I really enjoyed this novel and the strong characters in it. The main character, Carrie Soto, came out of a 6 year retirement to defend her incredible record. I played some tennis while growing up so it was easier to follow, but even for someone that is not into tennis, I still feel they would find it would not be an issue. Carrie was so intriguing to me and I loved seeing the emotional development in her and her relationship with her father, Javier. I loved Javier and his outlook on things. Carrie was her own person that did not play to the press and sportscasters. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity for the ARC and to review this incredibly interesting novel,

I don't know how TJR does it, but she can make anything captivating to me! Carrie Soto was once the greatest tennis player of all time. Now she's in her late 30's and sees women ten years younger than her getting close to taking her title. She decides to come out of retirement to prove to everyone, including herself, that she's still the greatest.

I like tennis, but I wasn't particularly excited by the description of this book. I'm a big TJR fan so I picked it up anyways and still don't understand exactly what made me so obsessed with this book. Tennis is all Carrie Soto cares about and it's very clearly her whole life. This whole book is constant tennis - practice, games, talking to other people about tennis. If someone had told me that before I read it, I might not have picked it up. I'm glad I did. I loved having a peek into the mind of someone considered "The Bitch" of their sport. Even though Carrie is fictional, its changed my perception of athletes that I consider to be full of themselves.

As always, a highly recommended read from Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Carrie Soto has put her all into her tennis career - it has demanded a lot and she has given it all - at the start of the book 37 years old and 8 years into her retirement, she feels it’s time to come back because her record of most Slam titles could fall - and who is she really if she is not the greatest tennis player ? This is the question she needs to confront but she evades and throws herself into training to be the greatest again.

This book is a masterpiece in character development. I am not a tennis player or a tennis watcher and I was worried that a book set in the tennis scene wouldn’t be for me. But this book … I loved it and felt myself rooting for Carrie even if she was not the most likable of characters starting out.

She was an unapologetic, hardworking, talented badass but not necessarily a person to be friends with … actually she doesn’t really have many friends. But her character development was absolutely beautiful to see throughout the book.
She has a great supporting cast of characters as well - I loved Bowe and Nicki !

And while this book does circulate around tennis and Carrie’s comeback, there’s so much more - you do not have to be a tennis aficionado to read this one. It is not about rooting for Carrie Soto on the court, but about cheering for her to overcome her fears, insecurities and losses off the court.

This was a solid 3.5/5 stars read for me. This is a story about an up and coming tennis player trained by her father who decides to come out of retirement in her late 30s due to her obsessive need to be known and remembered as the absolute best.

I found myself needing more depth on anything and everything other than tennis. There is a lot of tennis. Like... A. LOT! And whereas this didn't deter me from enjoying the book, I wanted more. A more human side to Carrie. More from Carrie and Bowe. More from some of her opponents.

Also, if you don't know Spanish (which luckily, I do) I think you'll miss a lot from the exchanges between Carrie and her father.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Carrie Soto was the best tennis player in the world and known for her fierce, some say bitchy, attitude towards everyone she comes in contact with. Six years after Carrie's retirement, Nicki Chan is the newest world tennis queen and she is coming for Carrie's record. Carrie decides to come out of retirement to take one more shot at keeping her record. A lot of people are rooting against her comeback, but Carrie is determined to be better than she was before.

I struggled with the start of this book. It has SO much tennis in it (as expected) and while I have nothing against tennis, it's never been something I'm interested in so that part didn't keep my interest at the start. What I learned about 1/3 of the way through is that this book is about so much more than tennis. This story is about two strong women fighting to be their very best in a world that constantly wants to criticize and tear you down. It's also a love story between a father and a daughter. Carrie is a very unlikable character from the beginning, but you still root for her and I loved how her story unfolded. Don't let the intensity of the tennis and Carrie's bitchy attitude deter you at the start. You will want to see how it ends. You might even want to pick up a tennis racket when it's over.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine, and Taylor Jenkins Reid for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto is back is a beautiful story about the life of a woman who is learning that there is more to life than playing tennis.

