CARRIE SOTO IS BACK - @tjenkinsreid

5⭐

The bitch is back!!

Carrie Soto is vying for one last comeback , coming back from her retirement. It's not going to be easy for the 37year old but she has something to prove! Can she play an epic final season?

MY THOUGHTS -

I loved this book so much!! I literally couldn't read anything else for next 2 days.

Full disclosure am a huge tennis fan watch it on TV and wish to watch a grand slam match live one day.

In terms of writing sports fiction books there aren't many so it was so much fun reading this one .

Agree that this one is a bit heavy on tennis aspect but apart from that also there are so many emotions, relationships eps between Carrie and her father Javier who is also her coach which TJR writes and blends effortlessly.

A character driven story , unlikeable character whom you end up cheering for!!

If you love Evelyn Hugo do check this one out, non tennis loving fans don't worry it's still enjoyable.

Thank you @netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes stories of strong women. Mostly set a few decades ago in southern California. I love Daisy. I love Evelyn. I like Nina. It took a while for me to warm to Carrie. She and I have different philosophies on sports and sportswomanship. She isn’t likable and she is too stubborn to realize that it is a weakness, not a strength, to push everyone away. Raised by her widowed father, himself a tennis player, she grows up on the court. From the time she can walk she is convinced that she must be the greatest of all time.

And she is. She holds records. She dominates. Then, she retires. When a new player snaps at the heals of her record, she jumps back into tennis. This is her story of trying to make a comeback. Carrie cannot see that she cannot stop time from passing. Games get elevated and every new generation builds on that of before. Bow out gracefully? No way!

What she does have is an amazing support system. Her father has obsessive notes to help coach his daughter to victory. Her manager cares about more than just her cut. Other players, a few anyway, can see past her exterior and stand by her. It takes a good portion of the book for Carrie to show any real growth. Her story becomes a touching ode to the female athlete trying to break the expectation of sweet and obedient without being outright rude to everyone. I personally don’t like it in any gender.

I found Carries journey to be intriguing but I was a little Bored by the minutia of tennis matches. I don’t even like watching tennis. I don’t want to read a stroke by stroke retelling. So, I skimmed some of it. Overall, Carrie is another strong character by an author that constantly writes of women who have to break out of the mold others try to force them into.

happy #pubday to this book!! 🎉

Carrie is renowned as the best tennis player in the world, and lives for the title. while in retirement, however, she sees her status flash before her eyes as player Nicki Chan ties her record for most Grand Slam titles.

unwilling to give up what she tirelessly worked for, Carrie decides to do the unthinkable at the age of 37—come out of retirement to defend her title and honor. known as “the Battle Axe” for her brusque character and less than friendly demeanor, Carrie’s announcement comes with mixed reactions from the public. with the help of her father/tennis coach Javier, Carrie sets off to break more records in hopes of securing the one she cherishes most.

for knowing absolutely nothing about tennis, I enjoyed this book so much! @tjenkinsreid did a great job emulating the competitive nature of sporting events that you’d see live or on tv. I found myself just as excited and anxious as I would be cheering on some of my favorite sports teams in real life.

on paper, Carrie should be unlikeable, but you can’t help but admire her fervor for the sport and how unapologetically herself she remains at all times. the other main characters are super lovable, too. this was definitely a feel good book (yet it still managed to make me cry lol), and I enjoyed learning a little more about the sport along the way.

this is a great book for anyone who loves tennis (obv), has a competitive nature, or enjoys a good comeback story. many thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for my advanced reader’s copy!

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again. Carrie Soto is the latest of Reid’s strong female protagonist set to make her comeback as a tennis legend. Reid weaves the story of Carrie in such a way that you want to keep reading non-stop to the end. A great book on strong women and the ultimate cost of wining.

This book was absolutely stunning. It is similar to Evelyn Hugo in how you aren’t sure if you love or hate the protagonist, but you become so emotionally invested in them that you just can’t tear yourself away from them.

Carrie Soto was the best of the best in tennis until she wasn’t. Her attitude and treatment of other players, coaches, and even fans Years later she makes her big comeback, and she must totally reinvent herself. Her character growth was a great to read and the regrowing the bond with her father was so touching.

