I cannot believe I am typing these words, but I DNF'd this Taylor Jenkins Reid book.

I am a die-hard TJR fan. I am completely obsessed with every book she's ever written... ... ...except this one. Why? I'm not sure exactly. But I do know that it did NOT pull me in at all. AT. ALL. And, I have to say, when this book came out, it did not get a lot of hype outside of the fact that TJR had put out a new book, and that she was writing a Latina woman as a white woman...which is a no-no.

*sigh* I was so excited about a new Taylor Jenkins Reid book and I hate that I was so let down. Will I continue to read and praise her other books, OF COURSE! One book isn't going to put me off of one of the top writers of this generation.

This was a fantastic book! If you've read Malibu Rising by the same author then you already know who Carrie Soto is. But you won't really know her until reading this book. I found it so interesting even though I am not a fan of tennis. It is wonderfully written and lays bare all the flaws of a professional athlete. And that ending! Five stars.

As with all of Taylor's book, I was completely immersed in this world of pro tennis, ambition, and risk. Another glowing historical from Reid!

So far I've loved every Taylor Jenkins Reid book and loved it, so I had high hopes for Carrie Soto Is Back and I was not disappointed! I actually read this book in one day, because I just couldn't put it down. Besides Carrie telling her story I loved the articles and interviews we see throughout the story about the competitions and other athletes.

I honestly know nothing about tennis, but that didn't bug me while reading this book. I learned a lot along the way and was invested in all of these competitions! I probably wouldn't have been that invested in actual tennis honestly, haha. I think we also saw the double standards when it came to sports and men vs. women and how it's hard to overcome certain aspects in that world.

Okay, so let's talk about the story! I personally didn't like Carrie for quite awhile. I'm all for being proud of yourself and not letting anyone take away your worth, but she's a bit much. Her story kept me reading though and I'm glad I did. When she's 37 and wants back into the sport, you start to see a change. Competing is different and there are some players who are better and Carrie has to deal with this. I also like how we see her relationship with her father grow and how she slowly opens herself up to love and maybe new career possibilities.

Carrie Soto Is Back is a book that made me care about sports and that's not something I do! These characters felt real and I couldn't get enough. I also appreciated to the pop culture references from those years and even a mention of one of the author's previous books! I can't wait to see what the author does next!

My review will be published on https://thebookdutchesses.com on May 27th!

TJR could write the phonebook and it would be a story I would devour. I don't know how she does it. She creates these amazing women and gives them incredible stories we can't get enough of.

I really love Taylor Jenkins Reid and all of her backlist books, but this one was just not my favorite. I am very sports oriented and found myself getting bored with the constant tennis talking. I also did not care at all for the main character. She was horrible to everyone, mainly because she felt like she was the best at tennis and didn't have time for anyone that couldn't help her stay at the top, including her father. I kept wanting a more in depth relationship sooner in this novel. I am disappointed because I thought this would be a 5 star!

For about 2/3 of the book Carrie was so unlikable and unbearable to me, that it really interferes with enjoying the other components of the story. However, she does develop towards the end of the book. But before that she’s entitled, arrogant, & just annoying for really no reason other than wanting to be the best. She treats everyone like they’re below her, including her father. However, once she accepts that she won’t necessarily be the greatest, she transforms into a much more likable character.

First of all, this book is screaming for a Ryan Murphy miniseries: the music and costumes alone would be amazing. I enjoyed this more than I expected, especially because a good bit of it was describing in detail about 30 tennis matches. I likes that Carrie was unapologetic, and never really had a classic “redemption”, she was a badass and she didn’t need to be softened, as some authors would have tried to do. The audiobook read by a full cast was lots of fun.

Thank you to #netgalley and #TaylorJennkinsReid for my advanced readers copy! My thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, I had heard so much hype about this author, and when I saw this one pop up on netgalley I figured I would give it a shot. Sadly, I had to find the audio to help me get through this one. It's not that it was bad, but it was very tennis heavy. I'm not sure what i was expecting, but it was heavy on the tennis terminology. I was hoping for more background in her life and not just that she was a great tennis player. Her writing may not be for me, but that doesn't mean that it won't be for someone else. I will still give other of her books a try

Considering the very little I know about tennis, I really enjoyed this book. I know, I'm surprised too (sarcastic) that I loved another TJR novel. She just has the best way of capturing an essense of a person, their whole dynamic, what makes them tick, and what makes them tough. Her characters, especially Carrie, were so life-like, and I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

4.25 This story kind of followed Serena Williams story and it was very entertaining even though I am not the biggest fan of sports or know anything about Tennis. This story follows Carrie Soto the best female tennis player as she comes out of retirement to defend her records she has broken in the past. We follow Carrie and her father as he picks up coaching her once again. We follow the two throughout their struggles as Carrie tries to get back into her past shape. She quickly realizes she will never be as fast or strong as she had once been but learns to start depending more on strategy.The relationship between Carrie and her father was what really got me into this story and kept me hooked. We also follow as Carrie picks up a relationship with Beau now these two characters I felt had no chemistry. Overall though I did enjoy the story and will continue to pick up everything by this author! I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing is so smooth, it's easy to forget that you're reading. It feels like the conversations and emotions on the page are literally playing out in front of you. I wasn't sure how feel about Carrie Soto as the protagonist after the role she had in Malibu Rising, but her willpower and her relationship with her father were something to behold. It's a great conversation about the benefits and downfalls of pushing ourselves to our limits. This book will stick with me for a long time to come.

