This is a character you'll love to hate. She's raised in the world of tennis and dreams of becoming the best. Like other TJR books, the pacing is spot on pushing you to complete the reading in one sitting. Not as many Easter Eggs as her other books, if you are the type to connect her writing. With the retirement of the great Serena Williams, this book is right on time. Enjoy this new story, taking us back a few decades to the world unknown to many, it just might make you find a new hobby in watching the next great tennis champions.
Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC. Also available on audio which I also recommend.

I really enjoyed this book but I don’t feel like it needs my additional thoughts on that when when the Latinx community has spoken out about how disappointed they are that TJR is writing Latina characters that don’t feel authentic nor represent them

I loved this book - you don't even need any knowledge of tennis to get engrossed in this story. I couldn't stand Carrie in Malibu Rising but this book really redeems her - you may not love her, but you understand and can respect her more. Javier and Bowe were the best characters. I flew through this cover to cover and really enjoyed it. I have read the entire series but that isn't necessary - this can be read a stand alone novel.

Carrie Soto is Back is the story of the titular Carrie - a character you might recognize from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s previous novels - who, after years of retirement from her tennis career, decides to return to the court to reclaim her title of the best player in the world. But as anyone who ever played any sport knows, the older you get, the more difficult it becomes to keep up with the physical strain on your body, and Carrie’s no-bullshit personality doesn’t exactly have the tennis world rooting for her. Can she achieve the impossible or will she destroy her own legend and lose everything that matters to her?

TJR’s books are very hit or miss for me, but this one belongs firmly to the first category. Is it a bit predictable and formulaic? Yes, but it’s so extremely readable and fun that I didn’t mind very much. TJR is truly incredible at writing about rich and famous celebrities, and I think Carrie might be her most memorable character yet. She’s rough around the edges and ambitious to the point of being frustrating, but she’s also fascinating and strong. She’s flawed but not too unlikeable and as I got to know her better and understand what she went through, I was rooting for her to the very end. It’s a perfect beach read - light, but engaging, and with a realistic family dynamic.

✨𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨✨

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Carrie Soto Is Back
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Taylor Jenkins Reid
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶:
-enjoy strong, unapologetic female MCs
-like tennis, or really any sport and what goes into excelling in it
-love a good comeback story
-enjoy complex father/daughter relationships

Carrie Soto was once the best woman tennis player of all time. When her record was tied by new star Nicki Chan, she decided that after 5 years in retirement, she was going to make a comeback to reclaim her record and prove that she was still the best in the world.

With her father by her side as her coach, #carriesoto begins her rigorous training to get back to the top. Does she have what it takes to compete with these younger upcoming stats to prove that she will always be the best? Does everyone believe in her as much as she believes in herself?

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
I really loved this book, despite not being a tennis fan. The way that TJR took us on a journey through her training and her comeback run — I couldn’t wait to find out how her matches ended! At times, I found the MC pretty unbearable, but I feel that it was necessary to the reader to realize how determined and cutthroat she was. Then there was Bowe ❤️❤️ I adored his character. My one dislike was that there was a lot of untranslated Spanish in this book— I was very happy to be reading on my kindle so that I could easily translate but it was an extra step that I always didn’t feel like doing.

If you’re looking for a quick read that will keep the pages turning and love a strong female MC — #carriesotoisback is the book for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Book Review 4.5

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advanced ready copy of this much anticipated book in return for my honest review.

I love TJR books and this one was another great one but I didn’t like it as much as the last few which I gave 5 stars. I’m sure you all know the story but if not, here’s the publisher synopsis:

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season.

Just like in other TJR stories, we have a super famous and fiercely flawed main character. She deals with the same types of issues, loneliness and the search for love. Love for herself and love for others. Also woven in is a difficult family dynamic. I’m not sure if it was that the story felt so similar to other TJr books, or all of the tennis talk, or just that I did not feel any attachment to Carrie but I did not LOVE this book. It was well written and researched, as expected and I will definitely recommend but not sure I would re-read.

I have read and loved several of Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels, leading me to read everything she writes, because of that history.

I didn't love Malibu Rising and when I realized Carrie Soto is Back was based on a minor character from that book, I wasn't excited. Also, not a tennis fan. But, this author is an incredible story teller, which leads me back to her novels time and again.

