At age 37, Carrie Soto decides to seek another tennis Grand Slam title. She has been retired five years and sees her world record titles in danger of being surpassed by younger players. The public respects her many achievements, but does not care for her abrasive personality. Her father and coach,Javier, is the only person she has ever loved. The reader begins to know the real Carrie as she begins her quest for another title . As a tennis fan, I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the tennis matches. This book may be a bit technical for non tennis players, but the heart of the story is universal…”..What Am I Willing to Sacrifice to Achieve My Dreams?”

Thanks you Net Galley for this ARC. I was so excited to be approved because I adore Taylor Jenkins Reid. I like how she writes fiction books that read like autobiographies. If you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six, you will like Carrie Soto. I love competitive sports, although I know nothing about tennis so this book was a great read for me. Carrie Soto is a protagonist that is unlikable, but you are rooting for anyway. Carrie was the top tennis player in her prime. She was coached by her dad and worked her way to the top. She was known for her brash demeanor and made no friends along the way. At 37, her slam record is about to be broken by an up and coming new tennis star. Carrie decides to come out of retirement to defend her titles. Winning would make her the oldest tennis player to win a slam. Can she do it? Will her attitude get in the way?

At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this book or even finish it. But by midway I was hooked. Having never been much of a competitor, I found the motivations of many characters difficult to understand but I found the story entertaining. I can’t say that this is my favorite of TJR’s books but this was a great read.

I was so excited to see this come in my email. TJR is a favorite author of mine. This did not disappoint. I read it in one sitting at the pool on a Sunday and was the perfect book for that.

It is straight forward, predictable and a smidge cheesy and exactly what I wanted and needed.

TJR has such a captivating writing style. Even though I thought most of what happened in this book was predictable, it was written in such a beautiful way that I still enjoyed reading it.

(Spoiler alert from Malibu Rising in next paragraph)

I liked the direction that this story took — I’m glad we got to read about Carrie’s rise to fame before reading about her comeback. However, I wish we were able to find out more about Carrie and Brendan’s affair, which was highlighted in Malibu Rising. It was mentioned very briefly in this book, and I was expecting it to have a bigger role in Carrie’s story.

Regardless, I recommend this book to any tennis players or TJR fans.

4.5* Solid. Excellent. Loved 🥰 This Book

I just finished this one and I really liked it. It gave a glimpse into the making of a Professional Tennis Player, something I knew nothing about, but found really entertaining. It felt almost like reading a thriller, I was flipping the pages quickly to see if Carrie would win or lose the match. I felt jittery and that on the edge of my seat feeling with tension on how things would work out.

I inhabited Carrie’s world. This is where Taylor Jenkins Reid really excels. She can take a rough around the edges character like Carrie Soto, who starts out abrasive, rude, and self-centered and make you really care for how she does. You will route for Carrie to do better. In 1994, Carrie has gotten back into tennis because she wants to defend her record she won years prior. Carrie does not know how to lose, and winning at tennis is the only way she can imagine one can be a winner. I think she also loves tennis because it seems so black or white. You are great if you win and a complete mess up if you lose.

The relationship between Carrie and her father is so endearing. He is her coach and biggest fan, but most importantly he is her biggest fan in life, he always loves and supports her through everything. He sees all Carrie’s flaws and knows she needs to broaden her life, but he has such a fine way of approaching this. When she is training for a tournament, he is all in. He helps her perfect her game in every way, yet he also makes it clear that he loves her just the same if she loses the match. She is perfect the way she is to him.

Carrie does have some maturing to do, and throughout the book she does start to change. She has been so competitive that she has never let anyone into her life. Another tennis player, a man Bowe Huntley also is trying to give it another try on the tennis circuit. Carrie needs him to practice her game with, but slowly starts to let him into her life and learn from someone else. She can finally see someone beyond just their tennis stats. Her biggest competitor, the one after her record, Nicki Chan, Carrie thinks she must hate, but Chan teaches Carrie how to play the game with real dignity. Nicki, also let’s Carrie know that others struggle with challenges, too and the titles and honors are not purely hers.

In the mid-90’s, there is tremendous pressure on women to be exceptional tennis players, but also play down their ambition. They must also play a role which includes being friendly and likeable, while also maintaining an outward look of ease, beauty, and perfection.

Yet, to win in real life often takes a lot more guts and you will have to give in and compromise. You do need to listen to other people and love them with their flaws and imperfections, too. The greatness there in doing this is the win can be a whole lot better.

Thank you NetGalley, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Ballentine for granting me this book. I am always happy to leave a review.

Coming into this book having read and loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and The Six, and Malibu Rising, I had high hopes, but also fear of disappointment. How could it live up to its predecessors? TJR calling Carrie Soto possibly her favorite character she’s ever written only upped the ante.

