I wanted so much to like this book because I’m a huge fan of the author. For me, most of this book dragged, and I didn’t feel Carrie was an interesting enough character to dedicate a whole books to. I found her dad and Bowe to be far more interesting. I did enjoy the ending though. I think if you’re a tennis fan, this would be a much more interesting read.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! After Malibu Rising I was curious about Carrie Soto the tennis player and this book delivers!! Somewhere along the way TJR has become a brilliant writer. I've loved every book she's written since Evelyn Hugo. I love that she's written several books in the same universe and we get to see new aspects of minor characters lives as main characters in another book.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC.

"We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men."

Carrie Soto is a fierce tennis player - nicknamed "The Battle-ax". She is there to win and set records, not to make friends. After winning a record number of times, making changes to how women's tennis is played, and an injury, she decides to retire. A few years later Carrie's records are being challenged by another female tennis player, and ensues the battle she fights to get back out there and defend her titles.

I just love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing. I'm not a tennis fan whatsoever, but this book had me caring more about tennis than ever before - and cheering on these fictional characters. This title lacks the sex/drugs/rock n' roll of her last three novels, which makes it a little less exciting for me (hence 4 stars instead of 5). There is a little bit of character crossover from her more popular titles, but it felt a little forced. If I wasn't such a big fan of her previous titles, I probably wouldn't pick it up.

Carrie Soto is Back is an all time great sports story. Taylor Jenkins Reid makes you root for the redemption of the former greatest female tennis player in history despite her egocentric personality and a seeming inability to do the right thing in any possible situation off the court. By diving deep into the psychology of this character the reader understands exactly why Carrie behaves the way she does and how she can still have a passion for the game despite being years past her prime. Not only are the characters fully realized but so much attention has been paid to understanding the small details of the game of tennis that readers can feel tension building in between points leading to absolutely thrilling match sequences. Coming at a moment when athletes are starting to prioritize their mental health instead of winning championships this book gives an insight into just how taxing being the "greatest of all time" really is.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again… while reading Malibu Rising I loved Carrie Sotto, I wanted to know more about her. Now with this follow up I was even more excited to get this preview. I don’t know if it’s just me but I love how she cross characters in her books and am always paying attention to find the links or hints. This book drew me in from the beginning and didn’t let go. I read it in 2 days then was so sad I finished it. Taylor is a fabulous storyteller and I tend to forget they are characters and not a memoir because they feel so real to me.

✨Advance Copy Book Review ✨Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid ✨5/5 ⭐️✨
Publication Date: 8/30/2022
Genre: Adult Fiction
Synopsis: Swipe
Read If You Like:
- Sports based Adult Fiction with Closed Door Romance

Synopsis: Carrie Soto is the World’s greatest (retired) tennis player…until Nikki Chan swoops in and beats her record. Retired, Carrie knows this is the moment she’s been dreading, and can’t believe it’s happening. What to do but come out of retirement? But can she win back her record, and handle the pressures, especially when she’s the ‘old’ age of 37, and, let’s be honest, none of the other players really like her?

Thoughts
- Firstly, I am *not* a tennis player, and I enjoyed this novel immensely. It’s fast paced, you’re drawn into the tennis world quickly, and the technicalities of the game are explained pretty simply. That being said, if you don’t like sports novels, maybe just know that that’s what this is first and foremost, a novel about a really great tennis player (who is a gem of a character, by the way), and her comeback.
- Carrie Soto is everything. Her comeback is not only on the tennis court, but also as a person, and her character ARC is written so well in this by Reid. You hate her but love her, then hate her again, and are rooting for her the next moment.
- The side characters in this novel are done supremely well. There aren’t many, which actually looking back on it now, in any other novel I would’ve found a little strange, but here it works because this is Carrie’s world, we’re just living in it, and she only has a few close people to her.
- The ending was a gem. It’s so easy to picture this novel as a movie, and that’s what this should be, a sports movie or show (anyone ready for Daisy Jones & The Six???).
- Closed door romance and emotional parts
- ***Spoilerish!!!???*** Speaking of novel references, we get several here to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s other novels, which fans of her novels will absolutely cherish. ***End Spoiler***

At the end of the day, this was a great read, Carrie’s character was my favorite part of this novel, and you should read it. Also, peep the audiobook, there are some really great narrators on it. Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for the advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Carrie Soto is a retired professional tennis player. She’s 37 and she’s been out for 6 or 7 years. She was injured, had to take some time off, and decided to retire. A few years later there’s a younger player that is about to surpass one of Carrie’s records. She decides to come out of retirement to stop it. This is the story of what it takes to be not just a professional athlete but the best of the best—the personal sacrifices, the unrelenting training, the mental games, and the desire to keep pushing. It’s all so very intense.

We first met Carrie as a villain in Malibu Rising. However, when she actually showed up at the Riva’s house party she was amazing. She was an absolute highlight of that book. I was excited to get to know her. She’s tough and honest and totally herself. Also, the relationship between Carrie and her dad Javier was lovely. It was refreshing to read about such a strong bond.

