I started reading this novel soon after Serena Williams retired and when I had tennis on my brain. Carrie is not Serena but there is no doubt that tennis has defined her life. As the story opens, Carrie is at the U.S. Open waiting to see if her long held record for most wins will be shattered. From here the book moves back in time to when she first began playing and goes forward to the time of the book’s title.

I understand the basics of tennis but don’t have the knowledge base to know how accurate the descriptions in the matches played were. I know that they were deeply involving and that I always wondered how Carrie would do.

This novel, however, is not just about Carrie’s tennis but is also about Carrie. She has a rather hard and brittle shell and most although most everything about her has been about tennis, she has things to figure out. Readers get to know the people around her; there are those that she lets in to some degree. The most important one is her father who has shared Carrie’s dream. Another is a player on the male circuit named Bowe and, of course, many of the women players.

Along with a page turning story, this novel offers some food for thought. Are we our accomplishments? Does winning mean everything? How is it to have to deal with being in a constant limelight? What happens when a game that one started to play out of love becomes so dominant? No spoilers for the end of the book. Find out for yourself what happens to Carrie.

I recommend this title to tennis lovers, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fan base and those who enjoy an involving story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again—made a time-consuming, perfect book. Goodness, I don't know where to start. Reid wrote a book about the greatest tennis player in the world, Carrie Soto. Soto's record was just matched by a younger player—forcing her to come out of retirement

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid was covered in my Fall Book Preview, where I share a curated list of the season’s hottest new titles including the books I’ve most enjoyed, the ones I’m most looking forward to reading, and the ones the industry is most excited about. I really enjoyed this compulsively readable tennis novel!
Our Fall Book Preview event is exclusively for members of our MMD Book Club community and What Should I Read Next Patreon “Book Lover” supporters. Our communities will also receive a printable of all the picks with Carrie Soto is Back's publishing info and release date included.

A retired tennis player returns to reclaim her record and cement her legacy as the GOAT—in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s CARRIE SOTO IS BACK.

In 1989 and at 31, Carrie Soto bows out of the game, retiring as the best tennis player in the world, with records aplenty.

“I was now the most decorated tennis player by nearly every measure. Most Grand Slam singles ever. Most weeks at number one for any player in the history of the tour. Most singles titles, most aces over the course of a career. Most years ending number one. Highest-paid female athlete of all time. I was the Carries Soto I had always believed I could be.”

Five years later, she and her father (former coach and retired Argentinian tennis player) sit in the stands and watch Nicki Chan tie her record. Both Soto and Chan aren’t looked on favorably by the media—criticized for their aggressive tennis playing and not-so-soft temperaments. Chan is dubbed “The Beast” while Soto, “the Battle Axe,” makes her comeback amidst continuing vitriol that she’s cold, “a machine” (cue The Bitch is Back by Elton John).

Soto rejoins the circuit—the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the final, nail-biting match—the 1995 U.S. Open.

Carrie is a brash, often unlikeable character, her ambition and competitiveness driving her every decision. It’s exactly these traits, however, that make her fascinating and deepen the narrative’s impact. CARRIE SOTO IS BACK probes the scrutiny around women’s ambition. The unfeminity of it, the unlikability of it, the sexism of it—especially when levied against how the media treats men of similar ambition. The timing, and parallels to Serena William’s own story and retirement, makes this novel all the more topical, and impossible to put down.

I’ve been a devoted fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid for many years, have read—and loved—every single novel she’s published, and this latest once again proves her storytelling prowess.

An immediate 2022 favorite, and a riveting and powerful must read.

The fourth in Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo universe was 5 stars for me just like the rest of them! Carrie Soto (who played a minor role in Malibu Rising) is 6 years into her retirement from her record breaking pro tennis career when she decides to return to the court to defend her record for most grand slams won in a career...and she's be coached by her father, Javier. Reid is a master at writing books that go down easy, but that have lots of substance. This story is a celebration of a woman choosing to play, while risking failure, rather than retreating to the sidelines. Reid nailed the sports psychology and all the emotions that go along with being an elite athlete. And, I love that she avoided the stereotype of the terrible sports Dad with Javier. One of the best in the badass female athlete micro genre!

I read this book in less than 24 hours!! Carrie Soto is an incredible tennis player and life character. I know very little about tennis and this book had me from the beginning. Author, Taylor Jenkins Reid has another hit on her hands! Get a copy and read it! Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #CarrieSotoisBack

*I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I'll be honest, this is my first TJR book. I know, I know. I've heard great things, I have multiple on my shelf to read, I even know that Carrie Soto is a minor character in another book of hers.

But I will say, I loved this book. I loved this character. I even enjoyed the minor characters.

