When Carrie Soto retired from tennis six years ago, she was the best player the world had ever seen, shattering every record imaginable. Now a hotshot new tennis star is threatening to break Carrie's legacy. At 37, Carrie attempts to come back for one more epic season to defend her title, even if defying all the odds means she has to train with a man from her past.

If you've read Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto is that tennis player, but you don't need to read Malibu Rising to enjoy the book. I love that Reid gives crossovers hinting at her other books in such a way that it's fun for fans, but doesn't preclude you from reading the book independently. 

I absolutely loved Carrie Soto is Back. I started it half an hour before my bedtime and literally did not put it down until I had finished it. Taylor Jenkins Reid shines with her brilliant writing and complex characters. You do, however, need to at least enjoy tennis, because much of the suspense comes from the actual tennis matches.

I discovered my love for Taylor Jenkins Reid's titles a bit later than everyone else, with the first book I read by her Malibu Rising. I was HOOKED after and quickly read Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo. I pretty much jumped out of my skin when I was approved for Carrie Soto Is Back.

The story follows professional tennis player Carrie Soto, once the best in the world, as she tries to make a comeback at the age of 37. I will say this upfront, Carrie is a very unlikeable character, however, being around the same age she is in the book, I can respect the determination and grit it takes to do what she does. Not that I've ever been a professional athlete, but even in my day-to-day trying to get back to working out, I can relate.

While I enjoyed the story and the triumphs and defeats, I didn't love it as much as her previous titles. I found it a bit slower than her previous one and had a harder time getting through it. And it's not because I don't love sports; I do. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't love it as much; perhaps it's simply because I wasn't a fan of Carrie.

Having said all of that, it's still a fantastic book. It's a powerful story with a wonderful ending. And despite my feelings for Carrie, I was still cheering her on the whole book.

4/5 stars

Thank you Ballantine Books, Random House, and NetGallley for the gifted eARC!

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK is truly one of the best books I have read this year. Taylor Jenkins Reid has already stole our heart with her previous female leads; Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, and Nina Riva. I was so excited to see more of Carrie after getting a small glimpse of her in MALIBU RISING. Soto is one of the most unapologetic and strong characters that I have ever read in a novel. Her voice and thoughts are so authentic and they spoke deep to my soul. This book in its entirety was a complete marvel. From the fast-paced matches, to the emotional depth weaved throughout--this is one I could not put down. Reid has truly established herself as such a powerhouse in the Women's Fiction genre. I am very much impatiently waiting to see what her brilliant mind will come up with next!

The talent of this author blows me away. Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, The Riva siblings, she creates characters that feel so real. Carrie Soto was no exception. After Malibu Rising, I had no desire to ever hear the name Carrie Soto again but am so glad I did. I enjoyed Carrie’s book even more than Malibu Rising.

Carrie Soto, one of the greatest tennis players with a reputation of being a a bitch. Because a strong willed, determine to succeed female who cannot show emotion or be considered weak is automatically a bitch, right? Although, Carrie does not help herself, let me tell you. She definitely gives off vibes, makes selfish decisions and will do anything to succeed. But also, she is sensitive and emotional and has worked so hard to succeed you cannot help but cheer for her.

I am not a tennis fan but this book made me excited about each match.

My favorite parts of the books were the relationships:

-The father/coach daughter relationship was so well done and fraught with drama which seemed entirely realistic.

-Carrie’s relationship with former lover/current training partner Bowie was really interesting. Both trying to prove they still have what it takes. Both trying to explore the connection they have with eachother when they don’t make it easy.

-Carrie’s relationship with the other competitors including Nicki Chan was one of my favorite parts of the book.

No one does complex characters like her. And Carrie now has a special place in my heart!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

Carrie Soto may sound familiar to you as you met her briefly in Malibu Rising. Carrie has an affair with Nina Riva’s tennis star husband, Brandon Randall (fyi this isn’t a spoiler)!