Meh. Not sure what all the hype is about. I enjoyed Evelyn Hugo (though isn't she also Latinx MC?) and Daisy Jones. I preferred that Norma Jean King movie with Emma Stone and Steve Carrell and the book, Open by Andre Agassi much more than this book. And I also don't really give a crap about tennis. And why is TJR writing a Latinx MC? I would've rather have seen her put out a call to a Latinx author that she would like to co-write a book together about a Latinx tennis player and amplify them and their story that way.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

Carrie Soto is Back
By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Release Date: 8/30/22
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review:
I don’t know anything about tennis, but this book made me want to watch and play! 🎾 I loved that this wasn’t just focused on the sport, but you could also watch Carrie’s growth throughout, while also remaining a strong, badass, independent female. Another thing I love is how the author has created this little world that feels totally real inside of her books. The crossovers between this, Malibu Rising, and Daisy Jones and the Six makes me so happy. I would recommend this to anyone who’s loved any other Taylor Jenkins Reid books!

I do love a good TJR book! This was probably my least favorite of her most recent releases of the past few years. I am certain that any tennis/sports fan would enjoy the thoughts/motivations/a glimpse into the the thoughts and psyche of a professional athlete who has made it to the top. I, however, am not one of those people, so I felt detached from a lot of her thoughts and motivations. Carrie Soto isn't the most likeable MC that I've ever read, either. The arc of the story, however, and the development of the characters was something I did appreciate!

I know that I can always rely on TJR to write a well rounded female character. Carrie Soto is clearly not a likable character, but she brings attention to the fact that ambitious and successful women are rarely perceived as such. This wasn't my favorite TJR novel, but definitely still had those essential elements that make me want to continuously pick up her books.

#CarrieSoto:

Carrie Soto.. is a No-no for me. Now, I love TJR. I will always always love TJR. But this book just didn’t do it for me. I’ll be honest, a lot of the hype around this book killed it for me. Also, a lot of the speaking for the Latinx community while clearly not fully understanding the life of a Latinx really grinds me. While Evelyn was not American, her story didn’t touch much on her heritage. Carrie did and it just felt.. wrong?

Regardless of how I felt about the Latinx scope of this book, it just didn’t grip me like the others. I loved the sports announcement/commentary format. LOVED IT. But the in between were just.. meh. Not a fan. The plot just left me longing more, needing more.

Overall, a very rare miss for me from TJR. I cannot wait to see what comes next and hope it is much better than whatever Carrie Soto was.

Thanks @penguin for my copy. Carrie Soto is Back is out now.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a must-read for anyone who loves sports, perseverance, and determination. Reid's writing is captivating and her characters are complex and intriguing. Carrie Soto is a fierce and ambitious tennis player who has sacrificed almost everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. After retiring for six years, Carrie decides to come back and fight for her record against a young and brutal player named Nicki Chan.

What makes this novel so engaging is the depth of emotions it elicits from readers. It's not just about tennis, but about the sacrifices and difficult decisions that athletes make in order to be the best. It's about the relationships between parents and children, and the pain and healing that can come from them. It's about the fierce determination to succeed, even when it seems impossible.

Reid does a fantastic job of exploring these themes through Carrie's story, and the reader can't help but root for her to succeed. The supporting characters are also well-developed, and each has their own unique motivations and challenges to overcome.

Overall, Carrie Soto Is Back is an emotional and inspiring read that will leave readers feeling motivated and hopeful. It's a story of resilience and the human spirit, and one that will stay with readers long after they finish the final page.

In Carrie Soto TJR has created a really strong and flawed heroine. I absolutely loved this book and found myself reading sentences over and over. I think this is my favourite TJR book so far,

Taylor Jenkins Reid is masterful in her latest book. While Carrie Soto is a tennis player, the theme of mounting a comeback to prove everyone wrong is universal. I loved learning about Carrie's relationship with her dad/coach and thought the characters were cleverly developed. The way Reid wrote the tennis matches made me feel like I was there in person, cheering on Carrie and hoping she realizes her dream. I love this story, these characters, and I can't wait for TJR's next book!