I have read and loved several of Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels, leading me to read everything she writes, because of that history.

I didn't love Malibu Rising and when I realized Carrie Soto is Back was based on a minor character from that book, I wasn't excited. Also, not a tennis fan. But, this author is an incredible story teller, which leads me back to her novels time and again.

Carrie Soto has retired from tennis but can't abide that an up and comer is about to break her record for Grand Slam titles. She is ruthless, single minded and focused which makes her a fierce competitor and catapulted her to fame and glory. Of course, this came with plenty of criticism and slurs because she succeeded but wasn't 'nice' or gracious.

I didn't find her likeable either, as a character, but that isn't always necessary for me to enjoy a book. In the hands of this author, though, I was rapidly turning the pages to find out who her next opponent was and how she would fare in the match. The descriptions of the tennis matches particularly were propulsive, fast paced and amped up the tension.

The relationship between Carrie and her father and coach, Javier, was my favorite aspect of the book. It is assuredly a sports book, but also a book that examines the complicated father/daughter relationship. It also examines the double standards and inequity between male and female athletes in elite sports.

While I don't need characters to be likeable, look, think or act like me, I do need to see some growth in their story arc and Jenkins Reid delivered on this as well.

I know this book and author have received criticism for the untranslated Spanish throughout the book and the lack of authenticity in a white author writing this Latina main character. While I feel completely unqualified to comment, there are many reviewers with compelling thought on this topic and I encourage the curious reader to seek them out.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I loved:
1. Everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
2. A book about a sport I knew very little about
3. The relationships - father, daughter, mother, boyfriend, competitors....all so wonderful
4. The pace of the book...

What I wanted to be different:
1. Didn't need so much of the tennis playing to move the story forward.
2. Cover of the book - wasn't my favorite.


Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the chance to read!

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Passion, perseverance, striving for perfection...Only in the hands of Taylor Jenkins Reid could you learn so much - and come to care so much - about the cut-throat world of professional tennis. And, while admittedly I really couldn't stand Carrie at first, I did empathize with her and the secondary characters were great. A pretty excellent all around read when you're in the right kind of reading mind.

Carrie Soto is back... Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this book early. The storyline was good and I liked the characters in the book. I would recommend this title to readers.

Thank you so much @PenguinRandomHouse & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 30 August 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Carrie is a tennis legend claiming a whopping 20 Grand Slam titles, however when a newly unstoppable tennis star (Nicki) starts rising through the ranks & threatening her title, Carrie wants to come back out of retirement (at 37 years old) to reclaim her record & remind the world that she is the best tennis player the world has seen.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the fact I know very little about tennis yet it didn't impact my ability to love this story in the slightest
- at its core this is a story about the love between a father & daughter as well as the difference between playing to win & playing not the lose
- TJRs writing is just perfectly bingeable & I gobbled this one up in a day
- Carrie is a perfectly flawed character that you can't help but root for
- the cameos from her other characters *chefs kiss*

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- there was quite a bit of Spanish scattered throughout (while you can get the gist of the conversation there isn't always direct translations)

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. I really enjoyed this book. I could have skipped some of the tennis commentary but I enjoyed the story and the characters. So many of our regular patrons have enjoyed Taylor Jenkins Reid's past novels and I am happy to be able to recommend her newest novel to them.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a story about retired tennis star Carrie Soto decides to come out of retirement when her record of Grand Slam titles is surpassed by newcomer Nikki Chan. She enlists her father and former couch, Javier to help her show the tennis world she is still the best tennis player in the world.

I absolutely loved Carrie and her fathers relationship and how it changed throughout Carrie's career. Even Carrie wasn't supposed to be likable I enjoyed her passionate/fierce nature when it came to proving people wrong. She even gets called the Battle-Axe, which if a male tennis player acted the same way as Carrie did I am sure people would have a different view. Be warned after reading you are going to want to get on a tennis court whether you like tennis or not. Definitely will be reading Carrie Soto is Back again in the future!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read this.

Carrie Soto, The Battle Axe, retired from tennis holding the record for the most grand slam wins. When Nicki Chan tries ties her record, Carrie returns to tennis to reclaim her record. This is a story about a talented young woman whose sole focus was to achieve G.O.A.T status. The author shares the story of Carrie ‘s rise to the top as well as her comeback. Carrie is a strong, determined, prickly character with complicated relationships. I loved watching Carrie come into her own…..twice.

Thank you to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. #CarrieSotoIsBack #NetGalley.

For Carrie Soto to start as a side lover in Malibu Rising and blossom into a character that is likable, has depth, and you want to spend time with speaks to the genius of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Once again, TJR has created a world that is easy to spend time in with characters that are loved because of their flaws.

This novel doesn’t shy away from who Carrie Soto is, down to her core, but takes you on the journey with you as she processes so much of the inevitability of life we’ll all have to go through, just maybe not losing our record as the greatest tennis player of all time.

