Ever since I met this character in Malibu Rising, I have been praying that there would be a book starring Carrie and the author delivered. I’ve said it before and I will continue to say it, this author is phenomenal at creating characters that feel real with stories that just blow you away. You forget at times that Carrie isn’t real nor is her world because it feels authentic. There’s a fluidity to the author's writing that sucks you in from the first pages and makes you forget the word “fiction”. She has an incredible ability to tell stories that put you at the end of your seat and create sentences that just wrap around your heart.

Meeting Carrie I knew there was more to her story than just the “cold and robotic” tennis phenomenon that we were introduced to. There was a softness that the author brought to Carrie that was unexpected. She was ruthless in her pursuits and her domination was backed with an undeniable talent. As the reader, you find yourself completely invested in her comeback, fighting and struggling along with Carrie on this uphill climb.

There’s a lively excitement with this book. The vivid imagery makes you feel like the game is playing right in front of you. Your heart is racing as if you are on the edge of your seat watching a match live. I love an underdog and Carrie’s tenacity and determination makes it so you are completely invested in her journey. The author humanizes Carrie's character in a believable way and that is unique to her personality. It makes the personal wins extra sweet and her losses completely heartbreaking.

I knew going into this book I would enjoy it because of who wrote it, but this author blew me away with the book she created. It was imaginative, thrilling, and captivating from start to finish. You will not be disappointed when you start this book, only when it’s over and you sadly have to leave Carries world. A million thanks to Netgally and Ballantine Books for this ARC

The only thing that made me give this 4 stars instead of 5, was the fact that there were SO many Spanish words that I had no idea what they meant. It wasn’t the worst for me because I did read it on my kindle and could easily translate, but it was a lot of stopping for them. If I were reading a physical book or listening to the audio (which I plan to do because it’s read by a full cast and TJR’s audiobooks always hit it out of the park) I would have been super annoyed to have to stop and look them up. Still, fantastic book and Taylor Jenkins Reid remains my favorite author and she killed it again. I laughed and cried. I LOVE how all of her newest 4 books have connections to the others. Many thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

i loved this so so much. i was a little skeptical going in, both because tennis is not really my thing and also because as much as i love tjr, i don't think i will love anything the way i love dj&ts and i try to keep my hopes low so i don't end up disappointed. i started this book yesterday and read most of it in one sitting. it was the first time in a long time now that i've felt desperate to keep reading something, unable to put it down, and i'm so beyond grateful. this book was exactly what i wanted it to be. i love carrie with my whole heart, she was everything !!!

It is simply impossible to not love a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel. She is the best we have, truly.

I read Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo recently and was obsessed. So I wondered how such a stark switch would feel. I can confirm, subject is only but an accessory for TJR. Whether the roaring 20's or a tennis match, the things I love most about her novels is 1) the pace, 2) the readability and 3) the way all characters become so fully fleshed that they can't help but be loved.

I knew nothing about tennis but found myself enthralled. I hope there are many more TJR novels to look forward to.

I absolutely devoured this book!

I absolutely love anything written by TJR and this book was no different.

I love how she makes you fall in love with the characters and you are so invested in them that by the end of the book you have a book hangover. I am seriously sad this book is over.

I appreciated Carrie so much, everything she stood for I related to. I appreciated the relationship she had with her father and with Bowe. Absolutely beautiful.

Of course, I highly recommend!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. Carrie Soto is a boss. She is the best in tennis, retires, and fears losing her status as best. Who of us can’t relate to that? Fear of being replaced, or not being good enough. Her motivation and determination at getting back to her previous level is commendable. The lessons she learns along the way are relatable to not only tennis, but life in general.

I love Taylor Jenkins Reid’s character development. She really makes you fall in love with the characters. I know next to nothing about tennis and I still really enjoyed this story. Carrie Soto will stick with me for a while.

