I liked the first third, enjoyed the second third, and LOVED the last third of this book. Carrie Soto was a hard character to like, but the more time I spent in her head the more I understood her. I felt like the first third of the book was a lot of telling instead of showing for the purpose of catching us up on Carrie’s life so far. There wasn’t a lot of action to get invested in at the beginning which left me feeling a bit detached. The last third of the book more than made up for the lack of action in the beginning though and reached a well written fever pitch by the end. You could almost feel the energy of the fictitious crowds while reading.

Throughout the whole book I adored her father, he was a direct foil to the awfulness of the father in Reid’s last book (Mick Riva), and I appreciated how Reid was able to write such polar opposite fathers in the two books. I also enjoyed the father’s relationship with the love interest, it felt so realistic and normal.

My husband is a tennis coach, so I understood most of the terminology, but it could be beneficial I think to brush up on tennis terms if you’re not familiar. I also kicked myself for taking five years of French instead of Spanish while reading this as there is a lot of Spanish dialogue throughout (that isn’t translated).

If you like books about complicated female characters, sports, father-daughter dynamics, or competitive athletes, I think this book is for you.

Was this as life changing as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? No. Was this a really good book? yes.

I was really not in the mood to read a book about a tennis player, but I didn't want to waste the opportunity of receiving an advanced copy of a Taylor Jenkins Reid book. For the first half of the book, Carrie Soto is insufferable. I found myself rooting against her because she was so rude and cared about nothing in life more than winning tennis matches. The transformation of Carrie throughout the book was my favorite part. I think most of you will enjoy this book. I finished the book with a smile on my face.

See my thoughts in my wrap up here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtbMaN06N-0

When I first saw the premise of Carrie Soto, I was a little worried that I would be lost without being a tennis fan before reading. I have loved all the other books in the "Evelyn Hugo universe," so I was still excited to get an ARC. I'm sorry I ever doubted Taylor Jenkins read because the book flew and made tennis so interesting. I loved the structure of the book (different chapters were the different grand slams) and there was way more than enough plot built into the storyline to keep it moving along. I do think it definitely helps to have some interest in sports generally and this is very different than her past books. I think this was more comparable to Daisy Jones in style and voice than to Malibu Rising, but overall ended up loving it!

Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the least shocking news ever: @tjenkinsreid has created another beautiful masterpiece of a book. 👏

Set on the tennis courts, this book comes out on August 30. 🎾

Thanks so much for the ARC @netgalley, and @randomhouse. I can’t wait for everyone to meet Carrie Soto. 💓

I really enjoyed this one !

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Libro.fm for my advanced copies of Carrie Soto is Back!

What I Enjoyed-

✨ The Audio- The audio for this book includes a full cast of characters. They all did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life. If I enjoy the audio I always recommend it- in this case I'd recommend it over physically reading. This book is very Tennis Heavy. I started reading Carrie Soto physically over a month ago and I found myself picking it up and putting it down multiple times.

✨ The Relationships- TJR writes relationships so well. I loved Carrie's relationship with her dad. I also loved how the storyline played out with Carrie's coopetitor Nicki Chan. I want to say more but I don't want to ruin any of the book.

✨ The Characters- Likeable or not, TJR makes me care about the characters she writes. There were also some crossovers (mentions) of characters from previous novels. One of them being Nina Riva. I loved Malibu Rising. I still think about that book!

✨ The End- TJR had me on the edge of my seat at the end. Will Carrie win and reclaim her title or won't she? You'll have to read and find out!

Why This Book Lost a Star-

I mentioned earlier that I found this book to be very Tennis heavy. I don't care about the sport . I wasn't all that interested in those portions of the book.

Overall- Recommend. This doesn't make it into my top 5 of TJR novels but is still solid. I look forward to picking up more by this author.

I’m not a tennis fan and this book is swimming in match descriptions but it didn’t even matter because I was so invested in the characters and the story.

Carrie Soto is back is about a champion Tennis player who wants nothing more than to be the very best. EVER. And she is, until she decides to retire and then her record is threatened by a current athlete and she decides to come back from retirement to prevent anyone from taking her title.

If you read Jenkin’s last novel, Malibu Rising, then you may remember Carrie as the woman Nina’s husband is leaving her for…Carrie is abrasive. She’s a say-it-like-it-is woman who isn’t on the court to make friends. She makes it clear she is there for one thing only: to win. She is interesting and endearing despite her harshness and shortcoming and I loved her character development. However, the real stand out in the story was her Father. OMG what a GEM. I adore him.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has again created a story that could live and breath off the pages. Everyone felt so real. I cried. I can’t remember the last time that I have encountered a Father/Daughter relationship this special and memorable or a story that had me so absorbed.