Speaking of tennis, anyone can read this book - even the novice. The jargon is explained early on and a great supporting cast for our leads!

And one last thing, if you’re hesitant to read this book because of Carrie Soto, read this book for Bowe Huntley!

I read this book in a few days which has been rare for me lately. Once I was in the story, I was riveted. I wanted to know if Carrie Soto won her matches, how she was excelling and what she was going to do next. I want to find out how she got to the top of her game, what happened with Nicki Chan and everything in between.

It was a slow book but at the same time, exciting. You were drawn into Soto's world, you were connected and she jumped off the page. She wasn't the most likeable character and you were willingly her, through the page, to be softer or more humble but at the same time, what was so wrong with how she acted? She was the best and she should act that way.

Because of that, it felt like an eye opening book. It made me think and change my first jump judgement. I also liked the hidden message that it is never too late; Carrie was 'too old' to get back in the tennis game but she didn't listen. She went for it. It was awesome.

I liked Carrie Soto is Back more than Evelyn Hugo but less than Malibu Rising. I haven't read Daisy Jones so I can't compare it to that just yet. It was some of TJR's best writing; it was thoughtful and important while also being entertaining and real. It had all the elements of a great book.

Taylor Jenkins Reid never misses and Carrie Soto is proof that.

As Serena Williams closed out her professional tennis career at the US Open this month, I finished reading Taylor Jenkin Reid’s newest novel, Carrie Soto is Back. I am not a huge tennis fan, but I can appreciate the immense time and heart that goes into being a professional athlete. Reid tells the story of Carrie Soto, a ferocious competitor who is determined to be the best at any cost. She is not well liked, but she is the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen. She is coached by her father, Javier, and sacrifices nearly everything to become the best. She retires well on the top holding the world record of Slam wins. At 37 years old, Carrie makes the shocking decision to come out of retirement in an attempt to reclaim her record. Her comeback is grueling, as she fights her body’s limitations, her competitor’s youth, her critics, and most significantly her doubts. This story is not just about tennis, but also about a father’s and daughter’s love for one another and various life lessons.

The story was immersive and brought the characters to life. It gave me the sense that I was there with Carrie on her journey to greatness. Taylor Jenkins Reid continues to enlighten me with her characters in unique situations and has cemented herself as one of my all-time favorite authors.

One of the things I like about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books is that she writes female characters who are tough and confident. But sometimes I've felt that they were a little too perfect: stunningly beautiful, wildly successful, desired by all.

Carrie isn't gorgeous and adored. As a top female tennis player in the 1990s, Carrie is driven, talented, but also kind of detested. I love that this book acknowledges that, in order to reach that level of success, Carrie had to be single-minded. And single. And made some enemies.

The person she does have on her side is her father. A single dad after the tragic death of Carrie's mom, his devotion to his daughter was so touching. In past books, Reid created some pretty memorably bad parents. Like Mick Riva, or both Daisy's and Evelyn's rather neglectful (permissive?) parents.

I'm the only one in my family who's a failure at tennis. But I still enjoy a story of an athlete who persists against the odds. Give me all the protein shakes and training sequences! I just watched Hustle with Adam Sandler.

I didn't always like Carrie either. But I came to admire her. And her story made me think a lot about women and what we give up in order to make ourselves likeable to others.

Love TJR and so I was pumped to read her latest book! As a tennis novice, I wasn't sure what to expect here. But, she makes you instantly fall in love with Carrie's passion, drive, and relationship with her father. This is readable to the non-tennis expert, but the back and forth of the matches keeps the reader riveted. I appreciate how complex the characters are - as a reader, you want to dislike Carrie, but can't. She's too relatable for that. Overall - 100% recommend!

Family, love, tennis and the price of fame. How TJR managed to get me so immersed in a book about tennis I will never know, but I laughed, I cried, I gasped. This was another great story by TJR, she could never disappoint me.

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #carriesotoisback

I really enjoyed this one! I think it helps to be a tennis player/fan though! Being one myself, I was knowledgeable about the tennis game and world. Even if you are not big on tennis the storyline is good, although something was slightly lacking for me in the character of Carrie Soto. Overall 4 stars! I haven't read any other books about tennis, so for me this was unique. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

Holy fucking shitballs.

I...might love this one even better than Evelyn Hugo?!?! What? How?!

It's no surprise that Carrie Soto is Back is five stars. Okay, actually, there is some surprise. I did not enjoy Malibu Rising that much, and so stepped into my third TJR book with some trepidation. But one thing TJR can write is driven, ambitious women, and Carrie Soto is Driven. However, there has also been a lot of valid criticism on TJR, a whyte woman, writing a Latine main character, so it's something to consider before picking this one up. As a book on tennis from someone who grew up in a Tennis Family (I do not play, however), this was a great look at tennis of the 80s and early 90s, and the complicated nature of being a female athlete.