This (along with all Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books) would be a fantastic book club selection. Lots of layers to dissect and it’s an easy, engaging read. Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for an advanced copy of this book. It will be released on 8/30/22.

I have loved every book Taylor Jenkins Reid has written and last year when I found out her newest would be about a tennis player, it jumped to the top of my most anticipated books list! When I got the Netgalley notification that I was approved for this, I literally squealed! I loved everything about this book - the writing of the tennis matches was so fantastic, I felt like I was court side. I had trouble sleeping each night I read this and now that I’m writing this review, I think it was because of the book - I mean that in the best way, I was so wired that the competitor (competition is my top strength according to Clifton SrengthsFinder) in me couldn’t calm down. I don’t want to say too much of the plot but just know it hit every emotion and is my favorite book I’ve read this year and will hard to top. Thank you @ballantinebooks and @penguinbooks for the e-ARC!

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a bombshell!
And it is going to blow the book world up! And I can't wait for it!

Incredible. Intoxicating. Unforgettable. Truly one of the most remarkable stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

The characters are phenomenal
Our protagonist is someone who is so interesting that you just want to root for in every way possible. She is flawed, determined and so strong... In ways I believe we all can relate to at some point.

The pacing was amazing, the plot, the characters, the writing.
TJR's writing style is something wonderful! Beautiful prose throughout this whole book.
I love the way she grabs you from the first moment until the very end.

This book is full of so many different feelings that it will leave you wanting for more. 

A beautiful, emotional, and heart jerking story....
But you'll love everything about Carrie Soto Is Back!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Random House,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

So grateful for the opportunity to read this one early! I couldn't imagine liking a Taylor Jenkins Reid book as much as Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones, but I loved Carrie's story as much, if not more. It was such a perfect depiction of an amazing female athlete who is unapologetic (in the best way), and it makes me want to watch all the tennis and learn the stories of all the players. The relationships with her father and Bowe were lovely, and seeing her grow and mature through those, in addition to through her sport, made this a can't-put-down-until-I'm-done book for me.

So first of all I hate tennis. I don’t understand it, I don’t enjoy it. However, I DEVOURED this book. There is just something so strategic and addicting to how TJR writes.

I loved the hints of crossovers to Daisy Jones, Malibu and her other books. It just made it so fun. Reminds me of the little hints Pixar gives in their movies to other movies of theirs (don’t judge, I have a toddler).

I don’t want to give spoilers and you can read the synopsis but, here to tell you this is an addicting read. It is perfect to devour in 24 hours and you will feel all of the emotions for Carrie Soto throughout her journey.

Also, guess I’ll start watching some tennis now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another captivating book by TJR! I don't know how she managed to keep me so interested in tennis for the entire book, but she did.
Carrie Soto (whose name you might recognize from Malibu Rising) is one of the best tennis players in the world, but she wants to be number one. She wants it so badly that she comes out of retirement years later in order to play one more round of tournaments.
This book is very sports-centered. The focus is definitely her training, coaches, and tournaments. It's also about her relationship with her dad, who coached her when she was young and is an inspiration to her.
I liked Carrie as a character a lot. She has a strong personality and a tough exterior. However, I didn't feel as strongly connected to her as some of the other protagonists in the Mick Riva-verse. I would say for my personal taste, this book was better than Malibu Rising, but not on the level of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones. Still, I read it in a day without stopping to breathe and I spent the last portion of the book crying, so I would call this a success. A solid 4.5 stars from me!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for an ARC of Carrie Soto is Back, publishing on 8/30/22. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a favorite so I was thrilled to get an early copy.

Carrie Soto is a 37-year-old retired tennis player with the most titles in the sport. However, Nicki Chan is about to surpass Soto's record, and she decides to come back to challenge Chan. With the help of her father as her coach, can Carrie hold her reign as champion?

This was a great read. Although it was tennis heavy, the descriptions of each match had a movie-like quality that made me feel like I was playing alongside Carrie. I did not really like Carrie as a MC, mostly because I felt that I didn't really understand her until the end of the novel. She was very closed-off and dogged in her goals. What I loved about the book was how Jenkins Reid layered themes of misogyny, casual sexism and ageism throughout the novel without it feeling like it was a book about either of those topics. It also implored me to think about why I disliked Carrie, and made me realize that this is likely what Jenkins Reid was after when she crafted the character. Some of the dialogue was a bit choppy and the first half started off a bit slow. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book!

Just Like Malibu Rising, I was totally committed to this book by the first chapter. I played tennis in high school, so I really enjoyed reading a book that focused so heavily on the sport. I enjoyed Carrie's subtle character development and stubbornness, she was so fun to follow!

Absolutely incredible & everything I didn't know I needed in a book. Carrie Soto is one of my favorite protagonists I've ever read about. She is strong-willed and sturbborn. I admired her personal growth and was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved literally everything about this book - the genuine & heartfelt father/daughter relationship, sports commentary, slow burn romance, and heart-racing tennis matches. TJR is a genius.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is officially one of my top all time writers. I have loved all of her books and look forward to every story she is going to tell.