I ended up absolutely loving this book, and I think it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

i'm extremely torn with this book. i really, really love Carrie as a character. she is an unlikeable bitch to the media but i really freaking like her. i loved the father/daughter relationship and the slow burn romance. i'm a sucker for books about famous people and this was no different. the only major gripe that i have with this book, and ultimately why it is a 3 star read for me, is that this book is basically an extremely long tennis match. as someone who isn't super familiar with tennis (i totally bombed my tennis tryouts freshman year of high school bc of this hahaha) -- a lot of the game play went over my head. it was literally back to back tennis matches in extreme detail.

i know a lot of ya'll love this one, and i can see why, but this is ultimately not my fave TJR.

thank you libro.fm for gifting me the audiobook to review.

A tennis player past her prime attempts a comeback in Carrie Soto Is Back
If it weren’t because I would never pass on a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, I would’ve never considered reading a book where competitive sports were part of the story. Now I’m almost a tennis fan after reading Carrie Soto Is Back. (I would’ve become one 100% if the players in the book weren’t fictional.)

“One of the great injustices of this rigged world we live in is that women are considered to be depleting with age and men are somehow deepening.”

Carrie Soto is driven, arrogant, and unapologetic. She has worked her whole life toward one goal: being recognized as the greatest female tennis player in the world. She accomplished this recognition by winning twenty Grand Slam singles titles. However, after a knee injury and surgery, Carrie struggled to perform at the same level and she decided to retire.

Five years later, when a younger player beats her record, she has no choice but to come out of retirement to reclaim what she believes is hers. Carrie, now in her late thirties, recruits her dad—a recognized tennis player and her original coach—to help her get back in the game. But Carrie will have to face the uphill battles of physically getting ready to compete and emotionally confronting the faults in her game.

Tennis matches are the new love stories thanks to Taylor Jenkins Reid
The descriptions of tennis matches were mesmerizing. I felt like I was there, enjoying the match live. But also saw how served to strategically move the story and our characters forward. We follow Carrie through all four major tennis championships—Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open—as she tries to regain her historic record and, arguably, only life accomplishment. But even while conquering the court, Carrie learns she can’t continue to hinge her value on a number of tennis victories.

Love, game, set, and match were just words I vaguely remember from tennis camp when I was 15. Now, they remind me of Carrie Soto. They remind me of her relentless pursuit of greatness and her journey through self-discovery. They inevitably also bring my thoughts to Evelyn, Daisy, and Nina. The ladies of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six, Malibu Rising, and Carrie Soto Is Back are all tragically captivating and beautifully imperfect. They feel so real that you can’t help but love them. This is one of my favorite series (even though they can be stand-alone books). I hope Taylor continues to tell stories of strong-willed, resilient, fighting women representing the decades.

Carrie Soto is Back! And so is TJR.

This was an absolute ace. 🎾 I can only say that because I suddenly feel as though I’ve had a tennis education. I swear TJR could write about paint drying and make it meaningful. I’ve never been a tennis person but I am a highly competitive female former athlete (Although now I just jog😂) and this warmed my heart!

I wasn’t a huge fan of Malibu Rising so I went in skeptical that she could touch my heart the same way as her other books but this checked every box. Easy page turner with heartfelt story and characters that jump off the page. Have your Spanish to English dictionary with you because there’s lots to translate but it added so much character.

Happy pub day to The Battle Axe herself!

Thank you to @netgalley @randomhouse and @librofm for the ARC and ALC of this gem!

I really loved this book.

Ok, I know everyone says that Carrie is unlikeable, but I didn’t really feel that way. Yes, she’s rough around the edges, but I liked that about her.

I got verrrry similar vibes with her and Nesta from A Court of Silver Flames. Yeah, she’s arrogant and prideful, but she’s also hurting and insecure.

There is a LOT of tennis in this book. I have never even watched tennis, so I was a little lost in those parts. That being said, it was fine and didn’t take away from the heart of the story.

I’ve seen some people comment about how there are many Spanish phrases with no translation. This is true. I know enough Spanish that it added value. I LOVED it, but I can see how it would be a little confusing if you don’t know Spanish. Again, I don’t really think it’ll mess the book up for you if you don’t know Spanish.

I’ve also seen some comments how TJR should not be writing from the perspective of a Latin person since she is not Latin. I disagree with this view. I think she honored the characters and portrayed them well. I say that as a Latin person myself.

🎾 I LOVE Javier. I. LOVE. JAVIER. His humor. His love. He was dad GOALS. One of my fave book characters ever.

