Member Reviews

Absolutely loved! Move this to the top of your TBR pile. Jenkins Reid hits another home run, perfectly balancing a well-crafted storyline with all the beautiful and ugly facets of the human heart.

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Taylor Jenkins Reid is a well known and successful author with many novels under her belt. In the past I have loved her stories but this particular novel fell short for me, compared to her previous works. That being said, I truly enjoyed reading Carrie Soto is Back, it just wasn't a Grand Slam in my opinion. I think Jenkins Reid has set a very high bar for her writing and I found this plot to be more one dimensional versus Malibu Rising or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

That being said, props to her for being able to narrate multiple tennis matches and making the action thrilling for the reader. Her slow burn of romance and desire between the characters was also impressive. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this novel.

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I have been a big fan of women's tennis since the 1970's. With that in mind, I found this book to be rather boring and uninteresting. It was slow reading. Not nearly as good as "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." I would not recommend this book to anyone.

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Taylor Jenkins Reid can do no wrong! She writes the most epic, honest, and bingeable books I've ever read. I'll be buying a hardcover of this new favorite to add to my shelves!

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Not my favorite by this author, but Taylor Jenkins Reid rarely disappoints. Couldn't put this one down, and what a unique concept and characters!

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I've said it before and I'll said it again. Audiobook is the way to go for TJR's books: specifically Evelyn Hugo, Malibu, Daisy, & now Carrie Soto. I loved this book so so much. Who would have thought a MC playing tennis would be such a gripping story. Yes. It is about Carrie's comeback in Tennis at 37 years old. But it is also about a strong as hell woman, learning how to be vulnerable and to open her heart. The character arc of Soto is so well done. The relationship she has with her dad is so beautiful. He was by far my favorite character, such a genuine man. This story was so fun to listen too with such an extensive cast narrating the news stories and articles. The MC narrator was absolutely phenomenal. I pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

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Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

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As with all TJR novels, the writing is exquisite. The fact that she writes these strong female protagonists who are not always likeable, but draw you in and get you to root for them never ceases to impress me. I love how unapologetically Type-A Carrie is. I love how she ends up embracing being called a bitch. When her manager sends her the walkman with Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" all set to play on it was *chef's kiss* perfection.
This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to watch a Grand Slam.
This story is yet another triumph for the author, and I cannot wait to see what she serves up next.

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Taylor Jenkins Reid is always a fabulous author and it doesn't matter the character. Unlikeable or beloved, she knows how to make you care about them. And while I think this book has its merits, it seems a little icky to be writing a story starring a Latinx character when she herself is white. Obviously there could be more behind the scenes like sensitivity readers, etc., but it's 2022, and it just feels...off.

And I felt that way for most of the time I was reading.

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I was hesitant going into this book because I’m not a tennis player, but you don’t have to be a tennis player to love Carrie Soto is Back, but you might love it afterward! I’m behind on my ARCs, so I’m sure by now everyone has seen this book all over Instagram. So, I won’t go into what it was about. I’ll just tell you what I liked about it and hopefully, if you haven’t read it already, it will make you want to read/listen to it soon!

I like strong female MC and Carrie Soto is definitely that!! She may be difficult to like at times, but you have to admire her determination and dedication to the sport she loves and her fight to reclaim her tennis record.

I really could relate to the heartwarming father-daughter relationship between Javier and Carrie. It made me appreciate the relationship I had with my Dad and miss him even more!! Get your tissues ready!!

The tennis matches were vividly described and had me on the edge of my seat! I was rooting for Carrie all the way and I couldn’t wait to get back to the audiobook when I had to take a break because of life!

To me, this reads/listens like a great movie. The diverse cast of characters, Nicki Chan, Carrie’s opponent and Bowe Huntley, a former love interest added a level of intrigue to the storyline.

If you like inspirational comeback stories and well-developed characters, I highly recommend you read/listen to this book!!

I loved the ending and to me, that checks the box for a great read/listen!!

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Carrie Soto is Back is the highly anticipated book from Taylor Jenkins Reid's world she immerses us in, becoming addicted. This book follows Carrie Soto, the mistress of Brandon Randall, who is Nina Rivas's husband at the time of the affair. We leave Malibu Rising with many questions following the marriage and affair between Brandon and Carrie, which detail is provided and explained in this story.

