TJR is a master of her craft. I don’t care one stitch about tennis, but I was all in for Carrie Soto. Carrie is a rich, complex character, on the comeback. Is this a story about the game of tennis? Sure. Ultimately is about the redemptive power of love, between friends, competitors, a parent and child, and what happens when one woman learns to trust herself. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for my gifted ARC.

Game. Set. Match. Taylor Jenkins Reid served this one straight to my heart and wins again.

Carrie Soto is abrasive, cocky, unfiltered and unapologetic for it. Back in the '80's, early in her professional tennis career, her aggressive style of play earned her the moniker the "Battle-Axe", and as she coolly dominated her competitors, later just "The B*tch". She never tried to make friends with any of them and where men were concerned, she kept her heart out of play. It was just her and her dad, Javier "The Jaguar" Soto, himself a one-time tennis great in Argentina, all those years perfecting and honing her game so that she could be what Javier told her from the very beginning she would be:

The greatest tennis player the world has ever seen. Not the greatest women's player, mind you. No. The best. Period.

The record books certainly supported that assessment, and when she retired, she did so holding perhaps her most defining record as the winner of the most Grand Slam titles by ANY player ever.

Now, six years later, it's the 1994 U.S. Open, and she and Javier have just witnessed thirty-one year old Nicki "The Beast" Chan, tie this milestone record. With her father's support, Carrie makes the decision she's convinced she must make: to come out of retirement at thirty-seven years of age and earn that record back, and she's only giving herself four tournaments in which to do so: The Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

What will Carrie's legacy be? I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that it's a journey worth taking with her!

Ironically, the period of time this story was set in was the period of time in my life growing up when I went through my "tennis phase". For a few years there, tennis captivated me. I was engrossed in watching TV matches with the greats like Martina Navritalova, Chris Evert Lloyd, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, and my personal favorite, Ivan Lendl. This book took me right back to those days like being wrapped in a warm and fuzzy blanket! The familiar 80's pop culture references only added to my delight.

Despite her flaws, Carrie had my heart from the very beginning, and her dad, Javier, did too. They shared the loss of Carrie's mom when she was young, and he never remarried, instead devoting himself to coaching her considerable talent for tennis and trying his best to instill good character in her. She was fiercely stubborn and headstrong in her goals, sometimes at his expense, but I never once doubted their deep love and respect for each other. He's the kind of dad every girl would be lucky to have!

Watching Carrie claw her way back into shape, overcome her mental hurdles and try to find her footing in the game she once dominated kept me completely enthralled, and her relationship with Javier, as both coach and father, was in turns heartwarming and heartbreaking. Seeing her evolve from someone who has little real estate in her heart for others, to someone who can allow some emotional vulnerability with them made for a satisfying emotional arc - particularly where her romantic relationship was concerned.

Those of you who read Malibu Rising will have met Carrie before, as well as a few other characters, and TJR even does a cute nod to Daisy Jones & the Six. The book isn't what I would call straight up historical fiction, though it's definitely flavored with it and at times even dips into a documentary style, interspersing fictional op-eds, sports articles and tournament match replays with the story of Carrie and Javier, and later, her romantic relationship. The chapters are short and keep the story moving well, but the biggest strength of the book is honestly TJR's immense skill at writing characters. I ADORED the characters in this story. They made me feel all the feels: good, bad and ugly!

One bit of advice: if you can read this on a Kindle, that's my recommendation, since there's quite a bit of Spanish. I was able to use the translate option to quickly find meaning, but those reading a hardcover or listening along will either have to glean the meaning the best they can or keep looking it up. Most can be generally deduced from context. My only other teeny tiny niggle is that TJR doesn't seem to like using contractions much, which makes some dialogue feel more formal than it would be in normal conversation.

All that said: Taylor Jenkins Reid, you ACED this!

★★★★★

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley and author Taylor Jenkins Reid for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It's due for publication on August 30th, 2022.

Carrie Soto is Back is the story of the retired holder of a record 20 grand slam tennis wins who wants to return to tennis to keep newbie Nikki Chan from breaking her record. Her trainer father brings in Bowe Huntley, a player she once dated to train with her. Known as “The Battle Axe” for her strong demeanor, Carrie May finally gain a personal life. An enjoyable escape with a strong message.

I have found my new favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid character, and I found it in Carrie Soto. I’m not sure if it was her ambition or her honesty- but Carrie Soto is one refreshing character to get to know in Reid’s newest book. Like all of us, she is complex- seemingly unafraid to speak her mind and doesn’t care if others like her, yet drastically cares that she is seen by all as the best. As she wrestles with this throughout the book, you get a chance to see a character, flaws and all, navigate her way through grief, loss, passion, letting herself love, healing childhood wounds, and finding a way to herself. I felt drawn to and inspired by her. While I loved all the main characters in Reid’s novels, Soto might just take the cake for being my all time favorite. Perhaps at least until Reid comes out with her next one. But she’s got one hell of a character to top.

