I am always going to love TJR's books. She sucks you in every single time and she makes you fall in love with every character. With that said, this was the first time I didn't love the main character. Carrie had a tough side to her which even though I do appreciate, I don't like when people are mean. And Carrie had a mean side to her that I just didn't connect with. She did change by the end of the book and I did like that. It was a lot of tennis talk but I think TJR did a good job keeping the details of the matches to a good minimum, especially the less important matches. I loved that there was a romance within the story and also the relationship with Carrie and her dad. And of course I always love the little crossovers she does with her books.

I have high hopes when TJR releases a new book, and this one flat out blew them out of the water and left me hugging my Kindle with tears silently streaming down my face once I finished it. I will tell you to do what I should've done and don't try to compare Carrie Soto to any of the tennis legends we know so well - she is one of a kind, as are her rivals, as is this book. It is EXCEPTIONAL and has me yearning to pick my own racquet back up and to call my father and just tell him how much I love him. The audiobook is also fantastic. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

You really can’t go wrong Taylor Jenkins Reid and this book is no exception. I don’t know much about tennis and to be honest, some of the stuff went over my head, but it didn’t even matter. This book was so good! The main character, Carrie, isn’t someone you’d root for. She’s kind of a bitch but as the story progresses, you see her grow and you end up loving her. The secondary characters, Carrie’s father, Javier, and Bowe, you’ll love them from the start.

Overall, great book and would 100% recommend it.

I did not expect to love Carrie Soto is Back. I know nothing about Tennis and was truly skeptical picking up this book. However, Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. From the first few sentences I was pulled in to the story and Carrie Soto's come back. TJR weaves us through the past and present in a way that makes sense and doesn't leave the reader wondering.

Carrie Soto is five years into her retirement when she watches her record disappear right before her eyes. It is at that moment that her father, Javier, and her decide to reclaim it. We follow Carrie on her journey to try and reclaim her titles and record against much younger competitors. All the while learning of her past and why she is the way she is, what makes her have such a hard exterior. Interwoven with a loving, but at times rocky relationship with her father and a somewhat surprising relationship that may be this missing link to her happiness and self acceptance.

If you have ever read and loved a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, do not skip this one. Add it to your TBR, I guarantee you will finish in a very short time.

OMG, Carrie Soto is Taylor Jenkins Reid's best book to date. We follow Carrie Soto, a retired women's tennis player as she gets back into the court for one last season to defend her title against a Nicki Chan who is about to surpass Soto in Slams. This book has so much heart - as a tennis player myself, I felt so invested in Carrie's games and also her life. We go back to Carrie's childhood through a series of tournaments with her father and coach Javier to learn how she became the best in women's tennis. You HAVE to read this book.

I couldn’t wait to post my review for this book.
I really thought I wouldn’t like this book, I like more of TJR older stuff compared to her newer stuff, & knowing it was about tennis I had very low expectations for this one.
I was so wrong. I was hooked pretty quickly on this story & while reading it I kept saying “I love this book & I’m not even sure why.” I don’t care about tennis, or sports in general & even though that was so heavy in this story I ended up loving it. I looked forward to the tennis matches & training. I found it fun to read about all of her tournaments & see her compete.

This book isn’t just about tennis, it’s a beautiful story about a strong woman who unapologetically is who she is & doesn’t care if people don’t like her for it. She gives her all & then some & you get to watch her come back & do it all again. Now don’t get me wrong, she is a hard person to get along with but she is who she is & she has such fight that you can’t help but root for her the whole time.
It’s a story of a father & daughter & how special that relationship is. I melted time & time again over their relationship & cried during a specific part of their relationship. He was her hero, & she was his.

Overall it was just a surprisingly beautiful story & im so glad I got the chance to read it before it releases. If you love TJR I am sure you will love this one by her.

Thank you to @netgalley & Ballantine for the E-ARC copy of this book I can’t wait to buy the physical copy for my shelf.

TJR you have done it again! Only she could get me fully invested in a new sport…. While listening I felt the need to put a match on in the background to really immerse the experience! I’m sure reading this physically would be wonderful but the audio was brilliant. I loved that’s of narrators and felt like I was watching a high stakes day of tennis. The bond between Carrie and her father was one I will always remember from a book! I truly never wanted it to end and felt like I could listen to hours worth of Carrie Soto coverage!

Wow!! I am not well after finishing this one. I will be honest and say that Malibu Rising was not a hit for me, so I was reluctant to delve deeper into a character from an adjacent universe. So glad I didn’t let that cloud my judgment. Carrie Soto is Back was everything that I wanted from TJR and will now rival Evelyn for me (Daisy is unfortunately untouchable for me).