Carrie Soto is one of the best tennis players in the world in the 80s, if not the best. So after retirement and a tumultuous relationship with the sport, her world-breaking title is in jeopardy when a newcomer is close to taking over the number one tennis player spot, a title Carrie works tirelessly for. This competition prompts Carrie to reinstate her career, creating multiple obstacles along the way.

I absolutely adore the Taylor Jenkins Reid world; it is such a nice place to escape to when reading her books, making Carrie Soto is back no exception. This is definitely a hard-hitting book, making me more emotional than expected for a sports historical fiction, but TJR has a gift. While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and Carrie's dynamic throughout the novel, it dragged in some place (the middle of the book), making it harder for me to get through.

While I wasn't the most impressed with the needed information added, I still appreciate this addition to Taylor Jenkins Reid's world-building and find it almost a critical part of the TJR lore. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys historical fiction and TJR to pick up this book.

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Maybe my favorite TJR? That feels like a bold statement, but this book was so engrossing. The crossover characters made me want to go back to other books (Malibu RIsing in particular). Loved the ending.

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TJR does it again. She is proving to be an author that i will automatically buy. I love the detail that she puts into her work and the storytelling is wonderful. I really love these connecting stories and seeing minor mentions of other characters. I really think fans of her previous work will love this one!

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Ms Reid seems to have some immaculate talent because despite being having almost negligible interest in sports; the writing and the characters had such a strong hold on me that I can’t help but feel invested in it. And, I loved every single second of it.

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Wow! I have to admit that of all the books I've read by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Carrie Soto is my absolute favorite, even though I'm not a tennis fan at all.

If you've read Malibu Rising, the name Carrie Soto will probably sound familiar. There is a small crossover with Carrie in the book, but she is only addressed very briefly and is not portrayed in the best light.

I loved Carrie and hated her. I laughed and I cried. TJR is just too good with writing these complex characters, especially the women.

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I didn’t think that I would enjoy a book about tennis, but the author made it very easy to follow along, and it’s way more than reading about a tennis rally match. I enjoyed reading about the strong, fearless female main character, and her mental grit and discipline was highly inspiring in my own personal life to work hard for the things that I want in life. Taylor Jenkins Reid.. I am so glad that she wrote a novel that is outside of her typical kind of books. Thank you so much for this ARC!

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Taylor Jenkins Reid has been having a moment.
Back to back to back best sellers have made her a household name.
I have been recommending her books starting with Evelyn Hugo to continue with Malibu Rising and now Carrie Soto.
I love how the characters intersect in the books.

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⭐️ Book Review ⭐️

Book: Carrie Soto is Back
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: 🎧

I absolutely loved this book! I tried reading the physical book, but I couldn't get into it, so I decided to listen to the audiobook which was amazing! The commentary made you feel like you were at the actual tennis match. I really liked how they explained the tennis terms in the beginning chapters so that you understood what was going on. I highly recommend this as an audiobook! The only downside is that there is some Spanish thrown in and if you don't understand Spanish, it can be a little hard to follow, but for the most part, you can figure out what they're saying by context.

Synopsis:

Carrie Soto is a well known tennis player who retired at the age of 31. When she retired, she was known as the world's best tennis player who held all the records and had twenty Grand Slam titles. She was trained by her father, Javier, who was also a former tennis champion.

Six years after Carrie's retirement, she decides to come out of retirement after watching her record be taken by Nicki Chan. Carrie has her father help get her back to the amazing tennis player she was before she retired in an attempt to beat Nicki Chan. Will Carrie be able to make the comeback she is hoping for?

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This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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The debut of this novels timing couldn’t have been better. The magic of this book was absolutely elevated by the fact that Serena Williams’ was making her last U.S. Open appearance before retiring at the same time.

Carrie Soto knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it and has no problem tossing aside anything that stands in her way (potentially to a fault.)

This books takes us through Soto’s whole career from her first sets of her youth to the final matches of her career, Jenkins Reid writes a strong and complex protagonist with love-able supporting characters. It’s easy to devour and the length is just perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy to read and provide an honest review.

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