I love Taylor Jenkins Reid’s character development. She really makes you fall in love with the characters. I know next to nothing about tennis and I still really enjoyed this story. Carrie Soto will stick with me for a while.

At 37, Carrie Soto re-starts her professional tennis career after learning that Nicki Chan tied her record of twenty Grand Slam titles. I’m not much for sports, so the premise didn’t necessarily appeal to me and decided to give Jenkins Reid the benefit of the doubt based on enjoying her past novels. Carrie is ambitious, tenacious, ruthless, audacious, and aggressive, but I absolutely loved her (along with the other characters especially her father) because she felt so authentic. Plus, the tennis matches were thrilling and perfectly paced. The true star and heart of the book are the interpersonal relationships — realization, growth, and enlightenment.

The story of Carrie’s Soto comeback to tennis. I’m not into tennis, but I devoured this book! It’s such a strong story about Carrie finding her place in the world. Loved it!

I pretty much love all TJR books and this is no different. The weaving of the narratives from side characters in previous novels into becoming the main character they were meant just works when she does it. Carrie is a great lead character but be prepared to read a lot about tennis; it's interesting to me how that sport in particular has spawned so many novels revolved around it and the types of people that play it. Recommended.

Carrie Soto is back is the story of a very difficult character. Carrie is not an easy-to-love kind of person, she's more an easy-to-hate type. But here lies the magic of Taylor Jenkins Reid: she can make any character a lovable character, a person you can understand and empathize with. And that's exactly what you'll find in Carrie Soto is back: a difficult person that you'll get to know and accompany during her life journey, when you'll proud of her, mad at her and sad for her. You can see the complexity of her character, and I have to say that Carrie feels very real because you can identify with her, even if you're not a tennis superstar. And that's exactly what happened to me, that I saw myself in Carrie during most parts of this book, that I felt I was seeing myself.

The book itself is so easy and fast to read because of its building: it has descriptions, yes, but it also adds some interesting elements as interviews and sports programs' transcripts. But the best thing for me was how the tennis matches were described. It's a first person POV book, so you're inside Carrie's mind during these matches. And you can feel what she's feeling, you can feel the excitement and the nerves as if you were seeing her play. You don't want to stop reading because you want to know what's going to happen next, and next, and next, and so, you can definitely finish this book in less than 24 hours if you commit to it. Also, don't worry if you don't know a single thing about tennis, this book will explain it for you.

I loved how this book is the story of Carrie, but it's also the story of her father, how he's the root of all that happens next. I really loved him, loved their interactions and how important they were for each other. They made me cry more times than it should, but I loved them nonetheless. I really liked her other relationships, her very few friends, her "enemies", her reactions to the rest of the world. She is amazing and unstoppable, and seeing her meet people that appreciated her as she really is. And I also hated some people in the way, specially the male sportscasters. I really despised them.

So yeah, this is an amazing book. As I said, it's the story of Carrie, but also of her father, of her friends and her rivals, of the women tennis players that had an impact in a world made for men where it was still so hard for them to be truly appreciated. They made their own path and fought with all their strength to make their climb to the top. But it's also the story of loving the things you do in life, and of loving and accepting yourself with all the defeats and failures too. Carrie Soto, you're truly the best in the world for me.

PS: TJR's characters always feel so real, I had to stop myself from googling their names as if they were real people.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! I don’t care about tennis at all, but I loved this book. Great story, great characters, there were times I didn’t know if I was rooting for or against Carrie! So good! So much growth! I really connected with Carrie and her internal journey.

Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reed does not disappoint! I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed! There is a lot of tennis talk and although I’m not a huge sports fan it wasn’t a turn off. TJR once again blew it out of the park with her story telling.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC for my honest review.

The level of storytelling I've come to expect from Taylor Jenkins Reid was on full display here. I appreciated the pacing that added to the suspense as the drama of the story unfolded. It was very cinematically told. I'm a sports fan, so I especially loved the inclusion of transcripts from the sportscasters inserted periodically. My highest praise goes to the beautiful father-daughter relationship depicted. I think this is the perfect summer read -- it certainly distracted me from the insane level of heat we've been having.

