An absolutely fabulous read, one of my favorites of the year so far. Reid has an uncanny ability to write with effortless, breezy charm that makes reading her books so easy and delightful, even when the subject matter is not something you think you care about. I don’t know anything about tennis, but since I finished this book all I wanna do is watch or play tennis. She makes you believe in the characters and the stories all while giving you prose that is effortless, ethereal, and genuinely emotional. I can’t wait to read my next book by this author, I just know it will be as good as this one.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has a gift for making characters so real that I wish I could look them up in Wikipedia and watch footage of them on YouTube. Carrie Soto is another great character. I’ve read reviews that said that this book is all tennis—it is, so keep that in mind. Despite having absolutely no interest in sports, I was captivated with every tennis match. That’s where all the drama is…is she going to win this one? You just never know.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this review.

This is one of my favorite reads this year. TJR envelopes you in Carrie Sotos world. I honestly felt like I was at the games with her.

Absolutely, truly stunning. TJR is a must-read author who tugs at your heartstrings at every turn. This book had me laughing out loud on one page and then sobbing the next. The way she writes familial connections is so incredibly heartwarming and true. Thank you so much NetGalley for this early preview, I cannot wait for the world to meet Carrie Soto!

2.5 stars, with the admission that maybe sports books are just not my jam? I think even if you enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reid's other books (I really liked Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo - was not huge fan of Malibu Rising) this one is a departure in structure. There is a lot of tennis. Like, a lot. Like... just too much. And tennis being a solo sport, there is a lot of solo time with Carrie. Sure, there is some time with the supporting characters, but SO MUCH OF THIS BOOK is Carrie playing tennis, thinking about playing tennis, watching others play tennis, just in her head thinking about being the best at tennis. The plot is fairly predictable and just... not that interesting? I kept reading because TJR's writing is certainly readable, but I was relieved when it was over and I didn't have to read about yet another tennis match.

This will be my top book of the year, HANDS DOWN. TJR has done it again. She has sucked me in with a dynamic female lead. Carrie Soto is one bad-ass-bitch and I LOVED HER SO MUCH. I loved her character arc . I found myself holding my breath through each tennis match (and I honestly know nothing about tennis). I loved her nods to previous characters and books. This book had my sobbing crocodile tears and also smiling ear to ear. For me, it is in the sweet spot of interesting plot with dynamite characters.

I loved this book! Taylor Jenkins Reid kills it again, and did such an amazing job on this story. I was so emotionally invested in Carrie Soto, and had actual tears streaming down my face as she was dealing with her grief and her successes. Javier Soto has my whole heart.

Taylor does it again! I'm always so obsessed with the characters she writes. The characters aren't always someone you want to like or root for but I always have to keep reading to know what happens to them. Carrie Soto is Back is an absolute must read. Even if you don't know the game of tennis, Taylor does a great job of explaning all the terms. I always feel like I'm apart of Taylor's books, always so invested in the characters and storyline.
I absolutely loved reading about Carrie's father and their whole back story leading up to Carrie's Tennis career.
A must read!

I know nothing about tennis. I can’t say I like nor dislike it, but it’s never been on my radar, ever. But Carrie Soto made me want to go pick up a racket. I loved this TJR novel so much. The characters, the development, and the story line itself were so well written (not surprising since this author is awesome). This felt so full of emotions and raw that I felt really engrossed while reading it. Totally recommend this to anyone - tennis fan or not, I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review. My reviews can be seen on my IG @pickraisaaa as well as my Goodreads profile.

Another amazing story by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This story had so much love and heart that id radiated off the page. I finished this book in record time because I could not put it down. Just an amazing story of family and determination.

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK was of course on the top of my wish lists here on NetGalley, because who doesn't love Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her character development is always excellent, and she is a master at writing complex women who rise -above and against- and are unapologetic about success and their accomplishments. These are always interesting, fun women to root for as a reader, and Carrie Soto is no exception.
While I couldn't help but love Carrie, and her father Javier, and felt invested in her comeback to tennis, this was for me my least favorite of her books. The emotional pull of DAISY JONES wasn't in this for me. The complex women's fiction masterpiece (IMHO) of SEVEN HUSBANDS was not in this book. Maybe it was how few characters there were in this novel (unlike the complicated family tree of MALIBU RISING) or most likely it was just how much tennis there was in the book, but I didn't connect to the story the way I wanted to. Highlights with this novel include the searing spotlight on the sexism female athletes live with, the refreshing inclusion of Spanish phrases and words shared between father and daughter, and the relationship between Carrie and her ultimate rival, Nikki Chan. The scenes between these two rivals are shaped by their respect for each other's talent and their love of the game, and I found this dynamic to feel very fresh and authentic.
Maybe what feels like weaknesses for this book for me was a result of timing. We've just seen Will Smith in King Richard. We've just read Liane Moriarty's APPLES NEVER FALL (I like Carrie better) so maybe its just too much tennis.
3 and a 1/2 but marking 4

5 Bright Shiny Stars.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I seldom give them out but I loved everything about this book. The story line. The flawed characters. The thrill of competition.
TJR just gets better and better.

THIS BOOK!!! Carrie Soto Is Back

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m unsure if this is in the final book but the ARC started with a letter from the SVP and Editor-in-Chief saying how Carrie is her favorite of all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s characters Carrie is her favorite. That is an incredibly high compliment to start a book on! And while Evelyn may always be my favorite Carrie is coming in at a VERY CLOSE second.

Carrie Soto is the GOAT of tennis. Not just womens tennis but tennis all around. This book follows her training, her rise to the top, the end of her career, and her comeback.