At 37, Carrie Soto re-starts her professional tennis career after learning that Nicki Chan tied her record of twenty Grand Slam titles. I’m not much for sports, so the premise didn’t necessarily appeal to me and decided to give Jenkins Reid the benefit of the doubt based on enjoying her past novels. Carrie is ambitious, tenacious, ruthless, audacious, and aggressive, but I absolutely loved her (along with the other characters especially her father) because she felt so authentic. Plus, the tennis matches were thrilling and perfectly paced. The true star and heart of the book are the interpersonal relationships — realization, growth, and enlightenment.

The story of Carrie’s Soto comeback to tennis. I’m not into tennis, but I devoured this book! It’s such a strong story about Carrie finding her place in the world. Loved it!

I pretty much love all TJR books and this is no different. The weaving of the narratives from side characters in previous novels into becoming the main character they were meant just works when she does it. Carrie is a great lead character but be prepared to read a lot about tennis; it's interesting to me how that sport in particular has spawned so many novels revolved around it and the types of people that play it. Recommended.

Carrie Soto is back is the story of a very difficult character. Carrie is not an easy-to-love kind of person, she's more an easy-to-hate type. But here lies the magic of Taylor Jenkins Reid: she can make any character a lovable character, a person you can understand and empathize with. And that's exactly what you'll find in Carrie Soto is back: a difficult person that you'll get to know and accompany during her life journey, when you'll proud of her, mad at her and sad for her. You can see the complexity of her character, and I have to say that Carrie feels very real because you can identify with her, even if you're not a tennis superstar. And that's exactly what happened to me, that I saw myself in Carrie during most parts of this book, that I felt I was seeing myself.

The book itself is so easy and fast to read because of its building: it has descriptions, yes, but it also adds some interesting elements as interviews and sports programs' transcripts. But the best thing for me was how the tennis matches were described. It's a first person POV book, so you're inside Carrie's mind during these matches. And you can feel what she's feeling, you can feel the excitement and the nerves as if you were seeing her play. You don't want to stop reading because you want to know what's going to happen next, and next, and next, and so, you can definitely finish this book in less than 24 hours if you commit to it. Also, don't worry if you don't know a single thing about tennis, this book will explain it for you.

I loved how this book is the story of Carrie, but it's also the story of her father, how he's the root of all that happens next. I really loved him, loved their interactions and how important they were for each other. They made me cry more times than it should, but I loved them nonetheless. I really liked her other relationships, her very few friends, her "enemies", her reactions to the rest of the world. She is amazing and unstoppable, and seeing her meet people that appreciated her as she really is. And I also hated some people in the way, specially the male sportscasters. I really despised them.

So yeah, this is an amazing book. As I said, it's the story of Carrie, but also of her father, of her friends and her rivals, of the women tennis players that had an impact in a world made for men where it was still so hard for them to be truly appreciated. They made their own path and fought with all their strength to make their climb to the top. But it's also the story of loving the things you do in life, and of loving and accepting yourself with all the defeats and failures too. Carrie Soto, you're truly the best in the world for me.

PS: TJR's characters always feel so real, I had to stop myself from googling their names as if they were real people.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! I don’t care about tennis at all, but I loved this book. Great story, great characters, there were times I didn’t know if I was rooting for or against Carrie! So good! So much growth! I really connected with Carrie and her internal journey.

Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reed does not disappoint! I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed! There is a lot of tennis talk and although I’m not a huge sports fan it wasn’t a turn off. TJR once again blew it out of the park with her story telling.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC for my honest review.

The level of storytelling I've come to expect from Taylor Jenkins Reid was on full display here. I appreciated the pacing that added to the suspense as the drama of the story unfolded. It was very cinematically told. I'm a sports fan, so I especially loved the inclusion of transcripts from the sportscasters inserted periodically. My highest praise goes to the beautiful father-daughter relationship depicted. I think this is the perfect summer read -- it certainly distracted me from the insane level of heat we've been having.

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.