Chanel Cleeton’s 2026 “An Infinite Love Story” is exactly that — a love story that withstands space, time, and all the nuances in between.

“An Infinite Love Story” is centered around the lives of astronauts and their wives during the 1960s Space Race. Cleeton opens the work with an epigraph noting the high divorce rate for the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts at a time when divorce was rare. At the end of the note, she promises, “This novel is a love story,” and she indeed delivers on that promise.

The story follows Vivian, a pragmatic journalist-turned-astrowife, against the backdrop of the cosmic competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Vivian meets and falls in love with Joe, a thrill-seeking man with his sights set on becoming an astronaut. On paper, the two are very different: Vivian prefers practicality and craves a safe — even boring — life, while Joe’s ambitions are anything but that. Despite these contradictions, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. The two marry, and must navigate the challenges posed by life in the space program, despite the immense pressure put on astronauts and their families as the United States raced to be the first on the moon.

The excitement of Joe’s dream to orbit the moon takes a tragic turn when his spacecraft goes missing, leaving Vivian searching for an explanation while trying to make sense of messages she’s certain must be from Joe. In a situation where she is expected to react quietly and professionally, so as not to jeopardize the space program her husband so faithfully believed in, she must sort through her own emotions alone. Cleeton expertly plays with time in this book, jumping between Vivian falling in love with Joe and the aftermath of losing him. Their love story is as enchanting as it is complex — in a word, it’s honest.

Throughout the novel, Vivian reflects on the challenges and sacrifices she’s made for her marriage. She is faced with the weight of those decisions and the heavy question of whether or not she would have made the same choices, like marrying Joe. Pondering the what-ifs of life is familiar to many, and this book beautifully navigates that. Though Vivian’s story is extraordinary, with artfully-written prose, the book allows readers to work through some of their own potential regrets alongside Vivian. A great book helps readers to learn something about themselves, and this book excels in that.

With a combination of bittersweet romance and profound takes on the concept of time, “An Infinite Love Story” reads as if a Nicholas Sparks novel met “The Midnight Library.” The plot that unfolds is not fast-paced, but instead asks readers to slow down and think about where their own decisions have led them. This line of thinking is directed by the relatability of Vivian.

A loveable character throughout the novel, Vivian displays a quiet strength and inspiring bravery. While her husband exhibits courage in a more obvious sense, she demonstrates a different and equally important type of bravery. She does not let her fear of falling in love with Joe, and of being pulled into a lifestyle she wouldn’t choose herself, keep her from taking a leap of faith to be with him. Their relationship changes her, too, in a way that is beautiful to take in. Vivian’s love story guides her to realize the bravery she’s carried within herself all along, inspiring readers in the same way.

“An Infinite Love Story” is one of those books that stays in the minds of readers long after the last page. The story itself is a beautiful one to experience. Its reminder to readers that life is unpredictable and terrifying, yet still worth it, is what makes the novel so compelling. “An Infinite Love Story” is absolutely breathtaking, and most importantly, it’s timeless.

—Staff writer Mary E. Tito can be reached at [email protected].