When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe Mitchell’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare come to life, her grief suddenly taking center stage as the nation waits and mourns. In her quiet moments, Vivian relives their memorable story, unable to accept that this is the end to a love that felt as though it was written in the stars.

As the investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and the mishap is written off as an operator error, Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover the mystery of what happened in space. When someone starts sending Vivian messages—messages she believes only Joe could send—she begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring her husband back to her.

Vivian is poised, driven, and so very reasonable. Falling in love with a pilot was not what she saw for herself, but when Joe Mitchell walked into that bar it changed the trajectory of her life. They balanced each other and became a safe place for the other. But his job meant she had to give up many of her dreams and she struggled to find her direction - a compromise she was fully ok with as long as she had him. When his space shuttle, in an attempt to be the first manned shuttle to the moon, lost communication with the ground, everyone feared the worst. Everyone except Vivian who held out hope that Joe would fulfill his promise to always come back to her. As the days progress, the world moves on, but Vivian begins getting hints that Joe is still out there somewhere.

I started out feeling like this echoed if Interstellar was a love story between a husband and wife rather than a father and daughter. The science-y, time-travel vibes had me guessing about what was happening through the story, reimagining my predictions along the way, but always hoping it would get a similar end as Interstellar.

My heart broke so many times for Vivian. In the dual-timeline story, her past is revealed as we watch her fight and grieve in the present. Her grief is not only present in the later timeline and she has faced more than her share of sadness in her life. But the way she faces each of her losses has shaped her into the woman who fell in love with Joe, as well as the woman who stands up after he goes missing.

The Interstellar vibes I got early on the book had my fingers crossed for a similar resolution to the book. I loved the direction it went though, and though it didn’t end the way I hoped so badly, I loved the possibilities that were left in the end. The way it ended was such a perfect path for Vivian and her character development throughout the book. Ultimately, this is Vivian’s story, rather than the story of a couple.

While I would classify Vivian and Joe’s beginning as a romance, the book was so much more than their romance. The historical details make it feel like it could have been part of the real space race history, but Joe, Vivian. Frank, and Polly are the real focus. This book pulled me in from the beginning and didn’t let go. I stayed up far too late at night trying to finish, while also wishing I could slow down and savor the story. I highly recommend it!

Chanel Cleeton is the Cuban American New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many novels, including Reese's Book Club pick Next Year in Havana. Originally from Florida, Chanel studied in London where she earned degrees in international relations and global politics. In law school, Chanel discovered her passion writing novels and embarked on a new adventure following her lifelong love of books.