Thank you so much for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book. Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favorite authors and Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones are two of my favorite books. Initially I honestly was not as excited about this book-I did not love Malibu Rising and am not interested in tennis. But this book totally blew me away. From the beginning I was completely engrossed in the story. I love how complex the character of Carrie was-I loved how the author was not afraid to make her “unlikable” but you couldn’t help but root for her. The relationships with her father, Bowe and most importantly herself were written so richly. The ending was perfection. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Although I have loved and enjoyed all of TJR's books, I think Carrie Soto Is Back may be her best yet. My particular favorite. Call it her GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), if you will.

As a former athlete myself with a dad-coach who was always in my corner even when he was he running me ragged with drills, goals, strategy, and pep talks, there was something about this book, and Carrie herself, that resonated with me deeply.

We--well, we understood each other. We CONNECTED.

Carrie's comeback story felt familiar to me, almost personal in a way. Despite never having swung a tennis racket in my life, let alone never having played in a high-stakes professional match to uphold a Grand Slam record either, I could still relate to all the time, effort, and drive Carrie poured into her sport. Into becoming - and remaining - the greatest player tennis has ever seen.

I could understand why she was considered a force. A battle axe. A bitch. (While men with her same focus and attitude were looked on favorably.) I could see why she not only wanted, but needed, to win. I also know what it means to chase after medals and titles and accomplishments that will have the whole world cheering your name forever, just like I know the gaping pit of despair that waits for you if you believe you'll fall short of your goal.

(I was an athlete once too, after all. I had similar dreams and obstacles.)

So although you don't need to have a sports background/interest to be enthralled by this story and its characters, that aspect, that competitive "gotta be #1" ambiance and energy, added something extra for me. It made it easy to be submerged in the narrative, to be consumed. I could slip back and forth between engagement and reverie--reading, remembering, re-living.

Suffice it to say that I lost no time at all before I was swept up in Carrie's ambition and ruthlessness to succeed at almost any cost, with the odds against her notwithstanding.

She was such a bold and unapologetic character. Stubborn, too. I couldn't help but root for her to reclaim her title from upstart, Nicki Chan.

There's a hardness about her though, I won't lie. There's a toughness that takes time and patience to penetrate. Forged like she is from the fires of drive and determination, she is not the type of personality to bend or break with delicacy, not even with the people she loves, but I think therein lies her true beauty: She's tireless. She's tenacious. She's a force to be reckoned with that is made of the solidest stuff there is, and because of that, you'll never be able to forget who she is.

The name Carrie Soto will forever tumble from people's lips in awe, in respect. It will go down in infamy.

She is a character who is impossible to forget.

That said, what I loved most about this book was how I could slip on competitiveness like a second skin and live in it: seeing things through Carrie's eyes, yes, but also peering backward through my own to re-live some of my own sports-related experiences. There were so many times while reading when I could taste her sweat, feel the twinge of her tired, burning muscles. Moments when I could smell the grass and clay beneath her feet as she trounced another opponent to dust, the thunder-roar of the crowd like that of a drug that adrenalizes the soul to keep an ailing, agile body moving. There were times of triumph and failure. There was frustration, felicitation, stagnation--all of it culminating in a flurry of conflicted emotion that grew more intense with every turn of the page. There were even a few occasions when a father-daughter stratagem felt like it'd been ripped out of my own life's playbook.

What else is there to say except I was held hostage by Carrie's comeback? I disappeared into it. I disappeared into the game, the stakes, the outcome. I let the characters tie me into knots. I fell headlong into nail-biting, ball-bouncing, heart-rate-spiking suspense of it all.

Chapter after chapter, I would close my eyes and sink down deep into old memories, into old feelings that arose while I competed in my youth, kicking up dirt, two French braids flapping against the white numbers on the back of my shirt, and it was like I was right there playing alongside Carrie for all the marbles--in the moment as well as in a memory.

