Another great one from TJR. I binged this one so fast. I wish I knew more about tennis. I skimmed a bit of the tennis stuff. It wasn't my favorite of hers, that belongs to Daisy or Evelyn, but I really loved the story!

Taylor Jenkins Reid does not miss! Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Malibu Rising were all five star reads so my expectations were sky-high starting this book. Of course, they were met! I might have liked this one even more than the author's previous books, and that's saying a lot.

I really loved the progression of getting to know Carrie in this story. We’re introduced to her in a way that most of her competitors see her as: a cocky and unfriendly woman. But as we dive further into the story we see deeper layers of Carrie as well as seeing her grow as a person. I think this book sends a great message to all that even when the world considers you past your prime you can still set out to prove them wrong and achieve your goals.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS ONE:
🎾: All the action and historic places visited through tennis. I thought of my best friend the entire time I read this one because she loves tennis!
👥: The individual relationships Carrie has with her dad, Bowe, and Nicki Chan
🥚: All the Easter eggs TJR includes from her other stories
👑: Other historic references such as esteemed guests in the stands of Wimbledon

Carrie Soto now sits atop the trifecta of best TJR stories alongside Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones 🤍

Okay, let’s be real. The likelihood of me influencing you one way or another to read this book is slim. TJR has already proven herself to be an auto-read author and with good reason. So, I’ll just say a few short things and you can get on with reading Carrie Soto already, like you should.

Another ace from TJR. Not quite as powerful as Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones, but equally unique and compelling in it’s own way. Carrie Soto starts and it never stops. It’s one you just want to read and read and read until the end. It also helps that I’m a tennis fan and could easily picture every move and scene and follow the lingo.

Unlike Malibu Rising, et al, Soto doesn’t follow a large cast of characters. It stays with Carrie and focuses on her thoughts and struggles and triumphs and losses, in all things, from her sole POV. Which is one of the reasons the book is so compelling to read in as few sittings as possible. It’s another side/angle to a strong feminist storyline. A “bold” woman who plays the game without “playing” the game.

There are beautiful and complex relationships running throughout too. Not many, but they are important, and in the end, it’s the heart of the story. You’re invested in the winning and losing, and the hard work, but the emotions are what you remember. I greatly enjoyed it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: August 30th, 2022
Read if you like:
💪A strong female protagonist
🎾Inspiring come-back stories
🏃‍♀️Fast-paced, plot-driven books

WOW. I adored this book. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be for me. I had heard there was a lot of tennis talk, and while that is true, it was explained so well and made the book really interesting! Tennis is a huge part of Carrie’s character, so it never felt like too much.

Some readers might be turned off by Carrie’s abrasive personality, but it’s obvious that TJR made her this way on purpose. Carrie is strong, knows what she wants, and refuses to let anyone get in the way. The father/daughter story was one of my favorite parts of this book. The passion that Javier has for coaching Carrie was so fun to read about.

I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat through this entire book. I was desperate for Carrie to win and needed to keep turning pages to discover how her story ended. This book was amazing and I recommend it to anyone! Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC🥰

At this point in her career, with the devout fan base she has, Taylor Jenkins Reid has to try very little to get us to scream and cry and laugh over her books. And yet, she gives her blood, sweat and tears and knocks it out of the park every time (do you like my sports sayings here?)

'Carrie Soto Is Back' is by far TJR's best book. It's been an honor watching her writing and character development skills improve. The book is fast, fun, devastating and hilarious. Carrie is complex and a badass, dare I say it, a bitch, who does not wear her heart on her sleeve, and yet I love her and want to force her to hug me. She and the people she's surrounded by, whether by choice or force, are beautifully written characters.

My favorite part of the book was the fact that TJR didn't waste any time. She had less than 400 pages to one up herself and she dove right in. From page 4 I was eager to know what happened and with a match every 10 pages or so, I couldn't put it down. The research she does blow my mind! I felt like a tennis pro, knowing everything she was saying and I don't even remember her training me in the world of tennis jargon. I don't think I've ever even watched a tennis set and yet I walk away from this book thinking I could beat Chan?? The book is as fast as a tennis match and I simply couldn't put it down.

TJR's ability to create unsuspecting relationships is also amazing to me. She knows how tired so many of her are from the cliche romance novels and she delivers something better to us. Carrie and her dad!!!!! I don't know what else to say other than that they are now my favorite relationship in the TJR Cinematic Universe, tied with Evelyn and Harry.

I probably don't have to convince you, BUT if you are among the 2% of the population who is on the fence about reading this, just pre-order your copy now goddamnit.

