THIS BOOK IS THE DEFINITION OF PERFECT. Taylor Jenkins Reid has all my respect. I’m so grateful to be given an arc! My heart is was so happy reading this, I could not put it down! So empowering! Never felt so happy for my last name to be Soto 😉 THANK YOU to Author, Publisher, and Net Galley for my ARC! 🤍

Taylor Jenkins Reid gave us Evelyn, Daisy, Nina, and now Carrie. These are all strong, badass female characters who we root for time and time again.

I won’t say too much on this until release day, but just know that Carrie has earned a spot on my favorite literary characters list and this book is one of, if not the best, TJR books. Plus, you may see a few of our favorites from past novels show up. 😉 This book is about tennis and tennis statistics and plays and rules, but it’s also about tenacity. It’s about never giving up and always showing up for yourself and for the people that love you. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with Carrie, Javier, Bowe, and even Nickie Chan. You’re going to want to pick this up August 30th!

Am I a tennis fan now?? The answer is yes. Carrie Soto has made me obsessed with all things tennis. This one earns all stars!

I don’t think you are able to imagine my excitement when Netgalley sent the approval to read Carrie Soto is Back by one of my favorite authors, Taylor Jenkins Reid! There was some quick rearranging of my TBR reads and priorities and life itself and I dove right in!

Much like Daisy, Nina and Evelyn, Carrie is a strong female protagonist who doesn’t take no for an answer. Carrie’s whole life she is focused on one thing and one thing only: being the best tennis player ever. And no one and nothing will get in her way of achieving that. Carrie is a woman going through personal struggles, the pressure to be the very best, and the challenge of breaking through and proving herself in a male dominated sport. You learn to love “The Battle Axe” with the help of amazing supportive characters who you come to love as well!

Reid delivered an Ace with her new novel 😉. As someone who could have cared less about tennis and knew next to nothing about the sport, I now am a fan and am looking forward to watching it! That’s a testament to how good Reid’s writing is. She is truly one of my favorite storytellers, not just for her immersive stories and the way a reader can get lost in her writing but also for the reoccurrence of these badass female characters that she writes. If you can make a reader go from hating Carrie Soto in Malibu Rising to full on fangirling her in Carrie Soto is Back then you not only have a winner but you’ve created another best seller!

You know I’ve already preordered a physical copy of this one! Can’t wait for it to come out in August. In the meantime, I’ll be headed to the tennis courts…or at least the ones on tv!

Taylor Jenkins Reid is back! I devoured the story of Carrie Soto, a 37-year-old former tennis superstar who attempts a comeback to defend her Grand Slam record. I'm a fan of tennis and of thrilling sports stories, so the storyline was really fun for me. But this isn't just a sports story...Carrie Soto (who many will remember as a small character in Malibu Rising, Jenkin Reid's last book), is known as The Battle Axe. She's brash and says what she thinks and cares about winning above all else. She lost her mother at a young age and is coached by her father, and has learned not to get too close to anyone. When she decides to come out of retirement and play all four Grand Slam tournaments in one year, the year transforms her in more ways than one. This is the perfect beach read - a guilty pleasure that kept me turning page after page until the final match point!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has written a book for the Cristina Yang’s of the world.

I’m going to preface this by saying this book is not going to be for everyone for two reasons. The first is this book is heavily entrenched in the world of tennis. And if you don’t look deeper, your takeaway is likely to be this is just “a book about tennis,” which is fine. The second is Carrie Soto herself. She is the definition of your unlikeable, prickly heroine. And I think how you feel about her is likely going to drive your enjoyment of this book. If you’re read ACOSF, I think she’s kind of like Nesta in terms of her personality, yes, but also in that if you really don’t like Nesta, you’re unlikely to enjoy ACOSF. If you don’t like Carrie Soto, you’re unlikely to enjoy Carrie Soto Is back. With this book in particular, I think your enjoyment is going to hinge upon your personal connection to Carrie, how you choose to view her, and if she speaks to you. Quite frankly, some readers are just going to think she’s plain awful, which is understandable, but that wasn’t my experience.

I can safely say that while Daisy Jones & the Six remains my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book, Carrie Soto is my favorite TJR heroine. I saw so much of myself in her and really identified with her.

Carrie Soto Is Back is a book about tennis in the way that Evelyn Hugo was a book about the Golden Age of Hollywood and Daisy Jones was a book about music. So, while this is a book about tennis, and the sport certainly dominates the narrative and setting, the sport still comes second to what is at the center of this story, what it’s really about, because it isn’t about tennis: it’s about determination and female ambition. It’s about a character who refuses to accept crap and always demands something more. This is a book for every woman who has ever had big ambitions and dreamed of being great. This is a story that reminds women that it’s ok to be unapologetic about your ambitions - you’re allowed to have them, you’re allowed to own them, you’re allowed to pursue them without feeling bad that you want more. It’s also a book about accepting - and learning to love - the softer parts of yourself that scare you the most.

