I was thrilled when this book was announced and even more thrilled to get my hands on an advance copy. I have been a longtime fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and this just might be my favorite of her new era of books. I enjoyed Malibu Rising, but I LOVED Carrie Soto is Back.

Somehow, Reid does the nearly impossible - she writes a mostly unlikeable character and she makes you root for her. And then she writes her right into a redemption.

Reid has always been the master of character development, and she proves once again she deserves her place on that throne. Summer reading guides everywhere will have this title at the top.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is my favorite author, so I knew I had to read her latest book. That said, I’m not much of a tennis fan, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy this book, which centers on the comeback of tennis star Carrie Sotto.
I admit I was too quick to judge. I absolutely loved this book. Taylor has an uncanny ability to create complex, flawed characters that we can’t help but root for anyway. She develops relationships that are messy and loving and challenging and so familiar. It’s impossible not to get swept up in the world of tennis while reading this book and I couldn’t put it down. Another winner - Carrie would be proud.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher.

A solid TJR quick read, interesting even if you aren't super into tennis, but fair warning: Carrie Soto isn't all that likable. Does she have to be? Why are men athletes allowed to be rude or unlikable or blunt? That's actually part of the point. Carrie is trying for a comeback in a slam in tennis to hold onto her record, but her age and the time she has spent away from the sport take a toll. With her father's help as her coach, can she make her comeback?

I have devoured every book written by Taylor Jenkins Reid and "Carrie Soto is Back" is no different! This may be my favorite book by this author to date! The story is about a professional tennis player deciding to make a comeback out of retirement in order to defend her winning record. There is fascinating insight into the world of professional tennis and sports in general. It also delves into the tricky rollercoaster of the parent/child relationship when the parent is also the coach. I have a family of tennis players, so this story resonated with me deeply. Some characters from the author's other titles make a quick cameo, which is always super fun! Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing the ARC of this book!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I went into it with low expectations since I wasn’t jazzed by the synopsis and didn’t love Carrie from Malibu. But it’s TJR so I was going to read it regardless. And it totally took me by surprise. Obviously it’s beautifully written and it actually made me care about tennis (which is a true feat).

The relationship between Carrie and her father was a perfect focus for this book. Javier was a bright spot every time he was on the page. Plotwise, this book was very predictable. However, it’s still so enjoyable that I didn’t even care. Carrie is fantastic and is truly a great character. She’s complicated and imperfect but also unapologetically herself.

Overall, I just loved this book. If you’re a TJR fan, read this book. If you’re not yet a TJR fan, read this book and then binge her backlist.

Note: I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know anything about tennis and I still read this book in one sitting because it was so entertaining and I wanted to know how it ended. I also kept thinking about how critics would never judge a male athlete for behaving the way that Carrie did.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TJR has done it again. 4.75 stars (not quite 5 because this one is juuuust shy of my love for Evelyn & Daisy).

I devoured this book and was entranced by the story of Carrie Soto, a 37-year old tennis star who decides to come out of retirement when her record for grand slam titles is broken.

If there is one thing Jenkins Reid knows how to do, it's how to write about relationships and create intriguing characters. Wow. That is where this novel really shines. Don't get me wrong - the plot was great too! But unlike her other novels with a large casts of characters, Carrie Soto focuses on just a few. And I loved the dynamics among all of them. I adored Carrie's father, Javier, and their father/daughter + coach/player relationship. I loved Bowe, another aging tennis player who practices with Carrie, and the way he interacted with her and Javier. Even the side characters, Carrie's agent Gwen and new rival Nicky Chan, were wonderful. Carrie herself is sure to be a controversial character -- she is abrasive and doesn't hold back with her words. But she knows what she wants, and nothing will stop her on her way to achieving it.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a beloved author in the book community online, and her newest release is sure to live up to the high expectations bookstagrammers and booktokers have. I am so grateful to Taylor Jenkins Reid, NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book!

Another masterpiece from Taylor Jenkins Reid - Carrie Soto is Back is now tied with Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for my favorite TJR book. Carrie Soto is complex, stubborn, and some would even call her unlikable, which is part of what makes this story so compelling. At 37, Carrie Soto comes out of retirement to win one last tennis tournament. I was rooting for her and the entire small universe of characters (including her father, tennis rival Nicki, and fellow tennis player Bowe). This book does include a lot of tennis, including details of types of shots and scoring - but as someone who started reading without much tennis knowledge, I think the author explained enough for me to understand what was going on.

One aspect of this book I especially enjoyed is how it goes from Carrie’s perspective to news articles and transcripts covering the sport. It helped clearly illustrate who the character was versus how she was perceived.