Carrie was basically raised to love tennis. From a young age, playing tennis became her number one priority. She is teamed up with her father as her coach, until she starts to worry that he isn't enough and she switches to a new coach. What follows is a HUGE success. Carrie becomes the most decorated player in women's tennis history, but she eventually retires early due to an injury.

Fast forward a few years, Carrie is on better terms with her father and they are together when a younger player ties with Carrie for most wins in women's tennis. Carrie finds herself in a position where she comes out of retirement to defend her title. What happens next is that Carrie faces tons of backlash from the media for being an unlikable player, for being too old, for being single. So not only is Carrie facing her own expectations of trying to win back her title, she also is facing back lash from the media for pretty much every single possible reason they can think of.

Watching Carrie overcome all of the criticism, and find her love for the sport, as well as learn to remember that there is more to life than tennis is a really moving story. Taylor Jenkins Reid has always done an incredible job writing about human emotion and the human experience. I have never considered myself to be a fan of tennis, but while reading this I was so consumed by the story and the sport equally. I couldn't read this book fast enough, and I already want to know what has happened to Carrie since the end of the story. She feels like a real life celebrity, and I want to know whats next.

This is my third TJR book and I have more coming! She doesn't seem to strive to make her main characters likable and instead focuses on giving them realistic and unique qualities that make them respectable. I love the honesty that Carrie had in this book. She was very straight forward and open about how she thought and felt.

Another character that I absolutely loved was Carrie's father, Javier. He was a flawed man but he loved his daughter and devoted his life to helping her achieve her goals. Their relationship had ups and downs, but it was one of the most beautiful things about this book.

There was a little romance in Carrie Soto is Back, but I wouldn't say that it is the biggest part of the story. Carrie's journey to grow and find herself (somewhat unintentionally) is the main focus. I have never watched a tennis match in my life, but I was able to follow the book easily. Carrie's self-realization is inspiring and I would definitely recommend this book!

⭐⭐⭐/5

• verrrrry tennis heavy
• annoying main character
• enjoyable father/daughter relationship storyline

Must. Love. Tennis. I don't know what else to say. I gave this 3 stars because I wasn't sure how else to rate it. I just didn't feel as connected to this story and these characters as I was for, say, Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones. We all know TJR can write a hell of a story. This one was just different. 🤷‍♀️

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse / Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Absolutely loved this book! Just as I did with Daisy Jones, I found myself wondering and wanting to google if Carrie Soto was a real player - the story was that well written. And of course Serena is in the news for a real life version of this story unfolding at the US Open.
Carrie’s dad Javier - she was his world and he wanted the world for Carrie, but like all of us as parents, most of all he wanted her to be happy. I played high school tennis, but haven’t really played much since - honestly it doesn’t matter if you are a tennis fan or not, you will become one after reading this book. I also loved the tie-ins with a couple of her previous books (Daisy Jones and Malibu Rising) and the 80s/90s time period references.

Thanks the the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC - this book is phenomenal and available now!

What a beautiful book! I loved Carrie Soto is back. I couldn’t put it down. I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails throughout her comeback. I felt like I was in it with Carrie.

Taylor wrote another beautiful story with wonderful characters. I loved Carrie but her father, Javier Soto, was my favorite. He LOVED his daughter and you could see and feel it throughout the book. Their relationship was beautiful to see. I will remember some of his wisdom for my life. And Bowe! I loved his relationship with Carrie. He saw her and loved her for exactly who she was.

Carrie’s story was beautiful and inspiring not just because of her tennis journey and accomplishments, but her personal journey. Her comeback taught her a lot about herself, life, and love, and I love who she became. It is inspiring.

If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo then you will love this book too. This book is Evelyn Hugo level amazing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Carrie ARC
4.5 rounded up to 5.
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK, BABY!!!! TJR has officially written one of the fiercest female main characters that I have EVER read. I was worried for how I would feel towards Carrie after certain events that occurred in Malibu Rising - but she is her own kind of boss and I am HERE FOR IT! This book has everything from coming of age to drama to father/daughter relationship to training sessions/matches. As someone who never understood anything about tennis I now want to go out and buy a frickin racket! But not just that, I want to grow up to be so unapologetically me just like Carrie was in this book. Carrie really embodies what it is means to stand your ground but also grow into the self awareness necessary to evolve and accept the new phase of life that one is in. I absolutely loved the relationships she has with her dad, Bowe, Gwen, and eventually Nicki. My only critique is that I wished there had been more to the backstory that set up some of those subplots/plot twists. I think that would’ve been the difference between my actually crying instead of choking up during specific scenes. But overall this book was so fantastic that I bought the physical on pub day because I couldn’t let another day go without this book being on my shelf!

