Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a captivating novel about an all-star athlete’s return to the sport. It’s fantastic!

Carrie is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve read in some time. She’s a series of contradictions in many ways: guarded, raw, honest, confident, insecure and the list goes on.

And as much as I liked Malibu Rising, I actually enjoyed Carrie Soto Is Back even more.

She’s so complicated but also unapologetic—she is who she is. Still, she has much to learn too. And she does grow quite a bit in this novel. I think her growth arc is so strong and impactful and completely makes sense to the core of the character.

I loved this novel. I finished it a couple days ago and I’m still thinking about it and Carrie’s story. Everything about this novel just shines bright. Don’t miss out on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing—she is the one of the best of this era.

THIS BOOK!! One of my favorite reads of the year!

The blood, sweat, and tears but also the heart, grit, and determination from not only Carrie but her father and Bowe as well. At some point throughout Carrie’s career, everyone counted her out and she used that as fuel for her drive to be the greatest. Her comeback was a long shot at best but she proved she could do anything she set her mind to.

With the help from her father’s coaching again she improved her game, made it more adaptable to play some of the best tennis she’s ever played and ultimately mended their relationship. With Bowe, she took a leap of faith; first by having him as her hitting partner and second but having him stand beside her. He saw her, truly saw her and still showed up time and time again and met her where she needed him to be and at her pace.

This book is a testament to athletes and the stress they put themselves through-physically, mentally and emotionally to achieve that one goal no matter what it is. I don’t follow tennis or have an in depth knowledge of it but that didn’t deter me at any point throughout Carrie’s journey. I was so invested in her story and felt everything she felt- the heartache and sorrow to the happiness and relief. Her comeback was so much more than just reclaiming her title like she led everyone to believe, it truly was a journey of determination and self discovery.



Thank you @penguinrandomhouse @netgalley and @tjenkinsreid for this incredible eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

CARRIE SOTO IS INDEED BACK!

After hearing about Carrie in TJR's other book I could not wait to read more about her. This book was not disappointing at all. Carrie's attitude is the major thing I love about her, she is always herself and never steps down. I never expected to love a sportsbook, but I could not put this down! I recommend this book to everyone!

This book had me right from the start and never let go. Carrie Soto is the number one ranked tennis player at the height if her career. First you learn her backstory and how she climbed that mountain and then we learn what makes Carrie Soto the best in her sport.

She's not exactly well liked as she is super confident and is not afraid to let you know how good she is. She tucks away her feelings keeping walls up against anyone else. Her dad is her coach until Carrie even puts a wall up between them and trains with someone else.

Eventually she falls from grace, but reconciles with her dad and together they plan her comeback against the current #1 ranked player, Nicki Chan. You can see the softer side of Carrie when she's with her dad and little peaks of it the few personal relationships she does develop.

I am glad that Reid reminds of how Carrie was associated with Malibu Rising as I had forgotten her appearance there, but I'm definitely glad she brought her back to tell her story cause boy what a doozy!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for a copy in exchange for my review.

Carrie Soto is Back follows the return of 37-year-old tennis star, Carrie Soto, as she returns to tennis to try and retain her winning record, which is risk of being taken away by up-and-coming tennis star, Nicki Chan. Although it isn't in the description Carrie is Latina. The author, Taylor Jenkins Reid (TJR), is not. TJR is white. Now this is something that is not always a problem, but it's apparent reading this, from my point of view as a white reader, that Carrie doesn't seem to come off as Latina. I felt that Carrie came off more as a white athlete. Minus all the Spanish that was spoken between Carrie and her father, Javier, I don't think you would have known that Carrie was Latina. This is a disservice to the character because why in the grand scheme it doesn't seem to matter. It was infuriating. For one example, I felt that her demeanor and the way she spoke to her agent came across as white. This is how I read it. I know others may disagree with me. Reading is a solitary act.

I know there are articles out there were TJR spoke about it not being her place to be speaking for minority audiences, I'm paraphrasing, but she continues to do so here. I wish that this book was written by a Latinx author. I feel like I would have gotten a more authentic experience of what Carrie would have experience in the tennis arena and also who she was as a person from her experiences.

Carrie Soto is Back is very much a character driven novel. There was very little plot to the novel, in my opinion. The story is very tennis centric. If you hate tennis, this may not be the story for you.

Rating: 2.5 because it should have been written by a Latinx author.