Carrie—who first made a memorable cameo in Malibu Rising—is a former tennis superstar looking to emerge from retirement to retake her place in history against a rising young champion. You will probably learn more than you ever wanted to know about tennis as you read the book, but that’s not a criticism. TJR somehow managed to make it a page-turner. I was truly invested in seeing Carrie grow, both as a player and as a person, and I wanted to cheer every time she hit back against sexism and double standards in sports. By the time I got to the end, I really couldn’t believe it was 384 pages because I zipped through it so fast—a Grand Slam for TJR.

Thanks to the publisher for my advance reader copy of this book.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again with Carrie Soto is Back, where we find ourselves falling in love with yet another flawed and intensely likable heroine. Carrie grew up on the tennis court with her father Javier and her only goal has always been to be the best. As she wins title after title, open after open, and slam after slam, her desire to be the best only intensifies.... so much so that she risks everything to come out of retirement to defend her legacy. Despite the naysayers and harsh critics who refer to her only as "the Battle axe" or "the Bitch", Carrie remains fiercely determined to come out on top.

I have never been a big fan of tennis but Reid's beautiful storytelling style had me cheering for Carrie at every match. Her relationship with her father was so real and raw and touching. I finished this in one sitting and I was sorry to see it end, but Carrie is a character that will stay with me - and inspire me - for a long, long time.

Carrie Soto, also known in the tennis world was “The Battle Axe,” plays to win. Coached by her father from the time she could hold a racket, she wants nothing more than to win matches and break records. So when her record of most Grand Slam wins is challenged after her retirement, she must decide what type of player she wants to be. Follow her journey navigating tennis, family, fame and love as one of the most likable characters that Taylor Jenkins Reid has ever created. You’ll find yourself engrossed in the game is tennis and rooting for Carrie Soto’s comeback.

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am usually not a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, and this book is no different. My favorite TJR book is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Carrie Soto is Back was disappointing for me though, and I found myself struggling to get through the story. I just could not relate with the characters at all and I felt the writing style was dry.

Taylor Jenkins Reid might just be my favorite author. Carrie Soto Is Back is about a former tennis play who sees that her record is about to be beat and decides to unretire to keep her record. The book takes us through Carrie's initial rise through the ranks as a tennis player and then her return to the court.
I adored this book like all of her books. Her characters are so real and the writing is fantastic.

This book is absolutely brilliant! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I have never been interested in tennis, but this book made me gain a new love and respect for the game. It is everything a reader wants from a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, and she did not disappoint. This story was so captivating and I never wanted it to end (even though the ending was perfect)! I have read most of her books and this is definitely one of the best books she has written! This book is truly amazing!

Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid has amazed me.

While this is a much lighter read then Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones, it still has the same heart, soul and messy characters that her readers have fallen in love with time and time again.

I highly recommend that when this book comes out in August for everyone to pick it up.

I am not a tennis fan, but I could not put this book down! I fell in love with Carrie and tennis while reading this book! The author gives detailed descriptions of what it is like to be a top tennis athlete which made me root for Carrie that much more. I also was rooting for her in her personal areas of her life as well! Highly recommend this book! I told my son I was sad when I finished this book because I would miss Carrie and the other characters!

TJR is a master storyteller! Her books make me want to shut out the world and devour it in one sitting. I wouldn't call myself a tennis fan and you certainly don't have to be to enjoy this. Even though now, I think I'll look at tennis in a whole new light! Carrie may be a tennis player but this is the story of hard work, determination, lifelong devotion, and so much more.

4.5 stars

Thank you SO SO SO MUCH to netgalley, Random House Publishing Group & Ballentine Publishing

receiving an ARC of this book is a dream come true, and I truly think it’s my favorite book of the year. This is going to be a very in depth review so hold on tight!

‘Carrie Soto is back’ on a surface level is the story of a woman’s journey to becoming the best tennis player in the world, and maintaining that title after she’s retired.
on a deeper level this is the story about a girl, and the truly touching, never ending love, and relationship with her father.

TJR writing is always top notch, I truly think that she’s the best at what she does and there’s a reason she’s one of our times most popular authors. That is clearly evident in Carrie Soto. The story is enticing, intense, accessible for those who know nothing about sports/tennis, and truly a beautiful story. Let’s be honest a lot of readers probably want nothing to do with sports or to read about sports- but this book??? absolutely changes the game. I can’t tell you how many times I pulled up Amazon to buy a white tennis skirt and text my mom to find out where my tennis racket is.

I think when this book announced most readers had hear of Carrie Soto in Malibu rising. I think the way that Brandon Randell is discussed in Carrie Soto is back is AMAZING. I love that it’s literally blip in time, not all that important to Carrie, and she KNEW that he was a loser. I loved that, she absolutely roasted his ass. On the flip side her relationship with Bowe, was amazing. He was everything she needed to accept that she isn’t a stone cold bitch and she deserves a love like her parents.