It's rare to find a book that lets you live in it twice. But in this one I did: once as Carrie Soto, the other as myself. It was as vicarious a read as a reading experience can be. So for that, top marks all around!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Carrie Soto was the only child of a tennis star. From the moment she picked up a racket, she knew she wanted to be the best. and she could, if she put in the time and the work. So that's what she did. With her father as her coach, she worked her way up the rankings on the professional circuit. She sacrificed friendships, relationships, and free time to be the highest ranked women's player. By the time she retired, she held more Slam titles than any other women player in history. But fast forward a few years, and a new young star, Nikki Chan, was on the verge of breaking her record. But Carrie had never been good at losing, and she wasn't ready to lose now. It was time to come out of retirement to defend her record.
For me, Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author that i will always pick up, no matter the subject. The only thing I knew about tennis going into this book is that scoring involves love. That did not matter. Because what I did know was competition, athletics, grief, putting pressure on yourself, fathers wanting the best in life for their children, the way women are treated differently then men. It was easy to connect to this book without an interest in tennis. it didn't hurt that there were also great supporting characters in Javier, Bowe, and Nikki. And as always, the writing is smooth and engaging.
I went back and forth between rating this book a 4 or a 5. I really wish there was a 4.5 option. In the end, i chose 4 because Ms. Reid has set the bar so high for herself. This book is fantastic, better than so many I have read recently. But it doesn't rank on my personal list at the same level as Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo. Don't let that deter you from a fabulous read though.
thank you Netgalley, Ballentine, and TJR for this ARC

Taylor Jenkins Reid knocked it out of the park with this book! I have never played tennis and do not know anything about the sport but I still loved it! I have to say, Carrie is not a likeable character. She is so arrogant, rude, cocky and selfish but I found myself still routing so hard for her during her comeback. She had so much growth
I enjoyed it. I loved her father's love for her. He was by far my favorite! Another 5 star read from Taylor. I can't wait to read the next!

I don’t even know where to begin. Taylor Jenkins Reid has been an author I’ve kept very close to my heart for years. And there will never be a shortages of books when it comes to her. I loved everything about this. From the emotional depth between father and daughter in the book, the concept of grief and loss and the handling of that and so much more. Parent and child relationships in books are very important to me: that’s why it feels like this was written exceptionally well. I loved loved loved this. I would also say this has taught me much about tennis...I believe I’m truly a pro now!

Wow, okay...This was my first ever Taylor Jenkins Reid book. I hated the first chapter so much that I almost DNF'd it and spent a good part of the book looking for reasons not to like it, yet here I am, cheering for Carrie at the end, feeling so much affection for her, and here we are, at four stars.

For whatever reason, the descriptions of other TJR books never interested me, but this one did because I love the idea of refusing to count yourself out just because of age or injury or knowing your place, or most of all, other people's opinions of your capacity and worth. I don't play tennis and have never been interested in it, but I love comeback stories and have a deep appreciation for skill and technique, so I was all for this.

Then I read the first chapter, and I COULD NOT STAND Carrie. It was everything I hate about the competitive mindset, and I wasn't sure if I could read a book that seemed to be glorifying it. Here I thought I would be rooting for Carrie from the get go, but the only thought I had in my head while reading that first chapter when Carrie was freaking out about Nicki Chan taking her record was WHO THE FUCK CARES? And why am I reading a book about this?

I was seriously considering whether I wanted to devote more hours of my life to being in Carrie's mind, but TJR made a very smart decision to start from the beginning of Carrie's story. We see her growing up learning tennis from her father and how tennis took center stage, even over her grief and confusion when she lost her mother. So we better understand her nearsightedness in how she goes about her life, her struggles with losing and not being the best at every single moment, and her complete lack of empathy towards people who aren't as good at tennis as she is. It's clear that this is also how she thinks of herself, how she measures her worth whenever she doesn't perform. It made it a lot more bearable to be in her head, even though it was usually not a fun time. It becomes clear as you read that this is kind of the point, that's exactly the journey Carrie needs, and TJR is very aware of this:

"Maybe she lived free from all this pressure, this sense that she lived or died by how good she was at something. Was she burdened by the need to win everything she did? Or did she live for nothing?"