Carrie Soto Is Back feels like a memoir. A fiction book is more like a real story of a professional tennis player who has spent much of her life playing tennis. Knowing this makes her father proud, particularly as a coach and support system.

I really enjoyed the book. This reminds me of the professional athletes who have spent their lives doing sport and winning. This book isn't just about Carrie Soto returning from retirement, it's about fulfilling that passion and other things.

I wanted to thank NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in return for a review.

This is definitely my favorite TJR book! Carrie Soto is such a powerful figure. Her unapologetic drive is inspiring yet leaves room for reflection. It speaks deeply to women are seen in this world - even at some of those most professional + powerful platforms that exist. This book makes you think of your “why”: why we do or don’t do certain things/have certain relationships/go after certain goals + the sacrifices we make or what we miss out on as a result of these choices. Carrie invites us to explore the often overlooked or underestimated strength that comes in vulnerability, in letting go. I love that it was released the same week Serena Williams is retiring from tennis.

Favorite quotes: “Do not let what anyone says about you determine how you feel about yourself.”

“You are not yet who you will one day be.”

“It is her right to have fun, to keep playing. To not help with dinner.”

This book took me back in time to when I played tennis and was a big fan of Chris Evert. Even if you aren't a tennis fan, the emotionally dynamics of the story will draw you in. The author did a great job giving us a glimpse into the professional player's life and how all-consuming it can become to just want to be on top or be the best at the cost of everything.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a literary goddess. She never writes the same book twice, and yet I love them all. Her last three are very loosely related by a thread, a whisper of a character. It’s a fun Easter-egg, a shout out if you’ve read previous books, but they are all stand alone stories. When I heard her newest book would feature a character from Malibu Rising I had to search my brain. Who was Carrie Soto? Why did I want to read an entire book about this minor character I didn’t remember, a book about…tennis? Because it’s Taylor freaking Jenkins Reid (previously mentioned writing goddess) and Carrie Soto is the unapologetic kick butt women I needed, that’s why!
While centered around tennis, this is a book about how we categorize women who are ambitious. They are unlikable if they don’t smile, if they don’t follow the societal rules of making everyone comfortable with how they achieve, if they’re not sufficiently humble, gracious, and deferential to…everyone. This is about the audacity of a woman who has achieved greatnesses in her field, is considered too old, past her prime, and wants to push herself to maintain that level, to hold her title a bit longer. How dare she! It’s about a primary parental relationship when they are also your coach, stepping back to gain independence, circling back. It’s about seeing yourself, and others, in a light you never thought possible, a light that offers a way forward on your own terms.
My first Taylor Jenkins Reid book was Daisy Jones And The Six. I binge read it by the pool after my youngest son was married. The immersive story using such a unique format had me hooked. I loved the book, but moreso I fell in love with Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author. I immediately read her entire backlist and preordered Malibu Rising as soon as it was available. For my audiobook friends Julia Whelan narrates many of TJR books, so I can highly recommend that format!
I give my highest recommendation to Carrie Soto Is Back, as well as Taylor Jenkins Reid’s backlist. She simply can do no wrong, serving up characters that intrigue and fascinate me every time. Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books for the digital advanced reader copy via Netgalley.

While I don't believe this book is for everyone, I absolutely loved it. People should be aware of their preferences going in, this won't work if you don't enjoy an unlikeable main character and if you have zero interest in learning about tennis. There is so much tennis. Personally there was just so much about this that worked for me between the father/daughter relationship, the celebrity of it all, and the focus on a sport. This hasn't eclipsed my love for Evelyn Hugo, but I am so happy with this book after my personal disappointment in Malibu Rising.

Carrie Soto, phenomenal tennis star, is back. Carrie was at the height of her tennis career and the best tennis player in the world when she retired. Now she decided to come out of retirement to defend her title as the best. Can she do it?

Carrie is such an unlikable person. She is brutal and very cutthroat. I wanted to hate her. I really did. But I really admired her drive and determination, and I found myself rooting for her. And I just loved her dad and coach Javier Soto. Javier's belief in her was unwavering. As the story progresses, Carrie really seems to grow and mature, and we see she really is human afterall.

I've never had an interest in tennis, and I didn't really care for some of the author's previous works so I had some trepidation going into this one, but I'm so glad I decided to pick this one up. I was fascinated by the glimpse into the tennis world and was impressed by all the details.

Carrie Soto is Back is different from anything I've read before, and I really enjoyed it.

