THE 411...

Carrie Soto the winner of 20 Grand Slams titles who has since retired is watching a game at the 1994 U.S. Open where a younger Nicki Chan is about to break her record. The Battle-Axe has built a career in tennis as a fiercely driven, competitive and grant no mercy icon. She lives, breathes, and dreams tennis alongside her father Javier a former champion himself who has dedicated his life to training her. Carrie may not have the charisma the fans look for or the likeability factor in her favor but she’s well respected as one of the greats. When she announces her return from retirement for the sake of reclaiming her record/title, the sports casters are ruthless. They voice their disapproval and break down all of the reasons (age & stamina) she should just stay in retirement and let the younger tennis players have their day. Carrie could care less about anyone’s opinion, she knows she’s taking on a task many have already counted her out of but it only serves to further motivate her. This book is heavy on the tennis talk, it can never be said that TJR doesn’t research her subjects thoroughly. We see Carrie both on and off the court with her dad Javier running plays and really pushing her body to the limits day and night. It is a story about a father/daughter relationship that is nurtured through tennis. It is a story about grief, that of loved ones and that which we experience when certain chapters come to a close.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s signature style story-telling has delivered some of the most memorable female protagonists. Carrie Soto is an archetype she writes well and will remind readers who’ve read TJR’s previous books of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, and Nina Riva. In similar fashion TJR throws out some easter eggs with mentions of characters we’ve met in her previous books. Readers should also know that there are bits of Spanish sprinkled throughout the book (translation guide not included) yet that does not make this a Latine book. We are made aware that these are Argentinean characters but that’s about as deep as it gets with regards to their ethnicity and culture. I went in knowing this and did not pick it up for Latine representation since TJR is not a Latine author. My pull towards this book was the father/daughter relationship that was mentioned in the synopsis since these types of stories are my Achilles heel for personal reasons. Yes, the tennis was well researched and engaging. Yes, Carrie herself is intriguing and complex. Yes, the sportscaster commentary mixed in made for a more realistic play by play of the matches. The father/daughter relationship however was the real highlight of this book and Javier in my opinion is the real star of the show. Javier has a special place in my heart and will be quite difficult to forget.

I love this author but I really didn’t like this book. I think it’s well written, I just personally hated Carrie and the whole story. Carrie is a selfish, driven former tennis champ who has an incredibly narrow and sad life. I suppose she has some character growth eventually but it’s not enough to make this interesting. Overall, she’s awful. And, the game of tennis explanations are plentiful and tedious. For people who love tennis, this might be fascinating. I was extremely bored.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has struck gold again with Carrie Soto is Back. You won’t be able to get enough of Carrie and her devoted father Javier or her opponents in love and on the tennis court. You will root for these characters to win their game, but remember, where there’s a winner, there is always a loser. Come prepared to cheer and laugh and cry with Carrie’s story!5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've found the best way to read a TJR book is to listen to the audiobook. The narrators do a much better job than I can do in my own head. The audiobook was amazing and made me feel like I was in the stands or watching the tv when Soto is playing. This book has a lot of tennis references. I've played tennis but never really understood the game. Maybe after listening to this book I may better understand it. Maybe?

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

My thoughts:

Did I like this one as much as Malibu Rising? No. Did this one, as opposed to Malibu Rising, make Carrie Soto more “human”? Yes. And I loved it.

In my mind, only TJR could make a book about a sport that I find mind numbingly boring (second only to golf) interesting and thoroughly engaging. I believe it was the added human elements; the absolutely lovely relationship between Carrie and her father, the sweet relationship between Carrie and Bowe, and even the frenemy relationship between Carrie and Nicki.

I even found the descriptions of the tennis, and there was a LOT of tennis, extremely fun.

I think this is my fourth TJR novel, and while this one wasn’t my favorite (Malibu takes that spot), I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, Libro.fm and Taylor Jenkins Reid for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Carrie Soto is Back is available now.

A good read and I really liked Carrie as a character. There was just a bit too much tennis to keep me fully in it.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book. Like usual for me lately, I am slow in getting to books before they are published unfortunately. AND WHY is this book not one I got done on time? I love Taylor Jenkins Reid and every single thing that I've read of hers, I preordered this one from Goldsboro and knew I was excited for it, and still somehow missed reviewing it on time. And for that, I am so sorry because this book was wonderful.

If you have read any books by this author before, you know how powerful and moving her main female characters are. And this book is no exception. Carrie Soto is incredible. I can honestly say going in to this, I know nothing about tennis and even though that is so prevalent in this book and not something I care about, I was going to read this book regardless. Even better though, is how that lack of knowledge didn't hold me back from understanding what was going on here and cheering for Carrie every step of the way. She is a bad ass. She is fiery and passionate and flawed. This book was perfect.