I love Carrie. I love her wit, her drive, her anger, and her growth over the book. She is a strong personality type, but by the end of the book the character development and acceptance she reaches had me in tears. I worry that readers ‘won’t like her’ but she’s a realistic woman who is constantly treated like she’s a ‘bitch’ just because she’s driven, and focused on her goal.

Where the father figure in ‘Malibu Rising’ was missing with mick riva, Javier Soto makes up for it 10x. He never stopped loving Carrie, supporting her, pushing her farther, and setting her straight. The relationship between Javier and Carrie had me in tears multiple times. I love the Soto family.

Overall I highly HIGHLY recommend this book. I’m so excited for august 30, because I think this book is going to take over the masses. It’s truly an intense and beautiful story. I can’t wait to see what TJR has in store for the future because her stories, and writing is SO GOOD.

thanks again to the publisher!!

There are two main characters in Taylor Jenkins Reid's new book, tennis and Carrie Soto. For at least the first third of this book all we read about is the main character training for tennis, playing tennis matches and nothing much else. I do not enjoy the sport of tennis and really did not enjoy reading about it in depth. Carrie Soto wants to be the best tennis player in the world above all else. She is not a likeable or relatable character. She seems like she has almost no emotion.
I quit reading this book about half way through. Maybe the second half of the book got better or turned into an actual storyline other than tennis.
I have loved other books by this author but this one was not the book for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Carrie Soto is definitely back. I knew she'd have a good story to tell and this one did not disappoint. Carrie grew up with a tennis racket in her arm with how much time she devoted to crafting her game and being the best by dominating others on the courts. Having already retired with 20 Grand Slam titles under her belt, she's watching the new woman's world champion, Nicki Chan, overtake her record. This is an absolute NO for Carrie. She's not going to stand for another person claiming her fame and glory without going down for one more fight to prove that Carrie Soto is still the best.

Funny thing is, I really didn't like Carrie much at first. I didn't even like her dad, Javier, because he planted the idea in Carrie's mind from a young age that she would best that the world would ever see in tennis and coached her. Of course a winner has to have a winning mindset. But Carrie and Javier were very much "take no prisoners" and Javier wouldn't let Carrie indulge in a bit of fun at the expense of tennis. Carrie herself has turned into an extremely confident and arrogant person. Yes, she has the skills to back up her talk, but she's not personable, friendly or even kind. When it comes to her opponents, Carrie isn't going to be humble or give thanks to good luck when she wins because she earned it, nothing more and nothing less.

Yet this whole experience of her coming out of retirement, initially with the purpose of proving that she's still the biggest name in the tennis world, sets Carrie on a journey of discovering what really matters in life. Despite Carrie seeming so off putting in every way except the actual game itself, because when it comes to winning, she won't go easy or play nice, Carrie grew on me. Javier, who already went through his own turmoil with Carrie, is also much more likable, to where I saw him as Carrie's loving and supportive father more so than her coach. Then there's Bowe Huntley, the only person Carrie can find to even meet her skill halfway on the courts so she can practice playing at an elite level again. Even Bowe was a turnoff for me, too, at first with his history of combustible tantrums and impulsive behavior. Yet Bowe does the thing that others won't do with Carrie, proving his worth later on. He keeps showing up, which in Carrie's world is a big deal because most people write her off pretty quick with her personality.

The tennis matches themselves are exciting to read about. I can definitely feel Carrie's apprehension and desire for victory. I want Carrie to have that win, too, because of everything she's worked for and is now setting out to prove. There is no doubt that she is amazing at what she does and her father is incredible in how he guides her, both professionally and personally. I was also fascinated with Carrie doing this at the age of 37, competing with people who are 10-20 years younger than her. It's her determination and attitude that had me fully believing that she could do this impossible feat, and if anyone could, it would be Carrie. As far as rewriting history or giving kudos to great women in history, Carrie Soto did it once and she will do it again.

Sadly this was a disappointment, DNF/skim to the end to see what happens for me. I am a tennis lover, yet it just didn’t do it for me. Too much of the same thing. Tennis, tennis, and more tennis. Decade after decade and not enough plot in between. I have loved TJR novels, but not this one. Not much more to add, since I seem to be in the minority here and I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer.

🎾 I pretty much automatically pick up anything @tjenkinsreid writes & was so excited to read a #kindle #arc of “Carrie Soto is Back” from #netgalley.

🎾 You met Carrie Soto briefly in Malibu Rising, when she was with Nina Rivas’ husband. She is the world’s greatest tennis player, coming out of retirement at age 37 to defend her Slam record. Carrie is stubborn & doesn’t care what people think of her. I loved watching her character develop as she struggles with perfectionism.

🎾 A great read. I felt like I was in the stadium at Wimbledon watching the matches. You’ll enjoy this if you love a good comeback story. I loved the ending!

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