Carrie Soto has retired from tennis but can't abide that an up and comer is about to break her record for Grand Slam titles. She is ruthless, single minded and focused which makes her a fierce competitor and catapulted her to fame and glory. Of course, this came with plenty of criticism and slurs because she succeeded but wasn't 'nice' or gracious.

I didn't find her likeable either, as a character, but that isn't always necessary for me to enjoy a book. In the hands of this author, though, I was rapidly turning the pages to find out who her next opponent was and how she would fare in the match. The descriptions of the tennis matches particularly were propulsive, fast paced and amped up the tension.

The relationship between Carrie and her father and coach, Javier, was my favorite aspect of the book. It is assuredly a sports book, but also a book that examines the complicated father/daughter relationship. It also examines the double standards and inequity between male and female athletes in elite sports.

While I don't need characters to be likeable, look, think or act like me, I do need to see some growth in their story arc and Jenkins Reid delivered on this as well.

I know this book and author have received criticism for the untranslated Spanish throughout the book and the lack of authenticity in a white author writing this Latina main character. While I feel completely unqualified to comment, there are many reviewers with compelling thought on this topic and I encourage the curious reader to seek them out.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I loved:
1. Everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
2. A book about a sport I knew very little about
3. The relationships - father, daughter, mother, boyfriend, competitors....all so wonderful
4. The pace of the book...

What I wanted to be different:
1. Didn't need so much of the tennis playing to move the story forward.
2. Cover of the book - wasn't my favorite.


Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the chance to read!

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Passion, perseverance, striving for perfection...Only in the hands of Taylor Jenkins Reid could you learn so much - and come to care so much - about the cut-throat world of professional tennis. And, while admittedly I really couldn't stand Carrie at first, I did empathize with her and the secondary characters were great. A pretty excellent all around read when you're in the right kind of reading mind.

Carrie Soto is back... Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this book early. The storyline was good and I liked the characters in the book. I would recommend this title to readers.

Thank you so much @PenguinRandomHouse & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 30 August 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Carrie is a tennis legend claiming a whopping 20 Grand Slam titles, however when a newly unstoppable tennis star (Nicki) starts rising through the ranks & threatening her title, Carrie wants to come back out of retirement (at 37 years old) to reclaim her record & remind the world that she is the best tennis player the world has seen.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the fact I know very little about tennis yet it didn't impact my ability to love this story in the slightest
- at its core this is a story about the love between a father & daughter as well as the difference between playing to win & playing not the lose
- TJRs writing is just perfectly bingeable & I gobbled this one up in a day
- Carrie is a perfectly flawed character that you can't help but root for
- the cameos from her other characters *chefs kiss*

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- there was quite a bit of Spanish scattered throughout (while you can get the gist of the conversation there isn't always direct translations)

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. I really enjoyed this book. I could have skipped some of the tennis commentary but I enjoyed the story and the characters. So many of our regular patrons have enjoyed Taylor Jenkins Reid's past novels and I am happy to be able to recommend her newest novel to them.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a story about retired tennis star Carrie Soto decides to come out of retirement when her record of Grand Slam titles is surpassed by newcomer Nikki Chan. She enlists her father and former couch, Javier to help her show the tennis world she is still the best tennis player in the world.

I absolutely loved Carrie and her fathers relationship and how it changed throughout Carrie's career. Even Carrie wasn't supposed to be likable I enjoyed her passionate/fierce nature when it came to proving people wrong. She even gets called the Battle-Axe, which if a male tennis player acted the same way as Carrie did I am sure people would have a different view. Be warned after reading you are going to want to get on a tennis court whether you like tennis or not. Definitely will be reading Carrie Soto is Back again in the future!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read this.

Carrie Soto, The Battle Axe, retired from tennis holding the record for the most grand slam wins. When Nicki Chan tries ties her record, Carrie returns to tennis to reclaim her record. This is a story about a talented young woman whose sole focus was to achieve G.O.A.T status. The author shares the story of Carrie ‘s rise to the top as well as her comeback. Carrie is a strong, determined, prickly character with complicated relationships. I loved watching Carrie come into her own…..twice.

Thank you to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. #CarrieSotoIsBack #NetGalley.