Carrie Soto is a legendary tennis player, she is a win-at-all-costs kind of b*tch who is laser focused on the game and can’t be bothered with the rest. When she retired from tennis she held the record for Most Grand Slams won by any player, but that all changes at the 1994 US Open when Nikki Chan claims the win, taking with it her 21st grand slam. As Carrie watches it all unfold from the first row of the match, she makes the shocking decision to get back in the game. For 4 more grand slams, with her father and coach Javier Soto by her side, she is determined to take back what is rightfully hers. At 37 she would be the oldest woman to ever do it. Carrie Soto is back - will she be as great as she was, or maybe even greater?

I don’t even know what to say about this book - Carrie is so unlikeable in so many ways and yet so much of that becomes her power and what draws you to her. I will take away lessons from Carrie (and Jav) that will stick with me in my life. This book made me cry - it is full of heart and beauty, on and off the court. I know you would never miss the new TJR but I am here to tell you that you should pre-order this and read it on 8/30 the second you get it in your hands.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC - I was so beyond thrilled to receive this and this book was everything. DO NOT MISS IT!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. Carrie Soto Is Back is another superb book that combines wit, humor, stronger female characters, and moving movements in a way that only Jenkins Reid can do. I enjoyed Carrie as a character and I thought that her inner struggle between wanting to be the best and realizing how others saw her was interesting. The book is amazing, but the best parts to me were the moments between Carrie and her dad. As someone who does not enjoy sports, I went into this one a bit skeptical but I really enjoyed every moment of it. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait for the next book. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me this ARC in exchange for honest review.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Expected publication date: August 30, 2022

Date read: June 27, 2022



Carrie Soto was raised to be a professional tennis player, and she succeeded. Her drive and determination made her the best player in the world, with twenty Grand Slam titles to her name. But her fierce style of play and unfriendliness to her fellow competitors has also made her unpopular with the other players. Then, at thirty-seven, six years after retiring, Carrie is watching the 1994 US Open as Nicki Chan ties her record. Despite her age, her injuries, and her reputation, Carrie decides to come out of retirement for one season in order to beat Nicki and take her record back.

We first met Carrie Soto in Malibu Rising, as the other woman in Nina’s relationship. She was unlikable by virtue of her position, but in her one scene managed to come off as funny and intriguing. So when I saw that Carrie would be getting her own book, I was intrigued.

This book did not disappoint. I loved Carrie Soto. She’s a mostly unlikable person, and if I met her in real life I would hate her, but she’s funny and driven and knows what she wants. I found myself rooting for her so hard as she attempted her comeback.

The beginning chapters of this book are a little tough at times. They’re a little slow, but more because of the excitement to get to the present day. Mostly it’s just hard to watch Carrie as a child being denied any part of a childhood. The scene where she’s 9 years old and asks her dad to take her for ice cream, but he makes her run in the sand for conditioning instead is heartbreaking. While the first half of the book is a little slower than the second, this insight into why Carrie is the way she is allows her to be sympathetic despite her unlikability.

From the point where Carrie announced that she was coming out of retirement, however, I was hooked and didn’t want to put this book down. The final match was predictable in that we knew who the players would be, but I still had no idea how the author would play it out.

It is not necessary to have read Malibu Rising before this book, nor is it necessary to understand or like tennis to read this book. While it is tennis-heavy, the rules are explained in the book. I have never cared for tennis, and I even field like I would watch tennis now.

Overall, this book is a delight. It features an unlikable main character and shouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is, but it’s fantastic. This is the mark of a great writer, and i will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. Even if you read Malibu Rising and didn’t like Carrie, don’t let that put you off from this book. It’s a great story by a wonderful author. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Content warning: death of a family member, child abuse* (I don’t personally think that what Carrie’s father put her through for training constitutes child abuse, but a reader with a child abuse trigger might, so I will include it here.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I just want to start this review by thanking Taylor Jenkins Reid for writing this beautiful book that really spoke to me. This book felt like it was made for me. I love a powerful, angry woman in literature, and full disclosure, I play and love tennis. Carrie Soto is the best at tennis in the world, until she retires, and another player, Nicki Chan starts beating her record. With a lot to prove, Carrie comes out of retirement to reclaim Grand Slam titles, with her dad as her coach. This book is a lot about sports and tennis, but obviously it’s about a lot more. It’s about grief, love, family, fear of failure, but most poignantly, to me, it’s about being great and embracing your greatness while not apologizing for it. Women apologize all the time, and this book is a counter balance to all that female guilt. It’s about a woman who is perfectly imperfect, but knows she’s amazing at what she does, and to me, that’s a breath of fresh air in this world. If you’re a woman who is tired of dimming your shine in order for people to feel better (particularly men) this book is for you. If you want to see a woman main character be great, while growing as a human and never apologizing for it, this book is for you. Also this book is very well paced, and the movement between sports commentary, tennis matches, and insight into the main character work well. I highly highly recommend this book for fans of women’s literature and empowerment, sports (particularly tennis), and a great, well written, exciting story.