Lastly, this book has so many little nuggets of wisdom. I highlighted a lot. I wouldn’t mind eventually owning a paper copy of this. I was inspired to pursue my dreams no matter what age. I teared up. I cheered.

Ok I’m done. I thought this book was so good.

Just know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s not for everyone. It just happened to be for me.


Thank you netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group-Bellantine for this ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will admit, this is my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book. I will also admit, that I know absolutely nothing about tennis. Also, I am not a fan of historical fiction, but this book caught my attention and I am glad that it did. TJRs writing is impeccable. The details she uses made me feel like I was sitting there watching the tennis match. See I learned a tennis term from reading this! The family dynamic is uplifting and enjoyable. This will not be my last TJR book

I received a digital advance copy of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid via NetGalley. Carrie Soto is Back was released on August 30, 2022.

On its surface, Carrie Soto is Back is a very simple, straight-forward story. Carrie Soto is thirty-seven, a retired tennis champion who holds the record for the most Grand Slam wins. The story opens with her sitting in the stands, watching a younger player tie her record. Carrie decides in that moment to come out of retirement and earn her record back, with her father at her side as her coach.

While the story is straight-forward, with no big surprises in the plot, Jenkins Reid does what she tends to do best. She gives us a story filled with real people, all of whom have clear goals and go on their messy journeys as they work toward what they want, finding the things they didn’t know they needed along the way. Carrie is the primary voice in the story, so we get to know her very well, but Jenkins Reid also gives us fully developed characters around her, including her father, her agent, and both male and female tennis players. The characters are well enough developed that I began to question whether they were fictional or historical. (There were actual tennis stars in the periphery of the story, but none as true characters in the tale).

Jenkins Reid also does a great job of dropping us into the different locations of the story. We spend time at Carrie’s home, at Wimbledon, at the US Open, and the other Grand Slams. While I have never been to a tennis game, and don’t enjoy watching it on TV, I found the portrayal of these events engaging enough that I am now tempted to try watching again.

Overall, Carrie Soto is Back is a tightly written story of a woman with a huge goal told in a way that makes the journey deeply personal. Readers who enjoy Jenkins Reid’s ability to dive deep into the characters she brings her readers are likely to love this book.

Happy Publication Day!

I have read many of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books and have enjoyed them all very much. When I saw that she had written a new one I couldn’t wait to read it. Carrie Soto Is Back resides among one of my favorite books TJR has written. I always enjoy how TJR incudes a strong female character in each of her books. Carrie Soto was one of the strongest, most determined characters yet. There were flaws in her personality, interactions and confidence but through it all she persevered. Carrie’s strength was seen through all the drama, controversy and obstacles she was made to endure. Carrie Soto Is Back was a powerful yet inspirational novel. Although it was about the game of tennis, it was so much more. The characters were dynamic and I loved that TJR managed to add an element of romance into the plot of the story. I could not pull myself away once I began reading. Carrie Soto Is Back. It was all that I was hoping it would be and so much more. I really loved everything about this book!

Carrie Soto grew up as an only child. Her father, Javier Soto, was an accomplished, respected and former tennis champion. He was forced to end his career, probably a lot earlier than he planned, due to an injury. Carrie lost her mother when she was quite young. Her mother’s death played a pivotal role in shaping Carrie’s character. From an early age, it was apparent that Carrie had an innate ability for tennis, much like her father had. She was driven and her father was relentless in the drills he made her endure and all the lessons he provided. Her father encouraged her love for the sport and her determination to become the best tennis player ever. She would not accept less. Carrie accomplished all that. In the height of her career, she was ranked number 1 in the world and had won more grand slams than any other female player. Then it was time to retire from tennis.

Now, at the age of 37, Carrie’s record has been tied by a younger female tennis player, Nicki Chan! Carrie had been retired from tennis for six years when this occurred. She sat watching Nicki Chan win the 1994 US Open. With this new information, how could Carrie let Nicki Chan take her record away from her? Carrie made up her mind. She was going to reclaim her title. She could not allow Nicki Chan to win. Carrie would begin to train again. With her father’s help, Carrie would enter and win one more grand slam so she could maintain her record.