For Carrie Soto to start as a side lover in Malibu Rising and blossom into a character that is likable, has depth, and you want to spend time with speaks to the genius of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Once again, TJR has created a world that is easy to spend time in with characters that are loved because of their flaws.

This novel doesn’t shy away from who Carrie Soto is, down to her core, but takes you on the journey with you as she processes so much of the inevitability of life we’ll all have to go through, just maybe not losing our record as the greatest tennis player of all time.

Speaking of tennis, anyone can read this book - even the novice. The jargon is explained early on and a great supporting cast for our leads!

And one last thing, if you’re hesitant to read this book because of Carrie Soto, read this book for Bowe Huntley!

I read this book in a few days which has been rare for me lately. Once I was in the story, I was riveted. I wanted to know if Carrie Soto won her matches, how she was excelling and what she was going to do next. I want to find out how she got to the top of her game, what happened with Nicki Chan and everything in between.

It was a slow book but at the same time, exciting. You were drawn into Soto's world, you were connected and she jumped off the page. She wasn't the most likeable character and you were willingly her, through the page, to be softer or more humble but at the same time, what was so wrong with how she acted? She was the best and she should act that way.

Because of that, it felt like an eye opening book. It made me think and change my first jump judgement. I also liked the hidden message that it is never too late; Carrie was 'too old' to get back in the tennis game but she didn't listen. She went for it. It was awesome.

I liked Carrie Soto is Back more than Evelyn Hugo but less than Malibu Rising. I haven't read Daisy Jones so I can't compare it to that just yet. It was some of TJR's best writing; it was thoughtful and important while also being entertaining and real. It had all the elements of a great book.

Taylor Jenkins Reid never misses and Carrie Soto is proof that.

As Serena Williams closed out her professional tennis career at the US Open this month, I finished reading Taylor Jenkin Reid’s newest novel, Carrie Soto is Back. I am not a huge tennis fan, but I can appreciate the immense time and heart that goes into being a professional athlete. Reid tells the story of Carrie Soto, a ferocious competitor who is determined to be the best at any cost. She is not well liked, but she is the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen. She is coached by her father, Javier, and sacrifices nearly everything to become the best. She retires well on the top holding the world record of Slam wins. At 37 years old, Carrie makes the shocking decision to come out of retirement in an attempt to reclaim her record. Her comeback is grueling, as she fights her body’s limitations, her competitor’s youth, her critics, and most significantly her doubts. This story is not just about tennis, but also about a father’s and daughter’s love for one another and various life lessons.

The story was immersive and brought the characters to life. It gave me the sense that I was there with Carrie on her journey to greatness. Taylor Jenkins Reid continues to enlighten me with her characters in unique situations and has cemented herself as one of my all-time favorite authors.

One of the things I like about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books is that she writes female characters who are tough and confident. But sometimes I've felt that they were a little too perfect: stunningly beautiful, wildly successful, desired by all.

Carrie isn't gorgeous and adored. As a top female tennis player in the 1990s, Carrie is driven, talented, but also kind of detested. I love that this book acknowledges that, in order to reach that level of success, Carrie had to be single-minded. And single. And made some enemies.

The person she does have on her side is her father. A single dad after the tragic death of Carrie's mom, his devotion to his daughter was so touching. In past books, Reid created some pretty memorably bad parents. Like Mick Riva, or both Daisy's and Evelyn's rather neglectful (permissive?) parents.

I'm the only one in my family who's a failure at tennis. But I still enjoy a story of an athlete who persists against the odds. Give me all the protein shakes and training sequences! I just watched Hustle with Adam Sandler.

I didn't always like Carrie either. But I came to admire her. And her story made me think a lot about women and what we give up in order to make ourselves likeable to others.

Love TJR and so I was pumped to read her latest book! As a tennis novice, I wasn't sure what to expect here. But, she makes you instantly fall in love with Carrie's passion, drive, and relationship with her father. This is readable to the non-tennis expert, but the back and forth of the matches keeps the reader riveted. I appreciate how complex the characters are - as a reader, you want to dislike Carrie, but can't. She's too relatable for that. Overall - 100% recommend!

Family, love, tennis and the price of fame. How TJR managed to get me so immersed in a book about tennis I will never know, but I laughed, I cried, I gasped. This was another great story by TJR, she could never disappoint me.

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #carriesotoisback