RATING: 5/5 STARS

Taylor Jenkins Reid has knocked it out of the park (or court) with this one! This is my favorite book of hers to date. I was instantly hooked and finished it in less than a day.

Five reasons I loved this book:

1. CARRIE is one of the most nuanced and intriguing heroines I’ve read. She is unapologetic, bold, fierce, and dedicated to her craft. But she’s also insecure, noncommittal to relationships, and hard on herself. I loved her growth and trajectory throughout the story. I rooted for her so much and felt her triumphs and downfalls deeply.

2. CARRIE AND HER DAD were the absolute stars of this book. His unconditional love and support for her along with his tough and honest coaching struck such a beautiful balance. I loved their conversations in Spanish and their unbreakable bond over tennis. Such a beautifully written father-daughter duo.

3. CARRIE AND BOWE creep up on you. He is such an endearing character. It’s not often you see an amazingly supportive secondary male lead. Although Bowe is talented, Carrie is the true legendary tennis phenomenon and he doesn’t shy away from that.

4. TENNIS is at its finest in this book. I’m no expert at the sport but TJR describes it so well that I could visualize each game and the excitement. Tennis is brought to life here, not only its fast pace and technicalities, but also its beauty, grace, and intricacies.

5. THE ENDING is perfect. Absolutely uplifting and poignant.

1 like

What does TJR do best? Characters. Three dimensional, fully living breathing you have to double check to make sure they aren’t real people kind of characters. Carrie Soto is Back is no exception. Carrie is not a likable character. On the surface, she is arrogant, harsh, focused, demanding, and cut throat. But that won’t turn you off from wanting to see her succeed. From wanting to watch her relationships evolve with her father, Bowe, Nikki. . .I loved them ALL. She evolves with them but always stays true to herself at the same time. It’s gorgeous character development, and I could not put the book down watching every single relationship move forward.

What else made this a book I couldn’t put down? Believe it or not. . .the tennis. Do I know a thing about tennis? No. Have I ever watched a tennis game? No. But after a bit, I was INVESTED. I want to see how each match went down. It’s been a while since the world absolutely melted away while I was reading and I was there on the court with Carrie. It was book magic. So if you’re reading and you’re like. . . .this is A LOT of tennis theory. . . Hang in there. It will all come together.

This is now my 3rd favorite book I’ve read so far this year, and it’s my 2nd favorite TJR behind Evelyn Hugo. I laughed, I cried, I was surprised, I was riveted, I got goosebumps, I cheered, I highlighted passage after passage, and I sighed upon finishing it and said, “That was an excellent book.”

Thank you to @netgalley @tjenkinsreid and @randomhouse for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to my older daughter for letting me borrow her backyard tennis racket.

4.5 rounded up to 5. It is not Summer without a new book from Taylor Jenkins Reid and Carrie Soto is Back does not disappoint! I like tennis and was ready to read about something new. If you haven’t played in awhile, don’t worry, Jenkins Reid cleverly brings you up to speed on scoring in the first few chapters as Carrie learns to play tennis as a child under the tutelage of her tennis pro father Javier.

This is a fast paced book about a former champion deciding to make a comeback to defend her record. It is also about family, relationships, love and change. Carrie is strong and determined and doesn’t really care about who she takes down along the way. She is not apologetic about who she is but as we learn more about her comeback, slowly her priorities change.

I enjoyed traveling with Carrie to all the big tennis tournaments-the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and getting immersed in that world. I loved reading about her matches and couldn’t put the book down as I cheered her on. My only criticism is the Spanish dialog from her father which had no translation but I quickly learned to ignore it (google translate was minimal help).
Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for providing the ARC.

Carrie Sotto is Back 🎾 🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🗽
Author : @tjenkinsreid
Page Count : 384
Pub Date : 🔜 August 30th, 2022
@randomhouse


Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again. This Novel was such a breath of fresh air. I initially was worried if it would keep my interest because tennis isn’t something I’m particularly passionate about it but it was the furthest from that. This novel empowered me. It reminded me of many “matches” in my own life. Recognizing your strengths as well as your weaknesses and being okay with both of them. I loved the development of the relationship between Carrie & Javier. A relationship that really was strictly business turned into such a soft place for Carrie to land. I’m not surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel and cannot wait for you all to have the opportunity to devour it.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

I read this so fast. I have read every single TJR novel, so it's very hard for me not to compare them. This is a sports novel about a tennis player in the 90s who comes out of retirement to try to keep her old record. Carrie isn't well liked. She's coached by her father, she isn't nice to fans, and she doesn't care what people think about her personality... but she's the best. I don't think you have to like tennis to enjoy this, but I did get very similar vibes to the Serena/Venus Williams movie and this was no where near as emotional as that. If you have read Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising, I think you'll enjoy this. I wish we got more of a feel of the 90s and better character development of Bowe. I do think this is a very very honest way that women feel in sports and Carrie is a badass

I don't like tennis. I don't play tennis and I don't enjoy watching tennis. So, why would I want to read a book about tennis? Because Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote it and everything she writes is a masterpiece. Carrie Soto, who appears briefly in "Malibu Rising" is front and center in this story. She has retired from tennis as a superstar of the sport but can't stand the idea of newer players breaking her records, so she decides to come out of retirement to improve on her already impressive record. Along with her father and coach, Javier Soto, who is an incredible character in his own right, she trains and claws her way back into the game. Along the way, she develops personal relationships and discovers who she really is, with and without tennis. A stellar read, even if you don't like tennis.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy. My opinion is my own.