Thanks to Netgalley/Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

So yeah, I loved this book, a lot. I'm quickly coming to think of Jenkins Reid as one of my favorite writers. I love how she's building an interconnected world. I love how effortless I find it to read her books, and how they hold me.

Carrie Soto is a minor, almost throwaway character in Malibu Rising. And now she takes center court in her own story. Carrie is a 37 year old retired tennis star who comes out of retirement to reclaim her record of having the most slams when a younger player ties her record. This novel is her year of slams.

I didn't much like Carrie as a person (and neither do many of those around her, having given her the nickname of The Battle Axe or later just calling her The Bitch), but I did respect her. And I think she'd be okay with that. In fact I spent much of the book not liking her but felt she was absolutely right when she says she's only doing what men on the tour get away with doing, why should it be different for the women. The feminist in me absolutely agreed with her on that. I loved seeing her go for something she wanted and not giving a damn if anyone else felt she was too old and should just smile and gracefully bow out. Screw that!

I had a hard time at times relating to how stubborn and single minded she was. It frustrated me as much as it frustrated her father (who is also her coach). But as much as this was a book about her tennis comeback it was also about her finally finding peace with where she is in her career. I liked the ending, a lot. I liked Javier and Bowe a lot. I didn't like her a lot. But I loved this book and I liked her growth while she remained true to herself.

I've read and enjoyed every novel Taylor Jenkins Reid has published. I always say that my favorite is One True Loves, although I also loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (my first TJR) and Malibu Rising (in my top 5 of last year).
So I was surprised and overjoyed (and SO GRATEFUL) when I got approved by NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine to receive an eARC of her latest - Carrie Soto Is Back. I started reading it as soon as I could and raced through it pretty quickly.
This book is very different from Reid's previous books, in my opinion. The cast of characters is smaller. The universe is tighter. The focus is singular - the tennis career of 37-year-old Carrie Soto (who we met briefly in Malibu Rising). That's it. That's the book. It's a redemption story, a sports novel, an ode to a father and his daughter. But mostly it's an intimate examination of the psyche of a hyper-competitive champion with a one-track mind - winning tennis games. 
For these reasons, I think the novel might be hit or miss (to use a tennis concept) for TJR's fan base of readers. Speaking for myself, I loved the sprawling plot and yet intricate characterization of Malibu Rising, in particular, and was eager for more of the same. Solely diving deep into one athlete's mindset (especially when I'd presume it basically aligns with the outlooks of most world class athletes) left me wanting more and caused me to skim through some of the lengthy tennis match descriptions. I did want to see how the story ended, but I was disappointed when I realized the novel's universe was never going to expand and give me what I was expecting from one of my favorite writers.
Still, I have to give TJR credit for taking chances (as she did in Daisy Jones, as well) and telling the very specific story she wanted to tell. As a very successful creative person, she surely has earned the right to follow her own instincts and keep herself engaged with the art form for (hopefully) decades to come. The one thing Carrie Soto Is Back definitely managed to accomplish with me is making me wonder what Reid's NEXT book will be like. What type of story will catch her interest next? I definitely appreciate that she is keeping us fans on our toes, ready for the next ace serve she's going to release into the world.

4.75 stars
AHHHHHHHHHHH (had to let that out)
How refreshing it is to read another TJR book. I wasn’t hyped going into this bc I wasn’t curious of Carrie’s story from Malibu Rising but my god did I have fun with this. She’s stubborn, cocky, intimidating, fierce and the list goes on.
I know nothing about tennis but I had so much fun with this. I have never felt so thrilled and hyped for a match before. My heart was beating & my body couldn’t stay still as I was reading the games. I felt like I was in the stands.
Her father is just a great character and dad all around. He exudes warmth, support and knowledge.
Gwen is a lovely side character. She fights for Carrie and shows her unconditional support. She refers to her as her almost sister that is a brat. I like that Carrie has an older woman to watch over her. Bless Gwen for all the moments she had to drag Carrie away before she said something too harsh.
Bowe is actually a good guy (a shocker to find). He takes what Carrie throws at him and stays when she pushes him away.
Nicki Chan is so great. Although her interactions with Carrie are few, they added so much. Carrie was able to be empathic with Nicki’s struggles and hit her with fire at the same time. The banter between them brings a smile to my face. I love how Nicki would try to be friendly and Carrie would run away as if not seeing her. Nicki is one of my favorite characters.

This is the story of a champion, who returns to tennis to defend her title. The book has a lot of tennis in it, I knew nothing about tennis and was less interested in that part. It was more about a woman learning how to lose, how to live with maybe not being the greatest, how to open her heart to friends, to love and to make peace with herself.

