I know nothing about tennis. I can’t say I like nor dislike it, but it’s never been on my radar, ever. But Carrie Soto made me want to go pick up a racket. I loved this TJR novel so much. The characters, the development, and the story line itself were so well written (not surprising since this author is awesome). This felt so full of emotions and raw that I felt really engrossed while reading it. Totally recommend this to anyone - tennis fan or not, I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review. My reviews can be seen on my IG @pickraisaaa as well as my Goodreads profile.

Another amazing story by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This story had so much love and heart that id radiated off the page. I finished this book in record time because I could not put it down. Just an amazing story of family and determination.

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK was of course on the top of my wish lists here on NetGalley, because who doesn't love Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her character development is always excellent, and she is a master at writing complex women who rise -above and against- and are unapologetic about success and their accomplishments. These are always interesting, fun women to root for as a reader, and Carrie Soto is no exception.
While I couldn't help but love Carrie, and her father Javier, and felt invested in her comeback to tennis, this was for me my least favorite of her books. The emotional pull of DAISY JONES wasn't in this for me. The complex women's fiction masterpiece (IMHO) of SEVEN HUSBANDS was not in this book. Maybe it was how few characters there were in this novel (unlike the complicated family tree of MALIBU RISING) or most likely it was just how much tennis there was in the book, but I didn't connect to the story the way I wanted to. Highlights with this novel include the searing spotlight on the sexism female athletes live with, the refreshing inclusion of Spanish phrases and words shared between father and daughter, and the relationship between Carrie and her ultimate rival, Nikki Chan. The scenes between these two rivals are shaped by their respect for each other's talent and their love of the game, and I found this dynamic to feel very fresh and authentic.
Maybe what feels like weaknesses for this book for me was a result of timing. We've just seen Will Smith in King Richard. We've just read Liane Moriarty's APPLES NEVER FALL (I like Carrie better) so maybe its just too much tennis.
3 and a 1/2 but marking 4

5 Bright Shiny Stars.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I seldom give them out but I loved everything about this book. The story line. The flawed characters. The thrill of competition.
TJR just gets better and better.

THIS BOOK!!! Carrie Soto Is Back

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m unsure if this is in the final book but the ARC started with a letter from the SVP and Editor-in-Chief saying how Carrie is her favorite of all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s characters Carrie is her favorite. That is an incredibly high compliment to start a book on! And while Evelyn may always be my favorite Carrie is coming in at a VERY CLOSE second.

Carrie Soto is the GOAT of tennis. Not just womens tennis but tennis all around. This book follows her training, her rise to the top, the end of her career, and her comeback.

But it is soooo much more than just a fictional athletes story. There is a major father/daughter relationship that is complicated and deep. There is so much growth from all characters. Carrie really has to take an inward look at herself to figure out who she is with tennis and who she is without it.

It’s just all around so so good! I know nothing about tennis and i was so captivated. I got major Venus and Serena vibes from this story. I also would say for anyone who was an athlete in college this book would be interesting to them.

I was so curious about how TJR was going to make Carrie Soto a likable character after Malibu Rising. I also had some serious concerns after seeing the cover. That being said, this book was a home run for me. It took me a few tries of picking it up to get over the *very* detailed tennis talk but luckily I’ve always enjoyed the game so it didn’t complicate my understanding of the book. This book was loads of fun and had just the right amount of high highs and low lows to keep me invested in the characters. More than anything else though, I loved this book because it surprised and delighted me all the way to the very end.

Read This If Enjoy:
•TJR books
•Tennis
•Father/daughter relationships
•Slow burn romance

“We live in a world where exception women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men”

Thoughts:
I have said this before, and I will say it again. TJR books are always a vibe, and she has done it again. When I first heard her new book would be about Carrie Soto from Malibu Rising, I was skeptical but intrigued. I never would have imagined I’d be rooting for her. I loved this story so much! I loved the tennis and the female empowerment aspect of it. Carrie Soto, she knows she is good and is unapologetic about it. I love and respect that! The relationship with her dad, he was a precious gem of a man, their relationship was so sweet. Then, the slow burn romance happening…I loved it.

TJR has done it again, and I think you guys are going to love this one! You will also want to go play tennis right after lol.

Thank you @Netgalley & @randhomhouse for this advanced copy.