Jenkins-Reid is incomparable. Her ability to create characters and place them in books that read like action films is just jaw dropping. I tore through this book in a day. I had to know what would happen next. Her characters are flawed and fierce but she knows how to make her readers really see the humanity behind them and to care deeply about them. I will read anything this woman writes. I gratefully received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolute stunner. Carrie Soto Is Back gave me everything I wanted. There was romance, drama, sports, rivalries, and scandals.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes her characters in a way that convinces the reader that they are real, living and breathing people. Carrie is raw, layered and so complex. She is a woman who is unapologetically herself and has more ferocity and grit in her pinky finger than most people have in their entire bodies. I admired Carrie. I loved Carrie. I rooted for her in each battle.

The tennis matches are written in a way that had me on the edge of my seat at all times. I felt like I was witnessing history along with the crowd. Carrie’s relationship with her father is a thing of beauty. The love he has for her shines on every page. Speaking of love, the romance in this is so subtle and soft and I swooned through it all. I just love, love okay.

Carrie Soto Is Back was a gorgeous read. If you love sports and badass women, this one will be right up your alley.

I wish I could give this book a million stars. TJR is truly the only author who could make me care about tennis. She somehow managed to make the matches and tournaments suspenseful and adrenaline packed, when I literally don’t care about tennis at all. Carrie was the perfect protagonist. She was abrasive and impulsive and she didn’t take anyone’s shit. I absolutely loved all of the commentary about gendered sports and how difficult it is to be taken seriously as a female athlete. Carrie was held to a different set of standards than any of her male counterparts and even her other female counterparts and she really said “screw all of that, I’m going to do what I want.” I devoured this book in 24 hours. It was amazing from start to finish. TJR’s ability to create realistic and flawed characters is unmatched (hehe see what I did there). Absolutely incredible.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Taylor Jenkins Reid for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Being approved for this arc is probably the peak of my existence.

Carrie Soto got robbed, and so did the rest of us.

I will tell you one thing, Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to take your heart hostage and make you fall in love with a character that you didn’t even really want to care about at all. Because, tennis? Come on. I don’t even think tennis players care about tennis all that much. But TJR made me care. Like, deeply .

So deeply that I started researching actual tennis legends, and the rules of the game, so that I could feel even more immersed in Carrie’s world. And now I’m so far down tennis-related rabbit holes that I won’t be surprised if I get invited to play at the next Wimbledon myself.

Carrie Soto is the baddest of badasses, and how could you not fall in love with her and her sass and her ferocity. Enneagram 8s the world over will feel seen and known and understood. (not that they needed anybody’s validation. but still.) And Javier, that sweet, devoted father of hers. What a beautiful relationship they had. And Bowe, that wonderful man. What a catch.

Just a delightful, immersive world of characters and relationships to adore. Until TJR went and fucked us all right in the trophy case with that ending. And I’m so mad about it I could give this book no stars, but that wouldn’t be fair to sweet Javier who I loved so so much.

Here’s what gets me (spoilers ahead) : Carrie was supposed to come back and dominate. She said she could do it, she gave me hundreds of pages to make me believe she would do it, and then she didn’t do it. So basically instead of reading about a badass who lives up to her own hype, I was actually tricked into reading about (and caring about) a has-been with an ego problem. And yes, that’s enough for me to call a 5-star book a 2-star book. Change my mind.

Maybe someday I’ll cool down enough to add a few more stars, but I’m too mad right now.

——

A huge thank you to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reid is a great author. However, this one didn't grab me like her other books. The writing style is great, the ot is well-developed and the characters come to life. I think I struggled because the setting revolves around tennis and a lot of it. Despite my book reservations,, I think many will enjoy her newest novel.

Carrie Soto may be back but Taylor Jenkins Reid never left.
Carrie carries the title of the greatest tennis player of all time. When somebody threatens to take her most coveted record she has to decide if she wants to fight for it again or not.
Carrie comes to understand herself and her motivations more as her story progresses.
This book is about tennis and a superstar athlete but it's also about so much more. It's about daughters and fathers, athletes and coaches, friends and foes, victory and defeat, love and heartbreak.
I really enjoyed this book. It was the kind of book that I devoured and when I finished it I wished I could start it over and read it again for the first time.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Random House Publishing for this chance to read an advanced copy.