While it is certainly not necessary, I do think you will get more out of this book if you’ve read Malibu Rising, where Carrie Soto makes a brief appearance but still plays a relatively major role in the plot, as her actions are what caused the predicament the main character Nina is in in that book. And if you’ve read Malibu Rising, you know what scene she makes an appearance in and what she says, and I actually think if you’ve read that book/scene, it gives you added insight into her character and more context into who she is in this book.

As for what this book is about, Carrie Soto Is Back of course follows Carrie Soto, who is considered to be the greatest tennis player of all time. At the start of the book, a few years after her retirement, she watches as a younger player ties her world record for the most grand slams. Carrie, who was never the most well-liked, never the most beautiful, never the greatest team player, decides to come out of retirement to defend her record, which is all she believes she has, to prove that she is still something. And of course it wouldn’t be a TJR book without romance!

I loved this and it’s absolutely a favorite of the year, of course!

The Queen’s Gambit of Tennis.

Carrie Soto is Back!

Carrie Soto is Back explores the idea of destiny and what it means to be the best. Carrie Soto has been regarded as the best tennis player of all time, amassing a total of twenty grand slams at the time of her retirement in 1989 (Easter egg?), yet her title is threatened when Nicki Chan could match her title if she were to win the US Open. When Nicki wins the slam and matches Carrie’s record, ever determined Carrie returns to the tennis scene after six years in retirement to take back her rightful title as the best tennis player of all time.

This was such a wonderful read. Time and time again, throughout every one of her novels, she showcases her ability to transport the reader into the world of her creation. Taylor Jenkins Reid has done what she does best: make a character so realistic I’m convinced they’re real and not just words on paper.

Carrie Soto sheds light on the adversity successful women face purely because of their success. Carrie is a complex character. Just like the characters in the novel, you can’t tell if you love her or hate her, but either way, you respect her. Her game is relentless and she is not kind to her adversaries in play; her whole career she has been deemed as ‘the bitch’ and ‘the Battle Axe’ of tennis. Yet she responds to the slandering headlines, not with words but through her incandescent game. She is the assiduous and determined woman whom we can all look up to even if we don’t necessarily like her.

Lastly, if you are worried about not being able to understand the tennis terminology in this book, do not fret dear friend! It’s very well explained and developed, and if you are like me and Wii Sports was a pivotal part of your childhood, the knowledge you’ve amassed from many games of tennis will come in clutch.

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Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Wow wow wow! I loved this book so much more than I even anticipated! If you loved Daisy or Evelyn, and you like sports at all, you’ll love Carrie too! I was so loved by Carrie’s relationship with her Dad and her evolution in chcaracter throughout the book as well.

Reading the ARC Author's Note indicating that Carrie was her favorite of all her recent heroines initially made me scoff, but I'm head over heels for the rough-yet-loveable Carrie Soto. I couldn't care less about tennis, yet I haven't loved a book this much in a long, long time. The traditional love story is - at minimum- tertiary to tennis and the father/coach-daughter dynamic and I'm here for all of it. Taylor Jenkins Reid can do.no.wrong.

WOW WOW WOW!!! Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again! Carrie Soto was such a great character and I absolutely devoured this novel. This is definitely one of my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels. I can't wait for other people to get their hands on this!

In the opening pages of Taylor Jenkins Reid 's latest novel, "Carrie Soto Is Back," we learn about a retired tennis player watching the finals at the US Open. Carrie and her father, Javier, realize that if Nicki Chan wins this match she will tie Carrie's record of twenty grand slams. Carrie retired back in 1989, but when Nicki does ultimately win the US Open title, Carrie decides to come out of retirement with her father as her coach acknowledging that she could possibly "tarnish not only my record but my legacy."

Taylor Jenkins Reid has written a slew of best-selling novels showing complicated characters that are multi-layered and flawed, and this latest entry is no exception. We journey along Carrie's path to tennis stardom learning about a young girl who grew up on the tennis courts and ultimately becomes the greatest female tennis player in the world. But this achievement comes with a steep price. Called the "battle axe" by the media because of her icy cool persona, Carrie still has to handle feelings of self doubt, poor body image, and isolation.

