Carrie Soto isn’t letting go of her record without a fight, and she certainly isn’t going to let a little thing like retirement stand in her way. Never mind the fact she’s six years out of the game at age 37, and her knee and the pundits won’t let her forget it. Carrie’s hitting the court again to prove once and for all that she is the best. But is she trying to prove it to her fans, her sponsors, her opponents, the press, or herself? And which of those matters most?
🎾
I have to start by saying I am not, nor have I ever been, either a tennis fan or a particularly athletic individual. Those of you who know me are surely not shocked by this. 😆 So I had a bit of a hard time really connecting to the tennis side of the storyline. Once I set that aside and let the story speak for itself, I was swept away by Carrie’s emotional journey to overcome obstacles, both mental and physical, as she trained and competed once again. Taylor Jenkins Reid created something beautiful with Carrie’s story. It’s not just about tennis or pride or ambition, though these are all central to the plot. It’s about the heart and soul of what and who fuel our motivation, and the joy of finally getting to know oneself.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the complimentary advance copy of this work! My opinions are my own.

Wow. What a fantastic book. I loved the way the author set up the chapters and structure of this story, from beginning to end of her career. I think this might be my favorite by Taylor Jenkins Reid.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of “Carrie Soto is Back.” All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this one as I have read the past three of Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest novels. This book was incredibly hard to power through to finish for many reasons. The reasons being there did not seem to be any research into what it was to be a professional tennis player or even how to play a basic game. Carrie was suppose to be a feminist icon, but she was more just a narcissist focused on herself and beating down other women. The last part that was unreadable was that TJR is a white women trying to write about latinx characters.

I would have not finished this book if I was not given a free copy from NetGalley.

I love TJR books ever since I read One True Loves. I look forward to her new books every year. I love how TJR pushes and expands her writing topics as she did in this story with the tennis. TJR is a writer who is masterfully skilled at giving you real life situations and making you see and feel things from different perspectives. Her ability to make you feel emotional about topics that don't even interest you is far superior to most all authors that I have read.
In this book our subject is a tennis star that has retired but will need to revisit the sport in order to deal with some of the relationships in her life. I was hesitant going into this but I shouldn't have been. TJR knows what she is doing and once I got into this I just had to sit back for the ride. One aspect that I really enjoyed in this story was that although there was a focus of romance as I think all her books have, the main relationship focus seemed to be with Carrie and her dad and I really liked that.

It took me a while to get into this book, to be honest, I almost gave up on it. So glad I didn’t!

Carrie’s story ended up being one that I will cherish for a long time. Don’t know why I doubted TJR’s power to deliver a story that will capture my heart.

I loved this book even more than Malibu Rising! Carrie Soto is a famous tennis player who is aging out of the game. However, she’s determined to make a comeback and show the world that age IS just a number. Along the way, Carrie will learn more about herself and come to peace with her retirement.

TJR does it again! Carrie Soto is Back is a story about tennis, but not really. I loved reading about her relationship with her dad -- and I know that this one will stick with me for awhile. Although her characters are always a bit unlikeable, they get under your skin until you can't help but root for them. 4/5 stars for me.

Every book Taylor Jenkins Reid writes is more amazing than the last. Carrie Soto is Back is no exception. I was hooked from the very first paragraph and couldn't wait to see whether or not Carrie would succeed in her comeback attempt. I loved Javier, rooted for Carrie and Bowe (both on the court and romantically), and loved the support Gwen gave Carrie both professionally and on a personal level. I cried at parts, I laughed at parts, I cheered at parts. TJR makes the reader forget these are fictional characters and that is part of what makes her stories so entertaining. This was 5 stars for me!

**ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers another excellent novel, this time focused on the world of tennis. Carrie Soto is a former tennis player, fierce and relentless. By the time she retires, she’s won numerous championships and shattered records. But at the age of thirty-seven, when a younger player threatens to overtake her record, Carrie decides to come out of retirement and be coached by her father one last time.

I really enjoyed this, especially after being somewhat lukewarm about the author’s last couple books. This is a wonderful story of ambition, family, and the cost of greatness. I never thought I’d find tennis so thrilling, but Carrie’s journey is truly compelling. She’s not always a likable character: she’s single-minded, driven, and focused on winning at all costs. She’s often rude and arrogant, but even so, I was rooting for her the whole way. She’s facing adversity not only because of her age, but because of her personality and how she’s portrayed in sports media. Her growth throughout the novel was done so well, and I found the ending truly satisfying. I highly recommend this to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, even those who haven't loved some of her more recent books. This one is right up there with Evelyn Hugo (which I adored).

TJR is a must read author me!! While this was another great read, I must admit it wasn’t my fave. Rich in detail, but perhaps too much tennis. All in all, enjoyable & would recommend!