Read if you love: tennis, fierce female main characters, The Karate Kid or Rocky movies

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date 8/30/22

I have read and loved Taylor Jenkins Reid's last three books, so I was looking forward to reading this one and finding out more about Carrie Soto, who had a small but pivotal role in Malibu Rising. This was a fast-paced and entertaining read, but I did not connect with the characters the way I did when reading Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, and Malibu Rising. I'm not much of a tennis person, but beyond that I found Carrie to be a little too unlikable. Ambitious, competitive, and tough are all great qualities, but I found. her to be a little mean. As a result I didn't really root for her, and whether or not she won her matches was pretty much the whole story. Overall, worth reading, but not quite up to the very high standard set by Reid's previous novels.

Quick & Dirty
-FAAAASSSSTT paced read
-TJR's fiercest female lead yet
-father/daughter bond
-BEST AUDIOBOOK EVER

Synopsis
Carrie Soto is staring forty in the face and feeling every bit her age. But that isn't going to stop her from regaining her crown. Nikki Chan, a superstar British powerhouse, has just overtaken her record for the most Grand Slams ever. Determined to regain her crown, Carrie picks up a racket for the first time in years. With her father by her side, Carrie stands on the edge of greatness once again. Does she have what it takes to bring down the long list of young players standing in her way? Can she beat Nikki Chan? Will she have what it takes to win again?

Musings
What a book, y'all! There's not much I can say that hasn't already been said. TJR does it again. She is the queen of character-driven novels that keep you hanging on every word until the bitter end. And Carrie Soto is an exercise in greatness. Not only does she craft a near-perfect character you love to hate and hate to love, but she adds complexity to Carrie that sneaks up on you. The father/daughter relationship in this book is EVERYTHING! There were moments I was choking back sobs, laughing out loud, raging mad, and jumping for joy. I had access to both an ebook copy and an audiobook copy and for a while switched between the two, but ultimately the audiobook version won out. Listening to this one added SO much to the experience, which is why I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one if you can. The narration is perfect, and the sportscasting spots scattered throughout the book are so much more fun via audio. It really felt like I was watching a tournament at times!

Is this my favorite TJR? I'm not sure yet, but I know it's REALLY high up there!

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a captivating novel about an all-star athlete’s return to the sport. It’s fantastic!

Carrie is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve read in some time. She’s a series of contradictions in many ways: guarded, raw, honest, confident, insecure and the list goes on.

And as much as I liked Malibu Rising, I actually enjoyed Carrie Soto Is Back even more.

She’s so complicated but also unapologetic—she is who she is. Still, she has much to learn too. And she does grow quite a bit in this novel. I think her growth arc is so strong and impactful and completely makes sense to the core of the character.

I loved this novel. I finished it a couple days ago and I’m still thinking about it and Carrie’s story. Everything about this novel just shines bright. Don’t miss out on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing—she is the one of the best of this era.

THIS BOOK!! One of my favorite reads of the year!

The blood, sweat, and tears but also the heart, grit, and determination from not only Carrie but her father and Bowe as well. At some point throughout Carrie’s career, everyone counted her out and she used that as fuel for her drive to be the greatest. Her comeback was a long shot at best but she proved she could do anything she set her mind to.

With the help from her father’s coaching again she improved her game, made it more adaptable to play some of the best tennis she’s ever played and ultimately mended their relationship. With Bowe, she took a leap of faith; first by having him as her hitting partner and second but having him stand beside her. He saw her, truly saw her and still showed up time and time again and met her where she needed him to be and at her pace.