Carrie Soto Is Back was about father/daughter relationships, determination, ego, ambition, friendship. resilience, and endurance. Taylor Jenkins Reid developed Carrie’s character to be focused on the prize, brash at times, standoffish and not liked by most. Even though Carrie exhibited an act of confidence outwardly, she was less confident than she appeared. She never had time for friendships growing up since tennis monopolized all her time and she wasn’t interested in anything else but tennis. The absence of friendships and emotions impacted the way Carrie thought others felt about her. I loved watching Carrie evolve when Bowe Huntley came into her life. The relationship Carrie had with her father was raw, emotional and beautiful. I found myself cheering from the sidelines for Carrie. I was her biggest fan! Carrie Soto Is back was heartfelt and inspiring! I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC of Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a good book. It’s quite impressive that Taylor Jenkins Reid can write an entire novel about tennis and athleticism and interest so many readers that may not be into those topics. She amazes me with how she creates such complex characters, I truly love Carrie Soto. For being so unloveable, hard, determined, and badass. She kills it. I didn’t find myself completely obsessed with this book, but it was truly a great read!

3.5 stars

This book has left me with conflicted feelings. While Carrie Soto is one of Taylor Jenkins Reid's most memorable characters, I just don't think this novel is her strongest work. Still a lot to appreciate though even if she didn't serve up an ace. (Yeah, I know what I did there. Come on, it's a book about tennis, I had to!)

When Carrie Soto retired she was the best tennis player the world had ever seen having won twenty Grand Slam titles. At age 37 and out of the sport for a number of years, she has a strong desire to make a comeback after watching Nicki Chan tie her record. Won't be easy jumping back into the world of professional tennis, but she'll have the help of her coach, aka her father, and the will to win.

Because Carrie lives, eats and breathes tennis all day long, the story revolves around practice and matches. I grew up playing the sport so my interest level was high. If you don't like tennis or understand that competitive drive, I honestly don't know if this is the book for you. Carrie is a fascinating character but again, there's a lot of tennis. TJR is a thoughtful writer and brings good things to the table but unfortunately it gets overshadowed by the tennis.

I binge read this book so I did like it but it didn't leave me with an emotional impact like some of the author's other books.

Have you read this incredible book yet? It’s definitely worth ALL the hype it’s been receiving. I’m not sure how TJR managed to make me fall in love with a book about tennis, but here we are. She is the queen of writing strong female leads and Carrie Soto is no exception. I loved Evelyn, Daisy, Nina and now I can add Carrie Soto to the list. I never expected that I would get a chance to read this early, so thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the gifted copy!

At the height of her career, Carrie Soto was the best tennis player in the world. When a new, younger player, Nicki Chan, beats Carrie’s Grand Slam record, she decides to come out of retirement at age 37 to prove once and for all that she will always be the best. While the story mostly focuses on Carrie’s attempt at a comeback, it also dives into her past to show how she got to where she is.

Carrie’s a difficult person to like, and that’s exactly what I like about her. She puts up with no crap, is completely no-nonsense and is often described as cold. Her determination to win and fiercely competitive spirit is inspiring, even if it doesn’t make her any friends in the tennis world. She sacrificed a lot of relationships in order to be the best, and the fact that she is treated differently than her male counterparts for it is glaringly obvious. It’s also a theme that runs throughout TJR’s other character-centric works, as well.

The story is fast paced, quietly funny and full of competitive spirit. I love Carrie’s father, Javier, and their father/daughter relationship is the heart and soul of the story. Carrie’s interactions with her father, Nicki Chan and Bowe were all highlights for me. It wouldn't be TJR without a bit of romance, and you know that was my favorite part.

I continue to be blown away by the amount of effort that TJR puts into the accuracy of her historical novels. I love her writing style and the way she makes me fall in love with her characters over and over again. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, what are you waiting for? Carrie Soto Is Back is available today.

Carrie Soto Is Back is one of my favorite books of 2022. Carrie Soto is my favorite TJR character to date. We briefly met Carrie Soto in TJR’s 2021 book Malibu Rising. She is a tennis phenom who has set seemingly unbeatable stats in her sport. She retires at the peak of her career only to regret the decision a few years later when rising star Nicki Chan inches closer to breaking Soto’s records. She makes a decision to come out of retirement and attempt to hold on to her reign as the GOAT. Soto is honestly a very cold, unlikeable character for much of the book but TJR digs into her core and exposes her vulnerabilities, leaving the reader cheering for her in the end.
Reader be warned…there is A LOT of tennis narrative in this book. Too much for some probably, but I found it fascinating to read. Professional tennis demands precision, split second decision making, understanding the physics of the game-how hard to hit and where to aim the ball on different types of courts, and of course mastering the intense psychological piece of the game. The tennis heavy narrative was crucial to understanding what it takes to be a champion at this level. Highly recommend! Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Anyone who knows me knows I love TJR. I have read and enjoyed all of her books, with some of them being my favorite books of all time. And while I loved Carrie Soto, there was one big reason why this book got 4 instead of 5 stars.