Carrie Soto is a tennis star. Due to an injury, she has to work her way back to the top and find her true self again.

I just love Carrie Soto! I'm also a big sports person so that probably helped me enjoy this one even more. I always look forward to TJR books and was really excited to read this one. I enjoyed it so much! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this one. Can't wait for the next one!

While Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest book, Carrie Soto is Back, did not captivate my interest the way that Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones did, I still found it thoroughly entertaining. I like that TJR ventured into some new territory covering (fictional) professional sports - this book was different from anything else I've read before topic-wise.

That being said, it took me until approximately halfway through the book to feel at least somewhat invested in Carrie's journey. It felt very repetitive, like Carrie and her father had a lot of the same conversations over and over, and like Carrie's inner thoughts were essentially the same throughout the book.

The ending was satisfying, I truly felt like I didn't know how the tournament was going to conclude and I liked the choices that TJR made. I did, however, predict that Javier would pass away in the end.

Thank you for my advance copy!

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again, with characters who leap off the page and moving storytelling wrapped up in the tale of a 90's tennis star who returns for one last push for greatness. Carrie Soto may be my favorite of Reid's characters, as she's ironically endearing, and sometimes relatable, in her unlike-ability. Though the ending of the story was neatly tied up, it was a satisfying conclusion to Reid's exploration of the latter decades of the 20th century in American pop culture. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

5⭐️
The book that put me in a month long reading hangover 🥲

This is my fourth TJR book, and man. She can write a strong-willed, badass female character that you will root so hard for. Honestly, her main character could be a rat, and I’d still read and root for her.

Things I loved:
🎾Carrie Soto, obviously.
🎾The timelines. I loved going back and forth between Carrie’s current life and training, and her childhood life and training.
🎾Fast-Paced! Idk if it was the timelines, or just wanting to know how Carrie did in tournaments, but the story was a quick read for me.
🎾I never watch tennis, but this explained it well and made it interesting to read about! I was on my toes to see how matches would go.
🎾Love when a book has different text forms woven in, and loved the (terrible & biased) news articles throughout!
🎾Crossover with Malibu Rising & a mention of Daisy!!🥹 Out of the 4 I’ve read, MR was my least fave, but still enjoyed it! The mentions of some of those characters were fun! (But you don’t have to read that one to read and enjoy this one)
🎾The character development of Carrie was just 🙌👌🤌

Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid (TJR) has hit ball out of the park, or in this case: the tennis court.
TJR digs in to the personal competitiveness of tennis and in particular, Carrie Soto, once a premier winner.
Carrie wants to make a comeback and nothing will stop her.

She is determined to succeed and whip the 'tar' out of her younger, but less experienced, challengers.

TJR takes every nuiance of trying to make a comeback into account. Carrie's personal life, her physical condition, and her mental health.

This gripping novel of a former tennis star and her quest to win again, is not to be missed.

Thank you Netgalley and TJR's publisher.

I ENJOYED…
☂️
You know what? Let’s say it right away: I adore Carrie Soto. It’s made it there at the top of my TJK books, following Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones. I. AM. OBSESSED.
Just like in her previous work, Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers with her characters. Carrie, her main character here, is one fierce, determined, stubborn to a point you want to shake her person and yet. Oh, how you’ll fall for her. I really did, discovering as the story went on, behind her fierce exterior, someone caring, afraid to open up to love. She’s one heck of a badass, excuse the vocabulary, but really.
Former tennis player, Carrie decides to get out of retirement in order to keep her own record HERS. She’s older than all of her other opponents in all the competitions and no one expects her. I absolutely adored following her journey, both in the tennis tournaments (and this is from someone who knows absolutely nothing, nor does care about tennis) and her own journey of growth. I just. I don’t know. I absolutely adored her and was obsessed from the very first pages. I could write a novel about Carrie Soto.
One of my favorite things about Carrie Soto is Back, was Carrie’s relationship with her father. This relationship takes a whole lot of space in this story. Carrie’s father, Javier, is a former tennis player immigrated from Argentina to the USA and, in this story, we get to see him as he coaches his daughter to become the great tennis player that she is. While their relationship has ups and downs, I found it so, so wonderful to follow and my heart soared, oh.
Another highlight of this story was Bowe Hunter, an older tennis player trying to get back on track now that he’s finally sober. He was such a lovely addition to the story and in Carrie’s life, with his struggles similar to hers. He was also so kind and caring and I loved him so very much okay.
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s is once again showing her talent for storytelling in those pages. Told between past and present at first, we get to see Carrie’s career starting off before following her in the biggest tournaments of her life. With a mix of press releases, interviews and narration, this book had me hooked from page one, wanting to know what would happen next, if Carrie could make her dreams come true and, most of it all, if she could find happiness after all. I adored it.

