One of my favorite authors, Taylor Jenkins Reid, is back and in top form. I Love-Love her newest book, Carrie Soto Is Back about a tennis star making a comeback after being retired for five years. In true TJR fashion, this character is mentioned in a previous novel, Malibu Rising, when Carrie has a brief affair with Nina Riva’s husband. It is not necessary to read any of the previous novels, but it is always fun to see the tie-ins.

This book is a character study about the mindset of a professional athlete. Even though Carrie was immensely unpopular personally, her greatness is undeniable. She is called “The Battle Ax” as well as another unfavorable “B” name. She is arrogant and unfriendly. Even so, I couldn’t help but root for her.

At the age of 37, when her record for the number of Grand Slam titles is broken, she decides to make a comeback. She asks her charming father, Javier, who was her childhood coach, to help her achieve this goal. Their father-daughter relationship is the highlight of the story.

4.5-stars. I would have given it 5-stars, but I was annoyed by the numerous conversations between Carrie and Javier in Spanish that were not translated. This novel is being published today, August 30, 2022. Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO CARRIE SOTO IS BACK!!

TJR does it yet again! Everything that comes from her is beautifully and strategically done. This is an amazing story of winning, losing, love, grit, sacrifice, determination and grief. Carrie Soto might now be one of my top 3 character in the TJR universe for her wit, humor and like-ability. Which I know some people will disagree with but if you've never been around serious or pro athletes you won't understand the intensity. I will say that I'm not well versed in Tennis as a sport so I'm unable to determine if the writing is accurate on the actual game but if it's not she sure fooled me.

I know that TJR has gotten a lot of flack about this not being own voices but I truly think that she did the culture justice and there was nothing that felt contrived or exploited. I highlighted so many great references from her other books and really suggest reading in publication order as they really do tie nicely in with each other.

As far as characters go, I felt like everyone was pretty well flushed out and Bowe and Javier were fantastic secondary male leads. I routed for everyone the whole time and felt so wildly immersed in the world of Soto. If there is one thing that TJR does flawlessly it making you forget that you're reading.

My one bone to pick was that last line.... MAAM WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO US?!?!?!

Major Kudos to Reid on another fantastic novel!

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid serves up her newest story at center court. Carrie Soto Is Back is a touching tale of life and drama set against a backdrop of championship tennis. The legendary Carrie Soto, at the age of 37, sets a goal of returning to her former career and winning it all.
This book will captivate tennis fans, but even for those with little background in the sport, there is a parallel story that dominates the narrative. Carrie is a strong character, and in her climb to top of her field, she is cold, callous, and calculating. Yet as the story progressed, I found myself drawn to her, finding respect for her determination and her tenacity. The author places us right there on the court, the only place where Carrie makes sense to herself. The writing is quick-paced, and the reader is engaged in every match, pressing full court, panting, and wiping sweat from our brows.
This is an entertaining book with complex and flawed characters. My favorite part of the book is the relationship between Carrie and her coach/father, Argentinian-born Javier Soto. Some of their dialogue is in Spanish, so keep a Spanish-English dictionary handy. The author develops issues of personal identity, family relationships, struggles with competitors, and blossoming love. This is a winner!

If I had to pick a single reason why I will read anything Taylor Jenkins writes is simply this: Every single story feels so real, I feel the compulsion to run to google and make SURE its not non-fiction.

Per the usual, I went into Carrie Soto blind. When I started reading it was soooo full of tennis I did a little eye roll. But by the end of the first few pages, I was hooked. As someone whose only experience with tennis is using some ancient rackets and whacking balls at my brother on the farmhouse grass, I can unabashedly say I knew NOTHING about tennis coming into this book. I was sucked in my all the terms and the beautiful way TJR broke up this book into commentator at tennis games, Carrie’s first-person view, writings from her dad, news articles etc. It truly makes this book come alive.

Another thing that I love about how TJR writes is that even when the characters aren’t that likable, you end up loving them anyways. I’ve seen lots of reviews about Carrie's dad being so wonderful etc. But I didn’t feel that way in the beginning. I felt like the was using his child for his gain, his love of the game, and not giving much love as a father in the process. But he grew on me and their relationship was a true highlight of this book. Carrie is also not very loveable (I mean, can we blame her?) but I was rooting her on the whole entire book. How could you not?