Taylor Jenkins Reid did not disappoint on this one! I enjoyed the character connections to one of her previous books and the sports fiction genre. I found Carrie Soto to be a uniquely strong and competitive female character with depth who showed lots of personal growth throughout the story.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has written an epic book about a strong woman searching, and sometimes struggling, to do and be her best while aging in the world. Heaven forbid women age. But we do, and we become less than in society's eyes, and Carrie is here to push the limits back and reclaim her title. Her growth journey made me cringe, tear up, and filled me with joy all at the same time. I'm not a sports star and I've never been the best at anything, but I have thought many of the thoughts Carrie voiced, and I found I could relate. Her relationship with her father is incredibly beautiful and I loved being there with them both through all the training sessions and matches.

Carrie Soto is my new favorite TJR book. Bravo for making me feel all the feelings with a sports book! I have this crazy desire to buy a tennis racket!

Spoiler alert: I found so much comfort in Carrie's thoughts on grief. I highlighted the phrases to return to later when I need them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Carrie Soto is one of my favorites. She is unapologetically herself and doesn’t care if people like her or not, she’s out there to play a game. Fair warning: there is a lot of tennis talk but it didn’t bother me one bit.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS

Thoughts before reading
✨I love TJR. She never disappoints

Thoughts while reading
✨Tennis is hardcore
✨Carrie is a badass
✨Why do women always have to be told to smile? Why can’t they just be?
✨How do professional athletes put their bodies through all the training?
✨Carrie is making me tired.
✨I hope Carrie achieves what she sets out to achieve

Thoughts after finishing
✨I don’t care what people say, Carrie is awesome
✨What a beautiful story
✨How does TJR do it? She’s such a talented writer
✨Everyone should read this

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I know everyone probably saw this one posted on pub day yesterday but I have to add my review to the mix. I loved this book. I loved the audiobook especially and highly recommend going with that version. It was absolutely superb. I absolutely love tennis and played for 5 years in high school/middle school. And I love watching the majors on tv and always have. So that definitely contributed to my life of the book. But I also loved how Carrie’s character evolved throughout the book and loved who she was at the end. One of my favorite parts was her relationship with her father. I also loved the character of her rival, Nikki. This is my second fave TJR book now ❤️

Quick synopsis: Carrie Soto was a big tennis champion and sets a record for the most majors before she retires. But when a young player is about to take her record she decides to come out of retirement. She is certainly older and out of tennis shape but with her father as her coach she is determined to make her come back.

A tennis legend past her prime making a comeback!! Carrie Soto was the best tennis player in the world, but her world record is being challenged so she decides to give it one more go. This time around her dad will be by her side coaching and cheering her along. I enjoyed how relatable the characters were and how the author digs into the unseen struggles Carrie experienced in the past.

This book took me by surprise, I absolutely loved it. I was a little skeptical when I first read the summary and read some reviews, but I am thrilled that I ended up reading it! You do NOT need to understand tennis at all, I know NOTHING about it and was still completely absorbed from the first to the last page. Despite not knowing the sport or jargon, I was captivated and excited and found myself wanting to read more to see what the ending would be. I had my thoughts, and without providing spoilers, I loved that I had to read the whole book to get my answers. The writing was superb, it kept me intrigued and I did not get bored by any of it. The best part to me was the relationship between Carrie and her dad. He was such a special and amazing man and I respected all he did for his daughter and her career. She was not an easy person for me to like, to respect, or to relate to, but she was an easy character to want to read about. This was a super emotional book and was a fantastic one. Highly recommended!

I loved this book!
Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my go-to authors; I love her characters and their strong personalities. Carrie Soto is absolutely a character that fits that description. She is strong-willed, stubborn, defensive, and gifted. Yet, as with us all, she has an Achilles heel - a weak spot, and that is her love for her father.
I loved the setting here: the world of tennis; and I read this novel without trying to assign real-world tennis names to Reid's characters. I wanted them to stand on their own and be themselves and I had no trouble with this.
A page-turner that I could not put down and made me feel a range of emotions!
Highly recommend.

I was intrigued by the idea of a comeback story but I don’t find reading about tennis to be compelling and I was not captivated by the character of Carrie Soto. I was hoping for a story that would be more relatable to the struggles we all face and need to overcome but I unfortunately didn’t find it here. Fans of tennis might be more interested.

4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book and Carrie Soto feels like a real life person! Another knockout by TJR!