Another great one from TJR. I binged this one so fast. I wish I knew more about tennis. I skimmed a bit of the tennis stuff. It wasn't my favorite of hers, that belongs to Daisy or Evelyn, but I really loved the story!

Taylor Jenkins Reid does not miss! Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Malibu Rising were all five star reads so my expectations were sky-high starting this book. Of course, they were met! I might have liked this one even more than the author's previous books, and that's saying a lot.

I really loved the progression of getting to know Carrie in this story. We’re introduced to her in a way that most of her competitors see her as: a cocky and unfriendly woman. But as we dive further into the story we see deeper layers of Carrie as well as seeing her grow as a person. I think this book sends a great message to all that even when the world considers you past your prime you can still set out to prove them wrong and achieve your goals.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS ONE:
🎾: All the action and historic places visited through tennis. I thought of my best friend the entire time I read this one because she loves tennis!
👥: The individual relationships Carrie has with her dad, Bowe, and Nicki Chan
🥚: All the Easter eggs TJR includes from her other stories
👑: Other historic references such as esteemed guests in the stands of Wimbledon

Carrie Soto now sits atop the trifecta of best TJR stories alongside Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones 🤍

Okay, let’s be real. The likelihood of me influencing you one way or another to read this book is slim. TJR has already proven herself to be an auto-read author and with good reason. So, I’ll just say a few short things and you can get on with reading Carrie Soto already, like you should.

Another ace from TJR. Not quite as powerful as Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones, but equally unique and compelling in it’s own way. Carrie Soto starts and it never stops. It’s one you just want to read and read and read until the end. It also helps that I’m a tennis fan and could easily picture every move and scene and follow the lingo.

Unlike Malibu Rising, et al, Soto doesn’t follow a large cast of characters. It stays with Carrie and focuses on her thoughts and struggles and triumphs and losses, in all things, from her sole POV. Which is one of the reasons the book is so compelling to read in as few sittings as possible. It’s another side/angle to a strong feminist storyline. A “bold” woman who plays the game without “playing” the game.

There are beautiful and complex relationships running throughout too. Not many, but they are important, and in the end, it’s the heart of the story. You’re invested in the winning and losing, and the hard work, but the emotions are what you remember. I greatly enjoyed it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: August 30th, 2022
Read if you like:
💪A strong female protagonist
🎾Inspiring come-back stories
🏃‍♀️Fast-paced, plot-driven books

WOW. I adored this book. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be for me. I had heard there was a lot of tennis talk, and while that is true, it was explained so well and made the book really interesting! Tennis is a huge part of Carrie’s character, so it never felt like too much.

Some readers might be turned off by Carrie’s abrasive personality, but it’s obvious that TJR made her this way on purpose. Carrie is strong, knows what she wants, and refuses to let anyone get in the way. The father/daughter story was one of my favorite parts of this book. The passion that Javier has for coaching Carrie was so fun to read about.

I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat through this entire book. I was desperate for Carrie to win and needed to keep turning pages to discover how her story ended. This book was amazing and I recommend it to anyone! Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC🥰

At this point in her career, with the devout fan base she has, Taylor Jenkins Reid has to try very little to get us to scream and cry and laugh over her books. And yet, she gives her blood, sweat and tears and knocks it out of the park every time (do you like my sports sayings here?)

'Carrie Soto Is Back' is by far TJR's best book. It's been an honor watching her writing and character development skills improve. The book is fast, fun, devastating and hilarious. Carrie is complex and a badass, dare I say it, a bitch, who does not wear her heart on her sleeve, and yet I love her and want to force her to hug me. She and the people she's surrounded by, whether by choice or force, are beautifully written characters.