I have really enjoyed Taylor Jenkins Reid's previous work and Daisy Jones and the Six and Malibu Rising are some of my favorite books of the past few years. I am also a big sports fan and a former college athlete so I was excited that TJR turned to the sports world for her latest novel. All that being said, this book definitely did not disappoint. In classic TJR fashion, this novel felt like I was reading a real account of a real athlete and events in history, despite Carrie Soto and all the other characters only existing in the author's imagination. Speaking of the author's imagination and the characters and world she has created, this novel is mostly independent of TJR's previous work, but it also exists in the world that TJR has created through her novels where Nina Riva and Daisy Jones and the Six exist, and connections and odes to those characters are made. I was also found the tennis action, from training to matches, to be very compelling. As I said, I am a sports fan, but I admittedly don't follow tennis match and this book made me want to start to follow tennis more. There were themes here that I could relate to as a former athlete, but there are also plenty of themes that I think many could relate to and understand. While Carrie Soto herself may or not be a relatable character at the surface, she is certainly memorable and enthralling. It's clear that Taylor Jenkins Reid has created another hit and this will be another much talked about novel once it is published. This was my 200th book read for 2022 and it was the best one yet!

Wow I really enjoyed Carrie Soto is Back! I was a little wary after reading Malibu Rising last year, I didn’t love it and felt the book was too long for such little plot. TJR really impressed me with this one though, like Carrie Soto, she has a come back. I love sports and a come back story, I love when someone is underestimated (even once their greatness has been proven) and they journey to come out on top again. I think this book was compelling. I especially loved Carrie for being who she was regardless of what everyone else thought. Special shout out to Bowe who turned out to be a real babe. I highly recommend this read!

4.75/5 stars

Taylor Jenkins Reid has given us another great read with Carrie Soto Is Back! And this time it’s a sports drama. Not into tennis? Me either, but trust me, you’ll be *love tennis* after TJR works her magic within the first ten pages.

But you will not like the titular character, Carrie Soto. You will hate and love her because she’s cocky, self centered and plays to win. She’s not here to make friends or even be friendly. In fact, it is her lack of humility that inspires the sports world to give her the nickname “The Bitch.” Within Carrie Soto is a double standard: men like Carrie are praised for self assuredness and focus whereas Carrie is deemed a bitch.

The novel isn’t limited to its feminist focus— novel raises questions about many topics outside of sexism, such as ageism and racism in sports.

Most of Carrie’s career is covered in the first half or so of the book. It’s in the second half that Carrie comes out of retirement to take back her record from a worthy contender, Nikki Chan. The story is perfectly paced and had me interested at every point.

Other notable points of this novel: just like we saw in Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo, TJR is a master at weaving interviews, articles and other forms of media into her storytelling. This is especially compelling in Carrie Soto which is largely told from the perspective of the titular character —TJR uses sportscaster banter to give yet another perspective of the events at hand.

Something I’ve also been thinking about is how this novel might compare to TJR’s other well known work, such as Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones. Like its predecessors, Carrie Soto is very much a book about a woman perusing her dreams while in the limelight. I can’t figure out what sets it apart from the others, though. Maybe I’m just wowed by the fact that it’s a great book that also happens to be about a sport I had zero interest in beforehand.

5/5 stars. I hate that I have to wait for another Taylor Jenkins Reid book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love TJR and this book is just another great one to add to the list. I didn't think I liked Carrie when I started the book, but I ended up loving her and rooting for her. I loved the dynamic of Carrie and her Dad also. Great addition to my TJR obsession!

Carrie Soto is back, and so is Taylor Jenkins-Reid. This book may be a new favorite. Carrie is not just a tennis player, she is the best tennis player in the world. Known as the Battle Axe for her ruthless play both on and off the court, Carrie eat, sleeps, and breathes tennis from her childhood through to her retirement. But a few short years later, a new player is set to overcome Carrie’s record of most Slams held and Carrie cannot let that happen. So with her father by her side as her coach, she comes out of her retirement to defend her title.

But things are different now. The game is different, Carrie’s sponsors are unsure, and the sports casters are more cutting than ever. Things are not the same as they were when she retired, and neither is Carrie. She is older and slower, but she may not be as cold as she used to be either.

Can Carrie hold onto her title? Can she open up herself to a different kind of play, a larger circle of people, and the possibility that she’s no longer the best player…and that’s ok? Is holding the title everything it’s cracked up to be? And if she successfully defends it, what will be next for Carrie Soto?

Taylor Jenkins-Reid has another amazing book on her hands. I was so enthralled with the world of Carrie Soto. From a fringe character in Malibu Rising, Carrie comes screaming to the forefront as one of the best characters from Taylor Jenkins-Reid yet.