Carrie Soto Is Back explores the world of tennis, ageism, family, and vulnerability. Overall, I loved this one and it deserves all the stars! I adored the relationship that Carrie has with her father/coach, Javier. I loved that TJR shows the up and downs in their relationship along with overcoming difficult situations. To some readers, Carrie may come off as a cold-hearted bitch, but given that she’s under the public’s eye and every move she makes is scrutinized, it doesn’t surprise me she is the way she is. What I love the most is that we get to see Carrie’s character grow and change throughout the story. I liked how it’s mostly told through Carrie’s perspective, but there is also tidbits of sportscaster commentary and articles to break it out. One aspect of the novel I loved the most was the fact that TJR touched upon how society views women aging. There were so many incredible quotes I ended up tabbing. Highly recommend picking this one up if you’re a TJR fan!

Carrie Soto is Back reminds me of growing pains and being a young girl growing into a woman. Another wonderful story. In Taylor's writing, it is always assuring to see how her women are as logical as they are emotional. Although, this seems relatively easy to accomplish it is how she beautifully weaves it into their core traits.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

4.5 stars. I will preface this with saying that I would read pretty much ANYTHING TJR puts out. So - maybe I'm a fangirl but I'm okay with it.

Carrie Soto Is Back is a novel about family, love, tennis, and the price of fame.

The novel opens in 1994 when former tennis star Carrie Soto witnesses her record of 20 Grand Slam titles shattered. She comes out of retirement at age 37 and makes an arduous journey back to the court to prove that she is the best female tennis player in the world. We learn about Carrie's rise to the top and then it comes back to the present time where she grapples with her true reason for playing the game, being successful and all that goes with it.

I literally know nothing about tennis, nor do I care about tennis even a little. As much as this novel is about tennis, it is also not. The heart and soul of this book is Carrie's relationship with her father Javier, as well as what her rise to the top and singular focus on tennis did to the *rest* of her life.

Carrie isn't a likeable character, but I came to love her (and Javier, Bowe and Gwen and even Nina!!)

I absolutely devoured this book. Also - I love how TJR takes a "minor" character (in this case from Malibu Rising) and creates a new story, but also gives nods to a few of her previous books. It makes them all connected without feeling like a series. I love it. Brilliant!

Carrie Soto is Back is TJR's latest historical/contemporary fiction novel. It follows tennis professional Carrie Soto, who is coming out of retirement after ~5 years to try to win back her record of most Slam titles after tennis pro, Nikki Chan, tied her record. What follows is a beautiful story with themes of breaking down walls and letting people in _____________________________.

TJR is easily one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited and had high hopes when I received an early review copy. I was nervous I was overhyping myself, but fortunately that is never a concern with TJR. This book blew me away and is definitely up there as one of my favorite of her books.

What I loved:

- TJR has this capability of creating such nuanced and dynamic characters. That base starting point, coupled with the development her characters go through throughout the book, make her books feel so realistic and like these are actual people. She is a master class at character development and it never ceases to impress me.

- While that point above is talking about TJR's skills in general, in this book in particular, I loved the character of Carrie Soto, which is impressive because Carrie is a flawed character. She is someone where a number of times throughout the book, I did not like her. Carrie is single-minded and guarded, independent and abrasive. She says and does what she wants to and doesn't care who she offends or what names the media may call her in the process. She is crazy ambitious and cutthroat in the pursuit of her goals. She's a character that made me feel so many different things for/toward her: pride, disappointment, empathy, compassion, anger. I feel like I could go on and on, but it always comes down to the fact that TJR writes well-rounded, powerhouse female characters and it is always so refreshing to see!

- The relationship between Carrie and her dad was a high point. I loved it so much! Their relationship was exactly as a parent-child relationship should be. Carrie, as mentioned, is guarded and can be a difficult person to reach, but her dad was so loving and supportive and was the perfect side character to balance her out. TJR is a master of showing, not telling. And the depiction of this father-daughter relationship was the perfect example of that. We saw their relationship from when Carrie was a young girl and it really helped the reader see and understand how Carrie grew into the woman she was.

- Bowe. Another great addition to the cast of characters and another great balance for Carrie!

What I didn't love:

- Nothing. It was beautifully done.

Ultimately, there was so much to love about this book, but as in all TJR books, I feel the things to gush about and that truly set her books above others is the characters she creates and the development they go through. I will read anything and everything she writes and I look forward to seeing whatever she may do next! This was an easy five star read for me!