This was very good book If the description of the tennis matches was good . They made yo think you were there Thanks to Netgalley an the publisher for the ARC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sharing an ARC with
me!
This was a great installment in the TJR Universe. I wasn't sold at
first. The descriptions of tennis matches were a bit long and I
wasn't drawn in by them. Then the story started unfolding and I
was hooked. The characters were so endearing and I fell in love
with each of them. Carrie is one of the most interesting TJR
leading ladies, and her story was incredible from start to finish

I was enraptured by this book from the start. I read this book in one sitting. Carrie Soto is the perfect, flawed, strong, and straight forward character in a book about finding greatness within yourself. I absolutely loved how Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote this fictional story pulling at your heart strings while also keeping you on the edge of your seat. I honestly can’t think of a single negative thing to say. The pace throughout the book was great. The characters dynamics and growth was absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10 recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is my literal queen. There has not been a single book I have read by this woman that has not made me so engrossed and invested. In Malibu Rising we meet Carrie Sot0 and she is made out to be such a villian, so going into this I was not her biggest fan. However, over the course of this book you fall more and more in love with her. Carrie Sota is the greatest tennis player of all time, she retired 6 years ago, and since then a new star has risen. Carrie Sota's entire life has been tennis, and her identity seems to be rooted in her records, so the thought of someone taking those records from her is unbearable- so Carrie comes out of retirement and is once again coached by her father. This book has so much character development from Carrie, her dad, her love interest and her relationships with each of these people and it was amazing to see such BA woman truly take control of her life. I played tennis in school, so the tennis heavy parts were incredible to me, but if you HATE sports you might struggle more but I think TJR does an incredibly job of describing the matches and making this book incredibly reader friendly even for someone who know nothing about the sport. 5 Star read for me!

A BIG thanks to Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of Carrie Soto is Back.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. I devoured this book in 24 hours. TJR has this amazing ability to create such powerful, brave, and strong women. You can’t help but root for them in everything they do! This book is no exception.

This incredible book takes you on Carrie’s journey throughout her life in the tennis world. You feel each competition so deeply as you read, while intensely rooting for Carrie each time. Carrie Soto speaks her mind, doesn’t care what others think of her, and is true to herself throughout the book. Carrie is the best tennis player in the world and she’s not here to make friends on her way to the top.

Carrie Soto is Back gets your adrenaline pumping, keeps you engaged, and keeps you wanting more with every page.

Carrie Soto is Back will be released on August 30, 2022.

I know almost nothing about the sport of tennis but that did not interfere with my love of this book. Anything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes is a guaranteed read for me and Carrie Soto did not disappoint. The story follows the rise and fall and attempt at comeback for a world-famous tennis player. Carrie is ruthless and dedicated to becoming the best player in history and will stop at nothing to meet her goal. I loved seeing the inner workings of how an elite athlete is born and Carrie's relationship with her father was fascinating. As the reader, you can't help but root for her success even though you can see how unlikeable she appears to the public at large. This is a fast read and every page is completely enthralling, I highly recommend this one.

Thanks to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballentine Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The B*tch is back and ready to defend her hard earned title 🎾

Carrie Soto is a tennis legend who has been unmatched for years. After five years in retirement, she decides to come out and defend her record. But will the new superstar Nicki Chan take over as the queen of tennis or will Soto be able to defend her standing once and for all?

While I am no lover of tennis, I am a lover of badass women who don't take shit from anyone and know their worth. Carrie Soto now has the record for my new favorite main character. I loved following her over the decades and seeing her character growth. She is not a woman who bends to what people want her to be, and I loved how this was explored in her character and the perception and coverage of her in the media. A main theme of this novel is how we tend to not like women who are not humble and demure about their hard work and deserved wins.

Reid writes some of the best parent/child relationships and Carrie's and Javier's relationship was no different. The ups, downs, heartbreaks, and tender moments were beautifully written. No parent is perfect no matter how hard they try to be, and their relationship felt raw and real. I loved how much Spanish was included in the novel, and how it was used in impactful ways.

I also loved the relationship Carrie ends up in. It is sweet, achingly realistic, and has some of my new favorite relationship moments. While it doesn't take up a lot of space in the novel, it is beautiful and gives a lot of hope.

Everything from the exploration of feminism and agism in sports, diversity, representation, second chance relationships, and social commentary were all wonderfully done. I highlighted so many moments of this book and cannot wait to read it again in the future. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this and the ending was one of the most satisfying I have ever read. If you loved Reid's pervious work, you are sure to fall in love with Carrie Soto as well.