Overall I literally recommend to EVERYONE. This is a must-read by TJR and I’m just blown away constantly by her talent

If an author really wants the reader to get to know a character, they offer the opinions of others as a way to assess what a character is like. With Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid allows for the pundits, the commentators, the journalists to offer insights on Carrie Soto. The most decorated women's tennis professional during the seventies and eighties, Carrie's record is challenged by a new generation, so she comes out of retirement in the nineties to make one more go at the global tennis titles on the circuit.
Nicknamed The Battle Axe, Carrie is a woman who is fierce and dedicated, guarded because she knows the pain of loss. But now that there is more to lose, is putting herself out there to regain her title the right thing to do when the press is brutal, her body is war torn, and the game has changed?

TJR shows us Carrie in a 360 view. We see her as a full person and want her to succeed. This woman will become a role model, a spirit guide, a lesson in perseverance - the books is expertly written and sure to be a grand slam.

TJR is back with her fourth addition to her Mick Riva universe. In Carrie Soto we are introduced to the titles name sack Carrie a tennis icon who has been retired for six years. However, when a new tennis beauty comes close to breaking Carrie’s record, she makes the decision to step in the court again for one final season.

Reid takes the reader on a journey as usual with her books and I can honestly say that it left me conflicted. Carrie herself is both compelling and irritating. She is one the most unlikeable characters I have ever read in a TJR book (Mick Riva being the most). She’s got a horrible attitude, she is a sore loser and has an ego out of this world but even with all that you can’t help but root for her as the novel progresses. I credit this to Reid’s incredibly writing ability.

The insight into the relationship with her dad Javier really warmed my heart as you get to see them deal with and grow together after losing her mom. Her relationship with Bowe also warmed my heart because he was just so patient with her. This book was also an insightful look at women in sports as you get to see how the media portrayed Carrie and most of the things she had to deal with being a women in a sports arena.

Taylor Jenkins Reid once again dazzles the reader with Carrie Soto is Back but I think character development and character relationships are were this book really comes into its own and Watching Carrie deal with and overcome her personal struggles and discover new things about herself was a joy to read.

The only criticism I may have is the pacing. This book is a tad slower paced in the beginning as Reid introduces the reader to the world and characters and there is a fair bit of Spanish dialogue with no translation which can be frustrating to anyone reading anywhere else but on Kindle which translates for you quite easily.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine, for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever I start reading a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, I know that no matter what lies ahead, I can be sure of one thing: it will be a unique experience. Her latest release tells the story of a character who is already a little familiar to anyone who has read "Malibu Rising," as she made a small appearance there.

Carrie Soto is one of the most audacious and objective women I have ever seen. When she gets into her head that she will conquer something, she gives her sweat, blood, and tears to do it. In addition to the countless typical tennis expressions, the book is filled with literally every match Carrie has ever participated in, and it got tiresome about halfway through.

A romance eventually happens, even if it's not the focus, but the most interesting relationship in the book is hers with her father. They are two connected minds who have an immense love for each other, even in the moments they don't show it openly.

You can't help but be curious about where the story is going and if Carrie will achieve her goal, but I found it all too repetitive. I kept waiting for her to open up to other people, to find something else to love and put her intense feelings there, but her goal is unique until the end.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a story of comeback and triumph. Carrie Soto is the best female tennis player in the world when she retires in her early 30s. By 36, another player has emerged who is threatening her title of woman who has won the most Grand Slams. Carrie does the unthinkable and comes out of retirement to beat back her challenger.

From the beginning, this book is about emotional maturity and the mental game of being a world-class player. Soto is undeniably one of the fastest and most interesting players in the game but you get to see inside the internal struggle she has against her own greatness. While this is a book about playing a worthy opponent, this is also a book about a great player working through her demons and playing against herself.

I cannot more highly recommend Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books. She has once again shown us the power and strength women have had throughout history. I am always looking forward to her next book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an e-Arc of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid for my review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid can do no wrong. This is my fifth book I’ve read by her and I loved it just as much as all the others.
TJR is so talented at writing about characters that you completely despise but you still care about their journey. All of her characters have such intense flaws but throughout the book have such a beautiful character arc. Even now as I’ve completed the book I can’t decide if I love or hate Carrie Soto. I love the journey I took with her though. It felt like I was there with her, experiencing everything right beside her.
Also I know absolutely nothing about tennis. I’ve never watching a tennis match in my life. But even the scenes that were describing the tennis matches were interesting to me. That was my one hesitation at the beginning of the book was that I had no interest in tennis so I thought it might be boring. Couldn’t be further from the truth. I was invested from start to finish. If you haven’t already read TJR. Not just Carrie Soto but everything she’s ever written. Immediately.