I can't stop thinking about this book. I easily could've read this book in one sitting (like most TJR books in all honesty.)

I didn't think I was going to enjoy reading about Carrie Soto. She wasn't a favorite of mine in Malibu Rising, but my viewpoint changed almost immediately after stating this book. Carrie Soto is a freaking badass!! 20 grand slams?? Damn!

The story starts where we find that Nikki Chan has tied Carrie Soto's world record. Carrie had been retired from tennis for 5 years when Nikki tied for the record, this creating a spark in Carrie. She has to get her title back. Carrie comes out of retirement and we follow along as she goes to the various tournaments and makes her way competing against her opponents.

Carries dad, Javier, is her coach. In reading about Carrie and Javier, it reminded me of my dad and myself. I always watched tennis with him when I was younger so I really connected to this book. TJR took some time to incorporate the rules of tennis into the book, so that it wasn't as confusing for anyone who doesn't watch or knows nothing about it.

Does Carrie reclaim her title of the most grand slams in a career? I guess you'll have to find out.

We love a good women empowerment story!! Hell yeah TJR, keep. them. coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC !! loved it and I cannot wait to get a physical copy so I can reread it again. (Hint hint if you want to send me a physical copy, I wouldn’t be mad 😂)

As a TJR completist, I was thrilled to get my hands on Carrie Soto. Though it is solidly written with a fast moving plot, I missed the multiple characters and/or storylines I have come to expect. I would absolutely recommend it, with the caveat that is is a little more simple in its focus than what she has been producing in her most recent novels.

I loved this addition to the world TJR is taking! When I first read Malibu Rising, I never would have though a book about Carrie Soto would be next, and I also thought I wouldn’t have liked it as much as I did.

Carrie Soto is Back is in my top 3 of TJRs now and what amazing character she was! I loved her journey and I felt like I was there watching these tennis matches in the seats. Carrie is another badass female that TJR has magically created and had also made her such a complex character.

I literally have no complaints. There were some great ups and downs. Some great character development. Heartbreak and love. Funny moments and a great ending as well. I read this is in a little over 24 hours and really had a hard time putting this down. I’m excited for this to hit shelves and will definitely be buying a copy to add to my collection!

I loved this book!! I am primarily a suspense/mystery reader, but I will admit that Taylor Jenkins Reid is a huge exception to that rule. Her characters are flawed, yet relatable and her writing style sucks me in from page 1. I became a huge fan after Daisy Jones and the Six and I'm so happy that her subsequent outings have been equally fabulous. Carrie Soto is a complex character and the peek inside the world of tennis was unique and engaging. I will absolutely purchase this book as an audiobook as well. I know I will want to revisit this story again down the road.

I am so grateful to have received an advanced copy of this book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing the ARC for an unbiased review.

I’m not a fan of tennis, probably because I do not understand the game. However, this novel had me tensely anticipating every serve, every volley, every win and loss. I enjoyed Javier and his drive. I especially loved the Spanish. Bowe, ah Bowe. ❤️ Carrie, though, was a force to be reckoned with. I liked that she was true to herself and loyal to her father. (And the nod to Daisy Jones and the Six was perfect.) Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

This may be my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book yet. But the why is what has me stunned. I don't like Carrie Soto. I didn't care for her in Malibu Rising even though I felt sorry for her. But through most of the book she made me uncomfortable. She is unlikable and doesn't care. So why am I rooting so hard for her?? And there you have why it is a five star!

4.25/5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the published for the e-ARC of the book! Although I found certain things predictable, I enjoyed Carrie’s life and her acceptance with things that she can’t control by the end. The character development was slow but realistic because of the speed; you can’t change what has been drilled into your head overnight. Bowe and Nicki have my entire heart. Full review to come to MaeflowerReads soon

TJR has outdone herself - again! Carrie Soto is Back is completely un-put-downable!

Carrie Soto's character is one we love, even though she herself is so unapologetically unlikable. A loner and tennis competitor from early on, she makes a comeback after retirement. Is winning everything? This is a question she finds herself battling up to the very end. Whether you know and like tennis or not is irrelevant here. You'll be sucked in whether you like it or not.

Javier, Carrie's father, is also her coach. He is full of heart and wants nothing more than to love his daughter, win or lose. You never really know if he is talking tennis or talking life - his quips apply to both and are warm and endearing.

This is written SO well. You can hear the crowds and feel the anticipation of each match. Thank you, Netgalley, for this AMAZING read!