I loved TJR but I dislike tennis. And this is definitely a book about tennis. The writing is great, and *considering* the fact that I actively do not enjoy tennis, it kept me engaged. I'm definitely glad I stuck it out. As with Daisy Jones and the Six and Evelyn Hugo it VERY much felt like I was reading about real past pop culture figures. I loved when the action would be broken up by small new articles or tv show transcripts and could absolutely picture this story in my head as a movie with those as the transition scenes. I really enjoyed the character development and interactions between the characters. So, I would definitely recommend this book, but you do need to be aware that it's ~95% tennis.

This is a story about Carrie Soto who holds the record for the most grand slam titles in tennis and in the beginning of the book she is 37 and there is another tennis player who is about who is on course to break her record and Carrie is a very determined very matter-of-fact, some may say offputting as she was known as the battle ax and she is at times arrogant she knows who she is and she has no intention of letting someone take her title so she decides in the opening scene of the story to come out of retirement and her father will be her coach. Her father was involved in her career and is involved in her come back and her attempt at a come back and you’ll have to read it to Ido you’ll have to read it to find out is he the type of father that falls along the lines of an Andre Agassi father or is he different but if you read Taylor Jenkins read you know her stories are not predictable her stories can be fast-paced and very layered and very detailed in as far as research that makes it page turning. There's so much to love in this story- action, suspense, drama, and a fierce woman front and center

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Groups/Ballatine Books for this Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is fast becoming a favorite author of mine, so I was super excited to read this book. I can see that TJR’s books will be the automatic must reads for me.

Carrie Soto was the greatest women’s tennis player in the world in the 80’s but she is now in her 30’s and has suffered injuries. But her title record is on the line, and she makes the decision to come out of retirement. Carrie has a reputation as a “Battle Axe” and is not the most likeable character. But she is definitely focused.

TJR has an incredible way of recreating history and fully immersing you. This books is definitely a slow burn but I can say that I was really hooked. It offers a main character that you love to hate. It has the complicated familial relationship with her dad/coach. It has a long awaited love relationship with Bowe. And if you are a TJR fan, it has the always looked for mention of Mick Riva. I will say that having some knowledge of tennis does help but overall, I felt that this was a great story.

You are truly rooting for Carrie. And I will say that I will continue to seek out all of TJR’s new books.

I am a massive fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and love that all her books are unique in their own way- this book blew me away! I do not play, watch, or know anything about tennis, but I could NOT PUT THIS DOWN! I flew through it in 2 nights (it killed me to put it down that first night!). You would swear the author is a tennis pro or a coach- the specifics from the tennis moves to the emotions. She nailed it! If you are looking for a fun and fast read that honestly has you guessing the entire way through- this is the book for you! It's not just tennis- it's about family, and friendship (or lack of) competition, pushing yourself and there is a little romance tucked in at the perfect amount. Don't miss this one! Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this overall story. but way too much tennis for me. Would be an amazing audio book. Love the relationship between carrie and her dad.

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK ✨

*thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK. wow. I knew I liked TJR, but I definitely LOVE her now!

This book is ALL about tennis. So I’d suggest doing a little 5 minute briefing on tennis rules & terminology to prep for this book - trust me, it’s worth it. Thankfully, I came into this book knowing a decent amount about tennis to understand everything that was going on.

This book has so many great elements - a powerful MC who doesn’t give a f*** what anyone else thinks of her, an AMAZING father-daughter relationship, personal growth, a tiny bit of romance, themes of struggles women face in the sports world, etc.

I flew through this book! You don’t have to read Malibu Rising before this book, but I’d definitely recommend it as you’d appreciate the story more 😉 Be ready for lots of smiles, tears, & rooting for Carrie!

Also, the ending was *chef's kiss* 👩🏼‍🍳 💋

an easy 5 star rating & probably my favorite book of the year 🫶🏻 I already know I’m going to want to re-read this book!

Read if you like:
- historical fiction 🌍
- tennis 🎾
- dad + daughter story 👨‍👧
- slow building love story 🔥
- an unlikeable MC who you still want to root for 👏🏼
- pop culture & little snippets of other TJR characters 🎸
- diverse characters
- personal growth 🌱

I am blown away and at once, not surprised. Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to write realistic, unconventionally lovable characters and their bonds like no other. I was cheering for Carrie Soto the entire ride and the ending was satisfying in its entirety. These characters develop in very subtle ways, and they are imperfect, they are flawed, which somehow adds to their charm even further. This is a story about how passion can get lost in ambition, and what can happen when you find that passion again. It's beautifully written, tugging at all the right heart strings, and always knows just where to hit you and how to bring you back up again. Reid gets better with each book, and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with. A new favorite from her for sure.

Review also available on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4557384263?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1