Okay I will probably be in the minority here! But not my fave TJR installment! I thought I was going to love Carrie and her journey. The synopsis and initial setup resonated with me. However, the discussion about white authors writing POC authors is a valuable one, and in my eyes the constant Spanish speaking felt performative rang hollow. I could understand it but I'm not sure how those without school-age Spanish could, perhaps they can "get it" from the context, and it didn't really add to the story. The tennis scenes were impossible to look away from, and I loved the exploration of the father/daughter relationship.

Thankful to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an early eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great TJR book. This was a story about the relationship between Carrie Soto and her father. How that relationship affected every aspect of her life. My only issue with the book is that I don't appreciate when white authors write about marginalized communities, TJR is already an author that has had some microaggressions in her writing I don't it's a great idea for her to tackle a Latinx character especially adding in Spanish. Especially gettting some words wrong. I'm not sure if she had sensitivity readers but they definitely failed her. I honestly think we don't have enough Latinx writers writing characters like this but to get it wrong was just a total fail.

Besides that this book was great. The writing was superb. The idea was great, the character growth was amazing. TJR such stick to writing strong female characters which is what Carrie Soto is and that was amazing but let's leave the race out of it. Because of that this book gets such a low rating for me. it bothered me the entire time I was reading the book because I am a Latinx reader and I can't just turn it off.

Thanks to Net Galley for an arc as always all words are my own.

TJR once again creates a heroine (among the ranks of Evelyn, Daisy, and Nina) whose story is so compelling and beautiful (wait, these are fictional characters?!) that you find yourself rooting for her throughout. No need to have any interest or knowledge about tennis to be sucked in by this comeback story of Carrie Soto.

Daisy Jones and the Six missed the mark for me, and I liked but didn't LOVE Malibu Rising. However, for me, Carrie Soto is Back means TJR IS BACK AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. I did not even read the description before diving into this book and I'm glad I didn't go into it with any preconceived notions about what it may be about (literally did not even know the topic). The characters were complex and at (many) times, unlikeable which added to it for me. I immediately added this book to my favorites list of 2022!

I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto is a retired tennis player. She has been coached by her father since she was very young. After her mother's death tennis is her bond with her dad and her sole purpose in life is to be the best. She holds the record of winning 20 grand slams but at age 37 she watches her record about to be shattered and decides to make a come back.

There is a lot of tennis but I never felt bored by it. Carrie didn't start out as very likeable but she grew on me. I loved the relationship with her dad. He wanted her to succeed but he just wanted her to be happy. Carrie's relationship with Bowe was complicated and in the end I was rooting for both Bowe and Carrie to win. Heck I even liked Carrie's opponent Nicki.

The only downside for me was there was a lot of Spanish that I didn't understand. At first I tried to figure it out but then I just ignored it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with a copy.

This book is so so good. I read it In two days and couldn’t get enough. She made a book about tennis with a tough to love main character so interesting. Made me want to play some tennis too!

This was SUCH a beautifully written story - we wouldn’t expect less from TJR! I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it going in, but this was pure magic! I LOVED Carrie, I ADORED Javier (maybe my favorite character in this book), and I LOVED Bowe! So so much! Carrie wasn’t always easy to like, but damn that girl went after what she knew she deserved and I adored and respected her for it! I’m raising 3 daughters, and if they can have even an ounce of the confidence and character that TJR gave Carrie, I’ll be thrilled! I did not expect a book about tennis to release so many emotions in me - but I laughed, I sobbed, and I swooned. I loved reading about Carrie training, I got nervous reading about each of her matches…This was Just pure magic! I’ll definitely be ordering a copy for my shelves!

I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never been a huge TJR fan. Daisy Jones and the Six was fine; Malibu Rising was tedious at best (and frankly ill-timed given that a fire in CA is a central plotpoint, but I digress). But I like women’s tennis, so I gave her another chance here.

I still don’t love TJR’s writing; in particular, I don't like the way TJR incorporates references to her past books because it's frankly too obvious and cheap for me (like I groaned very loudly when Carrie reads a book and it's described as “an unauthorized biography of Daisy jones and the Six”). I struggled with the Spanish incorporated throughout because the syntax felt off, but that is quite possibly more a "me thing" because I know Castilian Spanish, and I assume the Spanish Carrie and her father speak has roots in Argentinian Spanish (the lack of translation absolutely did not bother me and other reviewers complaining about that should get over themselves).

I did find Carrie Soto compelling as a heroine (even if there's part of me that wonders if Serena Williams could sue given how many aspects of the character are clearly drawn from Williams's life and career). It's heavy on the tennis, which was fine by me, but I do think readers should ideally have a passing interest in the sport to properly enjoy the story. The pacing was solid, and while the narrative was predictable as hell, I didn’t mind it as much. I’m pleasantly surprised.