I absolutely loved this book. Phenomenal work by TJR and in my opinion the best of any of her books.

Protagonist Carrie Soto experiences grief at a young age, trains to be a professional tennis player basically from birth, and the reader is along for the journey of her tumultuous career.

I have seen a handful of reviews saying Carrie as a character was unrelatable or unlikeable but I think that’s kind of the whole point and also I disagree? Yes Carrie has an ego and can be brash and rude but why shouldn’t she be?? She is a product of her experiences. She’s literally the greatest tennis player of all time and has been singularly focused on tennis since childhood. She grapples extensively with how she could possibly do or know any other type of life. While her career isn’t super relatable her inner emotional life definitely is. The book also really showcases a lot of the challenges women face in professional sports or really any kind of public-facing position and/or high-visibility position.

This book was also very fast paced and I loved that.

While this does take place in the same TJR universe as Malibu Rising/Evelyn Hugo/Daisy Jones, etc., you absolutely do not need to have read those to read and enjoy this book! This one is definitely my favorite! I also think my love of tennis is probably part of why I appreciated this book, but I don’t think you need to love or even understand professional tennis to enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House for the copy via NetGalley; this is my honest review!!

"We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men."

Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest book is an enjoyable and motivating read. I loved Daisy Jones & Malibu Rising (I haven't read Evelyn Hugo yet... I know!) so I was pretty excited to read #CarrieSotoIsBack. I wasn't sure I would enjoy this one as much since I'm not really into tennis at all and have never been an athlete myself. However, as always, TJR writes an extremely readable story. I picked up the book one afternoon and in a couple hours realized I was already halfway through. The beginning has "King Richard" vibes if you enjoyed that movie then you will definitely like this book. I recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed TJR's books from this "universe", you do get a few fun easter eggs referencing the other three. I have a feeling the audiobook for this one is going to be good, if it's anything like the bonus chapter from the pre-order campaign.

Six years after her retirement, Carrie decides to make a comeback. Carrie is the greatest tennis player of all time until Nicki Chan matches her grand slam record. With the help of her father who is also her coach, Carrie is determined to reclaim her title no matter what.

Carrie is not a very likeable character. She can be arrogant and annoyingly competitive but I admired her dedication. She is tough and honest but deep inside she is insecure and sensitive. I appreciated her character in the end. I also like her relationship with her father. Aside from being her tennis coach, he is also her number one fan. Nicki Chan was definitely my favorite in this book. She reminded me of Naomi Osaka for some reasons. I liked how she deals with Carrie and I would like to read more about her.

Plot-wise it was okay. At first I felt like I was reading a tennis manual for beginners. I’m not really a fan of tennis (I just know three famous names but never watched their games) so I didn’t give too much attention to it. The second part of this book was my favorite. It focuses more on the characters and has more emotions. This book is written in Reid’s distinct style so listening to the audiobook was a delightful experience. I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to but overall, it was an inspiring read.

It is important to know that this book is written by a white female author featuring a Latina main character. I appreciated the representation but in my opinion it is more meaningful and important to read books about marginalized groups written by actual marginalized authors.

*Thanks to PRH for providing a free digital review copy via NetGalley and LibroFM for the ALC. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

I’m slow, but I read books fast. And that’s okay - sometimes.

A few years ago, I was in a years long easing slump and I decided to change that. I took the advice of Modern Mrs. Darcy and ordered several
books, including The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I was hooked!

I ordered some older books and then stayed current - Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising, and now Carrie Soto.

As I said, I read fast and I totally missed the crossover characters between her books, but I knew immediately who Carrie Soto is/was!

I loved this book. There’s a strong female character, a super involved father, and the elephant in the room, which changes given the topic and the situation.

Carrie is trying her hardest to be the best tennis player in the world. But along the way, hurdles pop up, she begins an affair with a married man (see Malibu Rising and Nina Riva), and she finds herself struggling to meet her own expectations, not to mention her father.