"Carrie Soto Is Back," is a story of one woman's fierce determination to succeed and is ultimately a self-discovery of who she really is underneath her tough facade. This is a riveting and emotionally charged novel which will resonate with many people. It was truly a remarkable story of resilience and is highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a Taylor Jenkins Reid super fan, i was stoked to receive this ARC. I FLEW through it in two days. I couldn’t get enough. Going in, I knew nothing about tennis and didn’t really care, but I’m pretty sure Taylor could convince me to care about anything. Her ability to tell a story is truly an art and I’m so grateful she shares it. Carrie Soto might be my favorite of the women TJR has introduced me to and I’m going to miss her. She’s bold, strong, and unapologetically herself. Do yourself a favor and order this immediately. And then take the day off work to full immerse yourself in Carrie’s world.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again! I couldn’t put this book down. It was wonderfully written and I quickly became very invested and attached to the characters. Superb writing and I cannot wait to recommend to my customers!

I enjoyed this book! It’s in competition with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to be my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book. A story of courage, heart, gut, pushing yourself to your limit and finding what truly matters to you. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

3.5 stars, rounded down

It’s been a long time since I’ve been as conflicted about a character as I am about Carrie Soto. Half of me wants to champion her for being brave and ambitious and assertive; to applaud her for being boldly outspoken, passionately focused and driven, and ready to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. The literary world needs more of her type of “I won’t let anyone’s opinion of me stand in my way” attitude…but then again, her attitude is also the very thing that strips away all of my praise.

Carrie Soto is not a nice person. Her condescending sportsmanship is seriously appalling. She gloats when she wins, she talks down to literally every single person she encounters, and she has her ego turned up to max volume. She’s unlikeable, and there really wasn’t anything interesting that happened in her story arc that wasn’t exactly what you expected would happen. So, there’s also that.

So, in the end, I’m left to decide if I love Carrie Soto or if I hate her, or if those extremes just cancel each other out and make me feel “MEH” about the whole thing. That’s pretty much where I ended up with this one.

I suppose that’s entirely the point, though, since there’s not much else to this novel's plot other than lots of tennis. SO. MUCH. TENNIS.

I was initially interested in learning more about the sport through Carrie Soto’s story, but as someone who doesn’t actually eat, sleep, and breathe tennis, the novelty quickly wore off for me. If you LOVE tennis, you’ll probably love this. If you don’t, be forewarned. It’s a LOT. Tennis stats. Tennis terms. Tennis scores. Tennis strategy. Tennis workouts. Tennis conditioning. Recap...after recap...after recap of each tennis match.

With all of the things that Carrie encounters over the course of this book, I’d have hoped for a bit more emotional character growth than there was. Sure, she makes some changes, but it was more of a “spoiled self-absorbed child finally gets over herself…mostly” sort of conclusion than anything substantial. It was just okay for me.

4.75 rounded up. I loved this book. I was rooting for Carrie throughout not only for her comeback but to discover who she was as a person. Even though it was centered around tennis the themes in this book are so much more….family, dedication, perseverance, self discovery. It was fast paced and I found myself not wanting to stop reading. Highly recommended.

Wow, wow, wow! This book is nothing but spectacular! An emotionally raw tale of female determination at its finest.

I was hesitant to read this because I don’t know much about tennis. That did not matter at all though as the author writes the tennis scenes so thrillingly and detailed. At times my heart was even racing as I was so completely captivated!

The main character Carrie is not the most likable character to be honest. She’s brash and downright snarky most of the time but somehow her unapologetically determination to be her true self no matter what anyone thinks made me root for her so hard. I stan with such a queen, Carrie! 🙌🏻

My full review on Instagram is available now! Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for letting me read this advanced copy and Taylor Jenkins Reid for writing such a beautifully powerful character and story!

I loved this book. It’s the kind of book that pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading until it’s done. I think what I love about Taylor Jenkins Reid is that she creates characters that you really love and that you really root for throughout the book. She also makes you interested in things that I wouldn’t have cared about before. I don’t really find old Hollywood or 60’s rock bands or tennis all that interesting but through her books I’ve been endlessly fascinated by all of those things. All in all this is another great novel to add to Taylor Jenkins Reid ever growing list of amazing books.

Thank you to Random House and Netgallery for the digital ARC in exchange for a review!

I went into Carrie Soto Is Back blind — I've read Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid but have only the faintest idea of what this book was about. On the surface, it reads as just a sport come-back novel, but it's so much more. There's heart, family, grief, love, ambition, and dedication all wrapped up. I ended up finishing the novel at 4am because I couldn't put it down.

