest of the cast, who are all interesting characters.

Some of the critical reviews here complain about lack of sex. There are a few racy scenes, including one explicit sex scene, and one that is written in poetic language (but it's clear what's happening). I'm not sure why people made that complaint, and I hope that readers who avoid books with sex scenes don't pick this one up based on that misleading info.

At its core, this is a story about two lonely people finding each other against all odds, and learning to love each other. It also feels like an ode to the space program, which brought back some of the worshipful feelings I had towards NASA, as a kid. I know I will remember the story itself fondly, but I didn't enjoy the actual reading experience.

I hadn't even heard of this book or author about a week ago. I was browsing through the Romance package on audible when I found the audiobook and found the premise fascinating enough to try. And this has been such an incredible surprise.

First thing that gets to me is just the sheer amount of research that must have taken for the author to write this book. I obviously can't be sure that all of the details of space travel, life in a shuttle or even the procedures at NASA mission control are all accurate, but it's written in a way that makes it believable. The terminology used all across the book can be confusing at the beginning but we quickly get used to it and then it's an easy ride. The writing also has a lot of whimsical quality to it, with many discussions about the utter beauty of being in space and how humanity is but a small part of the huge universe, and the importance of space exploration. It was all very profound and leaves the reader also to do a lot of soul searching and it was a one of a kind reading experience for me. The pacing is actually slow in parts, especially when not much is happening either in the shuttle or on earth, but there are many lovely conversations. I didn't particularly understand the need to have each chapter interspersed with old interviews, but they did give an insight to the main character before the beginning of the story. The book is also wonderfully diverse which was a pleasure to see. The audiobook narration is great, and I really appreciate the narrator for bringing slightly different nuances for every single character.

Both Curtis and Patrick are amazing characters - two people who have overcome tremendous hardships in their lives to achieve their ultimate dream of space travel. Curtis is a celebrity astronaut who may have been cocky and arrogant before, but is much more subdued this time around. While his initial introduction to Patrick doesn't go well, their constant communication is inevitable and they quickly come to love their conversations. Patrick's dream of going to space was thwarted due to his disability, but his sheer determination to be a good support for the astronauts, both as a spacecraft communicator and an engineer, is amazing. He maybe a bit shy and introverted, but he also understands his team very well, especially Curt. I really enjoyed the dynamics between everyone in the team, and it definitely felt like they would be friends for life.

The development of their friendship which slowly turns into love without Curt ever having laid eyes on Patrick, is beautifully written and I couldn't help but fall in love with their story. Maybe the story takes place in less than a month, but it never feels like instalove, it just feels completely right and perfect. They connect on a very deeper level and just like the characters, we end up waiting for that moment when they finally get to meet. And what a moment that was.... the sheer joy that they feel on looking at each other is absolute perfection and will remain one of my all time favorite romantic scenes.

If you are looking for some sugary sweet romance that'll probably give you toothache, you should definitely read this one. It's a very low angst, low steam, age gap love story that's full of feels and will leave you with a smile on your face. And it has one of the most unique settings that I've ever encountered in a contemporary romance, so I think everyone should give this book a try.

I think my love for The Martian pays when reading other reality grounded science fiction novels. I loved the premise of this so very much: mission control officer and astronaut fall for each other? Yes, please! However, the romance was the weakest part of the book for me. I don't know if it's because of who I am as a person and of what expectations I made for myself with it that made it feel just too fast and slightly uncomfortable with the hero worship and age gap, and I've read and enjoyed books with both!

Maybe I thought more of the inner workings of space travel could have been explored more, or maybe it was Curt that had to do 6 months on the ISS and the bond between Patrick and Curt could have had more time to develop, and that Patrick's want to go to space could have been just from that, instead of idolizing an astronaut and they both learn from each other as complete strangers. I also wish we got more of the life on the Hermes I, really felt the isolation on the ship, and more than just a page and a half of one EVA. I would have loved to learn more of KC and Carmen and not shipping the only trans character off for a chunk of the book.

However, I loved the absolute competence that everyone has with their jobs, how when things had to get serious everyone buckled down and did what needed to be done instead of messing around or cracking needless jokes. I did have a slight fear that toward the beginning the issues they were facing was going to turn into some sabotage route and kean into the fantasy part of the genre, but I'm so glad they didn't. It was also very nice when Curtis accommodated Patrick at the restaurant very easily with no fuss and that was nice to see. The way that space exploration is needed and essential to who we are is a deep appreciation that I have respect for. 

Overall: 3.5/5