I admit I was skeptical I would like “Carrie Soto is Back” when I saw that 1) the protagonist is a minor character from my least favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid novel “Malibu Rising” and 2) the book has a very sports-centric story. But, surprisingly, I found it enjoyable and engaging, despite Carrie being written as an unlikeable character and there being so. Much. Tennis.

Carrie is a retired athlete and world champion. She is talented and driven, but she is also arrogant, obstinate, guarded, and insensitive. When she decides to return to the courts at 37 years old to protect her record from being broken by current superstar Nicki Chan, some in the industry and in the stands are intrigued and excited, but mostly there is skepticism and irritation. Carrie did not make a lot of friends and fans previously in her glory days.

Yet as a reader, I couldn’t help but root for her. It’s fun to root for the underdog and, despite her skill and focus, that is what she has become due to her age and tough personality. It is true that Carrie is difficult to like, but as the story unfolds and you learn more about her, you can empathize with her. You can even relate to her. She grew up the only child in a single-parent, immigrant household. She is an aging woman in a man’s world. She is an untraditional celebrity in front of harsh, unforgiving cameras. You may not like her, but you’re on her side.

I admit “Carrie Soto is Back” was a bit boring at times for me as a sports nonfan; I found myself skimming some of the technical descriptions of the practices and games in the beginning, and there were many. But eventually the novel won me over with its heart. I enjoyed Carrie’s interactions with her devoted father and coach, Javier; her charismatic colleague and practice partner, Bowe; her patient, determined sports agent, Gwen; and even her surprisingly charming rival Nicki—their moments together help smooth out her rough edges and give dimension to what easily could have been a flat character. I think that’s what was missing from “Malibu Rising—complexity and depth.

So give Carrie a chance. She is flawed, but she sure is interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was posted online on June 12, 2022, here to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4724716118.

Couldn't put it down! I loved this book. The characters are so real and believable. I didn't know much about tennis until I read this book, but it seemed very accurate. The strength and courage of Carrie is inspirational. I wish I'd experienced the fierce love her dad had for her. Highly recommend this book!

Do I know anything about tennis? No. Did I ever imagine wanting to read and enjoying a book about tennis? No. Did I love this? Yes. Taylor Jenkins Reid has once again proven herself to be an instant buy/instant read for me. Her writing style just sucks me in until in fully immersed in the world she created and deeply invested in every character.

There’s the world of tennis, fierce competition, strong and powerful women, a father’s love, well developed characters, growth, a touch of romance, and several Easter eggs from TJRs other best sellers.

I cheered. I yelled. I cried. I loved this so much and will absolutely buy a copy when it’s released. This is up there in my top two TJR books with Evelyn Hugo.

After meeting Carrie Soto briefly in Malibu Rising (TJR’s last venture), I was not excited about getting an entire book about her. I could not have been more wrong. TJR is an expert at creating fully formed, strong yet vulnerable, brilliant, female leads for all of her works. At first glance, there seems to be so little to the character of Carrie. She seems cold, tennis obsessed but perhaps more accurately - winning obsessed. Carrie has the privilege of retiring at the top of her game but now someone else has finally toppled her record. Naturally, carrie has to come out of retirement to take back what is hers. Despite Carrie’s tough exterior, you can’t help but root for her as more of her story unravels.

I also immediately thought that Carrie’s coach and father Javier was going to end up feeling too close to the story of the Williams sisters being coached by their father in the beginning of their tennis days too. Again, I was proven wrong and found myself just as eager to keep up with his character as I was with Carrie’s. From Evelyn to Daisy to Nina and now to Carrie, it feels impossible to select a favorite of TJR’s famous ladies quartet…but as with everything else she does Carrie might just be the winner here too.

Another Amazing book fromTJR. Carrie may be my favorite character that TJR has created to date. Is she a “nice” character?……no at times she is very mean. Is she real? Honest? Driven? Strong? Persistent? YES she’s all those things and more. Most importantly she’s believable. To be honest I wasn’t sure I would like a book about tennis. I am not a tennis fan….well I am now. TJR wrote about tennis in a way that even a person that knows zero about tennis could understand and ultimately grow to respect the game. Fantastic book! Thank you so much NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for the opportunity to read it early!!!