I’ll still be purchasing a copy for my shelves because this book is a favorite of the year for me. If you’re a fan of amazing writing, honest characters who will impact you, and a story you’ll remember long after you turn the last page (c’mon, you know you are) then get Carrie Soto is Back!

It still holds true, a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid never disappoints. Absolutely loved this book and didn't want to put it down!

Carrie Soto is Back is one of the best, most gripping books I’ve read this year. It immerses the reader into the cut throat world of tennis on the international stage while making you care deeply for a very flawed but relatable character. Carrie must be the very best there is to feel worthy … yet can’t see that to the people who love her, she already has that record set in their hearts. I enjoyed every minute of seeing the world through Carrie’s eyes!

thank you to Ballantine & netgalley for the eARC!

i’ve been excited for this book for ✨awhile✨ & for multiple reasons
1. we all know taylor jenkins reid. we all love taylor jenkins reid. we all cannot WAIT for anything she publishes
2. tennis is actually a sport i enjoy (& understand heheh) thanks to a short lived tennis phase in middle school
3. the carrie soto we met in malibu rising was not someone i thought i could root for & i was really excited for tjr to prove me wrong

tjr has this incredibly unique superpower of making her characters feel SO FREAKING LIFELIKE you’re practically convinced they’re real historical figures. i vividly remember sitting on the beach reading daisy jones & the six & googling to see if they were a real band. i have zero doubts the next time someone asks me who my favorite tennis player is (& no, no one has ever asked me that lol) i will most likely say “carrie ‘battle axe’ soto” with a completely straight face

unlike other sports fiction/romance i’ve read before, the sport does not take a back seat in this book. tennis is arguably the antagonist in this novel. it is the big bad that carrie is fighting against. but it is also the love interest—AND unlike those other sports books where the actual sports happened off page, here we are quite literally ON THE COURT with carrie. i was literally covering the bottom of the page so i wouldn’t see the score, i was on the edge of my seat match after match rooting for her!!

don’t even get me started ON THE LITTLE WINKS hidden throughout that reference some familiar names, i squealed OUT LOUD ALONE IN MY ROOM every time like AN ABSOLUTE NERD (we all know i’m a nerd, but like humor me okay)

& dammit i don’t think an acknowledgments section has ever made me absolutely ✨sob✨ but of course, tjr breaks yet another record

O h my god, this book! TJR does it again! I didn’t want it to end!!! Carrie Soto might be my favorite character in the Mick Riva universe (hopefully that’s not what we’re calling it)? This book made me laugh and cry!

Being a fan of tennis is a huge plus when it comes to this book. Normally I hate anything sports related but I could not put this down!!

Carrie... Carrie.. Carrie... !!! YES, I was chanting along with the crowds in my head. This was a fantastic story about a tennis player, Carrie Soto , making a comeback after retirement. Not a fan of sports books or tennis, I was hesitant to start BUT I had faith in one of my favs , Taylor Jenkins Reid to know that she would make it right.

There was so much greatness in this book, starting with the relationship between Carrie and her father, with the lack of any other relationships, to the coaching and motivation with the drive to win, the slow building romance with a fellow tennis player, and the eventual friendships which even when resisted still happened. I loved this book! And the fact that Reid did not get into too much detail during the actual tennis play, she put just enough action into this book to have me cheering, chanting and sometimes crying. I enjoyed the short clips of announcers describing the actions and POV from fans and players. Really fun!

Recommended for fans of stories with intense relationships , strong drive for winning and self reflection. Superb! I am going to gift the heck out of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Literary Fiction
384 Pages
Pub date: August 30, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my most anticipated book of the year! I think I sent numerous emails to the publisher to get this one, and I very luckily got approved on Netgalley!

Carrie Soto is one of the strongest, persistent, intimidating, obnoxious and beautiful characters I’ve read about. Her father Javier Soto was a famous tennis player and coached Carrie starting at the age of 6 years old. The relationship between Carrie and her father is one I will always remember. They were tough with each other, and even had moments of hate towards one another, but they were each other’s hearts.

This story is about Carrie’s comeback out of retirement. I don’t know much about tennis, but I am ready to go start playing now! The dedication and love these characters give to the game is heart warming. I’ve played many sports and I know this feeling of the beauty of a sport. It’s intense and you give your blood, sweat and tears.

TJR does it again in this wonderful book. I love how all her books read as true stories. You fall in love with all the characters, they are not perfect they are human. I highly recommend you read this amazing book when it comes out August 30. I also love how she puts little nods of her other titles in her books.

This is one of the worst reads of the year. This novel has no plot and is extremely boring.. I loved every book I've read by TJR and was really looking forward to reading this one. I'm so disappointed. Apparently, a lot of people is loving it and she is a great writer but my opinion is that with this one she missed the mark.

Pardon my pun, but Taylor Jenkins Reid just served us another ace!