OVERALL
☂️
Taylor Jenkins Reid won my heart again with Carrie Soto is Back. This was an excellent adult contemporary read with characters I won’t forget and I’m going to be screaming about this for a long, long time.

Compelling read from Taylor Jenkins Reid as per usual...an ageing tennis star makes a comeback and inspires all the 30-somethings reading.

While I did enjoy this book, it took me a while to get through it…partially because of things in my own life and partially because it just wasn’t particularly exciting. I do like books that get me interested in something I’m not normally interested in, so that was a bonus. It is not the first book I have read about tennis just because of the author (the other was by Lauren Weisberger), and I learned some new things. It was cool that TJR let us learn about a minor character from another book as the main character in this one. I never questioned if I was going to finish this one, just didn’t particularly love it…would still recommend for fans of TJR though.

Taylor Jenkins Reid never disappoints and CARRIE SOTO IS BACK was as good as I anticipated it would be. TJR is one of my favorite authors and CARRIE SOTO IS BACK reinforces my adoration for TJR’s novels!!

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK is about family, love and dedication above all else to achieve your goals.

The novel begins with Carrie Soto watching a tennis match and realizing HER record of wins is about to be shattered. Carrie comes out of retirement at 37, which is apparently old to be a professional tennis player Carrie works hard training and defending her title. Carrie has no life other than tennis and is deeply misunderstood in her quest to be the best.

Though the novel revolves around tennis, it is Carrie’s relationships that keep you rooting for her.

Though Carrie is a difficult character to like, TJR makes her likeable. I found myself engrossed in Carrie’s life, all that had been and all that would be.

This book left me missing Carrie, Javier, Bowe, and Gwen. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a masterful writer of characters. I cannot wait for her next novel.

I knew nothing about tennis before reading this book, but I now feel like I could follow a match. I learned a lot about tennis and any tennis lover will absolutely love this book.

Carrie is a character you will not always like but you will want her to succeed. She’s strong and persistent. I grew to adore her by the end. The father-daughter relationship between Carrie and Javier was what kept me going and really enjoying this book. TJR writes in a way that you feel these characters are real. I love her writing style and love the world she’s created. Looking forward to the next one!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine books for this eARC!

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes compelling novels. Her new book, Carrie Soto is Back, is a fast-paced sports comeback novel that I found absorbing, even though sports comeback stories are not really my thing.

The heroine, Carrie Soto, was introduced to us in Malibu Rising as the tennis star who was involved with Nina Riva’s husband. Now we see Carrie’s side.

Tennis is Carrie Soto’s entire life. From an early age, Carrie was coached by her father to be the very best. And she was, setting the record for the most lifetime Grand Slam singles titles before injury forced her into retirement. Now, at the age of 37, after 5 years of retirement, Carrie is watching her record fall to tennis’ latest sensation, Nicki Chan. To defend her claim, Carrie comes out of retirement.

The novel traces Carrie’s rise and fall on the tennis circuit. It shows her rather one-dimensional childhood and her obsessive lifestyle. Carrie was always a focused competitor whose take-no-prisoners playing style and blunt response to reporters gained her the unflattering sobriquet of the Battle-Axe, or worse. She had a series of short affairs with male tennis players that ended as quickly as they began. She feels she has to get back into the game because she has nothing else. But given her reputation, it’s unclear tennis wants her back.

Her comeback year is a struggle, but it’s also full of life lessons. She asks her father to be her coach once again. And when none of the highly ranked women will practice with her, she reunites with a male tennis star, once promising but now also a near has-been, with whom she had a one-night stand many years earlier. The development of their relationship is funny and sweet.

It’s impossible not to see echoes of Serena Williams in this novel, just as it was impossible not to think of Fleetwood Mac while reading Daisy Jones and the Six.

Whether you’re a tennis fan or not, you’ll find yourself rooting for Carrie, not necessarily to defend her title, but to find herself. There are no real surprises, but this is a fully satisfying book.

Carrie Soto Is Back is an exciting story of what it takes to become the best of all time and at what cost. How do you even define the best of all time? This is a story of making a comeback when the whole world is rooting against you. Carrie is known as 'the Battle Ax' and 'the Bi*ch', she has sacrificed friendships, camaraderie, companionship and more to reach her goals. In her comeback, she learns how to open up while trying to make her way to the top. The question is... will she make it? #CarrieSotoIsBack #NetGalley

This book is perfection. I cannot remember the last time that I felt so moved and seen by a character. Yes, Carrie is the best tennis player in the world and comes to terms with not remaining the greatest. But the thirst to prove yourself and excel really translates to so many facets of life.

Carrie is perfect in her flaws. This book is fabulous.