As a huge TJR fan, I knew this book would be a favorite. And then I started reading it. And I got captivated in the world of tennis, something I know nothing about. Yes there’s a lot of tennis.. that’s the plot. But Carrie Soto and her father Javier have so much heart in the sport that instead of turning you off with all the tennis, it makes you want to PLAY tennis.
Carrie’s character development throughout the book is something that made this book so great. You see a woman grow from a child so focused that she has no room for who she actually is to a woman of her own being. Great father/daughter relationship with actual problems that people face. Slow burning romance. Every day issues that women face regardless of their status. And the writing. The story building. Just all over GREAT.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again.

Thank you SO much to @netgalley @randomhouse & @tjenkinsreid for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Why I loved it:
-bad-ass FMC
-father-daughter relationship
-diversity representation
-extremely quotable

TJR really knows how to write bad-ass FMCs who are unapologetic for who they are. If you loved Daisy, Evelyn, or Nina, you’ll be head over heels for Carrie.

5 years post-retirement, and post knee injury, Carrie’s Slam championship record is about to be crushed by current tennis star Nicki Chan. Carrie’s goal was always to be the greatest tennis player, so what does she do? Comes out of retirement at age 37 to take back her record. Known as “The Battle Axe” for her ruthless no mercy style of play, the media was always against her, and they definitely don’t want her back in the spotlight. Carrie must push herself beyond limits and open herself up to emotions she has never let herself feel before if she wants to succeed.

Carrie’s father has been coaching her since age 2. Their relationship is far more dimensional than I expected it to be. I’ve never read any book with a similar father daughter dynamic. With all the ups and downs, I loved their relationship so much.

TJR’s writing always amazes me. I had no knowledge or interest in tennis prior to reading this. I finished the book and felt an itch to start watching. *googles when Wimbledon is* You do not need any tennis knowledge to understand this book. The writing makes you feel like you’ve been playing tennis your whole life and the terminology is just second nature.

I can’t find the words to explain how much I loved Carrie. She doesn’t lessen herself to make ANYONE more comfortable and I loved that about her. She first appears in TJR’s Malibu Rising, and exists in the same world as Nina, Evelyn, and Daisy. At this point I don’t even know how I could possibly rank these FMC’s but I seriously think Carrie might’ve taken over at #1, which is really the only spot she would find acceptable.

GO PREORDER THIS NOW.

I really enjoyed this book! I was riveted from the beginning, and couldn't wait to see how it ended. The development of the relationships in Carrie's life was amazing! This might be my favorite book (so far) from Taylor Jenkins Reid! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto might be my favorite TJR character and that is saying a lot. This book is special. From the writing to the story, I felt immersed in Carrie’s world and her singular desire to be the greatest tennis player in history.! I loved Carrie’s growth throughout. And as a former tennis player, I loved reading about tennis too. Highly highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Add Carrie to the group of memorable women like Daisy, Evelyn, and Nina that Taylor Jenkins Reid has so expertly created. Carrie has already been part of the TJR universe, appearing briefly as the “other woman” in “Malibu Rising.” So, yes, there might be a reference to perennial character Mick Riva….

Carrie and her father Javier live by “Play everyday better than the last.” She retired after setting a record of 20 Grand Slams and a knee injury. Five years later, Nikki Chan has tied that record and Carrie wants it back at the ancient age of 37 (ha!). But is that a good idea? She was known as The Battle Axe and now they outrightly call her a b***h. She’s single, friendless, and although her father will coach her again, she needs a practice partner and absolutely no ranked woman tennis player will do it. So she teams up with another older player, Bowe Huntley, also trying to reconcile his fading career.

I absolutely loved Carrie. She’s the protagonist and narrator who pours her inner heart out to the reader. This is more than a story about tennis — it’s about family, self-confidence and learning your limitations. Not only is Carrie brilliantly drawn, but so is her father, Javier, and Bowe, a player on his own personal journey. You don’t need to know that much about tennis (there’s a cool primer in the beginning). Every chapter specifically about a particular championship was a mini-story in itself with an exposition, complication, climax and resolution — enough matches to keep you breathless throughout the novel.