Talk about extremes. In Carrie's mind, you either have an insatiable need to win at all things or you live for nothing and pretty much are nothing. Sometimes (a lot of the time) Carrie really did take things too far, but I have to admit it was pretty fun and so satisfying seeing her be so mean to bullies who weren't expecting it. Some of the things she said had my jaw dropping in delight, and I loved TJR's humor. I also liked the commentary on femininity vs athleticism and how women feel like they are forced to choose, that they cannot be both or that they have to be better at one in order to find their worth. I loved the scenes with Nicki Chan and thought it was a beautiful representation of competitiveness at its best, the type of competitiveness that builds people up and furthers whatever art you're practicing rather than forcing it to remain static just so you can have your record. And I absolutely LOVED Bowe. I loved how moody he was but how patient and understanding he was with Carrie. They are definitely flawed characters and are absolutely beautiful together. I love that they were a team, and I loved reading the wreck that was their stilted yet completely raw interactions. And I actually shed a tear at the end of Bowe's match at the 1995 US Open.

A lot of the book is description of tennis matches (games? I still don't know at this point), which might bore some people, but I loved it. I have no clue about tennis and had to look up what love meant (it means zero), but I was still completely engaged during those scenes. I also loved how unapologetic Carrie was about winning:

"Next time I mop the court with someone, I’ll remind myself to pretend I’m ‘shocked that it went my way’ and that it ‘could have been anyone’s game,’"

and also Carrie's brand of empathy:

“You beat Ilona at Monte Carlo in ’88 and then told reporters it was ‘embarrassingly easy,’ so no, Ilona does not want to play you.”
“It was embarrassingly easy. I was embarrassed for her. That’s empathy.”

I really wasn't expecting to give this even four stars. I felt like I could see all the plot points coming, but it was still done so well and wrapped up so beautifully that by the end, I felt hopeful and inspired and so happy that Carrie finally realized her worth and found her people.

I really wanted to like this book because TJR has become my favorite author over the past few years. But, this was a struggle to read. I was expecting a behind the scenes look at the life of an athlete and a character who was misunderstood but made you want to root for her anyway. Carrie Soto didn’t have any character development and was unlikeable throughout the whole book. The story didn’t make me want to root for Carrie or any of her relationships because I didn’t attach to any of the characters, and most of the book was just reading about tennis without any story. Thank you to Netgalley and TJR for the opportunity to read an advance copy!!

Review - Carrie Soto is Back
By - Taylor Jenkins Reid
5 Fabulous Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TJR has a GRAND SLAM novel with Carrie Soto is Back! A gripping & heartfelt story of a girl growing up to be a professional tennis player. Coached by per father a retired tennis pro himself Carrie quickly grows up to be a force to be reckoned with. Her determination, fierce love of the game, along with lots of hard work make her unstoppable. Proclaimed as the one of the greatest players when Carrie steps away from tennis still doesn’t yield eternal happiness for her. Something is missing… will returning to tennis at 37 years old fill the void? Can she make a comeback? Read and see!

There are a lot of tennis matches in this book (all well done) along with a few other twists & turns along the way. Some heartache, some self reflection & finding peace of mind along with many wonderful characters make his my favorite book of 2022! If you are a fan of TJR this is a must read! Nina Riva, Daisy Jones & Evelyn Hugo move over… Carrie Soto is here & she a winner to me!

Thank you #NetGalley, Ballantine Books, #CarrieSotoIsBack & Taylor Jenkins Reid for this ARC. My review is strictly voluntary.

ARC releasing 8/30/22. Carrie Soto worked her entire life to be the greatest tennis player of all time and retired with 20 Slams under her belt. Several years later, a new talent beats the record and Carrie decides to come out of retirement at 37 to reclaim. I am a TJR Stan and will read and love anything she writes. Rare ARC that I received because I love the author and not to look cool. As always, the character writing is impeccable. This had a LOT of tennis play by plays but it did not bore me because of the plot and writing. TJR writes fictional famous women like no othe

Carrie Soto just officially claimed my #2 TJR book spot. Not sure anyone will ever unseat Evelyn Hugo in my mind but Carrie Soto was an amazing, engaging read for me.