Relentless. Competitive. Uncompromising. Prickly. Carrie Soto is all aces. Taylor Jenkins Reid is back, and she has a winner is Carrie Soto. After what felt like an unfocused Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back is a tight, character driven novel that is incredibly focused...on winning. Carrie has been raised by her father and coach Javier, to value hard work, winning, and being the best. Which is great when you're the best, and not-so-great when you're not. And when the next great thing is a few serves away from becoming the best thing and supplanting you, well pull out your tennis shoes and racket and prepare to be served. Through blood, sweat and tears Carrie returns to her winning ways, but she also gains something just as, if not more important, than victory on the court. She begins to learn that there are people in her life that really value her for who she is, even when she isn't the easiest person to like. And she's not. There's a reason why she's called the b****, erm, the Battle-Ax, and having a filter isn't one of them. Readers will definitely have their moments where they either think "I wish I had the guts to say something like that" or "why in the world couldn't you stop for a second and think about how that would make someone feel". Her relationship with her agent is the steady, unchanging one in this book, that anchors reteaming with her dad as her coach, training with former flame Bowden to get back to a competitive level and realizing a romantic relationship isn't out of bounds, and realizing that as much as she wants to beat Nicki Chan on the court, she really kind of lucks who she is as a person off the court. The story is told over the course of a Grand Slam season, and Jenkins Reid does a great job of completing engrossing the reader in the sport. There were definitely parts where I was flying through the pages, caught up in the speed of the match as much as the story itself. I loved how Carrie is not a conventional heroine and how Jenkins Reid makes you root for her anyway. Knowing at least a little bit about tennis will help you follow the story a little bit better, but it's never written above a level where someone who knows nothing about the sport makes you feel like you're missing something. This one is definitely a winner! A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Okay, I’m convinced that I’m the only person on the planet that is not a fan of TJR. I try and try to get into her writing style and her books and every single time I’m extremely disappointed.

Carrie Soto is absolutely no different. This was absolutely painful for me to read. I’ve seen many raving reviews about this book that describe Carrie as a strong female lead… did we get different versions?! Carrie was anything but strong. To put it nicely she was a self absorbed, brat who was OBSESSED with winning. She has no personality what do ever and was annoyingly immature.

I’m also extremely put off by the fact that there is no plot to this book? The entire book is a tennis match. There’s no real story going on here. It’s simply a weird timeline of someone’s rise to fame with a hyper focus on tennis tournaments. Where’s the character development? Where’s the drama? Where’s the plot?! Unless you live, eat, and breath tennis like Carrie then this book is not relatable in the slightest.

Pub date: August 30, 2022

Another amazing novel from Taylor Jenkins Reid. Carrie Soto is one of my new favorite characters! This book is all about girl power, tennis, the sweetest father/daughter relationship, and a slow burn love! I loved the transitions from first person POV to the news articles & sport broadcasters. It was so fast faced and so much fun to read! You don’t need any precious knowledge of tennis— it’s super easier to follow and such a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! I don't even really understand tennis, yet I was riveted by Carrie Soto. I couldn't put it down and loved the dynamic between all the characters. Carrie's relationship with her father was so fun to read, and her competitive trash talk with her competitors was hilarious. I will recommend this to everyone! When is TJR's next book out?!?

I have read all of TJR's books and I have every one of them. I feel that Carrie Soto Is Back is the jewel in TJR"s crown. Not only do I consider it the best book of the Summer, I think it is the best book that I have read all year. I was a little hesitant when I requested it. Although I played tennis most of my life, I was concerned as to whether a book can be that stimulating about a sport. But then again, I enjoyed the author so I requested it. I loved so much about the book - the beautiful father-daughter relationship pulled at my heartstrings throughout the pages and Carrie's on/off relationship with the lovable Bowe was so fun to read. I've pre-ordered the book for my daughters and sister. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful story. And thank you, TJR, for writing it.

I'm a huge TJR fan and she's hit a grand slam with Carrie Sotto. This book has everything we've come to love from TJR's work--memorable characters, pithy wisdom, and huge drama. It's just escapist fun from cover together--and yet you can't help but feel uplifted when it's over as if you've just had a fantastic therapy session. Highly recommend!

I loved this book so much, and it made me regain my interest in playing tennis. No joke, halfway through the book I bought a new tennis racket and ended up having a great time and relating even more to this book. However, that is not necessary to enjoy this book.
The story follows Carrie, a tennis player, from her childhood through her adulthood. A natural talent, she learns quickly and becomes a masterful player thanks to her father. However, people find her unlikable and she ends up being isolated for parts of her life because of it.
I really enjoyed the character development here, as the author ALWAYS does with her books, and it was tangentially related to her last book too - Malibu Rising. However, it stands completely on its own as a great and compelling book, and I will be truthful and say I totally cried at least twice in this book. Pick it up ASAP and you can thank me later!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

RUN, don't walk to grab this book the SECOND it is available. I cannot even explain how much I loved this book. Carrie Soto has intrigued me since her minor role in Malibu Rising and her character arc in this novel is a GRAND SLAM. Carrie is everything I hope all women can aspire to be, someone who knows what she brings to the table and refuses to apologize for her greatness. Her relationship with her dad also reminded me so much of mine with my father it brought tears to my eyes. I loved every minute of this book and the fact that you can tell how much TJR loves this character by the way she is written in this novel.

