Astronaut Romances That Will Take You to the Moon and Back

The Astronaut and the Star by Jen Comfort
Astronaut Reggie “Regina” Hayes doesn’t need anyone else to be successful at her job, because she’s just that competent, but it gives her a reputation for not being a team player. Her prickly attitude (and that one bad interview with an Internet troll that she’ll never live down) mean she’s no media darling, either. But without proving she can win over both a team and the media, she’ll never be the first woman on the moon. So when her very last chance at success is playing babysitter to a star whose director is demanding he have realistic astronaut training, Reggie takes on the assignment, determined not to like the charming actor. Jon Leo, on the other hand, likes everything about Reggie, even though he thinks he could never be smart enough for a woman like her. The animosity between the two of them (despite Jon’s best intentions) is almost as strong as their physical attraction, and when the pair decide to give a physical fling a try—because who will ever find out?—the sparks fly.

Reggie may be one of romance’s prickliest heroines, determined to shut everyone out. She’s also openly bisexual, pushing away romantic partners of all genders equally, which is worth noting for the still-rare representation in romance. Jon’s cinnamon roll exterior works well as a foil, especially when he’s dealing with his own insecurities, yet selflessly helping Reggie show her best face to the cameras. Comfort amps up the spice when it comes to where she choreographs her sex scenes (and included an author’s note about which ones wouldn’t, scientifically, work, just for the curious reader!). For a completely different take on enemies to lovers, with some added wacky (and villainous) internet trolls, this could rock your world.

The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper
In the 1960s, the astronaut families in the U.S. became celebrities featured on magazine covers and news specials. Stamper remimagines that scenario for the modern day, complete with a reality TV series setting up imagined drama and a teenage streamer determined to fight back by giving his audience what they really want—the adventure of space exploration.

When Cal finds out his pilot father has been accepted into the Mars program at NASA, he’s furious: he’ll lose his summer internship at BuzzFeed and miss his senior year in New York, with his best friend, in exchange for Texas. Worst, he will be pressured to give up his journalism—streaming outside the reality show is against the rules. But Cal didn’t sign a contract, and he’s determined to keep it real instead of what the show is trying to sell. With the help of fellow astrokid Leon (the first bright spot in Cal’s new life, for whom Cal falls hard), Cal stays true to himself—and learns more about what that really means to him.

Because the whole novel is from Cal’s perspective, there’s less of the dual perspective push and pull of category romances here, and that’s a strength. The romance between Cal (who is also a bi protagonist) and Leon is sweet, with a lot of healthy open discussion about what their relationship should be. And while the romance is central to the story, this is also a novel about healing and community, all while celebrating the science of space exploration. YA romance lovers should boldly go along for the ride!

Cosmic Rendezvous by Robyn Amos
Robyn Amos’s novel Cosmic Rendezvous has been out the longest of any title on this list (it was published in 2009), but this Kimani romance featuring an aerospace engineer and hot shot astronaut duo who have to stop a spacecraft saboteur deserves a read.

Like Love on the Brain’s Bee, Shelly faces sexism and underestimation in the workplace, combating it through sheer competence. She’s striving toward becoming an astronaut herself; she’s a spacecraft designer, but she longs for space, too, and she initially doesn’t think that Lincoln is taking her seriously as a candidate. But once they’re paired together, their mutual respect quickly grows, and their attraction heats up like rocket fuel. This one is perfect for readers looking for a romance that takes the couple literally out of this world.

Alana Joli Abbott is a reviewer and game writer, whose multiple choice novels, including Choice of the Pirate and Blackstone Academy for Magical Beginners, are published by Choice of Games. She is the author of three novels, several short stories, and many role-playing game supplements. She also edits fantasy anthologies for Outland Entertainment, including Bridge to Elsewhere and Never Too Old to Save the World. You can find her online at VirgilandBeatrice.com.