5 Totally Authentic & Hits The Mark Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
This book had EVERYTHING. It was a work of art in how it presented a person who at first, was difficult to like, and in the end, you got exactly who she was and loved her dearly. I am a rookie when it comes to Taylor Jenkins Reid and the experience I had while reading this book ran the gamut of emotions for me. She made me cry and very few authors have the ability to touch me that way...so there you go seeing how incredible this book is.

Oh, there is so much more than those types of emotions...You get them all. Some will frustrate you, but most will encourage you to be the best you can be and give you a healthy perspective of life. It will show you what you can accomplish and what you need to hold on to.

And due to my interest in all sorts of documentaries, this totally felt authentic with how it presented Carrie's relationship with coaches, competing tennis players, the press, and how she perceived herself. Her relationship with her dad was presented realistically to me. They grew as she grew and when it finally was just right...it filled my heart.

So this was a deeply intense read for me, loved it, and think you will too.

Side Note:
There are so many documentaries regarding Tennis, Women, Diversity, etc. I have seen many and this book felt like it brought to life in my head everything I had thought about the sport and how it impacts those who play it at that elite level.

LOVING THIS, HARDCORE

is there anything that taylor jenkins reid cant do? t this point id read her grocery list and still be shocked at the ending 😂😂

Carrie Soto has made a marvelous comeback from being seen in a breakdown in Malibu Rising. Taylor Jenkins Reid paints yet another amazing portrait with Carrie Soto, one that I can tell will be a hit amongst tennis players and fans.

Though I didn’t particularly love this one by TJR, it’s admittedly one of her best works. Maybe after Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones, but honestly? Before Nina Riva for me. I liked Carrie enough to respect her, but if given the chance, I would avoid her at all costs. You don’t get a nickname like “Battle Axe” from doing nothing.

One thing TJR always tends to write seamlessly is strong-ass women. I love how effortless this sort of style comes from her and I would love to see more of these historic fiction novels about strong women, but I also know that this is probably her last one in the genre.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones, but it felt like I needed to read this one. The style was amazing, but for me, it was just so heavy on tennis and the sort, but that’s okay. I won’t dock it more than a half star for that because that would be unfair. I went into this novel KNOWING it was about tennis and I don’t have any affiliation with the sport nor do I care much to understand it. That’s on me, not the author.

Carrie Soto was meant to be this character people were supposed to hate, especially in media. I love how much this was centered around mass media and entertainment and how much Carrie did not give any fucks. She was true to who she was and wanted to be and I can’t shy away from that.

This book tells you the story of a prolific tennis player that dragged herself up from nothing. Her dad was this amazingly supportive character and I wish I could see more of him.

This was a very well-written novel. I was just bored throughout most of it because of how much revolved around tennis and that’s no way anyone’s fault.

You can preorder Carrie Soto Is Back from your local bookseller or get it on release day on August 30, 2022.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Random House Publishing / Ballantine for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Parts of this book I didn’t care about at all. But by the end of it, I was ready to watch a game of tennis.

I swear TJR’s writing is getting better and better. This was exceptional. That plottwist towards the end, THAT ending !!!! Omg the character growth, the father daughter relationship !!!!!!! The TEARS I SHED WHILE READING THIS OMG.

this was queens gambit in a book (well the tennis version)


Thank you NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange of my honest opinions.

It's hard to imagine how a book can be at once very predictable (with some exceptions), but also extremely perfect. TJR, as always, tells an impressive story through the use of great characters and a bit of mixed media (first person with a smattering of newspaper clips or TV interviews). It's a story of ambition (and specifically female ambition). The main character is deeply relatable, but also completely foreign but since you are in her head, you understand her deeply.
This book sucked me in, and I couldn't put it down until I stopped, even though the story doesn't hide where it's going to go. It's just that good that TJR doesn't have to rely on surprise to get you anywhere. It just tells a beautiful story that you want to read on a long afternoon and not lift up your head until the evening.
It hit every beat and it soared. What a fantastic book.

I'm a huge fan of TJR, but this book may be my favorite or all of her work! This book was beautifully crafted to bring even newbies to tennis to the table and to root for characters at their biggest moments. I loved the grit, the heart, and the rawness of this book - it was the type of book you didn't want to put down. TJR knows how to write a female heroine that you root for despite their flaws, and Carrie Soto was no exception.

I'll be posting my full review on https://www.instagram.com/ladies.getting.lit/ the week of publishing!

I, like many others, get very excited when Taylor Jenkins Reid has a new book out. Luckily, this book does not disappoint. We have met Carrie Soto before, but in this book we really get to know her, experiencing her childhood, rise to tennis stardom, and difficult personal relationships. I so loved getting in her head and understanding her as a character. This one is definitely worth checking out.