I will say, I was worried about TJR's style of writing. In Evelyn, I noticed she leaned on more of "telling" vs. "showing" . For that particular novel and the plot, it worked well. During the first portion of the book, I was worried that it was leaning more on the "telling" side of writing and that it felt awkward. Once the plot started to thicken and we got further into Carrie's mindset, it all worked. My doubts were blown away.

I loved the characters. I love that TJR didn't shy away from writing about a "Battle Axe", a "Beast", and a "Bitch". The layers of these characters, and the way TJR so slowly and gently peels back layers and layers is delicious and just makes you that much more invested. The side characters quickly wormed their way into my heart and I grew just as attached to them as I did Carrie.

There is, obviously, a heavy emphasis on tennis. I don't know if it's because I played a little when I was younger, but there was never a moment where I felt like it was too much. The set up — the "beautiful foundations" — really allow you to get an understanding of the court, the players, and the action of the novel. TJR writes the games beautifully, I could see every move in my head and it felt realistic.

Overall, I was blown away. I laughed out loud. I cried. I think I even fist-pumped during one of the matches. This book is a Grand Slam and I will definitely be buying a physical copy for my library as well.

"We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men."

"Some men's childhood are permitted to last forever, but women are so often reminded that there is work to do done. And yet here is Carrie Soto, daring to play. ... It is her right to have fun, to keep playing. To not help with dinner. And I, for one, am glad she's exercising it."

Carrie Soto is Back is a wonderfully nuanced examination of talent and passion, gender role expectations/misogyny and racism in sports, father/daughter relationships, and the abstract desire to be someone unforgettable. I am an admirer, ok big big fan, of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, her world building and her way of capturing complex women, giving voice and presence to not uncommon, but often unspoken, experiences of sexualization, problematic and limiting gender role expectations, and simply pressures for visible women (be it an actor such as Evelyn Hugo, musician/song writer Daisy Jones, surfer Nina Riva, tennis star Carrie Soto) to first and foremost act in socially/media prescribed ways (and to be nothing less but also nothing more). "It stuns me silent, for a moment: just how vast the gap is between who I am and how people see me."

Taylor Jenkins Reid offers us characters who at first glance are unlikable, undesirable or problematic in some way for failing to conform to a rigid standard but who are simply women who want more for themselves, their careers, and their talents and who are champions for not conforming to socially sanctioned ways of behaving (this is always conveyed so well by the well developed layers of context in Ms Reid's stories). Carrie Soto is a standout because she simply refuses to play the media game expected of her.

These themes are powerful and are woven into engaging narratives that take the reader on a journey of self growth with the protagonist. In Carrie Soto this means moving back in time to learn about Carrie's early career and achievements and her treatment in the media and tennis world and moving into the present day 1990s for her comeback. What really stood out to me was the subtle but very clear misogyny in how Carrie was talked about; this comes through so well in the drop in segments of news articles and summaries of on-air commentary related to her comeback (and the use of the labels Battle Axe and then the b-word... because just how dare we have a successful, strong, capable woman who does not want to be a media darling). Of course, this is Carrie's story but these themes give her story great context and her achievements, for me, seemed all the more important and necessary because of these parts of the story.

There is a powerful, to me, juxtaposition of this media portrayal of Carrie as unlikable (etc etc) with how two key male characters, her father and another male tennis player, see, respect, and love Carrie's attitude, talents, strength, and success and are not intimidated by it; instead that support it, nurture it, and challenge her to embrace her goals and talents and help her succeed in unexpected ways (without it becoming a story about how she needed men to make her great, that's not the message at all!).

Finally, I found the development of Nicki's story and her relationship with Carrie to be well developed, a scene later in the book really gave depth to Nicki as her own character and added to Carrie's story as well. I appreciated how that part of the story helped shift and develop the characters and story into additional examination of women in sports, particularly women in tennis in the 1990s.

I am an enduring fan of this author, she offers so much to consider and talk about in terms of women's lives through truly engaging, thoughtful, and nuanced storytelling. There is so much joy and love present in how she develops her characters, their messy but important lives, these are women I want to know (and in ways already know, that is the power of the themes of gender and expectations placed on women in these stories.. we know these women, we are these women). Carrie Soto is another strong character in the world of Taylor Jenkins Reid, another strong female protagonist who gives voice to so many problematic ways we treat women.

For the punny statement, This books serves up a game/set/match ace and I am all in for it.

If you love Taylor Jenkins Reid, you will love Carrie Soto Is Back. Carrie is a tennis pro who gives her all to trying to stay on top. The book explores her relationship with her father and a male tennis pro who she works with to improve her game. After a long retirement, she back in the game, but will it end up "love-love"? You'll have to read to find out! This book reminded me so much of the story of the Williams sisters and the movie King Richard.