I know NOTHING about tennis, but enjoyed Carrie fighting for her tennis titles but refusing to cater to the media. She is a Battle Axe!

After winning every title she is expected to retire and sail off into the sunset. . Right? Well, Carrie refuses to take take the easy road. She jumps back into training and challenges her body beyond its capabilities to try to win Wimbledon again. She also discovers that it is okay to be loved and needed by others along the way.

Bitingly feminist-forward. It asks us to examine how we think about women in sports. Why must women be "likable"? Why are men held to different standards? Why are women expected to want less?

I held my breath through tennis matches when I care nothing about sports. I laughed through trash-talk, cried through the ending and just had that feeling at the end of a book where you almost feel hungover you were so drawn in! I loved it!!

Reid has written another fully fleshed character that makes this book feel like a memoir. Was Carrie real? I genuinely want to look her up online.

This book made me laugh, cry, and everything in between! Love!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House - Ballantine, and the Achilles of fiction herself, Taylor Jenkins Reid, for the opportunity to enjoy an ARC of Carrie Soto is Back.

Carrie Soto is frequently the villain of women’s tennis on the ATP tour, and justifiably so. Everyone hates to love her and loves to hate her. There is no warmth to her game, an ice queen who takes no prisoner each match, and it’s evident she relishes her role as the tour antagonist. Carrie says what she feels, often mistaking honesty for empathy, but her in mind, she has earned the right to speak so brusquely, especially when you take into consideration her record-setting 20 Grand Slam wins. After a short-lived retirement where Carrie exited the game near the top, she finds herself returning to the game she loves in hopes of reclaiming her major wins record from new kid on the block Nicki Chan. Has Carrie “Battle Axe” Soto lost her razor sharp edge, or can she surmount one of the greatest comeback stories in sports history? She has four tournaments to find out!

Carrie is your blueprint TJR character: eccentric and exceptional with so many qualities readers will relate to. I will say I expected more background development into Carrie becoming Carrie, her mother and childhood, her friends, her relationships. Compared to Daisy and Evelyn, I almost questioned if my understanding of what made Carrie Carrie was fabricated due to the lack of depth. But then again, that’s Carrie. She is manipulative and strategic in what version of herself she shows to the world as to not give away any weakness her opponent can exploit. But the real star of the show for me is Javier, her dutiful coach and the paradigm of fatherhood. Javier embodies what it means to selflessly take on the role of being a parent while still preserving a piece of his pre-child identity. I loved all his passages and the advice he gave Carrie, both personally and professionally.

This book is definitely different from past TJR classics. She dove headfirst into the waltz that is tennis, and I think she fully captured the beauty and complexity of the game. I hope readers take this into consideration when enjoying sports-related fiction. Without a doctoral analysis of the game, we wouldn’t fully understand the lengths Carrie went to to become great. And Carrie is greatness personified.

I will be posting a review rightfully hyping up this release on my TikTok (@emmmmmreads) the week of 6/13. Please check it out!

TJR’s style of writing just works, she’s got you rooting for a complicated character that you just want to yell at for part of the book and just hug and cheer for for the majority of the book. This book runs through all the emotions! There are so many things I loved and not enough time to write them all out. I do love how the different forms of writing are so natural in the book, there are transcripts of interviews, newspaper columns and everything just works and conveys different points of view so well.
I usually don’t love an ebook, but for an ARC of this, I’m 100% gonna be on board.
I cannot wait to recommend this to everyone that comes into the library when it comes out!!!! Carrie Soto is back!!!!!!

I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am not a fan of sport stories. They are so predictable: protagonist has a setback and triumphs in the end. However, this is a sport story in the incredible hands of Taylor Jenkins Reid. The tennis star is not a sweet, blue-eyed, blond Russian. Carrie is a Latina. She has faced challenges in her life including losing her mother. at a young age But she has her father who is (was) a tennis superstar. This book delves into the discipline, challenges, relationships, public image, and public opinion of being a tennis star. Reid skillfully crafts the character Carrie and weaves a compelling story that you will not want to miss, Even if it is a sport story.

OMG Get this book! You do not have to love tennis, sports or even. have read any of the other books (some nice Easter eggs in the book though) and I guarantee you will love Carrie Soto.

Carolina Soto is the GOAT - she is the best female tennis player the world has ever seen. She is no-nonsense, tough as nails and uniformly unliked. Once she retired, she was happy to live out her life watching tennis from a far with her beloved tennis coach father Javi. But then another great has come along and smashed Carrie's record. Carrie is one of those people who's identity is tied into their job. She has no choice but to reenter the game...at 37!

Taylor Jenkins Reid paints a beautiful picture of a father daughter relationship and the hard realities of the life on an elite athlete. If you love an underdog, a great portrait of familial love, a tense story with a little romance, then Carrie Soto is Back is for you! #CarrieSotoisBack #RandomHouse #Ballantine #netgalley