My favorite part of the book was the fact that TJR didn't waste any time. She had less than 400 pages to one up herself and she dove right in. From page 4 I was eager to know what happened and with a match every 10 pages or so, I couldn't put it down. The research she does blow my mind! I felt like a tennis pro, knowing everything she was saying and I don't even remember her training me in the world of tennis jargon. I don't think I've ever even watched a tennis set and yet I walk away from this book thinking I could beat Chan?? The book is as fast as a tennis match and I simply couldn't put it down.

TJR's ability to create unsuspecting relationships is also amazing to me. She knows how tired so many of her are from the cliche romance novels and she delivers something better to us. Carrie and her dad!!!!! I don't know what else to say other than that they are now my favorite relationship in the TJR Cinematic Universe, tied with Evelyn and Harry.

I probably don't have to convince you, BUT if you are among the 2% of the population who is on the fence about reading this, just pre-order your copy now goddamnit.

This was very good book If the description of the tennis matches was good . They made yo think you were there Thanks to Netgalley an the publisher for the ARC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sharing an ARC with
me!
This was a great installment in the TJR Universe. I wasn't sold at
first. The descriptions of tennis matches were a bit long and I
wasn't drawn in by them. Then the story started unfolding and I
was hooked. The characters were so endearing and I fell in love
with each of them. Carrie is one of the most interesting TJR
leading ladies, and her story was incredible from start to finish

I was enraptured by this book from the start. I read this book in one sitting. Carrie Soto is the perfect, flawed, strong, and straight forward character in a book about finding greatness within yourself. I absolutely loved how Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote this fictional story pulling at your heart strings while also keeping you on the edge of your seat. I honestly can’t think of a single negative thing to say. The pace throughout the book was great. The characters dynamics and growth was absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10 recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is my literal queen. There has not been a single book I have read by this woman that has not made me so engrossed and invested. In Malibu Rising we meet Carrie Sot0 and she is made out to be such a villian, so going into this I was not her biggest fan. However, over the course of this book you fall more and more in love with her. Carrie Sota is the greatest tennis player of all time, she retired 6 years ago, and since then a new star has risen. Carrie Sota's entire life has been tennis, and her identity seems to be rooted in her records, so the thought of someone taking those records from her is unbearable- so Carrie comes out of retirement and is once again coached by her father. This book has so much character development from Carrie, her dad, her love interest and her relationships with each of these people and it was amazing to see such BA woman truly take control of her life. I played tennis in school, so the tennis heavy parts were incredible to me, but if you HATE sports you might struggle more but I think TJR does an incredibly job of describing the matches and making this book incredibly reader friendly even for someone who know nothing about the sport. 5 Star read for me!

A BIG thanks to Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of Carrie Soto is Back.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again. I devoured this book in 24 hours. TJR has this amazing ability to create such powerful, brave, and strong women. You can’t help but root for them in everything they do! This book is no exception.

This incredible book takes you on Carrie’s journey throughout her life in the tennis world. You feel each competition so deeply as you read, while intensely rooting for Carrie each time. Carrie Soto speaks her mind, doesn’t care what others think of her, and is true to herself throughout the book. Carrie is the best tennis player in the world and she’s not here to make friends on her way to the top.

Carrie Soto is Back gets your adrenaline pumping, keeps you engaged, and keeps you wanting more with every page.

Carrie Soto is Back will be released on August 30, 2022.

I know almost nothing about the sport of tennis but that did not interfere with my love of this book. Anything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes is a guaranteed read for me and Carrie Soto did not disappoint. The story follows the rise and fall and attempt at comeback for a world-famous tennis player. Carrie is ruthless and dedicated to becoming the best player in history and will stop at nothing to meet her goal. I loved seeing the inner workings of how an elite athlete is born and Carrie's relationship with her father was fascinating. As the reader, you can't help but root for her success even though you can see how unlikeable she appears to the public at large. This is a fast read and every page is completely enthralling, I highly recommend this one.

Thanks to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballentine Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.