But it is soooo much more than just a fictional athletes story. There is a major father/daughter relationship that is complicated and deep. There is so much growth from all characters. Carrie really has to take an inward look at herself to figure out who she is with tennis and who she is without it.

It’s just all around so so good! I know nothing about tennis and i was so captivated. I got major Venus and Serena vibes from this story. I also would say for anyone who was an athlete in college this book would be interesting to them.

I was so curious about how TJR was going to make Carrie Soto a likable character after Malibu Rising. I also had some serious concerns after seeing the cover. That being said, this book was a home run for me. It took me a few tries of picking it up to get over the *very* detailed tennis talk but luckily I’ve always enjoyed the game so it didn’t complicate my understanding of the book. This book was loads of fun and had just the right amount of high highs and low lows to keep me invested in the characters. More than anything else though, I loved this book because it surprised and delighted me all the way to the very end.

Read This If Enjoy:
•TJR books
•Tennis
•Father/daughter relationships
•Slow burn romance

“We live in a world where exception women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men”

Thoughts:
I have said this before, and I will say it again. TJR books are always a vibe, and she has done it again. When I first heard her new book would be about Carrie Soto from Malibu Rising, I was skeptical but intrigued. I never would have imagined I’d be rooting for her. I loved this story so much! I loved the tennis and the female empowerment aspect of it. Carrie Soto, she knows she is good and is unapologetic about it. I love and respect that! The relationship with her dad, he was a precious gem of a man, their relationship was so sweet. Then, the slow burn romance happening…I loved it.

TJR has done it again, and I think you guys are going to love this one! You will also want to go play tennis right after lol.

Thank you @Netgalley & @randhomhouse for this advanced copy.

Relentless. Competitive. Uncompromising. Prickly. Carrie Soto is all aces. Taylor Jenkins Reid is back, and she has a winner is Carrie Soto. After what felt like an unfocused Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back is a tight, character driven novel that is incredibly focused...on winning. Carrie has been raised by her father and coach Javier, to value hard work, winning, and being the best. Which is great when you're the best, and not-so-great when you're not. And when the next great thing is a few serves away from becoming the best thing and supplanting you, well pull out your tennis shoes and racket and prepare to be served. Through blood, sweat and tears Carrie returns to her winning ways, but she also gains something just as, if not more important, than victory on the court. She begins to learn that there are people in her life that really value her for who she is, even when she isn't the easiest person to like. And she's not. There's a reason why she's called the b****, erm, the Battle-Ax, and having a filter isn't one of them. Readers will definitely have their moments where they either think "I wish I had the guts to say something like that" or "why in the world couldn't you stop for a second and think about how that would make someone feel". Her relationship with her agent is the steady, unchanging one in this book, that anchors reteaming with her dad as her coach, training with former flame Bowden to get back to a competitive level and realizing a romantic relationship isn't out of bounds, and realizing that as much as she wants to beat Nicki Chan on the court, she really kind of lucks who she is as a person off the court. The story is told over the course of a Grand Slam season, and Jenkins Reid does a great job of completing engrossing the reader in the sport. There were definitely parts where I was flying through the pages, caught up in the speed of the match as much as the story itself. I loved how Carrie is not a conventional heroine and how Jenkins Reid makes you root for her anyway. Knowing at least a little bit about tennis will help you follow the story a little bit better, but it's never written above a level where someone who knows nothing about the sport makes you feel like you're missing something. This one is definitely a winner! A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Okay, I’m convinced that I’m the only person on the planet that is not a fan of TJR. I try and try to get into her writing style and her books and every single time I’m extremely disappointed.

Carrie Soto is absolutely no different. This was absolutely painful for me to read. I’ve seen many raving reviews about this book that describe Carrie as a strong female lead… did we get different versions?! Carrie was anything but strong. To put it nicely she was a self absorbed, brat who was OBSESSED with winning. She has no personality what do ever and was annoyingly immature.

I’m also extremely put off by the fact that there is no plot to this book? The entire book is a tennis match. There’s no real story going on here. It’s simply a weird timeline of someone’s rise to fame with a hyper focus on tennis tournaments. Where’s the character development? Where’s the drama? Where’s the plot?! Unless you live, eat, and breath tennis like Carrie then this book is not relatable in the slightest.

Pub date: August 30, 2022

Another amazing novel from Taylor Jenkins Reid. Carrie Soto is one of my new favorite characters! This book is all about girl power, tennis, the sweetest father/daughter relationship, and a slow burn love! I loved the transitions from first person POV to the news articles & sport broadcasters. It was so fast faced and so much fun to read! You don’t need any precious knowledge of tennis— it’s super easier to follow and such a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Jenkins Reid does it again! I don't even really understand tennis, yet I was riveted by Carrie Soto. I couldn't put it down and loved the dynamic between all the characters. Carrie's relationship with her father was so fun to read, and her competitive trash talk with her competitors was hilarious. I will recommend this to everyone! When is TJR's next book out?!?

I have read all of TJR's books and I have every one of them. I feel that Carrie Soto Is Back is the jewel in TJR"s crown. Not only do I consider it the best book of the Summer, I think it is the best book that I have read all year. I was a little hesitant when I requested it. Although I played tennis most of my life, I was concerned as to whether a book can be that stimulating about a sport. But then again, I enjoyed the author so I requested it. I loved so much about the book - the beautiful father-daughter relationship pulled at my heartstrings throughout the pages and Carrie's on/off relationship with the lovable Bowe was so fun to read. I've pre-ordered the book for my daughters and sister. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful story. And thank you, TJR, for writing it.