Enthralling. I hate to fly and this book got me through a very long flight. Carrie Soto is Back is a woman's fiction about a very dedicated tennis champion. I don't know much about tennis and this book did a great job keeping me interested in a sport I don't know. In fact I was glued to my kindle. Great characters, especially Carrie. She's tough as nails and not someone you would typically like but the author manages to make her likable while still keeping her true to her character. Her relationship with her father, to me, was the heart and soul of this book.

***Advanced copy obtained from Random House via Netgalley***

My absolute stand-out favorite in what’s slowly becoming referred to as Taylor Jenkins Reid’s “Mick Riva Universe”

Conceptually and structurally - this book is beautiful. Are there other tennis books out there like this? Not that I’m aware of — it was original and entertaining. The way TJR shaped the parts and chapters around the Opens and each of Carrie’s matches within them made me feel like I was glued to the tv watching it all unfold.

I certainly recommend brushing up on the basics of tennis before you read this — it makes the match chapters much more tangible — but I think you would enjoy it regardless.

I understand that Carrie is written to be the “unlikeable” female MC that grows on you. I didn’t find her as such. I liked her from the start. There is a quote in this book regarding exception women constantly having to make room for mediocre men, and it touches on so much of how I feel about Carrie — why should she ever have to shrink herself for others’ comfort? She shouldn’t. I loved every second of her being unapologetic for her talent and work ethic.

Anyways, I don’t want to spoil any of the pure bliss of a reading experience that this book was, so I’ll leave you at that.

Carrie Soto is Back is a shining example of what Taylor Jenkins Reid is best at. This fantastic novel about a female tennis player who is a force to be reckoned with, is filled with great character dynamics, struggles, and incredible women dominating the sport of tennis.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I truly loved it! #Netgalley #TaylorJenkinsReid #CarrieSotoisBack

Taylor Jenkins Reid's new book " Carrie Soto is Back" is a great read. Set in the world of professional tennis you need not like tennis to enjoy this novel. This book is a page-turner and I appreciate how the author lets her protagonist have flaws and that she doesn't go for the easy answers. Carrie, her father, and Bowe are all distinct characters--each flawed and so human and interesting.

I've been on a reading binge at the beach and this book is one that I enjoyed above the others. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again. I was skeptical going into this book because I wasn't sold on the character of Carrie Soto but I loved her so much in this book.
She was a fierce character with incredible drive and knew what she wanted. You see her grow throughout the novel and I loved the relationship between her and her father

After reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six I knew TJR would never fail me.

She masterfully creates this people you find yourself fully believing they are real, I usually catch myself trying to Google these women and then remembering they are just a book character. With Carrie Soto she created a character that I felt so connected to that it seems an impossible feat for any other character to make me feel that same way.

Carrie was raised to love tennis and be the best at tennis, her father coaching her along the way. Her relationship with her father was such an accurate depiction of the unsaid pressure a child, and maybe especially a daughter, feels to be the best at what their father loves when given the chance.

TJR captured the mania around female tennis stars in the 90s and the competitive disadvantages women faced in the media, something the world still needs to work on today. There was a moment when Carrie congratulates a new male Wimbledon winner where he mentions that she’s won before, Carrie holds the most Wimbledon wins male or female with 10 wins, and he has the audacity to tell her it’s not really the same since men’s sets are the best of 5 while women’s are the best of 3. It was that specific moment that “The Man” by Taylor Swift started blaring in my head.

Carrie Soto coming out of a 5 year retirement at the age of 37 to take on this newer crop of women in tennis to try and take back her slam title record was an exciting and emotional ride from chapter to chapter. Realizing she wasn’t a real tennis icon that I couldn’t Google to see if she did indeed keep her record drove me to read this book in two days!

If you are intimidated by a book about a sports player, or just tennis, this does a great job of explaining the game in a way that makes you feel like a tennis pro. And in truth it is a book about a tennis star, but I think her life surrounding tennis takes the main stage.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing for giving me access to one of the most anticipated books of 2022, and a book that has now become one of my favorites of all time.

I've been fortunate to read everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I admire the way her novels aren't formulaic, but each time she brings the reader something new. Carrie Soto is Back is no exception. Carrie Soto was born to play tennis, with her dad having been a well-known coach. Her drive, though, consumes her, and like most athletic success stories, she lives, eats and breathes the sport. After a period of not competing, she decides that she still has the drive to win, despite younger talent coming up the ranks, and despite her age. She's not beloved in the world of tennis, but the author brings Carrie to life. We watch her in all her ups and downs. I enjoyed this book a great deal. Thank you to Random House/Ballentine, NetGalley, and the author for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley #CarrieSotoisBack #YalorJenkinsReid

Who knew I could love a book about tennis. I don’t even follow tennis, but this book had me turning pages late into the night more than most thrillers. I loved Carrie and all the characters in this book. I think this may be my favorite book by TJR.