Carrie Soto is Latina, while TJR is white. There has been a lot of justified criticism about this, and I encourage everyone to listen to @tomesandtextiles reel on this. It was a totally unnecessary plot point, and nothing about the story would have changed if Carrie was white - which is a problem. These stories absolutely deserve to be told, but from Latinx (and other BIPOC) authors. White authors should not be checking the box for publishers for inclusion and diversity in books.

Apart from that, I really loved Carrie Soto is Back. I’m always here for a strong, ambitious, “IDGAF” main character. I loved seeing her growth throughout the book, and I was surprised how much I was enthralled by the tennis plot. There were amazing side characters like her father Javier, her rival Nicki Chan, and fellow tennis player Bowe. As always, TJR’s writing was emotive and immersive, and I finished this book in less than a day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid just continues to win at being a remarkable storyteller. Such deep character development AND with a plot that keeps you compulsively turning the pages. Pick this book up if you love any of the following: a sports comeback, father /daughter relationships, strong “unlikeable” heroines, 90s pop culture references.

Recipe inspired by Carries daily intake of almonds and blueberry smoothies — obviously she would never indulge in these scones, but we aren’t all keeping up a strict tennis regimen!

Blueberry Almond Scones

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp cold butter, cubed
1 cup cream
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 blueberry jam
1/4 sliced almonds

Add flours, sugar, baking powder, salt to a bowl and combine. Add cubed butter and cut into dry mixture until the mixture is dry and crumbly. Add cream and blueberries and mix with a spoon until just combined. Turn out dough on a floured surface and work dough lightly into a disk. Spread jam on top and then fold the dough in half and press down again. Add sliced almonds and fold. Top with almonds and sprinkle sugar to add an extra crunch. Cut into triangles and bake at 450° for 12 minutes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC of this!

I’ve really enjoyed TJR’s books in the past, especially Daisy Jones & the Six, so I was thrilled to see she had a new one coming out. Carrie was a fantastic main character, likable in how little she tried to be likable, and by the end I was rooting hard for her to win. The ending was absolutely perfect. I feel like maybe I don’t know tennis well enough to appreciate some of the points of it, but overall I enjoyed the read!

Carrie Soto was considered the Greatest of All Time in the game of women's tennis until an injury forced her into retirement. Now, five years later, Carrie's legacy is on the line. Only one slam win away from losing her title to Nicki Chan, Carrie decides to put herself back in the game despite the odds against her. It will either be the biggest comeback or the biggest failure.

I did not read Malibu Rising in which Carrie Soto first appears to readers. But when I read the synopsis for this book, something drew me in. I think it's the whole underdog story. Because even though Carrie is great and an absolute legend in the game, she's coming back with the odds heavily stacked against her in this situation. Pretty much everyone counts her out except her father Javier who also happens to be her coach. It's the fact that so many people are against her that makes me want to see her reclaim her glory. I'm always a fan when people can shut down the naysayers.

The thing is, Taylor Jenkins Reid has really written a polarizing figure in Carrie Soto. She's unapologetically sure of herself and her capabilities which goes against a societal notion that people, mainly women, need to be humble, gracious, and demure. They definitely shouldn't brag about their accomplishments, know their own worth, or tell it like it is. But Carrie knows her worth and is not afraid to talk about how good she is at the game. It also makes the stakes that much higher because of the weight that loss would put on her shoulders if she fails.

Despite Carrie's brashness and her penchant for being unabashedly upfront - often to the point of alienating herself from others - I wanted her to succeed. Because ultimately within this confidence that she carries is also this significant vulnerability in not knowing who she is without tennis. The story is propelled forward not only with the intensity of the outcome of each match but also in Carrie's journey. Who will she be at the end of this? What happens if she wins is equally as important as what happens if she loses because either way she needs to move towards another path in her life.

The story is all the more poignant as we watch in real time another legend begin her road to retirement. I know that as I'm watching the news Carrie's story has stayed in my mind.