“We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men.” - Carrie Soto

And that she is - an exceptional woman. This exceptional woman who speaks her mind, not because she wants to, but because she can. This exceptional woman who pushes her body past its limit training to be the best tennis player in the world, not because she can, but because she wants to. This same exceptional woman who redefines the meaning of tough, but also grapples with sensitivities buried deep within her heart. This exceptional woman? She is Carrie Soto. We meet Carrie as she embarks on her quest for the greatest comeback of all time - all to keep tennis rival, Nicki Chan, from taking her world record title. As the story unfolds, you want to warn Carrie about the decisions she’s making. You want to beg her to open her heart. You want to shake her into believing that there is more to life than being a champion. But, you realize Carrie has to figure that out on her own.

I received an advance reader copy of Carrie Soto is back, and to say that I could not wait to dive into Carrie’s story is an understatement. In true Taylor Jenkins Reid fashion, the story moves without hesitation. TJR’s ability to provide the reader with suspense is a gift handed directly to her readers. Her main characters have problems to face, lessons to learn, and solutions that provide a big exhale. And perhaps the best part of reading a TJR story is just that. Reading the way each story unfolds, the arcs each character goes through, the hints of past TJR characters woven into the story, and the endings that feel like beginnings…which is why I rate Carrie Soto is Back 5 stars.

This was more like a 4.5 for me, but I rounded down.

Carrie Soto was a tennis sensation in the 80’s breaking records and dominating two mens tennis. In the 90’s Nicki Chan is threatening to break her record years after she has retired. Carrie cannot deal with not “being the best” and jumps back in after all these years to keep her spot at the top. Will it ever be enough or does being at the top always instill some level of greed and always wanting more/never feeling satisfied?

I’ll start by saying that I’ve found all the TJR books I’ve read enjoyable. Although this still doesn’t trump Evelyn Hugo, it was a great read. If I was into tennis, this may have been a 5, but the tennis lingo was heavy and at times made me Google a bit. Overall a really great book and I’m so glad I was able to get my hands on an advance copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Hutchinson Heinemann for this e-Arc!! Carrie Soto is Back is out 8/30!

Taylor Jenkins Reid never disappoints with female leads that are rich in character and have you rooting for them! Really
Enjoyed following Carrie’s tennis journey. It was a pretty tennis heavy book, which at times prevented more In depth looks at each of the characters. I found myself just wanting more of Carrie and less of the tennis scenes.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a book about the world of tennis, but more than that, it’s a character study on what it takes to be at the top of your sport. I don’t know much about the sport of tennis, and I’m not much of a sports person, but I still loved this book.

Carrie Soto is retired now from professional tennis, but someone is about to take her title for winning the most grand slams, and she’s not about to let that happen. It doesn’t matter that she’s 37 years old now, ancient for a professional tennis player, or that it’s been several years since she played professionally. She doesn’t need the money, but that title is hers.

Carrie Soto was single-minded in her pursuit of winning all the tennis titles. With her father, Javier as her coach, there was nothing and no one who she would let get in her way of winning. She finally achieved everything she set out to do in the world of tennis and that’s when she decided to retire. But a hot new player, Nikki Chan is just about to pass her in the number of tennis titles, and that has Carrie Soto back on the court, training harder than she ever had before to take those titles back. Can she do it? What cost to Carrie?

I’ll admit, I wasn’t excited about a book about tennis, I don’t know much about the sport, but this is by one of my favorite authors, so I decided to give it a try, and I’m so very glad I did! Sure, there is a lot about tennis, but it’s mostly a character-driven novel and Carrie Soto is a fascinating character. So is her father, Javier.

Carrie Soto is back is a bit like one of those sports comeback movies where you have the washed-up baseball player (football, hockey, boxer, etc) and they work hard and make a comeback. But, Carrie Soto is so much more than that, it’s more about her journey to finding out what can make her happy, and how she grows into so much more than just a tennis player. As well as Carrie, I found her father, Javier a very interesting character, as her father and coach, I enjoyed their relationship and their love for each other.

Now for the tennis. I said before, I’m not much of a fan of professional tennis and I don’t know much about the sport, but somehow, the author has made me a fan. I was on the edge of my seat at every tournament, wondering how Carrie will play, and of course, I was rooting her on at every turn. I didn’t need to know much about tennis to read this book or get into the nuances of the sport as the author does a phenomenal job of making the sport easy for me to understand and compelling enough to make me love the sport.

I also enjoyed the little appearances by other characters from the author’s earlier books. It just makes Taylor Jenkins Reid’s world so much more realistic. And as I’m close to Carrie Soto’s age, I enjoyed a lot of the little bits of culture from the different era’s in the book.

I highly recommend Carrie Soto is Back to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.