This book is a testament to athletes and the stress they put themselves through-physically, mentally and emotionally to achieve that one goal no matter what it is. I don’t follow tennis or have an in depth knowledge of it but that didn’t deter me at any point throughout Carrie’s journey. I was so invested in her story and felt everything she felt- the heartache and sorrow to the happiness and relief. Her comeback was so much more than just reclaiming her title like she led everyone to believe, it truly was a journey of determination and self discovery.



Thank you @penguinrandomhouse @netgalley and @tjenkinsreid for this incredible eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

CARRIE SOTO IS INDEED BACK!

After hearing about Carrie in TJR's other book I could not wait to read more about her. This book was not disappointing at all. Carrie's attitude is the major thing I love about her, she is always herself and never steps down. I never expected to love a sportsbook, but I could not put this down! I recommend this book to everyone!

This book had me right from the start and never let go. Carrie Soto is the number one ranked tennis player at the height if her career. First you learn her backstory and how she climbed that mountain and then we learn what makes Carrie Soto the best in her sport.

She's not exactly well liked as she is super confident and is not afraid to let you know how good she is. She tucks away her feelings keeping walls up against anyone else. Her dad is her coach until Carrie even puts a wall up between them and trains with someone else.

Eventually she falls from grace, but reconciles with her dad and together they plan her comeback against the current #1 ranked player, Nicki Chan. You can see the softer side of Carrie when she's with her dad and little peaks of it the few personal relationships she does develop.

I am glad that Reid reminds of how Carrie was associated with Malibu Rising as I had forgotten her appearance there, but I'm definitely glad she brought her back to tell her story cause boy what a doozy!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for a copy in exchange for my review.

Carrie Soto is Back follows the return of 37-year-old tennis star, Carrie Soto, as she returns to tennis to try and retain her winning record, which is risk of being taken away by up-and-coming tennis star, Nicki Chan. Although it isn't in the description Carrie is Latina. The author, Taylor Jenkins Reid (TJR), is not. TJR is white. Now this is something that is not always a problem, but it's apparent reading this, from my point of view as a white reader, that Carrie doesn't seem to come off as Latina. I felt that Carrie came off more as a white athlete. Minus all the Spanish that was spoken between Carrie and her father, Javier, I don't think you would have known that Carrie was Latina. This is a disservice to the character because why in the grand scheme it doesn't seem to matter. It was infuriating. For one example, I felt that her demeanor and the way she spoke to her agent came across as white. This is how I read it. I know others may disagree with me. Reading is a solitary act.

I know there are articles out there were TJR spoke about it not being her place to be speaking for minority audiences, I'm paraphrasing, but she continues to do so here. I wish that this book was written by a Latinx author. I feel like I would have gotten a more authentic experience of what Carrie would have experience in the tennis arena and also who she was as a person from her experiences.

Carrie Soto is Back is very much a character driven novel. There was very little plot to the novel, in my opinion. The story is very tennis centric. If you hate tennis, this may not be the story for you.

Rating: 2.5 because it should have been written by a Latinx author.

Carrie Soto Is Back feels like a memoir. A fiction book is more like a real story of a professional tennis player who has spent much of her life playing tennis. Knowing this makes her father proud, particularly as a coach and support system.

I really enjoyed the book. This reminds me of the professional athletes who have spent their lives doing sport and winning. This book isn't just about Carrie Soto returning from retirement, it's about fulfilling that passion and other things.

I wanted to thank NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in return for a review.

This is definitely my favorite TJR book! Carrie Soto is such a powerful figure. Her unapologetic drive is inspiring yet leaves room for reflection. It speaks deeply to women are seen in this world - even at some of those most professional + powerful platforms that exist. This book makes you think of your “why”: why we do or don’t do certain things/have certain relationships/go after certain goals + the sacrifices we make or what we miss out on as a result of these choices. Carrie invites us to explore the often overlooked or underestimated strength that comes in vulnerability, in letting go. I love that it was released the same week Serena Williams is retiring from tennis.

Favorite quotes: “Do not let what anyone says about you determine how you feel about yourself.”

“You are not yet who you will one day be.”

“It is her right to have fun, to keep playing. To not help with dinner.”