I loved the family dynamic and the second chance at a father-daughter bond. I loved the complexities of the characters and relationships. Carrie was a character it was easy to hate from the outside (hello in Malibu Rising) but when we get to hear from her she becomes one of those characters you learn to love for their imperfections (at least for me). Javier was also a character I hated at first (hello King Richard) but his dedication and love to his daughter which he only seemed to know how to show through tennis is something that came through loud and clear as the story progressed.

I loved her relationship to winning, to tennis, to herself. Working through so much internally as she played the game and opened herself up to seeing more than she has allowed herself to see.

I loved her relationship with Bowe. Having been just another one night stand at the height of her career she is hesitant when he is the only one who will work with her as a practice player. What develops is a relationship that is ripe with growth opportunity for both of them.

One thing that might be a barrier to enjoying this book, for some, is that it is fully immersed in tennis. While the story itself is about so much more, tennis will persist from beginning to end. If you are a person who can't stand reading about sports then maybe this one would be one to give a pass on, to everyone else I say read this book!

I am a huge Taylor Jenkins Reid fan, so I was beyond excited when I was chosen to review this book. I don’t know if I just went into it with high expectations, but I was so disappointed in this one. I did not like the main character at all, so I didn’t care if she won or lost. I also thought her whole pursuit was childish and ridiculous so I struggled with the motivation to keep reading. I do love when there is cross over with characters from her other books, so I liked that part, but overall this book was a big let down.

3.5 stars

Without a doubt, Taylor Jenkins Reid has quickly become one of my favorite authors over the last few years. I eagerly await her new releases with over-the-top anticipation. Maybe this is a case of overhype in my head, however, Carrie Soto just did not raise to the level of love I've felt for Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and even, Nina Riva (who I admittedly did not love AS much as the other two). Mostly a character study with less plot, Carrie is certainly going to be a divisive character (and book, for that matter), but the relationship between her and her father/coach, Javier, was the highlight of this one for me.

I do not want to call Carrie unlikeable, because the thought of a strong powerful woman who knows exactly what she wants and is not afraid to go after it, should not make someone unlikeable - but there is definitely a hardness to her that made it more difficult for me to feel kindred to her.

In any event, my countdown is back on for the next announcement of a TJR book!

Like all of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, this one left me wanting more, but even more so than the others. The nods to her previous books are like a little gift to her dedicated readers, and her writing is fresh and clean and insightful and fun.

As someone whose knowledge of tennis does not go past Wii Sports, I found myself at the edge of my seat while reading this book, desperate to find out how every match was going to end. I felt like I was there, in the stands, watching it all happen in front of my eyes. While I don't know all the technical tennis terms I was still able to follow along and enjoy the story.

This books shows the complexities of a father/daughter, coach/athlete relationship, and pros and cons that come with both. This book also does a great job of showing what it's like inside an athlete's head, how much pressure they put on themselves, and how they can be their own worst enemy.

This book also shares the struggles of women in the media, how you have to be "likeable" and "grateful" and how you never really do anything "right", because whatever you do is the opposite of what everyone wanted. But Carrie Soto. What a woman. How refreshing it is to have a female lead who is unapologetically, ruthlessly, herself. Who knows her flaws but wears them proud. Who just doesn't give a damn about what they all say.

Overall, this book is well written, flows nicely, and has that classic Taylor Jenkins Reid banter that her readers love.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again! Pulling a minor character from last summer’s hit Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto takes center court in this high-stakes page turner set in the world of top-tier professional tennis.

While sports themes dominate, for those uninterested in tennis or even sports, fear not. I have little interest in tennis, but I was riveted and completely consumed by this book over a 2 day period. Reid craftily makes you care, and care mightily, about each and every point. I have not read a book with such a rocketing narrative drive in quite a while.

Reid reaches to her recent backlist to continue the theme of the price of fame. Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, Nina Riva, and now Carrie Soto each intersect with fame in different ways and each pay their own price.