Ms. Reid is also a master of late 20th century nostalgia (Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere are getting divorced! The kid in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” seems really talented!) that further makes the novel great.

Bravo! 5 stars again for Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’ll definitely listen to “Carrie Soto is Back” again when the audiobook is available.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES That would be Carrie, who inherited her mother’s green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Just the grass courts that Carrie excels on (while struggling on clay ones).

I greatly love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing, and this book delivers that well. I will admit, I find tennis incredibly boring and I have never understood the rules, the appeal, the point. So I was apprehensive about reading this book, since it's all about a tennis star who has decided to come out of retirement to win back her record of most Slams won.

Carrie Soto, Bowe, and Javier are such well and fully developed characters. I enjoyed reading about Carrie's transformation and thinking about what success means. I don't want to give too much away, but the majority of the book is on the court. Training, games, more training, more games. I like how Reid interspersed some of the novel with transcripts of sportscasters, which helped with the pacing a bit. I also wish we could have seen a little more of Carrie's key opponent, Nikki Chan. The end of the book is very predictable, and doesn't have the TJR typical big-twist reveal. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this and think tennis fans will love it. Not my favorite TJR, but still pretty great.

Carrie is the best of Jenkins Reid’s protagonists yet, as far as I’m concerned. Even Daisy Jones doesn’t hold a candle to this one, and I really enjoyed that one! I found myself caring about tennis (even falling into an internet rabbit hole about different court surface types), but the jargon doesn’t interfere with Carrie’s story at all.

First-person narrative allows readers to see the “Battle Axe” the world claims Carrie is, but also, more importantly, her vulnerabilities that she allows nearly no one to see, even the few closest to her.

This is one of those few stories that grabbed me and had me finishing into the wee hours of the morning. Taylor Jjenkins Reid is only getting better, folks.

Thus was a great read featuring several people I couldn’t stand and a sport I sucked at, and I loved it. Says a lot about the writing!

Thanks to NetGalley and Belletine Books for an ARC of Carrie Soto is Back to read and give my honest opinion.

I was beyond excited when I got approved to read Carrie Soto is Back. I’ve read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising and loved both books. Carrie Soto is Back has now been added to that list.

Carrie Soto holds the most slam title in women’s tennis- until Nicki Chan is about to break that record. Seeing her record about to break Carrie decides to come out of retirement to defend her record. At 39 she’s on the older side of the sport and will have to get back in top shape. Carrie coming out of retirement is where the story starts. Then we go back in time and follow her career from when she was a child.

This is so much more than just a story about a great tennis player. Reid has a way of writing dynamic characters and giving so much perspective into the obstacles they face. If you are a fan of any of Reid’s other books you absolutely must read Carrie Soto is Back.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've not read Malibu Rising but I can tell you, you don't need to have read it to thoroughly enjoy reading Carrie Soto is Back. This is a phenomenal book, engaging and engrossing. I could hardly put it down.

Carrie Soto is the best tennis player in the world--at least according to her and her father. In this book Carrie makes am unexpected comeback into the fraught environment of, professional tennis after a five year absence. due to her retirement. She's older, recovering from injuries and damn well not going to let anyone beat her record.

This book crackles. With tension, with competitive play, with relationships, with Carrie's own abrasive, no holds barred energy. She says what she means and she means what she says, no sugar coating it. She's spent her whole life with one purpose, with her father at her side. She burned bright and flamed out but she's back now and nothing is going to stop her.

Carrie's relationship with her coach father is so well developed and riveting. The interplay, the back and forth--iike volleys on a court. Javier Soto is her champion, her cheerleader, her honest supporter and mentor. This book does such a good job of exploring both the positive and negative sides of their very co-dependant and loving relationship. They are each other's everything.

The way the matches are written was riveting--the exhilaration of good tennis, the frustration of missed shots, the tension of the play. I felt like I was watching it, it was that vivid.

Carrie undergoes tremendous growth in this book--as far as expectations of herself, as far as her relationship with Javier, and in regard to how she interacts and engages with her rivals and others in the tennis circuit.