This is a great read for anyone who loves TJR, wants to know the “rest of the story,” or just loves a good heroine.

5/5 recommended.

In this remarkable read by the ever-popular Taylor Jenkins Reid, Carrie Soto’s rise to fame was rivaled by her comeback in her late thirties, something rather unheard of in the aggressive and demanding world of tennis.

With a successful and talented tennis player as a father, Carrie came by her talent naturally, training since two years of age. Carrie’s talent only came second to her drive to win. To be the greatest. At any cost. Called the Battle-Axe, Carrie earned a powerful reputation, and sadly this led to her being mostly unliked by competitors, and even some of the public.

An injury and aging out of the sport let her retirement when she was just past 30 years of age. Surgery and recuperation and a six year break seemed to be all Carrie needed to come back to the sport that she loved, the sport that made her a household name. She once again had the desire to achieve more records. Now at the 37 years of age, Carrie was determined to win the highest accolade the sport has to offer, including beating someone that was determined to decimate any records that Carrie had earned over the years. Carrie’s story also showed how unhappy she was at times, and what her motivations were. It also showed how she didn’t have someone special in her life for years and how that eventually began to change.

As someone who really enjoyed the sport of tennis as a younger person, this story proved to be very enjoyable to me. This book smoothly explained the rules and intricacies of tennis and the various matches without making the book sounding clinical. In addition. although I had this as a Kindle ARC, I also received this as an audiobook ARC. That was truly a blessing, because with a full cast of twelve narrators, this excellent book was made even better with all of the voices and the occasional sound effects.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books, Libro.fm and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/0qVeC-jtzcY

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. Ever since I picked up The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in 2018, I knew that TJR was going to become one of my favorite authors. I fell in love with the way she writes her characters in such a multidimensional way. In her recent novels she has explored the impact of fame and public pressure on women from various decades. This book follows Carrie Soto, a retired tennis player looking to make a comeback. I loved Carrie as a narrator. Because she is an athlete, she’s driven and headstrong: qualities that are celebrated in men, but looked down upon in women. When faced with setbacks, Carrie does give up. Instead, she comes back twice as strong and doesn’t let anybody tell her “no”.

Tennis tournaments serve as the perfect backdrop for this story. Carrie’s performance is constantly being judged and there is an expiration date on her relevance in the sports world. She knows that the older she gets, the harder it will be to hold onto an active career, but she is dead set on proving the media, the public, and her own competitors wrong. All eyes are on her and she wouldn’t want it any other way. Even though I did not know a lot about tennis before reading this book, I quickly became engaged in the fast paced action of the games and the anticipation of the final scores.

I also enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Carrie and her competitor, Nicki Chan. Both women are uncompromising in their desire to win, but I see that as an admirable quality. Carrie and Nicki are trailblazers in their field, breaking tons of records and wanting their well deserved recognition for it. While Nicki is Carrie’s rival throughout the book, she is not painted as a villain. Carrie doesn’t want to fade into obscurity when a younger athlete takes her title, but Nicki has worked equally as hard to earn her spot at the top.

Carrie’s relationship with her father was also very touching. They have a professional relationship as well and a personal one because he is her tennis coach. Javier’s love and commitment to his daughter shines through during Carrie’s return to tennis. Carrie closes herself off to most of the world, but her father always knows exactly what she needs.

Carrie Soto is Back is another amazing installment in TJR’s body of work. Whether you are a long time fan or a new reader, you will not be disappointed.

How fitting that Carrie Soto is Back is published on the opening days of the U.S. Open as tennis fans world-wide watch the final tournament of one of the greatest female players of all time. Quite simply, Carrie Soto is a fantastic book, and a must read for any fan of women’s tennis where women (and women of color in particular) still face a double-standard not applied to their male counterparts.

Carrie is a fully-realized character — brutally honest and planning a comeback after her lifetime record of Grand Slam singles titles is in jeopardy. Her father Javier has agreed to coach her as he did when she was younger, and he is one of the only people who can tell Carrie the truth. Enter Bowe Huntley, in the twilight years of his game, hired by Javier to become Carrie’s hitting partner. This book has it all — suspense as we follow Carrie’s comeback season and see if she decides whether winning or joy in the game is more important, and how love and grief can break us open. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced readers copy of this book. Any opinions in this review are wholly my own.