As always, Reid’s supporting characters are equally strong. Carrie’s father, Javier, and a male tennis player on the pro circuit, Bowe, are particular standouts. Carrie’s relationship with her father is perfection on the page. They slip in and out of Spanish, so have a translator app nearby if you are not conversant.

This title is a solid 5⭐️ for me. I typically favor literary fiction with well-crafted writing and richly layered characters. Carrie Soto did not disappoint. Absolute Grand Slam!

Carrie 🔥 Freaking 🔥 Soto 🔥
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Taylor Jenkins Reid remains at the top of her game. It was so easy to get lost in this story, told match by match as Carrie comes out of retirement and tries to reclaim and defend her most Grand Slams title. 🎾 What a journey. What a comeback. What a career.
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Carrie is such a dynamic character. Bold. Unapologetic. Competitive. Stubborn. Abrasive. Her growth throughout the story is amazing. The ending was perfection.
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I loved every supporting character. Bowe, the self deprecating, patient training partner. Nikki Chan, the absolute badass rival. Javier Soto, her father and coach. 🥹
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Is this my new favorite TJR? No. I just don’t love tennis that much. Is it a comeback story for the ages? Definitely. I had chill bumps for the last 15% of the book. Does Carrie deserve a spot with Evelyn and Daisy? You damn right.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the chance to read this early!

QOTD: Are you into any sports?
I never played any, but I’ve loved to watch baseball and visit the stadium (go Phils ⚾️) when I used to have more leisure time.

BOOK REVIEW:
Carrie Soto is Back, @tjenkinsreid
Pub date: August, 30, 2022

When I found out TJR’s new book was about a tennis player I was underwhelmed, especially after not loving Malibu Rising. But you guys, this book is some of her best work yet, IMO.

No kidding, I sat on my deck well past dark finishing Carrie Soto, because I just couldn’t stop. Carrie is ruthless, and yet, I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. There’s some romance, but the best relationship in the book is the one between her and her dad (also her coach for most of her career).

In the story, Carrie is heading back to pro-tennis to defend her record in her mid-thirties after spending 5 years in retirement. In doing so, she learns a lot about herself and her relationships. As someone her age, I really could see myself in so much of her evolution.

I’m telling you, if you’re skeptical, I’d still give it a shot. It’s good. If you’ve loved all of TJR’s work, I think this will be a home run for you. The only story that bests this for me is Daisy Jones (on audio), but it’s close. And really, does anything compare to Daisy Jones? It was just such unique storytelling.

Thanks @netgalley for my gifted copy!

#carriesoto #carriesotoisback #taylorjenkinsreid #tjr #maliburising #daisyjonesandthesix #recommendedreading #netgalley #arcreview #arc #advancedreaderscopy #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblog #bookjournal #bookthoughts #bestsellingauthor #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #kindlepaperwhite #thisbook #lastread #bookishmom #bamf #womenstennis #womensfiction #thebitchisback #ballantinebooks

TJR is the creator of epic, unforgettable heroines and queen of fascinating historical fictions help us time travel and experience the vivid images, daily lives, true cultures of different time zones where we want to spend more time and never return back to the reality!

“Carrie Soto is back”: might be one of her most exciting, engaging, adrenaline pumping, entertaining, heart throbbing novels she’s ever written !

TJR’s heroines are flawed, but brave enough to rise from ashes, learning from their mistakes by taking risks and challenges. Sometimes you really hate them or resent them but they always find a smart and unique way to get under your skin and charm you with their power, endurance, resilience and bravery. Just like Carrie Soto did this book and just like Daisy Jones, Evelyn Hugo, Nina Riva had done to us! Both of these amazing heroines changed our worlds! We chanted for them! We screamed at them! We wish their happiness and we witnessed their self growth and their search for the meaning of the life!
Now let’s focus on who Carrie Soto is!
Carrie Soto is total bitch! She’s born to be tennis star! Her eyes are always on the ball! Only thing she wants is to be the best, the one, becoming invincible, crushing her opponents in expense winning more enemies and people’s hate! She’s crude! She’s husband stealer! But under that ice queen facade, she’s lonely, she’s sensitive, she’s insecure. She secretly thinks people will abandon her as soon as they notice that sensitive part of her just like the men she’s had one night stands and never heard them back.