5 star read for me!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has been capturing female fame across the latter decades of the 1900s in her past few books, and Carrie Soto is Back continues into the 90s, following retired tennis player Carrie Soto who comes out of retirement to reclaim her record of tournaments won. Reid holds up the standard she's held in her past three books, this being another fantastic installment.

Carrie joins the likes of Nina, Daisy, and Evelyn as one of the most compelling protagonists I've read from. Like her other protagonists, Reid has crafted a protagonist with such grit and flaws, and yet you still can't help but root for them. On top of this though, Carrie provides a new perspective to female fame that we haven't seen in Reid's novels before; in that Carrie is not very well liked by much of the media. For many, she isn't famous but infamous.

This book is also very easily digestible, just like all Reid's previous endeavors. I was able to move through it very quickly without it reading as underwritten. the plot follows a very clear structure of the four major tennis tournaments, but also never drifts into being repetitive. And of course, the classic Reid ending is still present in this book, finishing exactly in the right spot to not feel incomplete but also not overworked.

Overall, while this may not be my favorite of Reid's books, it still comes in as a heavy hitting entry in the Mick Riva universe and was definitely a favorite of this year.

Carrie Soto is back and we’re along for the ride! Taylor Jenkins Reid delves back into the world of Malibu Rising but this time focuses on legendary tennis star Carrie Soto

I’m a big fan of TJR, and this book was no exception. Carrie is such an interesting character and you cannot help but root for her throughout. I’m not a tennis fan at all, but the pacing and descriptions had my adrenaline pumping and speed reading to find out what happened next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy!

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master storyteller and I have loved her writing ever since I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a few years ago. I love the way she weaves these historical fiction stories and vividly brings her characters and their decades to life. I love historical fiction stories but get burnt out on war books sometimes, and TJR is always a great choice when I want something fun and different! Her books are auto buys for me and she has once again delivered a phenomenal story in her upcoming release Carrie Soto is Back.

One of my favorite things about TJR’s characters is that she writes complex and flawed characters. They’re not always likable but they do tend to be strong, and smart, and end up making readers root for them. Carrie Soto is probably one of the least likable of her characters so far and she’s routinely seen called the Ice Queen. Her father Javi, an immigrant from Argentina and famed tennis player, has always known Carrie would the greatest Tennis player to live. She’s spent her life living up to this ideal but in 1993 she’s 37 years old and her records are being threatened. As Nicki Chan slowly chips away at Carrie’s records, Carrie knows she has to return to the game to keep herself as number 1. As Carrie works to get back in peak playing shape, she’ll need to determine who she is and what it means to be the best.

I loved this book. I loved our characters, especially Bowe and Javi. I loved the challenge Carrie takes on in the book. I love the cameos from Daisy Jones and the Six and Malibu Rising, and most of all I love that the writing is so vivid it made me feel as if I was sitting in the stands. I like sports, to begin with, but my knowledge of tennis is pretty low. TJR does a great job of laying the basics of the sport out for readers and made me want to pick up my old racket again.

This will be the perfect end-of-summer read and I can promise you are going to want to binge this one. Dare I say that Carrie Soto almost dethroned my Evelyn as my favorite TJR book??

Ranking of TJR books I’ve read:

Tie – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo & Carrie Soto is Back
Malibu Rising
Daisy Jones and the Six


Carrie Soto is Back comes out August 30, 2022! Huge thank you to Ballantine Books and Random House Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

This book is about relationships. Carrie Soto is the main character. The book followers her tennis career with her Dad/coach, other competitors and lack of friends. This book told what it was like to be a professional athlete. Especially after she achieved greatness, she decides to return to the court after five years in retirement. The story goes through what it takes to be an athlete but I felt it lacking into who Carrie was. The book goes step by step how Carrie makes a come back and especially with the relationship of her coach father. I have enjoyed other books by this author.

"Falling in love is really quite simple...You want to know the secret? It's the same thing we are do all doing about life every single day...Forget there's an ending."

Carrie Soto- a decorated tennis player is back after retirement to defend her record. Is she up for it?

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Carrie- she is strong willed, determined, and not afraid to let everyone know how talented she is. Her confidence is thrilling. I was a little hesitant about this storyline because it is so tennis centered but TJR writes in a way that feels like we are literally on the sidelines watching each match. 

Although this was heavy on the tennis, the relationships that Carrie had really brought this story to life. I loved her relationship with her father. His love for tennis was passed down to her and they share so much together. They were truly a team, and he brought out the best in her. I also loved her friendship with Bowe. I loved that their professional relationship flourished into so much more. He was one of my favorite characters and brought out the softer side of Carrie. 

TJR never disappoints. She has a way of storytelling that is rare and beautiful.

Do not miss this one! It comes out 9/30!