The secondary characters are well fleshed out--from Javier her father, to Gwen her agent, to Nicki her rival, to Bowe the love interest. Each of them was interesting and held my attention, adding depth to the narrative. I really grew very fond of both Javier and Bowe, and their camaraderie and companionship really added to the story.

But Carrie is the centrepiece, the integral character, the focus of this book and she keeps the attention on her. She's flawed, she's mean, she's brusque, and so many other things but you're never able to look away. Her flaws are real, relatable, make her more human and provide a scaffold for an arc of growth in this book that is satisfying to watch unfold. You want Carrie to succeed, you want Carrie to be told off, you want Carrie to get what she seeks.

There are moments of angst and heartache. Truimph and resolve. Love and affection. Friendship and rivalry. It works. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It holds you until the end.

Highly recommended. A great read.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an amazing author. While reading Malibu Rising, we first hear Carrie Soto’s name. She’s the “other woman” who we only get a glimpse of. She seemed volatile, aggressive and generally unlikeable. When I saw another book by TJR, I jumped at it and was thrilled to be given an advance reader edition of the book. I wondered how Carrie’s character would be in this book. She’s fierce to say the least, a tennis pro and champion holding the record for wins and has retired, but a threat to her record brings her back to the game. She has to be on top. The great news is that humans are more complicated than what we can boil them down to when we learn of them in passing like we did in Malibu Rising. The character and her coach father are very well developed protagonists. It didn’t take long to be on her side despite her flaws and her tendency to push away anyone that tries to get close. Great character study and well worth the read. You do not have to know much about tennis and the matches do not distract from the underlying story. Do yourself a favor if you like delving deeply into a character and learn more about Carrie Soto. Congratulations Taylor Jenkins Reid and Ballantine/Penguin on this marvelous book!

TJR did it again! This book is amazing! Super fast paced, reads like a tennis match (although I have no idea what the rules of tennis are). Loved Carrie. Loves her dad. Loved Bowe. Actually laughed out loud and cried real tears. A must read!

I should have known that if anyone could make me care about a sport, it would be TJR. Don't get me wrong, though: Carrie Soto Is Back is nothing groundbreaking, nothing extraordinary. TJR relies on old tatics, used by her in the past (the newspaper clips, for example, which were one of my favorite parts of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) and everyone else in the literary world. Tropes we're all familiar with, and some clichés here and there. But that's the good thing about this anthology---every cliché, every trope, every plotwist we can see coming from miles away works because TJR knows how to work it. She knows how to write incredibly realistic characters. She knows how to write flawed, bitchy (haha) and unlikeable characters, and still have us rooting for them, crying for them, cheering for them, and Carrie is the most unlikeable of them all. Which is probably why she's one of my favorites. Nicki Chan, too, is a standout, and I'm already anticipating who will play her in the adaption that will surely happen, and I personally cannot wait for all the dramatic slow-mo shots of Carrie sending a ball absolutely flying through a tennis court.

Carrie Soto is the greatest tennis player in the world. She sacrificed everything, including her personal life, to reach the top with her father Javier, who is also her coach. However, Carrie's record of twenty slams is now being threatened by a rising star, Nicki Chan. Carrie and Javier make the decision for her to shock the world and come out of retirement at the age of 37, and the Battle Axe gears up for one last fight. What follows is a rollercoaster of a journey for a woman who is unapologetically talented and unashamedly herself, as she struggles to determine what she truly needs to be happy.

At this point, Taylor Jenkins Reid could write an IKEA instructional manual and I would absolutely love it. Carrie Soto is Back tells a sorely needed story of a woman who refuses to tone down her talent and pride in herself to make other people feel better. The novel explores how when women are successful, society only celebrates them if they are modest about it. The story also beautifully explores themes about searching for self-fulfillment, and the impossible vulnerability of opening yourself up to love. I loved how we got to see Carrie's growth over the course of the novel, and the romance element was wonderfully written. Fans of TJR's historical fiction novels will not be disappointed by this latest addition to her universe.

In fact, Carrie Soto might be one of my favorites. Thank you so much to Penguin Random House and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I posted a 5-star review on Goodreads and Amazon. I read an advanced copy of this through NetGalley and it is FANTASTIC. Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! Fast-paced, great character development, and the ending I didn’t know I needed.