DNF for me. Am I the only one not under the Taylor Jenkins Reid spell? I was so bored and debated of I should continue. Ultimately I decided to cut my losses.

Carrie Soto is Back is available August 30,2022.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wow I wanted to love this one, I really really wanted to. TJR is one of my favourite authors but not being a tennis fan had me worried going in and I’ll admit - the first 100 or so pages I thought TJR’s amazing storytelling ability had won me over. But in the end, the non stop tennis play by play just bored me.

I liked Carrie’s “BattleAxe” attitude. I laughed out loud at a couple of things she said in interviews.

I loved the relationship between Carrie and her dad. As much as it was a main focus in the plot, I found the tennis talk overshadowed it. There truly wasn’t much of a story behind the tennis - it got repetitive …fast.

I know I’m in the minority with this one, but I know I’m not alone. I think this will be a major hit or major miss type of book and unfortunately it’s the latter for me.

I loved this book. I refuse to say that Carrie is unlikeable because as a woman, we’re always expected to shrink ourselves.
But although I love TJR, I can hold her accountable for still writing MCs from a community that she is not in.

I really enjoyed this book. I have loved every book by Taylor Jenkins Reid so far. Javier was my favorite character with Bowe as a close second.

TJR has done it again! In this newest book, I will not address whether or not we get to bump into our beloved(?) Mick Riva.

But after getting a glimpse of Carrie in Malibu Rising, I knew I wanted to know more about her.

She is a tough cookie. She’s complicated, she’s focused, and she doesn’t have time for anything that would deter her from the game. However, the battle over being the best and her father’s visions for her as the best butts heads with the fact that maybe she won’t always be the best. At the end of the day, all that matters is her love of the game. And man, she comes to learn just how much she loves it.

And listen, while this is primarily a book about tennis, it’s also not just a book about tennis. There’s love, there’s identity, there’s purpose. And there’s Carrie and Serena and her dad. And Argentinian representation.

And, I will forever read anything TJR writes. And so should you. Especially this beautiful book.

The surest sign of a good book is when you finish it and keep thinking about it for the next several days. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s newest release was that book for me. Even though tennis was not my sport, I enjoyed the book due the focus on competition and how an athlete has to be both physically and mentally prepared in order to win.

Carrie Soto was raised by her father after her mother’s death when she was very young. Her father was also the one who taught her the game of tennis and later became her coach when she played professionally. Having been a tennis player himself, Javier was an expert at how tennis should be played beautifully.

Naturally, Carrie and her father shared a very close relationship and I felt this just made the story that much better. When Bowe, another tennis player, entered the picture to help Carrie train, he became a part of their family unit and tennis team in such a natural and sweet way.

Readers don’t have to have a knowledge of tennis to enjoy this, although it would make the thrill of the games more impactful. I think any reader that loves sports or competition will enjoy the book. The relationships that evolve in the story definitely add another dimension to the sport and I will certainly be recommending this to my friends.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

My bookish friends often tease me about the length and detail of my Goodreads reviews because I always seem to have something “interesting” to say about the books that I’ve read. Not so with Carrie Soto. This book is just wow. And I mean wow in a good way.

The book was about unapologetically about tennis, and read with the blinding speed and frenetic energy of a tennis match. There are very few asides or explanations for the reader to slow down the pace. Don’t know what a slice or volley or backhand is? Too bad, this book is moving on without you. Even the bits and pieces of Argentine Spanish between the female main character and her father were left untranslated to keep the story moving forward.

I absolutely loved how the book ended. Although the chapter headings in the table of contents do give away some of the plot, I was amazed by what happened inside the last two chapters. Tearing up now just thinking about how unexpected it was!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is only other Taylor Jenkins Reid book that I’ve read. But after reading this one, I may very well pick up Malibu Rising in the near future.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Daisy Jones, Evelyn Hugo, Nina Riva, and now Carrie Soto.
Taylor Jenkis Reid has once again proved that she can write the most perfectly imperfect woman lead. This stands true.
This is the story of Carrie Soto, a tennis player who comes out of retirement to reclaim her world record. It is also another chance to be coached by her father, with whom she is very close. Their relationship throughout this book is so charming.
So with that being said, Carrie Soto is Back is basically a complilation of a ton of tennis matches and their play by plays. Like a lot of tennis. I thought there was FAR too much commentary / narration on tennis matches, recaps and strategy (this took up about 80% of the book). I would have liked to see more focus on the father-daughter storyline! Yes it’s true, we got to know and love Gwen, Carrie’s agent, Ali, and Bowe became not only a real love but an absolute rock to Carrie and her father, I craved more!
If you’re a sports fan (and particularly a tennis fan), I’m sure you’ll love this one. If you don’t care much for sports, this may not be the one for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.