As the buzziest new book from TJR, Carrie Soto is fierce, strong, and absolutely determined to do what it takes to be the best. The story is fast-paced and exciting as we learn about Carrie's initial rise in the tennis world and her retirement. The amount of time and effort involved in this competitive world is mind-boggling and exhausting, just to read about. When she decides to make a comeback five years after retirement, everyone is skeptical. We follow Carrie for a whirlwind year of Grand Slams, as she gets back into shape, ready to defeat her record for the most Grand Slam wins. The media pieces interspersed throughout the book give the reader a glimpse into popular culture during the mid-90s and the attitude towards women in sports.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has the uncanny ability to infuse so much heart into her stories. Carrie, Bowe, her father, and even Carrie's opponents on the court seem like real people in the tennis world. Although you don't have to be a tennis fanatic to enjoy this book, it sure does add to the enjoyment factor. As a former tennis player and fan, I have not kept up with the tournaments in many years. But this book has reminded me of why I used to play and watch and reignited my passion for the game of tennis. This book is inspiring and empowering and masterfully done.

LOVE LOVE LOVE. I am a tennis fan now thanks to this book. Adam & I watched the US Open & I kept thinking back to reading this book and how exciting it was and how much I learned about tennis during the book. I didn’t think a sports book would be for me but something about TJR writing a sports book just works. Malibu Rising was not a fave of mine so I was a little nervous to read this but I am so glad I loved it. Back when I read Daisy Jones & Evelyn Hugo I flew through them and loved them both so it was nice reading another amazing historical fiction from TJR and absolutely loving it. Might be my favorite book of the year. I loved Carrie Soto, her grit & determination were admirable and even her IDGAF spicy attitude was fun. She had a GREAT character arc & I loved her growth. Cannot WAIT for the next TJR!

My review will be posted at Instagram.com/_rachreads on 9/16

On the one hand, I'm not at all surprised that I loved Carrie Soto is Back, because I really adore the way Taylor Jenkins Reid creates characters. On the other hand, I was really uncertain how I would feel about a book so focused around tennis because, while it's a sport that I played in high school, it's not a sport I really watch. But the audiobook was so immersive that I was literally cheering in the car at various points while reading this book. The trouble is, I really don't know how to articulate what makes her writing work for me in a way that I think will help other people be able to determine the same thing. So let me tell you some things about this book that are just true and you can decide if you think it could be for you:

- Carrie Soto is an Argentinian American woman raised and coached by her Argentinian tennis star father. Keep in mind that Carrie Soto is written by a white woman.
- There is Spanish in the audiobook that isn't translated for you into English.
- There are sports cast and news reports that are very well-produced in the audiobook.
- Carrie is a controversial figure. She feels very strongly that she is the greatest tennis player of all time and that she has earned that title through a lot of hard work. She's not the most social or friendly and therefore isn't always well liked.
- Nicki Chan is a British, who I am fairly certain is also Black and Chinese? Either way, she and Carrie have a fascinating relationship throughout this.
- The family dynamics between Carrie and Javier are intense and evolve over time and feel so... emotional.
- Carrie winds up hitting with a man from her past, Bowe Huntley, and the way Bowe's character evolves, even just from Carrie's perspective, was so engaging. I loved every second of page time he got.
- There is a lot of tennis. And not just tennis, but tennis strategy.

I guess, I would say that if you like sports movies, you should definitely give this one a shot. If you're a competitive person, this book could be for you. If you have just loved Taylor Jenkins Reid, definitely try this one. My overall ranking of her books puts this one just behind Daisy Jones, which is my favorite book of all time. And, of course, if you like tennis, I think you could really enjoy this one. If there are parallels to other tennis players throughout, I really don't recognize them, though I could be missing something, obviously. But regardless, as far as my enjoyment goes, I loved this one!

Thanks to PRH International for gifting me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto Is Back got me. She's a jerk who won't take crap from anyone. I didn't want to put it down. The writing and pacing were so good that I was constantly anticipating what would happen next. Carrie was my favorite character. I probably loved her like her father did: from the sidelines, hoping that things would go her way, unsure how to cope if they didn't. She's a complicated character who is also very endearing. I enjoyed seeing Carrie change after meeting Bowe Huntley. Carrie's relationship with her father was raw, emotional, and beautiful. The father-daughter story, too, touched a raw nerve. This story is filled with so much love. After finishing this book, I had an emotional hangover.

I enjoyed every page of this book. I'm not a big tennis fan, but I liked Carrie and this book. The addition of the side romance was also very sweet, and I appreciated how TJR included discussions about misogyny in sports as well as Carrie and Nicki's struggles. I like how the book concludes with a heartwarming scene. It's breathtaking. If you've enjoyed TJR's previous novels, you'll love this one.