Carrie freaking Soto. That’s it. That’s the review. I’ve long been drawn to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s strong female protagonists, but Carrie Soto is simply remarkable. Living inside her mind was an exhilarating experience.

Carrie Soto has a reputation for being brilliant but cold and mean, and honestly there is some truth to that. She is ruthless in her pursuit of tennis greatness, and she lacks social niceties, but I admired her ambition and dedication, and I understood her flaws. It’s amazing how confident she is on the court, but vulnerable and insecure in her personal life.

Her steady rise from child prodigy to tennis phenom is entertaining, but it’s her comeback that kept my eyes glued to the page. Her father is there for every step along the way, and I loved their tight bond. His meticulous coaching and Carrie’s indefatigable work ethic are staggering. I thoroughly enjoyed the evolution of her character.

Carrie Soto is Back immerses the reader in the professional world of tennis. I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed all the technical aspects of training and playing. I found myself getting excited every time Carrie stepped onto the court. Her running commentary during each match had me on the edge of my seat. I was so anxious for Carrie that I wanted to skip ahead each game to find out who won.

The story spans the time period from the mid 1970s to the mid 1990s. As a child of the 80s myself, I appreciated all the cultural references—from the Sony Discman and VHS tapes to Princess Diana.

Whether or not you’re a tennis fan, I recommend this enthralling saga.

TJR does it again. A book with tennis at the center? I didn’t know how that was going to work. Turns out it works perfectly. Such a great story! I learned some things, cried a bit and devoured this book. Highly recommend this one.

A sports book that anyone can get into. You don't have to be a tennis pro to getting into. TJR does it again with character relationships that will leave you joyful and heartbroken at the same time. This is a must read for all of those who love a comeback story.

“Everything we achieve is ephemeral. We have it, and then the next second it’s gone.”

TJR did it again! 🤩 Taylor Jenkins Reid is known for her thrilling novels about fictional characters that feel like real people and Carrie Soto is Back is no different.

We first meet Carrie Soto in Malibu Rising (that was a bit of a letdown for me personally — maybe it was the multiple character perspectives? 🤔) for a few brief moments that were enough to establish her as a tornado in the form of a person!

In this book, we get to really dive into Carrie’s story as a professional tennis player whose ambition and confidence doesn’t always make her the most likable person, especially to other fellow players and the press. But even though Carrie isn’t flawless, she’s a true inspiration for people out there to be more resilient and confident about their abilities.

Loved how this book was taking place in the span of a few years from Carrie’s younger years when her father first taught her how to play tennis to her first retirement. And I say first because this story is about Carrie Soto coming out of retirement at age 37 to reclaim her title and record of most Grand Slams!

I don’t think you have to know or love tennis to really enjoy this book even though I do really like the sport! TJR does an amazing job of describing the matches in such a way that it feels like watching it on live TV. I also loved how she added radio segments and newspaper clippings to shows us the results of matches or other big announcements through an alternative lens.

This book explores so many topics like experiencing loss as a child and also watching a parent go through it, women in sports and the way they’re perceived by the press and the world, getting older and all the changes and responsibilities that comes with that.

The romance in this book is also great because it’s so natural and realistic! Two people in close proximity that admire one another and slowly grow feelings…it was just so real and beautiful and ugh! Bowe was just so imperfect but I loved how much he admired and cared for Carrie but also for her dad, Javier. When he wrote those phrases in Spanish in a piece of paper, he made my heart melt!! 🫠🥹

Above all, I truly believe that in its core, this book is about Carrie’s relationship with her father and all the complexities of a father/daughter relationship. Was Javier my favorite character? Hell yes!! Do I think that he was probably everyone’s favorite character? Definitely! Like how can you not love Javier for his steadfast loyalty and love for his daughter? No matter what, he always showed up even though he didn’t always have the right answers and he didn’t always say what Carrie needed to hear. Or for his notebook full of strategies to beat an opponent and the megaphone to yell those strategies to Bowe? Javier just knew how to care and people like him are just precious.

Carrie Soto is Back made me nervous and thrilled, motivated me and inspired me, made me laugh and cry. Only minor thing I wish was a bit better is probably the cover! 🤫

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book! Can’t wait to see TJR in NC next month!!