A couple things to note, there is a lot of Spanish in this book. And while that is definitely not a negative and I loved the bond it represented between Carrie and Javier, it did hold me back since I am quite ignorant when it comes to any other language. I could easily have looked up those parts, but I'm also lazy and just skipped over them. I don't feel as though they kept me from understanding the just of what was going on between father and daughter or coach and athlete in those moments. Also, trigger warning for death. Maybe I should have said that sooner since I think I was expecting it, but coming from someone who lost a grandparent that I am extremely close to recently, that shit hit me right in the feels. If I remember correctly, I think all Reid books make me shed a tear or two though, so it was bound to happen.

This book was honestly amazing. I wish I could give it half stars because putting it at four when it is definitely closer to five is a damn shame. I loved this book. I feel like Carrie Soto is a real human. I feel like I know someone like her in real life. I feel like I wish I knew someone personally who read this because I want to talk about it some more. And lastly, I feel like all other books by this author, I'm about to buy it again for my mother right after I finish this review.

Carrie. Soto. I am OBSESSED with her! Her determination, her attitude, everything. She doesn’t hold back on anything she says. She’s not here to make friends, she’s here to be the best. As a girl who played sports and whose dad coached her from a young age, I related to Carrie a lot. This book made me laugh and cry and cheer. I can’t recommend it enough! Dare I say I liked it better than Evelyn Hugo?!

Taylor Jenkins-Reid is probably the only author that could get me to care about sports. This was an enthralling story about a loveably-unlovable character.

Carrie Sato from Malibu Rising is one of the best tennis player in history and now she retires and her records are broken as the time goes on. I have not read much books about tennis but this was an interesting read in terms of how it allowed me to be actually interested in tennis! I did enjoy reading this book but compared to her other books, this did not pull strong emotions out of me which I give it a 4 star!

TJR does it again! I love this group of books about women through the decades! They're such strong characters and TJR weaves their stories so beautifully!

I love Taylor Jenkins Reid. I love Carrie Soto. I have all the feelings after this book- heartbreak, amazement, grief, admiration. This book will take you right to the final pages. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a genius. I loved every page.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

Taylor Jenkins Reid never disappoints! I love how each book is so different and I always love the character development. This book was way outside of my preferred reading genre but I absolutely adored this tennis story!

My favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid novel to date. Carrie Soto is a powerhouse and an expertly crafted character. I was enthralled by this in so many ways. As a sports fan, it is compelling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But one does not need to enjoy sports in any fashion to enjoy the back and forth matches and feel like you're on an incredible, thrilling ride. I will remember Carrie Soto for some time. I am continually impressed by Reid's way of creating such complex characters and bringing you into the unique worlds she manages to create every single time. It is a marvel and I will read what ever she writes. This book only solidifies that.

I read this in May, but somehow missed reviewing it till now. This novel was PHENOMENAL; I literally couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Carrie is a 37 year old former tennis pro who became known as a bitch (with the nickname "The Battle Axe") because of her unapologetic ambition and intense drive to succeed. Now, with her Grand Slam record about to be broken by a 31 year old phenom, Carrie decides to attempt an against-all-odds comeback to the sport she spent her whole life working to win. I cannot say enough how much I loved this book... and admittedly, how I saw a lot of Carrie in myself. Taylor Jenkins Reid knocks it out of the park with both the narrative and the portrayal of how the world sees successful women. GET THIS BOOK AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT!

Carrie Soto is a must read. TJR brings yet another character off the pages into your life and has you rooting for her on and off the court. Soto a tennis player that has gone unmatched coached by her father has her slam title challenged by a Chan. Soto comes out of retirement at age 37 to defend her record against Chan. However Soto will face challenges both on and off the court. This book was one I had a hard time putting down and when it ended so beautifully I still wanted more. Soto is a character I’ll always think of much like most of TJRs.

Carrie Soto is Back is a contemporary sports fiction novel. The only reason I decided to read this novel is that Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote it. I love her work, but this book did not land as firmly as the others.

We are following Carrie Soto, who is a rising tennis star. We start at her childhood and go through her final tennis match. Overall, Carrie is not a likable main character, but I don't mind it. I am more upset about her character development. For such a powerful novel, it felt like such a minor arc.

I found myself invested in the game of tennis and learned a lot from it. But I wish I had more time with Carrie and her father and his lessons, both in the game and life. I don't know how to feel about the Latina representation. I did not see it as problematic, but I do not condemn others who think differently.

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys sports. I would not recommend this to Taylor Jenkins Reid fans and think they would be disappointed.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an amazing writer and I cannot wait to finish this book. Will update review when I'm finished.

I completely LOVED this heroic tennis story "Carrie Soto Is Back", by Taylor Jenkins Ried! Fantastic tale, energy, characters and fighter's charisma spilling from the pages. Incredible from beginning to end, I highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing and her books. That being said, this was not my favorite of hers. Still a solid read - enjoyed the characters, the dynamics and the personal struggles and growth. I felt like I was right there with the characters... laughing, crying, frustrated. At times I was cheering them on and at other points in the book I was disappointed in choices they made. A book about female strength, both physical and emotion.