Her father Javi was a great tennis player called as “Jaguar” immigrated to the USA from Argentina,finding his love of his life. Since she was a little girl, Carrie keeps visiting her father at the tennis courts where he coaches the people for tournaments till she becomes of her most important student to be trained to be beast who destroys her opponents!

Carrie becomes callous, relentless, an ice queen, an battle-axe, focusing on winning. She even fires her own her father to become the winner, working with another coach helps her dreams come true!

And in 1994, she’s 37, she’s single, her only friends and confidantes are her father Javi and her agent Gwen. Her records are about to taken away by a brutal, competitive, 31 years old brilliant tennis player Nicki Chan. Carrie cannot let that happen! Without being the best tennis player who can she be! Nobody! She doesn’t have any love interest and any aim in life makes her excited. She has to return back ! She has to get back what belongs to her! She has to be the best of the best again!

This means she has to train more and work with the man she had a past. The man’s name is Bowe Huntley who is struggling tennis player working so hard to get in shape after being sober, getting through divorce and lots of game loses.

Carrie has no intention to become friends with him. They tend to act civil and do their jobs for becoming the best!

But at the age of 37, Carrie realizes her life, her goals can change. She slowly learns to open her heart to people by looking different perspective. Maybe becoming the best is subjective. Maybe she never exceeds her own expectations.

I loved most of the characters! Javi is my star and I’m taking a bow for sweetheart Bowe who was caring, patient and so lovable.

I enjoyed crossovers from Daisy Jones and the Six as Carrie reading the biography and dating with Nina’s husband from Malibu Raising.

If you don’t like tennis, this book makes you a big fan by explaining the basic rules smartly and each chapter keeps you in your toes and you feel like you just transported to the tennis matches, sitting on a benches to watch the games live as your heart in your throat! The narration couldn’t be exciting! You jump up and down! Scream! Crossing your fingers! Wishing so hard to see Carrie win!

Overall: I love sports! I love anything TJR writes! Of course I’m giving 5 shiny score stars! I devoured this book and I truly enjoyed it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing / Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy of one of the most anticipated books of 2022 in exchange my honest opinions.

I loved this book. Reading it was an entertaining experience from start to finish and I devoured it in 3 sittings. I personally love tennis and follow it closely, so I cant say for sure if someone who doesn't know and love tennis would blow through this so quickly and with such glee. But if you can get past the tennis if it’s not your thing, the underlying character development of Carrie, her relationships with the people closest to her, will keep you engaged. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I cheered. It was a great reading experience; to me this author never misses with keeping the pace and momentum.

“Don’t hate me. It’s a waste of your time.”

Former 80s Tennis Star Carrie Soto “The Battle Axe” is back, and she’s coming for you. If you’re looking for a read with a badass B, look no further than Carrie Soto. She gives zero Fs about what you think of her, and she definitely doesn’t care if you know it.

The story starts with how she decides to make her tennis comeback. It goes though her life from the being, her family, how she got into tennis, up to her comeback.

I loved the flow of the book and even with all the backstory and tennis info I couldn’t put it down. It’s my favorite TJR book to date. There is definitely something special about Carrie Soto and it shows in these pages.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballentine for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGallery and Taylor Jenkins Reid for giving me the chance to read and review this title.
Never in a million years would I thought that I would be reading a book about a tennis champion coming out of retirement to defend her title. When I saw this book was written by Taylor Reid I knew I had to try it and I was not disappointed. Reid has a way of drawing the reader into the story that she weaves. She builds great relatable characters that make the story flow. She does such a tremendous job of pulling the reader into the story that I often found myself tensing up as if I was right there with Carrie Soto on the tennis court. Readers who loved her Malibu Raising novel will definitely enjoy Carrie Soto Is Back.