I would give this book a solid four stars. I was raised watching tennis, so I was very excited for this book. Reading Malibu Rising, we are introduced to Carrie Soto as the woman who broke up Nina Riva's marriage. Carrie Soto Is Back is her journey through her tennis career. The rise and retirement and the subsequent journey to a comeback. I wish there would have been more description of Carrie's life outside of tennis, like the relationships. I feel like it was written like a sports memoir, which for some that is fine, but for me that is not exactly what I am looking for. Overall I would still recommend this book and I know it is going to be another Taylor Jenkins Reid hit!

WoW! I always love TJR books, but if you are a fan of tennis- this is a must read! love the evolution of Carrie, and she felt like a real human, which is not always easy to do with an athlete.

Finally, a TJR book that is *almost* as engrossing as Evelyn.

As always, character development is top notch. Carrie was a hard character to like, but I found myself rooting for her just the same. I loved the supporting cast, but would have loved to see some chapters from the POV of Carrie’s opponents.

I really appreciate the way all the Carrie/tennis heavy content was broken up by the articles and transcripts from the sportscasters.

Solid 4/5 stars

Having read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, I believe that this is one of her finest novels. The plot was gripping and the characters were very believable. I rooted for Carrie the whole time and was so. impressed by the realistic portrayal of the sport of tennis. I highly recommend this book. I also enjoy how there are always "Easter eggs" in her stories - references to characters in her previous books.

Carrie Soto is Back is a great sports story with an unforgettable main character. I recommended it to all known tennis fans.

TJR excels at writing fictional characters that feel so realistic it's almost jarring. All of her books are a masterclass in characterization and it was exactly that with Carrie Soto. I know nothing about tennis at all but this book had me SO invested in it. Carrie was a fascinating character and I felt like this book had a more satisfying ending than other TJR books I've read. I found there was a moment in the middle where I thought the story was dragging a bit and I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but it quickly picked up and took a turn. Also the audiobook, as per usual for TJR, was fantastic with a full cast and parts that sounded like an actual sports broadcast which was SO cool!!

I never knew I was interested in tennis until reading this book. I was so invested in Carrie’s story. 5 stars!

“My older self knows that you must stop-in the middle of the chods-to take in the world around you. To breathe in deeply, smell the sunscreen and the rubber of the ball, let the breeze blow across your neck, feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. In this respect, I love the way the world has aged me.”

Carrie Soto was born to the legend tennis player called "The Jaguar." Carrie’s father ends up coaching Carrie to play and compete in competitive tennis. All Carrie wants is to be the best tennis player of all time. When Nicki Chan threatens Carrie's most Grand slams titles, Carrie decides at the age of 37 to come out of retirement to defend her record. However, not many people think carrie does not have it in her due to her age.

I am a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and have been since 2019 when I got Daisy Jones and The six in my Book of the Month box.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has an amazing talent of taking a character and telling a story from they were a child up until the present. She strips the characters raw and show all their faults, insecurities, great qualities, etc. Carrie Soto is no exception.

Let's be honest, Carrie lives up to her nickname: “The Battle-Axe" due to how cold and brutal she is on and off the tennis courts. As other characters disdain her, us as the reader totally get why people do not like her, yet I could not stand her at times. I loved that we got the upper hand of knowing her thought process and the insecurities she was facing in those moments.

As Carrie comes out of retirement, I really loved the change we start to see from Carrie and the relationship she builds with her father. This time around, you really see the love and the special bond that forms between Carrie and her father, Javier.

Carrie shows that nothing can stop her and she will do anything to prove herself even if no one believes she would be able to play great at the age of 37 and when no one wants to train with her.

Then, there is Bowe Huntley that decides he will train with Carrie even at his age of 39. These two both teach one another things about tennis and push one another to their limits.

I really could not put this down because I needed and wanted to see what would happen to carrie and how she would react.

This is an addictive, fast paced book that sucks you right in just like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six, and Malibu Rising does.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a thrilling and captivating novel that will keep readers engaged from the very first page. Reid's writing style is unique and engaging, and she has a true talent for creating characters that readers will fall in love with.

What I loved most about this book was the depth of the characters. Reid has a true talent for creating characters that feel real and authentic, and she manages to make even the most flawed individuals sympathetic and relatable. Carrie Soto is one such character. Despite being an unlikeable character you still feel for her.

In addition, the pacing of the novel is excellent. The story moves along at just the right speed, keeping readers engaged without ever feeling rushed.

Overall, I would highly recommend Carrie Soto is Back to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging novel with complex characters and a compelling story. And if you love tennis like me then you will absolutely love this book. Highly recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending an ARC in return for an honest review.

I have zero interest in tennis. Like none, zilch, nada.

I did not like Carrie Soto in the past books.

I loved this book anyways!

Taylor Jenkins Reid could write the phone book and I would read it.

The plot and character relationship is superb.