Ok, I’ll say it - I don’t care, understand, or even like tennis, but omg would I read more and more about Carrie, Nicki, Javier, and Bowe if I could. Without a doubt we have another masterpiece from Taylor Jenkins Reed on our hands! This is my first Reed book I actually read instead of listening to as an audiobook and I was worried that would change my love for her work, but I literally couldn’t put this book down.

Beyond tense matches and grueling training sessions, Reed explores complicated daughter-father, competitor-competitor, younger generation-older generation, and lover relationships while featuring possibly the most unflappable and powerful women: Carrie Soto. One of my favorite things about Carrie and how Reed wrote Carrie is that no one denied the fact that Carrie was talented, but she never relied on her talent alone. Carrie trained constantly and her dedication to improving her skills was both admirable and difficult to read about at times. Either way, this book does justice for all of the “prodigies” out there who spend endless hours practicing/training/studying/obsessing only for their victories to be credited to their natural talent.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Taylor Jenkins Reed, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Carrie Soto is Back and so is Taylor Jenkins Reid!! Carrie Soto is determined to become the greatest women's tennis player in the world. We follow her as a young woman dominating the tennis world and then again as her comeback to defend her title as the world's greatest tennis player of all time. Tennis has been Carrie's life for as long as she can remember. Her father, also known as Javier el Jaguar, one of the best Tennis players in the world, serves as her coach through her young career and mentor into her adulthood. This is the relationship so many envy. Carrie has a hard time getting close to anyone but her father. She is known for her cold-heartedness; "The Battle Axe" as she is called. But it works for her on the court. She dominates and doesn't look back. Carrie plays to win and defend the most important thing in the world to her, her title. But when is enough, enough. How do you know when your time on the spotlight is over and it is time to pass the torch? Is it ever time? Through this whole novel, you will be rooting for Carrie' both in her tennis career and her life.
I knew absolutely nothing about tennis and had really never even watched a tennis game in my life; but I still devoured Carrie Soto is Back. Taylor Jenkins Reid creates characters that you love, admire, cheer for and Carrie is no less than that. There is a small amount of Spanish in the novel, spoken by her father, but it is easily translatable and/ or the meaning is embedded in the conversation. It did not take away from the novel in any sense. In fact, it adds to her heritage and story.
I will definitely be recommending Carrie Soto is Back to everyone just like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Everyone must experience Taylor Jenkins Reid at the top of her own game and she is on it! I will always look for future reads by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Special thanks to NetGalley, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 HUGE stars for me!!
#CarrieSotoIsBack #NetGalley

This is a wonderful book but not replacing Evelyn Hugo or Malibu arising as my favorite TJR books. Here we follow Tennis champion Carrie Soto as she comes out of retirement to defend her record as most Slams won.

If it sounds like a sports book that’s because it is — A LOT. I’m a huge fan of tennis but there were some parts I found myself glazing over a bit (I find sports much more engaging to watch than be described). Other than that, I have no complaints about this gem of a novel and TJR struck gold again.

I especially loved the commentary about women aging, and the double standard between women and men - not to mention the commentary about a public figure’s serious demeanor / an athletes myopic goal of winning making them be labeled something nasty.

The relationship between Carrie and her father, a retired pro himself, broke me down in SOBS. This was such a gorgeous way to portray a parent-child relationship, and how dreams and happiness are not always the same thing. And the Latino heritage/Spanish weaves throughout was also impactful.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I adored the premise of this book in which a female tennis player who had retired after breaking the record of grand slams decides to come out of retirement because another player is about to break her record. It’s my favorite kind of heroine in that she is complicated and not always nice to everybody but if she was a male nobody would say anything because she is just being competitive. Having her find romance with a male player with him and she’s always had a contentious relationship is also fun to watch. The relationship between her and her father is complicated but heartwarming at the same time. I’m a big fan of tennis and I love this book very much