Ok, TJR. I see you developing this strong, driven, determined woman and centering a completely character driven novel around her. I have read a lot of reviews for this one and after reading it I can see why it works for some people, and not for others. Personally, I really enjoyed it!

I do disagree though, with anyone who says this is about tennis and tennis only. I think this is about

- a father-daughter relationship
- a woman who was coached to focus on one thing her whole life, learning to expand her horizons
- a woman who was told her whole life to not build relationships with others, now learning how to do that as well
- an independent woman learning to let someone help her

I found so much value in Carrie Soto’s journey between tennis tournaments and I hope most readers do as well.

I think TJR is so incredibly talented. She knows how to make you love a character, hate a character, empathize with a character. She certainly knows how to draw you in to someone’s story and engross you from start to finish.

I would read literally anything written by TJR. That being said, this may very well be her greatest work yet. Whether you care about sports or not, whether you've read her other stories or not, you NEED to read this. The character work and the plot are both A+ solid.

Short synopsis: Carrie Soto had a lifelong dream of being the best tennis player in the world. She achieves that goal in the early ‘80s and goes into retirement. Now it’s 1995 and Nikki Chan is breaking all the records, Carrie Soto comes out of tennis retirement in attempts to remain the best.

My thoughts: Wow, this book was a lot of tennis and as someone who knows nothing about tennis i was surprised how much i loved this story. I may have actually held my breath during the final matches because I was so into it.

TJR has such an amazing way of creating such real lifelike characters that you may find yourself googling their stats, even though they are completely fictional.

This one was such a story of reaching for the stars, with the best cheerleaders on your sideline fighting for you the whole time. I loved the relationships explored in this (romantic, father/daughter and rivals).

I did a mix of audio and physical reading of this and loved both versions. The audio does have a full cast which I absolutely love!

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Sports and especially tennis
* Unashamed to be the G.O.A.T.
* Cameos from other of TJR main characters
* Unexpected romance
* Rise to Greatness with amazing growth

Who would have thought I’d ever enjoy a story about TENNIS?!?! But here we are!
TJR proves yet again to be the GOAT of character development! I enjoyed seeing Carrie change by the end of the book.
I loved Carrie’s special relationship with her dad. What a sweet bond.
I enjoyed the pace of the novel. I enjoyed reading through the highlights of each match. The Easter eggs of the characters from other TJR books are so fun! Thank you for including us in this special world you’ve created.

I almost didn’t include this one because if you like TJR you most likely plan on reading it. BUT, it was just so. good. And I know some folks are either nervous it won’t live up to the hype or didn’t love Malibu Rising and are afraid this might be more in line with that one. Rest assured, in my opinion, this feels like Evelyn Hugo/Daisy Jones TJR – and it’s definitely in my top three favorites of hers, if not top two. (I even plan on rereading it via audio pretty soon because I just want to experience it again.) I cried multiple times, and it’s been a while since a book made me cry, and hugged it at the end. Pairs well with Open by Andre Agassi.

As far as I'm concerned, Taylor Jenkins Reid can do no wrong - this was amazing.

I refused to put this down after I started, but I desperately didn't want it to end! I read the majority of this in one day and basically got nothing else done.

I LOVE this book, and I love Carrie. I love that she's unapologetic and determined and refuses to quit. And I love how aggressive and abrasive she is! I don't read too many books with female leads who I could describe as "aggressive," but they're always some of my favorites; they're powerful and fierce, which I love, but all else, they're just so relatable. TJR does an incredible job of creating well-rounded characters with so much depth. Carrie, like TJR's other famous leading ladies, isn't necessarily "good" or "bad," but that's what makes her realistic.

Who knew that I would love a sports story so much?? I wouldn't consider myself a tennis fan, but Carrie's story had me on the edge of my seat.

I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone, sports fan or not. All hail Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I've never in my life been interested in tennis and yet somehow TJR made me absolutely obsessed with this 90s tennis drama. Carrie Soto will easily be one of my favorites of 2022. You may recognize the character of Carrie Soto from Malibu Rising (she had an affair with Nina Riva's husband) but this book can be read as a standalone. Carrie Soto Is Back tells the story of Soto's rise to fame as one of the greatest tennis players of her time, her retirement and her comeback at 37 when her Grand Slam record is threatened by another player.

I could gush about this book for hours, but you should just read it. Carrie was such a dynamic character that was so unapologetically herself (for better or for worse) and I admired her for it. She's not a perfect character but she is certainly a compelling one and has such a great character arc throughout the story. Her complex yet endearing relationship with her father and coach, Javier Soto was also an essential part of the story.

It's about tennis, but it's also so much more. It's about how women are treated in professional sports and the media, failure, complex relationships and the never-ending question of what it means to be happy. TJR is a word magician and I will read anything she writes! Carrie Soto releases August 30th and you will not want to miss it.